New EU Rules Demand Proof of Sustainability Claims in Travel Industry

EU Tightens Rules Against Greenwashing in Tourism

Starting September 27, 2026, stricter requirements for environmental and sustainability claims made to consumers will take effect in the EU. The new rules also apply to the travel industry—from eco-labels for hotels and climate commitments by airlines to sustainability information on booking platforms.

What’s changing?

The underlying EU rules are not new. However, there is now a greater focus on what the regulations specifically mean for the travel industry: General claims such as “environmentally friendly” or “climate-neutral” should not be used without supporting evidence. Sustainability labels must also be based on appropriate certification and monitoring systems.

Particularly relevant for the travel industry: A trip may not be advertised as “climate-neutral” solely on the basis of carbon offsetting. Companies may continue to provide information about climate protection measures or the purchase of carbon credits—but their communication must be transparent and must not be misleading.

Specific sustainability measures must also be correctly contextualized. For example, if only a single area of a hotel has been made more environmentally friendly, this should not automatically give the impression that the entire hotel stay is “environmentally friendly.”

The effective date in Norway must be distinguished from the EU rules

This development is also relevant for Norwegian companies: Norway has already adopted legislative changes to implement the EU requirements. The exact effective date has not yet been set and is expected in the first half of 2027 at the earliest. At the same time, Norwegian providers whose offerings are directed specifically at consumers in the EU must comply with the rules in effect there.

More about Norway.

Header: © Dominik Mattern / Unsplash