21 airlines, including Ryanair and Wizz Air, are abandoning misleading environmental claims at the request of the European Commission

Brussels, November 7, 2025 – Twenty-one of the largest airlines in Europe, including Air Baltic, Air France, Lufthansa, Ryanair, SAS, TAP, and Wizz Air, have committed to change their practices regarding environmental claims, especially those related to the "neutralization" of CO2 emissions. The announcement was made on Friday, November 7, by the European Commission and follows a dialogue held with the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC), which deemed these claims misleading (greenwashing).

The dialogue, led by consumer protection authorities from Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, has prompted airlines to commit to no longer claiming that the CO2 emissions of a specific flight could be "neutralized, compensated, or directly reduced" through consumers' financial contributions to climate protection projects or for the use of alternative fuels.

The companies have agreed to align their practices with EU consumer legislation, committing to use terms such as "sustainable aviation fuels" (SAF) only with appropriate clarifications to justify them and to refrain from using vague green language or implicit environmental claims. They must also ensure that any calculation of CO2 emissions is presented clearly and transparently and is supported by scientific evidence.

"I welcome the commitment made by airlines to change their practices," said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy. "Consumers deserve clear and accurate information about the real impact of air travel and about the real efforts that can be made to increase sustainability," added Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and Consumer Protection.

This dialogue was initiated after the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) issued an alert in June 2023, denouncing the misleading green claims of 17 airlines. These practices violate the EU Directive on unfair commercial practices.

National consumer protection authorities will now monitor the timely implementation of these commitments. The CPC network has warned that it may take enforcement action against companies that do not uphold their promises and that it will assess the practices of other airlines operating in the single market to ensure fair competition.

https://2eu.brussels/articol/stiri/21-de-companii-aeriene-inclusiv-ryanair-si-wizz-air-renunta-la-afirmatiile-ecologice-inselatoare-la-cererea-comisiei-europene