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Restricted claim

“Carbon balanced”

Is “Carbon balanced” allowed under the EU Green Claims Directive (2024/825)?

High-risk claim Carbon & climate

Why it is restricted

"Balanced" implies emissions have been cancelled out — a neutrality claim built on credits.

Say this instead

Publish the unbalanced number and what you are doing to lower it.

In English

  • “CO2-ausgeglichen”
  • “CO2-tasakaalustatud”

Legal basis

Directive 2005/29/EC, Annex I point 4c, inserted by Directive 2024/825 (claiming, BASED ON OFFSETTING, that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment; a neutrality claim not resting on offsetting falls under point 4a and Article 6(1)(b) instead)

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Related claims

“Carbon positive” High-risk claim “CO2 reduced” Medium-risk claim “Reduced carbon footprint” Medium-risk claim “Carbon neutral” High-risk claim “Carbon negative” High-risk claim “Climate neutral” High-risk claim

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