„Paper-free"
Annex I No. 4a UCPD i.d.F. EmpCo, § 5 Abs. 1 UWG
What does it mean?
The claim 'paper-free' suggests an ecological advantage that is not, however, automatically given. The actual environmental balance of digital processes is complex and depends on factors such as energy consumption of IT infrastructure, manufacture of devices and cloud services. According to Annex I No. 4a UCPD i.d.F. EmpCo and § 5 UWG, a blanket claim without concrete substantiation is misleading. In order to communicate 'paper-free' in a legally compliant manner, a comprehensible Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study in accordance with ISO 14040/44 is required, which takes into account the entire value chain and demonstrates the actual environmental benefits.
Typical phrasings
- 'Paper-free office for a green future'
- 'We are a paperless company'
- 'Paper-free – good for the environment'
Required evidence
- LCA study (Life Cycle Assessment) in accordance with ISO 14040/44
- CO₂ footprint calculation (ISO 14067)
- Data on energy consumption of IT infrastructure
Rechtsgrundlage (Originalwortlaut)
Anhang I Nr. 4a UCPD (i.d.F. EmpCo) — generische Umweltaussage ohne anerkannte Nachweise
Quelle: Richtlinie (EU) 2024/825 (EmpCo) — verbindlich ist ausschließlich die im Amtsblatt der Europäischen Union veröffentlichte Fassung.
DEDeutsch (amtlich, DE-Fassung Amtsblatt)aufklappenzuklappen
„Treffen einer allgemeinen Umweltaussage, wobei der Gewerbetreibende die anerkannte hervorragende Umweltleistung, auf die sich die Aussage bezieht, nicht nachweisen kann."ENEnglish (Official Journal, EN version)aufklappenzuklappen
„Making a generic environmental claim for which the trader is not able to demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim."FRFrançais (Journal officiel, version FR)aufklappenzuklappen
„Présenter une allégation environnementale générique au sujet de laquelle le professionnel n'est pas en mesure de démontrer l'excellente performance environnementale reconnue en rapport avec l'allégation."NLNederlands (Publicatieblad, NL versie)aufklappenzuklappen
„Het maken van een generieke milieuclaim zonder dat de handelaar erkende voortreffelijke milieuprestaties kan aantonen die relevant zijn voor de claim."Empcora is a pure checking and documentation service and provides general information only on the legal situation based on the EmpCo Directive (EU 2024/825) and the unfair-competition / consumer-protection law transposing it in your jurisdiction including references. This is not individual legal advice and includes neither the rewriting nor the drafting of texts. No liability or warranty is assumed for the correctness, completeness or up-to-dateness of the analysis, nor for any legal consequences. The legal assessment of an individual case rests with an admitted law firm or lawyer.