{"id":7263,"date":"2026-04-24T12:47:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=7263"},"modified":"2026-07-01T13:07:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:07:42","slug":"greenwashing-und-klimakommunikation-neue-vollzugshilfe-des-bafu-zur-anwen-dung-von-art-3-abs-1-lit-x-uwg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/greenwashing-und-klimakommunikation-neue-vollzugshilfe-des-bafu-zur-anwen-dung-von-art-3-abs-1-lit-x-uwg\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenwashing and Climate Communication: New Guidance from the FOEN on the Application of Article 3(1)(x) of the Unfair Competition Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7263\" class=\"elementor elementor-7263\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5e192929 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"24183\" data-id=\"5e192929\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-328c9e8\" data-eae-slider=\"45465\" data-id=\"328c9e8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1457845 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1457845\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7243\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg 825w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a76e28a\" data-eae-slider=\"52154\" data-id=\"a76e28a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99081b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"99081b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Greenwashing and Climate Communication: New Guidance from the FOEN on the Application of Article 3(1)(x) of the Unfair Competition Act<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f29e2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5f29e2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-685ec73 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Competition<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">News<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Regulatory<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-d50ae70 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>24.04.2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ec6c601 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-user-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMario Strebel, Fabian Koch\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d17332b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d17332b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-4d17332b{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6fdab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6fdab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-e6fdab6{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bcb7c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0bcb7c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Terms such as &#171;climate-neutral&#187;, &#171;climate-positive&#187; and &#171;environmentally friendly&#187; have become commonplace in corporate communications. In new enforcement guidance, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN<\/a>) has clarified the legal requirements that apply to climate-related claims under Swiss unfair competition law.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Background and facts<\/strong><\/p><p>Under Article 3(1)(x) of the Swiss Unfair Competition Act (UCA), it constitutes an unfair commercial practice to make claims about a company, its goods, works or services in relation to their climate impact unless those claims can be substantiated by objective and verifiable evidence.<\/p><p>On 2 March 2026, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOEN<\/a> published enforcement guidance on this provision, which has been in force since the beginning of 2025. The guidance explains the statutory requirements in greater detail and is intended to promote a consistent approach to enforcement by both public authorities and private parties.<\/p><p><strong>Key legal points<\/strong><\/p><p>As general principles, the enforcement guidance stipulates that, from the customers\u2019 perspective, climate-related claims must be clear, factually accurate and verifiable, and must be substantiated by the company in the event of a dispute.<\/p><p>The enforcement guidance also makes a distinction that is crucial in practice. Product-related climate claims must not be based on offsetting measures \u2013 specifically CO\u2082 certificates \u2013 outside the product life cycle, as this would be misleading from the consumer\u2019s perspective. Company-specific disclosures may include offsets under certain conditions, in particular whilst adhering to the hierarchy of measures, according to which emissions must first be reduced directly as far as possible (subsidiarity of offset measures).<\/p><p>Of particular significance is the assessment regarding the terms \u2018climate-neutral\u2019 or \u2018climate-positive\u2019, which, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOEN<\/a>\u2019s new implementation guidance, should not be used due to a lack of verifiability.<\/p><p><strong>Classification<\/strong><\/p><p>Companies bear the risk that, in the event of a dispute, climate-related disclosures without sufficient supporting evidence may be deemed misleading. Companies should therefore actively review their sustainability communications for compliance with the new enforcement guidance and continuously document the relevant evidence. Certain terms such as \u2018climate-neutral\u2019 should be avoided altogether, as, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOEN<\/a>, the necessary evidence for such claims cannot be provided based on the current state of scientific knowledge.<\/p><p>Although the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOEN<\/a>\u2019s enforcement guidance is not formally binding on the courts, it is likely to carry considerable weight in practice, as the courts regularly follow such guidelines.<\/p><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FOEN<\/a>\u2019s enforcement guidance is available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bafu.admin.ch\/en\/enforcement-aid-uca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0b3fb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c0b3fb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>CORE Attorneys is a boutique law firm in Switzerland, focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/wettbewerbsrecht\/\">competition\/antitrust law<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/regulierung\/\">regulatory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/vertriebsrecht\/\">distribution law<\/a> matters. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/\">News &amp; Insights<\/a> and follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/core-attorneys\">LinkedIn<\/a> for regular updates on all our focus areas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Begriffe wie &#171;klimaneutral&#187;, &#171;klimapositiv&#187; oder &#171;umweltfreundlich&#187; sind in der Unternehmenskommunikation verbreitet. Mit einer neuen Vollzugshilfe hat das Bundesamt f\u00fcr Umwelt (BAFU) j\u00fcngst konkretisiert, welche Anforderungen Unternehmen bei klimabezogenen Angaben erf\u00fcllen m\u00fcssen. Hintergrund und Sachverhalt In der Schweiz handelt gem\u00e4ss Art&#8230;.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Greenwashing und Klimakommunikation: Neue Vollzugshilfe des BAFU zur Anwendung von Art. 3 Abs. 1 lit. x UWG","_seopress_titles_desc":"Greenwashing und Klimakommunikation: Neue Vollzugshilfe des BAFU zur Anwendung von Art. 3 Abs. 1 lit. x UWG","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9,11],"tags":[749,227,748,750,151,217,76],"class_list":["post-7263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","category-regulatory","tag-bafu","tag-compliance","tag-greenwashing","tag-klima","tag-nachhaltigkeit","tag-uwg","tag-wettbewerbsrecht"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7263"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7270,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7263\/revisions\/7270"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}