English
Deutsch
No inconsistent, unreliable or opportunistic politics – we need a clear course for nature, the climate, and the economy. Turning away from the Green Deal would cause far greater long-term harm than any short-term relief it may seem to offer.
Since the launch of the European Green Deal in 2019, companies worldwide have invested billions of euros in sustainable technologies, processes, and materials – and they have done so in the expectation that political conditions will remain stable. Yet our most important partner – the environment – does not pause, show leniency, or wait for human indecision. It functions reliably only if we do not disturb or hinder it.
To live up to this responsibility, we need a clear focus on three central fields of action:
- 🌾 future-proof agriculture
- 🌊 reliable access to raw materials as well as their responsible use and reuse
- 🌿 and resilient, traceable supply chains.
All of this requires political consistency – not a back-and-forth between election cycles and opportunistic decisions. Businesses need planning certainty to invest boldly and purposefully in sustainable progress. Experience shows how essential this reliability is.
On 23 October 2025, the EU heads of state and government met in Brussels to once again debate whether the objectives of the European Green Deal should be weakened, and how to balance climate protection with competitiveness.
Already in November 2024, more than 50 companies – including global market leaders – had addressed an open letter to the European Commission. Their message was clear: the EU must stay on course and secure stable, long-term environmental standards. Their joint statement read:
“We, the undersigned companies, stand firmly behind the European Green Deal and its continuation.”
👉 Source: A business perspective: Strong environmental standards foster long-term competitiveness
Why a stable Green Deal is not only environmentally necessary but economically indispensable
Planning certainty forms the foundation for innovation and investment. When political frameworks remain stable, trust emerges along entire value chains – a crucial factor for reliable cooperation and long-term competitiveness.
Indecisive or erratic environmental policy, by contrast, generates substantial costs:
- Climate-related extreme events already cause around 143 billion USD in damages each year.
- Without effective countermeasures, losses could climb to as much as 38 trillion USD annually by 2050 – a 19% drop in global income. (Source: Nature Communications 2023 / PIK Potsdam 2024)
In addition, sudden political shifts lead to massive friction losses. Indecision creates overload, frustration, and increasing political disillusionment – all of which slow down societal and economic progress.
Signatories – strong voices from the European and global business community
Nestlé | Unilever | Ferrero | IKEA | Patagonia | Accor | Sysco | H&M Group | Danone | L’Oréal | Mars | Henkel | Ecolab | Philips | Interface | Tetra Pak | Heineken | Colgate-Palmolive | Schneider Electric | Essity | Kingfisher | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners | Saint-Gobain | Electrolux | BASF | Novozymes | Umicore | Kering | Swarovski | DHL | Vattenfall | Veolia | Iberdrola | Scania | P&G | SAP | BMW Group | Borealis | Lenzing AG | Neste | Sappi | DSM-Firmenich | Ball Corporation | ArcelorMittal | SIG Combibloc | EssilorLuxottica | Husqvarna | AB InBev | Sonae | Colruyt Group | Auchan | Carlsberg | Kärcher | Vaude | Tchibo | Wessanen | Fenix Outdoor | Sodexo | METRO AG
(Full list of signatories via the source above.)
Regulatory context at EU level
- The PPWR – Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation – has been adopted and is now entering implementation.
- The CSRD – Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – remains a central instrument for transparency.
- EmpCo – Empowering Consumers for a Green Transition – is in force, protecting consumers and creating clear conditions for credible environmental communication.
In its report COM(2025) 871 final, published on 21 October 2025, the EU confirmed that the Green Claims Directive will be introduced in 2026 and will be closely linked to the Empowering Consumers Directive. According to EmpCo, a binding principle will already apply shortly:
👉 Every environmental and sustainability claim must be clear, verifiable, and independently substantiated.
The call to action
Politics:
We need clear, stable, and reliable rules – not policymaking that swings with shifting majorities. What matters is moving decisively in the right direction, rather than two steps forward and three steps back.
Business:
Companies must think long-term. Climate protection is not a cost factor but a fundamental basis of economic competitiveness – even when non-monetary corporate costs are not taken into account.
Society:
Success is not measured in quarters but in what holds up over the next ten or twenty-five years. If we fail to set the right course today, society will bear the costs – up to 38 trillion USD annually. When decisions are made at the top, the bill often ends up at the bottom – with the citizen.
About flustix
The organisation, founded in Berlin in 2017, offers six distinct flustix seals: The flustix LESS PLASTICS – MIN. xx% PLASTIC-FREE seals certify, in collaboration with recognised testing laboratories and accredited certification bodies, the entire product as well as either its packaging or the product itself. Products that refrain from using microplastics are transparently labelled with the PLASTIC-FREE – Product Content Microplastic-Free seal. The flustix RECYCLED trustmark certifies recyclates, semi-finished goods, and products with recycled content, including plastics, metals, and glass. flustix RECYCLABLE independently communicates the recyclability of packaging. The flustix seals serve as a guide for consumers and thereby support companies in pursuing a sustainability-focused business strategy and ensuring credible sustainability communication.
