Preparing Your ATDW Profile for new EU Empowering Consumers Directive
New European consumer protection rules are changing how tourism businesses can talk about sustainability — and because ATDW listings reach or target European travellers, this affects Australian operators too.
From 27 September 2026, the European Union's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) will apply to any business making environmental claims to consumers in EU countries, regardless of where that business is based. Here are the five things you need to do to get your ATDW profile — and your wider marketing — ready.
1. Remove generic claims from your profile.
Terms like "eco-friendly", "green" and "sustainable" are now considered misleading unless they're clearly defined, evidence-based and independently verified.
What to do.
Scan your Product Description, Image Captions and Alt Text fields for any of these broad terms used on their own. Either replace them with a specific, measurable statement (what you did, where, and how) or remove them if you can't back them up yet.
2. Make sure every claim has evidence behind it.
EmpCo shifts sustainability messaging from marketing to verification. That means your claims need standards that are clearly defined and publicly available, evidence that can be tested, and independently verified — not self-declared statements or in-house labels.
What to do
Independent certification from programs such as Ecotourism Australia, EarthCheck or the Quality Tourism Framework, provide a practical way to support environmental claims with credible evidence. If you're not yet certified, this is the moment to consider it.
3. If you're certified, use it — visibly & correctly.
Independent certification provides a practical way to support environmental claims with credible evidence. So put your hard-earned Certification to work.
What to do
- Display your current certification logo on your website and other marketing.
- Communicate clearly what the certification means to your business, not just that you have it.
- Make sure your team can talk confidently about what your certification covers.
4. Align the rest of your marketing.
Consistency across every channel matters — a compliant ATDW profile can be undone by an old "eco-friendly" slogan on your website which still puts you at risk.
What to do
Check your website, social channels, booking platform profiles and trade materials for the same unsupported claims, and update them to meet the new Directive.
5. Know what's at stake.
Under EmpCo, EU regulators can require an Australian business to remove or correct misleading claims, impose penalties under the relevant Member State's laws, and restrict or damage your ability to market or sell into that market.
Separately, the same conduct could breach Australian Consumer Law, and the ACCC has made environmental and sustainability claims a major enforcement priority here at home.
The practical risk isn't only an EU regulator pursuing you directly — it's also potentially losing access to the European market or facing ACCC action locally if your claims don't stack up.
The bottom line.
The future of sustainability marketing isn't greenwashing or "green-hushing" — it's evidence-based communication backed by credible, third-party certification. Review your ATDW profile now, align it with your certification (or start that journey), and make sure the rest of your marketing tells the same, substantiated sustainability story.
If you need help interpreting these requirements for your specific profile, our friendly team is here to assist, and your certification provider can advise on how best to communicate your achievements.