From 27 September 2026: what you can still say about "eco" on your hotel's website
New rules on environmental claims apply in Romania from 27 September 2026. For a hotel, what matters is the difference between a generic claim and a specific, documented one.
What changes. Government Emergency Ordinance no. 18/2026, published in Official Gazette no. 236 of 26 March 2026, transposes Directive (EU) 2024/825 and amends Law no. 363/2007 on unfair commercial practices. The provisions on environmental claims apply from 27 September 2026. Practices treated as misleading include:
- a generic environmental claim ("eco", "green", "environmentally friendly") for which the trader cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim;
- a sustainability label that is neither based on a certification scheme nor established by a public authority;
- extending to a whole product or a whole business an environmental merit that applies only to part of it.
Why it matters for a hotel. A phrase such as "eco cosmetics in every room" is a generic claim. The risk is a consumer-protection one, not a sustainability-reporting one. It applies to any commercial communication aimed at guests, whether or not the hotel has CSRD reporting obligations.
What remains possible. Specific claims, stated clearly on the same medium and backed by evidence. For example: "we use refillable dispensers in our rooms" or "cosmetics X are EU Ecolabel certified, certificate no. …, valid until …", provided the certification covers exactly that product or line. A product certification does not certify the hotel. For a generic phrase such as "green hotel", the EU Ecolabel for tourist accommodation is a clear example of a relevant scheme. Not every certification automatically allows such a claim.
What you can do now. Run your own copy (website, "about us" page, in-room materials) through one question: "what evidence stands behind this sentence?". For any claim about cosmetics, dispensers or accessories, ask the supplier for the supporting document: the certificate with its number and scope, the test result, the calculation methodology.
The full guide, covering ESG reporting, packaging and the supply chain: Hotel ESG Reporting in Romania: What Applies from 2026.
This article is for information only, reflects the law applicable on 24 September 2026 and does not constitute legal advice.
Sources: GEO no. 18/2026, Legislative Portal · Directive (EU) 2024/825, EUR-Lex
Dragoș Popescu
Dragoș Popescu founded Concept Hotels in 2001. Since 2004 the company has been ADA Cosmetics’ distributor for Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and it works directly with Indel B and Aliseo on equipping hotel bathrooms and guest rooms.
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