The manual highlights the European Commission’s proposal for theGreen Claims Directive (GCD), aimed at countering greenwashing and ensuring claim reliability. It states:

“The Directive requires thatenvironmental claims made by companies must be verified by independent and accredited auditors before being used in marketing or communication materials.”

This verification step is the key distinguishing element of the GCD, aligning precisely withoption C. Furthermore, the OTM notes that the Directive’s objective is to ensure “consistency, verifiability, and comparability” within the EU single market—not “across the world,” which invalidates option B. Option A is misleading since it applies tovoluntaryenvironmental claims, not mandatory reporting.

Thus, the extract confirms thatindependent third-party verificationis the most accurate and defining requirement of the Green Claims Directive.

????Reference:2021-Final-Book.pdf, Chapter 9 — Investment Mandates, Portfolio Analytics, and Client Reporting (Green Claims Directive section).