A risk of “greenwashing” by competition authorities?

Written By

tialda beetstra Module
Tialda Beetstra

Senior Associate
Netherlands

As a Senior Associate in our Competition and Regulatory Groups in Amsterdam and The Hague, I specialise in competition, public procurement and energy regulatory matters, with a focus on the tech & comms and energy & utilities sectors.

pauline kuipers Module
Pauline Kuipers

Partner
Netherlands

I am a partner in our NL office, based in The Hague, where I was one of its founding lawyers in 2001.

joost van roosmalen Module
Joost van Roosmalen

Associate
Netherlands

I am an associate in our regulatory, administrative and competition team in The Hague. I advise clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters, especially in the telecommunications, postal services and financial services-sectors.

It is no news that sustainability is an important topic of competition policy across the EU. There is clear consensus that competition law enforcement should be careful not to hinder cooperation between companies, even competitors, that facilitates the realisation of or progress towards reaching sustainability goals of climate policy (or beyond). Although the extent to which Article 101(3) TFEU can be used as a legal basis for exempting restrictive sustainability agreements from the cartel prohibition continues to be a hotly debated topic, competition authorities open up to guide companies towards legitimate forms of sustainability-promoting cooperation. This prompts the question if the authorities’ eagerness to facilitate sustainability initiatives does not amount to a risk of ‘greenwashing’ by competition authorities.

Latest insights

More Insights
Car on Target

Employee discounts and car sharing for electric vehicles – Green Mobility for employers (part 2)

Jul 18 2025

Read More
Curiosity line blue background

UK government announces £63 million EV investment package

3 minutes Jul 16 2025

Read More
Beach

ESG Pulse - Summer 2025

Jul 16 2025

Read More