Glossary: terms relating to the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label

The official terms are unwieldy, and traders, law firms and authorities use them in different ways. Here you will find each term with a short definition and the provision it comes from. Abbreviations: CRD = Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, SGD = Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771, recital = recital of the act concerned.

Legal guarantee notice

Legal guarantee notice is the common name for the official EU graphic that traders use to remind consumers of the legal guarantee of conformity. Its official name is the “harmonised notice on the legal guarantee of conformity”; it is also called the EU guarantee notice or warranty label. Since 27 September 2026, every trader who sells goods to consumers must show it.

Source: Art. 6(1)(l) CRD; Annex I Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. Legal guarantee notice guide

Harmonised notice

The harmonised notice is the EU-wide uniform graphic on the legal guarantee of conformity. It contains the main elements of the legal guarantee, its minimum duration of two years and a reference to the possibility that national law provides a longer period. None of its elements can be edited.

Source: Art. 22a(1) and (3) CRD; Annex I, note 1 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. Legal guarantee notice guide

Harmonised label

The harmonised label is the official name of the GARAN label, in full the “harmonised label for the commercial guarantee of durability”. It is used when a producer offers a commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years for the entire good at no additional cost. The directive deliberately distinguishes it from the notice on the legal guarantee.

Source: Art. 22a(1) CRD; Annex II Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. GARAN label guide

GARAN label

The GARAN label is the graphic of the harmonised label, with the title “GARAN” and a tick mark. It shows the guarantee period in years, the producer, the model identifier and a QR code leading to the EU page on the commercial guarantee of durability. Only these three details can be edited; online the label must be in colour.

Source: Annex II, notes 1 and 5 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960; Art. 6(1)(la) CRD. GARAN label guide

Commercial guarantee of durability

A commercial guarantee of durability is a guarantee under which the producer is directly liable to the consumer for repair or replacement during the entire guarantee period. It is voluntary for the producer. The GARAN label is only required if it covers the entire good at no additional cost for more than two years and the producer makes the information available to the trader.

Source: Art. 2(14a) CRD; Art. 17(1) SGD; recital 2 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. When the GARAN label is mandatory

Legal guarantee of conformity

The legal guarantee of conformity is the buyer’s right against the seller if the goods were already defective on delivery. Under EU law, the seller is liable for defects that become apparent within at least two years of delivery, and the remedies are free of charge. The buyer can first ask for repair or replacement, otherwise a price reduction or termination of the contract.

Source: Art. 10 et seq., Art. 13 SGD. Legal guarantee and commercial guarantee compared

Commercial guarantee

A commercial guarantee is a voluntary promise by the seller, the producer or a third party that exists in addition to the legal guarantee. Its content is set by the guarantee statement; it can also be offered for a fee. If the statement is less favourable than the advertising, the advertising applies.

Source: Art. 2(12), Art. 17 SGD. How a commercial guarantee differs from the legal guarantee

Commercial guarantee statement

The commercial guarantee statement describes a commercial guarantee and must be provided to the consumer on a durable medium at the latest on delivery. Among other things, it states the unaffected statutory rights, the name and address of the guarantor, the procedure, the goods and the terms of the guarantee. The GARAN label does not replace it.

Source: Art. 17(2) SGD. Guarantee statement in the order confirmation

Durability

Durability is the ability of goods to maintain their required functions and performance through normal use. The term comes from the Sale of Goods Directive and is the basis of the commercial guarantee of durability. Durability claims in advertising are also governed by the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/825.

Source: Art. 2(13) SGD; Art. 1 Directive (EU) 2024/825. Guarantee of durability and GARAN label

Producer

The producer only plays a role in the GARAN label: it offers the commercial guarantee of durability, is directly liable to the consumer under it and makes the information available to the trader. It can voluntarily place the label on the goods or the packaging itself. For the legal guarantee notice, the Commission’s guidelines only see a role for sellers.

Source: Art. 6(1)(la) CRD; recitals 26 and 28 Directive 2024/825; Commission guidelines, p. 2. Who is affected

Trader and consumer

The notice requirement only applies to contracts between a trader and a consumer, because it is part of the Consumer Rights Directive. The obligation lies with the trader who sells goods, online and in physical shops. Sales between businesses (B2B) and between private individuals are not covered.

Source: Art. 2(1) and (2), Art. 3(1), Art. 5(1) and Art. 6(1) CRD. Who must show the notice

EmpCo Directive

EmpCo is the common short form of “Empowering Consumers”, from the title of Directive (EU) 2024/825. The directive aims to empower consumers for the green transition. For traders it brings two sets of rules: new information requirements with the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label, and stricter rules for environmental and durability claims.

Source: Directive (EU) 2024/825, OJ L, 2024/825, 6.3.2024. The EmpCo Directive explained

Directive (EU) 2024/825

Directive (EU) 2024/825 of 28 February 2024 creates the obligation to show the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label. It amends the Consumer Rights Directive (Art. 5, 6, 8 and the new Art. 22a) and the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. Member states had to transpose it by 27 March 2026 and apply it from 27 September 2026.

Source: Art. 2 and Art. 4(1) Directive 2024/825 (CELEX 32024L0825). The directive at a glance

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 of 25 September 2025 lays down the design and content of both graphics: Annex I the legal guarantee notice, Annex II the GARAN label. It governs colours, minimum sizes, font, QR codes and the nested format. It has applied directly in all member states since 27 September 2026.

Source: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960, OJ L, 2025/1960, 2.10.2025 (CELEX 32025R1960), Art. 3. The regulation at a glance

Consumer Rights Directive

The Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU (CRD) governs information requirements for contracts between traders and consumers. Since its amendment by Directive (EU) 2024/825, it requires the harmonised legal guarantee notice (Art. 5(1)(e), Art. 6(1)(l)) and, where applicable, the GARAN label (points (ea) and (la)). Art. 22a instructs the Commission to lay down the design.

Source: Directive 2011/83/EU, OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, as amended by Directive 2024/825. All legal sources

Sale of Goods Directive

The Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771 (SGD) governs the legal guarantee when consumers buy goods, including the minimum duration of two years, the remedies and the reversal of the burden of proof. Art. 17 governs commercial guarantees and guarantees of durability. It has applied since 1 January 2022.

Source: Directive (EU) 2019/771, OJ L 136, 22.5.2019, p. 28; Art. 10, 11, 13, 17, 24. Legal guarantee and commercial guarantee

Nested label

The nested label is a reduced online version of the GARAN label. The full label must appear in its entirety on the first mouse click, mouse roll-over or tactile screen expansion. The regulation only provides for this format for the GARAN label, not for the legal guarantee notice.

Source: Annex II, note 2 on the nested display, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960; recital 14. Expandable, link or pop-up

QR code

Both graphics contain a QR code that must be scannable with a standard mobile device. The code on the legal guarantee notice leads to the legal guarantee section of the Your Europe portal, the code on the GARAN label to the page on the commercial guarantee of durability. According to the guidelines, there should also be a clickable link to the same destination online.

Source: Annex I, note 3, Annex II, notes 1(III) and 7 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960; guidelines, pp. 15 and 24. Download the graphics with QR code

Your Europe

Your Europe is the EU’s information portal for citizens and businesses. The QR codes on both graphics lead there: to the section on the legal guarantee, in English at europa.eu/youreurope/guarantees, and to the page on the commercial guarantee of durability. Consumers find their rights there in all official languages.

Source: Annex I, note 3, Annex II, note 1(III) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960; guidelines, p. 15 f.. What the legal guarantee notice says

Reversal of the burden of proof

If a defect becomes apparent within one year of delivery, it is presumed to have existed on delivery. The seller must then prove otherwise. The Sale of Goods Directive allows member states to extend this period to two years; Germany, for example, has chosen one year.

Source: Art. 11(1) and (2) SGD. Reversal of the burden of proof in detail

Durable medium

A durable medium is any instrument on which the consumer can store information and reproduce it unchanged later. The confirmation of the contract with the required information must be provided on it, as must the commercial guarantee statement at the latest on delivery. That is why the Commission recommends including the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label in the confirmation e-mail.

Source: Art. 2(10) and Art. 8(7) CRD; Art. 17(2) SGD; guidelines, p. 20. Notice in the order confirmation

Distance contract

A distance contract is a contract that trader and consumer conclude by means of distance communication, typically in an online shop. For such contracts, the notice requirement is in Art. 6(1)(l) CRD. In online distance sales both graphics must be in colour, and the exception for everyday transactions does not apply.

Source: Art. 2(7), Art. 5(3), Art. 6(1) CRD; Annex I and II, note 5 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960. Online shop and physical shop

In a prominent manner

“In a prominent manner” is the phrase the law uses to require visibility of the notice and the GARAN label. The text of the law does not say what this means for a shop in practice. The directive gives a general reminder on the website as an example; the guidelines require readability at standard display size.

Source: Art. 5(1)(e), Art. 6(1)(l) CRD; recital 28 Directive 2024/825; guidelines, p. 15. Where the notice belongs

Article 6 of the Consumer Rights Directive

Article 6 of the Consumer Rights Directive lists the information a trader must give for distance and off-premises contracts. Since 27 September 2026, point (l) requires the harmonised legal guarantee notice under Annex I of Implementing Regulation 2025/1960, and point (la) the GARAN label under Annex II. For physical shops, the corresponding provision is Art. 5(1), points (e) and (ea). Each member state has transposed both into national law; in Germany, for example, they are in Art. 246a and Art. 246 EGBGB.

Source: Art. 5(1)(e), (ea) and Art. 6(1)(l), (la) CRD as amended by Art. 2(2) and (3) Directive (EU) 2024/825. Legal basis

Article 8(2) of the Consumer Rights Directive

Article 8(2) of the Consumer Rights Directive requires certain information to appear in a clear and prominent manner directly before the consumer places an order online. Since 27 September 2026, this includes the GARAN information under Art. 6(1)(la). The general legal guarantee notice (point (l)) is not on this list. In Germany, the rule is in § 312j(2) BGB.

Source: Art. 8(2) CRD as amended by Art. 2(4) Directive (EU) 2024/825. GARAN label before the order

Commission guidelines

The guidelines are practical guidance from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice of April 2026 on the legal guarantee notice and the GARAN label. They show examples of online display, the confirmation e-mail and prohibited changes. By their own account they are not binding; only the Court of Justice of the EU can give a binding interpretation.

Source: Commission (DG JUST), Practical guidelines for sellers and producers, April 2026, p. 2. Legal basis and sources

Repair and replacement

Repair and replacement are the first remedies under the legal guarantee. Only after that do a price reduction or termination of the contract come into play. Under a commercial guarantee of durability, the producer is directly liable for repair or replacement.

Source: Art. 13 SGD; Art. 17(1) SGD. Legal guarantee and commercial guarantee