Postdoctoral Research Grant
Project title: Implementing the New Requirements for Sustainability Labels and Third-Party Certification Schemes under Directive (EU) 2024/825 (SUST-LABEL)
Reference: Fair Wear Postdoctoral Fellowship
A call for applications is open for Fair Wear Postdoctoral Fellowship under the project SUST-LABEL, funded by CEDIS thanks to a donation from the Stiching Fair Wear Foundation, under the following conditions:
1. Scientific Area: private law
2. Admission requirements:
- enrolment for the current academic year on the postdoctoral programme at NOVA Law School;
- hold a PhD in law.
3. Other requirements: (requirements that can be valued)
- prior experience with certification bodies, certification schemes or conformity assessment processes;
- have advanced research experience in European consumer law;
- prior experience in sustainability-related legal or regulatory matters;
- excellent track record of academic research;
- interdisciplinary expertise;
- linguistic diversity and proficiency in English language.
4. Work plan: The project will examine the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825 with specific regard to sustainability labels, certification schemes and third-party verification in the context of NGO-led sustainability labelling initiatives. Its central aim is to clarify how the new rules introduced by Directive (EU) 2024/825 interact with the existing framework of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, and how they reshape the legal requirements applicable to sustainability labels based on certification schemes.
The research requires reconstructing the legal and policy background of the Directive, including the relevant academic literature, legislative materials, preparatory works and Commission documents concerning sustainability claims, sustainability labels and certification schemes. Particular attention will be paid to the rationale behind the new provisions, namely the need to prevent unreliable, non-transparent or insufficiently verified sustainability-related claims from being communicated to consumers.
The core part of the project will consist of an analysis of the new requirements applicable to sustainability labels and certification schemes under Directive (EU) 2024/825. This analysis will assess how the Directive reshapes the legal conditions under which sustainability labels may be used in business-to-consumer communication, with particular focus on independent third-party verification, competence and independence requirements, monitoring obligations, and the distinction between certification-based labels and other forms of sustainability communication.
In parallel, the project will support the drafting of a certification scheme aligned with Directive (EU) 2024/825 and the broader EU consumer law framework. It will also develop an analytical framework to clarify the interactions between the different actors involved in the use of sustainability labels, including the scheme owner, participating companies, third-party verification bodies and consumers.
The expected outputs of the project include at least one peer-reviewed academic article on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825 in relation to sustainability labels and certification schemes based on third-party verification. The research findings will also be used by Fair Wear to support the adaptation of its certification scheme and the compliant use of the Fair Wear label in business-to-consumer communication. The results will be disseminated through seminars, workshops or other research events organised together with Fair Wear.
5. Applicable legislation and regulations: Pursuant to the NOVA University Lisbon Research Grant Regulations, approved by Order no. 9484/2023 of 14 September 2023, as well as the Research Grant Holder Statute, approved by Law no. 40/2004, of 18 August, as amended and republished by Decree-Law no. 202/2012, of 27 August and by Law no. 12/2013, of 29 January, Decree-Law no. 89/2013, of 29 January.º 40/2004, of 18 August, amended and republished by Decree-Law no. 202/2012, of 27 August and by Law no. 12/2013, of 29 January, by Decree-Law no. 89/2013, of 9 July and by Decree-Law no. 233/2012, of 29 October (available at https://dre.pt/dre/legislacao-consolidada/lei/2004-58216179)
6. Place of work: The work will be carried out at the Nova School of Law, under the scientific supervision of Professor Fabrizio Esposito.
7. Duration of the grant: The scholarship will last up to 6 months, expected to start on September, 1st, with possibility of renewal subject to budgetary restrictions.
8. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance: The amount of the scholarship will be set according to the table of values defined in Annex I of the NOVA University Lisbon Research Scholarship Regulations, approved by Order no. 9484/2023 of 14 September 2023, and payment is made monthly by bank transfer.
9. Selection methods: (define % of parameters to be assessed)
The selection methods to be used will be as follows:
- academic excellence: 45 points
- fitness with the work plan: 55 points
10. Composition of the Selection Panel:
President of the Jury:
Professor Fabrizio Esposito, NOVA School of Law and CEDIS
Effective members:
Professor Claire Bright, NOVA School of Law and CEDIS
Dr. Mariette van Amstel, FAIRWEAR Foundation
Alternates:
Professor Jorge Morais Carvalho, NOVA School of Law and CEDIS
Professor Margarida Lima Rego, NOVA School of Law and CEDIS
11. How the results are publicised/notified:
The final results of the assessment proposed by the jury will be notified to the candidates by email, no later than 90 working days after the deadline for submitting applications, and they will be able to access the minutes and the shortlist, and comment within 10 working days on the draft decision in the context of a prior hearing of interested parties, under the terms of the Code of Administrative Procedure. At the end of the period set for the hearing of interested parties and in the absence of any response, the shortlist will become final. Candidates may lodge a complaint against the final decision within 15 working days (to the email address used for notification), or appeal to the highest executive body of the funding organisation within 30 working days of notification of the final decision, addressed to (the Directorate or CEDIS) via the email address cedis@novalaw.unl.pt.
12. Application deadline and form of submission: The call for applications will be open between July, 31st and August, 17th.
13. Applications must be formalised by sending an email to concurso.bolsas@novalaw.unl.pt, mentioning the grant reference “Fair Wear Postdoctoral Fellowship – BIPD nº 2/2026″ in the subject line of the email.
14. The application must include the following documents:
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- Motivation letter (up to two pages)
- Detailed CV (including email address and telephone number);
- Documents proving the award of the PhD;
(For academic degrees awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it is compulsory to present the registration of the recognition of the academic degree and the conversion of the final classification to the Portuguese scale (process regulated by Decree-Law no. 341/2007, of 12th October), or alternatively, to obtain equivalence/recognition of the academic degrees (process regulated by Decree-Law no. 283/83, of 21st June)).
4. Proof of enrolment for the current academic year as set out in point 2 of the Notice;
DISCLAIMER: This document is an unofficial translation of the Portuguese official announcement, provided for reference only. Although we have done our best to provide an accurate translation, should any discrepancies arise, the official version shall prevail.
Lisbon, 30 July, 2026
Margarida Lima Rego, Dean
