Simplification of the EU Taxonomy Rules -
Since 2020, European Regulation 2020/852 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment (the EU "Taxonomy Regulation") established a classification of...more
12/8/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Taxonomy
As expected, the trilogue proceedings regarding the changes to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) ended quickly. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (Council) agreed to changes:...more
12/5/2025
/ Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
International Trade ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
Following the Council of the European Union's adoption of its negotiation position on the revision of the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) on November 19, 2025, the European Parliament adopted its...more
12/1/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
International Trade ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
After previously failing to come to an agreement, the European Parliament yesterday adopted its negotiating position on the Omnibus package. This time, the position was adopted with a resounding majority — 382 votes in...more
In a surprise move, the EU Commission changed its plans regarding the EU's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)…again....more
According to news reports, the EU Commission proposed delaying the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for a second time. The EUDR was already delayed by one year at the end of 2024 and is supposed to become...more
On September 10, 2025, the European Court of Justice held that the European Commission was entitled to take the view that nuclear and gas-fired power can be classified as sustainable investments under the EU's Taxonomy...more
9/22/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Investment ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy
On September 9, 2025, the European Parliament adopted a new directive amending the Waste Framework Directive with respect to textiles and food waste. In particular, textiles will be subject to extended producer responsibility...more
9/22/2025
/ Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Parliament ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
France ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Popular ,
Recycling ,
Sustainability ,
Textiles ,
Waste Disposal
Both Convergence and Divergence Seen in Emerging State Climate -
Disclosure Bills A wave of climate-related disclosure bills in California, New York, Colorado, New Jersey, and Illinois share a common architecture yet...more
9/5/2025
/ Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Tax Incentives ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Budget ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Human Rights ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
One Big Beautiful Bill Act ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Credits ,
Trump Administration ,
Wind Power
As a follow-up to the political agreement reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding cross-Atlantic trade on July 27th, 2025, the United States and the EU issued a...more
8/25/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Foreign Policy ,
Foreign Relations ,
Framework Agreement ,
Popular ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Policy ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies
The EU's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), designed to ensure that no products that contribute to deforestation are sold in, or exported from, the EU, continues to be criticized by EU Member States and major market players....more
On July 4, 2025, the Commission adopted a set of measures to simplify the application of the EU taxonomy, in the form of a Delegated Act amending the Taxonomy Disclosures, Climate and Environmental Delegated Acts....more
7/10/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Fossil Fuel ,
New Regulations ,
Nuclear Power ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Taxonomy
On June 18, 2025, the presidency of the EU Council and representatives of the European Parliament agreed on substantial changes to the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM)....more
After a number of rounds of drafts, the EU Council has signed off on its position regarding the revisions to CSRD and CSDDD brought about by the Omnibus....more
6/26/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
New Regulations ,
Omnibus Guidance ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability
Trump Paves Way for Coal Renaissance and Targets State Climate Change Efforts -
In early April, President Trump issued several presidential actions to revive the coal industry, including rolling back environmental...more
6/19/2025
/ Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Deregulation ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
UK ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
As discussed in a previous article, the European Union is seeking to "bring competitiveness and climate goals together," and therefore launched a reform package—the Omnibus package—regarding sustainability reporting and...more
6/13/2025
/ Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Compliance Dates ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Commission ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability
On May 21, 2025, the European Commission filed a proposal to postpone the implementation of the due diligence obligations in Regulation 2023/1542, concerning batteries and waste batteries (the “EUBR”). The proposal would push...more
6/6/2025
/ Batteries ,
Compliance Dates ,
Corporate Governance ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
European Commission ,
Member State ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Supply Chain ,
Waste Disposal
On May 28, 2025, the Higher Regional Court in Hamm, Germany, sided with the defendant energy company in a landmark climate change litigation case brought by a Peruvian farmer. The farmer wanted the energy company to pay (in...more
6/2/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Liability ,
Damages ,
Environmental Claims ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Farmers ,
Farms ,
Flooding ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Germany ,
Global Warming ,
Inland Waterways ,
Peru ,
Property Owners
On May 22, 2025, the EU Commission adopted an implementing regulation to the EU's Deforestation Regulation ("EUDR") in which it identified the risk classification of countries as “low, standard or high risk” required under...more
The European Commission revised the Code of Best Practices for the conduct of State aid control procedures. The revised Code opens a pathway for NGOs to challenge State aid decisions on EU environmental law grounds....more
5/19/2025
/ Best Practices ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
New Regulations ,
NGOs ,
Nonprofits ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Aid
European Regulation 2023/1542, concerning batteries and waste batteries (the “EUBR”), is a dark horse. While it includes a number of restrictions associated with hazardous materials embedded in batteries, and...more
5/5/2025
/ Batteries ,
Conflict Mineral Rules ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Lithium Batteries ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
For better road safety and air quality across the EU, the European Commission is proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the EU's road safety and vehicle registration rules....more
Just as the European institutions adopted a Stop The Clock before a deep dive on Omnibus provisions, a coalition of NGOs filed a formal complaint on April 18, 2025, with the European Ombudsman. They claim the European...more
4/21/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
NGOs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy ,
Transparency
On April 15, 2025, the EU Commission published a new Guidance Document, new frequently asked questions (FAQs), and a proposal for a new Delegated Act designed to simplify the compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation...more
4/18/2025
/ Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Forestry ,
Imports ,
New Guidance ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
The European Commission hosted an event on April 10 on “Implementation Dialogue on Environmental Assessments and Permitting”. The purpose of these types of meetings is to simplify and reduce regulatory and administrative...more
4/15/2025
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
France ,
Infrastructure ,
NGOs ,
Permits ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy