EU Policy Updates November
Read below the latest updates in EU regulations. For more information about how these regulations might apply to your company, email Morris Massarutto, Senior Project Manager at mm@csreurope.org
CSR Europe selected as Partner of the European Parliament Intergroup on “Attracting Investment to Ensure a Competitive and Sustainable EU”
We are pleased to announce that CSR Europe and the European CSO Network have been selected as partners of the European Parliament Intergroup on “Attracting Investment to Ensure a Competitive and Sustainable EU” for the 2024–2029 legislative period.
To maintain global leadership and strengthen its growth potential, the EU must reinforce investments in innovation, infrastructure, and the transition towards a sustainable economy and industry. The Intergroup will play a crucial role in shaping forward-looking policies that address current geopolitical and economic realities, bridging the gap between public and private investment.
CSR Europe’s mission closely aligns with the Intergroup’s objectives of enhancing European competitiveness, advancing the transition to a sustainable economy, and strengthening strategic resilience through targeted investments. Through a network of over 10,000 companies and 30+ national partner organizations, CSR Europe provides a platform for multi-stakeholder collaboration and acts as a catalyst for innovation, fostering a sustainable and inclusive society across Europe and beyond.
Together with the European CSO Network, CSR Europe will contribute to the Intergroup’s work through events and stakeholder engagement, focusing on critical investment priorities such as the innovation-led transformation of European industry, sustainable economic and social infrastructures, unlocking the full potential of the Single Market, and funding for SMEs and mid-caps.
Our shared goal is to ensure that Europe’s investment agenda not only drives competitiveness but also delivers positive social and environmental impact.
If you are interested in joining forces to shape the future of a sustainable European industry, please reach out to us at mm1@csreurope.org and mm@csreurope.org to learn how you can contribute.
2. European Parliament rejects JURI mandate on first Omnibus package
On October 22, the European Parliament rejected in its plenary session to adopt the compromise reached in the Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee on the first Omnibus package.
The JURI Committee’s position had proposed significant changes to both the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), including:
CSRD
Reduced scope: companies with ≥1,000 employees and ≥€450 million turnover, besides full exemptions for financial holdings, listed subsidiaries, and third-country entities subject to national restrictions on sustainability data provision.
Limits on information requests: Large companies cannot ask smaller partners for data beyond the VSME
Introduction of sector-specific guidelines, instead of standards meaning that sector-specific reporting will now become voluntary
CSDDD
Reduced scope: Companies with ≥5,000 employees and ≥€1.5 billion turnover.
Due diligence obligations based on a risk-oriented approach.
Civil Liability: EU-wide liability regime removed; review clause foreseen for 2030.
Climate Transition Plan (CTP): Obligation to adopt a plan maintained, but implementing actions deleted; general alignment with the Paris Agreement required.
Following this rejection, MEPs will vote on amendments to the file during the next plenary session scheduled for 11-13 November. Once adopted, Parliament will be ready to enter trialogue negotiations with the Council, which already agreed its position on 23 June. The objective remains to finalise the full package by the end of the year.
Should you be interested in learning more about the Omnibus Simplification Package through CSR Europe’s EU Trainings, please feel free to reach out to Marta Mucci (mm1@csreurope.org).
3. Commission confirms EUDR to start in December 2025 with simplified rules
The European Commission has confirmed that the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will enter into force as planned in December 2025 for large and medium-sized companies, with a six-month grace period for enforcement. Small and micro enterprises will follow in December 2026.
After considering, but rejecting, a one-year postponement, the Commission instead proposed targeted simplifications to reduce the regulatory burden while maintaining strong environmental safeguards. These include:
Streamlined reporting for micro and small operators in low-risk countries.
Removal of duplicate due diligence statements for downstream companies, with only one submission
A more efficient IT system to handle compliance reporting across the supply chain.
The proposal, which still requires European Parliament and Council approval, aims to ensure the IT system’s full functionality and to support businesses’ transition toward deforestation-free supply chains. The EUDR remains a cornerstone of the EU’s global sustainability agenda and a key test of its environmental credibility.
4. EU - DRC partnership strengthened through Global Gateway
The 2025 Global Gateway Forum served as key platform to reaffirm the European Union’s strategic partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a key ally for Central Africa’s sustainable development and for advancing the continent green and digital transitions.
Through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU and DRC are deepening cooperation across infrastructure, energy, biodiversity, and critical raw materials. The European Commission and Team Europe announced over €180 million in new investments to support flagship projects, including:
The Kivu–Kinshasa Green Corridor (€60.5 million), combining nature conservation, sustainable infrastructure, and green economic development.
The Lobito Corridor (€16 million) to strengthen agricultural value chains and regional trade.
Electrification of Kisangani, with €20 million in EU grants unlocking €70 million in AFD loans.
Critical Raw Materials cooperation, with €13.8 million to promote responsible cobalt extraction and strengthen the Ministry of Mines.
These initiatives aim to drive sustainable growth, promote responsible resource management, and enhance regional integration.
5. Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation Revision expected to be postponed to early 2026
The European Commission continues its review of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), in force since 2021, which requires financial market participants and advisers to disclose sustainability information at both entity and product levels. The review aims to improve legal clarity, usability, and effectiveness against greenwashing, while reflecting feedback gathered during two public consultations in 2023 and additional stakeholder input.
Although the Commission’s work programme schedules a revised proposal for Q4 2025, EU observers now expect a potential delay to early 2026. The revision could include clearer fund classifications, more proportionate disclosure requirements, and stronger alignment with other sustainable finance legislation. The update will be key to restoring investor confidence and ensuring that the SFDR supports the EU’s broader green finance framework.
6. EIB launches second phase of Climate Bank Roadmap
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has launched the second phase of its Climate Bank Roadmap and Energy Sector Orientation, endorsed unanimously by its Board on 30 September 2025. The move reaffirms the EIB’s role as the EU’s main financier of the green transition.
At the High-Level Dialogue “Making the Green Transition a European Success”, EIB President Nadia Calviño, Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, and EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle highlighted the need for coordinated EU action to turn Europe’s climate ambitions into tangible results.
The new roadmap focuses on three priorities:
Boosting competitiveness and energy security by investing in affordable, locally produced clean energy and innovative cleantech.
Doubling climate adaptation finance to €30 billion (2026–2030), addressing mounting climate-related losses in Europe.
Simplifying access to green finance, especially for SMEs, through streamlined procedures and reduced administrative burdens.
The EIB will also reinforce its support for the Clean Industrial Deal and Affordable Energy Action Plan, strengthening wind energy, grid resilience, and industrial decarbonisation efforts.
LATEST NEWS
