Sustainability

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Due diligence: Council to weaken Commission text
Tomorrow, Thursday, the Council will vote on its position on corporate due diligence. Although the text lags behind the Commission's proposal in terms of ambition, France is blocking it. Paris is pushing for financial services to be exempt from the law. continue reading →
Due diligence obligations: Wolters goes far beyond Commission proposal
Yesterday, Lara Wolters (S&D) published her report on corporate due diligence. As expected, the text is significantly stricter than the proposal presented by the Commission in February. This means Wolters is in for some difficult negotiations: Discussions in the Council are going in the opposite direction. continue reading →
Platform on Sustainable Finance: end of a turbulent mandate
Today, the first mandate of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance ends after two years of advising the Commission on the taxonomy regulation. It was not only the definition of natural gas and nuclear power as sustainable that caused tensions between the two bodies. Five members left the platform with further serious allegations. continue reading →
Outlook: the fall agenda for sustainability
Lawsuits against the taxonomy, negotiations on the battery regulation, work on the supply chain law and a new bouquet of proposals on the circular economy – this fall, sustainability in Brussels and Strasbourg will be colorful. continue reading →
’90 percent of the way is still ahead of us’
The market for sustainable investments is growing rapidly, but it needs a better framework, says Silke Stremlau. She has been chair of the German government's Sustainable Finance Advisory Council since this summer. She believes the EU taxonomy is the right approach – but it still has fundamental flaws, as she explains in an interview with Leonie Düngefeld. continue reading →
CSR Directive: VDMA calls for streamlining of reporting requirements
The European Financial Reporting Group (EFRAG) is drafting new standards for sustainability reporting requirements. These requirements, however, would benefit the environment less than the consulting industry, as it would enable the latter to acquire new customers, according to VDMA’s Sarah Brückner. continue reading →
Sanctions against Russia must also cover imports of metals
Europe continues to import metals such as nickel, copper, and aluminum from Russia on a large scale – from companies owned by oligarchs close to Putin. The EU and German government must stop these imports and drastically change raw materials policy, according to Michael Reckordt of the NGO PowerShift. continue reading →
Jekaterina Boening – Green power for Siemens Energy
Since April, Jekaterina Boening has been responsible for sustainability in the Industrial Applications department at Siemens Energy. The energy division of the Munich-based conglomerate offers companies in industry – such as the energy-intensive chemical industry – concepts for green transformation. The 32-year-old is responsible for implementing the company’s own sustainability goals in the Industrial Applications […] continue reading →
Quartet with signs of decay
In early July, not only did the Czech Republic take over the EU Council presidency, Slovakia also assumed the presidency of the Visegrád Group. But the Ukraine war is undermining the cohesion of the "V4". continue reading →
Building sector: fewer emissions through renovation
Building renovation based on circular principles can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the building sector and make an important contribution to achieving carbon neutrality. This is stated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in a briefing published last week. The study examines the impact of circular economy principles on the benefits of building renovations. […] continue reading →
Mercosur Agreement: EU Commission launches push
The EU Commission is making a new attempt to adopt the free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries following the conclusion of the free trade agreement with New Zealand. The Russian attack on Ukraine also marked a turning point for trade policy and triggered a new dynamic, a senior EU official said. The deal with […] continue reading →
New expert group on carbon extraction
A new expert group on carbon extraction will begin work in December, the commission announced Wednesday. The Climate Directorate-General published a call for applications to fill the 70-member expert panel. The panel will advise the Commission on the implementation of the Sustainable Carbon Cycle Strategy. The commission wants to develop tradable certificates for sustainable CO2 […] continue reading →
What’s cooking in Strasbourg
Alsatian choucroute on the menu: next Wednesday, MEPs will decide in plenary session in Strasbourg of what the taxonomy should consist. continue reading →
German government pushes ahead with CETA
Following political agreement, the German government now wants to quickly introduce the bill to ratify the free trade agreement with Canada in the German parliament. The corresponding bill was submitted to the departmental vote yesterday and is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Friday. Last week, the parliamentary groups of the SPD, the […] continue reading →
CSRD: agreement on reporting requirements
In the negotiations on corporate sustainability reporting, the EU institutions have reached an agreement. Pressure from Parliament paid off: Unlisted companies and companies based outside the EU are also affected. continue reading →
Stricter limits for harmful chemicals in waste
On Monday evening, the European Parliament and Council agreed on stricter limits for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste management. The EU is thus setting new limits for three groups of pollutants. The Commission may also revise waste legislation to classify certain wastes as hazardous. At the end of October, the Commission had submitted a […] continue reading →
Taxonomy: Committees vote against nuclear power and natural gas
Nuclear energy and natural gas projects as "sustainable" economic activities: The EU Parliament's Environment and Economics Committees want to prevent this. In three weeks, the plenum in Strasbourg will decide whether the veto will succeed and the Commission will have to row back. continue reading →
Commission wants to ban SynFuels from industrial CO2
Criticism of the delegated acts on green hydrogen continues. Still, the plans forged within the Berlaymont go much further: The Commission already wants to pave the path to SynFuels 2.0 and put a clear expiration date on a long-held vision for emissions recycling. continue reading →