In recent days, the European regulatory framework on sustainability has been affected by several Relevant news.
The PEuropean Parliament has in fact approved a series of upgrades that directly affect the obligations, scope of application and timing of some of the main regulations in the ESG field: specifically the Omnibus I package And the rEUDR Regulation.
These changes are aimed at simplification, but they require companies to carefully review the rules of the game.
Omnibus I package: less obligations, more time to adapt
The European Parliament has approved the reformulation of Omnibus I package, the measure that significantly simplifies EU rules on sustainability reporting (CSRD) and duty of care (CS3D). The vote marks a Key passage: the rules will affect fewer companies, with more targeted obligations and longer deadlines, with the stated objective of strengthening European competitiveness without abandoning the path to sustainability.
On the front CSRD, the reporting obligation will start only for companies based in the EU who exceed 1,000 employees and 450 million euros in annual turnover, and for non-EU companies with more than 450 million euros of turnover in the Union (including branches and subsidiaries above 200 million). Le companies under 1,000 employees will no longer have to provide additional information compared to voluntary schemes (VSME) and sectoral reporting becomes optional. Confirmed also Time slips already introduced with the 'Stop-the-Clock': those who should have reported in 2026 will do so in 2028 on 2027 data, while listed SMEs will enter 2029 on 2028 data.
Even the CS3D is reduced: the duty of care will concern only the large companies, with more than 5,000 employees and 1.5 billion euros in annual revenue (or the same turnover in the EU for non-European companies). They come Lighten yourself some obligations, such as transition plans, while Do the sanctions remain for those who do not adapt properly, who may reach up to 3% of world turnover. The Directive It will come into force for all interested companies on 26 July 2029.
The agreement reached must now be formally also approved by the Council. After the signature of the Presidents of Parliament and Council, the text will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will it come into force 20 days later. A passage that redesigns the perimeter of regulated sustainability in Europe and that, for many companies, opens a New phase: less red tape, but the same responsibility to prepare in time.
EUDR Regulation: one-year delay confirmed
Alongside the Omnibus I package, the European Parliament has also confirmed important changes to EUDR regulation (European Union Deforestation Regulation).
The application of the regulation is officially postponed:
- December 30, 2026 for large companies and for all non-PM operators
- 30 June 2027 for micro and small businesses.
In addition to the postponement of deadlines, a simplification of obligations linked to Due Diligence Statement (DDS): the main burden will in fact fall exclusively on the first operator who places the goods on the EU market. Gli downstream operators and merchants they must therefore limit themselves to collecting and keeping the reference number of the initial DDS, without the obligation to transmit it along the supply chain. An intervention that reduces the bureaucratic burden, but that at the same time redefines responsibilities and roles along the value chain, making it even more central to correctly identify the obligations applicable to each operator.
