European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing to simplify environmental reporting laws, a move critics say could weaken European Union climate policies.
Marianne Gros reports for POLITICO.
In short:
- The European Commission plans to reduce reporting obligations for companies under its environmental rules, aiming to ease compliance costs and boost economic competitiveness.
- The proposal targets laws requiring businesses to report greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and supply chain impacts, with potential revisions to the EU Taxonomy for green investments.
- Environmental groups warn that scaling back these regulations could undermine the EU Green Deal and set a precedent for further deregulation.
Key quote:
“This could be an extremely problematic precedent” and a possible “first step in the deregulation wave across Europe.”
— Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Why this matters:
The EU has long been at the forefront of climate regulation, with policies that often set the standard for other nations. A rollback now could signal a retreat from that role, raising questions about whether other global powers might follow suit. With key environmental goals on the line, the outcome of this debate could shape the future of corporate climate responsibility far beyond Europe’s borders.
Related: Arthur Neslen: EU retreats from environmental commitments amid far-right pressure
