PRO EU policy intelligence
Your daily radar on EU policy.
Think tanks, NGOs, industry, ministries and EU institutions, all in one feed.
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The article tracks a change of approach taken by national courts within and across legal systems to assessing climate actions in tort. The polycentric nature of climate policy, which had proven fatal to plaintiffs’ earlier cases in common law jurisdictions, has rarely struck judg
The hydrogen and gas decarbonization package introduces a legal framework for hydrogen transmission. To enable a hydrogen market in Europe as a key building block on the way to a climate neutral economy, a cross-border pipeline infrastructure must be constructed, which demands ha
What is net zero?
In 2026, Europe endured one of its hottest ever summers putting the EU’s resilience and energy security to the test. Now, this autumn’s legislative agenda presents two opportunities to embed lessons from this summer’s heatwaves and plan for a secure and resilient future. The fort
How innovation in technologies demonstrates the need to modernise Europe’s recycling framework Europe has set ambitious circular economy, recycled content and climate objectives. For plastics, these objectives can help reduce waste to landfill and incineration, strengthen resourc
The Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) is applied where polluters bear the costs of their pollution, including of measures to prevent, control and remedy it, of poli
The energy transition is accelerating, with renewable energy generation continuing to break records . Yet this is taking place in an increasingly contested information environment – one in which information manipulation can shape public perceptions, political discourses and ultim
The European Climate Foundation (ECF) and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) invite you to the launch of the Traded Emissions Tracker. The post Tracking the world’s hidden carbon: Launch of the ECF Traded Emissions Tracker appeared first on IEEP AISBL .
Nature Sustainability, Published online: 24 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41893-026-01918-4 Millions of people are impacted by land subsidence, which is accelerated by human-induced drivers. Across Europe, research and policy is focused on managing these drivers and mitigating their
What is net zero?
In 2026, Europe endured one of its hottest ever summers putting the EU’s resilience and energy security to the test. Now, this autumn’s legislative agenda presents two opportunities to embed lessons from this summer’s heatwaves and plan for a secure and resilient future. The fort
The Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) is applied where polluters bear the costs of their pollution, including of measures to prevent, control and remedy it, of poli
How innovation in technologies demonstrates the need to modernise Europe’s recycling framework Europe has set ambitious circular economy, recycled content and climate objectives. For plastics, these objectives can help reduce waste to landfill and incineration, strengthen resourc
The energy transition is accelerating, with renewable energy generation continuing to break records . Yet this is taking place in an increasingly contested information environment – one in which information manipulation can shape public perceptions, political discourses and ultim
The European Climate Foundation (ECF) and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) invite you to the launch of the Traded Emissions Tracker. The post Tracking the world’s hidden carbon: Launch of the ECF Traded Emissions Tracker appeared first on IEEP AISBL .
The climate crisis is not simply the result of human activity. Its roots lie in interconnected patriarchal, colonial and capitalist relations. The post The Androcene: Rethinking the Roots of the Planetary Crisis appeared first on transform!europe .
As the climate crisis accelerates, it deepens global inequalities, drives displacement and migration, and intersects with war and conflict. With time running out, urgent action is needed. The post A Fiery Planet in an Age of Climate Change, War and Migration appeared first on tra
In Brussels you need to know what is happening when. Here we help you understand where in the policy cycle each law currently stands and what the next deadline is.
How to read this: each diagram traces a law's path through all 9 stages of the EU legislative process; the gold node marks where it stands today.
Next: Parliament and Council begin negotiating the Commission's July 2026 targeted ETS revision proposal (Phase 5, 2031–2040, aligned to the 2040 climate target).
Core ETS has run since 2005 (currently Phase 4). On 17 July 2026 the Commission tabled a targeted revision covering post-2030 rules — a new, parallel process still at proposal stage; it doesn't change the base law's own status.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2001/0245(COD) ↗
Next: Formal referral to Parliament's lead committee (expected ENVI) is still pending; no rapporteur has been named yet.
OEIL's own status field reads 'Preparatory phase in Parliament' — no committee assigned yet. Not to be confused with COM(2026)153 (a separate, narrower proposal on MSR allowance invalidation, procedure 2026/0085(COD)).
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2026/0212(COD) ↗
Next: Member states continue building ETS2 registries and reporting infrastructure ahead of the trading launch. — expected 2028-01-01
Trading start was postponed by one year, from 2027 to 2028, alongside the EU's 2040 climate target law (adopted March 2026), citing household/business cost concerns amid high energy prices.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0211A(COD) ↗
Next: Importers continue quarterly emissions tracking under the definitive regime; first annual declarations are due in 2027. — expected 2027-09-30
The definitive regime started on schedule on 1 January 2026 — not delayed, unlike several other laws on this list. Over 4,100 CBAM declarants were registered at launch.
Omnibus impact: Omnibus I introduced a 50-tonne annual mass "de minimis" threshold exempting roughly 90% of importers (mostly SMEs and individuals) from CBAM obligations, via amending procedure 2025/0039(COD) — Regulation (EU) 2025/2083, in force 20 October 2025.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0214(COD) ↗
Next: Commission pursues infringement proceedings against member states with incomplete transposition; remaining states finalize national laws.
The EU transposition deadline passed in May 2025, but several member states still hadn't fully transposed by mid-2026; Greece, Malta and Portugal were referred to the CJEU in April 2026.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0218(COD) ↗
Next: Member states must transpose the revised directive; the Commission is to issue delegated acts and implementation guidance. — expected 2028-07-26
Heavily amended by the 'Omnibus I' simplification package (in force March 2026). The transposition deadline was pushed twice — substantive company compliance obligations now don't start until 2029.
Omnibus impact: Omnibus I first postponed transposition/application via a 'stop-the-clock' procedure (Directive (EU) 2025/794, April 2025), then substantively narrowed scope and liability rules via a further amendment (Directive (EU) 2026/0470, published 26 February 2026).
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2022/0051(COD) ↗
Next: Continued rollout of Strategic Projects and progress toward the 2030 extraction/processing/recycling benchmarks. — expected 2026-11-24
A February 2026 European Court of Auditors report concluded implementation is 'unlikely to deliver the targeted supply security' on its current trajectory.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2023/0079(COD) ↗
Next: Continued designation of Net-Zero Strategic Projects and rollout of resilience criteria toward the 40% domestic manufacturing goal.
In force and implementing since mid-2024. See the CCUS entry for the Article 23 CO2 storage-capacity target specifically.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2023/0081(COD) ↗
Next: Wave 2 and Wave 3 companies prepare for reporting under the new thresholds; simplified ESRS standards are being finalized. — expected 2027-01-01
Substantially narrowed by Omnibus I (thresholds raised to >1,000 employees / >€450M turnover). Wave 1 (the largest companies) has reported since FY2024; Waves 2–3 were delayed to FY2027/FY2028.
Omnibus impact: Same Omnibus I amendment as CSDDD raised the scope threshold to >1,000 employees / >€450M turnover and delayed Wave 2/3 reporting; final act Directive (EU) 2026/0470, published 26 February 2026.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0104(COD) ↗
Next: Companies apply the new simplified reporting templates for FY2026, with a transitional option for FY2025.
A simplifying Delegated Act (part of Omnibus) cut required data points by roughly 64% for non-financial and 89% for financial undertakings.
Omnibus impact: A Commission Delegated Act adopted 4 July 2025 (in force 1 January 2026) cut mandatory Taxonomy reporting data points by ~64% for non-financial undertakings and ~89% for credit institutions — done via delegated act, not a new legislative procedure, so the base regulation's own procedure reference is unchanged.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2018/0178(COD) ↗
Next: Parliament finalizes its negotiating position on 'SFDR 2.0' before trilogues with Council and the Commission begin.
Current SFDR remains fully in force. A revision ('SFDR 2.0') is underway: Commission proposal Nov 2025 (procedure 2025/0361(COD)), Council mandate adopted June 2026; trilogues expected toward the end of 2026.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2018/0179(COD) ↗
Next: ECON committee vote on the draft report and amendments is still pending before Parliament can set its position for trilogue; Council already holds an agreed mandate.
Rapporteur Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Renew, ECON) appointed 29 Jan 2026; committee amendments tabled June 2026, but OEIL's own status field still reads 'Awaiting committee decision.' Council adopted its negotiating mandate 24 June 2026. Trilogues are reportedly targeted for Q4 2026 per press commentary — not yet confirmed on OEIL.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2025/0361(COD) ↗
Next: Operators build out due-diligence systems ahead of the new application date; the Commission finalizes a scope-narrowing delegated act. — expected 2026-12-30
Application date delayed twice — now December 2026 for large/medium operators (June 2027 for micro/small). The Commission's May 2026 review said the law itself won't be reopened, but proposed scope changes to cut compliance costs.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0366(COD) ↗
Next: Member states finalize and submit draft National Restoration Plans to the Commission. — expected 2026-09-01
A December 2025 assessment found implementation underway in most member states, but progress uneven against the binding 2030/2050 targets.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2022/0195(COD) ↗
Next: Member states track performance against the new binding 2026–2029 LULUCF budgets en route to individual 2030 targets.
The EU-wide net land sink remains well below the 2030 target of -310 MtCO2e, raising delivery concerns among independent analysts. The OEIL reference cited is for the 2023 amending regulation; the original 2018 LULUCF procedure was not separately pulled.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0201(COD) ↗
Next: Obligated oil & gas producers continue developing CO2 storage capacity; the Commission is expected to table a CO2 transport-network legal framework later in 2026. — expected 2030-01-01
Tracked via the Net-Zero Industry Act's Article 23 (no standalone CCUS law) — same OEIL procedure as NZIA. Storage capacity is growing, but the transport-network framework needed to hit the 50 Mt/year 2030 target is still pending.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2023/0081(COD) ↗
Next: Member states and covered entities apply energy management and audit requirements; the Commission continues supporting guidance.
The national transposition deadline passed in October 2025; focus is now on enforcement and compliance monitoring toward the binding 11.7% energy-reduction target by 2030.
Source: European Parliament Legislative Observatory (OEIL) — 2021/0203(COD) ↗
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