We have analysed hundreds of pages of technical documents and prepared a comprehensive overview of the sustainability reporting requirements under the forthcoming EU legislation. We summarise what ESG data will be critical for companies, banks, and investors in sustainability strategy and management and in the areas of climate change, environment, sustainable activities, employees and supply chains, due diligence, and anti-corruption measures.
In the integrated overview, we present the requirements of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD, the reform of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive), and the Regulation on Taxonomy of Sustainable Activities.
Currently, only large listed companies, banks, and insurance companies with more than 500 employees have to report sustainability data. The CSRD proposal, introduced in April 2021, extends the scope to all large companies and SMEs listed on stock exchanges, except for microenterprises. Investors and other financial market participants must also disclose sustainability data under the SFDR. The rules for companies and investors are complemented by regulation on a framework to facilitate sustainable investments - Taxonomy. Standards will be developed for both the SFRD and the Taxonomy to clarify specific technical details and criteria.
The final drafts of these standards are clearly summarised in the integrated overview by Frank Bold:
Environmental Law Service is co-organising a half-day conference on lobbying transparency, ethics regulation and citizens participation, taking place in Brussels on 16 November.
In a landmark intervention, in 2010, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) requested a transboundary environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Prunéřov II brown coal-fired power plant in the Czech Republic. FSM asserted its right to be heard as a sovereign state because the plant’s greenhouse gas emissions may contribute to climate change impacts. We provided FSM with legal support throughout the legal proceedings in the Czech Republic.