NOTE: We update this tracker as when there are new developments. Last updated on 17 December 2024.
On 6-9 June 2024, EU citizens voted to elect a new European Parliament. The newly elected Members of the European Parliament and EU Member States’ heads of state and government are now in the process of choosing a new Commission, ushering in a new 5-year mandate.
This means that legislative activity in the EU will slow down considerably from May to November 2024, until a new Commission has been sworn in and the legislative and policy priorities for the next EU mandate are put in place.
This tracker provides an overview which key ESG legislative files have been approved by the European Parliament (“EP”) and the Council of the EU (“Council”), and which are still outstanding.
In the “State of Play” section below:
- “Formal adoption” refers to the approval of a political agreement reached between the EP and the Council in trilogues.
- Where Council adoption is “(tbc)”, that means a relevant Council session has not been scheduled yet.
- “Corrigendum” means Council adoption and publication in the Official Journal of the EU (“OJEU”) is expected to take place between September and November 2024 (under the new mandate).
- “Report” means the approval of an EP Report (i.e. approval of the EP’s negotiating position on a file). The file will then be considered as “unfinished business” in the new mandate. Once a new EP has been sworn in after the elections, it can decide whether to keep the approved position and start trilogues with the Council, or re-open internal negotiations on the file. The EP will likely decide how to proceed with unfinished business in its October 2024 Plenary. The Council also needs to adopt its own negotiating position (known as a “General Approach”), on the same legislative file before trilogues can commence - so Council adoption in this case is indicated in the tracker as happening within the “next mandate”. The same applies to publication in the OJEU.
- “On hold” means legislative work has not yet begun or is stalled due to political disagreements.
Please note that dates for Council adoption or publication in the OJEU may change due to political developments.
| FILE (by alphabetical order) | STATE OF PLAY | PUBLICATION IN OJEU | LINKLATERS MATERIALS | |
| EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT | COUNCIL | |||
Carbon Removals Certification Framework Regulation | Corrigendum 22 October (text) | Corrigendum: 19 November (text) | 6 December 2024 (text) | Political agreement reached on the first EU-level certification framework for carbon removals |
CO2 Standards for Heavy Duty Vehicles | Formal adoption: 10 April (text) | Formal adoption: 13 May (text) | 6 June (text)
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Construction Products Regulation | Formal adoption: 10 April (text) | Formal adoption: 5 November 2024 (press release) | Q4 2024 |
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Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD / CS3D) | Formal adoption: 24 April | Formal adoption: 24 May | 5 July (text) | EU: CSDDD published in the Official Journal |
Critical Raw Materials Act | Formal adoption: 12 March | Formal adoption: 18 March | 3 May (text) | Critical Raw Materials Act came into force
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Decarbonised Gas and Hydrogen Directive and Regulation (part of Fit for 55 package) | Decarbonising Gas Markets: EU H2 Regulation and H2 Directive enter into force | |||
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation | Formal adoption: 23 April | Formal adoption: 27 May | 28 June (text) | Navigating the new Ecodesign Regulation: practical implications for companies
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Electricity Market Design | Formal adoption: 11 April (text) | Formal adoption: 21 May (text) | 26 June (texts of the Regulation and Directive) | |
Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive | Formal adoption: 17 January | Formal adoption: 20 February | 6 March (text) | The new EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition |
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (part of Fit for 55 package) | Formal adoption: 12 March | Formal adoption: 12 April | 8 May (text) | “Fit for 55”: The revamped Energy Performance of Buildings Directive – lion’s teeth or paper tiger? |
Energy Taxation Directive (part of Fit for 55 package) | On hold | On hold | On hold |
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Environmental Crimes Directive | Formal adoption: 27 February | Formal adoption: 26 March | 30 April (text) | Environmental Crime Directive: EU introduces new offences and penalties |
| ESG Ratings and Data Providers Regulation | Corrigendum 8 October (text) | Corrigendum: 19 November (text) | 12 December (text) | EU: ESG Rating Regulation - a game changer? |
Forced Labour Regulation | Corrigendum: 22 October (text) | Corrigendum: 19 November (text) | 12 December (text) | |
Green Claims Directive | Report: 12 March (text) | General Approach: 17 June (text)
| 2025 | EU Parliament adopts first reading position on the Green Claims Directive EU: Council adopts negotiating position on the Green Claims Directive How should companies prepare for the EU’s Green Claims Directive? |
Industrial Emissions Directive | Formal adoption: 12 March | Formal adoption: 12 April |
15 July (text) | Revised Industrial Emissions Directive published in the Official Journal of the EU |
Methane Emissions Regulation (part of Fit for 55 package) | Formal adoption: 10 April | Formal adoption: 27 May | 15 July (text) | Official publication of the EU Regulation on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector |
Microplastics Regulation | Report: 23 April (text) | General Approach: 17 December (text) | 2025 |
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Nature Restoration Law | Formal adoption: 27 February (text) | Formal adoption: 17 June | 29 July (text) | EU: Nature Restoration Law published in the Official Journal of the EU |
Net Zero Industry Act | Formal adoption: 25 April (text) | Formal adoption: 27 May (Council text not yet available, see press release) | 28 June (text) | Net Zero Industry Act published in the Official Journal of the EU |
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation | Formal adoption: 24 April (text) Corrigendum: 27 November (text) | Corrigendum: 16 December (text) | Corrigendum: Q4 2024 |
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Platform Work Directive | Formal adoption: 24 April (text) | Corrigendum 17 September 2024: text - see EMPL 2021/0414(COD) | 11 November | EU Platform Work Directive: Council and Parliament agree on rules for gig-economy workers The Platform Work Directive: Saying goodbye to bogus self-employment and AI bosses? |
Review of textile and food aspects of the Waste Framework Regulation | Report: 13 March (text) | General Approach: 17 June (text) | Next mandate | EU: Commission publishes proposals on food waste, textile waste and soil health |
Right to Repair Directive | Formal adoption: 23 April | Formal adoption: 30 May | 13 June (text) | |
Soil Monitoring Law | Report: 10 April (text) | General approach: 17 June (text) | Next mandate | EU: Commission publishes proposals on food waste, textile waste and soil health |
Waste Shipments Regulation | Formal adoption: 27 February | Formal adoption: 25 March | 30 April (text) |
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