The European Commission has issued its first formal opinion permitting French winemakers to collaborate in promoting sustainable production practices. This decision provides important guidance for agricultural producers...more
The European Commission has issued its first-ever informal approvals of two separate sustainability initiatives among rivals under its revised Informal Guidance Notice and provided guidance on how the companies in question...more
7/15/2025
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Automotive Industry ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Competition ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Patents ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Vessels
Although the final ESRS will not be published for several months, it is clear that these new standards will differ significantly from the original ESRS. Understandably, there has been a focus on EFRAG reducing the number of...more
The EU's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), designed to ensure that no products that contribute to deforestation are sold in, or exported from, the EU, continues to be criticized by EU Member States and major market players....more
The European Commission has extended the deadline for the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) to submit its technical advice on simplifying the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) under the...more
European Commission ("EC") issues its first fining decision for a no-poach agreement, and also sanctions for the first time the exchange of sensitive information between a company and its competing, non-controlling minority...more
6/9/2025
/ Acquisition Agreements ,
Anti-Competitive ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Competition Authorities ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Enforcement Actions ,
European Commission ,
Fines ,
Merger Agreements ,
Minority Shareholders ,
No-Poaching ,
Popular ,
Sanctions
Future prohibition on territorial supply constraints would expand EU law to prohibit certain unilateral conduct by large manufacturers....more
5/29/2025
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Competition ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Goods or Services ,
Manufacturers ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retail Market ,
Retailers ,
Suppliers ,
Supply Chain
On May 22, 2025, the EU Commission adopted an implementing regulation to the EU's Deforestation Regulation ("EUDR") in which it identified the risk classification of countries as “low, standard or high risk” required under...more
Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called for the repeal of the CSDDD during his inaugural visit to the European Commission on May 9, 2025. German public television quoted him as follows: “The permanent solution to...more
5/13/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
Germany ,
Human Rights ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Supply Chain
Just as the European institutions adopted a Stop The Clock before a deep dive on Omnibus provisions, a coalition of NGOs filed a formal complaint on April 18, 2025, with the European Ombudsman. They claim the European...more
4/21/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
NGOs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy ,
Transparency
On April 15, 2025, the EU Commission published a new Guidance Document, new frequently asked questions (FAQs), and a proposal for a new Delegated Act designed to simplify the compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation...more
4/18/2025
/ Due Diligence ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Forestry ,
Imports ,
New Guidance ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
The heads of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) and the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) presented their plans for their joint Government on April 9, 2025....more
4/11/2025
/ Climate Action Plan ,
Corporate Governance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Germany ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy
The European Commission proposed the EU Omnibus package on February 26 to reduce the burden, and delay application, of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due...more
4/2/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability
In its meeting of March 20, 2025, the European Council expressed its support of the so-called Omnibus Package proposed by the European Commission on February 26, 2025. The Omnibus Package includes significant changes to EU...more
3/31/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Finance
Recent rulings indicate that it will be easier for cartel victims to pursue their claims in German courts by assigning them to a special purpose vehicle ("SPV"), which then litigates the combined claims as the sole plaintiff...more
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of May 31, 2023 (the "Deforestation Regulation" or "EUDR") aims to reduce the EU's role in cutting down woodlands and thereby to limit the impact of deforestation on greenhouse gas emissions....more
The Council of the European Union ("EU") approved the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive ("CS3D") on March 15, 2024. The CS3D contains due diligence and governance obligations that will have an extensive impact...more
3/20/2024
/ Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Commission ,
Financial Institutions ,
Green Deal ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Sustainability
The Development: On January 24, 2024, the European Commission ("EC") unveiled a package of five fresh initiatives aimed at strengthening the European Union's ("EU") economic security (the "Package"). This will likely increase...more
The Council of Europe and the European Parliament announced on December 14, 2023, that they reached a political agreement on the text of the upcoming European Union ("EU") Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive...more
On October 3, 2023, the European Commission ("Commission") unveiled a list of 10 technology areas qualified as "critical" to the European Union's ("EU") economic security, out of which four (Semiconductors, AI, Quantum...more
10/17/2023
/ 5G Network ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Biotechnology ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cybersecurity ,
Economic Reform ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Export Controls ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Foreign Investment ,
Investment Controls ,
Risk Assessment ,
Semiconductors
In Short -
The Situation: The European Union ("EU") has adopted a new regulation designed to tackle deforestation and forest degradation in the EU and globally by preventing European citizens from buying, using, and...more
In Short -
The Development: The European Commission ("EC") has published highly anticipated draft guidelines ("Draft Guidelines") detailing a new antitrust exemption for agreements in the agriculture and food supply chain...more
In Short -
The Situation: The European Commission ("EC") is expected to release guidelines regarding a newly introduced exemption to the EU antitrust rules for certain agreements aimed at achieving the EU's sustainability...more
The EC recently found that Hungary's veto of Vienna Insurance Group's ("VIG") acquisition of the Hungarian subsidiaries of the AEGON Group, an insurance, pension fund, and asset management company, breached EU merger control...more
The EU General Court ("GC") annulled the European Commission's €1.06 billion antitrust fine imposed on Intel in 2009 for allegedly abusing its dominant position in x86 Central Processing Units ("CPUs") by offering loyalty...more
1/27/2022
/ Abuse of Dominance ,
Anti-Competitive ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Customer-Loyalty Programs ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Intel ,
Technology Sector