![\"EU](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/European-Flags-716x476.jpg\" "\\"EU")
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The European Commission is preparing a call for evidence on an environmental Omnibus, a spokesperson has confirmed to\u00a0Responsible Investor.<\/p>\n
This will be published \u201cshortly\u201d to collect input from stakeholders.<\/p>\n
The spokesperson said the Commission is in the process of stress-testing the EU stock of legislation to identify ways to \u201csimplify, consolidate and codify it\u201d. \u201cThis also includes the environmental acquis and could result in Omnibus proposals,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
It follows the executive\u2019s simplification of the EU\u2019s corporate sustainability and due diligence rules in its first Omnibus<\/a> package on sustainability, released in February<\/a>.<\/p>\n The environmental Omnibus was mentioned in the Commission\u2019s single market strategy<\/a>, released in May, and referenced in the Chemicals Action Plan.<\/p>\n The spokesperson added that the Commission \u201cregularly reviews\u201d existing EU legislation to update it and, where relevant, adapt it to new developments. \u201cThis is an on-going process and at the moment we cannot provide additional detail,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n The upcoming simplification initiative is expected to cover several environmental regulations established under the EU\u2019s Green Deal, sources have told RI.<\/p>\n EU observers and officials expect another simplification package covering a number of environmental laws to be launched in the autumn.<\/p>\n The laws due to be covered are the Green Claims Directive, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).<\/p>\n Two sources also said the EU\u2019s forced labour rules may be included in the package.<\/p>\n The Commission did not comment on the contents of the upcoming Omnibus package.<\/p>\n This month, the EU\u2019s executive body backtracked<\/a> on comments made in June regarding the withdrawal of the Green Claims Directive, a greenwashing law introduced in 2022 to ensure consumers received \u201cadequate information\u201d on products\u2019 durability and reparability.<\/p>\n It announced its intention to withdraw the law after receiving a letter from the centre-right European People\u2019s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, which asked the Commission to drop the proposal on its behalf.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the Commission at the time defended the decision, saying the proposals \u201cgo against\u201d its simplification agenda, but subsequently told RI that the proposal would not be withdrawn, on condition that microenterprises are taken out of the scope of the directive.<\/p>\n Trilogue discussions have yet to resume on the directive.<\/p>\n Deforestation and shareholder rights<\/strong><\/p>\n On EUDR, one EU observer has told RI that the Commission is considering it making it a labelling regime.<\/p>\n The Commission is facing pressure<\/a> from both member states and the Parliament to delay and further simplify the rules, which aim to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing the deforestation related to EU consumption of products from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal and printed paper.<\/p>\n Lawmakers last week backed a motion which objects to the Commission\u2019s deforestation risk country list under the law. The motion was tabled by the EPP, which last year succeeded in delaying<\/a> the bloc\u2019s deforestation regulation to give companies more time to comply.<\/p>\n Separately, one EU observer told RI that the Commission also plans to launch a capital markets simplification package that will be aimed at \u201cmassive infrastructure consolidation\u201d.<\/p>\n The package would include the Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD) II, which one source said the Commission is looking to abolish.<\/p>\n SRD II \u2013 which aims to enhance corporate governance and promote long-term shareholder engagement for EU companies \u2013\u00a0was not included in the Commission\u2019s workplan for this year, following significant delays to its revision.<\/p>\n Sustainability Omnibus<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, negotiations on the proposed changes to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)<\/a> and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)<\/a> are ongoing.<\/p>\n