News

Feb 18, 2026

ESPR: Ban on destruction of unsold consumer products and disclosure requirements

It’s a well-documented fact that a proportion of unsold products (especially textiles) are routinely being destroyed before being used, generating significant avoidable waste and CO² emissions. To address this issue, Article 24 of the Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products (ESPR) requires businesses to disclose data about unsold consumer products while Article 25 sets an outright ban on the destruction of certain products. On 9 February 2026, the European Commission (EC) published a delegated act setting out exemptions from this ban (section 1), as well as an implementing regulation specifying the format for the disclosure requirements regarding discarded unsold consumer products (section 2).

Feb 6, 2026

Amendments to the AWG and AWV to implement Directive (EU) 2024/1226

The Act on the Adjustment of Criminal Offenses and Penalties for Violations of Restrictive Measures of the European Union (Gesetz zur Anpassung von Straftatbeständen und Sanktionen bei Verstößen gegen restriktive Maßnahmen der Europäischen Union), which came into force on 6 February 2026, adapts in particular the Foreign Trade and Payments Act (Außenwirtschaftsgesetz – AWG) and the Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance (Außenwirtschaftsverordnung – AWV) to the requirements of the EU Directive on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures, Directive (EU) 2024/1226. The aim is to close loopholes in criminal liability and create a hrmonized, effective EU-wide criminal regime for violations of EU sanctions. The changes will in some cases lead to an increase in penal risks for companies and responsible persons. Numerous violations of EU sanctions that were previously only punishable as administrative offenses under German law will in future be prosecuted as criminal offenses, while at the same time new offenses will be introduced and existing penalties expanded. The most important changes for companies are outlined below.

Jan 29, 2026

EU and India reach political agreement on FTA – the 'mother of all deals'?

With the political agreement on a Free Trade Agreement (“FTA”) between the European Union (“EU”) and India on January 27, 2026, a significant breakthrough has been achieved after years of negotiations. This article summarizes the key elements of the planned agreement and outlines the next steps toward its entry into force.

Jan 12, 2026

Mercosur-EU-FTA close to the finishing line

On 9 January 2026, the Mercosur-EU-Free Trade Agreement (Mercosur-EU-FTA) was approved by a majority of the member states of the European Union. This brings the agreement close to the finish line. This article provides an overview of the agreement's key aspects and the next steps.

Dec 18, 2025

Omnibus I at the End of the Line

On Monday 8 December 2025, the EU trilogue found an agreement regarding the so-called “Omnibus I” proposal that had been put forward by the European Commission on 26 February 2025. The Omnibus I is part of the simplification packages proposed by the Von der Leyen Commission II to reduce the regulatory compliance burden on companies. It deals specifically with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The so-called “Stop-the clock” directive adopted in April 2025, also as part of Omnibus I, already postponed the date of application of the CSRD and CSDDD. This new directive intends to simplify certain substantive provisions of the CSRD and CSDDD.

Dec 10, 2025

NIS-2 Implementation Act: New compliance obligations for numerous companies

After the German Bundestag passed the NIS-2 Implementation and Cybersecurity Strengthening Act (“NIS2UmsuCG”) in November 2025 and the Bundesrat approved the act, it was published in the German Federal Law Gazette on 5 December 2025 and came into force the following day. The NIS2UmsuCG transposes the NIS2 Directive (EU) 2022/2555, which was adopted at EU level, into national law after some delay. It provides for comprehensive amendments, in particular to the Act on the Federal Office for Information Security (Gesetz über das Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik – “BSIG”). By way of the NIS2UmsuCG, further companies will now have to fulfill the cybersecurity obligations laid down in the amended BSIG in addition to the already previously regulated operators of critical facilities (“KRITIS”). The scope of the BSIG will thus be extended to approximately 30,000 additional companies in many economic sectors.

ESPR: Ban on destruction of unsold consumer products and disclosure requirements

Amendments to the AWG and AWV to implement Directive (EU) 2024/1226

EU and India reach political agreement on FTA – the 'mother of all deals'?

Mercosur-EU-FTA close to the finishing line

Omnibus I at the End of the Line

NIS-2 Implementation Act: New compliance obligations for numerous companies

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