Sustainability regulatory updates from December 2024
Provided below are sustainability regulatory updates from December 2024. These sustainability regulatory updates pertain to consumer products and cover global legislations, including the following
- New date of application for European Deforestation Regulation
- New European regulation on packaging and packaging waste
- Status of European initiatives
- Publications around Sustainability regulatory updates, the Circular Economy and the Environment (Chemical)
Continue reading to learn more about the latest sustainability regulatory updates, and sign up to receive these updates in your inbox.
European sustainability regulatory updates
New date of application for European Deforestation Regulation
On the 23rd of December 2024, the European Commission published the Regulation (EU) 2024/3234 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards provisions relating to the date of application.
The date of application is postponed allowing third countries, Member States, operators, and traders to be fully prepared to comply with their obligations.
The main amendment dates published, in this regulation, are
- On the 30th of December 2025, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 will be applied for large operators and traders
- On the 30th of June 2026, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 will be applied for micro- and small enterprises
- No later than the 30th of June 2025, the European Commission will publish, implementing acts to determine the list of countries or parts thereof classified as low or high risk
- On the 30th of December 2025, Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 will be repealed
Note: Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 shall continue to apply until the 31st of December 2028 to timber and timber products which were produced before the 29th of June 2023 and placed on the market from the 30th of December 2025. The timber and timber products which were produced before the 29th of June 2023 and placed on the market from the 31st of December 2028 shall comply with Article 3 of this Regulation.
This Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the 26th of December 2024 to ensure that this Regulation enters into force before the initial date of application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115.
Eurofins’ EUDR deforestation assessment can help you achieve EU deforestation regulation compliance, enhance transparency, and pave the way for sustainable success. Learn more here.
New European regulation on packaging and packaging waste
On the 22nd of January 2025, the European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste which amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904, and repealing Directive 94/62/EC.
Its main objective is to promote a circular economy by establishing packaging requirements such as
- New objectives such as a minimum percentage of recycled content in packaging by 2030-2040, reuse of packaging by 2030 and other objectives for 2040
- Minimising the quantity of packaging through design, weight and volume and avoiding unnecessary packaging
- Minimising substances of concern, such as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and bisphenol A, common in food contact materials, are banned
- Labelling, marking and information requirements to facilitate classification, sorting and choice by consumers
- New rules introducing restrictions on single-use plastic packaging
- Harmonising standards across the European Union, removing trade barriers and establishing uniform criteria for packaging design, recyclability and labelling
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 11th of February 2025, and it shall apply from the 12th of August 2026.
For more information, consult the official publication on the European Commission website here.
Status of European initiatives
Below is a summary table with the status of current European initiatives related to consumer products.
| Published initiative | Status |
| Forest protection – information system to support EU rules on ‘deforestation-free’ products The Regulation provides for an information system that will contain due diligence statements submitted by businesses. These statements demonstrate that the products that businesses intend to sell in the EU or export comply with the new rules. |
On the 4th of December 2024, this initiative was adopted by the Commission. |
| Digital product passport – rules for service providers The aim is to adopt a delegated act laying down rules on the operation of digital product passport (DPP) service providers. |
The call for evidence was closed on the 10th of December 2024 and the public consultation is upcoming. |
UK sustainability regulatory updates
New legislation for packaging and packaging waste
On the 11th of December 2024, the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, S.I. 2024 No 1332, was published.
These Regulations define, amongst other points, the producer responsibility obligations. They require producers of packaging, who are established in the UK, to register to pay annual fees, to collect, and report data about their packaging and to assess the recyclability of the packaging they supply.
They also establish a scheme administrator to administer the provisions on disposal costs and to distribute amounts collected from producers. They also regulate compliance schemes which perform obligations on behalf of producers who are scheme members, and reprocessors and exporters of packaging waste.
Sustainability regulatory updates, the Circular Economy and the Environment (Chemical)
The table below summarises the most recent publications regarding sustainability regulatory updates, the circular economy, and the environment (non-exhaustive)
| Entity | Date | Publication |
| European Commission | 22/11/2024 | National Notification: 2024/0635/DK (Denmark)
Draft Order on the entry into force of Section 2(3) to (6) and Section 6(5) and (6) of the Act on the taxation of CO2 emissions from ETS sectors (the Emission Tax Act) It introduces a new tax on emitted CO2 for enterprises covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS 1). The tax is DKK 375 per tonne of CO2 emitted for the enterprises covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS I) and DKK 125 per tonne of CO2 emitted for mineralogical processes, etc. |
| European Parliament | 26/11/2024 | European Parliament published a press release indicating the environmental targets for the years to come with the aim of improving its environmental performance.
For more information, consult the official publication in the European Parliament website here. |
| European Commission | 06/12/2024 | Publication of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084 of 4 December 2024 on the functioning of the information system pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation. |
| European Commission | 10/12/2024 | Publication of the COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Simplification measures for farmers Accompanying the document Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulations (EU) 2021/2115 and (EU) 2021/2116 as regards good agricultural and environmental condition standards, schemes for climate, environment and animal welfare, amendments to CAP Strategic Plans, review of CAP Strategic Plans and exemptions from controls and penalties. |
| European Commission | 12/12/2024 | Publication of Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937. |
| European Commission | 23/12/2024 | Publication of Regulation (EU) 2024/3234 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards provisions relating to the date of application. |
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