Climate action and clean energy

Key developments

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EU environment tracker 2025—climate action and air emissions—this tracker tool covers key new and upcoming EU legislation and consultations linked to the EU’s climate action and emissions reduction targets. The EU has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions progressively up to and beyond 2030 with the ultimate aim of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. These emissions targets have driven rapid developments in recent energy and environmental policy and legislation, including the launch of the European Green Deal and the enactment of the European Climate Law. To review legal developments from 2024, see Practice Note: EU environment tracker 2024—climate action, energy, and emissions
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The European Green Deal—tracker—tracks policy developments at the EU level under the European Green Deal, the European Commission's roadmap for moving to a sustainable economy, central to which is the commitment to make the EU the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The Green Deal forms the basis of EU actions to tackle the risk of climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation and pollution. This tracker provides an overview on the background to the European Green Deal and the

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Latest EU Law News

Commission publishes final version of General-Purpose AI Code of Practice

The European Commission published the final version of the General-Purpose AI (GPAI) Code of Practice. Developed by 13 independent experts with input from over 1,000 stakeholders, the voluntary Code is designed to help providers comply with the EU AI Act’s rules for GPAI models on transparency, copyright, and systemic risk. It will be assessed by Member States and supplemented by Commission guidelines before the relevant obligations on GPAI models under the EU AI Act starts to apply on 2 August 2025.

Commission fines Alchem for role in drug ingredient price-fixing cartel

The European Commission has found Achem guilty of participating in a drug ingredient cartel for more than a decade after the drugmaker previously chose not to settle in an investigation. It has fined alchem 489,000 Euros after finding that the company had illegally fixed the price of an API known as N-Butylbromide Scopolamine/Hyoscine (‘SNBB'), an important input material to produce the abdominal antispasmodic drug Buscopan and its generic versions. In addition, Alchem exchanged commercially sensitive information. This has been the first cartel that the Commission sanctioned in the pharmaceutical sector and in relation to an active pharmaceutical ingredient. The Commission cooperated and coordinated certain investigative activities with the Swiss and Australian competition authorities.

Commission launches consultation on chemical recycling rules for SUP bottles

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on draft rules for calculating, verifying and reporting chemically recycled content in single-use plastic (SUP) beverage bottles. The proposed implementing act supports targets under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/904) and aligns with the Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC). It follows Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683, which addressed mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and expands the methodology to include chemical recycling. The rules form part of the EU Chemicals Industry Action Plan and aim to increase transparency, promote investment and create a level playing field. Feedback is due by 19 August 2025.

Commission proposes codified EU Designs Regulation with modernised provisions

The European Commission has published a proposal (COM(2025) 353 final) for a new Regulation on European Union designs, which would repeal and replace Regulation (EC) No 6/2002. The proposal codifies existing EU design protection rules while introducing new provisions for digital and virtual designs, 3D printing protections, and a permanent repair clause for spare parts. It establishes a design notice symbol, mandates electronic communications, and updates procedural requirements. The proposal aims to modernise the EU design system while making it more accessible. If approved, the new Regulation would take effect from 1 July 2026.