The European Commission has announced that it is proposing amendments to three pieces of EU regulation to support Member States affected by unprecedented climate-related disasters. The amendments will ensure flexibility in mobilising support for post-disaster recovery by enabling Member States to use funds from the Cohesion Policy to repair damaged infrastructure and equipment, provide food and basic material assistance and social and healthcare support, and temporarily support the financing of short-time work schemes. In addition, under amendments to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), an additional pre-financing of 30% will be offered to provide immediate liquidity to ease budgetary pressures on affected Member States. Also, the EU will be able to finance up to 100% of the measures supported, with no national co-financing required, while, due to changes to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), farmers, forest holders and businesses affected by natural disasters will be better supported by being able to receive lump sum payments as part of emergency assistance.

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.

The European Commission has proposed a new cybersecurity package aimed at addressing increasingly sophisticated cyber and hybrid threats facing the EU. According to the Commission, essential services and democratic institutions across the bloc continue to experience cyber incidents linked to both state and criminal actors.

The European Commission has presented a proposal on 25 April 2025 to integrate the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement into EU law. The directive aims to implement provisions for marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, and genetic resource sharing in international waters. The proposal will be discussed by the European Parliament and Council, with implementation required before the BBNJ Agreement takes effect—scheduled for 120 days after 60 countries ratify. The EU plans to ratify before the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

The European Commission has proposed a two-year extension of Regulation (EU) 2022/1032 (Gas Storage Regulation), extending it until the end of 2027. This move aims to ensure continued energy security and market stability amid geopolitical tensions and volatile gas markets. The proposal includes recommendations for flexibility in storage refilling to prevent market distortions.

The European Commission has proposed extending the Interim Regulation allowing certain online communication service providers to continue voluntarily detecting, reporting and removing child sexual abuse material on their services across the EU, to avoid a legislative gap when the current regime expires on 3 April 2026. The proposal would extend the temporary derogation from parts of Directive 2002/58/EC (e-Privacy Directive) until 3 April 2028, pending agreement on the Commission’s long-term draft Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse first proposed in May 2022. The Commission has said the extension is necessary to ensure continued protection of children and effective law enforcement action while negotiations on permanent rules continue. The proposal now requires adoption by the European Parliament and the Council.

The European Commission has proposed measures to support farmers facing rising fertiliser costs and to strengthen EU food security under its Fertiliser Action Plan. The measures comprise €540 million in financial relief to help farmers purchase fertilisers for future crops, potentially rising to €1.5 billion through national contributions. Additionally the Commission has proposed targeted adjustments to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to enable Member States to provide faster and more flexible support to farmers for access fertilisers.

The European Commission has proposed on 1 April 2025 an amendment to the Regulation on CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans. The amendment introduces flexibility in how manufacturers can meet their CO2 targets between 2025-2027, allowing compliance to be assessed as an average across the three-year period rather than annually. The change aims to help manufacturers balance emissions while maintaining investment capacity for clean transition, without altering the original 2025 emissions reduction targets. The European Commission has requested co-legislators to expedite agreement on the amendment to provide certainty for industry stakeholders.

The European Commission has adopted a delegated regulation under Regulation (EU) 575/2013 (EU CRR) to postpone by one additional—until 1 January 2027—the application of the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB), the final component of the Basel III framework yet to be implemented in the EU. The delegated act was adopted following technical assessments and feedback from a recent public consultation. It responds to delays in the implementation of equivalent standards in other major jurisdictions and seeks to maintain a level international playing field for EU banks engaging in capital markets activities.

The European Commission has proposed amending the EU Climate Law to set a 2040 target of 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction compared to 1990 levels. The proposal builds on the existing legally binding 2030 target of 55% reduction and introduces new flexibilities, including the use of international carbon credits from 2036, domestic permanent removals in the EU Emissions Trading System, and enhanced cross-sector flexibility. The Commission's proposal will now be submitted to the European Parliament and Council for adoption under ordinary legislative procedure. The target aims to provide certainty for investors while supporting the EU's goal of achieving a decarbonised economy by 2050.

The European Commission has announced a legislative proposal to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), introducing significant regulatory changes. Key measures include raising the small farmer payment threshold to €2.5m, implementing a 'one check per year' principle for farm inspections, and introducing automatic environmental compliance recognition for organic farms. The proposal also establishes new crisis payment mechanisms and creates a simplified €50,000 funding option for small farms. The package will be submitted to the European Parliament and Council for adoption, with additional simplification measures planned for later in 2025. The Commission estimates annual savings of €1.58bn for farmers and €210m for national administrations

The European Commission has proposed maintaining the current rules on liquidity requirements for certain financial transactions under the EU banking prudential framework. This move aims to ensure a level playing field between European and international banks, supporting the liquidity of EU financial markets. If adopted, the Commission believes it will contribute to the competitiveness of the EU financial system.