The European Commission has published Recommendation (EU) 2025/1179 establishing guiding principles for implementing the 'water efficiency first' principle across the European Union. The Recommendation sets an EU-wide target to enhance water efficiency by 10% by 2030 and outlines implementation measures across water management, storage, and usage. Key provisions include requirements for water balance monitoring, ecological flow establishment, and permit reviews considering climate change impacts. The guidance also addresses governance mechanisms, training requirements, and transboundary cooperation. The Recommendation aims to address increasing water scarcity, which currently affects 34% of EU territory and 40% of its population during at least one season annually. Member States are encouraged to set national water efficiency targets based on their circumstances.

The European Commission has published guidance on implementing Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 concerning bisphenol A (BPA) restrictions in food contact materials. The guidance clarifies that paper and board materials fall outside the regulation's scope, while recycled food contact materials containing minute BPA contamination are also excluded. Key transitional periods allow food contact materials to be placed on the market until 20 July 2026 for most single-use articles, with extended periods until 20 January 2028 for specific items including packaging for fruits, vegetables and fishery products, and professional food production equipment. The guidance establishes a detection limit of 1 μg/kg for compliance verification and mandates Declaration of Compliance requirements for all materials within scope, regardless of BPA usage. Five additional bisphenols beyond BPA are currently classified as hazardous, including bisphenol S and bisphenol AF. Business operators will have nine months following publication of European Food Safety Authority guidance to apply for derogations regarding hazardous bisphenols, with the Commission required to publish quarterly implementation updates from mid-2025.

The European Commission has published guidance to help non-EU operators, authorised Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) declarants and verifiers meet CBAM requirements during the definitive period. The guidance covers the CBAM compliance cycle, monitoring and reporting requirements, the calculation of embedded emissions and the free allocation adjustment, as well as sector-specific requirements for cement, hydrogen, fertilisers, iron and steel, aluminium and electricity. It is intended in particular to clarify the requirements for operators of installations outside the EU that produce CBAM goods.

The European Commission has published guidance explaining how automotive sector stakeholders should implement Chapter II of the Data Act regarding vehicle data sharing. The guidance provides specific implementation advice for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, aftermarket service providers and insurance providers. The guidance clarifies data access rules and obligations under the Data Act, focusing exclusively on the automotive sector's requirements for vehicle data handling.

The Commission has published guidance on the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), developed to support Member States and economic operators in applying the new rules consistently across the EU. The guidance clarifies key provisions of the Regulation, including definitions of packaging and producer roles, restrictions on single-use packaging, the application of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances limits in food contact materials, and requirements on re-use targets, extended producer responsibility schemes, and deposit and return systems. It is complemented by a Frequently Asked Questions document addressing practical issues raised by stakeholders. The guidance aims to facilitate compliance, reduce administrative burdens, and support the transition to a more sustainable and competitive EU packaging sector.

The European Commission has published two guidance documents on the application of Articles 25 and 26 under Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 (Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA)). Article 25 requires contracting authorities to incorporate minimum environmental sustainability and resilience criteria in public procurement processes for net-zero technologies. Article 26 mandates that EU Member States use non-price criteria—including responsible business conduct, cybersecurity, data security, and delivery capacity—in renewable energy auctions, both for pre-qualification and award decisions. These requirements have been in force since 30 December 2025. The guidance documents also reference the implementing regulations (EU) 2025/1176, 2025/1178 and 2026/178.

The European Commission has published guidance on the implementation of the Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. The Regulation sets EU-wide standards for political advertising across online and offline platforms and is applicable from today. The guidelines provide practical guidance and detailed explanations for political actors, advertising service providers, and Member States' authorities on identifying political advertisements and complying with due diligence obligations. It addresses the rapid expansion of political advertising in traditional media (such as newspapers, TV, and radio) and digital platforms (including websites and social media). Under these new rules, all political advertisements must be clearly labeled with essential information about funding sources, costs, and whether they target specific audiences.

The European Commission has published guidance on the development and management of sustainable tourism and recreational activities within and around Natura 2000 sites. The guidance explains how tourism may be accommodated while safeguarding the conservation objectives of sites protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives. It sets out a framework for identifying tourism-related pressures, threats and potential benefits, assessing the carrying capacity of sites and ecosystems, strengthening communication and outreach and implementing appropriate management measures. It also covers relevant EU legal obligations, funding opportunities, stakeholder engagement and the use of measures such as visitor management strategies, zoning and impact assessments. The guidance is intended to help public authorities, site managers, tourism operators and local communities balance nature conservation with sustainable local and regional economic development.

The European Commission has issued new guidance to EU countries aimed at reducing electricity costs and enhancing affordability for European households and industries. The guidance focuses on three main areas: (1) promoting the uptake of innovative renewable energy technologies and deployment methods; (2) expediting the roll-out of grids and storage infrastructure by establishing designated zones with simplified environmental procedures; and (3) reforming electricity network charges to promote flexibility and efficiency in grid usage. These recommendations support the revised Renewable Energy Directive, Electricity Market Design, and the Action Plan for Affordable Energy, which seeks to lower energy costs while advancing the clean energy transition. EU Member States and national energy regulators are invited to integrate these measures into their frameworks, with the Commission ready to provide further assistance.

The European Commission has published guidelines to assist Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and media service providers in implementing article 18(1) of the EU Media Freedom Act. The guidelines clarify safeguards designed to protect professionally produced media content from unjustified removal, including requirements for VLOPs to provide advance notice to media service providers and allow a 24-hour response window. They also set out how VLOPs should operate the declaration functionality, which enables media service providers to declare that they meet criteria, such as editorial independence and regulatory oversight, in order to benefit from content protections. Further guidance is provided to assist media service providers in completing these declarations. In addition, the guidelines outline procedures for VLOPs to consult relevant regulatory authorities and involve civil society organisations, including fact-checkers, when reviewing declarations. The guidelines were developed following consultation with media service providers, civil society and fact-checking organisations, regulatory authorities, as well as VLOP representatives.

The European Commission has published guidelines on the transparency obligations under Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, providing guidance to providers and deployers of certain AI systems ahead of the obligations taking effect on 2 August 2026. The guidelines explain which AI systems are subject to the transparency requirements, clarify when users must be informed that they are interacting with AI or viewing AI-generated or AI-manipulated content and set out how providers and deployers can demonstrate compliance with the AI Act.

The European Commission has published guidelines to assist providers in determining whether a software system constitutes AI under Regulation(EU) 2024/1689 (EU AI Act).). These non-binding guidelines aim to facilitate the application of the Act's rules, which began on 2 February 2025. The Commission states that the guidelines will evolve over time based on practical experiences and new use cases. The EU AI Act classifies AI systems into risk categories, including prohibited, high-risk, and those subject to transparency obligations. These guidelines complement existing guidance on prohibited AI practices.