The European Parliament has adopted its first reading position on new legislation introducing compulsory licensing to prepare the EU for future crises by ensuring availability of relevant products, such as vaccines or chips in emergency situations. The EU will now be able to issue a special permission with specified scope, territorial coverage and duration for the use of patent without authorisation of the rights-holder in cross-border emergencies. This would ensure the EU receives the necessary supply of crisis-relevant products that are protected by patents and certificates and the national and EU levels. Under the draft rules, the disclosure of information is restricted to only strictly necessary information and the European Commission should determine the remuneration for rights-holders depending on the total gross revenue generated by the licensee through activities related to the compulsory license. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6—9 June 2024.

The European Parliament has adopted its first reading position on the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proposal, on 13 March 2024 as part of the review of the current ADR framework. This will allow consumers to put forward complaints against traders to entities offering independent, fast and affordable consumer redress. The updated rules aim to increase overall consumer awareness and boost business participation in out-of-court dispute solutions. The draft measures will improve access to information on ADR procedures, consumer redress and cross-border procedures through an interactive digital tool. They will also allow for bundling similar cases against a specific trader together and encourage direct dialogue between consumers and traders which should be extended to the consumer at no cost, kept to a minimal fee, and reimbursable by Member States. MEPs also recommended consistent updates to the expertise and staff training in the ADR entities. MEPs have proposed that ADR entities should list traders who systematically or unduly refuse to conform with the outcomes of the ADR procedures and to require traders to provide a written explanation. MEPs also want to make it mandatory for airline carriers to participate in ADR processes and have proposed the possibility of extending the benefits of consumer ADR systems to micro enterprises and self-employed. MEPs additionally adopted without amendment, a second report on the discontinuation of the online dispute resolution platform.

The European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee has adopted its position on the EU Customs Code reform that will restructure the way customs authorities work in the EU. The purpose of the reform is to grant relief to customs authorities who are currently under pressure due to exponential growth of e-commerce and many new product standards, bans, obligations and sanctions that the EU has in place in recent years. Large platforms will be obligated to submit information about goods to be shipped to the EU within one day of them being purchased under the new rules. An EU DataHub will also be established to be the main platform for submitting information to customs authorities. The adopted draft report will now be put to a vote at an upcoming plenary session and constitute Parliament’s position at first reading. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6–9 June 2024.

The European Parliament has adopted its negotiating mandate for new rules aimed at strengthening farmers' positions in the agri-food supply chain, with the measure passing by 532 votes to 78 and 25 abstentions on 8 October 2025. The amendments to current common agriculture policy laws include mandatory written contracts for agricultural product deliveries, though member states may exempt specific sectors upon request from representative organisations. The Parliament proposes lowering the threshold from €10,000 to €4,000 below which member states may decide contracts are not compulsory. Additional provisions establish stricter labelling rules for terms including 'fair,' 'equitable,' and 'short supply chain,' require imported food pesticide residue levels to remain below EU maximum levels, and mandate public procurement prioritise EU agricultural products, particularly local and seasonal items. The measures introduce a new definition of meat as 'edible parts of animals,' reserving terms such as steak, escalope, sausage and burger exclusively for meat products while excluding cell-cultured alternatives. Negotiations with member states on the final legislation are scheduled to commence on 14 October 2025.

The European Parliament has adopted an amending Regulation to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation) to improve the availability of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) for patients and healthcare providers. These measures include granting more time to companies to transition to the new EU rules on IVDs (December 2027–December 2029 depending on class), introducing a new obligation on manufacturers to inform national authorities and the health sector six months in advance in case of disruption of supply of certain medical devices, and allowing for the gradual roll-out of the European Database on Medical Devices, Eudamed, from 2026. The measures give more time to consider possible actions to safeguard patient care in instances where certain devices are discontinued and increase transparency regarding medical devices on the market. The Council of the EU will have to formally adopt the amending Regulation, which will then enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

The European Parliament has adopted new measures, pre-agreed with the Council of the EU, to strengthen CO2 emission reduction targets for new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). CO2 emissions from large trucks (including vocational vehicles, such as garbage trucks, tippers or concrete mixers) and buses must be reduced by 45% for the period 2030—2034, 65% for 2035—2039 and 90% as of 2040. This requires the European Commission to conduct a detailed review of the effectiveness and impact of the new rules by 2027, with an assessment on whether these rules should apply to small lorries.

The European Parliament has adopted a negotiating position on the European Commission's common agricultural policy (CAP) simplification package by 492 votes to 111 with 39 abstentions. The Parliament's amendments introduce additional flexibility for environmental compliance, including automatic good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC) requirements for organic farms, farms in conservation areas and farms under 50 hectares. MEPs rejected proposed direct crisis payments but supported compulsory crisis payments via rural development funds, with animal disease outbreaks added to qualifying events and insurance thresholds reduced from 20% to 15% of lost production. The Parliament increased maximum support for small farmers to €5,000 annually and €75,000 for business development, compared to the Commission's proposed €2,500 and €50,000 respectively. Strategic plan changes based on the new law can take legal effect in 2026 before formal Commission approval. Negotiations with member states commence on 9 October 2025, with final adoption targeted for the November 2025 plenary session.

The European Parliament has adopted its position on two legislative proposals, voting on a Regulation revising provisions in the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, the Cosmetics Regulation and the Fertilising Products Regulation, and on a separate new Regulation to govern the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), with the aim of simplifying rules while maintaining high levels of protection for human health and the environment and strengthening the EU’s chemicals framework. It supported most proposed changes to chemical classification, labelling and packaging but required that labels remain legible and include key information such as a supplier telephone number, and that hazardous products carry warnings in advertisements, while calling for further assessment for small packaging and confirming a delayed application to 1 January 2028. Parliament also proposed stricter measures for cosmetics by shortening the period during which products containing carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances may remain on the market, rejecting certain exemptions, reinstating prior notification for nanomaterials, and requiring full consumer information for online sales. It endorsed simplification of fertiliser rules to benefit EU producers and farmers, promoting clarity, innovation and competitiveness through updated technical provisions and a digital-by-default approach, without reducing safety standards. In parallel, Parliament adopted its position on a new Regulation for ECHA, calling for enhanced resources, flexibility and governance, including annual assessments of its capacity and stronger member state support, to enable more effective chemicals management, faster risk assessments and greater predictability for industry, and is now ready to begin negotiations with the Council.

The European Parliament has adopted its initial negotiating position on a new Regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on end-of-life management, to repeal and replace Directive 2000/53/EC (the ELV Directive) and Directive 2005/64/EC on type approval of motor vehicles with regard to reusability, recyclability and recoverability.

The European Parliament has adopted major reform of the Union Customs Code, under which sellers and platforms facilitating distance sales of goods from non-EU countries directly to EU consumers will be treated as importers. They will be responsible for providing customs data, paying or guaranteeing customs charges and ensuring that goods comply with EU law. The European Council had already approved the final text, making the European Parliament’s approval the final legislative step before signature and publication in the Official Journal. The new rules will apply in full 12 months after publication. An EU-wide handling fee on small e-commerce consignments will apply not later than 1 November 2026, with the European Commission to determine its level. The reform also introduces financial penalties for systematic non-compliance by distance sellers, with the most serious cases attracting penalties of up to 6% of the value of goods imported during the preceding year. The reform establishes the European Union Customs Authority, which will oversee the EU customs data hub and support EU-level customs risk management. The data hub is due to become mandatory for e-commerce businesses from 1 July 2028, with a phased rollout to other traders and mandatory use for all traders from 1 March 2034.

The European Parliament has adopted the European Commission’s proposed soil monitoring law to achieve healthy soils across the EU by 2050, consistent with the EU’s ‘zero pollution’ ambition. The directive establishes a harmonised framework requiring member states to monitor and assess soil health using common descriptors and an EU methodology, while allowing reliance on existing national systems. The Commission will strengthen its LUCAS Soils programme and provide financial and technical support. Member states will set non-binding targets to improve soil health and must assist farmers and foresters through advice, training, and research without imposing new obligations on them. They will also compile a public list of potentially contaminated sites within ten years and establish an indicative watch list of emerging harmful substances, including forever chemicals (PFAS) and pesticides, within 18 months. The directive will enter into force 20 days after publication, with a three-year compliance period, addressing the EU’s finding that 60–70% of soils are degraded, costing around €50bn annually.

The European Parliament has adopted a provisional agreement with Member States introducing a new voluntary certification framework for carbon removals. Different types of carbon removals, namely permanent carbon storage through industrial technologies, carbon storage in long-lasting products, and carbon farming, will fall under the scope of the new rules. The Regulation aims to boost their use and improve the EU’s capacity to quantify, monitor and verify such activities in order to counter greenwashing. It also allows for the compensation of farmers for the removal of carbon. The new law is pending adoption by the Council of the EU, before publication in the Official Journal of the EU and entering into force 20 days later.