The European Parliament has adopted at first reading the legislative proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on multiple-vote share structures in companies that seek the admission to trading of their shares on an SME growth market.

The European Parliament has adopted at first reading the legislative proposal for a regulation amending Regulation (EU) 648/2012 (EMIR), the Capital Requirements Regulation (EU) 575/2013 (CCR) and the Money Market Funds Regulation (EU) 2017/1131 (MMF) as regards measures to mitigate excessive exposures to third-country central counterparties and improve the efficiency of EU clearing markets.

The European Parliament has adopted texts of the proposed Solvency II amending Directive and the proposed Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive (IRRD). The Council of the EU must now also approve the texts, after which the legislation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and will become law.

The European Parliament has adopted a proposal to revise rules to tackle late payments and boost the competitiveness of companies, mainly smaller companies. The draft Regulation introduces measures to remove ambiguities and legal gaps that have limited the effectiveness Directive 2011/7/EU (the Late Payment Directive). The revision includes stricter maximum payment deadlines of 30 days in both business- to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (G2B) transactions. To ensure more flexibility to negotiate payment terms, MEPs have adopted provisions for a 60-calendar day deadline in B2B transactions, when it is openly agreed in the contract, and for specific retail sector purposes, up to 120 days. Late payments would incur  between €50–150 per transaction (depending on the value) to compensate for the creditor’s own recovery costs. The text also encourages the use of e-tools to help shorten delays and financial literacy trainings for SMEs.

The European Parliament has adopted a provisional political agreement with EU countries on new measures to enhance air quality in the EU, on 24 April 2024. The new rules aim to decrease air pollution in the EU and to achieve the EU’s zero air pollution goal by 2050, through setting firmer 2030 limits and set values for pollutants with a severe impact on human health, including particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), and SO2 (sulphur dioxide). Member States can request the 2030 deadline to be postponed by up to ten years if particular conditions are met. Those affected by air pollution will be able to take legal action, and citizens could receive compensation if their health has been harmed. Air quality sampling points are to be increased in cities and currently-fragmented air quality indices across the EU are to become comparable, clear and available to the public. The Council of the EU will now have to adopt the law. The new rules will be come applicable in Member States two years following its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

The European Parliament has adopted a reform of the EU's electricity market following a provisional deal it reached with the Council of the EU in December 2023. The law aims to protect consumers against volatile prices and provide them with the right to access fixed-price contracts or dynamic price contracts, and receive important information on the options they sign up to. Suppliers will not be allowed to unilaterally change the terms of a contract. Member States can prohibit suppliers from cutting the electricity supply of vulnerable customers, including during disputes between suppliers and customers. The legislation also provides for Contracts for Difference (CfD), or equivalent schemes to encourage energy investment and will be allowed in all new electricity production investments. The text also sets out a mechanism to declare an electricity price crisis. The Council of the EU must now formally adopt the legislation for it to become law.

The European Parliament has adopted a reformed Schengen Borders Code to strengthen free movement in the Schengen area, provide clarity on rules and reduce the level of temporarily reinstated border controls in the area. The reformed Code allows Schengen States to respond to serious threats to public policy or internal security by authorising temporary border controls for a maximum of two years and a possible one year extension provided they have followed specified criteria eg drawn up a risk assessment. For public health emergencies concerning multiple States, the European Commission can authorise border controls in them for six months periods. Additionally, during large-scale public health emergencies, the law foresees harmonised rules for entering the EU from third countries and the new rules would promote police cooperation in border regions as an alternative to border controls. The provisional agreement must be formally approved by the Council of the EU before it can be published in the Official Journal of the EU, after which it will enter into force twenty days later.

The European Parliament has adopted a revised EU framework for detergents and surfactants, introducing new requirements on labelling, biodegradability and product safety. The revised framework is intended to reflect market developments, including detergents containing living micro-organisms as active ingredients and the sale of refill products.

The European Parliament has adopted the updated Regulation (EU) 1227/2011 (Regulation on Wholesome Energy Market Integrity and Transparency (REMIT)) to tackle energy market manipulation by strengthening the transparency of financial markets and provisions on reporting and monitoring to protect consumer from market abuses. These measures aim to better protect energy bills from potential short-term market price fluctuations. The Regulation will task the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) with adopting decisions on inspections, requests for information and authorisations of information Platforms and Registered Reporting Mechanisms. ACER will be able to enforce penalties for non-compliance during its investigations. Once REMIT is formally endorsed by the Council of the EU, it will enter into force.

The European Parliament has adopted a revised ecodesign framework introducing environmental sustainability requirements for most products sold in the EU. The aim of the new rules is to improve various aspects of products throughout their lifecycle to make them more durable and reliable, easier to reuse, upgrade, repair and recycle, use less resources, energy and water. Specific product requirements will be outlined by the Commission through secondary legislation. The framework requires a number of product groups to be prioritised in the European Commission’s first working plan including iron, steel, textiles, furniture, tyres and chemicals. The rules additionally specifically ban the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear, two years after the entry into force of the law (six years for medium-sized enterprises). The regulation needs to be formally approved by the Council of the EU before entering into force.

The European Parliament has adopted revisions to Council Directive 91/271/EEC (the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive) that aims to amend the EU’s water management and urban wastewater treatment standards to better protect public health and the environment. This vote follows the deal reached with the Council of the EU in January 2024. The revisions set out deadlines for the implementation of secondary, tertiary and additional treatments of urban wastewater over the next two decades. The law also introduces extended producer responsibility for medicinal products for human use and cosmetic products, to cover the costs of quaternary treatment (to remove micro-pollutants from urban wastewater). At least 80% of the costs will be covered by producers, complemented by national financing. EU countries will be required to promote the reuse of treated wastewater from all urban wastewater treatment plants where appropriate, especially in water-stressed areas. The European Council will now need to formally approve the agreement before it can enter into force.

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution to support the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries and enhance their competitiveness. On 3 April 2025, the resolution was adopted by show of hands. This initiative aims to narrow the energy price gap with global competitors and secure critical raw materials.Energy-intensive industries, such as chemicals, steel, paper, cement, and glass, are crucial for the EU economy and decarbonisation efforts. MEPs call for faster permitting of clean energy projects, better integration of the energy system, and more investment in grid infrastructure. The resolution also emphasizes addressing unfair global competition through the carbon border adjustment mechanism and supporting affected workers and regions.The resolution builds on previous reports and communications, including the Draghi Report, the Letta Report, and the Commission's Clean Industrial Deal and Action Plan for Affordable Energy.