Companies should ensure that terms such as "climate-neutral", "sustainable" or "recyclable" are not used without appropriate evidence. Unauthorised statements can have legal consequences.

Producers and sellers are invited to request a free aid package containing instructions and materials for the safe disposal of batteries, especially for German consumers.

Due diligence and sustainability reporting obligations are to be dropped for up to 90 per cent of SMEs, at least according to the EU Commission's Omnibus 1 draft. The CSRD, CSDDD and CBAM are affected. But beware, due diligence and other obligations are still contained in upcoming and existing EU legislation, for example in the EU Batteries Regulation.

The EUDR deforestation regulation is not part of the EU's Omnibus 1 relief package. It was amended on 28 February 2025 and will continue to affect companies. Products such as wood, rubber, cattle, palm oil, leather, cocoa, coffee and soya are affected.

This will work by introducing a new cumulative annual CBAM threshold of 50 tonnes per importer, which should eliminate CBAM obligations for around 182,000 or 90% of importers.

Marketplace operators now have an increased interest in the market conformity of their sellers due to their personal risk. If you sell via a marketplace and are not registered with the competent authorities in accordance with the EPR obligation, you run the risk of being excluded from the marketplace.

The Commission wants to take stricter action against unnecessary national rules and, if necessary, take legal action against member states that violate the deregulation requirements.

The EU Commission will consider appropriate follow-up measures, including possible restrictions on the use of substances in packaging materials that pose a risk to health or the environment.

Companies not based in Hungary are required to register if they sell electrical appliances, batteries or packaging directly to Hungarian end users.

The German Federal Council demands that the Federal Government strictly adheres to the EU requirements in future and does not introduce any additional national regulations.

The EU Commission has denied a de jure cotton ban until 2030. However, existing and future EU legislation to improve the circular economy and sustainability may affect cotton like all other textile products. The question is: is cotton recyclable?

The DIN DKE SPEC 99100 is intended to provide clear and practical guidance to companies preparing to meet the requirements of the EU battery passport, which will be mandatory from February 2027.

Sellers of batteries must register as battery producers in Slovenia.

The European Chemicals Agency ECHA includes five hazardous chemicals in the candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) and updates one entry. This affects electrical, electronic and optical devices.

The VERE Association presents below the salient contents of the Competitiveness Compass, the European Commission's new 5-year plan, for sellers and producers.

New guidelines from the EU Commission regulate the removability and replaceability of portable batteries and batteries for light means of transport. The text is relevant for the European Economic Area.

The new Austrian Packaging Ordinance has been in force since 1 January 2023. You cannot submit a declaration for 2025 without a registered, authorised representative. Please note that this may mean that the goods you deliver to your Austrian customers are not fulfilling the legal obligations.

From 1 July 2025, the extended producer responsibility for producers of packaging will apply in Denmark. However, reporting of the quantities placed on the market is already required for 2024.