Sustainability

Climate change and sustainability are set to be defining issues of this decade. CMS is committed to addressing our own impact on the environment and approach to sustainability, as well as advising clients with their related legal needs.

The shift to a sustainable energy sector and the decarbonisation of existing energy systems, a growing market for sustainable investments, increased focus on ESG criteria in urban planning, tax reforms and sustainability incentives to reach climate goals – these are just a few of the developments that are shaping the business environment.

Our teams are helping clients to navigate this rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape and advising on first-of-their-kind deals.

To find out how CMS can support you and your business with sustainability click here >>

Recent Articles

  •  
    26.05.2023
    Germany

    The new Ger­man En­ergy Ef­fi­ciency Act – "En­ergy ef­fi­ciency first" now also in Ger­many?

    The Federal Cabinet has presented a draft for a new German Energy Efficiency Act. This will transpose the updated EU Energy Efficiency Directive into national law.In July 2021, the European Commission had submitted a proposal for an amendment of the Energy Efficiency Directive (COM[2021] 558 final) (Energy Efficiency Directive, "EED") as part of the "Fit for 55" package. The Council and the European Parliament agreed at the beginning of March 2023 on the proposal; however, the amended EED has not yet entered into force. Nevertheless, the German three-party coalition government has...
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  •  
    25.05.2023
    Poland

    Po­land drafts bill to en­cour­age in­vest­ment in bio­gas and bio­meth­ane pro­jects

    The Polish government has adopted a bill amending the Renewable Energy Sources Act that is expected to facilitate the development of biogas and biomethane projects. This draft legislation, which was sent to the lower chamber of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) for legislative work on 8 May, represents another initiative (further to the draft Biogas Act described at CMS Law-Now a few weeks ago) aimed at boosting the biogas and biomethane market in Poland. The key changes to be introduced are presented below.Definition of biomethane The bill introduces a definition of biomethane, meaning “gas derived...
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  •  
    23.05.2023
    Hungary

    Hun­gary launches new re­gistry and re­gis­tra­tion pro­ced­ures for com­pan­ies as of 1 Ju­ly 2023

    A new bill has been recently proposed to the Hungarian parliament, which aims to amend various acts that, among others, include a proposal to postpone the entry into force of Act XCII of 2021 on the Registry and Registration Procedure of Legal Persons from the originally planned date of 1 July 2023 to 1 January 2026. According to the bill's explanatory memorandum, entry into force of the Act is to be postponed to provide more time for legal practitioners to prepare for the systematic reforms the Act intends to introduce. The proposal has not yet been adopted by the Hungarian parliament.Hungary...
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  •  
    15.05.2023
    Ukraine

    Ukraine ini­ti­ates waste man­age­ment re­form

    On 9 July 2023, Ukraine's Waste Management Law dated 20 June 2022 No. 2320-IX that brings significant changes to the Ukrainian waste management system will come into force. The new law, however, is considered only a starting point in framing a new waste management system. Therefore, other laws and secondary regulations will follow the enactment of the new law.The main aim of the reform is to rebuild the waste management system according to European Union principles (e.g. preventing the generation of waste, implementing a "polluter-pays" principle, ensuring competition among companies involved in...
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  •  
    03.05.2023
    Belgium

    Bel­gian Com­pet­i­tion Au­thor­ity as­sesses sus­tain­ab­il­ity ini­ti­at­ive in the ba­nana sec­tor

    The Belgian Competition Authority recently examined the sustainability initiative of IDH-Transforming Markets and certain large retail chains to promote living wages in the banana sector under competition law. The initiative in question aims to limit the gap between actual wages and living wages in the banana sector, and concerns fresh bananas coming from companies with five or more employees and sold as branded or under private label products on the Belgian market by the majority of retailers.Sustainability initiatives consist of cooperation agreements between companies and thus  may fall...
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  •  
    02.05.2023
    United Kingdom

    Ad­dress­ing car­bon leak­age: EU CBAM is ad­op­ted as UK con­sults on fu­ture ap­proach

    On 25 April, the Council of the European Union formally adopted the regulation establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (the “CBAM Regulation”). The CBAM Regulation is a key component of the European Commission’s Fit for 55 legislative proposals and is designed to address the risk of carbon leakage in the EU. In the UK, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (“DESNZ”) is currently consulting on a range of potential policy measures to mitigate carbon leakage risk, including a carbon border adjustment mechanism (the “Consultation”). We provide...
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