The package of measures presented on 10 December 2025 is intended to modernise complex EU environmental law, streamline procedures, and reduce bureaucracy. Proposals include easing extended producer responsibility provisions, abolishing the SCIP reporting requirement, and introducing adjustments in environmental assessments and the Industrial Emissions Directive. However, from the businesses' perspective, the proposals fall short of the relief targets in key areas.
The Commission's Key Proposals at a Glance
- Designation of authorized representatives within extended producer responsibility is proposed to be voluntary for EU companies. Harmonization of reporting frequency for extended producer responsibility to a maximum of annual reporting.
- Abolition of mandatory reporting to the SCIP database for substances of very high concern.
- EU Industrial Emissions Directive: Implementation of mandatory environmental management systems starting July 1, 2030, no external audits required, multisite approach; removal of the obligation to create a transformation plan and a chemical inventory for listing potentially hazardous substances.
- Environmental impact assessment/species protection: Late objections are excluded ("preclusion"); greater focus on population protection.
- Announced: One-Stop-Shop for registration and reporting within extended producer responsibility systems.
Industry Assessment
The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) positively notes, among others, the planned abolition of the reporting requirement for substances of very high concern in the SCIP database ("Substances of Concern In articles as such or in complex objects") and the suspension of the obligation to appoint an authorised representative in other member states for EU-based manufacturers.
Regarding the Industrial Emissions Directive, companies are given relief: an environmental management system is required only from 1 July 2030, external audit obligations are removed, and certain documentation requirements are abolished.
Businesses also welcome the acceleration of environmental impact assessments, the exclusion of delayed objections, and the strengthening of species protection at the population level compared to individual protection.
However, significant simplifications for the Packaging Ordinance, which applies from 12 August 2026, have not been realised; DIHK recommends postponing the regulations by two years and revising them to reduce complexity.
DIHK Recommendations
The DIHK considers the following improvements as urgently necessary:
Eco-Design: Harmonise data and reporting obligations with other EU regulations (Corporate Sustainability Reporting, European Sustainability Reporting Standards, Taxonomy Regulation, due diligence, deforestation regulation); ensure realistic implementation periods and recognition of existing evidence.
Packaging: Clarify terminology definitions, remove excessive proofs and conformity confirmations; review two-year postponement for revision and relief.
Industrial Emissions: Remove Article 14a concerning environmental management systems or clarify that EMAS or ISO 14001 suffice; avoid excessive reporting obligations such as the strictest limit values, baseline reports, and duplicated testing and publication requirements.
Environmental Impact Assessments: Effectively implement preclusion, introduce a binding cut-off date rule for the decisive factual and legal situation; extend the approval presumption to all procedures.
Extended Producer Responsibility: Permanently abolish the obligation to appoint authorised representatives in other member states; implement a One-Stop-Shop swiftly and harmonise reporting frequency across Europe to once per year; notably relieve small distributors.
Download
The DIHK statement on the package of measures to simplify and modernise central environmental regulations ("EU Environmental Omnibus") is available here.
DIHK Statement of 2 February 2026 (PDF, 186 KB)(only available in German)
- Relevant in topic:
- Nachhaltigkeit
- Key areas:
-
- Umwelt
- Bürokratie
Released 02.02.2026
Modified 16.03.2026
Contact
Kathrin Riedler
Director European Environment and Raw Materials Policy
Hauke Dierks
Head of Environmental and Resource Policy