COMPLIANCE REFERENCE
EU Green Deal Regulations
Every major EU sustainability regulation in one place. Each guide covers legal basis, scope, obligations, deadlines, penalties, and compliance pathway — written for compliance officers, trade lawyers, and export managers who need complete answers, not summaries.
What the EU Green Deal Regulatory Framework Covers
The EU Green Deal is not a single regulation. It is a legislative programme comprising more than 60 individual directives, regulations, and delegated acts adopted between 2019 and 2025. These instruments collectively govern carbon pricing, product sustainability, supply chain due diligence, deforestation, corporate sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, chemical safety, packaging, waste, and artificial intelligence. The regulations below represent the instruments with the broadest extraterritorial reach — the ones most likely to affect non-EU businesses exporting to or operating within the European market.
Carbon and Trade Regulations
These regulations govern the carbon cost of goods crossing EU borders and the operation of the EU's internal carbon market.
Regulation (EU) 2023/956
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
The CBAM imposes a carbon price on imports of steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen into the EU. Non-EU exporters must report embedded emissions and purchase CBAM certificates. Full financial obligations apply from 1 January 2026. Penalties: up to €50 per tonne CO₂ equivalent for unreported emissions.
Read the CBAM Guide →Directive 2003/87/EC (as amended)
EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
The EU ETS is the world's largest carbon market, covering approximately 40% of EU greenhouse gas emissions from power generation, heavy industry, and aviation. EU ETS Phase 4 (2021–2030) tightens the cap annually. ETS2, covering buildings and road transport, launches in 2027.
Read the EU ETS Guide →Product Sustainability Regulations
These regulations govern the design, manufacture, labelling, and end-of-life management of physical products placed on the EU market.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1781
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
ESPR replaces the 2009 Ecodesign Directive and extends its scope from energy efficiency to all aspects of product sustainability: durability, repairability, recyclability, recycled content, and carbon footprint. Delegated acts for specific product categories are being adopted from 2025. The Digital Product Passport is an ESPR instrument.
Read the ESPR Guide →Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (Article 9)
Digital Product Passport (DPP)
The Digital Product Passport is a machine-readable data carrier that must accompany products placed on the EU market. It records sustainability data across the product's lifecycle. DPP requirements begin with batteries (2027) and textiles, and will extend to electronics, construction products, and other categories under ESPR delegated acts.
Read the DPP Guide →Regulation (EU) 2023/1542
Battery Regulation
The Battery Regulation sets sustainability requirements for all batteries placed on the EU market: carbon footprint declarations, recycled content thresholds, due diligence for raw materials, and battery passports. Applies to EV batteries, industrial batteries, and portable batteries. Phased implementation from 2024 to 2030.
Read the Battery Regulation Guide →Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (Annex)
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
PPWR replaces the 1994 Packaging Directive with binding recycled content targets, recyclability requirements, and restrictions on unnecessary packaging. Applies to all packaging placed on the EU market regardless of origin. Phased implementation from 2025 to 2030.
Read the PPWR Guide →Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
REACH Regulation
REACH governs the registration, evaluation, authorisation, and restriction of chemical substances in the EU. Any company manufacturing or importing chemical substances above 1 tonne per year must register with ECHA. REACH is being updated under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.
Read the REACH Guide →Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2)
RoHS Directive
RoHS restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the EU market. Ten substances are currently restricted. RoHS 3 amendments are under development. Applies to all EEE manufacturers and importers regardless of origin.
Read the RoHS Guide →Corporate Reporting and Due Diligence Regulations
These regulations govern what companies must disclose about their sustainability performance and what due diligence they must conduct across their supply chains.
Directive 2022/2464/EU
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
CSRD requires large companies to report on environmental, social, and governance matters using the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Applies to EU companies above certain size thresholds and non-EU companies with significant EU revenue. First reports due in 2025 for the largest EU companies.
Read the CSRD Guide →Directive (EU) 2024/1760
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
CSDDD requires large companies to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their own operations and supply chains. Applies to EU companies with 1,000+ employees and €450M+ turnover, and non-EU companies with equivalent EU turnover. Penalties up to 5% of global net turnover.
Read the CSDDD Guide →Deforestation and Nature Regulations
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
EUDR prohibits the placing on the EU market of cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, wood, rubber, and derived products unless they are deforestation-free and produced in compliance with the laws of the country of production. Applies to all operators and traders regardless of origin. Penalties up to 4% of annual EU turnover.
Read the EUDR Guide →Sustainable Finance Regulations
Regulation (EU) 2020/852
EU Taxonomy Regulation
The EU Taxonomy is a classification system that defines which economic activities are environmentally sustainable. Financial market participants and large companies must disclose what proportion of their activities align with the Taxonomy. Six environmental objectives are covered, with climate mitigation and adaptation criteria fully operational.
Read the EU Taxonomy Guide →Regulation (EU) 2019/2088
Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)
SFDR requires financial market participants and financial advisers to disclose how they integrate sustainability risks and principal adverse impacts into their investment decisions. Article 6, 8, and 9 fund classifications govern how funds are marketed to EU investors.
Read the SFDR Guide →Technology and Waste Regulations
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689
EU AI Act
The EU AI Act is the world's first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence. It classifies AI systems by risk level and imposes conformity assessment, transparency, and human oversight requirements. High-risk AI systems require registration in the EU AI database before market placement.
Read the EU AI Act Guide →Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
Waste Shipment Regulation
The revised Waste Shipment Regulation restricts exports of waste from OECD countries to non-OECD countries and strengthens controls on all transboundary waste movements. New provisions target plastic waste exports and introduce extended producer responsibility for cross-border waste flows.
Read the Waste Shipment Guide →How to Use This Reference
Each regulation page follows a consistent structure: legal basis and EUR-Lex reference, scope and who is affected, key obligations and timelines, penalties for non-compliance, compliance pathway, and frequently asked questions. All penalty figures cite the specific article of the regulation they come from. All deadlines cite the Official Journal of the EU.
For sector-specific guidance on how multiple regulations interact, see the Sector Compliance Guides. For country-specific CBAM and EUDR exposure analysis, see the Country Guides. For side-by-side comparisons of overlapping regulations, see the Regulatory Comparisons.
Identify Your Compliance Obligations
Use the CBAM Calculator at carbonborderadjustment.co.za to calculate your CBAM certificate liability. Register your Digital Product Passport at esprregistry.com. Verify your KYC identity at kycregistry.co.za.