EU countries give final approval to scale back corporate sustainability rules

European Union member state governments have granted final approval to significantly scale back the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and narrow the scope of related corporate sustainability reporting requirements. This decision, which follows months of pressure from various governments and businesses, materially reduces the regulatory obligations for many companies and narrows the mandatory sustainability oversight previously envisioned. The changes are set to be enacted in the coming weeks, marking a pivotal shift in how the bloc regulates corporate accountability.