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The European Commission recently published a new package of proposals to simplify European Union (EU) rules, boost competitiveness, and unlock additional investment capacity.
The Omnibus Simplification Package is a legislative initiative of the European Commission aimed at reducing administrative burdens and enhancing European competitiveness by streamlining business sustainability regulations under Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), EU Taxonomy, and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
The proposal, which still requires negotiation with the European Parliament and Council, seeks to simplify compliance requirements, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by reducing reporting obligations and limiting the scope of sustainability disclosures.
The reopening and renegotiation of recently adopted directives introduces regulatory uncertainty for companies, and it harms first-movers that have already invested in compliance infrastructure and sustainability reporting frameworks.
EU President Ursula von der Leyen said during the proposals that “EU companies will benefit from streamlined rules on sustainable finance reporting, sustainability due diligence and taxonomy” and they” will make life easier for our businesses while ensuring we stay firmly on course toward our decarbonisation goals”.
CSRD Impact
One of the most significant changes is the reduction in the scope of CSRD, restricting mandatory sustainability reporting to companies with more than 1,000 employees and either a turnover above €50 million or a balance sheet total exceeding €25 million.
Currently, CSRD applies to companies exceeding two of the three thresholds: €50 million turnover, €25 million balance sheet total, or 250 employees, as well as SMEs listed on EU-regulated markets.
Companies below this threshold may opt for voluntary reporting under a simplified framework, but concerns remain about the adequacy of voluntary disclosures in maintaining data transparency and availability.
Data Fragmentation
With the proposed changes, investors face increased data fragmentation, making it more difficult to assess risk and allocate capital efficiently. This could hinder the increased investment needed for industrial decarbonisation and economic growth under the Clean Industrial Deal.
A recently released statement by Eurosif, The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), signed by more than 200 financial sector players managing €6.6 trillion in assets, urges the European Commission to maintain the ambition and integrity of the EU’s sustainable financial framework.
Reporting misalignment
Investors are particularly concerned about the misalignment between corporate sustainability disclosures and reporting obligations under Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). The exclusion of over 80% of previously covered companies from mandatory CSRD reporting would significantly reduce the availability of standardised, comparable ESG data, increasing reliance on third-party data providers to ensure Principal Adverse Impact (PAI) assessments and taxonomy-aligned investment reporting remain accurate.
Financial institutions—particularly banks and insurers—also rely on consistent corporate ESG data to assess climate and environmental risks in capital adequacy and liquidity assessments, as mandated by the European Banking Authority’s (EBA) ESG risk integration guidelines (effective 2026 for large banks and 2027 for smaller institutions).
The reduction in mandatory corporate disclosures under the Omnibus Proposal could complicate compliance, forcing financial institutions to rely on estimates and increasing uncertainty in risk modelling, credit assessments, and investment decisions.
Conclusion
The reduction in corporate disclosure requirements, if the proposal is accepted, would results in less standardised ESG and sustainability data, potentially slowing improvements in data quality across the industry in the short term.
However, product-level regulations (e.g., SFDR, MiFID integration) remain unaffected and continue to follow their original implementation timeline.
Despite these regulatory shifts, sustainability remains a defining factor in financial markets. Climate risk, biodiversity loss, and supply chain resilience continue to pose material financial threats, ensuring that ESG and sustainability considerations remain central to long-term investment strategies.
While the rollback in reporting obligations may slow immediate progress, the trajectory of sustainable finance is clear, investors, companies, and regulators must continue to adapt, ensuring that transparency and accountability remain at the core of financial decision-making.
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