Delivering the environmental
commitments under the

European Green Deal

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The European Green Deal is the EU’s plan to tackle three interrelated crises – climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Nature plays a central role in the Deal.
A healthy natural world slows climate change, combats pollution,
and forms the basis of a circular economy.

Since 2019, the Commission has delivered on most of the environmental and climate commitments promised in the Deal.

The Environment Action Programme to 2030 is the EU's common agenda for environment policy until 2030, with the aim of living well within planetary boundaries.

Pollution

“Environmental pollution affects our health, especially the most vulnerable and socially deprived groups, and is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. With the Zero Pollution Action Plan, we will create a healthy living environment for Europeans and boost transition to a clean, circular and climate neutral economy.”
Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius

The Zero Pollution Action Plan (May 2021) aims to ensure that by 2050, air, water and soil pollution are reduced to non-harmful levels

December 2021: Environmental Crime Directive — Revision

Addressing serious environmental crimes through criminal law and supporting national enforcement capacities.

April 2022: Industrial Emissions Directive — Revision

Strengthening rules to limit harmful industrial emissions from over 52,000 installations across the EU. The revision aims to increase the focus on energy, water and material efficiency and reuse, in addition to promoting the use of safer, less toxic or non-toxic chemicals in industrial processes.

October 2022: Water Directive — Revision

Stronger rules on surface and groundwater pollutants, and treating urban wastewater, restricting an additional 25 substances including PFAS "forever chemicals". The Directive aims to save €3 billion per year across the EU, reduce greenhouse gases, water pollution, and microplastics.

75% of Europeans rely on groundwater for their water supply

Over 90% of toxic pollutants in wastewater come from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors

Only 40% of surface waters are in good status

October 2022: Ambient Air Quality Directive — Revision

Aligning EU air quality standards more closely with the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The EU already sets air quality standards for 12 air pollutants like sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, lead, carbon monoxide, and arsenic. This revision will further reduce the annual limits for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by more than half.

December 2022: Classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals Regulation — Revision

Providing more clarity on labelling rules and introducing new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors and other harmful substances.

July 2023: Mercury Regulation — Revision

Banning all remaining intentional uses of mercury in the EU.

Circular Economy

“The transition to a circular economy is at the heart of the European Green Deal. It is a precondition to reach climate neutrality, reverse biodiversity loss, reduce Europe’s dependencies and strengthen our economic competitiveness. Making durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable products the norm, as well as ensuring a well-functioning single market for high-quality recycled materials and boosting circular business models is an enormous opportunity for businesses and consumers alike”
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič

The Circular economy action plan (March 2020) paves the way for a cleaner and more competitive Europe

The Chemicals strategy (October 2020) aims to protect citizens and the environment, and boost innovation for safe and sustainable chemicals

The Textiles strategy (March 2022) will make textiles more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable

The Biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics strategy (November 2022) is a policy framework on the sourcing, labelling and use of biobased plastics, and the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics

November 2021: Waste Shipments Regulation — Revision

Aims to ensure that the EU does not export its waste problems to third countries, by setting new rules for waste exports and making it easier to transport waste for recycling or re-use in the EU. It includes measures to better tackle illegal waste shipments.

March 2022: Sustainable Products — Regulation

Sets ecodesign requirements for products, to improve their circularity, energy performance and other sustainability aspects. Circular businesses will be boosted, and consumers will get better information and better quality products for almost all goods on the EU market.

A 70% increase in waste generation is foreseen by 2050

Over 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress is caused by resource extraction and processing

Up to 80% of a product’s environmental impacts can be determined at the design phase

November 2022: Packaging and Packaging Waste — Regulation

Putting an end to wasteful packaging, preventing the generation of packaging waste, and ensuring that all packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030.

"After tackling single use plastics, we now take the next step on our way to a future without pollution. European citizens are eager to be rid of overpackaging and businesses are ready to move forward with sustainable, innovative packaging solutions.”
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal (2019-2023)

March 2023: Green Claims — Directive

Enabling sustainable choices and ending greenwashing, making green claims reliable, comparable and verifiable across the EU. Contributing to a circular and green EU economy by enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

40% of claims have no supporting evidence

There are 230 sustainability labels and 100 green energy labels in the EU, with vastly different levels of transparency

Half of all green labels offer weak or non-existent verification

July 2023: Textile Waste Directive — Revision

Reducing textile waste in the EU and making producers responsible for the full lifecycle of textile products. The revision imposes Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for textiles and clarifies the definitions of waste and reusable textiles to avoid illegal export of waste.

5 million tonnes of clothing discarded each year in the EU - around 12kg per person

20 to 35 jobs are created for each 1000 tonnes of textiles collected for re-use

Less than 1% of material in clothing is recycled into new clothing

July 2023: End-of-life Vehicles — Regulation

Making the automotive sector circular, more efficient, and less damaging for the environment. Design vehicles that are easier to recycle, and are made of more recycled materials. Make producers responsible for vehicles when they become waste.

The automotive industry in the EU is the N°1 consumer of aluminium, magnesium, platinum, rubber and rare earth elements

Vehicle waste treatment produces low-quality scrap steel, and not enough plastic is recycled

1/3 of vehicles go “missing”: around 3.5 million end-of-life vehicles are exported or disposed of illegally

August 2023: Batteries Regulation Revision — In force

Making batteries sustainable throughout their entire life cycle – from the sourcing of materials to their collection, recycling and repurposing. Promoting the development of a competitive sustainable battery industry, which will support Europe’s clean energy transition.

Biodiversity

"Biodiversity means human health, food security and resilience to climate change. By taking better care of nature, we can mitigate and adapt to climate change, often at a very low cost."
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

The EU Biodiversity Strategy (May 2020) sets out a range of actions to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems

The Forest strategy (July 2021) will improve the quantity and quality of EU forests. It aims to adapt Europe’s forests to the new conditions, weather extremes and high uncertainty brought about by climate change.

The Soil strategy ( November 2021) aims to protect and restore soils, and ensure that they are used sustainably

Stronger measures against illegal wildlife trafficking (November 2022)

The Pollinators Strategy (January 2023) will reverse the decline of wild pollinators in the EU

June 2022: Nature Restoration Law — Regulation

Sets out binding targets to restore wetlands, rivers, forests, grasslands, marine ecosystems, and the species they host

“Europeans are clear: they want the EU to act for nature. Scientists are clear: there is no time to lose, the window is closing. And the business case is also clear: every euro spent for restoration will bring us at least eight in return. This is what this landmark proposal is about, restoring biodiversity and ecosystems so that we can live and thrive together with nature.”
Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius

81% of habitats are in poor status

Every €1 invested into nature restoration brings €8 to €38 in benefits

One in three bee and butterfly species are in decline

December 2022: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — In Force

Commits the global community to actions to protect and restore nature and remove pollution. The Framework has clear, measurable goals and targets, with monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress. It is complemented by a robust plan to mobilise resources.

May 2023: Deforestation free products Regulation — In force

Guarantees that the products Europeans consume do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide.

Around 10% of the world’s forests, an area larger than the European Union, have been lost worldwide through deforestation over the past 30 years.

July 2023: Soil monitoring — Directive

Provides a legal framework for healthy soils by 2050.

November 2023: Forest monitoring Framework — Regulation

Provides essential information to policy makers, forest owners and forest managers to improve their response to the growing pressures on forests. It will strengthen the capacity of forests to fulfill their multiple environmental and socio-economic functions.

Implementing these proposals will be vital to delivering on the promise of the Green Deal.

The crises they respond to are here, and they will worsen unless we continue taking action.