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Available in       Press release 13-10-2025 JURI   Sustainability reporting and due diligence: simpler rules for fewer companies       • Fewer companies required to report on sustainability and comply with due diligence obligations • Commission to establish a digital one-stop-shop with free access to templates, guidelines and information for companies • No civil liability at the EU level but victims to receive full compensation from companies breaching due diligence obligations   The new draft rules would reduce the required amount of sustainability reporting and simplify due diligence requirements for companies. With 17 votes for, 6 against and 2 abstentions, the Legal Affairs Committee approved its position on a series of changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies. Reduced social and environmental reporting The Commission originally proposed cutting the number of companies required to carry out social and environmental reporting by 80%, whereas MEPs want to reduce the scope further to cover only those companies with over 1,000 employees on average and a net annual turnover above 450 million euro. This would also apply to sustainability reporting under taxonomy rules (i.e. a classification of sustainable investments). For firms no longer covered by the rules, reporting would be voluntary, in line with Commission guidelines. To prevent large companies from shifting their reporting duties onto their smaller business partners, these would not be allowed to request information beyond the voluntary standards. Sector-specific reporting would also become voluntary and existing sustainability reporting standards would be further simplified with a focus on quantitative information and on reducing the administrative and financial burden. The Commission would also establish a digital portal for companies with free access to templates, guidelines and information on all EU reporting requirements complementing the European Single Access Point. Due diligence only for big companies and no EU liability According to MEPs, due diligence rules requiring companies to prevent and limit their adverse impact on human rights and the environment should only apply to large EU businesses with more than 5,000 employees and a net yearly turnover above 1.5 billion euro, and to foreign businesses with a net turnover in the EU above the same threshold. Instead of systematically asking for information required for their due diligence assessments from their business partners, MEPs want these large companies to adopt a risk-based approach, whereby they only ask for the necessary information where there is the plausible prospect of an adverse impact in their business partners’ activities. In the case of firms outside the scope of the rules, this would be possible only as a last resort. Companies would still be required to prepare a transition plan aligning their strategy to a sustainable economy and the Paris Agreement. Businesses should be liable for damages caused by breaches of due diligence obligations under national law, rather than at the EU level. The maximum fine level for offending companies would remain at 5% of their global turnover, and the Commission and EU member states should provide guidance for national authorities on these penalties. Quote Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn (EPP, SE) said: “Today’s vote confirms our support for simplification. We are delivering predictability for European companies, with a report that cuts costs, strengthens competitiveness, and keeps Europe’s green transition on track.” Next steps Should the Parliament approve the committee mandate at the next plenary session, MEPs and EU governments should start negotiations on the final text of the legislation on 24 October. Background The Commission presented its Omnibus I simplification package on 26 February. Besides rules simplifying due diligence requirements and sustainability reporting, it also contained file delaying application of these rules for some companies, which was approved by the European Parliament via urgent procedure in April 2025. Simplification of EU rules a top priority for Parliament MEPs have repeatedly called for a revision of the EU rulebook to simplify and reduce administrative requirements for companies. The so-called “omnibus” proposals, tabled by the Commission as of February 2025, aim to boost EU competitiveness and prosperity, and unlock additional investment capacity for businesses. As a matter of urgency, Parliament has already adopted some proposals and is making swift progress to finalise the remaining proposals. Further information  Press conference with the rapporteur (13 October 2025)  Voting list and compromise amendments (point 9)  Procedure file  Legislative train No stepping back on current rights Transport Committee MEPs stand firmly behind the current rules and want to maintain air travellers’ rights to be reimbursed or re-routed, and to claim compensation if a flight is delayed by more than three hours or cancelled, or if they are denied boarding. On conditions for triggering compensation, MEPs disagree with Council’s push to increase the flight delay deadline to four or six hours. They want to keep a three-hour flight delay deadline regardless of distance travelled. The distance would only matter for the total compensation passengers could claim (from 300 to 600 euros), they add. Passengers of cancelled flights or who were denied boarding would enjoy the same compensation. The MEPs support the introduction of a common form for compensation and reimbursement requests. They also want to task air carriers with sending passengers the pre-filled form, or activating alternative automatic communication channels, within 48 hours of a disruption. Travellers would have one year to file a request for compensation. In cases of denied boarding, travellers would receive immediate compensation. Closed list of exceptions The MEPs propose a defined list of exceptions to these rules, such as natural disasters, war, weather conditions or unforeseen labour disputes (excluding strikes by airline staff), that would exempt airlines from paying compensation. This list is in line with relevant judgements of the European Court of Justice and would be kept up to date by the Commission by means of delegated acts. Hand luggage The negotiating position includes the right to carry on board for free one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop, provided it fits under the seat in front, plus one small piece of hand luggage with maximum dimensions of 100 cm (combined length, width and height) and weighing no more than 7 kg. Check in fees Transport Committee MEPs want to see an end to check-in fees, both online and at the airport, for correcting passenger name spelling errors or for enabling children under 14 to be seated next to their accompanying passenger. In addition, passengers should have the right to choose between a paper or digital boarding pass. Quote European Parliament rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG) said: “The European Parliament is ready to fight for Europe’s passengers. Behind every delay or cancellation, there are real people, missed birthdays, funerals, weddings and job interviews. We will not allow citizens to be left behind. We stand firm on keeping the three-hour threshold for compensation and will not step back from this position, which has been backed by the European Court of Justice. A fair balance between passenger protection and a competitive aviation industry remains essential - but never at the expense of citizens’ rights.” Next step The adoption of the negotiating guidelines will allow MEPs to start talks on changes to the EU rules with the Danish Council presidency on 15 October. Negotiators will have three months to reach a deal (with an additional one-month extension possible). Further information  European Parliament negotiating guidelines  Press conference by EP rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG) and shadow rapporteurs (13-10-2025)  Procedure file (air passenger rights)  Committee on Transport and Tourism Press release 13-10-2025 ITRE   ITRE 16/10: Phasing out Russian gas, hydrogen delegated act, geothermal energy, Horizon Europe       Highlights of the meeting of the committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) When: Thursday 16 October 2025, 10.00 – 12.30 Where: Brussels, Room ANTALL (2Q2) You can watch the webstreaming of the meeting here Votes Joint vote with INTA - Phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies - Adoption of draft report by Inese Vaidere (EPP, Latvia) and Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA, Finland) Amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality - adoption of draft opinion by Niels Fuglsang (S&D, Denmark) - TBC Commission Delegated Regulation specifying a methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions savings from low-carbon fuels - Adoption of motion for a resolution objecting to a delegated act Debates Topical debate on Geothermal Energy Presentation of the Commission proposal for Horizon Europe 2028-2034 by Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Further information  Committee on Industry, Research and Energy  Full agenda and meeting documents

Press release 10-10-2025 JURI   Reminder: Press conference on sustainability reporting and due diligence rules

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies, on Monday 13 October at 18.15. To boost competitiveness and cut red tape, existing sustainability reporting and due diligence rules are being simplified. The aim is to ease reporting requirements and cut social and environmental obligations for companies. The draft new rules restrict the pool of companies that will be required to report on sustainability and make social and environmental considerations part of their governance. They also bring changes to the extent and detail of sustainability reporting, companies’ liability for adverse impacts, and related sanctions. Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) rapporteur Jörgen Warborn (EPP, SE) will brief journalists following the JURI vote, scheduled for 13 October 2025, and will answer questions about the next steps in the procedure. WHEN: Monday 13 October, 18.15 CEST WHERE: Anna Politkovskaya press conference room in the European Parliament in Brussels (SPAAK building, room 0A50) and via Interactio, with interpretation to and from English, French, German, and Swedish. HOW: Accredited journalists can attend the press conference in person. Those wishing to participate actively and ask questions remotely can do so via Interactio. The press conference will be streamed live and be made available on demand on Parliament’s Multimedia Centre. Using Interactio to ask questions Interactio is only supported on iPad (with the Safari browser) and Mac/Windows (with the Google Chrome browser). When connecting, enter your name and the media organisation you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video. Journalists who have never used Interactio before are asked to connect 30 minutes before the start of the press conference to perform a connection test. IT assistance can be provided if necessary. When connected, open the chat window (upper right corner) to be able to see the service messages. For more details, check the connection guidelines and recommendations for remote speakers.

Further information  Press conference webstreaming (13 October 2025)  Procedure file  Legislative train

s release 13-10-2025 TRAN   Reminder: Air passengers rights: press conference on Monday at 17.45

Rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG) and shadows will brief journalists on the review of EU air passengers rights rules following a vote in the Transport Committee on Monday. On Monday evening, the Transport and Tourism Committee is set to adopt its negotiation position on the review of EU air passengers rights rules. MEPs are seeking to ensure passengers are taken care of when they are denied boarding, their flights are cancelled or delayed. They want current travel rights to be maintained alongside the introduction of improvements in helping stranded passengers, regulating cabin baggage, and on the access to compensation. When: Monday, 13 October 2025, 17.45 CEST Where: European Parliament in Brussels, Anna Politkovskaya press conference room (SPAAK 0A50) Who: Parliament’s rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG) together with shadow rapporteurs: Mateo Ricci (S&D, IT), Vilis Krištopans (PfE, LV), Kosma Złotowski (ECR, PL), Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew, DE), Vincent Marzà Ibáñez (Greens, ES) and Arash Saeidi (The Left, FR). How: Accredited media representatives are invited to physically attend the press conference. In addition, journalists can join the press conference and ask questions remotely via Interactio platform. When connecting, enter your name and the media you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video. Interpretation will be available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Bulgarian. The press conference will also be web streamed live and recorded on the Parliament’s Multimedia Centre. You can follow it here. You are kindly invited to confirm your participation in the press conference by replying to gediminas.vilkas@europarl.europa.eu. Background In 2013 Commission presented a proposal for updated air passengers rights rules, on which Parliament adopted a position in 2014. Progress on reaching an interinstitutional agreement was stalled for 11 years, until in June 2025 EU ministers reached a political agreement among themselves, opening the way for negotiations with Parliament.

Further information  Live webstreaming of the press conference  Procedure file  Committee on Transport and Tourism

Agenda The Week Ahead 13 – 19 October 2025

Committee and political group meetings Energy imports from Russia. The Industry, Research and Energy and the International Trade committees will vote on new measures to end natural gas and oil imports from Russia. These include a prohibition on signing new contracts, a phase out of existing ones and an end to the import of pipeline natural gas directly or indirectly from Russia (Thursday). Air passenger rights. Transport and Tourism Committee MEPs will adopt their position on an update of EU air passenger rights in cases of cancelled or delayed flights and denied boarding. Among the measures to be voted: a single point of contact in airports for passengers facing disruptions, a single deadline for compensation after a three-hour delay as well as one personal item and a small trolley on board free of charge. A press conference will take place at 17:45 (Monday). Protection of minors online. MEPs on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will adopt a series of recommendations on enhancing online safety for minors, to feed into an upcoming legislative proposal from the Commission. Areas the resolution is expected to cover include: age assurance, addictive design features, dark patterns, and gambling-like features in video games. MEPs should also propose measures to address targeted advertising, influencer marketing, and risks to children posed by artificial intelligence. On the same day, Parliament will publish the results of a Eurobarometer survey on social media habits, the results of which are set to show that young people use media differently from previous generations and are turning increasingly to digital sources for news and information. (Thursday). Simplification of due diligence and sustainable reporting. The Legal Affairs Committee will adopt its position on legislative changes to make sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations easier for EU companies to comply with. The proposals, part of the “omnibus I” package, include limiting the number of companies covered by the rules, simplifying reporting duties and reducing due diligence obligations. A press conference will take place at 18:15 (Monday). Transparency in interest representation from non-EU countries. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will vote on transparency rules for interest representation activities conducted on behalf of third countries. The draft legislation is about enhancing accountability and addressing potential foreign influence in democratic processes. It will cover registration obligations and record-keeping, and introduce safeguards against stigmatisation (Thursday). 2025 Sakharov Prize. The Foreign Affairs and Development Committees will vote to shortlist three candidates for the European Parliament’s 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize has been awarded since 1988 and is the highest European award for commitment to and work on human rights (Thursday). Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 20 - 23 October plenary session, where MEPs will vote on new rules on driving licences and to reduce reckless driving while abroad, and on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution. They will also debate and vote on new assessment rules for chemicals, debate the situation in Serbia, discuss how to end energy imports from Russia, assess the Commission’s decision to impose a fine on Google, debate the Commission’s 2026 work programme, and take stock of the seasonal clock change saga. MEPs will also discuss the first European Annual Asylum and Migration report, outline their expectations for the 23 -24 October EU summit, and hear from 2020 Sakharov Prize Laureate Siarhei Tsikhanousky. Pre-session press briefing. The EP’s Press Service will hold a press briefing with Parliament’s political group spokespersons at 11.00 on Friday (Anna Politkovskaya room, press centre, Brussels). President’s diary. On Monday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will address the 23rd Edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities. On Wednesday she will speak, via video message, at an event on the 40th anniversary of the Schengen agreement and, on Thursday, she will make a speech at the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2025. A full list of parliamentary committee meetings is available here. EP Press Service contacts

Further information  The full agenda

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