Headwinds for EU green standards

Member states are pushing for a rethink of the proposed sustainable reporting criteria, including for coal-to-gas and biofuels

The European Commission is backtracking after criticism from member states and businesses on a draft delegated act that sets strict criteria for economic activities deemed sustainable under the so-called taxonomy regulation. Following a public consultation—with over 46,000 replies—in December on the draft text, the EU executive has reverted to the expert group whose report fed into the draft for “additional reflection”. Discussions with member states are ongoing while the Commission waits on further input from its experts, with EU diplomats expecting the final text to be unveiled in late April. The Commission was originally due to publish the final delegated act, that sets the specific crite