What softened EU sustainability reporting requirements mean for businesses

Originally published Feb. 27, 2025; updated July 17, 2025

In April 2025, the European Union (EU) adopted the “stop-the-clock” directive, introducing a temporary pause on certain sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). EU member states are required to transpose the new directive into their national laws by Dec. 31, 2025.

This move reflects the EU’s broader effort to recalibrate its sustainability framework, offering businesses more time to prepare for compliance while the European Commission streamlines and simplifies the reporting standards.

Here are the CSRD reporting timeline adjustments:

• Wave 1 (large public-interest entities already reporting under the Non-financial Reporting Directive [NFRD]): No changes. These companies must continue reporting as originally scheduled.
• Wave 2 (large undertakings not previously subject to the NFRD): Reporting is postponed for two years. These companies will now begin reporting in 2028 for the 2027 financial year. Additionally, under proposed revisions to the CSRD, companies with fewer than 1,000 employees may be excluded from the directive’s scope.
• Wave 3 (listed small and medium-sized enterprises, small and noncomplex credit institutions, and captive insurers): Reporting is postponed for two years. Reporting will now begin in 2029 for the 2028 financial year. Many of these entities may also fall outside the revised scope if they do not meet the updated employee threshold.
• Wave 4 (non-EU companies with significant EU operations): No delay. These companies are to begin reporting in 2029 for FY 2028.

Here are the CSDDD compliance timeline adjustments:

• Wave 1 (very large EU companies): Compliance deadline extended by one year to July 26, 2028.
• Wave 2 (large EU companies): No change. Compliance is due by July 26, 2028.
• Wave 3 (non-EU companies meeting the threshold): No change. Compliance is due by July 26, 2029.

These changes offer a critical window for companies to reassess their readiness, refine their sustainability strategies and align with evolving EU expectations. While the directive provides temporary relief, it also underscores the importance of staying proactive in sustainability planning and reporting.

The following was originally published in February 2025: The European Union is making a significant course correction in its sustainability reporting framework, acknowledging the need for a more pragmatic and business-friendly approach. Recent proposed amendments to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and EU Taxonomy Regulation reflect a broader recalibration of regulatory expectations, easing compliance burdens while maintaining core sustainability objectives.

While the EU has proposed adjusted key compliance thresholds and deadlines, the general alignment to the Green Deal objectives remains intact, ensuring that sustainability transparency and corporate due diligence obligations continue to align with this objective.

For global companies—including those in Canada and the U.S.—these proposed changes, if passed, may offer a reprieve, reducing complexity and providing additional time to adapt. As the EU finalizes these revisions, Canadian and American businesses should stay ahead by assessing whether they would remain in scope, leveraging voluntary sustainability reporting and optimizing compliance strategies.

Key changes to sustainability reporting requirements: A move toward practicality

The amendments proposed in February 2025 introduce delays, scope reductions, and flexibility in compliance measures. The proposed adjustments respond to growing concerns about administrative burdens, reporting complexity, competitiveness concerns and potential unintended consequences for businesses in the EU and beyond. What do these changes mean for U.S. and Canadian companies that have operations in the EU?

Implications for Canadian and U.S. companies

For Canadian and American businesses operating in Europe, the recalibrated CSRD and CSDDD frameworks offer several strategic advantages:

• Fewer companies are in scope: Decreasing the number of companies that will need to report.
• Lower compliance costs: Reporting and assurance obligations are reduced.
• More preparation time: Extended deadlines provide additional runway to adapt.
• Reduced risk exposure: Loosened liability provisions lessen the stakes for non-compliance.

However, large Canadian and American firms will still need to comply. These companies should leverage the extended timeline to refine sustainability strategies, streamline data collection and establish internal assurance processes that align with evolving EU expectations.

A pragmatic shift without abandoning sustainability goals

Despite these adjustments, the EU has stated it remains committed to sustainability and corporate accountability. Rather than rolling back its Green Deal ambitions, the bloc is recognizing that effective regulation must balance ambition with practicality.

The revised CSRD and CSDDD frameworks reflect a more flexible, business-aligned approach that ensures sustainability remains a central corporate priority—without stifling economic competitiveness.

As the EU finalizes these revisions, Canadian and U.S. businesses should stay ahead by:

• Assessing their EU footprint to determine if they remain in scope.
• Leveraging voluntary reporting to maintain ESG leadership and investor confidence.
• Optimizing compliance strategies using the additional time granted.

The EU’s recalibration signals a new era of pragmatism in sustainability regulation—one that businesses should view not as a retreat, but as an opportunity to build smarter, more efficient ESG reporting frameworks that align with both regulatory and market expectations.