European ombudsman analyzes rules for corporate sustainability

STRASBOURG, FRANCE – The European Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, requested information from the European Commission regarding the preparation of new rules to simplify the European Union (EU) sustainability regulations for companies.
According to a press release, the Ombudsman is investigating a complaint related to the non-compliance by the community executive with its “better law-making guidelines” in preparing a legislative proposal on the disclosure of information regarding corporate sustainability and due diligence, which is part of its ‘Omnibus’ simplification package.
Teresa Anjinho asked the Commission to explain the reasons that led it not to conduct an impact assessment, a public consultation, or a climate coherence assessment, as well as why an internal consultation among the executive’s services on the draft proposal lasted only 24 hours.
The request for more information follows a request for inspection of relevant documents and a meeting between representatives of the European Ombudsman and the Commission in June, during which Brussels explained how it had developed the legislative proposal to amend the directive on corporate sustainability reporting and the directive on corporate due diligence in sustainability matters.
In the letter, the Ombudsman states that, “although the legislative proposal in question should, in principle, have required a comprehensive impact assessment, the Commission did not carry it out, having prepared an analytical document in the form of a working document from the community services.”
The Commission has until September 15 to respond. (07/15/2025)