Sustainability & Energy - vdma.eu
The international climate summit takes place between 10-21 November in Belém, Brazil
The European Parliament has postponed the extremely important reduction of bureaucratic demands on companies (Omnibus I) - a fatal sign for European industry. Nine major associations are calling on EU and federal politicians to find a solution.
Within the VDMA, hydrogen is not only of great interest for the VDMA Power-to-X for Applications, but is accompanied by a whole range of areas with diverse activities.
An ambitious EU climate target for 2040 also needs the right framework conditions for industry. A clear and uniform European position on the climate target sends the right signal for global climate protection measures.
VDMA welcomes the EU initiative to reduce bureaucracy in environmental legislation. However, it calls for bolder, more practical steps to relieve the burden on European industry, promote climate protection and ensure competitiveness.
On 17 October 2025, the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2025/2083, introducing significant amendments to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Three political groups in the European Parliament are blocking the urgently needed simplification of sustainability reports. Europe's competitiveness must not become a plaything of ideological interests.
The EU Council needs an agreement on the 2040 climate target so that Europe can continue to play a leading role in climate protection. It is therefore all the more important that a clear position is adopted quickly.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs' monitoring shows: The energy transition can and must become more efficient. However, neither the study nor the ten key measures provide a clear concept for the future.
The agreement on CBAM simplification is an important step, but the extension to downstream sectors should be taken off the table. And the technical specifications are still missing.
The planned EU Deforestation Regulation urgently needs to be revised and its launch postponed by at least two years. It is poorly crafted and bureaucracy at its best, criticizes the VDMA in a letter to the Commission.
The EU's omnibus package on sustainability is intended to protect small and medium-sized industrial companies from excessive reporting obligations. This goal must no longer be watered down in the European Parliament.
With the ‘Sustainability Talks’, the VDMA is organising a web series on current and relevant sustainability topics for the mechanical and plant engineering industry. You can find an overview of the topics and dates here.
For companies that process and transport lead and lead-containing alloys, a new EU regulation has brought about a change in the regulatory framework.
In future, the Environment and Sustainability department will provide ten topic-specific newsletters for targeted information on environmental and sustainability topics.
The ECHA has published a proposal to restrict chromium(VI) substances. Comments on this proposal can be submitted as part of a public consultation. The VDMA asks affected companies to participate.
The Chemicals Package includes the 6th Omnibus (‘Chemicals’), a proposal to provide ECHA with additional resources and an action plan, including ‘Providing Clarity on PFAS’.
Legislators must not ignore the reality of everyday industrial life, and this also applies to the EU Commission's Chemicals Action Plan.
The European Union remains ambitious in climate protection with a new emissions reduction target for 2040.
The EU wants to remain ambitious on climate protection. An ambitious target is the right thing to do, but it requires simple legislation and sufficient investment.
The EU Commission announced that it would simplify the rules on State aid in order to promote the development of clean energy, decarbonization and net-zero technologies.
The EU omnibus package is intended to significantly reduce the bureaucratic burden on companies. Now the package must no longer be torpedoed. Bureaucracy must not become an obstacle to innovation.
Nine major business associations from Germany have issued a joint appeal warning that progress on cutting red tape in Europe should not be jeopardized.
The 6th edition of the VDMA Technology Guide Oil Gas Petrochemicals with focus on Net-Zero Solutions for energy-intensive Industries. Are you among the Who's Who of European process technology suppliers?
Here you will find an updated overview of the progress of the project after the third face-to-face meeting on 12.03.202 (update no. 4).
The first year under the EU Battery Regulation - The new German Battery Law Implementing Act (BattDG): What do producers and manufacturers need to consider?
Under the headline “The new EU Packaging Regulation – What does this mean for the mechanical engineering industry?”, the VDMA held an online event on May 27, 2025. Here are the key points in brief.
Morgan Stanley analyzes the ramp-up of a green hydrogen economy in the US and Europe and advises caution when investing, as green hydrogen will remain expensive compared to other sources for the foreseeable future.
ECHA has been tasked by the European Commission to develop a proposal for the restriction of various chromium(VI) substances. The proposal was published at the end of April 2025 and can be commented on from mid-June.
The CO2 border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) should be simplified. This is also urgently needed: Small and medium-sized companies in particular must be exempted.
This was the motto of the VDMA Energy Networking Day held in Frankfurt on May 7 and 8. Around 80 members from several trade associations came together to discuss strategically relevant issues relating to energy and climate policy.
The Centre for European Policy provides a good overview of the current state of the German energy sector with reference to natural gas and hydrogen as important energy sources and formulates recommendations for policy makers
A division of the German electricity bidding zone would be a drastic change to the system and would call into question many projects that have already been initiated. Rapid and consistent grid expansion is crucial in order to counter existing system bottlenecks.
The amendment to the German Federal Emission Protection Ordinance (4th BImSchV) by the German legislator brings clarity and relief both for the placing on the market of smaller electrolysers below 5 MW and for large-scale plants.
Good news from Brussels: the suspension of several reporting obligations gives companies the capacity to act in order to focus on important areas of transformation.
VDMA Members from Austria and Bavaria met in Salzburg to discuss the implemtation of the European Union's new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Have you already calculated your company's climate footprint and defined ambitious climate targets? But what specific measures can a company take to achieve these goals?
There are major growth opportunities for the mechanical and plant engineering sector in climate protection technologies. To remain competitive, reliable framework conditions for investments and technology-open implementation are essential.
Emissions trading is the lead instrument for climate protection. EU countries are using additional instruments to achieve further targets. An IMPULS study examines the challenges of the instrument mix.
At the end of November 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled that the "customer installation" grid category is unlawful.
AM in the VDMA wants to improve the CO2 footprint of additive manufacturing machines. By developing specific product category rules (PCRs), we want to create a standardized basis for calculating the product carbon footprint (PCF).
The EU wants to noticeably relieve companies of the bureaucratic costs associated with CBAM. This is a welcome relief for many small and medium-sized companies.
The objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal are fundamentally correct. However, EU policy must urgently improve the conditions in Europe across the board. Not only the symptoms of crisis industries must be treated.
The transition to sustainability presents challenges for mechanical engineering – along with a flood of technical terms. Our **Glossary of Environmental and Sustainability Terms in Mechanical Engineering** sheds light on the complexities.
Innovative solutions and pioneering technologies at the world's largest industrial trade fair.
In the IEA's 2024 "Energy Technology Perspectives" report, the agency looks at global market developments in green technologies and the resilience of their production chains.
Energy and climate policy remain highly relevant in politics. This is why the amendment to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Act is a positive measure.
With the Omnibus Regulation, Commission President von der Leyen wants to consolidate, reduce and simplify various ESG reporting obligations. The VDMA welcomes the initiative and is submitting specific proposals for improvement.
2025 is the last year before CBAM’s full implementation, what are the latest developments EU companies need to consider?
On 26 February, the European Commission published the omnibus proposal on sustainability. The EU Commission is thus responding to the concerns of the overburdened economy and strengthening competitiveness.
The Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) had significantly expanded the circle of users. The EU Commission's omnibus proposal aims to narrow this down again and simplify and reduce the reporting information.
The proposed regulation of voluntary environmental claims in Business-to-Consumer activities awaits vote in European Parliament.
The European Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Regulation aims to define what environmentally sustainable economic activities are and thus create a standardized classification system within the EU.
Germany passed a Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) back in 2021. At EU level, the Supply Chain Directive (CS3D), which was adopted in 2024, is currently being renegotiated as part of Omnibus I.
Since the beginning of 2021, importers of conflict minerals such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from risk areas into the EU have been subject to binding due diligence obligations.
2025 is the last year before CBAM’s full implementation, what are the latest developments EU companies need to consider?
The EUDR must be applied by December 30, 2025. The mechanical engineering industry is directly affected in some areas of the spare parts business. After the postponement by one year (Dec. 2024), the EU Commission recently (Oct 2025) proposed changes.
Important questions on this topic
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PCF Guideline: How can companies determine their product carbon footprint?
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What new obligations does the Energy Efficiency Act impose?
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VDMA Material Compliance Guideline: How can companies fulfil product-related environmental requirements?
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Where can I find information on product-related environmental requirements outside the EU?
Events
The deadline for the application of the EU Machinery Regulation, which will replace the Machinery Directive, is fast approaching. A good reason to take a close look at the new legal requirements!
The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) came into force on December 20, 2024. While the responsibility for CE marking usually ends with the market launch, the CRA requires continuous security measures throughout the entire product life cycle! The core objective of the CRA is to improve the cybersecurity of products with digital components that can be connected to each other or to the internet and to define binding cybersecurity requirements. The aim is to provide companies and consumers with greater protection when they use such hardware or software. Many mechanical and plant engineering products also contain digital components - and are therefore covered by the Cyber Resilience Act.
Please make a note of the date today. As soon as the agenda has been finalized and the invitation has been sent out, you can register for the event. If you would like to receive the agenda directly by e-mail and thus be informed via the registration function, please ask Ms. Struck to add you to the invitation mailing list.
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