EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan Resources

Sustainalytics research on what the EU Action Plan means for investors

european union

The EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan is the EU’s strategy for sustainable finance and is part of the implementation plan of Article 2(1)(c) of the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It aims to:

sustainable investments

Reorient capital flows towards sustainable investments in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth 

risk

Manage financial risks stemming from climate change, resource depletion, environmental degradation and social issues 

transparency

Foster transparency and long-termism in financial and economic activity

Sustainalytics’ research aligns with the following three components of the EU Action Plan:

EU Benchmark

EU Taxonomy

benchmark

EU Benchmarks

Sustainable Finance Regulation

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

To aid investors’ thinking on the upcoming EU Action Plan regulations, Sustainalytics’ dedicated Resource Center brings together our research-based insights on these three components. This page will be regularly updated with new insights. We hope you find it useful.

Please contact us if you have any questions or want to learn how Sustainalytics can help you comply with the EU Action Plan regulations.

Taxonomy Regulation

EU Taxonomy in Limbo - Reporting Alignment of Article 8 and 9 Funds in 2022

For observers of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, 2022 kicked off with a crack and a bang as the European Commission went ahead with plans to include natural gas and nuclear-related activities as potentially sustainable under their ‘Green Taxonomy’. However, in midst of this furor, seemingly less attention has been paid to other components of the regulation that have quietly taken effect from the 1st of January 2022, presenting their own set of challenges.

SFDR EU taxonomy

SFDR and EU Taxonomy Product Disclosure Rules Finally Released

The publication of these rules marks the end of a prolonged period of uncertainty in the market around final rules and timelines - assuming the RTS will be adopted as-is in a Delegated Act, which turns these rules into regulation. There are several noteworthy aspects to these rules, which we address from our perspective in this article.

EU Taxonomy Update

Sustainalytics Weighs in on EU Taxonomy’s State of Flux

On May 7th, the European Commission published draft rules on how corporates and financial institutions should report on their alignment with the EU Taxonomy. The draft rules are laid out in a very technical document and not an easy read. This might explain why certain changes with significant impact on timelines and scope of the EU Taxonomy Regulation have flown under the radar of media and investors. Some of the impacts even escaped the attention of financial market participants responding to the consultation on the rules.

EU Taxonomy

New Draft Disclosure Rules Change Timelines and Scope of EU Taxonomy

In recent months, a lot has been said and written about the EU Taxonomy, the green classification system of economic activities that aims to drive capital flows to sustainable investments supporting the EU’s policy goals on climate and the environment. Political, corporate, and civil society lobbying reached its peak when the EU published draft rules last December, which deviated substantially from expert recommendations. However, the latest draft delegated act with rules on Taxonomy reporting published by the European Commission on May 7th has received far less attention even though some of the proposed changes affect the practical implementation timelines as well as the scope and ambition of the regulation.

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation: An Industry Game-changer

In recent months, the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) has been sparking almost as much debate as the EU Taxonomy – both cornerstone regulations of the EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan. With the SFDR set to redefine ESG disclosures and make a significant impact on financial market participants in Europe, the short timeline and ambiguity on several vital details are creating confusion and concern in the industry. The risk of organizations not being able to comply in time is still present, despite the announced delay in timelines for the technical standards, as is the risk of high financial and operational costs for the industry.

EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan: Final Taxonomy Report Published and Other Developments

The highly anticipated final report by the TEG (Technical Expert Group) on the EU Taxonomy was published in early March, followed by a stakeholder information session. You can read our blog post on last fall’s developments here.

EU Action Plan Guidance Document

The proposed Taxonomy is a classification tool to help investors and companies make informed investment decisions on environmentally friendly economic activities. It is a list of economic activities, which defines performance criteria for six environmental objectives.

Sustainable Finance and the EU Taxonomy: Developments from the Trilateral Negotiations

As global leaders meet in Madrid for the COP25 amid mounting concern over the international response to climate change, the EU Taxonomy experienced a setback with the UK and France blocking the plans. The new framework, intended to drive financial flows that will accelerate the shift to a low carbon future, will likely become a global standard affecting investors around the world. If enacted, it could cement the EU’s position as the world’s pace setter on climate legislation.

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

EU Action Plan SFDR

Momentum Around Principal Adverse Impact Data Remains Strong Despite SFDR Delays

Despite the shifting timelines, we observe that the market momentum around PAIs is not diminishing, quite the contrary. Investors in the scope of the regulation are using the fourth quarter of this year to get acquainted with PAI data and set up their systems. Most investors we speak with want to be prepared in time to be able to monitor PAIs throughout 2022 and adjust their portfolios to boost their PAIs (or rather limit the downside, as these are adverse impact indicators). This means that PAIs may significantly impact stock selection and portfolio construction by fund managers keen to have ‘good’ PAI scores.

SFDR EU taxonomy

SFDR and EU Taxonomy Product Disclosure Rules Finally Released

The publication of these rules marks the end of a prolonged period of uncertainty in the market around final rules and timelines - assuming the RTS will be adopted as-is in a Delegated Act, which turns these rules into regulation. There are several noteworthy aspects to these rules, which we address from our perspective in this article.

Sustainalytics Weighs in on EU Taxonomy’s State of Flux

Delays, Questions and Confusion: Updates on the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

In this blog, we look at the delay of the level 2 regulation, some aspects of the Q&A, and the ongoing confusion and divergence around SFDR. We pay special attention to the potential impact of the Principle Adverse Impact indicators, an element of SFDR.

Les points communs entre la réglementation française et européenne en matière d’ISR

Quand les nouvelles réglementations sur les investissements durables et responsables (ISR) furent annoncées avec le « EU Action Plan », les institutionnels français n'ont pas cillé. Depuis l'accord de Paris en 2015, de nombreuses nouvelles obligations réglementaires liées à la publication d’information et à l’analyse ESG ont influencé les stratégies d’investissements responsables des institutionnels français. Le règlement SFDR qui est entré en vigueur le 10 mars dernier vient s’ajouter au cadre réglementaire local en matière de reporting.

Benchmark Regulation

EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan: Final Taxonomy Report Published and Other Developments

The highly anticipated final report by the TEG (Technical Expert Group) on the EU Taxonomy was published in early March, followed by a stakeholder information session. You can read our blog post on last fall’s developments here.

EU Action Plan - Benchmark Guidance

Understand how Sustainalytics' research and data can assist benchmark administrators in implementing the EU Climate Transition Benchmarks and EU Paris-aligned Benchmarks.

Sustainalytics Solutions

Sustainalytics is committed to helping investors comply with EU Action Plan regulations. We currently offer a Benchmark mapping service for the Benchmark Regulation and a Taxonomy data service for the Taxonomy Regulation. To learn more, visit our EU Action Plan solutions page.

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Morningstar - Sustainalytics EU Action Plan Webinar Series

Morningstar and Sustainalytics’ policy and regulatory experts are hosting a series of webinars to help our clients navigate the complexities of the EU Action Plan and related regulations.

SFDR: Raising the bar for sustainability disclosures

Our latest webinar from 18 March 2021 focused on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and our recently released Principle Adverse Impact (PAI) Data Solution.

Finding your path in the upcoming ESG regulations: A spotlight on EU Taxonomy and Disclosures

On 29 September 2020, Sustainalytics and Morningstar presented a general update on the EU Action Plan with a focus on plans to jointly develop an EU Taxonomy Solution. 

Regulatory Updates

Sign up to receive Morningstar’s International Regulatory Watch Newsletter (Note: Link directs to Morningstar’s website). Read a round-up of releases over the last quarter from regulators around the globe on a range of topics from fund pricing to disclosure to new market studies.