Sustainable Finance Regulation

The EBF works for an EU sustainable finance framework that is simple, coherent and usable in practice for banks and their clients. We advocate for simplification that is fully reflected in banks’ regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations, for relevant, reliable and comparable data, and for standards that improve transparency, address greenwashing and help channel capital towards sustainable activities. These range from the EU Taxonomy to green bonds, sustainability ratings and benchmarks.

policy insights

Explore our positions on key topics in sustainable finance regulation below.

Simplification
Data, Disclosures & Reporting
Green Bonds
Taxonomy
Ecolabel
Sustainability Research & Rating
Benchmarks
Corporate Governance & Due Diligence
Fighting greenwashing

Simplification

EBF welcomes the Omnibus simplification initiative, which will significantly reduce the reporting obligations of EU companies. However, for the simplification to be effective, it must be fully reflected in both the regulatory requirements to banks and supervisory expectations.

Simplification documents:

Data, Disclosures & Reporting

Relevant, reliable and comparable data are necessary not only to comply with the envisaged EU regulations (taxonomy, disclosures) and for proper and efficient risk management, but also for further development and scaling up of sustainable finance.

EBF Data, Disclosures & Reporting documets:

Green Bonds

Green Bonds and Green Covered Bonds may prove instrumental in mobilising the bond market for climate change solutions. The Green Bond market has considerably raised volumes of issuances in the last years and is expected to be further fostered by the EU Green Bond Label, following the proposal for an EU Green Bond Standard.

EBF Green bonds documents:

Taxonomy

A harmonised taxonomy is important to remove uncertainty, ensure comparability and allow competitive solutions. The success of the taxonomy will depend on the usability and on the way the taxonomy will be implemented. Automatisation of the processes and integration into the IT systems has a great potential for acceptance, successful adoption and implementation of the taxonomy.

EBF Taxonomy documents:

Ecolabel

The objective of the EU ecolabel is to increase the trust of retail investors in investing in financial products pursuing sustainability objectives.

EBF Ecolabel documents: 

Sustainability Research & Rating

Sustainability ratings and research has a potential to play an important role in allocation of capital to sustainable activities.

EBF Sustainability, research and rating documents:

Benchmarks

Proposed EU measures on Climate Transition and Paris-aligned benchmarks to address the risk of greenwashing and improve transparency and comparability of information.

EBF Benchmarks documents:

EBF Letter to EP on carbon benchmarks - 30 November 2018 

Corporate Governance & Due Diligence

EBF Corporate Governance & Due Diligence documents

Fighting greenwashing

EBF Response to the ESAs Call for evidence on better understanding greenwashing -19 January 2023

Questions about this topic?
We are happy to help.
All team members
Denisa Avermaete

Denisa Avermaete

Head of Sustainable Finance

Janis Priekulis

Jānis Priekulis

Senior Policy Adviser - Financing Sustainable Growth

Jairo

Jairo Ferreira

Intern - Anti-Financial Crime and Tax Matters, Sustainable Finance