Catarina Pinto Correia was interviewed by Revista Sustentável about the growing complexity of European sustainability regulations. The VdA lawyer explained the challenges and opportunities arising from this regulatory environment, offering a clear view of the problems and possible solutions for companies and regulatory bodies.

Among the applicable regulations and goals, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Taxonomy, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), Deforestation Regulation, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the future Ecodesign Regulation stand out. However, the fast growth of these rules has caused difficulties in implementation, partly due to a lack of technical and human resources in the entities responsible for their implementation. ‘There are rules that have already come into force and remain unimplemented because there is no one to implement them. This undermines the trust in the system,’ she explains.

Catarina Pinto Correia states that ‘The transition is irreversible (...) and its success depends on our ability to make these standards enforceable. Otherwise, we all lose: the environment, businesses and society.’ In a demanding regulatory landscape, coordination between legislation and practical implementation will be essential to ensure a balance between ambitious targets and the reality of businesses, she concludes.

• Read the full interview here.