EU and Corporate Sustainability: Meeting the European Standards – CSRD and CSDDD Explained

Elise Nicoleta Vâlcu; Laura-Cristiana Spătaru-Negură

doi:10.21029/JAEL.2025.38.475

Elise Nicoleta Vâlcu Associate Professor, Ph.D, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Law, within the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Romania, Pitești University Center; arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Arges, Romania; and lawyer at the Argeș Bar, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6255-164X
Laura-Cristiana Spătaru-Negură Associate Professor, Ph.D., Faculty of Law, “Nicolae Titulescu” University of Bucharest, and lawyer at the Bucharest Bar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6707-1888

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21029/JAEL.2025.38.475

Keywords: companies, corporate sustainability, CSRD, CSDDD, due diligence, ESG, EU law, human rights, Omnibus.

Abstract

It is more and more obvious that multinational enterprises play a very important role in the international investment. We also believe that through international cooperation the foreign investment climate can be improved, and multinational enterprises can bring a positive contribution to economic, social and environment, minimising the bad effects brought by their operations.

Governments are interested in encouraging responsible trade and investment through responsible business conduct of enterprises, in order to achieve sustainable development outcomes: better jobs, better job conditions, skills development, creation and provision of products and services that improve living conditions, technology for digital and green transitions.

Therefore, through this study, we would like to explain the most recent directives in the area of corporate sustainability and to promote sustainable development in the European Union and worldwide, because we strongly believe that the EU legislation in this direction represents a good example for other continents. Environmental, social and governance (ESG3) policy coherence at the international level could foster responsible business conduct and protection of the environment.

As expressly provided in the study, we consider that the Directives (EU) 2022/2464 (CSRD) and (EU) 2024/1760 (CSDDD), together with other international guidelines adopted by other international organizations represent the leading international instruments on responsible business conduct.

So time for applying these directives is ticking, but do not worry – we are here for you to help you in navigating the EU rules applicable. Please take into consideration that our study intends to be an overall presentation of the topic, and we could not pretend to be able to exhaust it, especially when in Brussels, it is currently discussed a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending CSRD and CSDDD.