What’s Trending in Compliance? August 2025
This blog was originally posted on 25th August, 2025. Further regulatory developments may have occurred after publication. To keep up-to-date with the latest compliance news, sign up to our newsletter.
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Below we break down some of the top compliance trends in August 2025 that are generating the most interest globally this month.
1. EU: Revised ESRS Exposure Drafts Published by EFRAG, July 2025
On 31 July 2025, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) launched the highly anticipated exposure drafts for revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
The exposure drafts form part of the EU Commission’s Omnibus Simplification Package I, introduced in February 2025. The simplification package aims, among other objectives, to streamline sustainability reporting requirements under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
The original ESRS, adopted in Regulation 2023/2772, have been in force since 2023. However, as part of their ongoing simplification efforts, the EU Commission tasked EFRAG with developing a simplified version of the ESRS, to be submitted to the Commission by 30 November 2025.
In developing the amended ESRS, EFRAG has consulted with a broad range of stakeholders through a call for input and outreach events. As a result, EFRAG has now published exposure drafts that cut mandatory data points by 57% and the full set of disclosures by 68%.
2. France: Prevention of Risks Associated with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS); Approving National Plan for the Progressive Reduction of PFAS in Industrial Aqueous Discharges, Draft Decrees, August 2025
On 7 August 2025, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition launched two consultations:
- Second public consultation on a draft decree that defines the residual concentration values below which the prohibitions outlined in sections I and II of Article 1 of the so‑called PFAS Restriction Law No. 2025‑188 shall not apply; and
- Consultation on a new decree setting out the national strategy for the progressive reduction of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in industrial aqueous discharges.
Both drafts are open for public consultation until 5 September 2025.
3. UK: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, Guidance Document, Revised, August 2025
On 12 August 2025, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published the revised Guidance Document on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
The Guidance Document includes various sections, including what is covered, the extent of obligations, how to comply with the obligations, the role of the OPSS, etc.
4. EU: Call for Evidence – Circular Economy Act, Consultation Document, July 2025
On 1 August 2025, the EU Commission launched a public consultation on the highly anticipated new Circular Economy Act (CEA).
This call for evidence for an impact assessment from interested stakeholders is open for comment until 6 November 2025.
The aim of the new CEA will be to increase circularity in the single market.
It promises to create sufficient supply and demand for secondary raw materials (including critical ones) and a true single market for waste and secondary raw materials.
The 2 mains pillars of this proposal are:
- Revision of the EU WEEE Directive;
- A combination of measures looking at waste, secondary raw materials and their use in products. This includes:
- the reform of end of waste criteria;
- the simplification, digitalization and extension of extended producer responsibility schemes (EPR); and
- setting mandatory, targeted, impactful, and implementable criteria for public procurement of circular goods, services and works to stimulate EU demand.
5. EU: RoHS Exemption Validity and Rolling Plan, July 2025
On 28 July 2025, the EU Commission released an updated table providing an overview of Annex III and IV exemptions including their validity status and submitted exemption requests, replacing the previous Plan dated 29 November 2024.
This validity and rolling plan is current to 25 July 2025.
While this document has no legal effect and is published for reference purposes only, it is a helpful resource, as the exemptions are listed numerically, with the formulation, scope and applicability shown in the cell’s comment. Both exemption start and end dates are shown, along with the date of the first renewal request submitted in due time (at least 18 months before the end date).
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The top compliance trends in August 2025 is based on the most viewed regulations on C2P this month. If you would like to see C2P in action, join us for a bite-sized high-level demo to witness the true power behind C2P.
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