What’s Trending in Compliance? December 2025
This blog was originally posted on 15th December, 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 December 2025 that are generating the most interest globally this month.
1. EU: Revised Proposed European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), December 2025
On 3 December 2025, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) published revised proposed drafts of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
The ESRS form the basis of the sustainability reporting obligations under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. The current version of the ESRS was published in July 2023 and entered into force on 25 December 2023. However, as part of the EU Commission’s Omnibus Simplification Package, introduced in February 2025, EFRAG was tasked with developing a reduced and simplified version of the ESRS.
Exposure drafts were published in July 2025, and the public consultation on the revised ESRS concluded on 29 September 2025.
The revised drafts have now been handed over as technical advice to the EU Commission. The EU Commission is expected to hold additional internal and external public consultations in 2026, before finalizing the revised ESRS in mid 2026.
2. EU: Guidelines on the Application of the General Product Safety Legislative Framework, Notice, November 2025
The EU Commission has published guidelines to assist businesses in understanding and complying with the EU’s General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).
The GPSR covers all consumer products, including those sold online, second-hand, refurbished, or reconditioned, provided they are not explicitly excluded. It applies across the entire supply chain to manufacturers, importers, distributors, online marketplaces, and responsible persons within the EU – each having specific obligations. As such, these guidelines focus on describing the obligations of each of the foregoing parties under the Regulation.
Particular attention ought to be paid to the following advice provided in the guidelines:
It is strongly recommended that you carefully analyze the services you offer for the products you are handling in order to determine into which business category or categories you fall for a given product. Remember that you may fall into different business categories for different products and might thus need to comply with different sets of obligations in parallel.
In addition, the responsibilities described are without prejudice to obligations specified under other Union harmonization legislation or other EU legislation.
Furthermore, obligations of economic operators are explained in detail, and each is accompanied with a useful check list.
These guidelines are crucial for all organizations participating in the EU market, such as manufacturers, importers, online marketplace operators, and authorized representatives.
3. Canada: Requirements for Lithium-ion Batteries and Consumer Products Containing Lithium-ion Batteries, Consultation Document, December 2025
On 2 December 2025, Health Canada opened a consultation on a proposed regulatory initiative that would introduce mandatory requirements for lithium-ion batteries and consumer products containing lithium-ion batteries under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA).
A variety of options are being considered for specifying performance criteria that reduce the risks of overheating, off-gassing, smoke, fire, thermal runaway and explosion posed by lithium-ion batteries that are consumer products or components of consumer products. This could include the viability of mandatory third-party certification or the incorporation of safety standards by ambulatory reference in regulations.
Feedback solicited through this pre-consultation will be used to inform the development of mandatory requirements that align with the purpose of this proposal.
Health Canada will use the input received through this pre-consultation to inform next steps, which may include a cost-benefit analysis of the proposal and future consultations.
4. UK: Recyclability Assessment Methodology: Supplementary Guidance Document, December 2025
On 2 December 2025, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published a Supplementary Guidance Document on Recyclability Assessment Methodology.
This guidance provides clarification on various points in the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM). It does not replace or supersede the RAM.
The RAM will be updated once per year. This document may be updated more frequently if further clarifications are needed.
Producers who must report household packaging waste under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging should read this information alongside guidance on the RAM when carrying out their recyclability assessments.
5. Singapore: Key Amendments to Subsidiary Legislations Under the Energy Conservation Act Related to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, Circular, November 2025
On 25 November 2025, the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) published this Circular that clarifies the following amendments published on 24 November 2025 which are based on the Energy Conservation Act:
- Energy Conservation (Energy Management Practices) (Amendment) Regulations 2025;
- Energy Conservation (Section 26B Exemption) (Amendment) (Order) 2025;
- Energy Conservation (Composition of Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
In particular, the Circular provides a table for the notable timeline for registration as a registered relevant person as well as the submission of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard assessment and monitoring reports.
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The top compliance trends in December 2025 is based on the most viewed regulations on C2P this month. If you would like to see C2P in action, book time with our team to witness the true power behind C2P.
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