Supply Chain Due Diligence in Europe: An Overview of Key Trends in 2025 and Areas to Watch in 2026

Supply Chain Due Diligence in the EU in 2025 – Whitepaper Overview:

In 2025, supply chain due diligence finds itself at a crossroads.

Despite continued movement in both human rights and environmental due diligence standards, including sector-specific legislation, ongoing EU negotiations reflect a shift toward delaying and simplifying these obligations. While due diligence remains deeply rooted in EU law, staying on top of these evolving requirements has become more essential than ever.

This whitepaper provides an overview of the most significant regulatory changes taking place in 2025, and it highlights some key areas and compliance deadlines to watch out for in 2026.

This Whitepaper Covers:

• EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (Directive (EU) 2024/1760
• EU Deforestation Regulation (EU) 2023/1115
• Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542
• Prohibiting Products Made with Forced Labour Regulation (EU) 2024/3015
• German Due Diligence in Supply Chains Act
• French Duty of Care Law
• Dutch Supply Chain Due Diligence Law
• Norwegian Transparency Act
• Swiss Due Diligence Ordinance
• UK Modern Slavery Act
• Areas to Watch in 2026

*This whitepaper was originally published on 16th December 2024, and was updated on 28th October 2025. Further regulatory developments may have occurred after publication. To keep up-to-date with the latest compliance news, sign up to our newsletter.

Authors

Hannah Janknecht,
Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Hannah joined the Global Regulatory Compliance team in Compliance & Risks as a Regulatory Specialist in September 2022. She is responsible for the monitoring of regulatory developments in German-speaking countries and helps clients with questions on Textiles, ESG Reporting, Illegal Logging and Supply Chain Due Diligence. Hannah studied law in Germany (University of Bonn) and holds an LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from University College Cork. Prior to joining Compliance and Risks, Hannah worked for various government agencies in Germany, mainly in the area of the Common Agricultural Policy. 

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Joanne O’Donnell,
Head of Global Regulatory Compliance team
Principal Subject Matter Expert

Joanne heads up the Global Regulatory Compliance team at Compliance and Risks where she leads a global team of international product regulatory consultants in both the EU and the US.  She qualified as a Solicitor with the Law Society of Ireland in 2003 and has extensive national and international legal experience in private practice, in-house and industry. Joanne has worked with Compliance and Risks for over 13 years and supports its clients with their global legal compliance challenges with a particular interest and focus on Sustainability, ESG, Climate Change, Forced Labor, as well as Business and Human Rights.

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