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Europe – The European Parliament has definitively approved, on 10 February 2026, the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats The European Parliament has definitively approved, on 10 February 2026, the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. Members of the European Parliament...
Europe – Italy – In a ruling of 5 February 2026 (Cases C 364/24 and C 393/24 – Findenato v. Italy), the Court of Justice of the European Union held that restrictions or bans imposed by a state on the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) do not violate the principles of free movement of goods or freedom of enterprise, nor do they infringe the principles of proportionality or equality
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats Europe – Italy – In a ruling of 5 February 2026 (Cases C‑364/24 and C‑393/24 – Findenato v. Italy), the Court of Justice of the European Union held that restrictions or bans imposed by a state on the cultivation of...
Deutschland – Das Klimaschutzprogramm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland bedarf ergänzender Maßnahmen
Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht, das oberste Verwaltungsgericht der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, hat am 29. Januar 2026 entschieden, dass die Bundesregierung das Klimaschutzprogramm nachbessern muss. Das 2023 beschlossene Programm reiche nicht aus, um die Klimaziele zu...
Netherlands – On 28 January 2026, the District Court of The Hague, in Greenpeace v. State of the Netherlands (Case No. C/09/659832 / HA ZA 24-53), ordered the Dutch State to incorporate into its national legislation, within eighteen months from this judgment, at least absolute emission reduction targets for the entire economy, as provided for in Article 4(1) of the Paris Agreement
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats On 28 January 2026, the District Court of The Hague, in Greenpeace v. State of the Netherlands (Case No. C/09/659832 / HA ZA 24-53), ordered the Dutch State to incorporate into its national legislation, within eighteen...
Europe – Poland – Court of Justice of the European Union, 21 January 2026 (CaseT‑174/24), Chemicals Poland SA and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company v. European Commission : Dismissal of the action against Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/197 on the classification of DAPD (Category 1B, reproductive toxicant)
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats Court of Justice of the European Union, (Case T‑174/24), 21 January 2026, Djchem Chemicals Poland SA and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company v. European Commission : Dismissal of the action against Commission Delegated...
France – Decree of 29 December 2025 – End of Tacit Permits for Projects Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment
The French Decree of 29 December 2025 introduces Article R. 424-2-1 into the French Town Planning Code (Code de l’urbanisme). This article provides that, by way of exception to the general rules, the absence of notification of an express decision within the statutory...
Europe – Bulgaria – In a judgment of 22 January 2026 (Case C‑206/23), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) orders the Republic of Bulgaria to pay the European Commission a lump sum of €1,500,000 and a daily penalty of €9,000 for failing, within the time limit set for this purpose, namely 30 June 2021, and also at the date of the Court’s examination of the facts, to adopt the necessary measures to transpose into its national law the provisions of Directive 2018/2001 on renewable energy, and, accordingly, to communicate those measures to the European Commission, thereby persisting in its failure
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats In a judgment of 22 January 2026 (Case C‑206/23), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) orders the Republic of Bulgaria to pay the European Commission a lump sum of €1,500,000 and a daily penalty of €9,000 for...
Europe – Ireland — In a judgment of 15 January 2025 (Case C-129/24), the Court of Justice of the European Union held that, although Article 2 of Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information does not require applicants for access to information to identify themselves, it nevertheless does not preclude national legislation from imposing such an obligation of identification, provided that the principles of equivalence and effectiveness are respected, that is, that the rules are not less favourable than those applicable under national law and do not render the exercise of the right of access impossible or excessively difficult
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats In a judgment of 15 January 2025 (Case C-129/24), the Court of Justice of the European Union held that, although Article 2 of Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information does not require applicants...
France – Entry into force on 1 January 2026 of Decree No. 2025-1376 of 28 December 2025 on the prevention of risks arising from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
France – Entry into force on 1 January 2026 of Decree No. 2025-1376 of 28 December 2025 on the prevention of risks arising from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances A decree of 28 December 2025 strengthens the legal framework applicable to per- and...
SMNG has once again received four stars in construction law in the JUVE Verlag magazine ranking
Our member SMNG has once again received four stars in construction law in the JUVE Verlag magazine ranking. It also received four stars in the areas of project development and plant construction. In the “Leaders in Construction Law” category, Prof. Christian Niemöller...