A new impetus for the European sustainable finance framework

The EESC's ECO section has adopted an exploratory opinion on strengthening the EU’s sustainable finance framework to support the green and digital transitions, economic resilience and social stability. ECO underlines that simplification must not weaken ambition: the framework should remain robust, predictable and coherent, enabling investment in sustainability while reducing compliance burdens for SMEs.

Key points

In the opinion, ECO recommends:

• Safeguarding the integrity of the sustainable finance framework, ensuring that revisions to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and Omnibus packages do not undermine transparency, delay investment or increase risks such as carbon lock-in.
• Expanding the framework to cover the full environmental, social and governance (ESG) spectrum, with stronger social safeguards, a social taxonomy, recognition of transition finance with mandatory transition plans, and clear definitions aligned with international standards.
• Mobilising savings and investments through the Savings and Investment Union and Banking Union, while preserving fiscal space for green and social investment, ensuring that sustainability remains central to EU competitiveness and global leadership.

Additional information

EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)

Opinion type: Exploratory opinion (requested by the Danish Presidency)

Rapporteur: Javier DOZ ORRIT (Workers – GR II, Spain)

Reference: ECO/668-EESC-2025

Date of adoption by section: 5/9/2025

Date of adoption in plenary: 17-18/09/2025

Contact

Thomas Kersten

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 (0)2 546 8931

Email: thomas.kersten@eesc.europa.eu

Gerald Klec

Policy Officer

Tel.: +32 (0)2 546 9740

Email: eco@eesc.europa.eu