COP30

Plastics and packaging have attracted  consumer, media and legislative interest over recent years with an array of laws being proposed to incentivise behavioural and design change. Significant reforms are expected globally to deal with environmental impacts arising from the production and management of plastics and to further reduce wastes. This guide explores the current position and expected legal developments in a number of jurisdictions across the globe. 

Pre-loved, circular, second-hand: however you describe it, the resale industry has experienced huge growth online in recent years. CMS is one of the few firms that can provide a one-stop shop for stakeholders across the recommerce industry.

Read more about second-hand industry that is becoming a part of the mainstream online consumer experience.

The European Union (“EU”) is accelerating its circular economy agenda with sweeping new waste legislation focused on reducing waste and shifting responsibility to producers. In September 2025, the European Parliament gave final approval to updates of the Waste Framework Directive that introduce mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (“EPR”) for textiles and set binding food waste reduction targets. These measures form part of a broader regulatory push to make producers financially and operationally responsible for the end-of-life impact of their products, a trend that also bears significant implications for non-EU producers including those based in Türkiye.

On 9 September 2025, the European Parliament gave its final approval on a proposal for a targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC)^[1], with the aim of significantly reducing food and textile waste in the EU. This follows the provisional agreement reached earlier this year, as discussed in our earlier article^[2], and marks a significant step forward in the EU’s transition towards a more circular economy.

In August 2025, Poland’s parliament published a draft of a New Act on packaging and packaging waste that adapts the national extended producer responsibility (EPR) system to the latest EU requirements, which includes implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and the Council on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904, and repealing Directive 94/62/EC (PPWR).

The New Act will replace the current regulation: Act of 13 June 2013 on packaging and packaging waste management. The draft New Act is currently undergoing public consultation and review.

Companies around the globe are facing increasing pressure from regulators, investors, and the public to address human rights risks, especially forced labour and modern slavery, within their operations and supply chains. What was once primarily a moral responsibility has become a critical part of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) obligations, with tangible legal and financial consequences for noncompliance.

This guide explores how countries worldwide have responded to the #MeToo movement and how legal frameworks address workplace harassment.

The global pandemic in 2020 has further transformed workplaces, presenting employers with both challenges and opportunities to foster positive workplace cultures and reduce harassment claims. This guide offers insights into managing workplace sexual harassment through proactive training, preventative measures, and compliance with legal obligations across different jurisdictions.

Stricter pay transparency rules are coming into force across the European Union, with significant implications for multinational employers. The United Nations (UN) officially recognises 18 September as International Equal Pay Day – a day dedicated to raising awareness and promoting action towards achieving equal pay for work of equal value globally. In that spirit, we publish this article to highlight the latest legal developments and practical steps for employers as the EU moves towards greater pay equity.

With the Pay Transparency Directive 2023/970/EU (the EU Directive), the European legislators are once again trying to reduce the pay gap between men and women. In 2022, the unadjusted “gender pay gap” in the EU was 12.7%. At country level, the gap was the lowest in Luxembourg (-0.7%) and the highest in Estonia (23%). In most countries it was between 10% and 15%.

On 24 April 2023, two years after the first proposal was submitted, the Council of the European Union adopted Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 strengthening the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms ("the Directive"). Member States now have approximately two and a half years to bring into force the national legislation necessary to comply with the Directive by 7 June 2026 at the latest.

This edition of On your radar contains an overview of international employment law developments shaping the HR landscape. Equality and inclusion are recurring themes with France and the Czech Republic discussing equal pay and the Pay Transparency Directive. South Africa highlights the new sectoral targets where certain employers will require to produce a five-year Employment Equity plan. In India additional disclosure requirements have been introduced requiring companies to disclose in their board’s report details of the number of complaints of workplace sexual harassment.

While their commitments to a net zero future have remained, oil & gas majors have recently been challenged to remain true to their core purpose - the discovery, extraction and commercialisation of fossil fuels. The fourth edition of the CMS Energy Transition Report 2025 synthesises the key decisions taken by the oil & gas companies to show how a shift back towards this core purpose is influencing the majors’ evolving role in the energy transition.

With EV sales waning, countries rethinking their path to decarbonisation and the geopolitical events that dominate the news, has the need to mitigate the effects of the global climate crisis changed? In short, no. Certain forecasts have us missing our target of limiting an increase in global average temperature by less than 1 ^oC above pre-industrial levels. We are already at 1.1^oC, and staying below 1.5 ^oC is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. If we are to minimise the rise in temperature, we will need to use all the tools in the global decarbonisation toolkit. Accordingly, this is driving countries and industries to explore all initiatives and innovations.

CMS acted as project counsel for Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power) project, a first-of-a-kind fully integrated gas-fired power and carbon capture project (742MW), and the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) project, a new pipeline network for the transportation and storage of CO_2, on aspects of the development and implementation of the first of the UK’s CCUS projects to progress to this stage of development.

Both projects are scheduled to begin construction in mid-2025 and to be operational by 2028.

Regulation (EU) 2023/956 establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) entered into force on 17 May 2023. The implementation of the CBAM has been divided into a transitional period (from 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2025) and a target period (starting 1 January 2026).

With “Biodiversity Case Stories”, CMS experts provide insights into real-life experiences from around the globe, as companies face the growing challenge of protecting nature while navigating complex legal landscapes. Our stories highlight how businesses balance commercial goals with environmental responsibility. These accounts reveal not just the legal hurdles, but the creative strategies and tough decisions companies must make as biodiversity laws evolve. They offer a glimpse into challenging conversations where nature, risk and business intersect.

The 16^th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) take up in Rome, from February 25^th to 27^th, 2025, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Originally held in Cali, Colombia, from October 21^st to November 1^st, 2024, the Conference was suspended due to unresolved critical issues. The resumed session in Rome was crucial to finalize key negotiations and reaffirm global commitments to biodiversity conservation, with significant legal and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) implications.

There is a growing consensus that biodiversity faces significant challenges worldwide. Biodiversity litigation refers to any legal dispute at the national or international level concerning the conservation, sustainable use, access to, and benefit-sharing of genetic resources, species, ecosystems, and their interactions. This issue has become a hot topic globally, particularly in relation to companies which are under increasing pressure from international regulators, NGOs, and other stakeholders to address biodiversity concerns. This pressure will likely continue increasing with worldwide stricter biodiversity protection regulations on the horizon.

In the age of climate change and biodiversity loss, international courts and tribunals are increasingly called upon to address complex legal questions related to the protection of the environment and public health under international law. These forums have become pivotal in evaluating international state obligations relating to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, wildlife degradation, access to water, and extreme weather events.

ESG litigation risks related to climate change and biodiversity are also evolving. While there has been a recent backlash against broad ESG legislation and the strict obligations it places on companies, the accelerating effects of climate change are driving increased activism and negative media attention for corporates more generally.

Navigating the complexities of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) can be challenging for businesses with global supply chains. CMS experts offer unparalleled expertise in this area, providing comprehensive support to ensure full compliance with EUDR requirements for businesses and their suppliers.

On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (“ICJ”) delivered its highly anticipated Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (the “Advisory Opinion”) (available here).  The Advisory Opinion has been described as a historic turning point in relation to climate justice and accountability. Others have questioned whether it will make any real difference, primarily due to the difficulties of enforcing international law.

Modern slavery and forced labour issues have been moving up the risk register. Increasing regulation of businesses and their supply chains in this area, both in the UK and internationally, as well as innovative litigation and stakeholder action are forcing organisations to focus on this area. The current direction of travel is towards more regulation.

Organisations are expected to be transparent about the steps they take to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in their business or supply chains. Being proactive on this issue will make organisations better placed to respond to these demands, and the regulatory and business challenges they present.

Farming and agriculture have played a pivotal role in shaping biodiversity in the UK and Ireland. Agricultural practices have significantly influenced the landscape, leading to both positive and negative impacts on biodiversity. While traditional farming methods – such as crop rotation and the maintenance of hedgerows – have supported diverse habitats and species, modern intensive farming practices – such as monoculture, heavy use of pesticides and fertilisers and the conversion of natural habitats to agricultural land – have contributed to habitat loss, soil degradation and a decline in wildlife populations.