Images are still loading please cancel your preview and try again shortly.
Accessibility tools

ESG in the Netherlands

ESG topics

Ignoring ESG could impact businesses’ profitably and governments’ credibility.

Our market-leading team of multidisciplinary and highly experienced lawyers are at the forefront of supporting clients on environmental and climate matters. We have a very strong appreciation of the opportunities and challenges arising out of the growing focus on sustainability and are perfectly positioned to support businesses in meeting their sustainability goals.

Several practice groups from Linklaters Amsterdam wrote articles about ESG that are relevant in or have an impact on the Netherlands, you and/or your organisation. Think about the IPCC report, the COP27, and more.

Please click on a practice group on the left to be directed to their articles.

Last updated: 23 July 2024

Explore our Corporate M&A topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • Climate Policy in the Netherlands
  • Renewable Energy and Incentive Schemes
  • Hydrogen Sustainable companies and collaboration by companies for sustainable objectives
  • Corporate governance
  • Read more on the above topics here.

Explore our Capital markets topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • ICMA Green, Social and Sustainability Linked-Bond Principles
  • EBA recommendation for ESG-linked capital issuances
  • EBA publishes binding standards on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks
  • European Parliament publishes its report with respect to the proposed EU Green Bond Standard

Explore our Dispute Resolution topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • Supply chain due diligence and human rights
  • Climate litigation
  • Greenwashing in the Netherlands
  • EU proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
  • Read more on the above topics here.

Ignoring ESG could impact businesses’ profitably and governments’ credibility.

Our market-leading team of multidisciplinary and highly experienced lawyers are at the forefront of supporting clients on environmental and climate matters. We have a very strong appreciation of the opportunities and challenges arising out of the growing focus on sustainability and are perfectly positioned to support businesses in meeting their sustainability goals.

Several practice groups from Linklaters Amsterdam wrote articles about ESG that are relevant in or have an impact on the Netherlands, you and/or your organisation. Think about the IPCC report, the COP27, and more.

Please click on a practice group on the left to be directed to their articles.

Last updated: 23 July 2024

Corporate M&A topics

Explore our Corporate M&A topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • Climate Policy in the Netherlands
  • Renewable Energy and Incentive Schemes
  • Hydrogen Sustainable companies and collaboration by companies for sustainable objectives
  • Corporate governance
  • Read more on the above topics here.

Banking topics

Explore our Banking topic related to ESG in the Netherlands

Capital market topics

Explore our Capital markets topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • ICMA Green, Social and Sustainability Linked-Bond Principles
  • EBA recommendation for ESG-linked capital issuances
  • EBA publishes binding standards on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks
  • European Parliament publishes its report with respect to the proposed EU Green Bond Standard
Financial Regulation topics

Explore our Financial Regulation topic related to ESG in the Netherlands

Dispute Resolution topics

Explore our Dispute Resolution topics related to ESG in the Netherlands

  • Supply chain due diligence and human rights
  • Climate litigation
  • Greenwashing in the Netherlands
  • EU proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
  • Read more on the above topics here.

Corporate M&A

Climate Policy in the Netherlands

Greenhouse gas emission reduction targets were first set in the National Climate Agreement (Klimaatakkoord), and ultimately implemented in the Dutch Climate Plan 2021 – 2030 as a reduction by 55% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

At present, more ambitious goals are in place, aimed at achieving full climate neutrality by 2050 and a complete overhaul of the Dutch energy system (energiesysteem) which contributes to limiting the effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2024 the Dutch government will publish an updated and final Dutch Climate Plan 2025 - 2035. It will describe the Netherlands’ climate policy for the next 10 years. Topics include CO2 emission reduction, renewable energy, energy conservation, scientific insights, technological developments, global developments and the social and economic impact of climate policy.

Europe

In recent years the European Union (“EU”) has been sharply focused on (i) increasing electricity generated by renewable energy sources, (ii) a further reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and (iii) climate policy for a greener future in general. The European Green Deal is the EU's long-term growth plan to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. The EU Climate Law enshrines the EU’s new climate targets:

  • carbon neutrality (i.e., net zero) by 2050 with the aim of achieving “negative emissions” thereafter; and
  • a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The 2040 climate target is the EU’s next intermediate step on the path to climate neutrality in 2050. In February 2024, the European Commission (“EC”) recommended reducing the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 relative to 1990. Following the elections for a new European parliament in June 2024, the new European Commission will draw up the legislative proposal to include the 2040 target in the EU Climate Law.

The ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package demonstrates the clear ambitions from an EU perspective to become a green and sustainable continent in the coming decades and to fully embrace the energy transition currently taking place. The 'Fit for 55' package was tabled in July 2021 to respond to the requirements in the EU Climate Law to reduce Europe's net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. In a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and to boost Europe's energy security, it was updated to reflect the EU’s increased ambitions in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency as set forth in the REPowerEU plan (May 2022). The adoption of the two (2) final pillars of its ‘Fit for 55' legislative package took place at the end of 2023. Currently, the new legislation includes:

(i) revisions to the EU emissions trading system;

(ii) a new carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM);

(iii) revised Renewable Energy Directive;

(iv) revised Energy Efficiency Directive;

(v) a revised CO2 standards regulation which ensures that all new cars and vans registered in Europe will be zero-emission by 2035;

(vi) a new Regulation for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR);

(vii) ReFuelEU Aviation plan; and

(viii) the FuelEU Maritime Regulation.

 

Implementation of the 'Fit for 55' package by the EU Member States will take the form of legislation but also as part of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Those plans are currently being finalised by the EU Member States and have been submitted to the EC by 30 June 2024. The NECPs purport to demonstrate how the 2030 climate and energy targets will be met at national level. The NECP for the Netherlands (i.e., the Integral National Energy and Climate Plan (Integraal Nationaal Energie- en Klimaatplan) (INEK)) has been finalised on 21 June 2024.

The INEK comprises the NECP for the Netherlands and must be submitted to the European Commission on an annual basis pursuant to the EU Climate Law. The INEK ambitions are structured around five (5) key dimensions that the EU has prioritised for its Member States: decarbonisation (emission reduction and renewable energy), energy efficiency, energy security, internal energy market, and research, innovation, and competitiveness.

In the past years the Netherlands climate policy has been further finetuned as a result of the publication of the Policy Programme Climate (Beleidsprogramma Klimaat) in July 2023 and the additional climate package (i.e., Spring package (Voorjaarsbesluitvorming 2023)) with measures that contribute to achieve a 60% CO2 emission reduction by 2030. The additional climate package aims to close the remaining emission reduction gap. It consists, among others of potential measures to achieve (i) a CO2 neutral electricity sector by 2035, (ii) a climate neutral energy-intensive industry by 2040, (iii) emission- and gas-neutral offices and buildings by 2050, (iv) clean driving without emitting harmful exhaust gases by 2050, (v) sustainable agriculture and land use by 2050 and (vi) adjusting the energy tax so that sustainability pays off and polluters pay more. This will form part of the updated INEK, covering the period 2021 to 2030.

Netherlands

In the National Climate Agreement (Klimaatakkoord), the central theme was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands by 49% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels. This reduction target is laid down in the Dutch Climate Act (Klimaatwet) along with the goal of arriving at climate neutrality by 2050. In its coalition agreement “Looking out for each other, look ahead to the future” (Omzien naar elkaar, vooruitkijken naar de toekomst), published on 15 December 2021, the Dutch government has set more ambitious targets.

Read more: Dutch coalition agreement - A greener future, Gijs Smith (linklaters.com)

The CO2 emission reduction target in the Dutch Climate Act targets a reduction of at least 55% by 2030. The Netherlands intends to be more ambitious and focuses its climate policy on a 60% CO2 emission reduction by 2030. Simultaneously, in the longer run, reductions of 70% by 2035 and 80% by 2040 are being targeted. The big hairy audacious goal is full climate neutrality by 2050. On 10 July 2023, the Dutch Climate Act was amended reflecting the legally binding obligations of the EU Climate Law, an explicit target of at least 55% reduction (including land use) by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The Dutch caretaker government currently led by prime minister Rutte will continue and implement current climate and energy policy. Early July  2024 a new Dutch cabinet is installed led by Prime Minister (minister-president) Dick Schoof. In May 2023, the four coalition parties forming such a new cabinet published the headlines of their coalition agreement “Hoop, Lef en Trots”. In this context, the new cabinet will adhere existing agreements and continue most of the climate policy adopted by its predecessor(s). Only if climate targets are not met, alternative policies will be made. However, the ambition is that climate policy must be sustainable, feasible and practical. In the cabinet led by Dick Schoof, Mrs. Sophie Hermans will be responsible for energy and climate policy from July 2024 onwards in her capacity as Minister of Climate and Green Growth (Minister van Klimaat en Groene Groei).

Pursuant to the Dutch Climate Act the following mechanisms apply:

  • a climate plan which contains the key points of the government policy to be implemented in the next 10 years . The Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate (Minister van Economische Zaken en Klimaat) is primarily responsible for the implementation of the key elements of the climate plan;
  • an annual climate and energy report (Klimaat- en Energieverkenning) (“KEV”) which provides a report of actual and forecasted CO2 emissions in the Netherlands; and
  • a climate memorandum which contains an appraisal by the Dutch government regarding the climate related targets, accompanied by any additional policy intentions to achieve those targets.

The KEV is the foremost accountability instrument for Dutch climate and energy policy. It provides an annual insight into the achievements by the Dutch government of the 2030 climate target and developments in renewable energy and energy savings.

The KEV 2023 published by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving) (“PBL”) demonstrates that the Netherlands is on track with its renewable energy targets and the targeted greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 but falling short on the energy saving targets for 2030. The Climate Council (Wetenschappelijke Klimaatraad) has been appointed on 29 October 2022 by means of the Installation Decree Climate Council (Instellingsbesluit Wetenschappelijke Klimaatraad). This Climate Council is tasked with advising on the “Climate Plan 2024”. The Dutch government intends to give such Climate Council a more permanent task in advising on climate matters in the Climate Act. A legislative proposal on this is pending in Dutch Parliament. 

A new “Climate Plan 2024” is in progress containing the headlines of the climate policy in the Netherlands for the next 10 (ten) years (i.e., 2025 – 2035). This “Climate Plan 2024” will be published in the summer of 2024 and input has been gathered from a variety of societal stakeholders and a final draft of the “Climate Plan 2024” will be submitted to Dutch Parliament in autumn of 2024. 

The “Climate Plan 2024” will not only contain an outline of the climate policy agenda until 2035 but will include the Netherlands’ strategy towards climate neutrality in 2050 as well. Building blocks for the look through towards 2050 will be based on among others the advice on climate neutrality from the Scientific Climate Council (Wetenschappelijke Klimaatraad (WKR)), insights from the National Energy System Plan (Nationaal Plan Energiesysteem) (NPE)), the National Programme on a Sustainable Industry (Nationaal Programma Verduurzaming Industrie (NPVI)) and the National Circular Economy Programme (Nationaal Programma Circulaire Economie (NPCE)).

The Dutch government considers the road towards a climate neutral society being linked to other transitions occurring simultaneously, such as the energy transition, the raw materials transition and the food transition. Moreover, a climate neutral society cannot succeed without taking into account other significant transformative developments of our time being: (i) adapting to climate change, (ii) restoring biodiversity and (iii) digitalisation. Finally, as part of its international climate strategy the Dutch government is committed to substantially reduce its national greenhouse gas emissions footprint. However, the “Climate Plan 2024” should provide further considerations on reducing chain emissions (i.e., indirect emissions or scope 3 emissions) by Dutch companies and other societal stakeholders outside the Netherlands.

The “Climate Plan 2024” shapes the nation’s environmental policy for the coming ten (10) years, ensuring that the Netherlands not only meets but contributes to the collective EU ambition for 2030.

In July 2023, the Dutch government published the draft National Energy System Plan (Nationaal Plan Energiesysteem) expressing the Dutch Government’s vision for the energy system until 2050. This draft National Energy System Plan examines where to build, save, distribute, and accelerate for a sustainable and equitable energy system, now and in the future.

Urgenda court custom-made agreements with large industrial emitters

Obviously, the Dutch government has been working on achieving its ambitions laid down in the National Climate Agreement. That said, in achieving a further reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands, the so called Urgenda court ruling played a significant role. In the Urgenda court ruling the Dutch State was ordered to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2020 by at least 25% compared to 1990.

The Urgenda court ruling led to the closing of coal fired power plants, the Coal Phase Out Act (Wet verbod op kolen bij elektriciteitsproductie) which introduces a production cap for coal-fired power plants and the development of CO2 reduction projects in joint consultation with the industrial players (maatwerkafspraken).

The Dutch government was forced to make significant policy shifts regarding coal fired electricity production in response to the energy crisis spurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With effect from 1 January 2022 an 35% average annual production cap on coal-fired power plants was imposed by the Dutch legislator. Effectively, the Dutch government was limiting production of coal fired power plants in the Netherlands. The energy crisis demanded the Dutch government for reasons of security of electricity supply, to lift this production limitation. Operators of the coal fired power plants have claimed damages from the Dutch government as a result of the production limitations imposed on them between 1 January 2022 and 21 June 2022. Consequently, Uniper has been granted EUR 165 million, RWE has been granted EUR 330 million and Onyx is expected to be granted hundreds of millions of EUR as well from the Dutch government to compensate for any damages suffered. The legislation which stipulates the retroactive withdrawal of the 35% production restriction has been approved in Dutch Parliament in March 2024.

CO2 reduction in the industrial sector is intended to be achieved by agreeing custom-made agreements with the twenty (20) largest industrial emitters in the Netherlands. The Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate is currently working on this. These custom-made agreements will make the (heavy) industry more sustainable and will enable a further reduction of CO2 emissions. At the same time, the agreements should buy in industrial emitters to also contribute to a healthy and safe living environment surrounding their industrial plants. As at Q1 2024, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate has signed 11 Expressions of Principles (EoPs) (LyondellBasell (LYB), BP Raffinaderij Rotterdam (BP), Air Liquide, AnQore, Shell, Yara Sluiskil, Zeeland Refinery, Tata Steel, Nobian, Dow Benelux and OCI N.V.) and one Joint Letter of Intent (JLoI) (Nobian). At the end of April 2024, the Dutch government made public that it would kick off discussions with Tata Steel to accelerate the CO2 reduction measures and other sustainable solutions for this steel plant. The acceleration will focus on an earlier closure of the Cooking Gas Plant 2 and earlier realisation of canopies on scrap and raw material warehouses in order to curb the effects of raw material blowing and reduce noise pollution.

The customised approach (maatwerkafspraken) could also be of interest to certain companies outside the largest industrial emitters. In this context, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate foresees that discussions will be held with Alco, Frieslandcampina and Cosun to arrive at Expressions of Principles in the course of 2024.

Furthermore, another part of the extensive laws and regulations the industry must comply with regard to its sector is the Approach to Peak Load Emitters in the Industry (Aanpak Piekbelasters Industrie (API)). The API’s aim is to contribute to the Dutch government-wide commitment to reduce nitrogen deposition on sensitive protected nature areas (Natura 2000 areas).

Read more: Climate Litigation: An overview of the Urgenda decision

Read more: See here for an unofficial translation of the Urgenda ruling: Dutch Supreme court | Urgenda v Netherlands

Lastly, two Dutch levies related to CO2 emissions have been introduced into Dutch law. With effect from 1 January 2021, the Dutch government introduced a CO2 levy on emissions from industrial installations pursuant to the Act on a carbon levy for the industrial sector (Wet CO2-heffing industrie). The amount of the CO2 levy per tonne of CO2 depends on the European Emissions Trading Scheme (“EU ETS”) price, as it is calculated as the difference between the rate set out in the Environmental Taxes Act (Wet belastingen op milieugrondslag) and the EU ETS price. This CO2 levy has been updated by the Act on a minimum CO2 price industry (Wet minimum CO2-prijs industrie) which came into effect on 1 January 2023. This Act recalibrates and tightens the CO2 levy by introducing a minimum price over the part of emissions which is exempted by the CO2 levy. To this end, a minimum price will apply to emissions for which a company has dispensation rights for the CO2 levy industry.

In addition, a levy connected to a minimum carbon price to produce electricity came into effect on 5 April 2022 pursuant to the Act on a minimum carbon price for electricity production (Wet minimum CO2-prijs elektriciteitsopwekking). It applies to greenhouse gas emissions caused by companies under the EU ETS, active in the electricity generation business. The minimum carbon price is based on the EU ETS carbon price and a top-up national levy.

Energy savings

The Russian invasion of Ukraine emphasized the importance of reducing our energy consumption. In its REPower EU plan, the European Commission stated that saving energy is the cheapest, safest, and cleanest way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel imports from Russia. In addition, the EU Council Regulation on Coordinated Demand Reduction Measures for Gas, which entered into force on 9 August 2022, requires EU Member States to use their best efforts to reduce their national gas consumption between 1 August 2022 and 31 March 2023 by at least 15% compared to their average consumption during that period in the last five years. Finally, the Proposal for an emergency intervention to address high energy prices adopted by the Council of the European Union on 6 October 2022 includes an obligation for Member States to reduce (i) electricity consumption by 5% during selected peak hours and (ii) overall electricity demand by 10% until 31 March 2023. It also introduces a cap on market revenues for inframarginal generation of electricity.

Read more: Netherlands: status of implementation of market revenue cap for electricity generators, Gijs Smit, Joris Knoll (linklaters.com)

Read more: REPowerEU: reinventing Europe's energy architecture, Lothar Van Driessche (linklaters.com)

Read more: Regulation on reducing gas demand in the EU by 15% comes into force, Lothar Van Driessche, Julia Voskoboinikova (linklaters.com)

In the Netherlands an energy savings obligation (energiebesparingsplicht) applies to companies and organisations consuming more than 50,000 kWh of electricity or 25,000 m3 of natural gas equivalent. Qualifying companies must implement all possible energy-saving measures with a payback period of five years or less. Since 2023, the energy savings obligation requires large energy users, including companies that participate in the EU ETS, to implement all energy sustainability measures with a payback period of five years or less. Additionally, large energy users must conduct a mandatory four-yearly study on their sustainable energy use. Other technical details are being considered for updating and strengthening the energy saving obligation.

In July 2023, the Council of the EU adopted the Energy Efficiency Directive providing rules to reduce final energy consumption at EU level by 11.7% in 2030. The National Energy Saving Program (Nationaal Programma Energiebesparing) describes the Dutch energy saving targets and measures per sector. The aim of the National Energy Saving Program is to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency in demand sectors.

Read more: EU/Netherlands: measures to reduce energy consumption, Gijs Smit (linklaters.com)

Renewable Energy and Incentive Schemes

It is expected that offshore wind capacity in the North Sea should be between 38 and 72 GW in 2050. The target for onshore renewable energy sources pursuant to the Regional Energy Strategies (RES) is 55 TWhby 2030.

Regional Energy Strategies

The Regional Energy Strategies (Regionale Energiestratiegiëen) (“RES”) are a key feature of the National Climate Agreement. Currently, local governments, social partners, network operators, the private sector and residents collaborate in the energy transition with the aim of gaining regional support for project choices. In the RES, there is a particular focus on processing and creating local support as well as spatial implementation for future projects. On 1 July 2021, RES 1.0 was adopted for each of the 30 regions in the Netherlands. On 1 July the RES regions presented their progress documents, which indicate the status of achieving the relevant region’s goals. Up to 2030, the RES will determine the development of renewable energy sources in the relevant regions as well as the pace of the implementation of the wider energy transition at a local level. At the end of 2023, the PBL provided detail on its appreciation of, and the progress made with respect to RES 1.0. In the past years we have seen that grid capacity issues, scarcity of materials and personnel, the so-called Nevele ruling and Porthos ruling as well as the formation of new coalition parties at the level of the Dutch municipalities following local elections in March 2022 and November 2023, have had an impact on further implementation of RES 1.0.

In fact, certain regions will adopt a RES Review 2.0 (RES Herijking 2.0). The RES Review 2.0 sets out new or adjusted strategic choices. The RES ambitions are being monitored and evaluated in a bi-annual RES progress report (RES Voortgangsdocument). The second RES progress report is due in July 2025.

Notwithstanding the RES plans that the regions are working on, all 30 RES regions jointly proposed renewables projects to be developed that sum up to 55 TWh. In this context, the primary goal of RES 1.0, i.e., the generation of 35 TWh of onshore renewables (wind/solar), is on track. All stakeholders will strive towards accomplishing as much of the proposed electricity generation of 55 TWh as possible by 2030.

The Dutch government confirmed that it will stimulate the further roll-out of solar and wind energy on land. Incentives could be in the form of subsidies under Decree the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Transition (Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie en Klimaattransitie) (the “SDE++”) or by any other means (e.g., a two-sided contract for difference).

Offshore wind

On a national level, offshore wind is the key driver to reduce CO2 emissions by 2030. The Offshore Wind Energy Road Map 2030 (Routekaart windenergie op zee 2030) for the period 2024 up to 2030 lays down the sequence for the development of the wind farms in the Netherlands. In spring 2022, the Dutch government announced the doubling of its ambition for offshore wind to an installed capacity of approximately 21 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. In a further update on the additional road map offshore wind (Aanvullende route kaart windenergie op zee) the Minister of Energy and Climate announced in 2024 that the realisation of 21 GW of offshore wind will be completed by 2032.

This ambition dovetails with the ambition of the EC laid down in its REPowerEU plan for an accelerated rollout of renewable energy. New offshore wind locations have been designated in connection with the North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027 (Programma Noordzee 2022-2027) as published on 18 March 2022. In April 2024 it was confirmed that the following locations will be included in the Offshore Wind Energy Road Map 2030: Doordewind I (2 GW), Hollandse Kust West VIII (0.7 GW) and Nederwiek (North) III (besides IJmuiden Ver and Nederwiek (North and South) (6 GW) as locations that were confirmed previously). Locations for offshore wind for the period following 2031 will be identified in the Partial Revision North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027 (Partiële Herziening van het Programma Noordzee 2022–2027).

Read more: Offshore wind energy in the Netherlands up to 2030 and beyond, Gijs Smit, Maxim van Vessem (linklaters.com)

Read more: REPowerEU: reinventing Europe's energy architecture, Lothar Van Driessche (linklaters.com)

Since 2015, the Offshore Wind Energy Act (Wet windenergie op zee), as amended, has constituted the legal framework for the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. The Offshore Wind Energy Act provides a robust and future proof tender mechanism pursuant to which up to now almost 11 GW of offshore wind has been tendered. Under the legal introduced in 2015, a total number of 10 (ten) permits have been granted for the construction and operations of offshore wind farms. By the end of 2024 all offshore wind farms permitted (Borssele I - IV and V; Hollandse Kust South I – IV and Hollandse Kust North V) will be operational.

Most recently, the tenders for IJmuiden Ver, plots Alpha and Beta in aggregate totalling 4 GW, have been awarded to Noordzeker, a consortium of ABP and SSE Renewables and Zeevonk II, a consortium of Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), respectively.

The total investment costs for the offshore grid are estimated at approximately EUR 35.5 billion. At least half of these costs must be applied on site for the electrification of industrial processes and/or the production of green hydrogen. TenneT, the national transmission operator for the offshore grid, will install the grid connections for the new offshore wind projects. TenneT’s formal appointment is related to the enclosed development framework for offshore wind.

In the National Energy System Plan (Nationaal plan energiesysteem) published on 1 December 2023 targets have been set for offshore wind energy in 2035, 2040 and 2050. In summary, the Netherlands is looking towards realising 35 GW in 2035,50 GW in 2040 and 70 GW in 2050.

In June 2024, the Minister for Climate and Energy announced the outline of the Energy Infrastructure Plan North Sea 2050 (Energie Infrastructuur Plan Noordzee 2050). This plan intends to provide an outline of the further development of the energy infrastructure for renewable energy sources in the North Sea. Following 2030, not only offshore wind will be generated at the North Sea, but substantial volumes of hydrogen are also expected to be produced. This requires careful consideration from a system perspective and spatial planning of all energy activities in the North Sea: CO2 and hydrogen storage, gas and oil exploration and production and offshore wind generation. Currently, the Dutch government prefers a hub based approached regarding offshore wind and other types of generation and/or conversion of energy and molecules. Depending on the characteristics of the site, location, surroundings, water depths and (onshore) demand such a hub could comprise (artificial) islands or platforms or hybrid connectors being constructed to transport, convert or store electrons and/or molecules to land or transport the same to other hubs and/or neighbouring countries. The newly formed Dutch government which came into office in July 2024 will work out a more granular version of the Energy Infrastructure Plan North Sea 2050. A first full version is expected to be published early 2025.

In this context, the location of Nederwiek III enables combining an interconnector between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom which connects to a Dutch offshore wind farm as well. This hybrid interconnector with the UK has been announced as LionLink. Also, the offshore wind location Ten Noorden van de Waddeneilanden is the preferred location for a bigger demonstration project for offshore hydrogen production. Additionally, linking the permitting framework for offshore wind energy and renewable hydrogen production, for example in the form of combi-tenders, is seen as a useful instrument to bring system integration at the North Sea further.

It is not only the Netherlands that is committed to ambitious offshore wind targets. The same applies to our neighbouring countries. At the North Sea Summit in Esjberg, Denmark, held on 18 May 2022, the heads of government of Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands jointly declared their intention to facilitate an exponential growth in offshore wind. The ambition was repeated and vowed by France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and the United Kingdom as well in the Ostend Declaration dated 24 April 2023. Together, the countries have set ambitious combined targets for offshore wind of about 120 GW by 2030 in the North Seas. The North Seas should function as a ‘Green Power Plant of Europe’, and total offshore wind capacity should add up to at least 300 GW by 2050.

The SDE++ subsidy scheme currently is the main incentive scheme used by the Dutch government to make a transition to a greener future. The SDE ++ subsidy scheme and its predecessors have been a key driver for the increase of the generation of electricity by renewable energy sources in the Netherlands. In addition to renewable energy, also other CO2 reduction technologies have become eligible for incentives under the SDE++ subsidy scheme. Consequently, technologies no longer compete based on the amount of renewable energy produced, but rather on the amounts of CO2 that have been avoided. In fact, the SDE++ subsidy scheme offers an operating premium feed-in tariff subsidy for renewable energy and other CO2 reduction techniques compensating the difference between the cost price of the technology and the market price of avoided CO2.

For 2023 the SDE++ budget amounted to EUR 8 billion. As part of the 2023 SDE++ subsidy round so-called fences (hekjes) were introduced. Effectively, low temperature heat, high temperature heat and molecules qualify as domains for which EUR 750 million was set aside. for each domain. This feature will guarantee a certain budget for supporting projects in areas where decarbonisation is currently relatively expensive but that offer promising green potential. For 2023 domain fencing techniques had a maximum subsidy intensity of EUR 400 per tonne of CO2emissions reduction.

A budget of EUR 11.5 billion of SDE++ subsidies will be made available for 2024. This round of SDE++ subsidy will be open for applications from 10 September 2024 to 10 October 2024. Also, in this round the so-called fences will apply, albeit that these will amount to EUR 1 million for each of the domains regarding low temperature heat, high temperature heat and molecules.

Besides solar and green (bio)gas, carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects benefited to a great extent from SDE++ subsidies in the past years. The policy view is that we definitely need CCS in achieving the climate targets set for 2030. Now that the Dutch Council of State (Raad van State) ruled in favour of the Porthos in August 2023, the largest CCS Project of the Netherlands is currently being constructed. On 18 October 2023 the joint venture partners of Porthos (EBN, Gasunie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority) announced the final investment decision. The Porthos infrastructure requires an investment of EUR 1.3 billion. Porthos is expected to be operational from 2026.

Hydrogen

Netherlands on track for installing electrolysis production capacity in the Netherlands of 3-4 GW by 2030 with a potential increase to 8 GW by 2032.

Hydrogen policy

In its Government strategy on Hydrogen (Kabinetvisie waterstof), published in March 2020, the Dutch government envisages that hydrogen will be an indispensable part of the sustainability strategy for industrial clusters, ports and the transport sector generally. Within all industrial clusters in the Netherlands, market parties are preparing for renewable and low carbon hydrogen to play a growing role, including through feasibility studies, the development of business cases and proposed investments. In November 2022, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate confirmed that the Netherlands is on track to meet its ambition of having an installed electrolysis production capacity in the Netherlands of 500 MW by 2025 and 3-4 GW by 2030, and possibly realizing such production capacity sooner than originally planned. Dutch parliament agreed at the end of 2022 to target 8 GW of installed production capacity regarding hydrogen in 2032.

In January 2021 a National Hydrogen Programme (Nationaal Waterstof Programma) was launched. It describes in further detail the activities to be undertaken by the National Hydrogen Programme to facilitate and realise the potential of hydrogen as part of the energy transition in the Netherlands. The National Hydrogen Programme was succeeded by the Hydrogen Road Map (Routekaart Waterstof) which was published in November 2022. The hydrogen road map provides an overview of the current state of affairs on hydrogen and the sectors influenced by it. Additionally, it outlines the planned developments and hydrogen potential for long term (i.e., after 2030) as well as short term goals and actions to be taken for the periods 2022-2025 and 2025-2030.

Noteworthy recent developments

Hynetwork Services B.V. (“HNS”), a fully owned subsidiary of Gasunie (i.e., the transmission system operator of the Dutch gas network) has been (provisionally) appointed as hydrogen network operator of the Dutch hydrogen network.

The Netherlands and Germany will jointly organise a tender for a total of EUR 600 regarding procurement of imported hydrogen in 2024 through H2Global (whereby each country will contribute EUR 300 million). 

In early July 2022, Shell Nederland and Shell Overseas Investments took the Final Investment Decision (FID) to build the Holland Hydrogen I renewable hydrogen plant. This electrolyser of 200 MW will be constructed on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam. The renewable hydrogen produced will supply the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam, by way of the HyTransPort pipeline, where it will replace some of the grey hydrogen usage in the Shell refinery.The last year we have seen some postponements and even withdrawals of announced hydrogen related projects such as H2Maasvlakte (Uniper), H2eron in Delfzijl (HyCC), H2Sines.Rdam (Shell/Engie) and the connection of the Chemelot industrial site to the Delta Rhine Corridor. 

Furthermore, we have seen a flurry of specific incentive schemes targeted at upscaling of the hydrogen value chain being proposed. In this context, on 20 June 2024 a subsidy scheme Hydrogen in Mobility (Subsidieregeling Waterstof in Mobiliteit (SWIM)) was published.  This subsidy scheme contemplates to arrive at a nationwide network of hydrogen refuelling stations. The Netherlands is working towards thirty (30) hydrogen fuelling stations spread across the country.  Also, the subsidy scheme Top Energy Sector (TSE) Industry studies has opened for applications until 31 March 2025. This scheme, with a budget of EUR 26.4 million, supports feasibility research of innovations that assists in reducing CO2 emissions in Dutch industry. Finally, until 31 January 2025 companies may apply for a subsidy for hydrogen infrastructure projects pursuant to the Accelerated Climate Investment in Industry (Versnelde klimaatinvesteringen in de industrie (VEKI)) subsidy scheme. Reservations have been made for a budget of EUR 130 million.

Market regulation

The market regulation of hydrogen will have various characteristics. First and foremost, the production of hydrogen through electrolysis will be a market activity. That said, large-scale electrolysis production could use steering and guidance (locatiebeslissingen) from the Dutch government. Therefore, the Minister for Climate and Energy intends to influence the location of large-scale onshore electrolysis production sites by means of: (i) spatial regulations; (ii) network planning; and (iii) establishing detailed policy frameworks (i.e. Energy Strategy Plans (Energiestrategieën) and the National Plan Energy System (Nationaal Plan Energiesysteem)).

Pursuant to the Programme Main Energy Structure (Programma Energiehoofdstructuur) that was adopted on 1 March 2024, preferable locations for large-scale onshore electrolysis production are:

  • North Sea Channel area;
  • Delfzijl and Eemshaven;
  • Rotterdam and Moerdijk; and
  • Borssele and Terneuzen.

Large-scale electrolysis plants (i.e., in excess of 100 MW) will qualify as projects of national importance under the project procedure for national energy projects. The Dutch central government may take a "project decision", which will ease the spatial burden and making it more efficient and faster to implement large scale electrolysis projects.

Further characteristics on the proposed market regulation include that private hydrogen networks established to date, and new geographically limited private hydrogen networks remain private. Newly developed large-scale private hydrogen networks on the contrary may become part of the national hydrogen transport network (see below). 

Finally, in the event of market failures, Dutch network companies (netwerkbedrijven) could play a role in developing underground storage facilities and import terminals for hydrogen. At a later development stage this should be a market activity and the Minister for Climate and Energy foresees a system of negotiated third party access regarding hydrogen import terminals and, subject to other EU Member States’ preference, either negotiated or regulated third party access with respect to hydrogen storage facilities.

Scaling up and incentivising parts of the hydrogen value chain

In autumn of 2023 the first round of the Subsidy Regulation Large-scale production of fully renewable hydrogen via electrolysis (Subsidieregeling grootschalige productie volledig hernieuwbare waterstof via elektrolyse (OWE)) opened. The OWE subsidy is for companies that build and use an electrolysis plant from 0.5 MW onwards to produce fully renewable hydrogen. A total amount of EUR 250 million was made available. In 2024 it was announced that seven (7) projects received subsidy grants: (i) H2 Hollandia (Nieuw-Buinen), (ii) Hysolar (Nieuwegein), (iii) Groengas asset (Amsterdam), (iv) Green gas asset (Groningen), (v) RWE Eemshydrogen (Eemshaven), (vi) Van Kessel Olie (Oude Tonge) and (vii) VoltH2 (Delfzijl). Together, the projects provide 101 MW of electrolysis capacity. A second round of the OWE subsidy will be launched in September 2024.

The main instruments to incentivize production of renewable hydrogen are subsidies. This includes budgets for innovative pilots and demonstration projects pursuant to a specific funding programme (Groeifondsprogramma GroenvermogenNL) and DEI (for innovative techniques) as well as the SDE++ subsidy scheme and stimulating the use of renewable hydrogen as part of refinery processes (the so-called refining route (raffinageroute). Noteworthy is the receipt by VoltH2 of an SDE++ subsidy grant of approximately EUR 85 million for its hydrogen projects in Terneuzen en Vlissingen. These projects relate to two plants for the production of green hydrogen through electrolysis with a capacity of around 25 MW each (and upside potential to scale up to 100 MW in the coming years).

Other noteworthy incentive schemes that are relevant or could be applied to hydrogen projects in the (near) future are (i) Hydrogen in Mobility (Waterstof in Mobiliteit), a new subsidy scheme focusing on logistics and heavy road transport and (ii) Renewable Energy transition+ (Hernieuwbare Energietransitie (HER+)), for purposes of certain innovation projects for renewables, including hydrogen.

In addition, funds are being made available for selected Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Through the European IPCEI state aid framework, projects can be subsidised to boost the development of European hydrogen chains. The Netherlands takes part in all 4 waves within IPCEI Hydrogen announced so far with a total budget of over EUR 1.6 billion. The 4 waves are: (I) Hy2Tech (i.e., technological development with a total budget of EUR 35 million), (II) Hy2Use (i.e., large scale hydrogen production by electrolysis with a total budget of EUR 783.5 million), (III) Hy2Infra (i.e., infrastructure and storage with a total budget of EUR 600 million) and (IV) Hy2Move (i.e., mobility and transport with a total budget of EUR 199 million).

Over the summer of 2022 the Hy2Tech wave of projects was approved by the European authorities. One Dutch project, Nedstack received a subsidy which will contribute to the realisation of a semi-automated production system for fuel cell stacks with an annual name plate production capacity of one GW of stack power. Under the Hy2Use wave, concerning large electrolysis projects, seven (7) projects developed by inter alia Ørsted, Shell, ENGIE, Air Liquide and HyCC received subsidies for approximately EUR 800 million. Once realised, such projects will add up to a nominal installed capacity of 1,150 MW of electrolysis projects to produce (renewable) hydrogen. The process of awarding subsidies for Hy2Infra (3rd wave) and Hy2Move (4th wave) is ongoing. For both waves, 3 (three) Dutch projects have been notified to the European Commission for pre-notification. Final outcomes are foreseen in after the summer of 2024.

On the basis of the Climate Fund (Klimaatfonds) an aggregate amount of EUR 15 billion is allocated to upscaling renewable hydrogen (carriers)). The new Dutch government will keep the Climate Fund intact but announced budget decreases that could add up to EUR 1.5 billion.

The Dutch government is developing a subsidy scheme to convert large-scale gas power plants to hydrogen, aiming for a climate neutral electricity sector by 2035. The subsidy scheme will initially be available for large-scale gas-fired power plants with a production capacity of more than 100 MW. EUR 1 billion has been set aside in the Climate Fund for this subsidy scheme.

Moreover, to stimulate hydrogen demand, the Dutch government is considering an obligation for industrial parties to use renewable hydrogen (on the basis of binding RFNBO off-take targets set by Europe) as from 1 January 2026 which binding target will gradually increase towards 2030 and demand subsidies (vraagsubsidiëring) by means of either SDE++, contracts for difference or one- or double-sided tenders. The preferred mechanics will be further explored. Obviously, details will depend on the outcome of the discussions taking place in Europe on the amendments to RED II.

The EU Innovation Fund supports projects that contribute to the goals set out in the European Green Deal. Four Dutch hydrogen focused projects will receive grants from the Innovation Fund.

Hydrogen transport network

The Dutch government envisages re-using the existing gas infrastructure for its hydrogen transport network. The rollout plan for the hydrogen transport network will include details where (and where not) hydrogen transport infrastructure will be developed. The rollout of the hydrogen transport network will taken place by means of a flexible, adaptive and phased approach. Given the current uncertainties on the development of a hydrogen market as well as the interdependency of production, demand and infrastructure of hydrogen such a phased approach for the development of the hydrogen transport network is considered necessary.

The hydrogen market will be regulated as of 2033 following the regulations established in the EU Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Markets Package. In due course, HNS will become the designated regulated hydrogen network operator for onshore transport. Until that time, HNS must develop the hydrogen transport network at the right place and at the right time. For now, HNS will take the lead in the development and management of the Netherlands’ hydrogen transport network. Therefore, HNS will develop the hydrogen network as a provider of a general service of economic interest (Dienst van Algemeen Economisch Belang). Consequently, it must ensure reasonable tariffs, non-discriminatory access and a reduction in the maturity risk (vollooprisico) for any governmental investments.

HNS is working on standard hydrogen connection and transportation agreements, and it has received indications from the market on the expected use of the transport network. A first contract set ‘the General Conditions of Transmission and Connections version 1.0’ (Algemene voorwaarden transport en aansluitingen versie 1.0) was published in February 2024. This contract set sets forth the rights and obligations for both the operator and the users of the hydrogen network. Pricing provisions and hydrogen quality have not been included whilst the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate deals with these subject matters and it was not involved (yet) in the discussions on this first draft of the contract set.

Secondly, other than the demand and supply side, there are other system elements that will impact the development of a hydrogen transport network. In this context, a hydrogen transport network is a prerequisite for transporting hydrogen (produced at and/or near the sea) to inland customers and (underground) storage locations. Both system elements are subject to ongoing further studies on behalf of the Dutch government. Finally, the Netherlands intends to function as a pivot in the developing hydrogen chain. The latter requires close collaboration and co-ordination with Belgium and Germany.

The construction of the hydrogen transport network qualifies as a project of national importance under the project procedure for national energy projects. This will enable a more time efficient and centrally co-ordinated spatial permitting process. Between 2025 and 2030 the Minister for Climate and Energy and the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Market (Autoriteit Consument & Markt) will work towards a system of regulated third party access with regard to the hydrogen transport network.

On 21 May 2024, the Council of the EU adopted the Hydrogen and Decarbonized Gas Market Package. This legislation envisages the decarbonization of the gas market by fostering the ramp-up and network integration of renewable and low-carbon gas, such as hydrogen. Renewable and low-carbon gas are set to replace conventional, fossil-based natural gas as the backbone of the gas system. The Hydrogen and Decarbonized Gas Market Package is harmonized with the requirements laid out in the Renewable Energy Directive II/III-legislation of the EU (RED II/III) and supplements it. Noteworthy is that it provides a definition of low-carbon hydrogen. In this context, a delegated act (DA) with more details on when renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), which include hydrogen and its derivates, can be considered “green” under RED II has been adopted. The Dutch government supports the newly introduced binding national minimum targets for the industry of 42% in 2030 and 60% in 2035 for green hydrogen and RFNBOs proposed in RED III. The Netherlands is closely monitoring these EU developments regarding RED II/III and any hydrogen associated delegated acts.

Read more: EU: Commission publishes delegated act on green hydrogen, Ruth Losch (linklaters.com)

The overall investment costs of a hydrogen transport network are currently estimated at EUR 1.5 billion. The Dutch government intends to employ a subsidy of EUR 750 million to deal with low transport volumes and not being able to fully compensate market costs during the rollout phase. The Netherlands foresees phased rollout of the hydrogen transport network consisting of three (3) parts:

  • First, large industrial clusters near the Dutch coast (including Belgium and Germany) and connections with storage locations in the northern part of the Netherlands (Groningen and Drenthe) will be established (2025-2026). An alternative route could be necessary whilst an important gas pipe is not expected to be ready for re-use by 2026. Gasunie currently explores alternative routes through Noord-Brabant and the Betuwe.
  • Secondly, further expansion of the hydrogen network (primarily north-south connections) (2027/2028).
  • Thirdly, the final rollout of the hydrogen network, in particular connecting the province of Zeeland with the Chemelot chemical cluster in Limburg will be realised (by 2030). Following the summer of 2023, the first construction works for the hydrogen transport network will commence. A 30km pipeline will be built between the Tweede Maasvlakte and Pernis, near Rotterdam.

Specialists have advised the Dutch government to apply a minimum quality of hydrogen equal to 98 mol%. This minimum quality requirement will be evaluated three years following the commercial operations date of the hydrogen network.

Production of renewable hydrogen by means of offshore electrolysis

With regard to the production of renewable hydrogen by means of offshore electrolysis, which is expected to kick off after 2030, the Dutch government has tagged two (2) demonstration projects. In a letter sent to Dutch parliament on 28 June 2023, the Dutch Minister of Climate and Energy announced wind farm zones Hollandse Kust and Ten Noorden van de Waddeneilanden as being preferable locations for two demonstration projects for offshore electrolysis. The first demonstration project involves an electrolysis plant at one of the existing offshore wind farms in the Hollandse Kust region. The second demonstration concerns the offshore wind location Ten Noorden van de Waddeneilanden which will be tendered with associated electrolysis capacity. The latter is expected to be realised around 2033.

The Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate prefers that Gasunie will - in due course - be appointed as the offshore hydrogen network operator. Also, Energie Beheer Nederland will be involved in the development of the hydrogen transport infrastructure offshore as it currently participates in all (offshore) gas infrastructure in the Netherlands. Its expertise could play an important role in re-designing and re-using existing gas infrastructure assets for renewable hydrogen transport.

Hydrogen storage and import

Next to production and transport, storage of hydrogen will become an important part of the Dutch hydrogen infrastructure. In this respect, a hydrogen transport network road map Energy Storage (routekaart Energieopslag) was published in June 2023. This road map will also discuss the role of hydrogen storage. Hydrogen storage can take place by way of (i) short-cyclical storage to deal with temporary surpluses in supply and demand, (ii) seasonal storage to take into account seasonal fluctuations in supply and demand and (iii) long-cyclical storage to guarantee sufficient supply in case of calamities. The general hydrogen road map, published in November 2022, states that three to four salt caverns with a total storage capacity of 750 to 1000 GWh will be required by 2030. According to the current plans, EUR 125 million has already been reserved to cover the financial risks of large-scale hydrogen storage, which amount can be doubled for additional caverns, if needed.

The Dutch government will create viable conditions for the import of hydrogen. On this basis market participants can work on business plans to develop (vertical) hydrogen supply chains. Further research is being undertaken regarding the expected import volumes for hydrogen and LOHC products. The sustainability criteria for renewable hydrogen will take the lead with regard to importing hydrogen.

Currently, the Netherlands has (various forms of) co-operation agreements with Portugal, Chile, Uruguay, Namibia, Canada, Spain and the United Arab Emirates on the import and export of (renewable) hydrogen. Noteworthy in this respect is that the Minister for Climate and Energy confirmed to the Dutch parliament that it will perform a corporate social responsibility risk analysis (Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Ondernemen risico-analyse) regarding hydrogen imports.

Current expectations are that ammonia (NH3) will become the dominant carrier for hydrogen, as it is a generally accepted carrier in practice. Ammonia is a globally traded commodity with known properties and a logistics infrastructure that is in place. In light thereof, there are various plans in the Netherlands to expand existing ammonia import facilities and introduce new ammonia import terminals.

Sustainable companies and reporting requirements

Businesses will have a broader scope to enter into agreements, particularly to achieve climate objectives such as a reduction in carbon emissions.

The Netherlands is considering the introduction of a legal framework for social enterprises (besloten vennootschap met maatschappelijk doel (BVm)). Social enterprises will have a specific social purpose as set out in their articles of association (statuten). The managing directors of such enterprises will need to consider and act in accordance with such social purpose. A social purpose is likely to include one or more ESG elements. Social enterprises must report their social purpose in their management reports. Being transparent and disclosing the impact of business activities on people, the environment and society are key to a sustainable future. A legislative proposal for social enterprises is being worked on. Certain parts of this legislative proposal, such as provisions on profits and capital regarding social enterprises require further discussions with experts prior to the legislative proposal being published.

Currently, no national or international framework on sustainable standards exists. The Dutch government supports a global harmonisation of sustainability standards. That said, a number of initiatives were rolled out over the past years. The EU progresses on its Taxonomy rules. On 21 November 2023, delegated acts on the technical screening criteria for the remaining four environmental objectives (circular economy, water and marine resources, pollution prevention and control, and biodiversity and ecosystems) were published together with amendments to the climate technical screening criteria.

Read more: European Commission publishes Taxonomy Delegated Acts with criteria for remaining four environmental objectives and additional criteria for climate, Sara Feijao (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU Taxomomy Delegated Acts with TSC for remaining four environmental objectives and amending climate TSC published in Official Journal, Sara Feijao (linklaters)

In November 2021 the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation announced the formation of a new International Sustainability Standards Board (“ISSB”), which will develop international sustainability disclosure standards. The ISSB received feedback on its two proposed sustainability-related disclosure standards. This comprises IFRS S1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information and IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures. The ISSB published the final version of the first two standards on 26 June 2023. Importantly, the European Union pledged to incorporate ISSB Standards in its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive to the greatest extent possible. Early May 2024 the IFRS Foundation and EFRAG have published guidance material to illustrate the high level of alignment achieved between ISSB's IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and how a company can apply both sets of standards. The ISSB confirmed in a press release on 28 May 2024 that more than twenty (20) jurisdictions representing more than half of the global economy representing nearly 55% of global GDP, more than 40% of global market capitalisation, and over half of global greenhouse gas emissions, have announced steps to use or align with the ISSB disclosure standards.

Read more: ISSB sustainability disclosure standards: latest developments, Sara Feijao, Julia Voskoboinikova, Gilly Hutchinson (linklaters.com)

Read more: IFRS and EFRAG publish Interoperability Guidance on ISSB Standards and ESRS, Julia Voskoboinikova, Iyes Igiehon (linklaters.com)

Read more: More than 20 jurisdictions in the process of adopting ISSB standards, Sara Feijao (linklaters.com)

Reporting on sustainability matters requires a major overhaul of the current reporting processes of companies affected pursuant to the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”). The CSRD entered into force on 5 January 2023 (i.e., 20 days following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 16 December 2022). EU Member States now have 18 months to implement the new rules into national law. The CSRD will become effective in four stages. Large public interest entities already subject to the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive shall apply the CSRD with effect from 1 January 2024 (i.e., include in their reporting published in 2025). Finally, on 1 January 2028 certain non-EU companies must report in accordance with the CSRD standards.

The CSRD will completely replace and significantly expand the scope of the current EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive. Large companies and all companies listed on EU regulated markets, including certain non-European entities, must include information on environment, workforce, social matters, human rights and governance in their annual reports. A less rigid regime will apply to small- and medium-sized enterprises. Upon its implementation, the CSRD will not only extend the number of companies which will need to report on ESG matters but it will also significantly widen the scope of the reporting obligation itself.

The CSRD requires companies within its scope to report in compliance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS”) which are adopted by the European Commission as delegated acts. The first set of draft ESRS developed by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (“EFRAG”), the technical advisor to the European Commission, were released to on 23 November 2022. On 31 July 2023, the European Commission published the final versions of the ESRS. Published documents include a Delegated Act (DA), Annex 1 which contains 12 sector-agnostic reporting standards, Annex 2 which contains acronyms and a glossary of terms used in the ESRS, and a Q&A. The ESRS sets out the sustainability transparency rules in-scope companies must adhere to. These rules relate to general requirements for disclosure in sustainability reporting, as well as more specific topics relating to environment (including climate change, pollution and biodiversity), social (including companies’ own workforces) and governance (business conduct). The European Commission adopted f the final standards as delegated acts on 31 July 2023.These reporting requirements will be phased in over time for different companies.

On 29 April 2024, the Council of the EU adopted legislation to delay the adoption of both (i) sector-specific ESRS, which will set out the information specific to the sectors in which a company operates and (ii) ESRS to be used by certain non-EU companies with business in the EU meeting certain thresholds, by two years, i.e., to 30 June 2026. This delay is explained as allowing companies to focus on the implementation of the first set of (sector agnostic) ESRS, as well as allow more resources to be dedicated to the development of effective and proportionate sector-specific ESRS and limit the reporting requirements to the minimum necessary.

Read more: EU CSRD: Commission given power to delay sector-specific ESRS and ESRS for non-EU companies by two years until 2026, Sara Feijao (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU CSRD: EFRAG publishes new set of explanations of the ESRS, Julia Voskoboinikova (linklaters.com)

Read more: CSRD: First set of ESRS published in the Official Journal of the EU, Julia Voskoboinikova (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU: CSRD published in the Official Journal, Sara Feijao (linklaters.com)

ACM and sustainable economy

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (“ACM”) wants to increase the opportunities for competing businesses to collaborate in the pursuit of sustainability objectives. Following the adoption of the EC Horizontal Guidelines, the ACM replaced its draft Guidelines on Sustainability Agreements with the policy rule “ACM’s oversight of sustainability agreements - Competition and sustainability”. On the basis of these guidelines, the ACM provides insight into the application of competition rules on sustainability agreements. In practice, the ACM for example has allowed Shell and TotalEnergies, being competitors, to co-operate on CO2 storage given its importance from a sustainability point of view and to serve the energy transition.

Read more: Policy rule ACM’s oversight on sustainability agreements | ACM.nl

The ‘sustainable economy’ and in particular (i) educating consumers and businesses on sustainability claims, (ii) taking action against companies using misleading sustainability claims and (iii) investigating companies that abuse their economic dominance or collude and thereby impede sustainability, are important spearheads for the ACM in 2024. In the past years we have seen investigations been conducted into the practices of several companies in the clothing, energy and dairy sectors. As from 2024, the ACM has been actively pursuing and requiring businesses to remove and/or take offline misleading sustainability claims (including Plus supermarket chain, online shop Zalando, Booking.com, Albert Heijn supermarket chain and Eneco).

The ACM has also published guidelines on making reliable sustainability claims. These guidelines assist companies in phrasing their sustainability claims. Also, from a European perspective enforcement of misleading sustainability claims has been taken to a further level as part of the ‘European Green Deal’. The EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition includes processes on encountering misleading information on products, the business activities of companies and sustainability labels. Furthermore, the Directive on the Substantiation and Communication of Environmental Claims, commonly known as the Green Claims Directive, complements the directive mentioned above. This directive aims to combat greenwashing by establishing minimum criteria that companies must meet when making claims to EU consumers about the environmental benefits and performance of their products or services.

Read more: Guidelines regarding Sustainability claims | ACM.nl The new EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition | Linklaters

Read more: EU Parliament adopts first reading position on the Green Claims Directive, Iyes Igiehon, Kerry Liebenberg, Julia Voskoboinikova (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU: Council adopts negotiating position on the Green Claims Directive, Kathrin Bauwens, Mirjam Erb, Iyes Igiehon, Alexia Kaztaridou (linklaters.com)

Corporate governance

Listed companies must include in their annual reports information on environment, workforce, social matters, human rights and anti-corruption and bribery policies.

In the Netherlands a debate is ongoing on the introduction in Dutch law of a duty of care on management board members and supervisory board members to participate responsibly in social and economic life. This would involve, among other matters, climate change, tax ethics, pay ratios within the business and diversity. Alternatively, scholars have proposed an explicit elaboration of the corporate purpose in the articles of association of Dutch companies. The Dutch government will further analyse how these proposals could be enshrined in Dutch law.

In addition, certain Dutch members of parliament submitted an updated version of a proposal for the Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct (Wet verantwoord en duurzaam internationaal ondernemen) to the House of Representatives in November 2022. The Netherlands have signalled an intention to enact a national law on human rights and environmental due diligence, regardless of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD” or “CSD3”). In September 2023 certain revisions have been proposed regarding the Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct.

If the Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct is adopted, a general duty of care on all undertakings and due diligence obligations on large undertakings in respect of responsible and sustainable international business conduct becomes effective. Effectively, undertakings in the European Union and foreign undertakings (to the extent they engage in activities in the Netherlands which know or should reasonably suspect that their activities may have a negative impact on human rights, labour rights or the environment in countries outside the Netherlands, must take all reasonable measures to prevent, mitigate or reverse such impacts and, where necessary, enable remediation thereof. Also, such undertakings must exercise due diligence in their value chains.

The ACM is envisaged to be entrusted with enforcing compliance with the proposed regulation. Administrative fines could equal 10% of the net turnover of the undertaking concerned and criminal sanctions may be imposed as well.

The Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct has been the subject of much criticism. Members of the House of Representatives feared that this act would be too strict in comparison with the national laws of surrounding countries. The Council for the Judiciary was also not in favour of certain vague wording.

The main consensus within the legal community and we expect that Dutch Parliament will consider the same, is that a standalone Dutch Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct besides the CSDDD or CSD3 is not necessary. Under the CSDDD, certain (large) companies are required to identify and address the negative impacts on the environment and human rights in their value chains. These companies must, among other things, formulate a due diligence policy and monitor the effectiveness of such policy. Finally, the CSDDD or CSD3 introduces an obligation for in-scope companies to adopt and implement climate transition plans.

Read more:EU: The Council formally adopts the CSDDD, Julia Voskoboinikova (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU: Parliament gives final approval for CSDDD, Sara Feijao (linklaters.com)

Read more: EU: New CSDDD compromise finally accepted by Member States, Julia Grothaus, Mirjam Erb (linklaters.com)

With regard to board diversity, since 1 January 2022, Dutch-listed companies have been required to meet a quota of at least one-third women and one-third men on their supervisory board or one-tier board. Appointments that are not in accordance with this quota are null and void (nietig), without affecting the validity of passed (supervisory) board resolutions. In addition, all “large” public and limited liability companies must formulate a plan including appropriate and ambitious diversity target figures for their supervisory boards, management boards and their junior management. This plan must be reported to the Social and Economic Council (Sociaal Economische Raad) (“SER”) and the management report (bestuursverslag) shall include a description thereof. The SER will publish reports on the progress of these companies’ achievements of the targets set. These obligations are envisaged to apply for a period of eight years and will be evaluated after a period of five years.

Read more: Legislation on male-female ratio on boards and in management of Dutch companies, Gijs Smit, Jill Reijnen Husagic (linklaters.com)

The updated Dutch Corporate Governance Code was published on 22 December 2022 (the “GC Code”). The GC Code will replace the corporate governance code published in 2016 and relevant companies must adhere to its principles and best practices as from the financial year commencing on or after 1 January 2023 (i.e., compliance with the revised code must be accounted for in 2024 over the financial year 2023). The GC Code puts a focus on three principal themes: (i) sustainable long-term value creation, (ii) the role of shareholders and (iii) diversity and inclusion. As such, the GC Code sharpens the focus on sustainability aspects of companies. The GC Code does not include a specific definition on sustainable long-term value creation, but it does specify that the companies’ management shall take account of the balance between social, environmental and economic aspects of a company’s business. Initial commentary reflects that the updated version could have been more ambitious regarding ESG, especially in light of the increased importance of ESG for various stakeholders in the Netherlands, which stakeholders include groups and/or individuals who are (in)directly influenced by realising the company’s objectives.

A significant shift has also been taking place in the stance of investors, trade unions and other stakeholders in the Netherlands on companies’ responsibilities in relation to ESG. One of those stakeholders, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) (“AFM”) It conducted studies on the current reporting by listed companies on ESG matters in order to anticipate on CSRD reporting as from the financial year 2024. The results urged the AFM to stress towards companies to invest in sufficient expertise and capacity in sustainability reporting and assurance and to start collecting available and reliable sustainability information on time. In addition, companies are substantiating their net-zero targets up to 2030 in an orderly manner, however, the road towards net zero in 2050 and how to get there is still vague. During 2024, the AFM will further investigate how companies include double materiality in their reporting.

In addition, Eumedion, a representative body of institutional investors in Dutch-listed companies, issues its focus pointseach year in light of the upcoming season of annual general meetings of listed companies. Not surprisingly, it is well aware that listed companies require devoting substantial time in 2024 to sustainability reporting under the CSRD. In the past, it has focussed on companies’ plans to accomplish the net zero transition, diversity and inclusion and human rights due diligence as well as biodiversity. This is seen by Eumedion as complementary to the climate policy plans that are being adopted by listed companies and their wider net zero plans. Overall, it deems that further work and efforts must be undertaken regarding climate related disclosures and the establishment of net zero plans to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement. For 2024, it will examine the extent to which companies follow its recommendation that a substantial portion of the variable remuneration elements shall be based on stretching environmental, social and/or governance goals that are material to the company. These goals should be sufficiently challenging, measurable and auditable. The rationale of this particular item is that it expects that remuneration policy for the executive and supervisory directors needs to be renewed in 2024 (as part of the four (4) year cycle to put remuneration policy to a binding vote by the general meeting in accordance with the revised EU Shareholder Rights Directive.

Other large institutional investors are not only seeking dialogue with listed companies on ESG matters but are even divesting certain investments that they deem contrary to their ESG policies and/or commitments. Among others, ABP, PFZW and PME, which are part of the five (5) largest pension funds in the Netherlands, have announced that they will stop investing in certain producers of fossil fuels. By the end of 2022 ABP publicly announced to overthrow its current investment strategy and, by means of contributing to a more sustainable world, could be existing of sustainable investments for more from than 50% of its current investments. It also expressed to invest over EUR 30 billion in the energy transition by 2030, including significant investments in offshore wind and other renewables. Also, certain Dutch pension funds have sold their investments in (Brazilian) meat companies as well.

Banking

Green loans and sustainability-linked loans

Rather than environmental change, social projects would be aimed at bettering society through a focus on affordable infrastructure, essential services, affordable housing or food security.

Certain Dutch banks led the initial charge in developing ESG products for their clients and, as a result, several Dutch lenders have considerable experience in the field. Many of these lenders go out of their way to encourage their clients to make use of ESG products and develop sustainability key performance indicators (“KPIs”). Some act as sustainability co-ordinators, with specialist teams advising on ESG elements, such as selecting and auditing KPIs, and there are also a range of third-party providers offering similar services.

Green and sustainable loans have been a very popular option for borrowers over the last several years, and many continue to see them as an option for all types of lending transactions. As in other European jurisdictions, sustainability has mostly been integrated into investment grade lending, but sustainability KPIs are also incorporated into leveraged finance transactions and the mid-market as well. However, as in other markets, there has been a slowdown as lenders more closely consider the quality of their sustainability linked loans and aim for a smaller, but more high quality, book.

The European market took careful note of a letter issued by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) in 29 June 2023 to the UK market (summarised here) which expressed concerns on the sustainability linked loan market. While the Dutch regulator (the AFM) has not directly expressed the same concerns, it did publish a consultation document in October 2023 (available here), providing some guidelines on sustainability claims by market participants. This focus by the regulators on greenwashing has led the market to carefully consider new sustainability linked loans, and generally to carefully examine the proposed KPIs in any given deal are sufficiently material, challenging, and salient to the borrower’s business.

LMA documents and market guidance

The Loan Market Association (“LMA”) publishes Green Loan Principles (“GLPs”), Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles (“SLLPs”) and Social Loan Principles (“SLPs”). As a reminder:

  • green loans are loans allocated for “green” projects such as energy efficiency upgrades or replacing gasoline-driven vehicles with electric ones;
  • sustainability-linked loans are loans for a general purpose where the pricing is linked to the borrower’s performance against certain ESG-related KPIs, such as a target to reduce carbon emissions; and
  • like green loans, social loans are loans allocated for a specific purpose, but they go towards bettering society through a focus on matters such as affordable infrastructure, essential services, affordable housing or food security.

All three of the sets of Principles also have associated guidance that provides additional detail on the suggestions contained in the Principles. The guidance typically focuses on the documentation and administration of the loans, as well as the ways to ensure that such products are not “greenwashing”, by aiming for goals that are material and impactful.

In addition, the LMA provides a range of best practice guidance including a Best Practice Guide to Sustainability-Linked Leveraged Loans, produced in conjunction with the European Leveraged Finance Association and a working group consisting of various financial institutions and law firms (including Linklaters). Along with our report on the subject (linked below), this represents the increasing interest in ESG from the leveraged market – particularly sustainability-linked loans. We have held discussions with several financial institutions (in the Netherlands and elsewhere) to discuss the emerging market practices and how to implement them in the unique, often challenging, context of leveraged finance.

Social loans have not been a focus in the Dutch market to date, but the publication of the SLPs may provide the necessary framework to encourage lenders and borrowers to begin developing those products – if only to agree a path for change with borrowers active in sectors with less of a sustainability footprint. However, socially-oriented KPIs (such as staff volunteering hours, employee diversity and training programmes) have become much more common in investment grade sustainability-linked loans over the last year.

The LMA also published three thought pieces on ESG in the loan market. The first, “A Matter of Materiality”, highlighted the importance of setting KPIs that are material – which is often a particular challenge when looking at more socially-focused KPIs. Another publication, “Fear of Failure”, set out the importance of KPIs which are genuinely challenging to the business, rather than simply codifying objectives that the borrower already expects to achieve. And the last, “A Matter of Time”, discussed the time pressures that often apply to setting KPIs during the negotiation of a deal, rather than in advance or during the term sheet stage.

Read more:

Changes to ESG loan market standards

Changes to ESG loan market standard | Client alert | Linklaters

Sustainability linked lending in the European leveraged loan market

Sustainable Finance in Europe: Regulatory State of Play AFME report

Recap on ESG loan market standards

The SLLPs were originally published by a joint working group of the LMA, the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications & Trading Association in 2019. They benefit from supplementary guidance published in 2020 and set out voluntary market standards for what constitutes a sustainability-linked loan. Over time, sustainability-linked loans have evolved increasingly sophisticated features. The updates made to the SLLP and SLLP Guidance reflect the evolution of the product and more closely align with the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles published by the International Capital Market Association (“ICMA”).

The GLPs were published in 2018 and set out voluntary market standards for what constitutes a green loan. The February 2021 changes to the GLP are less extensive than those made in relation to the SLLPs, and focus on how borrowers communicate certain eligibility criteria for a green loan to lenders.

In February 2023, the LMA published revised versions of the GLP and GLP Guidance, which are summarised in this document.  

The Social LP represent a new product for the loan markets, but one which builds on the concept of a green loan. The key characteristic of a green loan is that it finances a green activity. In a similar way, a social loan is made to finance activity which mitigates or improves social challenges. The publication of the new Social LP reflects a desire among market participants that such loans be recognised as a separate loan product.

Read more

Defining sustainability-linked loans

A sustainability-linked loan should be distinguished from a green loan. Unlike green loans, sustainability-linked loans are not conditional on the loan proceeds being used for a green purpose. Instead, the defining characteristic is that the terms of the loan incentivise the borrower to improve its performance against certain predetermined ESG criteria.

In documentary terms, the core feature is a sustainability-linked pricing ratchet – if the borrower satisfies certain predetermined sustainability targets, the margin on the loan is adjusted. There will also likely be other provisions, for example, a requirement to provide supporting information which relates to, and evidences, the group's sustainability performance.

Key features of sustainability-linked loans

Over the past few years there have been several green and sustainable finance initiatives in the loan market designed to encourage the integration of ESG factors into loan documentation and to promote consistency and best practice across these products. A joint working group consisting of the LMA, the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications & Trading Association, published a set of GLP in 2018, followed by the SLLPs in 2019, both of which were supplemented by further guidance published in 2020. The SLLP and supplementary Guidance (“SLLP Guidance”) are voluntary standards setting out the characteristics of a sustainability-linked loan. They do not have the force of law but are widely followed internationally.

In February 2023, the LMA published revised versions of the SLLP and SLLP Guidance, which are summarised in this document.  

In 2023, the LMA published a suggested drafting annexure for sustainability provisions in loan agreements. Until then, there had been no market standard on drafting, with individual lenders and sustainability coordinators generally providing their preferred drafting. The LMA drafting annexure is not yet used universally on all transactions, but has highlighted some of the key drafting issues concerning the market.

One-way or two-way pricing ratchets

Sustainability-linked pricing ratchets can operate on either a “one-way” or a “two-way“ basis. The “one-way” basis means that, if the borrower satisfies the predetermined sustainability targets, the margin on the loan is reduced. If the sustainability targets are not met, the margin does not change.

The alternative “two-way” basis retains the margin discount upon satisfying predetermined sustainability targets, and introduces a margin premium which is triggered where sustainability performance falls below certain predetermined levels. Since the underlying objective is to incentivise borrowers to improve ESG performance, it is perhaps not a surprise that the majority of sustainability-linked leveraged loans have adopted a “two-way” rather than “one-way” mechanism.

Sustainability criteria

The sustainability-linked pricing ratchet relies on setting targets for improvements in ESG performance. In practice, ESG performance is measured either by reference to an overall ESG score or through more specific KPIs.

Overall ESG score: An overall ESG score is assigned to the group by an external third party rating agency, with the group’s overall ESG score at either the date of the loan agreement or the first utilisation date being used as a “baseline”. The group’s ESG score is reassessed annually and, if the overall ESG score improves above a threshold determined by reference to the baseline, the target is achieved.

Specific KPIs: Performance is assessed across a selection of KPIs, with the number and type varying depending on the nature of the group’s underlying business. The SLLP include an indicative list of criteria which can be used to develop KPIs and are clear that the KPIs should be appropriate in the context of the group’s business. Examples of specific KPIs in recent facilities include KPIs relating to carbon emissions and wind power. The approach adopted on sustainability-linked leveraged loans is mixed and there are examples of transactions that measure ESG performance based on an overall ESG score, as well as those that rely on specific KPIs.

Role of the Sustainability Coordinator

A Sustainability Coordinator acts as the Lenders’ representative in discussing the KPIs and targets with the Borrower, and generally agreeing the initial sustainability terms. Typically, this role will be taken by a specialist team from one of the Lenders or Arrangers. In July 2022, the LMA published new guidance on the Sustainability Coordinator, outlining the tasks typically undertaking by the Sustainability Coordinator, and in April 2024, the LMA published a standardised form of sustainability coordinator letter, which is beginning to see some use in the market.

In particular, one of the main questions is whether the Sustainability Coordinator will have an ongoing role after the deal has closed – for example in reviewing sustainability compliance certificates, or agreeing changes to the KPIs in the future.

Read more

Sustainability-linked lending in the European leveraged loan market

Sustainability-linked loans continue to attract attention in the European loan market. Until recently, activity has focused on investment grade loans. However, sustainability features are increasingly being incorporated into leveraged loan agreements, signalling that the European leveraged loan market is beginning to embrace ESG issues.

The pressure to give greater emphasis to ESG considerations comes not just from legal and regulatory change, but also from investors who incorporate these factors into their credit analysis and from financial sponsors' own funds and investors prioritising commitments to ESG when allocating capital. With market participants generally aligned on the importance of these issues, the prevalence of sustainability features in leveraged loan agreements, together with an increased focus on disclosure and reporting, are themes that are expected to continue and develop in the leveraged loan market.

In October 2023, the European Leveraged Finance Association (ELFA) published with the LMA an updated version of its Guide for Company Advisors to ESG Disclosure in Leveraged Finance Transactions, adding insights from the LMA and ELFA’s workshop in January 2022 as well as new chapters on the private debt market and ESG litigation. While ESG measures are becoming increasingly popular in the leveraged finance market, practice remains less consistent than in other fields, and the guide aims to increase standardized ESG disclosures by borrowers and increase efficiency.

Capital Markets

ICMA Green, Social and Sustainability Linked-Bond Principles

The updated 2021 GBP does not change the mandatory “core components” around use of proceeds, project evaluation and selection, proceeds management or reporting.

On 10 June 2021, the ICMA published the 2021 edition of the Green Bond Principles (“GBP”), which are voluntary process guidelines that recommend transparency and disclosure in the Green Bond market by clarifying the approach for issuance of a Green Bond. This is the first update to the GBP since 2018. The 2021 edition of the GBP features:

  • Two key recommendations on the Bond Framework and External Reviews designed to increase transparency alongside the four core components (Use of Proceeds, Process for Project Evaluation and Selection, Management of Proceeds and Reporting);
  • A recommendation of heightened transparency for issuer-level sustainability strategies and commitments;
  • Encouragement to supply information, if relevant, on the degree of alignment of projects with official or market-based taxonomies;
  • Promotion of transparency on issuer processes to identify and manage perceived and known social and/or environmental risks; and
  • Links and references to the complementary guidance of the Climate Transition Finance Handbook, the Harmonised Framework for Impact Reporting and the Guidelines for External Reviews, which are supplemented by the Guidance Handbook.

The 2021 editions of the Social Bond Principles and Sustainability Bond Guidelines have been similarly revised, with a further revision to the Social Bond Principles as of June 2023.

The updated GBP does not change the mandatory “core components” around use of proceeds, project evaluation and selection, proceeds management or reporting. Nonetheless, it has added two “key recommendations” to these core requirements for issuers to encourage “heightened transparency”. These key recommendations are the use of: (i) Green Bond Frameworks and (ii) External Reviews. In respect of (i), the updated GBP considers that issuers should explain the alignment of their Green Bond or Green Bond programme with the four core components of the GBP in a Green Bond Framework or in their legal documentation. In respect of (ii), it is recommended that issuers appoint (an) external review provider(s) to assess through a pre-issuance external review the alignment of their Green Bond or Green Bond programme and/or Green Bond Framework with the four core components of the GBP.

In June 2022, Appendix 1 of the GBP was updated to make a distinction between “Standard Green Use of Proceeds Bonds” (unsecured debt obligation) and “Secured Green Bonds”, as well as to provide further guidance on green covered bonds, securitisations, asset-backed commercial paper, secured notes and other secured structures. Additional Q&As related to Secured Green Bonds complement the updated June 2022 Appendix 1.

On 25 June 2024, the ICMA released new materials and guidance to support the Green, Social, Sustainability and Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles, which include (i) , (ii) Guidance for Green Enabling Projects and (iii) Guidelines for Sustainability-Linked Loans financing Bonds (SLLBs).

Update of the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles

The 2024 update of the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles includes clarifications around KPI selection (KPIs should be consistent with the issuer’s overall sustainability strategy whilst also reflecting the most material strategic dimensions for the issuer); encourages issuers to refer to the KPI Registry in the selection of KPIs (and noting guidance within around core and secondary KPIs); new glossary definitions; and updates to the checklist at Appendix II to clarify expected disclosures. A new SLB disclosure data checklist was also published aiming to provide non-prescriptive guidance to issuers who wish to align their disclosure around comparable language and data points.

Guidance for Green Enabling Projects

This publication is directed at projects which are not themselves explicitly green but which enable a Green Project’s implementation or development (so called ‘Green Enabling Projects’) and includes guidance around induced and avoided emissions as well as management of environmental and social risks.

In order to qualify as a Green Enabling Project, the project must meet certain criteria (including being a necessary component of an enabled Green Project’s value chain and not leading to carbon lock-in) and comply with transparency requirements on end-use in order to demonstrate the project’s environmental benefits.

Additional guidance is also included relating to the interaction with the Green Bond Principles and provides a non-exhaustive list of indicative sectors for which Green Enabling Projects could apply.

Sustainability-Linked Loans financing Bonds (SLLBs)

Together with the Loan Market Association (LMA), ICMA has introduced guidelines for Sustainability-Linked Loans financing Bonds (“SLLBs”) to enhance the transparency and credibility of this developing market. SLLBs are bonds where the proceeds are used to finance or re-finance a portfolio of new or existing eligible Sustainability-Linked Loans (“SLLs”) aligned with the LMA’s Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles (“SLLP”). The SLLB guidelines introduce four core components for alignment (inspired by the core components of the Green Bond Principles and Social Bond Principles):

i. use of proceeds (providing two possible approaches around transparency on the basis for selecting eligible SLLs);

ii. process for SLL evaluation and selection (including the process and criteria for disqualifying or requalifying SLLs initially included in the portfolio);

iii. management of proceeds; and

iv. reporting.

The SLLBs also recommend issuers explain the alignment of their SLLB against these four components in an SLLB Framework (which should be made available to potential investors) and ensure that any external reviews are publicly available on the issuer’s website or other appropriate channels. The following new guidance has also been issued by the ICMA:

The following new guidance has also been issued by the ICMA:

Illustrative examples for the selection of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Sustainability-Linked Bond issuers, underwriters and investors

A Pre-issuance Checklist for Social Bonds/Social Bond Programmes

Guidelines for Green, Social, Sustainability and Sustainability-Linked Bonds’ Impact Reporting Databases

Impact reporting metrics for circular economy and/or eco-efficient projects

Update of the Green Project Mapping to GBP Environmental Objectives and other Green Classifications Update to the comprehensive GBP Guidance Handbook

Update to the comprehensive GBP Guidance Handbook

Update of the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles with clarifications to support KPI selection and a new SLB disclosure data checklist

Expansion of the SLB KPIs Registry related to environmental themes (biodiversity, circular economy/raw materials and water) as well as additional KPIs for sovereign issuers

A new annex of the Impact Reporting Handbook covering potential environmental and/or social risks associated with eligible project categories for green bonds

EBA recommendations for ESG-linked capital issuances

On 27 June 2024, the EBA published its updated Report on the monitoring of Additional Tier 1 (AT1), Tier 2 and total loss absorbing capacity (TLAC) and minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) instruments of European Union (EU) institutions.

On 27 June 2024, the European Banking Authority (“EBA”) published its updated Report on the monitoring of Additional Tier 1 (AT1), Tier 2 and total loss absorbing capacity (TLAC) and minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) instruments of European Union (EU) institutions. The Report includes the EBA’s considerations on ESG capital bonds and includes the same position on ESG-linked capital issuances as described above. The EBA has identified differences in the clauses of the ESG issuances made for capital/loss absorbency purposes. In this regard, the EBA has issued recommendations which in particular impact the disclosure of risks associated with the ESG elements in relevant documentation. In respect of sustainability-linked features, the EBA currently takes the view that step-up and/or fees based on missing ESG targets or other performance indicators should not be allowed or encouraged. The EBA will continue to monitor developments in this area and may provide further guidance in the future.

EBA publishes binding standards on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks

On 24 January 2022, the EBA published its binding standards on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks.

On 24 January 2022, the EBA published its final draft implementing technical standards (“ITS”) on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks. The final draft ITS put forward comparable disclosures to show how climate change may exacerbate other risks within institutions’ balance sheets, how institutions are mitigating those risks, and their ratios, including the green asset ratio (“GAR”), on exposures financing taxonomy-aligned activities, such as those consistent with the Paris agreement (“Paris Agreement”) goals.

The technical standards aim to ensure that stakeholders are well-informed about institutions’ ESG exposures, risks, and strategies and can make informed decisions and exercise market discipline. The standards put forward comparable disclosures and KPIs, including a GAR and a banking book taxonomy alignment ratio (“BTAR”), as a tool to show how institutions are embedding sustainability considerations in their risk management, business models and strategy on their pathway towards the Paris Agreement goals. In developing this framework, the EBA has built on the recommendations of existing initiatives, such as those of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), but has gone beyond this by defining binding granular templates, tables and instructions, to ensure enhanced consistency, comparability and meaningfulness of institutions’ disclosures. Following amendments proposed by the European Commission on 31 August 2022 and the acceptance thereof by the EBA in its opinion of 17 October 2022, the obligation of in scope institutions to disclose BTAR-related information and the obligation for counterparties to provide requested information have been somewhat limited.

Political agreement reached on the proposed EU Green Bond Standard

The EU Green Bond Standard will finally be available for issuers to use from 21 December 2024.

The European Green Bonds Regulation is part of the broader European Commission agenda on sustainable finance and lays the foundation for a common framework of rules regarding the use of the designation “European green bond” or “EuGB” for bonds that pursue environmentally sustainable objectives within the meaning of the Taxonomy Regulation.  

The Regulation also establishes a system to register and supervise external reviewers of European Green Bonds and provides optional disclosure templates for bonds marketed as environmentally sustainable and for sustainability-linked bonds.

Requirements for issuers to apply the label are intentionally demanding with respect to taxonomy alignment and pre- and post-issuance transparency. Issuers will also bring themselves in scope of the supervisory competence of the relevant national competent authority.

Please find here an overview of the key terms of the EU Green Bond Regulation.

ECB takes further steps to incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations

On 4 July 2022, the European Central Bank (“ECB”) announced the taking of further steps to include climate change considerations in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy framework. It decided to adjust corporate bond holdings in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy portfolios and its collateral framework, to introduce climate-related disclosure requirements and to enhance its risk management practices.

These measures are designed in full accordance with the Eurosystem’s primary objective of maintaining price stability. They aim to better take into account climate-related financial risk in the Eurosystem balance sheet and, with reference to its secondary objective, support the green transition of the economy in line with the EU’s climate neutrality objectives. Moreover, its measures provide incentives to companies and financial institutions to be more transparent about their carbon emissions and to reduce them.

In respect of corporate bond holdings, the ECB aims to gradually decarbonise its corporate bond holdings, on a path aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. To that end, the ECB will tilt these holdings towards issuers with better climate performance through the reinvestment of the sizeable redemptions expected over the coming years. Better climate performance will be measured with reference to lower greenhouse gas emissions, more ambitious carbon reduction targets and better climate-related disclosures.

Tilting means that the share of assets on the Eurosystem’s balance sheet issued by companies with a better climate performance will be increased compared to that of companies with a poorer climate performance. This aims to mitigate climate-related financial risks on the Eurosystem balance sheet. It also provides incentives to issuers to improve their disclosures and reduce their carbon emissions in the future. On 19 September 2022, the ECB has provided further details on how it will tilt its corporate bond holdings towards issuers with better climate performance. In essence, each corporate issuer will receive its own "climate score" which will be based on a backward-looking emissions sub-score, a forward-looking target sub-score and a climate disclosure sub-score. The ECB applies the measures from October 2022 and started publishing climate-related information on corporate bond holdings regularly as of the first quarter of 2023.

Financial Regulation

EU Sustainable Finance Sources: survival guide

It can be hard to find in one place the legal, regulatory and industry sources you need when navigating the fast-moving and ever-developing sustainable finance landscape in the EU.

Our survival guide provides you with a one-stop shop for this and includes the EU legislative package, working through the Level 2 technical details and impacts on related sectoral legislation like MiFID II or UCITS. It also addresses local developments in the UK.

Netherlands ESG

Please click here for the latest edition (the document is regularly updated).

Most of the Level 1 legislation and Level 2 measures as referred to in the “survival guide” are regulations which are directly applicable in each member state. Please note however that Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1269 as regards the integration of sustainability factors into the product governance obligations and Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2021/1270 as regards the sustainability risks and sustainability factors to be taken into account for UCITS had to be implemented into Dutch law. For this purpose Decree implementation directives for investment firms and UCITS on sustainability risks and factors (Besluit implementatie richtlijnen voor beleggingsondernemingen en icbe’s inzake duurzaamheidsrisico’s en duurzaamheidsfactoren) was adopted, which entered into force on 22 November 2022. This decree amended the Dutch Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings FSA (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiële ondernemingen Wft) and the Dutch Decree on Prudential Rules FSA (Besluit prudentiële regels Wft) and does not contain any gold-plating.

Dutch-specific Regulatory developments

Dutch-specific regulatory developments

In the Netherlands, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank) (“DNB”) is responsible for prudential supervision, while the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) (“AFM”) is responsible for conduct of business supervision. For the sake of clarity, we divided our overview of Dutch-specific regulatory developments along those lines.

Prudential supervision

DNB promotes a sustainable economic development and is committed to promoting financial stability and sustainable prosperity. DNB advocates accelerating and scaling up climate investment. DNB updated its Sustainable Finance Strategy in 2023. This strategy document describes how sustainability is integrated into the core tasks of DNB, including supervision.

In 2016, DNB established the Sustainable Finance Platform, a partnership between the Dutch financial sector, government and supervisory authorities. The platform aims to promote and encourage awareness of sustainable finance in the financial sector and sustainability the Netherlands in general. More information on the vision, strategy and operating principles of the Sustainable Finance Platform can be found here.

Sustainability risks impact the financial sector. On one hand, financial institutions can be affected by physical and transition sustainability risks, which influence the market value of investments, the creditworthiness of borrowers, and the obligations of insurers. On the other hand, reputational and legal risks may arise, for example, if financial institutions fail to adequately meet regulatory requirements, expectations from the general public or their own sustainability promises (such as the action plans published in 2022 by the signatories of the Climate Commitment Financial Sector). Financial institutions are generally required to manage material risks they are exposed to, including ESG risks. A key priority of DNB’s supervision is the financial sector's management of climate-related and environmental risks. Financial institutions should be aware of sustainability risks and be able to manage them. Commitment to sustainability and future orientation is one of three focus areas in DNB’s  Supervisory Strategy 2021 – 2024. To this end, DNB integrated sustainability into their supervisory methodology, identify macro-prudential sustainability risks, and engage internationally to further shape the development of standards and tools. For 2024, DNB’s focus will be on integrating quantitative indicators to determine the level of risk on one hand, and on the risk management of institutions on the other. DNB will assess both financial and non-financial risks of climate change and environmental degradation. The qualitative indicators on risk management are expected to be updated with insights from the baseline assessment conducted by DNB in 2023. By further specifying their regulatory expectations in their supervisory methodology and processes, DNB expects to more specifically engage in dialogue with financial institutions and, where necessary, take measures in case of deficiencies in risk management. DNB will continue to explore to what extent they can also include social risks, the ‘S’ in ESG, such as human rights violations, in their supervision. 

Climate-related risks are also part of DNB’s fit and proper assessments of (co)policymakers of banks, insurers and pension funds. The firm in question must include in its screening application the candidate’s knowledge and experience with regard to such risks. DNB’s suitability matrices explicitly include this. Moreover, climate-related and environmental risks take a more prominent role in DNB’s screening interviews. DNB may ask candidates about their knowledge of such risk relevant legislation and their impact on the institution. When conducting its assessment, DNB takes a proportional approach. This means that DNB takes into account the candidate’s proposed position, the firm's nature, size, complexity and risk profile, and the composition and functioning of the board as a whole. On 8 March 2023, DNB AFM published a revised Suitability Policy Rule 2012 (Beleidsregel geschiktheid 2012). The Suitability Policy Rule 2012 describes the framework that DNB and the AFM use when assessing the suitability of policymakers in the financial sector. The explanatory of the revised Suitability Policy Rule stipulate that a management body should also have sufficient knowledge of the effects of climate change and the relevant regulations applicable in the financial sector aimed at sustainability (e.g., the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (“SFDR”)). The explanatory notes also stipulate that it is important that policymakers, as the “top of the institution”, embed climate and environmental risks in the governance, strategy, risk appetite and risk management framework.  

To support financial institutions in managing climate-related and environmental risks, DNB published its Guide to managing climate and environmental risks for certain Dutch financial institutions  (Gids voor de beheersing van klimaat- en milieurisico’s) for certain Dutch financial institutions electronic money and payment institutions. The Guide consists of cross-sectoral focal points for the integrated management of climate and environmental risks, which oversee the focal areas of business model and strategy, governance, risk management and information provision. In addition, the Guide consists of sector-specific good practices, as an example of a possible implementation of a selection of focal points. The Guide is primarily intended for (i) investment firms and investment funds, (ii) insurance companies, (iii) pension funds, and (iv) electronic money and payment institutions. Read more about the Guide in this blog post. The Guide is expected to be updated based on the outcomes of DNB’s exploration with respect to the inclusion of social risks in their supervision (see above).

DNB also published the following similar guidance documents on climate-related and environmental risks for banks and insurance companies specifically:

Read more: Good Practice Integration of climate-related risk considerations into banks’ risk management.

Read more: Good Practice Integrating climate-related risks in the ORSA

In December 2023, DNB published a Sector overview management ESG risks, Pension funds 2023 (Sectorbeeld beheersing ESG–risico’s, Pensioenfondsen 2023) on the basis of a survey conducted amongst 39 pension funds and three on-site investigations. The key findings can be summarised as follows:

  • Some pension funds are advanced in managing ESG risks, but many still need to make significant progress to fully understand and manage these risks.
  • ESG risks are taken seriously in their governance, with most funds assigning specific responsibilities to at least one director and striving to enhance their ESG knowledge.
  • Pension funds are taken steps to integrate ESG risks in their strategy and most funds have policies targeting various ESG risks which have been integrated into their investment cycles. However, these policies often lack concrete goals and KPIs, making effective ESG management challenging.
  • A few funds are considering a shift to a concentrated equity portfolio with active management to better control ESG risks and achieving ESG targets, despite increased concentration risks and management costs.
  • Integration of ESG risks in the risk management cycle is insufficient for many funds, with more than half reporting that the quality of their materiality analyses is insufficient, which are critical for assessing the impact and/or  dependencies of ESG risks.

Conduct of business supervision

The AFM is committed to promoting fair and transparent financial markets. Contributing to sustainable financial well-being in the Netherlands was part of the AFM’s mission as reflected in its Strategy 2020 – 2022 and this mission has not been changed in its revised Strategy 2023 - 2026. In this Strategy 2023 – 2026 the AFM distinguishes “sustainability” as one of the three major long-term trends that impact Dutch society, the financial sector and the AFM and the AFM notes that making society more sustainable is one of the most important challenges of this time. The AFM indicates that the financial sector has an important role to play in financing the sustainability transition and encourages good reporting on sustainability and combating greenwashing. The AFM also specifically indicates that the issue of sustainability expands the legal mandate of the AFM, and that the importance of the issue is reflected in the AFM’s supervisory objectives for the coming years. The introduction of new sustainability regulations and the further formulation of standards will mean a shift in the focus of the AFM’s supervision from guidance to the market to supervision and enforcement. Moreover, the AFM Agenda 2024 confirms that sustainability is one of the AFM’s main supervisory topics. The AFM expresses its concerns regarding the pace of the sustainability transition. considers. The AFM identified the following key activities for its supervision of sustainability in 2024:

  • Develop an integrated supervisory strategy for the supervision of sustainability.
  • Ensure that connectivity between financial and non-financial data (ESG) becomes the standard.
  • Prepare the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive for 2025.

The AFM also explains their key activities for (i) financial service providers, (ii) asset managers, and (iii) capital market participants.

The AFM’s Trend Monitor 2024 (Trendzicht 2024) also deals with developments in the area of sustainability and describes the key issues in the AFM’s supervision. This edition devotes special attention to climate risks on the Dutch housing market and addresses climate-related risks for (potential) homeowners and possible solutions.

The AFM is clearly focussed on compliance with the SFDR. The SFDR has required financial service providers to be transparent since 10 March 2021 about investment decisions and advice with negative impacts on sustainability factors. Requirements for periodic reporting to investors have been applicable since January 2022. Primarily, the SFDR is a set of EU rules which aim to make the sustainability profile of funds more comparable and better understood by end-investors. This will focus on pre-defined metrics for assessing the ESG outcomes of the investment process. Among the SFDR’s key parts is its focus on preventing “greenwashing”. The SFDR Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”) apply as of 1 January 2023 and aim to provide additional detail on the content and presentation of the disclosure requirements under the SFDR. However, the amendments to the RTS pursuant to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/363 (only) entered into force on 17 February 2023, whereby the AFM announced that it expects firms  to comply with these amendments as from 1 September 2023. More information on the SFDR and the SFDR RTS can be found in our “survival guide” (see above, also available here). 

The AFM also published several reports related to SFDR and and sustainability more broadly. 

In November 2022, the AFM published a report on the implementation of the SFDR requirements that already were in effect at the time by (i) management companies of Dutch investment funds, (ii) pension funds and premium pension institutions (premiepensioeninstellingen, “PPIs”), and (iii) banks, investment firms and insurers. On the basis of its review in respect of management companies, the AFM concluded that they have made improvements with regard to the information they provide about sustainability after the AFM's previous report in 2021. The AFM’s main findings concerned the following three points:

(i) transparency about integrating sustainability risks into policies for the investment decision process and remuneration policy could be more concrete;

(ii) many management companies have reclassified their fund from a fund with a sustainable objective to a fund that promotes sustainable characteristics; and

(iii) the vast majority of funds report that 0% of their investments are in line with Taxonomy criteria, as there currently is a lack of reliable data to determine whether the Taxonomy criteria are met.

The AFM’s main findings in respect of pension funds, PPIs, banks, investment firms and insurers were largely the same:

(i) information disclosed under the SFDR (and the Taxonomy Regulation) is often difficult to understand and general in nature;

(ii) sustainability information about the investment policy could be more concrete;

(iii) pre-contractual information can be provided more concretely; and

(iv) little to no information about Taxonomy was found on the websites of the selected parties.

In August 2023, the AFM published an exploratory study into the sustainability risk management of management companies of Dutch investment funds. The study focuses on the identification, assessment, minimization and monitoring of sustainability risks. The AFM identified several general observations based on the data collected, including that the majority of management companies have integrated processes regarding sustainability risk identification to a greater or lesser extent. Furthermore, the AFM identified specific insights, including that most management companies adhere to the definition of sustainability risk that is laid down in the SFDR, and that stress testing and scenario analyses are not widely applied in the process of managing sustainability risks at the moment. The AFM indicated that, in the coming period, it will continue to pay attention to how management companies manage sustainability risk, including risk management in relation to the use of data from external providers.

In October 2023, the AFM published its Guideline on Sustainability Claims for financial institutions and pension providers. The AFM aims to contribute to more transparency regarding sustainability claims, allowing clients of financial institutions to better understand the sustainability aspects of products. These Guidelines do not have the status of “hard” law, but rather serve as a “soft” law instrument by which the AFM provides insight to the sector into how it looks at sustainability in the context of the existing statutory information requirements. Market participants themselves are responsible for compliance. The AFM clarifies that sustainability claims refer to all expressions related to sustainability provided by market participants to describe and promote the entity or its products and services. The Guidelines set out three principles that market participants should adhere to when making sustainability claims, being that sustainability claims should be:

(i) accurate, representative and up-to-date;

(ii) specific and substantiated; and

(iii) understandable, appropriate and easy to find.

The Guidelines include sixteen examples of sustainability claims that do not meet these principles and five good practices. Read more about these Guidelines in this blog post.

The AFM published a position paper on improving the SFDR in November 2023.

Finally, on 14 May 2024, the AFM published two reports based on self-assessments which were distributed amongst the sector to gain an understanding of how financial institutions comply with the SFDR and have integrated sustainability requirements into their product oversight & governance (“POG”) and suitability assessments. In the reports the AFM shares its findings and provides guidance to the sector. One of the reports focusses on compliance with the SFDR. The AFM concludes that financial institutions must commit to providing clearer disclosures regarding sustainable investing and further work is still needed to enhance the use and completion of SFDR templates. The other report addresses compliance with the requirements regarding POG and suitability assessments deriving from the Commission Delegated Directives 2021/1269 and 2021/1270 (see above). The AFM notes that financial institutions are taking steps to incorporate sustainability into their policies and products. However, at the same time, firms could do more to provide clearer explanations of sustainability preferences and to elicit more in-depth information from investors and incorporate sustainability criteria into their POG policies, evaluate their product range accordingly and prevent mismatches. The AFM calls on the sector to evaluate their compliance and take action where necessary, using the guidance included in the two reports.

Other Dutch-specific regulatory developments

In December 2023, the Ministry of Finance together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate published a consultation to seek views with respect to possible legal or alternative measures to support financial institution enhance the climate transition. The consultation builds on the directions for possible climate legislation mentioned in the Letter on the progress of the Climate Commitment Financial Sector sent to the Dutch Parliament by the Dutch Minister of Finance in March 2023:

(i) A legal commitment to align financing and investments with the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement.

(ii) An obligation to prepare and implement a climate plan.

(iii) Strengthening the legal requirements to implement an engagement policy.

The consultation closed on 15 February 2024.

On 4 June 2024, a motion was adopted by the Dutch parliament requesting the Dutch government to explore how the regulatory framework for pension funds can be tightened to ensure that their investment policy is primarily aimed at achieving returns to ensure a strong pension instead of other politically driven goals or ideological principles. It is not clear yet if and how this motion will be executed and translated into Dutch law.

LAI: Litigation Arbritration & investigations

Supply chain due diligence and human rights

Fines for breaches under the Child Labour Due Diligence Act could be up to EUR 900,000 or 10% of the company’s total worldwide revenue.

In 2019, the Child Labour Due Diligence Act (Wet Zorgplicht Kinderarbeid) was adopted by the Dutch Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal) and published in the Dutch State Gazette (Staatsblad). The Act compels companies to perform due diligence to their supply chains and to investigate whether their goods or services have been produced using child labour. Also, companies must develop a plan to prevent child labour in their supply chains. The obligations arising from the Act will apply to all companies that sell or supply goods or services to Dutch consumers, regardless of where those companies are based or registered, without exemptions for legal form or size. In addition, companies must affirm to a regulator, yet to be appointed, that they have exercised an appropriate level of supply chain due diligence to prevent child labour. Fines for breaching the Child Labour Due Diligence Act could be up to EUR 900,000 or 10% of the company’s total worldwide revenue.

Read more: Human rights: What does it mean for businesses?

Upon adoption of the Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct (Wet verantwoord en duurzaam internationaal ondernemen), the Child Labour Due Diligence Act will be revoked. The legislative proposal was scheduled to be further discussed in the Dutch House of Representatives over the summer of 2023. With the fall of the Dutch cabinet in July 2023, the discussions with respect to the legislative proposal are likely to be reserved for the new coalition.

Upon adoption of the Act for Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct qualifying companies under the Act are required by statutory law to take measures to prevent their supply chain from (i) employing child and/or forced labour, (ii) having unsafe working conditions, (iii) being involved in any kind of slavery, discrimination or exploitation, (iv) creating environmental damage or (v) breaching freedom regarding the right to form trade unions.

Climate litigation

On 26 May 2021, the District Court in The Hague ordered Shell to reduce its global carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 compared with 2019 levels – that is, the emissions of the Shell group, its suppliers and its customers.

This was considered a ground-breaking decision as, for the first time, a court has intervened to force a private company to reduce its carbon emissions and bring its strategy in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. For the Netherlands, this decision was as important as the Urgenda Ruling (see above).

Undoubtedly, this is another important decision in the field of climate litigation that is on the rise on a global scale. Commentators have stated that the Shell decision is a “tipping point” in climate litigation but time will tell if that is indeed the case. However, this decision is the latest in a series of cases and investor decisions that, together, have very significant implications for companies’ climate strategies, not just in the oil and gas or energy sector.

On 20 July 2021 Shell confirmed that it would appeal the judgment, starting appeal proceedings on 23 August 2021. On 22 March 2022, Shell filed its statement of appeal with the Hague Court of Appeal. On 18 October 2022, Milieudefensie filed its statement of defence in the appeal proceedings.

The oral hearings took place on 2, 3, 4, and 12 April 2024. During these hearings, the parties pleader their arguments, paying particular attention to the question whether Dutch courts could compel private companies (as opposed to only the Dutch State) to reduce their emissions. Again, the answer to this question could have significant implication for companies’ climate strategies. The Court of Appeal’s decision is currently set to be rendered on 12 November 2024.

It is likely that one of more parties lodge cassation appeal against the judgment in appeal., similar to the Urgenda Ruling. It is also possible that the case will be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg by either the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court for a prejudicial ruling on the EU law issues raised by Shell (Article 267 TFEU).

On 13 January 2022, following the Shell judgment of the District Court, Milieudefensie sent letters to 29 Dutch companies demanding the companies to submit their climate plans, being ‘climate just’ before 15 April 2022 to Milieudefensie, who in turn will have all climate plans evaluated and assessed on quality and practicality by the New Climate Institute. On July 5 2022, the New Climate Institute published the results of the evaluation in ranking summary in English.

In particular, Milieudefensie is targeting ING Bank.. On 19 January 2024, Milieudefensie sent ING a notice of liability alleging, in brief, that ING is liable for the effects of its climate policy, also through its financing activities, which Milieudefensie found not to be in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Once Milieudefensie initiates proceedings, it will likely seek a reduction order of 48% of emissions by 2030 compared to 2019.

Aside from private companies, however, the Dutch State is also once again involved in a climate procedure. Greenpeace, along with eight inhabitants of Bonaire (a Dutch special municipality in the Caribbean), has initiated a procedure against the Dutch State on 11 January 2024 before the District Court of The Hague.

Greenpeace seeks an order compelling the Dutch State to take suitable adaptation measures to protect the inhabitants of Bonaire against the effects of climate change – a difference with Urgenda, wherein only an order for mitigation measures was sought. Greenpeace does seek mitigation measures, however, this time to the extent that Dutch emissions are reduced to net zero by 2030 and to a (full) 100% by 2040.

In addition to these procedures, the Dutch State is also engaged in both main and summary procedures in relation to nitrogen emissions, PFAS emissions and the harmful effects of a steel factory. All this also signifies the growing trend and significance of climate litigation.

Read more:

Shell climate case: digging deeper into the court’s legal reasoning

Shell climate decision: companies’ climate plans and targets under fire

Spotlight on... climate and ESG action plans | Sustainable Futures | Linklaters

Greenwashing in the Netherlands

In addition to reduction orders, climate activism continues to focus on greenwashing claims. On 20 March 2024, the Amsterdam District Court ruled against a Dutch flag carrier in what marks the first decision on greenwashing claims in the aviation industry. The proceedings were initiated by the Dutch Foundation in Furtherance of the Fossil-Free Movement. This organisation argued that nineteen advertising statements made by the airliner contained misleading environmental claims. The District Court decided, in short, that fifteen of the nineteen challenged statements were too vague and/or too absolute and therefore misleading and unlawful. For example, in relation to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the District Court held that despite their contribution in reducing the harmful effects of flying, these SAF cannot be presented as a ‘sustainable airplane fuel’.

Additionally, a number of claims complaints continue to be submitted to the Dutch Advertising Code Committee. Recently, the organisation Advertising Fossil Free (‘Reclame Fossielvrij’) submitted a complaint against A Dutch travel organisation before the Dutch Advertising Code Committee. The complaint specifically targets the travel organisation’s advertising commercial for holiday flights to Turkey. The reasoning behind this complaint is that, according to the complainants, this advertising commercial induces harmful behaviour, as flights cause climate and health-related issues, and is thus in violation of the Dutch Advertising Code.

Read more: Greenwashing in the aviation industry: what can we learn from district court of Amsterdam’s decision?

You may also be interested in

x Find a Lawyer