European Union (EU) environmental protection laws and decisions are developed centrally in Brussels but are implemented and enforced by the 28 member states. This system often leads to interpretation and application discrepancies across the EU. Sidley’s team of EU Environmental lawyers counsels multinational clients on the development and application of such laws to ensure continued market access, commercial operation and regulatory compliance. Our work is also fully integrated with the firm’s comprehensive U.S. domestic Environmental practice, which advises EU clients on U.S. issues, including compliance counseling, transactions and litigation.

We bring value to our clients in the following ways:

• We routinely track and advise clients on chemical legislation and policy, ranging from early planning, legislative lobbying and day-to-day counseling to challenging decisions in the EU and national courts.
• We help clients identify the significant legal consequences triggered by hazard classifications assigned under the EU’s Classification, Labeling and Packaging Regulation.
• We help clients respond with regulatory strategies and legislative counseling on a broad range of climate change issues.
• We help clients with advocacy, standards development, market access and litigation strategies related to emerging markets and technologies.
• We draw on the firm’s sizable resources and global reach to represent clients in “bet-the-company” litigation before the EU courts.
• We work with clients to identify and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and competitive implications of sustainable production and consumption initiatives.
• We help clients understand and comply with EU waste and extended-producer responsibility measures and with product stewardship initiatives.

Our work; representative matters

Our lawyers assist multinational companies on a wide range of EU environmental issues, including transactions, legislation, product and operational compliance counseling, and environmental management systems. Representative matters include advising:

• A large U.S. cosmetics company on regulatory matters relating to EU and EEA chemical and cosmetics laws.
• A major minerals and mining company on EU regulatory issues, including REACH and proposed new classification and labeling rules, and on product regulation and litigation risk.
• One of the world’s leading natural resources group on developing a global climate change strategy.
• A global food processing corporation on market access and advocacy strategies concerning GMOs.
• A leading sustainable agriculture company on the EU’s CSR initiatives, including non-financial (environmental and social) reporting, GPP, eco-labeling, product and corporate environmental footprints and life cycle costing.
• A major pharmaceutical manufacturer on the correct application of the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and coordinating national advice on Member State implementation of the same.

About our team

Our team is composed of seasoned lawyers, litigators, negotiators and analysts who have extensive experience counseling multinational clients on the development and application of EU environmental laws.