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New interpretation and guidance on screening criteria and reporting

On Monday 19.12 the EU Commission published two draft Commission Notices, one providing interpretation and implementation guidance on the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and one providing interpretation and implementation guidance on the Disclosures Delegated Act.

The Commission Notices complements previous guidance provided on reporting of Taxonomy-eligible economic activities and an earlier Commission Notice on the Disclosures delegated act. While the previous guidance focused attention on Taxonomy-eligible activities, the new drafts focus on the application of the technical screening criteria and reporting Taxonomy-aligned economic activities. The aim of the new documents is to clarify the existing provisions, but do not expand or add additional requirements.

Draft Commission

Draft Commission Notice on the interpretation and implementation of certain legal provisions of the EU Taxonomy Disclosures Delegated Act

The Commission Notice on the Disclosures Delegated act answers FAQs and aims to assist non-financial companies with the reporting requirements under the Disclosures Delegated Act. Topics covered include general questions and questions on the turnover KPI, the capex KPI and the opex KPI specifically. General questions cover for example reporting on activities under the Complementary Climate Delegated Act (nuclear energy and fossil gas), the impact of CSRD, accounting for “double-counting”, and consolidation of KPIs on group level.

Do you want to learn more about the EU Taxonomy?

Read our FAQ about EU Taxonomy here.

EU taxonomy in a nutshell

EU taxonomy is part of the EU Green Deal, which aims to promote the EU carbon neutrality targets by 2050. EU taxonomy requires companies to classify their environmentally sustainable activities and investments. The aim of the Taxonomy is to get the financial market to direct investments towards more environmentally sustainable solutions.

EU taxonomy raises uncertainty because the Taxonomy Regulation and its obligations as well as the classification system and reporting are constantly evolving. Therefore, possible effects on your business may change every year.

EU taxonomy – frequently asked questions

What?

EU taxonomy is a classification system for sustainable economic activities. It lists economic activities that significantly contribute to the climate and environmental goals and their evaluation criteria. In practice, EU taxonomy is EU’s sustainability tool based on the Taxonomy Regulation. This allows companies to plan their activities in preparing for the green transition. In addition it also enables them to get financing when moving to a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy.

EU taxonomy is gradually developing, and it increases companies’ transparency as it requires companies to disclose their sustainability information. Sustainability reporting will be an integral part of companies’ annual reporting in the future, in addition to the traditional financial reporting.” says Terhi Valtonen, Senior sustainability consultant at Ecobio.

To whom?

In addition to financial market participants, the Taxonomy Regulation applies to large companies that annually publish a non-financial statement as part of their management report in accordance with the NFRD (Non-Financial Reporting Directive).

EU taxonomy is constantly developing. Because of this the classification system and reporting requirements will cover many other companies in the future. This will happen when the corporate sustainability reporting directive CSRD becomes applicable and replaces the NFRD.

How?

Companies must identify which of their own economic activities can be classified as sustainable according to EU taxonomy. Companies must screen each activity in accordance with the do-no-significant-harm principle.

A company’s activities can only be sustainable if it does not harm other environmental goals or human rights at the same time. Companies must annually report on how much of their operations are in line with the EU taxonomy’s climate and environmental goals and also disclose the key performance indicators.

Large, listed companies already publish a non-financial statement, but the relevant sustainability information on company’s operations and its impacts can easily get lost in the pile of annually published reports, unless you know where to search for them. With the help of CSRD we will clearly talk about corporate sustainability reporting in the future.” says Terhi.

When?

The Taxonomy Regulation and its technical criteria for climate goals have been applied since January 2022. Companies affected by this must annually disclose the share of sustainable activities in their turnover, capital expenditures and operating expenditures.

As of January 2023, companies must assess the sustainability of their economic activities. This must happen in accordance with the technical screening criteria for the EU taxonomy climate goals. The EU Commission will publish the remaining environmental objectives and their technical screening criteria in the fall of 2022.

Companies are advised to start preparing for the EU taxonomy classification and reporting of their sustainable activities in time, because it is a time-consuming process to finally be compliant with EU taxonomy requirements. Your company should also start preparing now.” says Terhi.

Why?

EU taxonomy is a companies’, investors’ and financiers’ sustainability tool, which strict technical screening criteria are based on science. It provides methods that can be used to assess how much of a company’s economic activities that have a significant impact on the climate and environmental goals of the EU Green Deal.

The taxonomy also provides common definitions that allow companies and investors to communicate credibly through their financial numbers about their green and sustainable operations and plans to transition to a low-carbon economy. A common language in sustainability matters is necessary to be able to compare the data and set sustainability goals.

EU taxonomy is not only the reporting obligation, but companies can use the taxonomy in integrating the the climate and environmental goals into company’s sustainability strategy and ESG goals.”

-Terhi Valtonen, Senior sustainability consultant, Ecobio

Additionally EU taxonomy serves as a basis for many actions of the EU sustainable finance strategy. For example green bonds, companies’ sustainable business and strategy targets, and reporting of material sustainability data.


Ask Ecobio experts – Contact us below:



    Three steps for EU Taxonomy Reporting – Deadline coming soon

    Three steps for EU Taxonomy Reporting – Deadline coming soon

    Are you ready to report EU Taxonomy eligibility as a non-financial entity? In the EU, this year will be the first EU Taxonomy reporting period to disclose in 2022 for non-financial listed companies with over 500 employees on average during the reporting period (Prop. 2021/22:11).

    During the first year, non-financial companies shall disclose the proportion of total turnover, total CapEx and total OpEx that consist of environmentally sustainable economic activities eligible with the EU Taxonomy. I.e., the activities within one of the defined categories for which the Taxonomy regulation provides sustainability criteria. Reporting on eligibility already in 2022 will ensure that companies required to report complete KPIs on Taxonomy alignment from 2023 will be better prepared for the work of classifying and defining the financial reporting level necessary to comply with the Taxonomy regulation.

    Three steps for EU Taxonomy Reporting

    The following three steps guides reporting for the first year:

    Step 1. Economic activity. Identify each potential economic activity, including a subset of transitional and enabling economic activities

    Step 2. Eligibility. Assess eligibility by comparing your economic activity with the Taxonomy defined activity category descriptions and NACE codes.

    Step 3. Reporting KPIs. Report eligibility as the proportion of total turnover, total CapEx and total OpEx, including relevant contextual information on how eligibility has been determined and implemented in the necessary calculations.

    The turnover KPI represents the proportion of the net turnover derived from products or services that are taxonomy eligible. The turnover KPI gives a static view of the company’s contribution to environmental goals.

    The CapEx KPI represents the proportion of the capital expenditure of an activity that is either already taxonomy-aligned or is part of a credible plan to extend or reach taxonomy alignment. CapEx provides a dynamic and forward-looking view of companies’ plans to transform their business activities.

    The OpEx KPI represents the proportion of the operating expenditure associated with taxonomy-aligned activities or the CapEx plan. The operating expenditure covers direct non-capitalised costs relating to research and development, renovation measures, short-term lease, maintenance, and other direct expenditures relating to the day-to-day servicing of property, plant and equipment assets that are necessary to ensure continued and effective use of such assets.

    The European Council will make a final decision about the schedule on the 8th of December, 2021.

    Digitalise your EU Taxonomy work process

    With the deadline for the first reporting requirements regarding EU Taxonomy is approaching, it is beneficial to already from the beginning take advantage of the efficiency offered by digitalisation. Ecobio Manager is the world’s first comprehensive taxonomy solution, including a smooth classification process and up-to-date legal databases, as well as an environmental risk assessment protocol. So far, there has been no service with similar coverage in the global market.

    With Ecobio Manager, you can turn the complex set of EU Taxonomy reporting requirements into a smooth and straightforward digital work process for your team. The digital solution includes a demanding entity of requirements always available and effectively managed. Our easy and comprehensive tool contains everything you need to meet the requirements of EU Taxonomy classification and reporting

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    Presentation of our digital solution

    Do you need help with EU Taxonomy classification and reporting? Join our presentation of the world’s first comprehensive digital solution for the EU Taxonomy! During our 30 min presentation, we present our easy and comprehensive tool containing all you need to meet the EU Taxonomy classification and reporting requirements.

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    Expert advice and personal demo account

    Do you have questions regarding EU Taxonomy and need advisory? Do you want a presentation of our digital solution regarding EU Taxonomy? Contact our EU Taxonomy expert Katrine Hoset to get expert advice and an in-depth presentation of the comprehensive solution. Do not hesitate to ask our expert about a personal demo account to try out our platform.

    Please get in touch with us

    Katrine Hoset

    Account Manager, Senior Consultant

    katrine.hoset@ecobio.fi

    +358 (0)20 756 2306

    Read more about our EU Taxonomy digital solution here and our sustainable finance consultancy services here.