Ambitious reform of EU ETS benchmarks

• Challenge: The European Commission proposed to reform the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to make it more ambitious. However, it remained vague on revising the EU ETS product benchmarks, which is a major issue: the benchmarks only described very narrowly-defined technologies and business processes. Once an industrial installation switches to a new solution, it risks falling out of these benchmarks and stops receiving free allowances, while its dirty competitors continue to receive free allowances. This system therefore disadvantages sustainable frontrunner technologies.​ 
• Our solution: Create a coalition of sustainable frontrunners across all major industries – from iron and steel to cement and chemicals – who’s breakthrough solutions are being disadvantaged. ​We designed multiple narratives why the benchmarks were either bad for the EU’s ambition or its innovative capacity and sent ready-to-use amendments to different MEPs from all major political groups.
• Result: EU ETS Rapporteur Peter Liese (EPP), as well as MEPs from the S&D, Renew and Greens supported a swift, ambitious reform of the EU ETS product benchmarks to level the playing field for sustainable frontrunners. It is now in the final ETS deal that was struck in February 2023.​ 

Strengthening ESG risk supervision in EU banking

• Challenge: ESG risks remained insufficiently reflected in EU banking regulation and supervision, despite their growing materiality and systemic implications.
• Our solution: We developed a strong technical position on the integration of ESG risks in financial supervision and engaged with European supervisory institutions. Through active participation in consultations, targeted bilateral meetings, and ongoing follow-ups with key stakeholders, we identified non-legislative levers to advance ESG integration in the supervisory agenda.
• Result: EU banking supervisors have adopted stricter guidelines for the management and disclosure of ESG risks, enhancing alignment with the EU’s sustainability objectives and increasing resilience in the financial sector.

Making biocontrol a political priority of the new Commission mandate 2024-29

• Challenge: To bring the need to fast-track authorisation processes for biocontrol solutions on top of the Commission agenda for the new mandate, in a context of deep polarisation around agri-food topics and more specifically crop protection products. 
• Our solution: We built a strong narrative for biocontrol and engaged in constructive dialogue with key players in the sector. In parallel, we ensured regular engagement with high-level policymakers in the Commission, including the Secretariat-General, as well MEPs in the Parliament and brought concrete suggestions to the table. 
• Result: The need to accelerate the use of biocontrol was explicitly included in the Mission Letter for the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. Shortly after and as part of the first Commission initiatives in the mandate, the ‘Vision for Agriculture and Food’ committed to put forward measures to accelerate the access of biocontrol to the EU market by Q4 2025.

Introducing demand flexibility in the new Commission’s agenda

• Challenge: To raise awareness of the potential of demand flexibility, a technical and at the time very niche topic, to improve the business case for electrification and contribute to lower electricity prices.
• Our solution: We created a strong narrative for demand flexibility around the new Commission’s agenda and engaged in constructive dialogue with key players through bilateral meetings in the EU institutions. In parallel, we organised an event with policymakers in the Commission and Parliament, addressing the importance to include measures to boost flexibility under the then upcoming Affordable Energy Action Plan. 
• Result:The Affordable Energy Action Plan dedicated three pages to recognise the importance of flexibility solutions to lower electricity prices and looked into measures to boost flexibility solutions in the new term.

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