The EU Deforestation Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (hereinafter: “EUDR”) creates a uniform legal framework to prevent the placing on the market of commodities and products associated with forest degradation. It applies to operators and traders who import, export or make available certain relevant raw materials and products on the European Single Market. These products include all products that consist wholly or partly of the raw materials cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy and wood. With the regulation, the EU obliges its member states and affected companies to ensure sustainability and forest protection along the supply chain. The aim is to minimize the EU’s contribution to global deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EUDR entered into force on 29.06.2023. From 30.12.2025, the regulation will apply to most market participants and traders. For micro and small businesses, the provisions will not take effect until six months later – on 30.06.2026. Companies that import, trade in or export affected goods must adapt their processes and documentation to the new requirements.

Read more

On 25 June 2025, the European Commission published its Proposal for a Regulation on the safety, resilience and sustainability of space activities in the Union. Informally known as the EU Space Act, it introduces the first harmonised legal framework for space activities across the EU. Aiming to strengthen the internal market and reinforce strategic autonomy, the Proposal also addresses cybersecurity and environmental risks. While the Regulation is expected to apply from 1 January 2030, businesses should already assess its potential impact on operations, compliance strategies, and long-term planning.

Read more

The Cyber Resilience Act (“CRA”) regulates the cybersecurity of products with digital elements by imposing cybersecurity requirements on the design, development, and production of these products. It also imposes cybersecurity obligations on market operators in relation to these products. Products with digital elements include smart doorbells and refrigerators, routers, security cameras, fitness trackers, connected printers, connected vehicles, and other devices with a Wi-Fi or network connection. We previously wrote two blogs about cybersecurity requirements in general and specifically in relation to manufacturers. In this blog, we analyse the obligations for importers and distributors of products with digital elements.

Read more

The Delegated Regulation on EU taxonomy (C(2025) 4586 final​​​) was adopted on July 4, 2025. It supplements the existing EU taxonomy framework and simplifies the application of the Regulation for companies and financial actors.

Read more

Our legal experts have contributed to the Dutch Law & Practice and Trends & Developments sections in the Chambers Acquisition Finance 2025 Guide.

Read more

This year again, three of AKD’s tax lawyers contributed to the publication “Outbound Acquisitions: Tax Planning for European Expansion in a Changing Landscape (2025)” published by the Practising Law Institute in New York, as part of The Corporate Tax Practice Series 2025.

Read more

Two years ago, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) entered into force. This EU Regulation that aims to ensure that companies active on the internal market do not gain a competitive advantage through subsidies granted outside the EU.

This yearly review analyses the outcomes of two years of FSR enforcement by the European Commission (Commission). We delve into the key investigations, regulatory developments and the main takeaways of the last two years. We examine the unexpectedly high volume of notifications, the anticipated rise in investigations that will be started on the Commission’s own initiative, the Commission’s willingness to separate EU and non-EU activities, and the main criticisms of the FSR.

Read more

Investment in the defence, security and resilience sector is booming. Last year, investment reached US$5.2 billion in Europe (up 30% in two years), with European defence VC investment into the sector accounting for 10% of all VC funding across Europe. Whilst Europe has historically lagged behind the US in terms of investment into the defence sector, Europe is now catching up – in part due to the significant increase in public funding which has been announced since the Munich Defence Conference in February 2025.

Read more