EU climate & energy legislative agenda: key files and milestones until the end of 2026

As the European Union enters the final stretch of 2026, a quick overview of some of the most important files shaping the bloc's environmental and industrial agenda, spanning ocean policy, water protection, deforestation, the circular economy, and energy and industrial decarbonisation.

Ocean Act, due by December 2026

The European Ocean Pact is the European Commission's comprehensive strategy to better protect the ocean, promote a thriving blue economy and support the well-being of people living in coastal areas, adopted in June 2025.

To implement it, the Commission plans to publish an Ocean Act in December 2026, alongside a revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, establishing a single framework for the Pact's key objectives. This will be accompanied by a high-level Ocean Board and a public Ocean Pact dashboard to track progress.

Water Framework Directive (WFD) revised, with PFAS included, due to be transposed by December 2027

The Water Framework Directive is the EU's core law for protecting water resources, requiring Member States to restore water bodies to "good…