The European Green Deal (EGD), an extensive roadmap for the EU’s low-carbon transition, was launched by the European Commission in 2019. In addition to cutting emissions, the EGD called for reforms to rules across whole sectors, including transport, industry, and agriculture.
Six years on, considerable progress has been made in adopting legislation and strategies concerning energy and climate policy, transport, industry, and the circular economy. Progress has been much slower when it comes to greening agriculture, protecting biodiversity, and reducing the use of chemicals and pollutants. Corporate lobbying and political dynamics have blocked key legislation in these areas.
The EGD now faces three sets of urgent challenges: mounting opposition from centre-right and right-wing parties, an increasingly confrontational geopolitical context, and tightening financial constraints heading into 2026.
The ongoing policy shift towards competitiveness and security, bolstered by arguments about the presumed “high cost” of the low-carbon transition, risks undermining important aspects of the EU’s sustainability agenda.
The publication has been updated on 18 November 2025: the month has been corrected from October to November.
