Åpenhetsloven (Lov om virksomheters åpenhet og arbeid med grunnleggende menneskerettigheter og anstendige arbeidsforhold), LOV-2021-06-18-99

Norway implements EU-style EPR through Avfallsforskriften, requiring producers of packaging, EEE, batteries and vehicles to join a producer responsibility organization approved by the Environment Agency. Since July 2025 the previous 1,000 kg-per-material exemption for packaging has been abolished, so every importer or producer must register and report. Chapter 7A requires producers of certain single-use plastic products to join an approved scheme and cover municipal cleanup and collection costs from 2027, and Chapter 7B sets EPR for plastic-containing fishing and aquaculture gear.

Enforcement

Mandatory

Effective date

Avfallsforskriften in force since 2004 (latest amendment FOR-2025-12-18-2839, in force 1 January 2026); Chapter 7 packaging EPR revised effective 1 July 2025 (lower registration limit removed); Chapter 7A in force on adoption (FOR-2025-11-12-2278), with the duty to cover municipal costs applying to costs from 1 January 2027 and first payment due 1 October 2028; Chapter 7B in force 1 January 2026, with §§ 7B-4 to 7B-7 applying from 1 March 2027; WEEE provisions since 1999

Covered entities

Any company that professionally imports or manufactures packaging, packaged products, EEE, batteries or vehicles for the Norwegian market; from July 2025 all packaging producers regardless of volume. Also producers that first place certain single-use plastic products on the Norwegian market (food and beverage containers, cups, flexible food packaging, light carrier bags, wet wipes, tobacco filters, balloons) and producers of fishing, recreational fishing and aquaculture gear containing plastic.

Directive requiring very large EU and non-EU companies to identify, prevent and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their own operations, their subsidiaries' operations and their chains of activities. Omnibus I (Directive (EU) 2026/470) raised the thresholds, deleted the climate transition plan obligation, removed the EU-wide civil liability rule (liability now rests on national law), and capped fines at 3% of net worldwide turnover.

Enforcement

Mandatory once transposed

Effective date

Member State transposition deadline 26 July 2028. National measures apply to all in-scope companies from 26 July 2029; Article 16 reporting applies for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2030.

Covered entities

EU companies with more than 5,000 employees on average and more than EUR 1.5 billion net worldwide turnover, or ultimate parents of groups reaching those thresholds. Non-EU companies with more than EUR 1.5 billion net turnover in the EU in the financial year before the last. Separate thresholds apply to franchising and licensing groups (royalties above EUR 75 million plus turnover above EUR 275 million).

Companies in scope must identify, prevent, and remediate human rights and environmental risks in their own operations and direct suppliers, with risk-based duties extending to indirect suppliers when substantiated knowledge arises. BAFA monitors compliance, can issue orders, and impose fines up to EUR 8 million or 2 percent of average annual turnover (where turnover exceeds EUR 400 million).

Enforcement

Mandatory

Effective date

1 January 2023 (companies with 3,000+ employees in Germany); 1 January 2024 (1,000+ employees in Germany)

Covered entities

Companies with their head office, principal place of business, administrative seat, or registered branch in Germany and at least 1,000 employees in Germany (3,000+ in 2023). Includes German branches of foreign companies.

In-scope parent and ordering companies must establish, publish, and effectively implement a vigilance plan covering risk mapping, supplier and subcontractor assessment, mitigation actions, an alert mechanism, and a monitoring scheme addressing human rights, health and safety, and environmental harm across the group and established business relationships. Any party with standing can give formal notice and, after three months of non-compliance, seek a court injunction and damages.

Enforcement

Mandatory

Effective date

27 March 2017; first vigilance plans required for FY2017

Covered entities

French-headquartered companies that, for two consecutive years, employ at least 5,000 employees in France (parent and direct/indirect subsidiaries) or at least 10,000 employees worldwide.

Covered companies would have to investigate whether child labour exists in their supply chains, adopt a plan of action where reasonable suspicion arises, and submit a one-time declaration of due diligence. Sanctions would include administrative fines and, on repeat offences, criminal liability for directors.

Enforcement

Mandatory

Effective date

Not in force as of 23 September 2026; Art. 12 provides for entry into force on a date set by Royal Decree, no earlier than 1 January 2020, and no date has been set

Covered entities

Companies that sell goods or services to Dutch end-users, regardless of where they are established. Implementing decree was to set thresholds and exemptions.

In-scope Swiss companies must operate a supply chain management system, traceability and risk management aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for minerals and the ILO-IOE child labour due diligence guidance, and publish an annual report. False or missing reports can trigger fines up to CHF 100,000 under Art. 325ter of the Swiss Criminal Code.

Enforcement

Mandatory

Effective date

1 January 2022; one-year transition meant first reporting period was FY2023

Covered entities

Companies with registered office, head office, or principal place of business in Switzerland that import or process tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold (3TG) above annual volume thresholds set in the DDTrO annex, and companies that offer products or services where there is reasonable suspicion of child labour. SMEs and low-risk companies are exempt under defined conditions.