The European Commission has officially adopted the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards and the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard, following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Official Adoption of Updated Standards
The European Commission has adopted the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) alongside the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard (VS), with both texts now published in the Official Journal of the EU.
EFRAG welcomed the adoption, noting that it represents progress towards establishing a more proportionate and practical framework for sustainability reporting in Europe.
Both standards have been made available in an interactive format on the EFRAG Knowledge Hub to assist users with legal texts and implementation resources. EFRAG noted that minor amendments and corrections introduced in the Official Journal version compared to the Delegated Acts published on 3 July 2026 will be updated on the Knowledge Hub shortly.
Proportionate Framework for Small and Medium Enterprises
The Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard provides a voluntary structure for undertakings with fewer than 1,000 employees to organize and communicate sustainability information.
Developed from EFRAG’s VSME Recommendation, the standard is intended to assist small and medium enterprises in answering sustainability requests from larger companies, financial institutions, and investors.
Under the Voluntary Standard, the European Commission assigned EFRAG the duty of updating and maintaining the associated non-mandatory guidance. EFRAG has released this updated guidance in English on the ESRS Knowledge Hub and is working with National Standard Setters to publish translations in all European languages starting in November 2026.
Digital Tools and Upcoming Information Event
In November 2026, EFRAG plans to issue an updated Digital Template incorporating modifications from the Voluntary Standard, alongside additions to the Excel to XBRL Converter designed to improve Inline XBRL report customization.
EFRAG will also hold an event with the European Commission on 9 October 2026 to present the Voluntary Standard, outline key modifications introduced by the Omnibus, and discuss the operational shift from mandatory to voluntary sustainability reporting.
Domande frequenti
Which entities does the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard target?
The Voluntary Standard provides a structure for undertakings with fewer than 1,000 employees to communicate sustainability information voluntarily.
When will European language translations of the updated guidance be published?
Translations in all European languages are scheduled to be published on the EFRAG Knowledge Hub from November 2026.
