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The list below is an excerpt from publications in the French and European official journals concerning environment, energy, and occupational health and safety for July and August 2025.
ENVIRONMENT
Dematerialization of accident and incident declarations and reports for classified facilities for environmental protection (ICPE)
Environmental Code Articles R. 512-68 to R. 512-100: Common provisions for authorization, registration, and declaration AMENDED BY Decree No. 2025-804 of August 11, 2025, enacting various provisions for simplifying environmental law [JORF of August 13, 2025]
Decree No. 2025-804 of August 11, 2025, now stipulates that accident or incident declarations and reports must be submitted in dematerialized form via an online procedure (site not yet defined).
As a reminder, the operator of an ICPE is required to declare, as soon as possible, to the classified facilities inspectorate any accidents or incidents resulting from the operation of the facility that are likely to pose dangers or inconveniences to neighborhood amenity, health, safety, agriculture, nature protection, the environment, etc. Furthermore, the operator must submit an accident report to the prefect and the classified facilities inspectorate or, upon request from the inspectorate, an incident report.
Corrigendum on the entry into force of battery-related waste codes
Commission Decision No. 2000/532/EC of May 3, 2000, replacing Decision 94/3/EC establishing a list of wastes AMENDED BY Corrigendum 2025/90657 [OJEU of August 19, 2025]
As a reminder, Commission Amending Decision (EU) 2025/934 of March 5, 2025, had updated the list of battery-related waste codes within the decision establishing the "waste nomenclature." These amendments were scheduled to apply from November 9, 2026.
Corrigendum 2025/90657 corrects the applicability date of the amending decision of March 5, 2025: the amendments apply from December 9, 2026 (and not November 9, 2026).
Therefore, from this date, it will be necessary to ensure that the correct waste codes for battery waste are used in the waste register and, where applicable, on waste tracking forms, and to ensure that waste tracking forms are issued when waste is newly classified as hazardous.
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Procedures applicable to mining titles and underground storage titles
Decree No. 2025-851 of August 27, 2025, concerning mining titles and underground storage titles [JORF of August 28, 2025]
As part of the mining code reform introduced by Law No. 2021-1104 of August 22, 2021, on combating climate change and strengthening resilience to its effects, this text sets out the provisions applicable to mining titles concerning mining substances. Under this text, the titles covered are the exclusive prospecting permit and the concession. It repeals Decree No. 2006-648 of June 2, 2006, concerning mining titles and underground storage titles.
Other implementing decrees were also published in August within the context of this mining code reform, concerning the exploration and exploitation of marine aggregates, mining matters for overseas territories, and geothermal exploration and exploitation activities.
Amendment of headings 2740 and 3650
Environmental Code Articles R. 511-9 to R. 511-12: Nomenclature of classified installations AMENDED BY Decree No. 2025-617 of July 3, 2025, amending the nomenclature of classified installations for environmental protection [JORF of July 5, 2025]
Decree No. 2025-617 of July 3, 2025, amends headings 2740 (incineration of animal carcasses) and 3650 (disposal or recycling of animal carcasses or animal waste):
· It excludes from heading 2740 installations classified under heading 3650;
· It replaces the term "animal waste" with "animal by-products" in heading 3650 to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1785 of April 24, 2024 (which amended the IED Directive). Thus, this heading now covers the disposal or recycling of animal carcasses or animal by-products, with a treatment capacity exceeding 10 tonnes per day.
ENERGY
Methodology for conducting energy audits and recognizing auditor competence
Order of July 10, 2025, concerning the procedures for conducting energy audits in companies and the procedures for recognizing the competence of energy auditors [Official Journal of July 13, 2025]
This order sets out the following points:
· The methodology for conducting energy audits and the audit report;
· The recognition of the competence of external or internal auditors.
Thresholds for the obligation to install canopies incorporating a renewable energy production process (RE) in overseas departments and regions (DROM)
Decree No. 2025-802 of August 11, 2025, setting the thresholds for the obligation provided for in Article 40 of Law No. 2023-175 of March 10, 2023, on accelerating renewable energy production, for outdoor car parks located in the departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, and Reunion [Official Journal of August 13, 2025]
As a reminder, Law No. 2023-175 of March 10, 2023, on accelerating renewable energy production, known as the "APER Law," introduced the obligation to equip car parks larger than 1500 m² existing as of July 1, 2023, with canopies incorporating a renewable energy production process over at least 50% of their surface area.
This decree aims to set different obligation thresholds for DROMs regarding this requirement for canopy installations. These thresholds range from 1000 m² to 2500 m² depending on the territories concerned.
SECURITY
Reporting procedures for occupational health and safety training by training organizations and employers in the prevention passport
Decree No. 2022-1712 of December 29, 2022, concerning the approval of the deliberation of the National Committee for Occupational Health and Safety of the Council for the Orientation of Working Conditions, setting out the procedures for implementing the prevention passport and making it available to the employer, AMENDED BY Decree No. 2025-748 of August 1, 2025, specifying the reporting procedures for occupational health and safety training by training organizations and employers in the prevention passport [Official Journal of August 2, 2025]
As a reminder, the prevention passport is a service, stemming from the 2021 "occupational health" law, aimed at improving risk prevention in occupational health and safety. Its objective is to connect workers, employers, and training organizations to ensure the traceability of training related to occupational risk prevention and to facilitate its management.
First, the training courses that must be included in the prevention passport are specified. These are the ones that must:
· Meet an objective of occupational risk prevention or the general training obligation for workers;
· Lead to the issuance of a training certificate or proof of successful completion for the holder of the Professional Training Account (CPF) who completed the training;
· Allow for the mobilization of knowledge and skills acquired or developed during the training, and that this knowledge and these skills are transferable to any other workstation exposing to occupational risks similar to those present at the workstation occupied by the worker on the date of the training.
Training courses excluded from inclusion in the prevention passport are also specified.
The reporting deadlines are mentioned, first concerning the transitional period (as the prevention passport deployment is still ongoing) and then for the period of normal operation. For training organizations, these provisions apply from September 1,st 2025. For employers, this will apply no later than January 1,st 2027, depending on the progress of the online tool's deployment.
New signage models and definition of perimeters related to smoking bans and designated smoking areas
Order of July 21, 2025, setting the perimeters and signage models provided for respectively in Articles R. 3512-2 and R. 3512-7 of the Public Health Code [Official Journal of July 22, 2025]
This order sets the new signage models to be displayed in places where smoking is prohibited (annex 1) and in areas made available for smokers (annex 2). The signage must comply with certain graphic provisions (annex 3). This text repeals the models from the order of December 1, 2010.
Thus, for places concerned by the smoking ban (workplaces, Public Access Establishments, etc.), the new smoking ban signage model must be displayed from July 23, 2025, unless the current display complies with the order of December 1, 2010, or is implemented pursuant to a municipal order, provided that it mentions:
§ The principle of the smoking ban,
§ The national helpline number for quitting smoking, Tabac-info-service,
§ The reference to Article R. 3512-2,
§ The penalties for violations.
The new signage model for smoking areas must also be displayed, either from July 23, 2025, or from January 22, 2026, if the existing signage is deemed compliant with the order of December 1, 2010.
Amendment of specific exemptions for the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds
Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) AMENDED BY Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1399 of 5 May 2025 [OJEU of 14 July 2025]
This amending regulation, published on July 14, 2025, modifies the data relating to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and related compounds in Annex I of the POP Regulation. Specifically, the derogation for the use of PFOA, its salts, and PFOA-related compounds in firefighting foam intended for the suppression of liquid fuel vapours and for fighting liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) that is already contained in systems is extended until December 3, 2025 (originally scheduled until July 4, 2025).
Furthermore, the definition of firefighting foam is clarified. Additionally, two derogations are introduced for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and related compounds when present as an unintentional trace contaminant.