Chapter 6

Sustainability

SEE Region Real Estate Market Outlook 2026

3 Minute Read

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3 Minute Read

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Complex reporting landscape

The Omnibus adjustments will reduce short‑term regulatory pressure for many locally active developers, mid‑size investors, and occupiers. However, EU‑based institutional investors and banks remain fully subject to updated sustainability rules, meaning ESG requirements will continue to influence underwriting, financing, acquisitions, and due diligence.

As a result, SEE assets seeking international capital, development financing, or institutional tenants will still need to meet higher ESG standards, even without direct reporting obligations. In Serbia—though not directly impacted by the regulation—some institutional developers are expected to align with new EU‑driven reporting practices set by their headquarters.

Overall, both local and institutional investors have already embedded sustainability into their strategies, with nearly all new projects marketed as having green building certification.


Trends to watch

  • ESRS Reporting Preference

    Owners and occupiers of commercial real estate will continue to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Although the EU’s Omnibus adjustments streamline and delay certain sustainability reporting obligations, the largest companies will still be operating under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) following the initial 2024 reporting cycle.

  • Reduced Compliance Burden

    The EU’s Omnibus legislation streamlines sustainability reporting by narrowing the scope of CSRD and CS3D and delaying certain requirements, easing the overall administrative burden. At the same time, ongoing updates to the ESRS aim to simplify disclosures while keeping the EU’s broader sustainability objectives intact.

  • Sustainability as Pillar

    Sustainability features continue to play a central role in new commercial real estate projects and are now firmly embedded across all segments and all markets in the SEE region, reinforcing their importance for long‑term resilience and value creation.

Chapter 5 Logistics