Special Reports · Interview
Compliance by Design: A Conversation with Eléonore Mullier
The Steptoe LLP partner on cumulative EU mandates, resilient supply chains and the commercial value of regulatory strategy.
By Aida Iordache · October 13, 2026
Featuring Eléonore Mullier, Partner at Steptoe LLP in Brussels
In the rapidly shifting regulatory landscape of the European capital, enforcement has officially overtaken drafting as the primary concern for global enterprise boards. As the European Commission systematically tightens its compliance mandates across digital governance, trade defense, and environmental taxonomy, multinational corporations are finding that technical compliance can no longer remain a reactive, backend legal exercise.
This strategic feature highlights the insights of Eléonore Mullier, Partner at Steptoe LLP in Brussels. Known for her outstanding individual footprint in navigating high-stakes EU regulatory frameworks, chemical compliance, and cross-border trade benchmarks, Mullier delivers a masterclass in structural resilience. Backed by Steptoe’s world-class corporate defense practice and premier international regulatory network, her analysis maps out why modern corporations must embed 'compliance by design' directly into their day-to-day commercial development to survive the next institutional cycle.
1. The Evolution of EU Environmental and Chemical Regulations
The Gazette: With Brussels heavily enforcing stricter compliance frameworks under the EU Green Deal and chemical regulations, what do you see as the biggest structural challenge for multinational corporations trying to adapt their supply chains without losing market competitiveness?
Eléonore Mullier: The difficulty is not only that standards are becoming stricter, it’s the constant state of flux. Different regulatory regimes impose different obligations, timelines and data requirements. Whether we are talking about restrictions on the use of chemicals, new sustainability requirements for products, carbon-related measures or sustainability reporting and due-diligence obligations, the requirements are cumulative and not necessarily aligned.
More recent political initiatives such as the Omnibuses seek to simplify, align and/or delay some of these new requirements. The outcome of these political negotiations can materially change the compliance pathway, albeit sometimes at the cost of predictability. In this evolving environment, regulatory resilience is increasingly a source of competitiveness.
2. Navigating the Intersection of Trade and Green Mandates
The Gazette: As European trade policies and environmental regulations increasingly intersect, how can global businesses effectively balance cross-border expansion with the EU’s evolving protectionist and sustainability benchmarks?
Eléonore Mullier: Global companies should integrate market-access planning and environmental compliance into the same investment decision. Mapping the entire cost of access is a key aspect of an effective expansion approach, whilst preserving strategic flexibility by e.g. diversifying critical inputs and suppliers.
Given the fluctuating regulatory context, engagement in policy discussions remains essential to raise feasibility and economic concerns, whether independently or via industry groups. The objective is not simply to satisfy the EU’s current benchmarks, but to build an expansion model that remains viable under several plausible regulatory scenarios.
3. The Role of Legal Strategy in Complex Regulatory Environments
The Gazette: With policy files becoming highly cross-sectoral - where environmental rules deeply impact trade, energy, and corporate governance - how must corporate legal strategies adapt to ensure businesses remain proactive during intense European regulatory reviews?
Eléonore Mullier: Corporate legal strategy must increasingly form an integral part of coordinated regulatory decision-making. When one policy file affects chemicals, energy, trade, procurement, and corporate disclosures, separate legal reviews can be inefficient or miss the cumulative commercial impact.
The legal team’s value is not limited to identifying what may become prohibited. It is translating uncertainty into defensible business choices and ensuring the company retains enough flexibility to respond as the rules develop. The companies best positioned to compete will treat compliance as a product-design and sourcing consideration, not as a final legal check before a product enters the EU market.
This interview is part of The Gazette's Special Autumn Report on EU Regulatory Compliance and Strategic Advocacy. We thank Eléonore Mullier and the team at Steptoe LLP for their time and insights.
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