The EU has decided to prolong the sanctions targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months until 15 March 2022. The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available…
Year: 2021
EP Approves Farm to Fork Strategy
The Agriculture and Environment committees of the European Parliament have voted to approve the report on the Farm to Fork Strategy, against the will of the ECR Group. Speaking after the vote, the ECR shadow rapporteurs, MEPs Mazaly Aguilar and Hermann Tertsch, said that the Farm to Fork Strategy “lacks the ambition to provide farmers with solutions and a clear vision…
Croatia Prepares for Membership of the Euro Zone
The European Commission and euro area Member States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Croatia outlining the practical steps that will allow the country to begin producing euro coins when it receives the go ahead to join the euro area. This represents an important milestone in Croatia’s efforts to join the euro area….
Czech and Ireland’s Recovery and Resilience Plans
EU economy and finance ministers have welcomed the assessment of the Czech and Irish recovery and resilience plans. Council implementing decisions on the approval of the two plans will be adopted by written procedure shortly after today’s ministers’ video conference. The adoption of the decisions will allow these countries to start implementing reforms and investments outlined…
“Meat Atlas” Exposes Damage Caused by Industrial Livestock Farming
Industrial animal farming is increasingly damaging the climate and biodiversity, according to the ‘Meat Atlas’ just released by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and Friends of the Earth Europe. The livestock industry is responsible for up to 21% of global greenhouse-gas emissions/ This figure is likely to escalate if the global meat and dairy consumption trends continue. The Meat Atlas…
Industry Alliance Develops Initiative to Tackle Microplastics
A sector alliance that was formed to tackle issues relating to microplastics has completed the next phase of its project to develop a harmonised industry standard for the supply chain. The Cross Industry Agreement (CIA) has revealed the results of a fibre fragmentation trial that has been carried out in advance of establishing a CEN…
European Parliament After the Pandemic
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, has issued the following public statement. “Today I gathered all the Members who participated in the reflection on the future of the European Parliament and European parliamentary democracy after the pandemic.” “I received the recommendations from the working groups, which have spent three months discussing the Parliament of…
70% of the Population in Lebanon have Fallen into Poverty
Following a three-day fact-finding mission to Beirut, the S&D delegation, led by Vice-President Pedro Marques, and composed of MEPs Isabel Santos, Tonino Picula, Evin Incir and Nora Mebarek, have announced that the Socialists and Democrats will request an urgent debate in the next plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg to discuss the dreadful situation…
Climate Action Network Calls for Postponement of COP26
Climate Action Network (CAN), a global network of more than 1500 civil society organisations in over 130 countries working together to fight the climate emergency, has called for the UN climate talks – COP26 – to be postponed. The conference is set to take place in early November. With just two months to go, it…
Commission Seeks Penalties against Poland for Failure to Protect Judicial Independence
The European Commission has taken two separate decisions, both related to decisions of the Court of Justice and where the actions of the Polish authorities continue to undermine the functioning of the Polish justice system. First, the Commission decided to request the Court of Justice to impose financial penalties on Poland to ensure compliance with…