Photo by Matthew Smith on Unsplash The Swedish Forest Industries Federation (SFIF) has welcomed the EU Parliament’s approval of the proposed Nature Restoration Law. SFIF says this incorporated several important improvements, including deletion the non-deterioration requirement in particular. The Federation also welcomes the vote to approve the proposed draft of the law. This “includes substantial amendments to minimise…
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash Allowing Ukraine to join Nato could end the bitter war with Russia, according to a rights expert. Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights lawyer and Nobel Prize winner, was speaking amid the current debate about Ukraine’s possible Nato membership. The issue was discussed this week at a key Nato summit in Lithuania. Matviichuk, heads the non-profit organisation…
Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash MEPs have voted to drop proposed restrictions on pollution from factory farms. Campaigners says this “sabotages” the European Commission’s efforts to step up environmental and climate action. They also claim the vote follows “pressure by the big agribusiness lobby.” A statement by Compassion in World Farming EU said, “Parliamentarians decided to give all…
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash Operators have extended a special agreement that allows “affordable” phone calls to and from Ukraine. The EU Commission welcomed the twelve-month prolongation of the operators’ agreement allowing displaced refugees from Ukraine to stay connected across borders. The Commission has facilitated the agreement between 22 European and seven Ukrainian operators to prolong…
Photo by Beth Hope on Unsplash The European Union says it welcomes the final report by the UN Group of Experts mandated by the UN Sanctions Committee on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It also says it is “deeply troubled” by some of its findings and supports its recommendations. The EU also welcomes the extension of…
Photo by Joe on Unsplash A new deal between EU institutions could mean “more ammunition” being freed for Ukraine. This comes after negotiators from the European Parliament and the Member States agreed on the initiative to increase the ammunition production capacity of the European defence industry (the so-called ‘ASAP’ package), which will also be to the benefit of…
Photo by Kjartan Einarsson on Unsplash A statement published on 6 July by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide on the planet, reportedly does not pose unacceptable risks for human health, despite independent scientific evidence to the contrary. This statement, according to the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), could constitute a…
Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash A new law will, it is claimed, ensure that EU sanctions are enforced uniformly across member states, with common definitions and dissuasive penalties. On Thursday, MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee of the EU parliament adopted a draft negotiating mandate on violating and circumventing EU sanctions by 36 votes in favour, 2…
Photo by Kevin Woblick on Unsplash June 30 marks the official deadline for EU countries to submit their updated draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to the European Commission. These plans will reveal their new contributions to the EU 2030 climate and energy targets and the policies that lead there. Campaigners say, though, that unless there is…
Photo by Jannik on Unsplash The EU and NATO share a common interest in preventing disruptions to critical infrastructure that provides essential services to citizens and supports their economies. Russia’s war against Ukraine has, says the EU and NATO, brought “new risks, physical and cyber-attacks, often combined as a hybrid threat.” The EU and NATO have now announced…
