Photo by jasper benning on Unsplash Following his decision to be a candidate in the forthcoming general election campaign in the Netherlands, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans has submitted his resignation as Member of the European Commission. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her gratitude to Executive Vice-President Timmermans for his many years of successful work for the Commission and the…
Photo by David Kristianto on Unsplash The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is travelling to Slovenia this week where she will express her solidarity and witness the destruction caused by the floods that hit the country in the past days. She will also discuss the ways in which the EU can support reconstruction and prevention…
Photo by Jack Sloop on Unsplash The EPP Group says it wants to slash industrial emissions, but wants to “do it together with industry, farmers and SMEs, not against them.” This is the line the EPP Group has taken on the so-called Industry Emissions Directive. “We want less pollution, but more innovation. The new Industry Emissions Directive will…
Photo by Marcus Santos on Unsplash When it comes to their use of cotton, the vast majority of international brands (89%) are “non-transparent, unsustainable and show little progress towards improving labour conditions,”, according to the 2023 Cotton Ranking, published by Solidaridad Europe and the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK). This, it is further alleged, is despite a…
Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash More than 100 environmental, scientific and social organisations have called for an end to “EU derogations that water down CAP environmental measures.” The demand is also backed by EU farmers, trade unions and church groups. They also urge Brussels to keep the EU’s “Farm-to-Fork ambitions of the Green Deal alive.” A broad…
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) has launched two new calls for proposals featuring topics on the environmental impacts of healthcare. These concern addressing the use of animals in research and the generation of synthetic health data for research, among other things. IHI is a partnership between the EU and Europe’s health…
Photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash The European Committee of the Regions’ willingness to participate actively in the UN-led processes for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2024 European Summit of Regions and Cities were the main themes of the meeting between President Vasco Alves Cordeiro and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres. The meeting, in the…
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 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 Adriana Lorena Benavides Estrada on Unsplash The Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium (Classe des Sciences) has announced that it has selected Alain Hubert, Founder and President of the International Polar Foundation one of the two Belgica Medals the body plans to award for the prize. The Belgica Medal is awarded every…
