European Union

The government is investing in clean energy, in addition to gas and LNG, to become energy independent and become the energy hub of Europe.

The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and Greenpeace claim the government has failed to reach its carbon neutrality target and will be taking the issue to the Supreme Administrative Court.

Over half of the Dutch public are not positive about EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, according to a new report which also lays bare a fundamental lack of knowledge on accession criteria. 

Universities need to stop actively recruiting international students, the House of Representatives said on Tuesday due to the strain it has on resources. According to the House of Representatives, the number of students coming in is now affecting the amount...

The European Commission sent letters of formal notice to Belgium for failing to transpose various environmental and transport directives into national law on time.

A proposal to train Ukrainian soldiers in the Czech Republic and to deploy Czech soldiers in member states to train Ukrainian soldiers there was approved by Czech lawmakers on Tuesday. “The priority is to help train Ukrainian soldiers to fight...

The five-party government of social democrats, the Centre Party, the Greens, the Left Alliance, and the Swedish People’s Party was hit by the worst crisis of its tenure on Tuesday, now risking collapse. The government has moved from one argument...

Newly re-elected Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in France on Tuesday after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday amid Europe’s energy crisis. Tokayev arrived in France for a two-day visit to discuss...

Nearly 20% of the hotels along the Southern Black Sea coast are ready to evict Ukrainian refugees from 1 December if the state does not resume funding refugees’ meals. In mid-November, Bulgaria stopped funding food for refugees, which led to...

Inflation is boring a hole in the budgets of EU states’ COVID recovery plans, with delayed implementation compounded by increasingly louder voices calling for fresh cash to battle rising costs while new administrations question previous commitments. An EU spokesperson told...

Half of the world's democracies are in a state of decline amid worsening civil liberties and rule of law while already authoritarian governments are becoming more oppressive, an intergovernmental watchdog group said on Wednesday (30 November).

Ahead of Thursday’s (1 December) meeting of EU industry ministers, the fight over whether to include the financial sector in the scope of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is still ongoing.

NATO allies promised more arms for Kyiv and equipment to help restore Ukrainian power and heat knocked out by Russian strikes, as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow's forces were attempting to advance in multiple regions.

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday asked for air defence systems and generators, as Russia has been pounding Ukraine's vital energy infrastructure.

Victims of the widening spyware scandal in Spain are demanding justice and reparations, following the revelations that journalists, lawyers, civil society and politicians had been targeted.

Written by Vivienne Halleux (1st edition).

Under the farm to fork strategy, part of the European Green Deal, the EU has set itself a double target: a 50 % reduction in the overall use of and risk from chemical plant protection products, and a 50 % reduction in the use of more hazardous ones by 2030. The proposal for a regulation tabled by the European Commission on 22 June 2022, which would replace the 2009 sustainable use directive, would require Member States to contribute collectively to achieving these EU-wide targets through the adoption and attainment of binding national targets. To protect biodiversity and citizens’ health, the use of all plant protection products would be banned in specific, sensitive areas. Monitoring and reporting obligations would be strengthened.

Stakeholders are strongly divided on the proposal. While environmental organisations are pushing for more ambition, the farming community is concerned about the lack of alternatives for farmers, the broad coverage of sensitive areas, and consequences for business continuity. Indicators used to track progress towards the targets are also subject to criticisms from various sides.

In Parliament, the proposal has been referred to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). In the Council, work is ongoing at working party level.

Versions

• November 2022: Sustainable use of plant protection products (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sustainable use of plant protection products and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 Committee responsible:Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)COM(2022) 305
22.6.2022Rapporteur:Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA, Austria)2022/0196(COD)Shadow rapporteurs:Alexander Bernhuber (EPP, Austria)
Maria Arena (S&D, Belgium)
Jan Huitema (Renew, the Netherlands)
Anja Hazekamp (The Left, the Netherlands)Ordinary legislative procedure (COD)
(Parliament and Council on equal footing
– formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Publication of draft report

As the current leading financial market in the EU, France has a particular responsibility to uphold the values of sustainable investment and not cave to the financial lobby, argue Richard Gardiner and Flora Rencz.

Let us be clear, Qatar is not a democracy, it is a conservative Muslim country that does not give foreign workers the rights and protection these workers deserve.

On 2 December, EU institutions will present to citizens who participated in European and national panels and events their follow-up on the Conference and its proposals.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

On 2 December, EU institutions will present to citizens who participated in European and national panels and events their follow-up on the Conference and its proposals.

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP