In 2022, land roughly the size of Corsica was scorched by wildfires in the EU, according to the latest JRC report on fires in the pan-European region. It’s a third year in a row that unprecedented wildfire events cause large environmental and economic damage in the EU and, often, tragic loss of life. While most […]
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Repair rather than buy: New European legislation to promote repair of products and devices
Parliament adopted its negotiating position on new measures to strengthen the right to repair and reduce the environmental impact of mass consumption. On last Tuesday, Parliament adopted its position on a stronger “right to repair” for consumers, with 590 votes in favour, 15 against, and 15 abstentions. The proposal aims to encourage more sustainable consumption, […]
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First EU-Angola agreement on sustainable investment facilitation
The EU and Angola has signed a Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA), the first EU agreement of its kind, during the EU-Angola Business Forum in Luanda. It responds to Angola’s ambition to diversify its economy beyond the oil and gas sectors, which historically attracted most foreign investment. The agreement, with its commitments to improve business […]
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Council and Parliament reach agreement on updating Waste Shipment Regulation
The revision of the regulation aims to reduce shipments of problematic waste to outside the EU, update shipment procedures to reflect the objectives of the circular economy and improve enforcement. It sets procedures and control regimes to ensure that international shipments of waste do not pose a threat to human health and the environment, and […]
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Member States fail to reach qualified majority to renew or refuse glyphosate approval
Following an earlier vote in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 13 October, in which member states also failed to reach the majority needed to renew or reject the proposal, the European Commission has now decided to propose that the proposal should be rejected. Member States did not reach the required […]
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European Commission funds 171 new LIFE environment and climate projects
The European Commission has today approved 171 new projects across Europe under the LIFE Programme for environment and climate action, worth more than €396 million. Thanks to the programme’s co-funding requirements, it will mobilise a total investment of more than €722 million, which represents a 28,5 % increase compared to last year. Projects from almost all EU countries will benefit from […]
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Civil protection: Council adopts decision to fund fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters
The Council agreed to the extension, until the end of 2027, of a transitional measure which will allow member states to continue to benefit from EU financing to lease firefighting planes and helicopters, until a future, permanent EU firefighting fleet becomes operational. “The fight against the effects of climate change and forest fires must be […]
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Council and Parliament agree new rules to restore and preserve nature in the EU
The Council presidency and European Parliament representatives reached a provisional political agreement on a regulation on nature restoration. The proposal aims to put measures in place to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. It sets specific, legally binding targets […]
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Commission adopts new proposal on combining transport modes for more sustainable freight
The proposal on combined transport aims to make freight transport more sustainable by improving the competitiveness of intermodal freight – the transportation of goods using two or more transport modes – vis-à-vis road-only transport. The proposal updates the current Combined Transport Directive and completes the Greening Freight Package, the bulk of which was adopted in July 2023. The package will […]
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