At the Our Ocean Conference in Panama, the EU is confirming its strong engagement for international ocean governance by announcing 39 commitments for action for the year 2023. These actions will be funded by €816.5 million. This is one of the biggest amounts ever announced by the EU since the start of the Our Ocean […]
Read MoreProvisional agreement reached on European green bonds
The new regulation aims to prevent greenwashing in the bonds market. Issuers of bonds will be able to demonstrate that they are funding green projects aligned with the EU taxonomy, whilst investors will be able to identify high-quality green bonds more easily. The EU is taking further steps to implement its strategy on financing sustainable […]
Read MoreUsed textiles in Europe are a growing waste and export problem
Discarded textiles in Europe, including used clothing and footwear, are an increasing waste and export problem. Rapidly increasing EU exports of used textiles — some of which is reused and some of which ends up in landfills — show that Europe faces a challenge in how to handle its own used textiles, according to a […]
Read MoreRoad safety: Updated requirements for driving licences
The Commission has presented proposals to modernise driving licence rules, including the introduction of a digital driving licence valid throughout the EU, and new provisions to facilitate the enforcement of traffic rules across borders. More than 20,000 lives were lost on EU roads last year and the majority of victims were pedestrians, cyclists and users […]
Read MoreEIB lends Zunder €40 million to accelerate the electrification of transport in Spain
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Zunder, an operator of independent electric vehicle (EV) ultrafast charging infrastructure in Spain, have signed a EUR 40 million loan to finance the installation of a network of fast and ultrafast chargers along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in Spain. The project complies with the EU’s sustainable transport and […]
Read MoreEuropean Parliament approves end of combustion cars by 2035
On Tuesday, Parliament set new targets for reducing CO2 emissions for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, which is part of the “Target 55” package of measures. The European Parliament voted by 340 in favour, 279 against with 21 abstentions to approve a deal with the Council that will revise CO2 standards for new […]
Read MoreEuropean Commission proposes tougher CO2 emission standards for trucks and buses
The European Commission has presented ambitious new CO2 emission targets for new heavy duty vehicles from 2030. These targets will help reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector, as trucks, city buses and long-distance buses generate more than 6% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and more than 25% of greenhouse gas emissions […]
Read MoreElectricity from renewable sources increased by 5% in the EU in 2021
In absolute terms, the production of electricity from renewable energy sources increased by almost 5% from 2020 to 2021. However, also gross electricity consumption increased mainly due to economic recovery after lifting COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, the share of renewable energy sources in gross electricity consumption in the EU only increased by 0.1 percentage points (pp), from 37.4% in 2020 to […]
Read MoreEU-funded project unveils first commercial solar electric car that charges itself
Imagine a car you can drive for months without worrying about refuelling. It promises the Lightyear One, a sleek five-seater electric saloon powered by solar panels that uses very little energy. The EU-funded LIGHTYEAR project has launched the first commercially available self-recharging solar car. The project is part of the new CORDIS video series “Make […]
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