Brussels, 17 June 2008 - Environmental NGOs are deeply disappointed with today's European Parliament vote on the revised Waste Framework Directive. Parliament accepted a pre-arranged deal that sets inadequate European recycling targets and no target for waste prevention [1].
A number of MEPs made a last-ditch attempt to re-insert the Parliament's original stronger targets [2], but this was defeated. Member States are now expected to ratify this deal which will become law by the end of 2008.
Brussels, 4 June - The debate on recycling and prevention targets in the revision of the EU's main waste directive has now entered a new stage, with a proposed deal at a third informal meeting between the Commission, Slovenian Presidency and a European Parliament delegation on Monday. The deal outlines very low and unenforceable recycling targets, postpones prevention targets and reclassifies some incineration as 'recovery'.
Brussels, 3 June 2008 - The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation in the EU (ALTER-EU) has today written to Commission President Barroso urging him "to intervene and ensure that the Commission's new register for lobbyists will deliver transparency". The appeal by the transparency coalition comes after the Commission's announcement that the long-awaited voluntary register will not include meaningful financial information nor names of lobbyists.
Brussels, 2 June 2008 - Using crops to make biofuels is contributing to the global food crisis and will lead to millions of people going hungry, warn international development and environment groups today. The statement is made in a letter to the European Commission and EU Heads of State urging them to abandon the proposed 10 per cent target for the use of biofuels in transport and to dismantle associated support measures. [1] The call comes a day before a major United Nations conference on food security in Rome.
Brussels, 29 May 2008 - Victims of human rights and environmental abuses by European companies around the world could find justice in European courts under proposals unveiled today at an international conference at the European Parliament. [1]
WHEN: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will open on 3rd June 2008 in Helsinki.
WHAT: The task of the European Chemicals Agency is to assure the implementation of REACH, the EU chemicals regulation that entered into force on 1st June 2007 after 8 years of fierce debate.
Brussels, 27 May 2008 - Commenting on today's second reading vote by MEPs on amendments to plans to include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), Friends of the Earth Europe transport campaigner Richard Dyer said:
Brussels, 26 May 2008 - The Environment Committee of the European Parliament will vote tomorrow (Tuesday 27 May) on amendments to plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions from aviation under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Friends of the Earth is calling on MEPs to back tough EU action on climate change by voting to strengthen rules for airlines operating in the scheme so that they:
Brussels / Prague, 22 May 2008 - Friends of the Earth Europe and Greenpeace, the only environmental organisations represented in the European Nuclear Energy Forum, have sent a letter [1] to European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to express their concern about the industry biased Forum. The two organisations have asked the Commissioner to call for the withdrawal of the working group reports on 'Risks' and 'Opportunities', which they deem unsatisfactory, and to counteract the Forum's industry bias by insisting on balanced civil society participation.
Brussels (Belgium) / Montevideo (Uruguay), 19 May 2008 - Many major European banks are funding the rapid expansion of agrofuel production in Latin America, leading to large scale deforestation, increasing human rights abuses and threatening food sovereignty, according to a new report released today. [1]
The report - released by Friends of the Earth Europe amid global worries about the increasing impacts of rising food prices - calls for an end to investments by European banks in harmful agrofuel projects. [2]