EU Environment Policy

Latest business news about the Environment Policy of the European Union

Car pollution targets unworkable: EU Commissioner — 12 May 2008, 00:59 CET

EU Industry Commissioner Guenther Verheugen said on Sunday that a European Union deadline to cut carbon dioxide emissions from new cars by 2012 was unrealistic.

Patent forum asks how IPRs can help solve climate problem — 10 May 2008, 00:55 CET

How can intellectual property rights (IPRs) be used to promote the development of the clean technologies needed to tackle climate change? This was the question on everybody's lips at the European Patent Forum, which was held on 6 and 7 May in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana.

EU still far from agreeing biofuel standards — 07 May 2008, 22:41 CET

The European Union remains far from agreeing on how to tighten its rules for using biofuels, amid growing opposition towards such forms of energy.

EU delays ruling on GM products — 07 May 2008, 19:28 CET

The Commission has ordered more tests on whether several genetically modified products should be allowed in Europe, putting back a decision on whether to give approval.

Biofuels answer to climate change, say UN, EU officials — 06 May 2008, 17:27 CET

Biofuels must be developed more selectively to prevent competition with food-related crops, but they are still an answer to climate change, United Nations and European Union officials said on Tuesday.

EU sues Italy over Naples rubbish crisis — 06 May 2008, 17:35 CET

The Commission sued Italy on Tuesday before an EU court for failing to tackle a rubbish crisis around the Italian city of Naples, hoping to force Rome to take more urgent action.

EU eyes pollution tolls for truckers — 06 May 2008, 17:24 CET

Europe's truckers would have to pay for the pollution, traffic jams and noise they cause if the European Commission gets its way.

European Chemicals Bureau - guide — 02 May 2008, 00:10 CET

Latest news, background information and web links about the European Union's chemicals policy

European Chemicals Bureau - guide — 02 May 2008, 00:08 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

A flight glitch: how Asian birds make their way to Europe — 30 April 2008, 00:08 CET

Many species of birds migrate to other parts of the world to find food or a safe place to breed. However, some species of birds get lost on their way. According to a study by a team of researchers from Germany's University of Marburg, the Ornithological Society in Bavaria, and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), birds stray because of an error in their genetic migratory programme. The findings are published in the Journal of Ornithology.

New chapter opens in EU-China Climate Change Partnership — 29 April 2008, 23:57 CET

'Today, there's virtually no doubt that human-induced climate change is a fact.' It was with these words that the European Science Commissioner Janez Potocnik began his speech at the recent Forum on Climate Change and Science & Technology Innovation in Beijing.

EU set to sue Italy over Naples rubbish crisis — 29 April 2008, 22:21 CET

The European Commission is poised to sue Italy before an EU court for failing to resolve a rubbish collection crisis in the Naples region, an EU source said on Tuesday.

EU-bound sunflower oil 'deliberately' contaminated — 29 April 2008, 14:44 CET

Some 40,000 tonnes of Ukrainian sunflower oil headed for shops in the EU was deliberately contaminated with mineral oil, an EC expert says.

The Birds Directive — 25 April 2008, 17:01 CET

Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds, commonly referred to as the Birds Directive, is the European Union’s oldest piece of nature legislation and one of the most important, creating a comprehensive scheme of protection for all wild bird species naturally occurring in the EU.

EU seeks to ban 'inhumane' seal imports — 25 April 2008, 19:08 CET

The European Commission is to seek to ban the import of "inhumane" seal products, though animal rights groups fear the move may not prevent the annual cull in Canada.

EU hails court ban on spring migratory bird hunt in Malta — 28 April 2008, 18:12 CET

The European Commission on Friday hailed a European Court of Justice ban on the spring hunting of quails and turtle doves in Malta.

Nuclear waste storage inaugurated in Chernobyl — 23 April 2008, 23:43 CET

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko Wednesday inaugurated a nuclear waste storage and processing centre in the contaminated zone around the Chernobyl nuclear station ahead of the catastrophe's 22nd anniversary, his press service said.

Germany backs EU biofuels targets — 23 April 2008, 18:22 CET

Germany does not want to change the EU's goal of boosting the use of biofuels in cars, a senior official said Wednesday, despite criticism that this may further fuel the global rise in food prices.

Hopes for German-French car emissions accord by June — 23 April 2008, 13:08 CET

France and Germany are close to an agreement on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars, as part of broader EU goals to cut down on greenhouse gases.

Japan, EU leaders call for 'highly ambitious' climate goals — 23 April 2008, 12:58 CET

Leaders of Japan and the European Union called Wednesday for "highly ambitious and binding" global targets to fight climate change, seeking a breakthrough at July's Group of Eight summit.

EU's upcoming troika underline climate change challenges — 22 April 2008, 14:31 CET

France, the Czech Republic and Sweden pledged on Tuesday to make real progress on combatting global warming during their successive EU presidencies and pave the way for a worldwide deal to fight climate change.

Porsche could meet EU emissions with VW takeover — 22 April 2008, 23:13 CET

The modest VW Polo could enable German luxury sports car maker Porsche to meet EU CO2 emissions targets, the EU industry Commissioner said in an interview on Tuesday.

Bulgaria asks double compensation for reactors' closure — 20 April 2008, 22:21 CET

Bulgaria has asked the Commission to double compensation funds for its closure of four reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, says Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov.

EU funds multi-nation forest firefighting exercise in Sardinia — 20 April 2008, 22:35 CET

Firefighters from five southern European nations battled with language barriers as well as flames during EU-funded joint exercises this weekend.

EU Commissioner warns Greece on illegal landfills — 21 April 2008, 13:20 CET

Time is running out for Greece to close hundreds of illegal landfills as ordered by the European Court of Justice, the EU environment commissioner said in an interview.