EU Environment Policy

Latest news on the environment policies of the European Union.

EU tightens labelling requirements for chemicals sold online — 06 December 2023, 00:06 CET

The European Parliament and EU Council reached a provisional agreement Tuesday on an updating of a regulation for the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals sold online.

New ecodesign rules make sustainable products the norm — 06 December 2023, 21:54 CET

The European Parliament and EU Council struck a deal Tuesday on an update to the Ecodesign Regulation, which establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products.

COP28: EUR 175m to reduce EU methane emissions — 05 December 2023, 19:12 CET

At the COP28 climate change conference Commission president von der Leyen presented Saturday the first-ever EU law to curb methane emissions in the energy sector, announcing EUR175m to reduce methane emissions.

Greenhouse gases in EU down 3.6 tonnes per employed person in a decade — 04 December 2023, 21:51 CET

Greenhouse gas emissions from the EU economy per employed person decreased by 26 per cent or 3.6 tonnes over the last decade, according to figures from EU statistics agency Eurostat Monday.

MEPs reach deal with EU Council to reduce industrial emissions — 29 November 2023, 22:17 CET

Negotiators from the EU Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement late Tuesday on strengthening the current provisions for emissions from industry and large intensive rearing farms.

EU agrees deal on gas market reform — 29 November 2023, 22:57 CET

MEPs and the EU's Spanish Presidency agreed Tuesday provisional plans to facilitate the uptake of renewable and low-carbon gases, including hydrogen, into the EU gas market.

EU shifts CAP towards sustainable farming model — 23 November 2023, 17:49 CET

Strategic plans under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are supporting farmers in their transition towards a more sustainable farming model, according to a Commission report Thursday.

EU shifts CAP towards sustainable farming model — 27 November 2023, 22:09 CET

Strategic plans under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are supporting farmers in their transition towards a more sustainable farming model, according to a Commission report Thursday.

Brussels issues EUR 4bn call for net-zero proposals under EU innovation fund — 27 November 2023, 22:19 CET

The European Commission opened the EU Innovation Fund's 2023 call for proposals Thursday with a budget of EUR 4 billion to support the deployment of innovative decarbonisation technologies.

Launch of the Innovation Fund 2023 Call for Projects - guide — 23 November 2023, 17:20 CET

The European Commission on 23 November opened the Innovation Fund's 2023 call for proposals with a record budget of EUR 4 billion to support the deployment of innovative decarbonisation technologies.

2022 second-worst year for wildfires: JRC report — 22 November 2023, 23:49 CET

Nearly 900,000 ha of land were lost to wildfires in the EU in 2022 - roughly the size of Corsica - according to a new report published Wednesday by the Eureopean Commission's Joint Research Centre.

New EU monitoring framework to protect health of Europe's forests — 23 November 2023, 17:23 CET

The European Commission proposed Wednesday a Forest Monitoring Law to help EU states and forest owners improve their response to growing pressures on forests and strengthen forest resilience.

Forest Monitoring Law - guide — 22 November 2023, 22:54 CET

The European Commission proposing on 22 November a Forest Monitoring Law that will plug existing gaps in the information on European forests and create a comprehensive forest knowledge base, to allow Member States, forest owners and forest managers to improve their response to growing pressures on forests and strengthen forest resilience.

MEPs vote to extend life of consumer products — 22 November 2023, 23:55 CET

The European Parliament adopted rules Tuesday to encourage more sustainable consumption, reduce the environmental impact of mass consumption and strengthen consumers' right to repair.

Deal reached on stricter EU rules for waste shipments — 17 November 2023, 16:54 CET

The EU Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement Friday to update the regulation on shipments of waste, with the aim of reducing shipments of problematic waste to outside the EU.

Renewal of the approval of glyphosate - guide — 16 November 2023, 23:14 CET

EU Member States on 16 November did not reach the required qualified majority to renew or reject the approval of glyphosate during a vote at the Appeal Committee. In line with EU legislation and in the absence of the required majority in either direction, the Commission is now obliged to adopt a decision before 15 December 2023 when the current approval period expires.

EU to strengthen criminal law response to environment crimes — 16 November 2023, 20:49 CET

EU Parliament and Council negotiators reached a provisional agreement Thursday on an update of EU environmental crimes and sanctions rules to strengthen ecosystem protection.

EU reaches deal on rules to cut methane emissions in energy sector — 15 November 2023, 19:33 CET

The EU Council and Parliament reached a provisional political agreement Wednesday on a regulation on tracking and reducing methane emissions in the energy sector.

Green light for revised EU fishing control rules to combat overfishing — 13 November 2023, 21:57 CET

The EU Council gave its final green light Monday to a revised fisheries control system, with a view to modernising the way fishing is controlled, and ensuring the prevention of overfishing in EU waters.

EU Parliament and Council agree Nature Restoration Law — 13 November 2023, 22:01 CET

The European Parliament and Member States agreed Thursday to set a target for the EU to restore at least 20 per cent of its land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.

MEPs support new Euro 7 rules to cut down pollutant emissions — 10 November 2023, 18:17 CET

The European Parliament signalled its readiness Thursday to start talks with EU governments on new rules to reduce road transport emissions for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks.

EU fisheries ministers reach deal on Baltic Sea catch limits for 2024 — 24 October 2023, 23:51 CET

European fisheries ministers reached a political agreement Tuesday on Baltic Sea catch limits for the year 2024 for the most commercially significant fish stocks.

MEPs want drastic cut in use of chemical pesticides — 24 October 2023, 23:32 CET

A European Parliament committee voted Tuesday to ensure sustainable pesticides use and reduce the use and risk of all chemical pesticides by at least 50 per cent by 2030.

Brussels plans big boost for Europe's wind power industry — 24 October 2023, 23:26 CET

The European Commission presented a European Wind Power Action Plan Tuesday to help the industry reach the agreed EU target of at least 42.5 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

European Wind Power Package - guide — 24 October 2023, 23:23 CET

The European Commission presented on 24 October a European Wind Power Action Plan to ensure that the clean energy transition goes hand-in-hand with industrial competitiveness and that wind power continues to be a European success story.