EU Environment Policy

Latest news on the environment policies of the European Union.

European Investment Bank increases lending to climate projects — 01 March 2011, 18:54 CET

The European Investment Bank (EIB) increased its lending to projects to help control climate change to €19bn in 2010. This was a 19% increase over the 2009 figure and meant that climate projects accounted for almost a third of total EIB lending.

Carbon capture and storage: EU advancing, but not fast enough — 23 February 2011, 23:26 CET

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is not only essential to meet the EU’s climate objectives; it is also a major business opportunity. So it is welcome that the Commission is serious about promoting this technology. However, the timetable for selecting the projects and awarding the grants makes the 2015 deadline look unlikely to be met.

EU Environment Management Plan 2011 — 23 February 2011, 19:46 CET

In order to implement the European Commission’s work programme, each Commission department sets up its own work programme called the annual management plan. To fulfil its mission DG Environment initiates and defines new environment policy and legislation, promotes integration of environmental concerns into other policy areas, and works to ensure that agreed policy measures are implemented effectively in the EU Member States.

EU 'energy summit' — 09 February 2011, 19:33 CET

The EU summit on 4 February was billed as an energy summit. In fact it occurred during the on-going Eurozone crisis and faster moving events in Egypt, so politicians spent most of the time talking about these issues rather than energy.

Chemicals: CLP legislation, guidance and archives — 08 February 2011, 22:48 CET

The Classification, Labelling & Packaging (CLP) Regulation is the EU commitment to implement the United Nations Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). On 1 December 2010, all chemical substances were due to be classified and labelled according the new system. Compliance for mixtures is due by June 2015.

Delivering energy savings and efficiency - CER Policy Brief — 20 January 2011, 16:53 CET

The EU should not waste its time arguing about whether to make its energy efficiency targets binding. Instead, it should focus on practical steps to improve energy efficiency. In this new CER policy brief Stephen Tindale calls for a strengthening of the EU's so-called 'combined heat and power directive' to ensure that the heat generated when fuel is burnt to generate electricity is also used; for a progressive tightening of EU energy standards for boilers, computers and televisions; and for the introduction of a floor price for carbon in the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS). Tindale also calls for more of the EU budget - and some of the revenues from the auctioning of ETS permits - to be spent on energy efficiency programmes.

EUR 8bn available for energy efficiency in Europe — 20 January 2011, 16:40 CET

Energy efficiency is the quickest and most cost-effective way to create jobs in green industries, improve energy security and reduce emissions. Improving homes also improves the health and happiness of inhabitants. The payback period – the time before the savings are greater than the initial investment – is usually only a few years. However, most governments and individuals are short of money for investment at present. Therefore, it is very surprising that there is substantial money available from the EU for energy efficiency work, which has not been claimed.

New energy labels — 20 December 2010, 15:02 CET

New energy labels for televisions, refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines

The European environment – state and outlook 2010: synthesis — 02 December 2010, 13:38 CET

The SOER 2010 Synthesis provides a set of assessments of the current state of Europe's environment, its likely future state, what is being done and what could be done to improve it, how global megatrends might affect future trends… and more.

UN climate conference in Cancún - guide — 29 November 2010, 23:21 CET

The United Nations climate change conference starting on 29 November in Cancún, Mexico must take a significant step towards establishing a comprehensive and legally binding framework for climate action at global level. In Cancún the European Union will be pressing for agreement on a balanced set of decisions which would pave the way for reaching a legally binding global framework as soon as possible and also lead to immediate climate action on the ground. The EU, the world's leading aid donor, will give a full and transparent report in Cancún on its delivery of 'fast start' funding to support developing countries.

Climate Change Windows - guide — 29 November 2010, 23:15 CET

As the Cancun Climate Change Conference kicks off, the Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs, the Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard and the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle announced today specific climate change "windows" in all EU regional Investment Facilities. These "windows" indicate the financing and enable tracking of all climate change related projects funded by the EU, the European Investment Bank and other European Finance Institutions through these facilities. They encompass both public and private investments in strategic areas like transports, energy, environment, water, sanitation and forests.

Draft EU radioactive waste directive — 18 November 2010, 23:25 CET

The European Commission has now published a draft directive on safety standards for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and research facilities. Part of the Commission’s aim is to build public confidence in nuclear power – in 2009 the EU adopted rules on the safety of operating power plants and on-site storage.

EC fishing opportunities proposal for 2011 - guide — 11 November 2010, 21:27 CET

The European Commission has adopted its fishing opportunities proposal for 2011 setting levels of total allowable catch (TAC) and fishing effort for the Atlantic, the North Sea, and international waters regulated by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation. The proposal is based on scientific advice about the quantities of fish that can be caught sustainably. The Commission has discussed working methods with Member States and stakeholders and has taken into account their advice, while being consistent with the objective of achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2015.

European Commission's new energy strategy — 11 November 2010, 17:12 CET

Yesterday the European Commission presented its proposals for a new energy strategy for the next decade. In Brussels jargon this is known as the Energy Action Plan. The EU is good at plans, less good at action, so the Commission has wisely named this document simply Energy 2020.

Energy 2020 - A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy - Communication — 10 November 2010, 12:59 CET

On 10 November 2010, the European Commission has adopted the Communication "Energy 2020 - A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy". The Communication defines defines the energy priorities for the next ten years and sets the actions to be taken in order to tackle the challenges of saving energy, achieving a market with competitive prizes and secure supplies, boosting technological leadership, and effectively negotiate with our international partners. On the basis of these priorities and the action presented, the Commission will come forward with concrete legislative initiatives and proposals within the next 18 months. This communication also sets the agenda for the discussion by Heads of States and Governments at the very first EU Summit on Energy on 4 February 2011.

Courts block Spanish coal subsidies — 11 November 2010, 17:14 CET

The European Court of Justice has issued a temporary injunction preventing the Spanish government from subsidising the use of domestically produced coal in electricity generation.

EU proposal to ban phosphates in laundry detergents - guide — 04 November 2010, 16:29 CET

The European Commission has proposed to ban the use of phosphates and to limit the content of other phosphorous containing compounds in laundry detergents. The draft Regulation aims to reduce the phosphates found in waste water and to improve water quality. The draft Regulation does not affect detergents for automatic dishwashers or those used by professionals as technically and economically feasible alternatives are not yet available throughout the EU. However, Member States can regulate the phosphate content of these detergents in specific circumstances.

How Clean are Europe's Cars: T&E Car Company CO2 report 2010 — 04 November 2010, 10:30 CET

European carmakers are set to achieve mandatory EU targets for new car CO2 emissions years ahead of time according to a new report published today. One carmaker, Toyota, has almost met its target for the year 2015, six years in advance. The study’s findings suggest that carmakers previously exaggerated the time needed to comply with car CO2 limits. Therefore targets now being discussed for vans should be tightened according to Transport & Environment.

Proposal for a Council Directive on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste — 04 November 2010, 00:37 CET

On 3 November 2010, the European Commission proposed a Directive which sets safety standards for disposing spent fuel and radioactive waste from nuclear power plants as well as from medicine or research. In the Directive, EU Member States are asked to present national programmes, indicating when, where and how they will construct and manage final repositories aimed at guaranteeing the highest safety standards. With the Directive, internationally agreed safety standards become legally binding and enforceable in the European Union.

Safety standards for nuclear waste disposal - guide — 04 November 2010, 00:39 CET

The European Commission has proposed safety standards for disposing spent fuel and radioactive waste from nuclear power plants as well as from medicine or research. In the Directive put forward today, EU Member States are asked to present national programmes, indicating when, where and how they will construct and manage final repositories aimed at guaranteeing the highest safety standards. With the Directive internationally agreed safety standards become legally binding and enforceable in the European Union.

Fish companies — 23 October 2012, 19:04 CET

Fish companies in Europe

Chemicals companies — 16 July 2014, 22:36 CET

Chemicals companies in Europe

Cloning - guide — 19 October 2010, 17:27 CET

The European Commission has announced that it will propose a temporary suspension of animal cloning for food production in the EU. The Commission also plans to suspend temporarily the use of cloned farm animals and the marketing of food from clones. All temporary measures will be reviewed after five years. The establishment of a traceability system for imports of reproductive materials for clones, such as semen and embryos of clones is also envisaged. The system will allow farmers and industry to set up database with the animals that would emerge from these reproductive materials.

How to deliver energy efficiency in the EU — 14 October 2010, 11:10 CET

Using energy more efficiently is the cheapest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also has economic, energy security and employment benefits. In a speech to a conference on EU energy policy on 30 September 2010, energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger identified energy efficiency as his “first priority”. However, EU policy and performance in this area has been disappointing to date.

Illegal logging - guide — 07 October 2010, 00:07 CET

The European Union on 6 October signed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with Cameroon, the largest African exporter of timber products to the EU. By July 2012, all shipments of wood products from Cameroon to the EU will be required to carry a license showing that they contain timber and wood products from a legal origin. This agreement expresses a strong joint commitment to eradicate illegal logging and underpins Cameroon’s ongoing reforms towards good governance of the forest sector and development. European consumers, for their part, will have confidence that wood products, such as furniture, imported from Cameroon are of legal origin.