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EU Environment Policy

Latest news on the environment policies of the European Union.

Deep-sea fishing below 800 metres to be banned under outline deal 30 June 2016, 23:40 CET
MEPs and ministers struck a deal Thursday to ban fishing in the North-East Atlantic below a depth of 800 meters. The ban applies to bottom trawling and restricts deep-sea fishing to where it took place between 2009 and 2011.

EU agrees outline position on external fishing fleets 01 July 2016, 12:24 CET
EU states reached a compromise deal Tuesday on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets, aiming to modernise the management of authorisations granted to EU vessels to fish outside EU waters.

Red alert for nature and environment following leave vote 24 June 2016, 23:59 CET
The environment must be at the heart of our exit negotiations with Europe and how we plan our future as a country – says Friends of the Earth, as the environmental campaign group warns that with the referendum over, the difficult debates are now just beginning.

EU sends 'clear message' on climate change 21 June 2016, 16:56 CET
EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg sent out a 'clear message' of commitment to ratifying the Paris agreement on climate change and working for effective implementation of the deal as soon as possible.

EU environment agency calls for noise protection 16 June 2016, 23:26 CET
Protecting areas not affected by noise can bring significant environmental and health benefits, according to a report published Thursday by the EU environment agency.

Finally, EU sets out scientific criteria for endocrine disruptors 15 June 2016, 17:14 CET
The European Commission presented Wednesday - two years after they were due - its science-based criteria to identify endocrine disruptors in the field of plant protection products and biocides.

EU states breaching National Emission Ceilings Directive limits 10 June 2016, 17:42 CET
Ten EU Member States continue to emit air pollution from sources such as transport and agriculture above legal limits according to new data from the European Environment Agency (EEA).

EU looks for speedy ratification of Paris climate deal 13 June 2016, 12:39 CET
The EU Commission presented a proposal Friday for the European Union's quick ratification of the Paris Agreement - the world's first universal, legally binding deal to tackle climate change.

North Seas countries to cooperate on wind energy 07 June 2016, 16:46 CET
Nine countries from the North Seas region agreed Monday to strengthen cooperation on energy, with a view to exploiting in particular the potential of the North Sea as an area for wind farms.

Global clampdown on unregulated fishing 06 June 2016, 17:59 CET
A ground-breaking international treaty to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing - blamed for destroying global fish stocks - came into force at European and at global level Sunday.

Glyphosate factsheet 02 June 2016, 01:20 CET
The Commission has called for a 'limited extension' of the current authorisation of glyphosate, an active substance used for the production of pesticides, until the European Chemical Agency gives its scientific assessment on the substance.

Brussels looks for short-term glyphosate extension 02 June 2016, 01:09 CET
The European Commission called Wednesday for the EU Plants Animals Food and Feed Committee to meet on June 6 to discuss a limited extension of the authorisation of the herbicide glyphosate.

EU pilot scheme to break regulatory barriers to innovation 27 May 2016, 11:43 CET
The European Commission issued calls for expressions of interest on Thursday from projects contributing to EU plans on the circular economy, in a pilot scheme to break down regulatory barriers to innovation.

High standards for Europe's bathing water 26 May 2016, 16:43 CET
Forty years after the first Bathing Water Directive was introduced, the EU's annual bathing water report show the standards of Europe's bathing water continuing to improve.

European bathing water quality in 2015 26 May 2016, 00:34 CET
Every summer, European holiday resorts fill up with tourists eager to enjoy the warmer weather and the beautiful natural surroundings of this diverse continent. For many, the summer vacation is synonymous with swimming in the sea or in a lake, so it is natural that water quality is an important factor in choosing a destination. To help citizens make informed choices, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission publish the annual European bathing water quality report. The information contained in this edition - which covers bathing water quality in 2015 in the EU Member States, Albania and Switzerland - indicates where good quality bathing water is likely to be found in 2016.

EU again delays decision on glyphosate renewal 20 May 2016, 17:32 CET
The European Commission again postponed a vote on whether to renew the licence for the controversial herbicide glyphosate on Thursday, despite a WHO warning about a link to cancer.

Better protection against cancer-causing chemicals 'could save 100,000 lives' 13 May 2016, 15:46 CET
New EU rules to limit exposure to 13 cancer-causing chemicals at the workplace could save 100,000 lives in the next 50 years, says Employment Commissioner Marianne Thyssen.

Censure for EU Commission over endocrine disruptors 13 May 2016, 00:11 CET
Euro-MPs signed a motion of censure on the European Commission Thursday for failing to comply with its legal obligation to publish scientific criteria for defining endocrine disruptors.

German 2012 energy law involved state aid: EU Court 10 May 2016, 16:44 CET
The European Court of Justice's General Court confirmed Tuesday that a 2012 German law on renewable energy involved State aid, dismissing Germany's action against the Commission.

EU CO2 emissions from energy use edge up in 2015 04 May 2016, 01:06 CET
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion increased by 0.7% in the European Union in 2015 compared with the previous year, according to figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.

EU policy for the Arctic unveiled 28 April 2016, 15:58 CET
The EU set out Wednesday a strategy for integrating policies on the Arctic region, focusing on climate change, environmental protection, sustainable development and international cooperation.

'Historic day for climate action': EU signs Paris climate deal 24 April 2016, 00:23 CET
The EU signed the global Paris climate agreement in a high-level ceremony in New York Friday. The agreement was concluded in December 2015 at the UN climate change conference in Paris.

EU issues country warnings against illegal fishing 24 April 2016, 00:27 CET
The European Union issued new warnings on illegal fishing to Kiribati, Sierra Leone and Trinidad and Tobago Thursday. At the same time, it lifted its red card against Sri Lanka.

MEPs back restrictions on glyphosate herbicide 14 April 2016, 17:30 CET
Members of the European Parliament called Wednesday for a ban on all uses of glyphosate-based herbicides in private and public green areas, including spraying in and around public parks, playgrounds and gardens.

Circular economy: New Regulation to boost use of organic and waste-based fertilisers 17 March 2016, 13:36 CET
The European Commission presented on 17 March the first deliverable of the Circular Economy Package with new rules on organic and waste-based fertilisers in the EU.