Tag: EEA

Norway is failing to live up to its obligations as a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), including imposing extra taxes on EU products and not implementing more than 400 directives, according to an EU report to be published later this year.

Tapping the €430-billion Norway pension fund, made up of revenues from the country's gas and oil exports, to boost EU bailout mechanisms is a "non issue" because the fund has a different purpose, Norway's Ambassador to the EU Atle Leikvoll told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

Recent talks between Swiss President Doris Leuthard and European Union leaders have triggered a media debate over Switzerland's relations with the 27-member bloc, the Swiss press writes.

EU member states have made progress in cutting their greenhouse gas emissions to be on course to meet their Kyoto targets, according to data released for 2006. But the Commission is particularly concerned about emissions rises in the new member states.

Major business players in the road transport sector have set out their long-term objectives for sustainable mobility as global demand for cars continues to soar.

A multi-stakeholder forum has made fresh proposals for sustainable development in the Baltic region. Warning signals and critical trends still need to be addressed, it said.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn explains the outlines of his project for a 'sustainable Europe' in an exclusive interview with EurActiv.

In a Green Week debate organised by Friends of Europe, participants assessed the key elements of the EU's 'Green strategy' in light of the Union's recent enlargement by ten new Member States.

The EU should lead the shift to environmentally friendly technologies and deliver on sustainable development, says Monica Frassoni, President of the European Greens in an exclusive interview with EurActiv.

In a 'Green Week' debate, the Commission made the business case for sustainable development but admitted it had some way to go before fully integrating competitiveness into environmental policy.

The Commission's annual event on the environment - Green Week - will attempt to reconcile the EU's commitments to a greener, more sustainable economy with its competitiveness targets.

An EU offer to make concessions in WTO trade negotiations, notably on agriculture, has received a warm welcome by members in developed countries.

"Shows Promise: But Must Try Harder", the report by the UK's Sustainable Development Commission, calls for a halt on economic growth as the sole driving force behind policy decisions.

This paper by CSR Europe presents a range of initiatives whose aim is to make CSR and Sustainable Development part of mainstream training and education.

The Environment Council of 2 March has defined its wishlist for the Spring Summit's discussion on the Lisbon agenda.

Fair sharing of the benefits deriving from the exploitation of the genetic wealth of plants and animals will be the most contentious issue at the seventh international conference on biodiversity (COP7).

In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, Björn Stigson WBCSD President said: "Companies that engage in voluntary actions rarely fail to comply. The laggards are usually not found in this category."

Rising consumption patterns are unsustainable and damaging to both poor and rich countries, says the yearly report by the Worldwatch Institute.

The 'green diplomacy network' aims to rally the world to the EU positions on protection of the environment and sustainable development.

On 27 October, the Environment Council reached a political agreement limiting the emissions of volatile organic compounds in paints, varnishes and vehicle refinishing products.

This paper analyses the implications of governance of sustainable development for the corporate sector.

Environmental groups are worried that the Italian Presidency will be too lenient on environmental policies. In the presentation of its programme, the Italian Presidency announced that it will focus its work on the integration of the environment into economic development strategies, the adoption of sustainability indicators and the monitoring of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

EU Environment ministers insisted on the inclusion in the Constitutional Treaty of sustainable development as one of the central objectives of the Union during their informal Summit on 2-3 May.

"Sustainable development and principles of environmental protection must be clearly enshrined in the constitutional principles of the EU," says UNEP Executive Director, Dr. Klaus Töpfer.