Hannah Black

No quick and easy fix to food price issue, EU official admits
There will be no easy solution to high food prices in Europe unless the supply chain is made transparent and farmers get organised to take a bigger slice of the market, a European Commission official has warned.
Taxi industry launches alliance to compete with Uber
MEPs and stakeholders yesterday (26 April) launched an organisation aiming to protect the rights of taxi drivers and improve competition against “social platforms” like US ride-hailing service Uber.
Study: Biking to work lowers risks of cancer and heart disease
Riding a bicycle to work reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, according to a new UK study carried out by Glasgow researchers.
Commission: The future relies on boosting ‘Smart Villages’
In an effort to revitalise rural communities and make them more attractive and sustainable, together with MEPs, the European Commission on Tuesday (11 April) launched an EU action called “Smart Villages”.
Parliament calls for mandatory EU-wide food waste targets by 2020
EU lawmakers today (11 April) urged the European Commission to set binding EU-wide food waste reduction targets by 2020, to be met by 2025 and 2030.
World’s first IVF baby addresses infertility
Louise Brown was the first person born through IVF (in-vitro fertilisation). Brown was the keynote speaker on Tuesday (28 March) at the launch event for the European Policy Audit on Fertility.
Commission calms Trump by clearing major agro-chemical merger
The European Commission approved on Monday (27 March) the proposed $130 billion merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont. But the decision triggered a strong reaction from environmentalists, who believe that such mergers lead to “major monopolies”.
Pharma boss: Some EU countries effectively delay market entry of generics
The harmonisation of different regulatory environments in the EU member states will help generic drugs enter the market, resulting in reduced prices for medicine and better patient access, Jacek Glinka told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
EU sees ‘strategic advantage’ of biofuels in aviation
In sectors like aviation where decarbonisation options are limited, there is a strategic advantage in encouraging the use of biofuels, a European Commission official has said.
Carcinogens found in British baby food and Belgian fries
Two new surveys have found high levels of acrylamide, a known carcinogen, in UK-made baby biscuits and Belgium's favourite fast food.
Commission launches reference networks to face rare and complex diseases
In an effort to combat rare diseases and improve patient accessibility, the European Commission launched the European Reference Networks (ERNs) yesterday (28 February).
Report: Partial digitalisation will modernise farming equipment
Partial digitalisation may be the way forward for farmers still using mainly traditional mechanical equipment, according to the EU agricultural machinery industry.
Hogan: Balanced trade deals beneficial for EU farming
Trade deals have boosted EU agricultural exports as well as employment in agri-food and other economic sectors, a new European Commission study has found.
EU urges member states to target childhood obesity in schools
Faced with alarming childhood obesity cases, the European Commission is calling on member states to take action in the procurement of healthy food for schools.
Disabled refugees challenged by Greek camps
Disabled refugees in Greek camps are faced with a number of obstacles, ranging from identification and bullying to a lack of access to appropriate services, according to migrant advocates.
How Italy and France take on rare sarcoma cancers
EU member states are exploring ways to effectively tackle the rising occurrence and complex nature of rare cancers known as sarcomas.
Parliament rapporteur: 2018 EU budget should focus on ‘prosperity’ and ‘security’
The 2018 EU budget should be pro-growth in order to create well-paid jobs but simultaneously boost security both externally and internally, Siegfried Mureșan told Euractiv.com in an interview.
Complex sarcoma cancer needs an overall strategy, report says
The diverse nature of rare cancers like sarcomas poses severe challenges to the medical community and policy-makers who need to seek a holistic approach, according to a report.
Families cannot tackle childhood obesity alone, EU study says
The family environment is not able to overcome childhood obesity without governmental support, a new report has found.
E-cigarettes are not ‘cool’, EU’s top health official says
Vytenis Andriukaitis, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said he opposed e-cigarettes being advertised as another 'cool' thing to attract young smokers, reminding they must also carry a health warning.
Rare cancers: A headache for policymakers
The complexity of diagnosing and treating rare forms of cancers like sarcomas can be addressed by a multi-level approach and better coordination among member states, insist experts in the field.
Erasmus students bring ‘Responsible Party’ campaign to Brussels
The Erasmus Student Network has been running a campaign across Europe, supported by French spirits maker Pernod Ricard, with the aim of convincing students to adopt a “responsible” stance towards alcohol when going out to party.