EURACTIV.com
More than half of EU biodiesel made from imported crops, study finds
Some 53% of EU biodiesel is made with imported feedstock, according to a recent analysis of European Commission data by NGO Transport and Environment, and almost half of imported palm oil is burned in car engines.
MEP: EU needs common standards for digital transport, data management
Europe will have to work hard against competitors in China and the US to be a global leader in digital solutions for transport, an MEP involved in the issue told EURACTIV.com in an interview. Legislation must ensure common standards across the EU for transport to flow freely, she stressed.
EU farmers ready campaigns to highlight there is no alternative to glyphosate
European farmers are raising the pressure on the European Commission and the member states to extend the licence of weed-killer glyphosate as there is no alternative on the market and a ban could increase overhead costs, they claim.
Polish minister accuses EU of ‘spreading lies’ in logging case
Illegal logging in an ancient Polish forest has been blown out of proportion by manipulated images and fake news, according to Poland’s environment minister, who insisted on yet another hearing as part of an ongoing legal case.
Aid campaigners put pressure on MEPs ahead of budget vote
Ahead of the European Parliament's vote on the EU's draft 2018 general budget next Wednesday (26 October), campaigners have put pressure on MEPs not to reduce the EU’s development aid.
The Brief: Accelerating the Brexit circle
Theresa May was dispatched to Brussels last night for dinner with Jean-Claude Juncker but the outcome of the “friendly” meet-up only served to illustrate nicely the Brexit talks so far: completely lacking in substance. A free meal's a free meal though.
Cyprus set to come in from the cold and end energy isolation
Cyprus is due to end its energy isolation after it agreed with fellow EU member Greece to press on with an undersea electricity cable, which will also link the island to Israel in the hope of tapping into significant gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
UK supports staying in Euratom nuclear treaty after Brexit
A majority of British people oppose the government's plan for the UK to leave the Euratom nuclear treaty after Brexit, a new survey has found.
Murder of Malta’s top investigative journalist provokes shock and outrage
Daphne Caruana Galizia, Malta’s top investigative journalist, was killed on Monday (16 October) when the car she was driving exploded shortly after she left her home.
Circular Economy and Salt
Salt industry is confident of its role to power the transition from linear to the resource-efficient circular economy.
De Castro MEP: New plant breeding techniques are nothing like ‘Frankenstein’ GMOs
The vice-chair of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee has argued that Europe should embrace innovative biotechnologies to boost food production while cutting the environmental impact of farming, but environmentalists remain sceptical.
EU tells Ankara to stay calm, respect UN framework for Cyprus
The European Commission backs a Cyprus settlement process under the auspices of the United Nations and calls on Turkey to refrain from creating any source of friction that could damage neighbourly relations, an EU spokesperson told EURACTIV.com.
The Brief – Juncker’s muted message to Austria’s Wunderkind
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Sebastian Kurz, who is already seen as the next prime minister of Austria, and wished him success in the formation of a pro-European government. He has also spoken to him, most probably on his iconic old-fashioned mobile phone.
Waste: Subsidies make it cheaper to burn than recycle
The growing trend of burning waste for energy undermines Europe’s recycling efforts by diverting waste to incinerators instead of having it reused or recycled, thereby defeating the purpose of the Commission's well-meant directive on minimising waste.
Agrifood mergers bad for farmers, experts warn
Mergers in the agrifood sector squeeze farmers’ income and consolidate current models of food production, aggravating environmental and social fallouts, according to experts, who warn that they also create barriers for victims of industrial disasters seeking justice.
Catalan leader seeks dialogue with Madrid, stalls on independence bid
The leader of Spain's breakaway Catalonia region has asked to meet the Spanish prime minister, aiming to restore dialogue and avoid further escalation, but has not provided a clear answer on whether he would press ahead with independence.
Food & drink industry boss: Do not confuse ‘quality’ with ‘recipe’ in food debate
What has been mixed in the current dual quality food conversation is ‘quality versus recipe’, as consumers have different preferences on sweetness and saltiness and we just have to accept it, FoodDrinkEurope leader told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Macabre Juncker speaks of Brexit and autopsy
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was asked today (16 October), as he faced the press together with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, what is expected from his meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May to be held this evening.
Oyster flatulence worries climate scientists
Plans to expand aquatic farming could have a serious knock-on effect on climate change, climate experts have warned after new research revealed that underwater shellfish farts produce 10% of the global-warming gases released by the Baltic Sea.
Airbus exec.: EU ‘bonus’ for aviation biofuels may be too little
The European Commission’s proposal to incentivise the production of biofuels for aircraft with a 20% “multiplier” goes in the right direction, says Thierry Nowaczyk from Airbus. The question is whether this is enough to fill the price gap with fossil-based kerosene, he told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Polish MEP under pressure on crucial EU energy saving law
An update of the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive risks coming undone as a result of political infighting between the Polish lawmaker charged with helming the European Parliament’s revision of the legislation and much of his own political group, EURACTIV.com has learned.
Commission wants ‘real progress’ on live animal transport but no law review plans
EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis wants to see “real progress” in the proper implementation of animal transport rules, a European Commission spokesperson told EURACTIV.com. But the EU executive claims the current legislation is comprehensive and does not plan to review it.
Bulgarian MEPs discuss EU’s future, dissect Juncker, Macron speeches
The European Movement and the Union of European Federalists held a discussion on Friday (13 October) in Sofia on the EU’s future with three prominent Bulgarian MEPs from three different political forces.