Health
Ansip: In digital, we are equal partners with Africa
Commission Vice President for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip debriefed EURACTIV.com following a recent meeting of the EU ministers responsible for development in Tallinn, where “Digital for development” was one of the agenda items.
Greece backtracks on ‘ineffective’ excise tax on wine
The Greek government will soon table an amendment to abolish excise duty on wine as it has not brought the desired financial results, Greek Minister for Agricultural Development and Food Evangelos Apostolou said.
Trump told that Paris Agreement is ‘irreversible and non-negotiable’
The terms of the Paris Agreement are set in stone, the EU, China and Canada agreed at a summit in Montreal this weekend, while Washington was forced to deny that the US is planning to stay in the accord.
Scientists link ‘Dieselgate’ to 5,000 premature deaths per year in Europe
Emissions from diesel cars rigged to appear eco-friendly may be responsible for 5,000 extra deaths from air pollution per year in Europe alone, according to a new study published on Monday (18 September).
Greek minister: EMA bid shows drugs are a social good
Athens’ decision to claim the European Medicine Agency's relocation from London sends a message that medicine is “not just a commodity but a social good”, Greece’s Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georgios Katrougalos, told EURACTIV.com.
State of the Union 2017 Live, as it happened
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gave his annual State of the European Union address at the European Parliament on Wednesday 13 September. EURACTIV.com brings you coverage, analysis and background from the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Plastic fibres found in tap water around the world, study reveals
Microplastic contamination has been found in tap water in countries around the world, leading to calls from scientists for urgent research on the implications for health. EURACTIV’s partner The Guardian reports.
German minister: Berlin needs to halve coal capacity by 2030 to meet Paris goals
Germany would have to shut 25 gigawatts (GW), half its current total coal-fired power station capacity, by 2030 to meet carbon-cutting targets it has committed to under the Paris Agreement, deputy economy minister Rainer Baake said on Tuesday (5 September).
EU should improve fire safety in buildings
Until the Grenfell tower fire, many assumed that modern buildings must be more fire safe compared to older buildings. The tragedy in London has shattered those assumptions. Governments across the world, fearful of a similar tragedy, are reviewing and reconfirming fire safety approaches.
Member states adopt endocrine disruptor criteria
EU ministers adopted on Monday (4 September) the European Commission’s draft criteria for endocrine disruptors in biocidal procducts, laying the foundation for a comprehensive strategy to limit citizens’ exposure to harmful substances.
MEPs adopt stricter limits on carcinogens in the workplace
EU lawmakers on Wednesday (30 August) voted on tough new exposure limits to carcinogenic substances in the workplace, in a move they hope will save more than 100,000 lives over the next 50 years.
Air pollution almost as bad for babies as smoking during pregnancy
Dirty air can lead to women giving birth to smaller babies, according to new research which also warns that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy rivals the damage done by smoking.
Commission: Plain tobacco packaging does not damage the economy
A European Commission spokesperson has told EURACTIV.com that any loss in the tobacco industry’s turnover arising from health warnings or plain packaging should be offset against the cost of treating people with smoking-related diseases.
EU health chief says all alcoholic beverages should be labelled
The European Commission wants the industry's expected alcohol labelling self-regulatory proposal to cover all alcoholic beverages in order to avoid confusion among consumers.
McDonald’s to cut antibiotics, as UN warns of superbug resistance
In light of the EU egg scandal, fast food giant McDonald's plans to phase out antibiotics from its poultry production chain starting in 2018. At the same time, the UN has warned of increased risk of antibiotic resistance from intensive animal farming.
Bulk tobacco smuggling increases, worrying OLAF and Commission
Illegal sale of fine cut tobacco is on the rise in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, depriving state budgets of millions of euros in unpaid taxes and causing concern in the EU's anti-fraud office, OLAF, and the European Commission.
Netherlands finds second banned chemical on chicken farms as cost of scandal spirals
The tainted eggs scandal deepened once again on Thursday (24 August), as Dutch Health Minister Edith Schippers said traces of a second banned insecticide had been found on Dutch poultry farms. EURACTIV’s partner EFEAgro reports.
Mercury’s time is up as international treaty comes into force
The Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty that bans the manufacture and trade in mercury products after 2020, entered into force on 16 August, four years after it was first signed. EURACTIV's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
EU-funded digital health tool tested to help immigrants
EU-funded software to help immigrants access healthcare services in European countries was tested for the first time this summer in Spanish health centres.
Egg crisis: Fipronil traces found in eggs from 2016
Belgian authorities have discovered a Fipronil-contaminated egg sample dating from September 2016, the head of the Belgian food security agency announced in parliament on Thursday (17 August). EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
‘Zero calories’: Industry moving to reduce sugar in EU beverages
The European soft drink industry has long been involved in a gradual process of removing added sugar from its products and introducing “zero calories” varieties on the market. EURACTIV Spain reports.
World’s largest cruise operator closes in on 2020 emissions target
The world's largest leisure travel company, the Carnival Corporation, looks set to achieve a 25% reduction in carbon emissions before a 2020 deadline, after championing liquefied natural gas (LNG) on cruise ships. EURACTIV's partner edie.net reports.
Conflict heightens food insecurity in DRC
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 7.7 million people are hungry, a +30% rise in one year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). EURACTIV France reports.
Tainted egg scandal sparks political row in Germany
A German state minister charged Wednesday (16 August) that over three times more eggs contaminated with the insecticide fipronil had entered the country than the national government has admitted.