About: ETAP

Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP)

In January 2004 the Commission launched an action plan to stimulate the development and use of environmental technologies. The action plan aims at removing financial, economic and institutional barriers to the development of environmentally friendy technologies. The Commission sees it as a bridge between the EU's sustainable development strategy and the Lisbon agenda.

Businesses and green groups rally for EU eco-tech funds

Small and medium-sized businesses, environmental technology suppliers and green campaigners join calls to maintain funding for eco-innovation in the 2007-2013 EU budget.

Energy issues dominate eco-innovation debate at European Business Summit

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas exchanged views with top business leaders and academics on how to turn green investments into profits.

Eco-innovation and biodiversity environmental priorities for 2006

Commissioner Dimas has presented an optimistic annual environment policy review for 2005 and set out priorities for the coming twelve months. The real figures on environmental deterioration in the same report paint a less rosy picture.

Eco-efficiency key to reaching Lisbon competitiveness targets

Two new Commission reports highlight the need to strengthen eco-innovations and resources efficiency in order to make the EU the most competitive knowledge economy in the world.

Lead Markets of Environmental Innovations: A Framework for Innovation and Environmental Economics

This paper by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Germany questions whether environmental regulations can create lead markets, enabling firms to export innovations that are induced by local market conditions and national regulations. Two case-studies are analysed: the emergence and international diffusion of wind energy generation and fuel efficient technologies for passenger cars.

Dimas gears up green credentials for Parliament hearing

New Commissioner designate for the Environment, Stavros Dimas, will try to convince MEPs on 29 September that he is not the right-wing free-marketeer lawyer he has sometimes been portrayed as.