Europe’s alleged competitiveness gap with the United States and China has become a defining theme in Brussels policymaking. But experts argue that the use of selective data to support simplification is “close to political manipulation” and “definitely cherry-picking”.
Plastic products in the EU could soon be labelled “recycled” — even when they contain barely any recycled material. A new definition backed by most member states allows plastics with as little as 2.5 percent waste-derived content. Critics warn that the rule relies on accounting tricks that may mask fossil-based plastic production.
Europe faces escalating flood disasters driven by warming seas and extreme rainfall, killing communities and hitting the poor hardest, while fragmented policies, uneven data, and weak adaptation leave countries unprepared, an investigation in six countries shows.
The proposed ban on forever chemicals (PFAS) could force the pharmaceutical industry to move production out of Europe, leading to a shortage of 600 critical medicines — or so the industry claims. However, campaigners call for implementation without delay.
The chemical industry in Europe has been using a variety of methods to push back or delay key EU legislation. Released and leaked documents now show how that is done.
The EU places too much emphasis on fundamental rights including privacy and too little on law enforcement — an imbalance should be corrected, the Swedish government has told member states’ delegations.
Despite previous commitments, the European Commission has failed to put forward a law on screening for asbestos — passing on the responsibility to the next mandate.
Loopholes in international regulations on ship recycling are resulting in major human and environmental damage.
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
New EU rules on asbestos are seen as a victory by members of the European Parliament who have demanded a general overhaul of EU’s asbestos policies.
How the EU Commission and national governments delete official emails and text messages — creating areas of decision-making without oversight and control.
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
Sputnik and Russia Today can be accessed from any computer via a virtual private network. The problem is that the European Court of Justice is deciding what we — as European citizens — should have access to.
There are EU-rules for approving pesticides. What’s missing are pro-active rules to protect European agriculture workers’ health.
The EU recently signed a huge contract for a US anti-corona drug which, the WHO says, might not work, but there’s little transparency on how the deal was made.
In the EU, only Portugal, Poland, Lithuania and Slovenia published all contracts signed by public authorities. Most countries held back information on prices paid, arguing it was necessary to preserve secrecy in order not undermine negotiations.
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
A majority of EU member states are believed to be in favour of not renewing approval for the pesticides chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, when they meet in Brussels later this week.