The job no one wants: EU health commissioner
Health policy is looking like the poor cousin and is likely to be downgraded this mandate.
Chemicals
Europeโs new normal: High energy bills, fading industry and one chance to fix it
German manufacturers are being strangled. The EU is feeling the pinch. Mario Draghi on Monday warned the EU may be staring at โslow agony.โ
Empowering the EUโs road transport industry
The EUโs road transport sector faces critical challenges. The IRU’s roadmap urges policymakers to enact supportive legislation to ensure the EU’s economic and environmental goals are met.
What Kamala Harris Should Learn From Richard Nixon
Try not to wreck the economy.
Paris court rejects Agent Orange appeal against Bayer-Monsanto
Tran To Nga says she has had tuberculosis, cancer and type II diabetes after being exposed to the herbicide in 1966.
Russia-Ukraine war live: civilians flee Pokrovsk as Russiaโs army bears down on key eastern Ukraine city
Russian forces advancing so fast families are under orders to leave nearby towns and villagesPeople were urged to stay inside their homes in Ukraineโs Ternopil after a large fire broke out overnight during air raid alerts, the military administration o…
Belgian bankruptcy dents Europeโs microchip dreams
Concerns about Chinese ownership impacted government’s thinking to keep microchips factory afloat.
Forget Olympic athletes โ will Parisians ever want to swim in the Seine?
Getting the Seine ready for triathletes was hard. Getting it ready for the public by next year may be impossible.
South Korea uses dog to sniff out bedbugs coming from Paris Olympics
Beagle Ceco and his team will operate until Sept. 8 at the country’s main airport.
Wary of Trump, Azerbaijan, businesses shun COP climate talks
Companies are anxiously wondering: Can we get hotel rooms? What about the autocratic regime hosting? What if Trump wins?
Researchers develop reusable filter that removes 75% of a โforever chemicalโ from water
Using 3D printing, researchers developed lattices which removed up to 75 per cent of PFOA, one of the most common forever chemicals.
Third suspect arrested in foiled terror attack on Taylor Swift concerts
Main suspect in the plot planned “to kill himself and a large number of people,” an Austrian official said.
Taylor Swift concert plot: Austrian police find bomb chemicals in suspectโs home
Austrian, 19, arrested alongside 17-year-old for allegedly planning Islamist attack at Vienna venueThe 19-year-old prime suspect in an alleged plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna that led to the cancellation of the singerโs three-night run …
Your Tim Walz policy guide: Where he stands on abortion, unions, energy and more
The Minnesota governor may bring rural appeal but his policies reflect a progressive agenda.
FBI: Trump has agreed to interview about assassination attempt
โWe want to get his perspective on what he observed,โ an FBI official said of the victim interview.
โDrill, baby, drillโ: Americaโs fossil fuel boom risks bust in Europe
Both Trump and Biden are pushing lucrative U.S. fossil fuel deals โย a risky bet given the EU’s plans to wean itself off the energy source.
Von der Leyen threads the climate needle to keep her job
It was a love fest today. The green fights begin tomorrow
The MEPs who actually matter
Here are 11 EU lawmakers to keep your eye on in the new term.
Europe-wide class action against Philips to reach out to over a million potential claimants
Global Justice Network (GJN) and Italian consumer rights organisation ADUSBEF are promoting a “first-ever Europe-wide class action” against Philips, reaching out to over a million potential claimants who have used the Dutch company’s ventilators suspec…
Harnessing the power of digital product identification
A triple win for sustainability, circularity and business
China accelerates green steel shift as EU levies loom, researchers say
SINGAPORE, July 11 (Reuters) – China approved no new coal-based steel projects in the first half of 2024, researchers said on Thursday, accelerating its shift towards green production as it prepares for the impact of a new carbon levy on exports to Eur…
Ukraine war briefing: Path to Nato membership โirreversibleโ
Alliance censures China as Russian war enabler and supplier; F-16 fighter jets flying for Ukraineโs defence this summer. What we know on day 869See all our Ukraine war coverageNato allies at their Washington summit have said Ukraineโs โfuture is in Nat…
German chemicals association: Industry past its rock bottom, but export-driven model might be over
The chemical industry in Germany has overcome its low point, but the previous model of exporting basic chemical has come to an end, Chemical Industry Association VCI said on Monday (8 July).
The end of the Brexit dream
The Britain envisaged by the countryโs Euroskeptic politicians looks further away than ever.
Commission wants to curb harmful chemicals in cosmetics but no progress on regulation
The Commission is preparing a new ban on Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or toxic for Reproduction (CMR) substances from use in Cosmetics, while the announced revision of the Cosmetics Regulation is not envisaged this year.
EU approves first-ever sanctions on Russian gas
Itโs a notable evolution in strategy for the EU, and came after Germany and Hungary held up a deal for weeks.
Trump ramps up debate prep: โPolicy discussionsโ instead of mock debate
The former president has met with Senator J.D. Vance and others in what his allies describe as informal debate prep sessions.
Germany blocks first-ever sanctions on Russian gas
EU countries had been close to a deal targeting liquefied natural gas, but talks fell apart at the last minute.
Former Poland PM: Europeโs impossible trinity
EU decision-makers want to secure all their objectives, everywhere, and do it all at once. However, their plans donโt reflect real-world realities.
Chinese exports threaten Europe even more than the US
Biden is right to heed working class voters in Pennsylvania. The Continent, which has even more to lose from a second China shock, better start listening to its workers too.
Fix biosolutions legislative landscape or lose talent and scale-ups, says strategist [Advocacy Lab Content]
Investors champion biotechnology with AI as the engine of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but despite Europeโs strong ambitions biotech analysts say legislation designed for chemicals is not fit for the biological. The result is an exodus of talent a…
Forever chemicals: Report finds ‘alarming’ levels of groundwater contamination in Europe
Samples have revealed high levels of Trifluoroacetic acid in ten European countries’ water supplies.
Germany and France push for mega-deals in competition overhaul
Still smarting from the veto of the Alstom-Siemens deal, Paris and Berlin want Brussels to focus on forging champions.
Russia-Ukraine war: Belarus to hold tactical nuclear drills; Kyiv detains two Ukrainian officials over plot to kill Zelenskiy โ as it happened
Ally to take part in exercises alongside Russia; Ukraine says it has exposed network of agents run by MoscowRussia and Ukraine have accused each other at the global chemical weapons watchdog in The Hague of using banned toxins on the battlefield, the o…
France to present a pesticide reduction plan closer to EU standards
On Monday (6 May) France will present a new pesticide reduction plan, expected to align to the EU standard the way the country measures the chemicals’ impact and risk, amidst NGOs protests for “a European race to the bottom”.
EU sees raw materials push, but are investment framework conditions in place? [Advocacy Lab Content]
The European Commission is moving fast to reduce Europeโs dependence on imports of raw materials. However, the raw materials industry worries that continued โhazard-based assessmentsโ for project approval will stifle investment.
Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine, US says
Washington sanctions entities linked to Kremlinโs chemical and biological weapons programs.
Ukraine war briefing: US hits China with sanctions over war supplies to Russia
Nearly 300 entities targeted in US sanctions to โfurther disrupt and degrade Russiaโs war effortsโ; Russians using banned chemical weapons on battlefield, says state department. What we know on day 799See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageChina has be…
Blinken tells Beijing: Stop boosting Russia or face punishments
He says China needs to do more to curb precursor chemical exports fueling the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic.
โBan them until we know theyโre safeโ: Dutch flower growers urged to stop using pesticides
Organic float at annual flower parade a sign of changing times amid concerns over chemicalsโ link to neurological disordersFlower farmer John Huiberts stands next to a flamingo made of thousands of organic pink hyacinths. At the annual BloemenCorso, or…
Why Germanyโs Scholz is bowing to the Chinese dragon
Ignoring pressure from Washington, chancellor seeks Beijing’s embrace.
Turkey seizes its third largest haul of cocaine, says interior minister
Groups monitoring organised crime warn that Turkey is becoming entry point for drugs reaching EuropeTurkish police have seized the third largest haul of cocaine in the countryโs history, the interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, has announced, as groups mo…
A fairer future for farmers is a greener future for Europe
Addressing the inequities in our food system is essential to delivering justice for farmers and securing climate action.
Russia accused of using chemical gas attacks against Ukrainian soldiers
Ukraine soldiers describe โalmost dailyโ illegal gas attacks as invaders seek to dislodge them from embedded positionsRussia has been accused of systematically using illegal chemical gas attacks against Ukrainian soldiers.Ukrainian troops told the Dail…
France moves to ban โforever chemicalsโ in products – but lobbyists fight to keep nonstick pans
Forever chemicals are the ‘health scandal of the centuryโ on the same level as asbestos, say French politicians.
French National Assembly, impatient with EU, pushes for โforever chemicalโ ban
On Thursday (4 April), the French opposition party Les รcologistes pushed a proposal to reduce the use of the so-called “forever chemicals” through the National Assembly, but the government favours a European solution to this environmental and health p…
โForever chemicalsโ: French MPs approve PFAS product ban
French MPs on Thursday approved the first reading of a bill aimed at restricting the manufacture and sale of non-essential products containing PFAS or “forever chemicals”, marking a significant step in environmental health protection. The list of prod…
France votes to ban โforever chemicals,โ exempting frying pans
Kitchen utensil manufacturers get win after lobbying blitz.
Shift towards animal-testing free chemicals regulation is progressing [Advocacy Lab Content]
To move ahead on the path to replace animal tests for ensuring safety of chemicals, we need progress in science, better knowledge and close collaboration between scientists, regulators, industry and other stakeholders.
The EUโs great green retreat benefits the far right. For the rest of us, itโs a looming disaster | Arthur Neslen
Environmental pledges are being shredded to please agribusiness and appease extremists. Itโs a terrible mistakeThe EUโs great green deal cave-in has been nothing less than spectacular. As aggressive lobbying and violent farmers protests ramped up in th…
PFAS bill takes first step in French Parliament
The French National Assembly’s committee of Sustainable Development and country planning unanimously adopted a bill to combat the so-called forever chemicals, or PFAs, on Wednesday (27 March).
UK goods to face new Canadian tariffs in latest blow to Brexit trade agenda
Hopes of a last-minute resolution have been dashed.
Carbon circularity requires EU action: lessons from 3 EU projects [Promoted content]
CO2SMOS, VIVALDI and CATCO2NVERS are EU-funded projects exploring ways to replace fossil-based carbon in chemicals with carbon emitted by installations processing biomass. Their recommendations? EU regulations must ensure that sustainable carbon is rec…
England wonโt adopt EU river pollution rules for pharma and cosmetics firms
Campaigners say government is failing to match major step forward as bloc prepares to introduce โpolluter paysโ principleNew EU rules which introduce โpolluter paysโ principles to get pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies to pay for the pollution they …
Industryโs share of EU economy set to shrink, says CEO of German chemicals giant
The EUโs industrial output as a share of total GDP will decline as a result of persistently high energy prices, the head of the world’s largest chemicals company has said, adding that such a โstructural developmentโ is not necessarily bad and may even …
EU takes the ax to green farming rules
The European Commission’s move to slash environmental requirements for farmers comes as top scientists are urging just the opposite.
Stop regulating biosolutions as chemicals, requests Novonesis CEO [Advocacy Lab Content]
Fresh from a company merger, Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget came to Brussels with an important ask โ to create a level playing field for biosolutions; arguing it makes no sense to treat enzymes and proteins as if they were manmade.
What the EUโs new packaging rules mean for you
Brussels is going after excessive packaging in a bid to slash waste.
EU consumers increasingly exposed to โforever chemicalsโ in fruit and vegetables, NGO study warns
Fruit and vegetables in the EU are increasingly contaminated with toxic PFAS – the so-called โforever chemicals’ that the Commission dropped plans to ban last year –ย a study by the European Pesticides Action Network (PAN Europe) has found.
Commission sparks greenwashing fears in row over โ100 percent recycledโ claims
The EU executive suggests laxer rules for calculating recycled content in products, siding with the chemical industry.
German lawmakers pass cannabis legalization bill
It paves the way for adults to legally possess and grow small amounts of cannabis, and for cultivation clubs to be set up.
NGOs lodge legal challenge against vast new petrochemical plant in Antwerp
Sir Jim Ratcliffeโs proposed Project One cracking plant is โhugely destructiveโ, says Client EarthThe creation of the biggest petrochemical plant in Europe in 30 years faces a new legal challenge by a group of NGOs arguing that the true impact of the d…
UKโs Kemi Badenoch challenged over Canada trade claims
The government says discussions with Canada are continuing.
Von der Leyen heads to Antwerp for closed-door meeting with chemicals industry
With an EU Industrial Competitiveness Deal in the pipeline for the next mandate, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo invited European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Antwerp on Tuesday (19 February) to consider the future of the EU’s …
[Opinion] ‘Crying wolf’ win for chemicals lobby at Antwerp EU meeting
EU politicians will cosy up with Big Toxics at a secretive event on Tuesday to discuss a new ‘European Industrial Deal’ โ a blatant showcase of corporate capture and an attempt to shift the political agenda in a profit-minded direction.
Hundreds of Czech farmers protest against EU regulations
Agricultural groups across Europe have been demonstrating against the EU’s Green Deal.
The EUโs Carbon management strategy and the path to 2040
To reach the EU’s climate targets, increase industrial competitiveness, and improve its energy resilience, carbon capture and storage technologies play an important role.
As part of its decarbonisation efforts, in 2023 the European Commission releas…
Russia takes full control of Avdiivka, as Kyiv decries โartificial deficitโ in ammo
“Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies,” US President Biden says in pushing for approval of more American aid.
Alexey Navalny never wanted to be a dissident
Once upon a time, Alexey Navalny wanted to be a normal politician in a normal country. Now thatโs just a fantasy.
Toxic powder found at government buildings in Brussels
Prosecutors say incident is unrelated to the recent shootings that have shaken the Belgian capital.
French MPs in favour of REACH revision before EU elections
The French parliament’s European affairs committee adopted on Wednesday (14 February) a European resolution tabled by Nicolas Thierry (Europe รcologie Les Verts, NUPES) calling for a revised REACH regulation on hazardous chemicals in everyday products.
‘Race against time’ to free workers from Turkey mine
There are also concerns chemicals from the site could spread into the nearby Euphrates River.
EUโs new rules to protect children from harmful chemicals in toys
The European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee on Tuesday (13 February) adopted new rules to ensure safety and protect children from harmful chemicals present in toys.
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 717
Russian strike kills three in Sumy village as petrol station attack sparks blaze in Kharkiv; western officials deride Tucker Carlson interview with Vladimir PutinSee all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageA Russian attack in the north-eastern Ukrainian reg…
German firm BASF to pull out of Xinjiang after Uyghur abuse claims
Chemicals producer says audits revealed no wrongdoing but recent media reports crossed red lineThe German chemicals producer BASF has said it will withdraw from its two joint ventures in Xinjiang, after media reports about alleged human rights abuses r…
German firm BASF urged to quit Xinjiang over โgross abusesโ of Uyghurs
Exclusive: politicians say chemicals producer โappears to be implicatedโ in abuses of minorities in Chinese provinceThe German chemicals producer BASF โappears to be implicated in gross abusesโ of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and should withdraw from the Chines…
Ursula von der Leyen scraps pesticide reduction bill, in gift to farmersย
The European Parliament already rejected the contentious text, which the Commission President described as a “worthy aim.”
PFAS: Brussels top brass found to have โforever chemicalsโ in their bloodstream
European NGOs have tested the blood of the EUโs political top brass and found several banned โforever chemicalsโ, upping the pressure on Brussels to put the blocโs chemical regulation back on the agenda.
Top EU officials have toxic โforever chemicalsโ in their blood
Margrethe Vestager and Frans Timmermans among officials tested as EU debates potential ban.
US Fund KPS explored takeover offer for UK Elementis
Reuters exclusively reported that KPS Capital Partners recently explored a bid for UK specialty chemicals maker Elementis (ELM.L), but has [โฆ]
The post US Fund KPS explored takeover offer for UK Elementis appeared first on Reuters News Agency.
Skiers leaving โforever chemicalsโ on pistes, study finds
Research finds 14 different types of PFAS chemicals commonly used in ski wax on slopes in Austrian ski resortsSkiers are leaving โforever chemicalsโ in the snow on ski slopes, a study has found.Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) โ a group of 1…
Glyphosate: Raft of legal challenges launched against EU approval
The European Commission’s decision to reauthorize the herbicide for 10 years is being challenged in three separate legal actions.
[Opinion] How the chemical-industry lobby pushes ‘safe use’ exemptions
Ever since the EU Commission published its hazardous chemicals strategy, the industry has lobbied to undermine and dilute its promises โ and lobbyists can point to some clear wins.
Brexit divergence from EU destroying UKโs vital environmental protections
Exclusive: Britain is falling behind the bloc on almost every area of green regulation, analysis revealsNorthern Ireland โdirty corner of Europe due to lack of governanceโExplainer: UK environmental protections dropped since BrexitVital legal protectio…
German chemicals sector suffers from weak Chinese demand
With European production in the balance, BASF is preparing for a smaller domestic industry
โWeโre out of stepโ: how post-Brexit UK is drifting from EU standards
The UKCA quality standard is imposing unwelcome costs, from chemicals to construction materialsWhen the government announced this year it would indefinitely delay plans to force UK companies to adopt a new post-Brexit quality mark, the UKCA, Simon Blac…
Unlocked: Top 10 behind-the-paywall stories of 2023
A Christmas gift for all the policy wonks out there.
Scaling up: The bioeconomyโs 30-year challenge
Bio-based chemicals have the potential to partly replace fossil fuels in applications like fertilisers and plastics, but the transition will take decades and there are still big challenges ahead to scale up production without harming the environment, s…
โForever chemicalsโ in tap water and food might cause cancer to spread, new study finds
Multiple studies have already associated PFAS with higher rates of cancers, including kidney, prostate and breast cancer.
Shell sells stake in Rosneft-owned refinery to Prax as it cuts Russia links
Oil major reduces global refining portfolio to focus on large sites integrated with chemicals and trading businesses
Itโs the end of the world as we know it, and the dolphins are taking over
Dolphins have thumbs and dogs are making inroads in the European Parliament!
OMV, ADNOC close to agreeing deal for chemicals company tie upย
Reuters exclusively reported that Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) is closing in on a deal with Austriaโs OMV (OMVV.VI) [โฆ]
The post OMV, ADNOC close to agreeing deal for chemicals company tie upย appeared first on Reuters News Agency.
Hazardous chemicals found in one-in-five inspected products
EU national agencies have found “excessive levels of hazardous chemicals,” such as lead and plasticizers, in 18 percent of consumer products investigated.
Netherlands warns children not to swallow sea foam over PFAS concerns
โForever chemicalsโ at Dutch resorts comparable to high concentrations detected along Belgian coast, study findsThe Dutch government has warned people to stop children and pets swallowing foam at the seaside, after a study showed โforever chemicalsโ we…
Yemenโs Iran-backed Houthis launch missile at Norwegian tanker
Militants claim they targeted the Strinda because it was heading for Israel.
Trump who? Republicans in Dubai try to carve out their own climate agenda.
GOP lawmakers came to the U.N. climate summit to promote a vision that champions U.S. fossil fuels and nuclear energy while acknowledging the need to cut carbon. Itโs unclear how much that will matter if the former president regains the White House.
Low-speed zone: Europeโs super crops revolution hits bottleneck
Brusselsโ bid to fast-track looser rules for new genetically engineered plants is showing fractures, as more questions than answers arise.
Belgium leads the charge on the EUโs medicines reshoring plans
New European drug factories will be greener and more efficient than the old ones โ and their products more expensive.
EU Commission weighs options on potential PFAS ban
Some EU countries are pressing the European Commission to adopt a complete ban on toxic PFAS chemicals amid warnings of potential trade-offs with green technologies that could slow down the energy transition.
Bidenโs EPA launches crackdown on planet-warming methane
The ruleโs 3 a.m. rollout was timed to coincide with the ongoing UN climate talks in Dubai.