Press

The European Commission's new proposal for company reporting on non-financial issues has been severely weakened by industry lobbying, a new report by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) shows. While the Commission originally considered requiring companies to publish data on their social and environmental impact, the proposal presented yesterday takes a voluntary approach with no means of enforcement. The proposal would only apply to a mere 0.3% of all European firms - and even those covered have ample opportunity to escape scrutiny.

The European Parliament votes tomorrow on the European Commission's proposal to backload 900 million emissions permits within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This vote assumes the EU ETS can be reformed, but ahead of the vote, a new report shows that the problems of the EU ETS are systemic and unresolvable. Keeping this failed system in place would further delay real action for reducing emissions in Europe.

The European Parliament votes tomorrow on the European Commission's proposal to backload 900 million emissions permits within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This vote assumes the EU ETS can be reformed, but ahead of the vote, a new report shows that the problems of the EU ETS are systemic and unresolvable. Keeping this failed system in place would further delay real action for reducing emissions in Europe.

Biotech and pesticides giants Syngenta and Bayer are waging an all-out lobbying war against an upcoming vote on a limited ban on three of their pesticides. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) had access to private letters and emails sent by these two companies and allied lobby groups to the EC as well as EFSA, which displayed their strong-arm tactics to try to avoid the ban.

Ombudsman Investigates Big Tobacco Lobbyist on EU Ethics Panel. Press Release from LobbyControl, Corporate Accountability International and Corporate Europe Observatory. The European Ombudsman is now investigating the European Commission's reappointment of a high-profile revolving door case, Michel Petite, the former head of the Commission's Legal Service-turned-lawyer for Big Tobacco, to the ad hoc ethical committee, which advises on Commissioners going through the revolving door.

The European Commission is currently considering reviving talks to approve 25 new GM-crops for cultivation in Europe – including crops resistant to the pesticide RoundUp and insecticide-producing varieties of GM maize, soybean and sugarbeet. Environment and agriculture organisations have launched a new campaign today to prevent the further spread of genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe.

People across Europe come together to reject EU austerity policies in Brussels and other European capitals next week

When the EU Summit takes place in Brussels on the 14th of March it will be in the midst of protests all over Europe and in the Belgian capital itself. “For a European Spring” – a coalition of movements from 13 countries – is calling for actions to denounce the EU approach to the eurocrisis.

A growing group of civil society organisations is calling on the EU to abolish its Emission Trading System (ETS) to open space for truly effective climate policies. Today they release a joint declaration that highlights the many structural loopholes the ETS is facing, that the proposed reform proposals put forward by EU policy makers will not be able to fix.

The European Ombudsman has launched an investigation into the European Commission's alleged failure to prevent conflicts of interest among staff as a result of the revolving door - where EU staff take up jobs with lobby firms and vice versa.