European governments today voted on a new law that grants them extra powers to ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in their territories. [1] Friends of the Earth Europe is calling on them to immediately ban all GM maize crops – the only category of GM crop currently in the pipeline for cultivation …
Europe’s climate and energy plans frustrate
Major announcements made in Brussels today suggest Europe is holding back from the urgent action needed to transform its energy system and combat climate change. The European Commission released details of its ‘Energy Union’ vision for Europe’s energy future, and its proposed preparations for a key global climate summit in Paris later this year. Brook …
MEPs vote to reform damaging biofuels policy
Limiting the use of biofuels from food crops that can be used to fuel Europe’s cars moved a step closer today after MEPs voted to reform the EU’s biofuels policy. EU law-makers voted once again to put a cap on the use of crops to make biofuels and also to account for their full climate …
EU-US trade deal threatens food safety
The trade agreement being negotiated between the US and EU threatens public health, consumer rights and animal welfare standards, shows new analysis today by food and trade experts. The criticisms come as negotiators from both sides of the Atlantic meet behind closed doors in Brussels, Belgium this week to start writing new food safety rules …
Existing and future protections threatened by EU-US trade talks
Plans to create more compatible rules between the EU and the US on chemicals, food, public services, workplace health and safety, and financial regulation as part of EU-US trade talks (TTIP) are a threat to democracy and an attempt to put the interests of big business before the protection of citizens, workers, and the environment, …
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Opinion poll: citizens demand more sustainably produced local food
A new opinion poll released today on the eve of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture 2015 in Berlin reveals high public support for more food to be produced sustainably and sold locally. The poll results come at a time when the new European Union Agriculture Commissioner, Phil Hogan, has been mandated to push …
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