A year after the EU’s official withdrawal from the controversial Energy Charter Treaty, EU Member States remain dangerously exposed to billion-worth lawsuits from foreign investors through outdated Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). With over 1,000 such treaties still in force between EU states and non-EU countries, the highly criticised Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism included in …
Joint press release: EU Commission persists in undemocratic push to weaken accountability laws – NGOs call on MEPs to act
NGOs condemn the EU Commission’s obstinate refusal to acknowledge the undemocratic and opaque process that led to the so-called first Simplification Omnibus – and urge Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to reject the weakening of key corporate accountability laws. In a written response to the European Ombudswoman – which opened an inquiry into the potential maladministration by …
Adoption of EU-Mercosur: a democratic hijack
Today the European Commission put the adoption of the EU-Mercosur agreement on the Council’s agenda. The Commission opted for an undemocratic splitting of the agreement, to bypass the opposition of some countries and national parliaments and fast-track the ratification process. The 27 member states will soon have to decide if they ratify the deal in an upcoming Council vote. If ratified, EU-Mercosur will boost …
UN urged to investigate severe human rights violations committed by Mozambique Security Forces at gas site
Local chiefs and Mozambique and international NGOs warn that current inquiries lack independence and fail to guarantee justice and protection for victims. They call for an investigation led by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as the only way to ensure a fair, impartial, safe and victim-centred process. The inquiry should also investigate members …
EU long-term budget: bankrolling big polluters, defunding nature and citizen action
Today, the European Commission published its final plans for the 2028-2034 budget – the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including a proposal to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A concerning novelty is the inclusion of a “European Competitiveness Fund” (ECF) which would merge activities currently running under 14 different budget lines, spanning a broad …
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EU’s nature credits: a roadmap to greenwashing
The European Commission today published its Roadmap for Nature Credits, laying the ground for a new market that would turn biodiversity into a financial instrument. Friends of the Earth Europe alerts that this push is a political distraction that will weaken environmental regulation, undermine public investment, and prioritise corporate profits over real ecological action. Clara …
