learningforsustainability.netEU news and policy positions: Sustainable development
Site: EurActiv - European Union Information Website (EU and Europe)Commission plays down risk of gas running short (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:02:32 +0100
Squeezed supply of Russian gas to some EU countries fell further today (3 February), the European Commission said, but added the situation had not reached emergency levels despite freezing temperatures gripping much of Europe.
More »Hungarian flag carrier goes bankrupt (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:34:23 +0100
Hungarian flag-carrier Malév ceased operating early today (3 February), ending 66 years of almost continuous service, after its planes were held overseas for unpaid debts. Last month the Commission ordered Hungary to recover multi-million state aid to the national carrier.
More »EU rules encouraging UK farmers 'to plough up grasslands' (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:58:26 +0100
Farmers in the UK are being encouraged to plough up some of the most quintessential English landscapes so that they can continue to claim European subsidies, experts have warned.
More »Kosovo and Serbia: A little goodwill could go a long way (Analysis)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:40:40 +0100
A violent standoff in northern Kosovo risks halting its fragile dialogue with Serbia, and the latter's EU candidacy process, says the International Crisis Group.
More »ACTA: The Parliament should say no (Analysis)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:20:46 +0100
The anti-piracy ACTA agreement goes far beyond what is acceptable in the defence of intellectual property, threatening to internet users' privacy and allowing even legitimate websites to be blocked, says Ivaylo Kalfin.
More »Hedegaard dismisses 'politically regulated' carbon price (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:48:51 +0100
Connie Hedegaard, the EU's climate action commissioner, has rejected calls to introduce a price floor to sustain Europe's depressed carbon market, saying she does not want a "politically regulated system". In a wide-ranging interview with EurActiv, she also called for rolling back fossil fuel subsidies and shifting them to renewable energies instead.
More »British Lords call for cuts in farm payments (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:46:02 +0100
A British House of Lords panel is urging the European Commission to reconsider some of its key agricultural proposals, calling for more robust spending on research and cuts in direct payments to farmers.
More »Poto?nik: More legislative power, but no money for environment (Interview)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:44:48 +0100
Compared to other policy areas, environment still remains the Cinderella of the European budget, where allocations amount to just over €2 billion compared to research which gets more than €50 billion for the FP7. Negotiations on the next EU budget 2014-2020 will be crucial, said Commissioner Janez Poto?nik in an interview with EurActiv Slovakia.
More »Chinese leader warms to eurozone bailout (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:47:06 +0100
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao says Beijing is considering greater involvement in the eurozone's rescue funds, the temporary European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the upcoming European Stability Mechanism (ESM).
More »Danes seek compromise on GM crops (News)
Publish Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:36:12 +0100
Biotech companies should agree not to market genetically modified (GM) crops in member states wishing to ban their cultivation before seeking EU approval for their products, a draft Danish proposal shows.
More »MEPs vote to bar changes in nutritional labels (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:09:23 +0100
MEPs voted by a wide margin today (2 February) to ditch a European Commission plan for giving food producers new choices to promote products as having less fat, sugar or salt.
More »Ashton sheds light into EU's Russia diplomacy (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:19:55 +0100
A speech by High Representative Catherine Ashton in the European Parliament yesterday (1 February) provided a rare insight on talks with Europe's largest neighbour ahead of the Russian presidential elections in March.
More »Hedegaard: 'Rethinking our growth model' (Interview)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:53:39 +0100
EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard says global development challenges cannot be met if the world's economic powers do not rethink their growth model. In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, she also addresses controversial policies on emission charges for airlines and rejects calls for a price floor to sustain Europe's depressed carbon market.
More »Brussels blocks stock exchange mega-merger deal (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:22:00 +0100
Deutsche Börse and the NYSE's proposal to create the world's largest exchange operator was rejected by European anti-trust authorities yesterday (1 February), for fear that it would create "a near-monopoly" on derivatives trading.
More »Liberal, socialist leaders join spat over Romania protests (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:27:23 +0100
The European Parliament's Liberal and socialist leaders, Guy Verhofstadt and Hannes Swoboda, gave their support to the Romanian opposition during a public hearing over the democratic situation there, as protests continue in Bucharest over government austerity measures.
More »ACTA activates European civil society (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:02:31 +0100
Online activists across Europe are protesting against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which officially aims to protect intellectual rights but which critics say violates privacy. An online petition against the international treaty attracted more than a million signatures, EurActiv's network in Central Europe reports.
More »EU climate chief calls for ?much care? on biofuels (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:52:46 +0100
The European Union's climate commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, has warned about expanding the use of biofuels as the EU executive finalises an assessment of the potentially damaging effects they may have over the earth's climate. She spoke to EurActiv as part of a wide-ranging exclusive interview on sustainability issues.
More »Demand for French classes on the rise in EU circles (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:38:19 +0100
Despite the continued dominance of English as a working language, demand for French classes is increasing among EU staff and accredited ambassadors and journalists in Brussels, says Thierry Lagnau, director of the 'Alliance Française Bruxelles-Europe'.
More »Director: Demand for French classes 'growing by 5% each year' (Interview)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:37:48 +0100
Over the past 10 years, demand for French language classes has risen steadily among accredited ambassadors and the international press in Brussels. However, this renewed interest might in fact reflect the declining influence of French in the EU institutions. Thierry Lagnau, director of the Alliance Française in Brussels, explains the reasons behind this paradox.
More »EU crisis response not job-friendly: Think tanks (News)
Publish Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:32:55 +0100
Leading European think tanks have expressed doubt that the EU leaders' pledge to create jobs and growth will be successful, adding to a growing wave of criticism over the outcome of this week's EU summit.
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