European Union News - Environmnet

Europe's protected natural areas have been expanded throughout the Natura 2000 network. In particular, nearly 18,800 square kilometres have been added, including a major addition of marine areas covering 17,000 square kilometres which will increase protection for many endangered marine species. The main countries involved in this latest expansion are the UK, France, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Lithuania and Italy.

The European Union, the United States and Japan decided to to get a further boost to the introduction of electrical cars with an international agreement. In particular, the partners agreed to closely cooperate on convergence of regulatory obligations related to electric vehicles in the global context.

The ministers had on the 14 November an exchange of views on a regulation establishing rules for direct payment to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and a discussion on the greening of direct payments. In addition, most delegations were in favour to strictly maintain the deadline for implementing the directive on the protection of laying hens.

The latest annual report on transport emissions from the European Environment Agency (EEA) highlights that the reduction of emissions of many pollutants from transport in 2009 may only be a temporary effect of the economic downturn.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report in which it finds that air quality in Europe has improved between 1990 and 2009, as emissions of most pollutants have fallen, but there is still a lot of room for improvement, as many EU countries are expected to exceed the emissions ceilings in 2010 for at least one pollutant.

Farm policy reform plans were debated at a unique meeting of EP Agriculture Committee MEPs, Member States' farm ministers and the European Commission. This was the first time in the EU's history that legislative proposals for farm policy reform were discussed in the one room by the two co-deciding bodies - the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Pyrenees Working Community (CTP) have recently signed an agreement to work together in order to assess climate change impacts in the Pyrenees. According to Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA Executive Director, temperatures are rising faster in mountainous regions, making them particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Two independent reports have been published on the European Union's legislation on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Their evaluation concludes that although there is broad support for the legislation's objectives and show that recent legislative Commission initiatives are heading in the right direction, the documents also note that some adjustments are necessary.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) approved an opinion in which it asks to the Commission for a plan more specific, flexible, balanced and realistic in its blueprint for the future of EU transport.

The European Commission has proposed that the EU accede to a Protocol of the Barcelona Convention that protects the Mediterranean against pollution from offshore exploration and exploitation activities, the "Offshore Protocol". EU ratification of the Protocol is likely to stimulate ratification by other Parties to the Barcelona Convention, bringing the waters of the Mediterranean closer to good environmental status, the ultimate goal of the EU Marine Framework Directive.