European Union News - Environmnet

The European Investment Bank’s Board of Directors adopted on April 7th 2009 loans to European-based car makers worth a total of 866 million Euro. This loan, which carries on with EIB's support to European Economic Recovery measures, will aim to help European automotive sector to design and build cleaner cars with lower CO2 emissions.

The European Parliament has adopted a first reading agreement on the voluntary EU Ecolabel ("EU flower") system for environment-friendly products to become less costly and bureaucratic to use. This label guarantees a high level of product quality, and respect for environment and human health. Among the criteria for awarding the eco-label will be the reduction of animal testing, as well as other environmental criteria. Furthermore, EC and Member states will set the objective to promote the inclusion of eco-label in the award of public contracts.

The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (AECI) has launched a call for proposals for the work program 2009 "Intelligent Energy for Europe". The budget of the call is EUR 65 million.

EU Heads of State and Government and US President Barack Obama met in Prague on April 5th 2009 immediately after the G-20 Summit which took place in London on April 2nd, where issues of global financial architecture and the consequences of the financial crisis were addressed,  and after the NATO Summit held in Strasbourg and Baden-Baden and Kehl between April 3rd and 4thApril, focused on safety and military cooperation. At the Agenda in Prague, the position on climate change facing the Kioto protocol review, as well as some major issues on regional policy, such as  Afghanistan or peace process in the Middle East.

Drawing from the China Climate Change Framework Loan (CCCFL), signed with the People’s Republic of China in November 2007, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a total of EUR 220 million in three operations that will contribute to the mitigation of climate change. All projects will seek CDM registration for carbon credit generation.

Notice has been published in the OJEU on April 2nd 2009, of the launch of a call for proposals for Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). KICs will be highly integrated, creative partnerships including education, technology, research, business and entrepreneurship that will produce new innovations and new innovation models and inspire others to emulate them.

The EU’s first nature law, the Birds Directive, celebrates its 30th anniversary on 2 April. The legislation is one of the greatest achievements of European environmental policy and is central to the EU's strategy for halting biodiversity loss. The Birds Directive has played a key role in reversing the decline of some of Europe’s most threatened birds, particularly through its network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

The European Commission adopted on March 31st the 2009 Work Programme of the Intelligent Energy-Europe (IEE) Programme aiming at co-financing non-technology projects to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean transport. This Work Programme will be jointly operated with the European Investment Bank. The objective of the IEE Programme is to support sustainable development and to contribute to the achievement of the general goals of environmental protection, security of supply and competitiveness.

The Ministers of Transport have today confirmed the agreement on a set of far-reaching measures in the field of aviation. This package, which will be formally adopted by the Council in the coming weeks, makes the single European sky, makes the European Aviation Safety Agency is responsible for all the links of chain security of aviation and provides an impetus to the implementation of new technologies. Taken together, these measures will result in some flights safer, greener and cost tighter.

United Nations negotiations on the next climate change agreement, which will will be held in Bonn between March 29th and April 8th 2009, will be focused on making tangible progress towards an ambitious new global agreement. This new agreement, which would take effect in 2013, is due to be concluded at the Copenhagen U.N. climate conference in December.

Almost two out of three of Europeans consider that the quality of water in their country is a serious problem, according to a special Eurobarometer survey on Europeans' opinion on water issues published by the European Commission. The report also shows that Europeans see the quantity of available water as an equally serious problem. More than a third of Europeans feel that over the last five years the quality of rivers, lakes and coastal waters has deteriorated. Industry and agriculture are seen as having the biggest impact on the quality and quantity of water in their country and an overwhelming majority of Europeans think climate change will have an impact on water resources.