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☆ EU agrees to ramp up 2030 renewable energy targets, accelerating shift from fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The EU has pledged to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels by 2027 in response to President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The European Union is poised to ramp up its 2030 renewable energy targets, accelerating a shift away from fossil fuels as the bloc seeks to rapidly cut emissions and reduce its dependence on Russia. It is set to replace the EU's current renewable energies directive target for a 32% share of renewable energy by 2030, which has been in place since Dec. 2018. The EU has pledged to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels by 2027 in response to President Vladimir Putin's hostilities in Ukraine. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, is the chief driver of the climate crisis.

☆ EU countries approve 2035 phaseout of CO2-emitting cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The approval from EU countries' energy ministers means Europe's main climate policy for cars can now enter into force - after weeks of delay caused by last-minute opposition from Germany. The EU law will require all new cars sold to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035, and 55% lower CO2 emissions from 2030, versus 2021 levels. The EU policy had been expected to make it impossible to sell combustion engine cars in the EU from 2035. "The direction of travel is clear: in 2035, new cars and vans must have zero emissions," EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said. Germany's late intervention, after EU countries and lawmakers had already agreed the 2035 phaseout last year, irked some EU diplomats, and stoked concerns that governments may try to block other carefully-negotiated deals on climate policies.

☆ Veal calves should not be isolated in pens after birth, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 29 (Reuters) - Veal calves should not be kept in individual pens during their first weeks of life in order to improve animal welfare, according to the EU Food and Safety Authority (EFSA). A newborn calf is usually removed from his mother immediately or a few hours after birth. Every year more than 300 million farmed animals spend all or part of their lives in cages, pens or stalls, according to advocacy group Compassion in World Farming. "Separating the cow and her calf and confining the newborn in an individual pen causes great and prolonged distress to both," Compassion in World Farming said in a statement. Current EU law allows for calves to be removed soon after birth to be shut into an individual pen for up to 8 weeks.

☆ Factbox: EU keeps on doing business with Russia despite sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here is a list of areas where the EU keeps on doing business with Russia. TRADE FLOWSIn 2021, Russia was the EU's fifth-largest trading partner with goods exchange worth 258 billion euros, according to the EU executive European Commission. Since the invasion in 2022, the value of EU imports from Russia fell by a half to around 10 billion euros last December. Gas is not covered by EU sanctions, but Moscow slashed pipeline deliveries to Europe since the invasion. The EU imported 2.1 billion euros worth of nickel in 2021, up to 3.2 billion euros last year, according to Eurostat.

☆ Northern Ireland's Orange Order says new Brexit deal needs improvement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, it does not resolve the fundamental concerns," the Orange Order said in a statement on Tuesday. The Windsor Framework continues to treat Northern Ireland as a place apart within the United Kingdom and equal citizenship has not been restored." The statement said the Orange Order would not endorse the deal without "substantial and tangible progress which resolves these fundamental issues". As part of Brexit, Northern Ireland effectively remained in the bloc's single market to avoid a hard border with EU-member Ireland. Business groups have overwhelmingly supported the Windsor Framework, seeing it as removing damaging uncertainties over trading relationships.

☆ EU countries poised to approve 2035 phaseout of CO2-emitting cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Most countries are likely to back the law on Tuesday, EU officials said, which would allow it to enter into force. The EU law will require all new cars sold to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035, and 55% lower CO2 emissions from 2030, versus 2021 levels. The policy had been expected to make it impossible to sell combustion engine cars in the EU from 2035. Transport accounts for nearly a quarter of EU emissions. Other carmakers including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Ford are betting on battery-electric vehicles to decarbonise, and had urged EU countries not to row back the 2035 phase-out.

☆ War on cow gas is stinky but necessary job in climate-change struggle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Karen Kwok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yet, governments from New Zealand to Europe are zeroing in on livestock, whose burps and farts help generate 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year, United Nations estimates show. Cattle is a major contributor to methane emissions from agriculture, which hit 142 metric tons in 2022, triple the amount of those from the oil sector, according to the International Energy Agency. But like fossil fuels ten years ago, this will be the start of a long but necessary battle. CONTEXT NEWSEuropean Union countries agreed on March 16 to try to reduce the number of farms covered by proposed rules to cut pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. French dairy company Danone on Jan. 17 pledged to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk supply chain by 30% by 2030 from its 2020 level.

☆ War on cow farts is stinky but necessary job
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Karen Kwok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yet, governments from New Zealand to Europe are zeroing in on livestock, whose burps and farts help generate 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year, United Nations estimates show. An industry backlash against plans to tackle the issue will teach punters to treat burgers as polluting fuel. Cattle is a major contributor to methane emissions from agriculture, which hit 142 metric tons in 2022, triple the amount of those from the oil sector, according to the International Energy Agency. But like fossil fuels ten years ago, this will be the start of a long but necessary battle. French dairy company Danone on Jan. 17 pledged to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk supply chain by 30% by 2030 from its 2020 level.

☆ EU was set to ban internal combustion engine cars. Then Germany suddenly changed its mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When EU lawmakers voted to ban the sale of new combustion engine cars in the bloc by 2035, it was a landmark victory for climate. With cars and vans responsible for around 15% of its total greenhouse gas emissions, a phase-out of polluting vehicles is a key part of EU climate policy. The law envisions a total ban on the sale of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2035. Germany is now pushing against the idea that all internal combustion engines must be banned. Other European countries, including Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, have joined Germany in demanding the exception.

Neither of the two contentious issues is on the official summit agenda and some EU diplomats said they hope to avoid a formal debate on them. EU leaders take decisions unanimously, meaning one country can block a deal. Escalating the car CO2 debate to leaders would therefore be pointless, one EU diplomat said on condition of anonymity. A German government official said on Wednesday the talks were "very constructive", but that the issue would not be addressed at the EU summit. ENERGY REFORMSOn the second day of the summit on Friday, EU heads of state and government will discuss a reform of the EU electricity market.

The draft needs to be thrashed out between EU countries and EU lawmakers, called a trilogue, before the rules can become law. This led to different AI tools being classified according to their perceived risk level: from minimal through to limited, high, and unacceptable. Almost all of the big tech players have stakes in the sector, including Microsoft (MSFT.O), Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Meta (META.O). BIG TECH, BIG PROBLEMSThe EU discussions have raised concerns for companies -- from small startups to Big Tech -- on how regulations might affect their business and whether they would be at a competitive disadvantage against rivals from other continents. A recent survey by industry body appliedAI showed that 51% of the respondents expect a slowdown of AI development activities as a result of the AI Act.

Sunak has tried to end years of wrangling over Brexit by revisiting one of the trickiest parts of the negotiations - to ensure smooth trade to Northern Ireland without creating a hard border with Britain or with European Union-member Ireland. "I welcome parliament voting today to support the Windsor Framework," Britain's Northern Ireland minister Chris Heaton-Harris said on Twitter. "This measure lies at the very heart of the Windsor Framework which offers the best deal for Northern Ireland, safeguarding its place in the Union and addressing the democratic deficit." Sunak hailed securing the deal last month as a "decisive breakthrough" but by alienating the DUP he has failed in restoring the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson told parliament his party could not return to Northern Ireland's power-sharing government "at this stage".

☆ At what cost? UK PM Sunak to win post-Brexit trade vote in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sunak has sought to end years of wrangling over Brexit by revisiting one of the trickiest parts of the negotiations - to ensure smooth trade to Northern Ireland without creating a so-called hard border with Britain or the European Union. He agreed with the EU to introduce the "Stormont brake", aimed at offering Northern Ireland more control over whether to accept any new EU laws, as part of the so-called Windsor Framework of measures to soothe post-Brexit tensions. But in Wednesday's vote in the lower house of parliament, those he most wanted to win over - Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and some Conservative eurosceptics in the European Research Group (ERG) - are set to rebel. The brake enables Britain to prevent new EU laws applying to goods in Northern Ireland if asked to do so by a third of lawmakers in the province's devolved legislature. The DUP has for a year boycotted Northern Ireland's power-sharing government over its opposition to the post-Brexit trade rules, which effectively leaves the province in the EU's single market for goods and means it has to follow some of the bloc's rules.

☆ Despite opposition, UK's Sunak wins post-Brexit trade vote in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak won the backing of parliament on Wednesday for a key element of a reworked post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland. Despite the opposition, Sunak won the vote by 515 to 29, suggesting that several in his Conservative Party had abstained on the vote. "The Stormont brake is at the heart of the (Windsor) Framework," Northern Ireland minister Chris Heaton-Harris told parliament ahead of the vote. "It restores practical sovereignty for the United Kingdom as a whole and the people of northern Ireland in particular." Johnson, the face of the campaign to leave the EU, and his successor, Truss, both said they would vote against the brake.

☆ 'Cannabis in Germany will be a success story': Europe's biggest economy moves closer to weed legalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The sale of medical cannabis has been allowed in German pharmacies since 2016 — but several barriers to entry remain, including cost. "Patients, who cannot afford medical cannabis, may self-medicate with adult-use cannabis without medical advice. "An overall de-stigmatization of cannabis as a substance will also lead to a de-stigmatized medical cannabis market," Gallois added. The government is currently undertaking a review of its medical cannabis guidelines, including how it is prescribed and reimbursed under the country's statutory health insurance program. A 'domino effect'The plans come as cannabis legalization has fallen under renewed debate over recent years.

The rules would apply to fridges, vacuum cleaners, televisions, washing machines and other goods that are deemed "repairable" under EU law. The EU is negotiating rules that would extend the requirement to smartphones and tablets. Under the EU rules, companies would have to repair a defective product for free within the two-year legal guarantee period, if the cost of repair is cheaper or equal to replacing the product. After that date, companies must still offer repairs, either for free or for a charge. A second law, proposed by Brussels on Wednesday, would force companies to verify claims that their products are "green" or "eco-friendly".

The European Union is set to propose on Wednesday new requirements on companies seeking to promote goods sold in Europe with labels like "natural", "climate neutral" or having "recycled content". Companies that make climate-friendly claims without proof could face financial penalties. A Commission assessment of 150 claims about products' environmental characteristics in 2020 found that most - 53% - provided "vague, misleading or unfounded information". Campaign groups welcomed the draft plan as a step forward from the largely unregulated proliferation of green claims today. Among the requirements would be that companies whose claims rely on buying carbon credits to offset their own environmental impact must disclose this.

☆ Exclusive: EU drafts plan to allow e-fuel combustion engine cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Markus Wacket | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The draft proposal, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, suggests creating a new type of vehicle category in the European Union for cars that can only run on carbon neutral fuels. Such vehicles would have to use technology that would prevent them from driving if other fuels are used, the draft said. The proposal could offer a route for carmakers to keep selling combustion engine vehicles after 2035, the date when a planned EU law is set to ban the sale of new CO2-emitting cars. The Ministry's core demand is that the EU allow sales of new cars running on e-fuels after 2035. An EU official told Reuters on Monday that any proposal on registering e-fuel cars would only be made after the combustion engine phaseout law was finally adopted.

☆ Northern Ireland's DUP hardens position against new Brexit deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Amanda Ferguson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A key test of the deal reached by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Brussels last month is its ability to convince the DUP to end a year-long boycott of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government over the original post-Brexit trade rules. As well as leaving Northern Ireland without a functioning executive, failure to win over the DUP could trigger a rebellion within Sunak's Conservative Party and dash his hopes of presenting the deal as a major diplomatic success. U.S. President Joe Biden has accepted an invitation to visit Northern Ireland to mark the anniversary in April. Clear protection "in UK law" was also needed to protect Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom's internal market, he said. Sunak's government has not set out in detail how it intends to implement the deal, known as the Windsor Framework, in law.

The EU law would require all new cars sold from 2035 to have zero CO2 emissions, making it effectively impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered cars. E-fuels, like e-kerosene, e-methane, or e-methanol, are made by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen produced using renewable or CO2-free electricity. Germany and Italy want clearer assurances from the EU that sales of new ICE cars can continue beyond 2035, if they run on CO2-neutral fuels. Most major carmakers are betting on battery-electric vehicles - a technology that is already widely available - as the main route to cut CO2 emissions from passenger cars. Supporters say e-fuels offer a route to cut the CO2 emissions of our existing passenger car fleet, without replacing every vehicle with an electric one.

☆ Tech-sponsored study criticises plan to exclude non-EU cloud vendors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Google Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - A proposed European Union cloud security label that could exclude Amazon (AMZN.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Microsoft (MSFT.O) and other non-EU cloud services providers from the bloc is discriminatory and could lead to retaliatory measures, a study commissioned by a tech lobbying group said. At issue is a provision in EU cybersecurity agency ENISA's certification scheme (EUCS) that requires cloud services providers to have their registered head office and global headquarters in the EU and to operate cloud services and store and process customer data in the 27-member bloc. "Member states should now call on the cybersecurity agency and also the European Commission to abandon politically motivated EUCS immunity requirements," he added. A ban could also trigger retaliatory measures by EU trading partners, the think tank said.

☆ KLM, airline industry to fight Schiphol Airport flight cap in court
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Tosterling Charlotte Campenhout | Charlotte Campenhout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMSTERDAM, March 3 (Reuters) - KLM and other airlines on Friday said they are suing the Dutch government over plans to cap the number of annual flights allowed at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, saying it would hurt them, the Dutch economy and travellers. Others joining the KLM suit include Delta Airlines, easyJet, TUI and Turkey's Corendon Airlines. But the decision to cap the flights cited noise and air pollution concerns, not traveller's' distress. Schiphol Airport Group, which was also issued a summons in the KLM-led case, said it "regretted" the suit. Last month the airport said it would impose a 66,000 passenger per day cap for the 2023 May vacation period due to still-unresolved labour shortages.

But EU countries still need to rubber stamp the decision before it can take effect. EU countries' ambassadors on Friday cancelled the vote that had been planned for March 7, the spokesperson for Sweden said. Italy, which has previously said it will vote against the EU cars law, on Friday welcomed the postponement of the vote. Such an outcome, along with some resistance from Italy and some eastern European countries, could throw the whole EU ban into question. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will attend a German cabinet meeting at the Schloss Meseberg palace on Sunday, where the topic is likely to be discussed.

☆ OnlyFans lost a legal battle meaning it's likely to pay UK sales tax on all the money made by its content creators
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

OnlyFans lost a battle at Europe's highest court over how much sales tax it should pay. The court ruled it should pay value-added tax on all revenues, and not just its 20% commission. The court sided with the UK tax body and the decision will shape a final ruling by a UK tribunal. Fenix International will likely need to pay sales tax, known as VAT, on all the revenues generated by OnlyFans creators – not just its 20% commission, Reuters reported. The court agreed with HMRC, the UK's tax authority, which told Fenix in April 2020 to pay VAT on revenue it generated between 2017 and 2020.

☆ EU lawmakers set up clash with member states over share trade ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - A panel of European Union lawmakers were set for a clash with member states after they backed a draft law banning brokers from earning fees in return for directing share trades to specific trading platforms. The European Parliament and the EU bloc's 27 member states must now thrash out a joint position that would become law. "A ban of PFOF is a huge disservice to retail clients and to the Capital Markets Union as a whole," said Markus Ferber, a committee member from Germany, where many PFOF brokers are based. The proposed ban is part of a draft law to update the bloc's securities rules known as MiFID. The committee also backed reducing off exchange "dark trading" favoured by big investors to 7% of total trading from 8% at present, and below the 10% which EU states want.

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