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Don't accept every result / In addition to phasing out fossil fuels, a new attempt to raise national targets and progress on international emissions trading required / European Commission needs task force to enforce emissions trading and carbon border adjustment mechanism internationally


The chair of the European Parliament's delegation to the climate conference in Dubai, MEP Dr. Peter Liese, called on the European governments and the European Union's negotiators not to accept every outcome. “In Europe, we have very ambitious climate policies. We must make it clear to the world that we can only convince our own citizens of the necessity of these measures in the long term if other major polluters also make their fair contribution to reducing greenhouse gases and financing climate policy in poorer countries. If the COP ends up just agreeing on 'blah blah blah', it would be better if the European Union, together with the least developed countries and the small island states, blocked the outcome,” explained Liese, who is also the environmental spokesperson for the largest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats).

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Right to combat flood of plastic waste / Controversial bans rightly defused


During the plenary session on Wednesday, the European Parliament substantially changed the European Commission's proposal on packaging and packaging waste. Many elements of the regulation that were publically criticised have been fundamentally adjusted or completely deleted. For example, the controversial ban on paper sachets of sugar, salt, pepper and sweetener has been removed. After the vote the environment policy spokesman for the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), Dr. Peter Liese said:

“I think it is right to combat the flood of plastic in particular and to improve recycling in those European countries where it is not yet working very well. We need a strong internal market for recycled raw materials to enhance our circular economy, but we don't need a waterfall of bans. Paper is a sustainable material and in Europe we really have other things to worry about at the moment than paper bags.”

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Urgent Need for Action Against Illegal Puppy Trade  / Eurobarometer Reveals - Europeans Want Greater Animal Protection / End Animal Cruelty, Protect Human and Animal Health


In a joint letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, several members of the EPP Group, led by Marlene Mortler,responsible spokesperson on the topic, Peter Liese, spokesperson for the Committee on Environment and Public Health, and Esther de Lange, Vice Chair of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP-Christian Democrats), have urgently highlighted the need to improve the protection of pets in the EU.

"We can be proud of our high standards of animal welfare in Europe. However, in practice, it is often apparent that our strict rules are circumvented. This has led to a flourishing illegal puppy trade in the EU. With this letter, we strongly urge President von der Leyen and Commissioner Kyriakides and demand a proposal from the Commission, as animal shelter operators repeatedly point out these deficiencies to us. Ultimately, it is about the welfare of all companion animals, such as dogs and cats," explained Mortler.

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Ban of plant protection products in ecologically sensitive areas off the table / Victory for farmers

Today, Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted no position on the reduction of plant protection products in a highly controversial vote. Several elements had been subject of long discussions. This includes the already high targets proposed by the Commission to reduce the use of plant protection products that in the Environment Committee had even increased. The real living conditions of farmers and the position of the Committee on Agriculture had been hardly taken into account. The Commission also proposed a ban on the use of pesticides in so-called “ecologically sensitive areas”, including bird and nature protection areas. This would have jeopardized the work of many farmers in Europe whose farmlands lie in these areas. Fortunately, these proposals could be taken off the table in today’s plenary vote.

  1. EU Institutions Agree on Reduction of Methane, a Climate-Damaging Gas
  2. Battle against Drug Shortages - Commission Presents Communication
  3. Reduction of plant protection products right, but ban wrong
  4. New rules for packaging: Environment Committee adopts position