Page 78 - European Union

World slips on deforestation, loses cover equal to Ireland's area in 2021

Global gross deforestation amounted to 6.8 million hectares in 2021 with 3.9 giga-tonnes of CO2 equivalent of associated GHG emissions

The integrated circuit wars

US chip sanctions on China should be a wake-up call for India to quickly scale up and boost its capabilities in this critical arena

Why India may have to rework Russian oil purchase if a price cap is imposed

India will have to follow a delicate balancing act if the West imposes a pricing limit on supplies from Moscow

US suggests EU consider using export controls to target China: Report

The conversations came up as European Union and US officials are negotiating the agenda for their next high-level trade forum in early December.

EU approves ban on new combustion-engine cars from 2035 for climate goals

The European Parliament and EU member countries have reached a deal to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars and vans by 2035. EU negotiators sealed on Thursday night the first agreement of the bloc's Fit for 55" package set up by the Commission to achieve the EU's climate goals of cutting emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55 per cent over this decade. The EU Parliament said the deal is a clear signal ahead of the UN COP27 Climate Change Conference that the EU is serious about adopting concrete laws to reach the more ambitious targets set out in the EU Climate Law." According to the bloc's data, transport is the only sector where greenhouse gas emissions have increased in the past three decades, rising 33.5 per cent between 1990 and 2019. Passenger cars are a major polluter, accounting for 61 per cent of total CO2 emissions from EU road transport. The EU wants to drastically reduce gas emission from transportation by 2050 and promote electric cars, but a .

EU revisits Western Balkans to win friends, seek more influence

The European Union is in the midst of yet another goodwill trip through the Western Balkans to drum up support for the bloc and to make sure that Europe's historical tinderbox is not about to pick the side of hostile Russia or strategic rival China in the world of geopolitics. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will have a stop during her whirlwind six-nation tour in Serbia on Friday, by far the most important nation in the southern region, and one that has shown scant regard for solidarity in joining EU sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. For years, the 27-nation EU has been caught in two minds over the Western Balkans: seeking to pull them close as allies and hold off foreign interference, yet at the same time, keeping them at arm's length since their weaker economies and political institutions are far from ready to seamlessly integrate into the EU's single market of open trade and Western democratic ideals. The result has been frustration for the Weste

European Union to provide Albania with 80 mn euros to tackle energy crisis

The European Union (EU) will provide 80 million euros ($79.7 million) in grants to Albania to tackle energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said here.

ECB raises interest rates by 75 basis points to fight record inflation

With this, it has increased policy rate by 1.5 per cent, the highest in a decade

EU to tighten gun trade laws as Ukraine war fuels fear of illegal arms

The European Union on Thursday moved to tighten laws governing the trade and transport of guns to help keep illicit firearms out of the hands of criminal gangs amid concerns that the war in Ukraine could increase the spread of illegal weapons. The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, estimates that around 35 million illicit weapons are in hands of civilians across the 27-nation bloc. Around 630,000 firearms are listed as stolen in the EU's security and border database. The commission's crackdown would involve clearer, common procedures for the import, export and transit of firearms and ammunitions. An electronic licensing system would be set up for import and export applications to replace the slower paper-based systems most countries have. Stricter standards would be imposed on the manufacture of alarm and signal weapons, which fire things like blanks or tear gas. Such arms were converted by extremists and used in the bloody 2015 Paris attacks and the killing of staff at

EU to provide $504 mn in grants for Western Balkans to tackle energy crisis

The European Union (EU) will provide 500 million euros ($504 million) in grants for the Western Balkan countries to tackle energy crisis, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said here

EU proposes tougher pollution rules to eliminate harmful pollutants by 2050

The European Union's executive arm sought on Wednesday to toughen up pollution restrictions to ensure that harmful pollutants are eliminated by 2050 to potentially save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. The European Commission's proposals centre on air, waste and water pollution, and need the backing of the EU parliament and member states before they can be made mandatory. That is likely to take many months. Air pollution is the biggest threat to the bloc's 450 million citizens. The proposals include the doubling of limits to permissible fine air particles by 2030. Such particles make up a significant part of air pollution overall, which the EU says is killing nearly 300,000 people a year. Because effective enforcement of pollution rules has so far proven difficult, the proposals will empower ailing citizens to seek legal redress with better compensation rights and collective action to seek damages. On just air pollution, the Commission estimates that as much as 121 ...

Apple confirms use of USB-C charging for iPhones after EU's legislation

Apple Executive Greg Joswiak has confirmed that the tech giant will use USB-C charging port for iPhones

EU, US set up task force to resolve feud over electric vehicle batteries

The U.S. and the European Union have set up a task force tasked with resolving a dispute over electric vehicle batteries that the EU says would discriminate against manufacturers in the 27-nation bloc and break World Trade Organization rules. Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by U.S. Congress in August, electric car buyers are eligible for a tax credit of up to $7,500 as long as the vehicle runs on a battery built in North America with minerals mined or recycled on the continent. The EU believes that the measure is a potential trans-Atlantic trade barrier discriminating against foreign producers. The EU announced on Wednesday that Bjoern Seibert, the head of cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met in Berlin with U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Mike Pyle to launch the task force. A first meeting will take place next week. The Task Force will address specific concerns raised by the EU related to the IRA," the Commission said. Both sides ..

EU set to adopt emergency package in Nov to tackle current energy crisis

A package of emergency energy measures proposed by the European Commission last week to mitigate the effects of the current energy crisis should be adopted by November end, senior officials said

Moscow bans more EU figures from entering nation for anti-Russian actions

The Russian Foreign Ministry barred more persons of the European Union member states from entering Russia in response to their "anti-Russian" actions

EU energy ministers seek way forward for more energy unity amid war

European Union energy ministers on Tuesday started seeking some common ground to flesh out the barest of tentative agreements that their leaders could find last week to soften the blow of an energy crisis for their citizens while maintaining a united front during Russia's war in Ukraine. With winter approaching, home energy bills piling up and some businesses teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, there is a popular outcry for the 27-nation bloc to move much faster. But the fluctuating global energy markets and different energy mixes among member states ranging from nuclear to natural gas and other fossil fuels make smart, lightning-quick decisions nearly impossible. We have to be fast. And I will not hide that I am slightly disappointed that we are not going as fast forward as possible, said Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jozef Sikela, who chaired Tuesday's meeting. There is urgency, because our industries are destabilized and can no longer face international competition, French Ener

Russian oil logistics in chaos with weeks until EU sanctions bite

With about six weeks until the bloc's measures enter into force, little clarity exists on whether these steps will really suffice to help Russia to get much of its output to fend off a supply shock

EU leaders agree on roadmap to protect consumers from rising energy prices

Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states have agreed on a 'roadmap' of measures to protect European consumers from soaring energy prices

Eurasian Economic Union members gather to promote economic integration

The five member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) have vowed to enhance cooperation in various fields during a meeting in Armenia's capital Yerevan

After a 9-year gap, India-EU free trade negotiations to see new dawn

As India-EU marks 60 years of bilateral relations the new free trade agreement negotiations can deliver what proved to be impossible 9 years ago, said European Parliament member Kathleen Van Brempt