Articles

EU: a hollow champion for the climate

07.12.2009

The EU has cultivated an image of being a leader in the fight against
climate change at UN climate summits. But as the UN talks in Copenhagen
get underway, a closer look at the EU's climate policy reveals
fundamental failings. This article looks at how lobbying on the EU's
flagship climate policy - the Emissions Trading Scheme has secured the
right for dirty industry to carry on polluting for free. The most
polluting industries, including chemicals, cement and steel, have

Dutch sidetracking the real issues on GM

06.12.2009

The EU’s policy on the cultivation and imports of genetically modified crops, flawed as it may be, is continuously under attack from the food, biotech and agribusiness industries. The animal feed industry, large importers of soy, have been taking a leading role in the current battle to speed up the EU authorisation process for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and abolish a crucial piece of EU GMO regulation, which forbids any contamination of food with traces of GM crops that are non-authorised in the EU: a zero-tolerance policy.

Potočnik as Environment Commissioner – industry in the drivers seat?

04.12.2009

One of the remarkable aspects of Barroso’s decisions on the portfolios of the new Commission team is that all 13 current Commissioners that continue in Barroso-II will get a new portfolio. The logic behind these transfers is not always exactly clear and in some cases Barroso’s choices are very worrying. Take the example of Janez Potočnik who after five years as Research Commissioner is now proposed as new Environment Commissioner.

Will Barroso-II have a transparency Commissioner?

04.12.2009

Media reactions to Commission President Barroso’s decisions on the division of portfolios over the 26 candidate Commissioners have concentrated on who got key portfolios, like Michel Barnier getting the internal market job, which includes the politically hot financial services dossier. What seems to have gone unnoticed so far, is the lack of clarity over who will take over political responsibility for the next phase of the European Transparency Initiative.

Searching in vain for the EP's Chamber of Secrets (Intergroups Register)

03.12.2009

In the last few weeks, CEO has tried in vain to access the European Parliament's Register of Intergroups. After numerous phone-calls and fruitless email correspondence, we raised the white flag and wrote a complaint letter to the Parliament's Quaestors instead. Our failed search for the register reveals an unacceptable lack of transparency.

Rules on Intergroups

03.12.2009

Open letter to the College of Quaestors

03.12.2009

Mandelson's links to oligarch raise concerns over Commissioners' conflicts of interests

01.12.2009

Channel 4's documentary Dispatches yesterday revealed a document showing that former EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson (2004-2008) personally signed the decision to lift import tariffs for Rusal, the aluminum giant owned by Lord Mandelson's close friend Oleg Deripaska.

Champagne corks popping in Rue Belliard

30.11.2009

Commission President Barroso surprised many with his early announcement on Friday afternoon of the portfolios for the 13 new candidate Commissioners and the 13 current Commissioners who will continue in Barroso-2.