Articles

Industry wants to shape EU youth to its needs, Commission agrees

10.10.2008

Industry wants to shape EU youth to its needs, Commission agrees

10.10.2008

Media non grata

New Coalition Seeks To Halt Privatisation Push In Europe

01.10.2008

A new pan-European coalition of water campaign groups will be launched during the European Social Forum in the Swedish city Malmö to argue the case against privatisation. Including groups from Italy, Germany,France, Spain and Turkey, the European Network for Public Water will push for major changes in EU policies towards water management.

Jan Willem Goudriaan of the European Public Services Union (EPSU), one of the groups involved in initiating the coalition, said:

Meager harvest: just 5-10% of EU lobbyists now registered

29.09.2008

It is now more than three months since the Commission launched its online register for lobbyists, and there are just over 370 entries. Exactly how good or bad that is in terms of compliance rate is difficult to judge, but it probably represents merely 5-10% of the total. The Commission has carefully avoided estimating the number of “interest representatives” (firms, industry lobby groups, NGOs, think-thanks, etc.) involved in lobbying the EU who should register.

Food

Protesters at petrol stations state "Agrofuels are no solution for the climate and energy problem!"

23.09.2008

In Front of a Statoil petrol station (Nobelvägan near corner Lönngatan) the traffic was stopped and waiters and waitresses serving organic food talked to the drivers. They had to choose between fuelling their car, or access to food for themselves and other people. There was understanding and sympathy for the alternative, although nobody decided to leave the car at the spot. Luckily the police was occupied by their preparations for the big ESF demonstration. It took them 30 minutes to find out about the action.
Food

Agrofuels are not a climate solution

23.09.2008

Corporate Europe Observatory will join the Agrofools Action Group at a petrol station in Malmo to highlight the issue of agrofuels - curretnyl being discussed at the European Social Forum.

The European push for agrofuels will have many social and environmental implications, including rising food prices, jeopardising people's food sovereignty and access to food.

Swedish car drivers will be invited to choose from a menu: fueling their car with agrofuel, or having access to food for themselves and other people. About 100 people will participate in the action.

Food

Sugarcane ethanol is not sustainable

09.09.2008

Corporate Europe Observatory’s new briefing, "Sugarcane ethanol: a sweet solution for Europe's fuel addiction?", highlights the impacts of sugarcane production in Brazil, including harsh working conditions and the destruction of some of Brazil’s most important forests and wildlife habitats.

Food

Seminar on the Impacts of Agrofuel

03.09.2008

In June 2007, Global Forest Coalition, Corporate Europe Observatory and
Friends of the Earth Europe organised four days of events on agrofuels,
including debates in the European Parliament and the Dutch Parliament.
Fifteen representatives from Southern organisations and movements were
in Europe to testify on the impacts that EU agrofuel policy will have
on their countries.This report is a record of their testimonies.
Food

A Reality Check on Agrofuels

02.09.2008

This report sets out critical concerns regarding the current push to develop agrofuels in transport, specially in industrialised countries.

Executive Summary