EU

Greenpeace tells EU ministers: ban illegal timber now

Last edited 23 November 2005 at 9:00am
23 November, 2005

LUXEMBOURG: Greenpeace activists will today (24th October) send a clear message to EU agriculture and development ministers meeting in Luxembourg and Leeds (UK): that unless they prohibit illegal timber imports to the EU and support sustainable forest management globally, their efforts to stop illegal logging will not end rainforest destruction in the poorest regions of the world. Farm Ministers are due to reach a political agreement on voluntary measures to combat illegal logging and support forest governance reform in timber-producing countries [1].

Article tagged as: EU, illegal, logging, press releases, timber trade

Illegal timber imports into Europe: what we are doing to stop this trade

Posted by admin — 23 November 2005 at 9:00am - Comments

Protesters dressed as gorillas blockade a shipload of illegal rainforest timber entering the port of Livorno, Italy

As a major market for tropical hardwood, the European Union plays a key role in the international trade in illegal and destructively sourced timber. Yet, currently no laws in Europe allow authorities to seize shipments of illegally logged timber, nor hold importers and traders of illegal timber accountable. These traders remain free to profit from forest destruction.

Article tagged as: amazon, brazil, cameroon, EU, forests, illegal timber, italy, spain

Lawless: How Europe's borders remain open to trade in illegal timber

Last edited 19 October 2005 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
19 October, 2005

Summary

A staggering 80 percent of the world’s ancient forests have already been destroyed or degraded and much of what remains is under threat from illegal and destructive logging. The Member States of the European Union (EU) play a key role in fuelling the international demand for timber products from these sources.

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Article tagged as: EC, EU, europe, forests, illegal timber, reports

EU bans US maize imports

Last edited 18 April 2005 at 8:00am
18 April, 2005

The European Union has today (Friday 15th April) decided to prohibit all imports of US maize gluten feed which cannot be guaranteed free of Bt10, an illegal GM maize variety that has recently contaminated US farms and been imported into the EU. This decision is likely to mean a de facto ban on all US maize imports, since the GM company Syngenta, which produced Bt10 maize, has been unable to provide a method to detect for its presence.

Greenpeace warned that without more coherent action by EU governments Europe will remain exposed to high-risk imports of illegal GMOs, in wheat, rice, soybeans and rape seed, as well as maize.

Article tagged as: EU, GM, GM imports, GM maize, press releases, USA

Real race is tackling climate change

Posted by bex — 5 April 2005 at 8:00am - Comments

A flood reaches almost four feet high on a flood height marker


Today Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the general election. Some party leaders have already hit the campaign trail, but the most important race we now face is tackling climate change.

Article tagged as: climate change, energy savings trust, EU, fossil fuels, fuel poverty, policy, renewable energy, tony blair, VED

Last edited 1 January 1970 at 1:00am
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When tigers attack...

Posted by bex — 28 September 2004 at 8:00am - Comments
The Esso conference is besieged by climate change protesters

The Esso conference is besieged by climate change protesters

Article tagged as: climate change, direct actions, esso, EU, hachette, oil, stop esso

European Communities - measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products

Last edited 27 May 2004 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
21 March, 2007

Publication date: May 2004

Summary
The US, Canada and Argentina are challenging the European Union's de facto moratorium on the approval of genetically modified (GM) foods and crops.

The Amicus Coalition represents a wide range of environmental, consumer and social justice groups lobbying the World Trade Organisation to prevent countries being forced to accept GM products that their consumers do not want.

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Article tagged as: agriculture, amicus coalition, EU, GM crops, GM food, reports, WTO

European Parliament elections: 10 June 2004

Last edited 27 May 2004 at 8:00am
Illegal timber found in the European Parliament

Illegal timber found in a European Parliament building earlier this year

Article tagged as: chemicals, climate change, EU, forests, GM, indonesia, policy, REACH, toxics

EU trashes Indonesian rainforests

Last edited 10 May 2004 at 8:00am

Timber from trashed Indonesian rainforests is being used in new EU buildings in Brussels, threatening the survival of the orang-utan and the Sumatran tiger.

Greenpeace investigators discovered that both the home of the EU - the Berlaymont - and the Economic and Social Committee building use Indonesian rainforest plywood for walls and flooring. The plywood was supplied by companies known to have been trading in illegal timber.

Article tagged as: berlaymont, EU, forests, illegal logging, indonesia, press releases