Sajtószoba 

Health MEPs quizzed the EMA’s Executive Director on Tuesday on the current situation around COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, as well as the Agency’s future role.

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on Thursday to make the European Medicines Agency more effective in tackling shortages of medicines and medical devices.

Environment Committee MEPs are in favour of a pathway towards zero-emission road mobility in 2035 for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.

MEPs in the two responsible committees objected on Tuesday to the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the list of environmentally sustainable economic activities.

MEPs adopt their position on key EU draft laws to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 and to protect jobs and citizens.

To incentivise industries to further reduce their emissions and invest in low-carbon technologies, the Emissions Trading System should be reformed and its scope enlarged, say MEPs.

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on how the EU and member states should deal more efficiently with future serious cross-border health threats.

The new EU Climate Law increases the EU’s 2030 emissions reductions target from 40% to at least 55% while boosting the contribution from removals that can bring the target to 57%.

To raise global climate ambition and prevent ‘carbon leakage’, the EU must place a carbon price on imports from less climate-ambitious countries, say Environment MEPs.

The EU needs clear policy objectives to achieve a carbon-neutral, environmentally sustainable, toxic-free and fully circular economy by 2050 at the latest, say MEPs.

On Monday, a reform of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) was provisionally agreed, aimed at improving prevention, preparedness and response to disasters.

In a debate with Frans Timmermans, the Environment Committee says the EU must remain firm on climate change and the timetable foreseen for the Climate Law.

Environment Committee MEPs voted to make climate neutrality obligatory by 2050 in both EU and member states and call for a more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target.

MEPs debated ways to secure a quick and safe supply of COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, with representatives of pharmaceutical companies, research , and civil society.

Environment MEPs advocate a full and immediate EU-wide ban on ivory and rhinoceros horn trade, and call for common sanctions at EU level against wildlife trafficking, in a resolution voted on Thursday. Wildlife trafficking is worth an estimated €20 billion annually. It has grown in recent years, becoming one of the biggest and most profitable forms of organised cross-border crime.

Parliament’s committee in charge of public health questioned Commissioners Kyriakides and Lenarčič on how to best step up the EU’s response and coordination to COVID-19.

The share of municipal waste to be recycled will rise to 55% by 2025, from 44% today, under legislation on circular economy backed by Environment MEPs on Tuesday.

The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee called for sufficient means to match the needs of the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism programme post-2020.

All of the EP’s 20 standing committees and two subcommittees held their constitutive meetings on Wednesday to elect their chair and vice-chairs.

The share of waste to be recycled should be raised to 70% by 2030, from 44% today, while landfilling, which has a big environmental impact, should be limited to 5%, said Environment Committee MEPs on Tuesday, as they amended the draft EU “waste package” legislation. They also advocate a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030.