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Since Russia invaded Ukraine, EU Member States have made serious efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. To broaden the range of energy suppliers, the European Commission and the Member States' national governments have signed new agreements with non-EU countries and strengthened their pledges with existing partners. Norway is the world's fifth largest oil and third largest natural gas exporter, accounting for 2 % of global crude oil production and 3 % of global natural gas ...

During its October I plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to adopt its position on a European Commission proposal to revise a core piece of EU chemicals legislation, which requires proper classification, labelling and packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures to protect human health and the environment.

Treating urban wastewater to remove harmful components is essential to protect human health as well as rivers, lakes and seas. During the October I plenary session, the European Parliament is expected to adopt its position on a European Commission proposal that seeks to reinforce existing rules, adopted more than 30 years ago, and to bring them into line with the EU's climate neutrality, circularity and zero pollution ambitions.

In an increasingly assertive geopolitical environment, the use of economic tools to advance foreign policy goals is on the rise. This can take the form of coercion, when a third country deploys restrictions on trade or investment to influence the sovereign choices of the EU or its Member States. On 8 December 2021, the Commission published a proposal for an anti-coercion instrument that would allow the EU to respond more effectively to such challenges on a global scale. In October, the European Parliament ...

To support climate and environmental projects, the European Commission proposed a regulation on a European green bond standard in July 2021. This would establish an official EU standard for green bonds aligned with the EU taxonomy, based on a registration system and supervisory framework for external reviewers. A provisional political agreement reached between the Parliament and Council is scheduled for a vote during the October I plenary session.

The EU's ambition to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050, and its ability to sustain the green and digital transition and achieve strategic autonomy, all rely heavily on reliable, secure and resilient access to critical raw materials (CRMs). On 16 March 2023, the Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation on CRMs. It introduces the concept of strategic raw materials (SRMs), which are key for some strategic technologies and vulnerable to shortages. The general objective of the proposed ...

In September 2022, the European Commission proposed a regulation establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market (the 'European Media Freedom Act'). During the October I plenary session, Parliament is scheduled to vote on the report from its Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). The report as voted would then form Parliament's position for interinstitutional negotiations with the Council, which agreed its position in June 2023.

On 28 September 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of the 2009 Directive on the protection of workers from the risk of exposure to asbestos. Despite the total ban on the use of asbestos in the EU, exposure to this carcinogenic fibre, which is still present in many buildings, kills more than 70 000 people a year in Europe. Parliament is due to vote in October on the agreement reached in interinstitutional negotiations.

Under the European Green Deal, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in October 2022. Dating back to 1991, and instrumental to the achievement of European Union water policy objectives, the directive needs to be updated and adapted to new challenges and realities. The recast proposal would introduce new obligations to better control pollution due to rainwater, impose stricter standards for nutrient removal and require advanced treatment ...

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, EU Member States have made serious efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. To broaden the range of energy suppliers, the European Commission and EU national governments have signed new agreements with non-EU countries and strengthened their pledges with existing partners. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The economy of Saudi Arabia is the largest ...