Fittex

Stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun and reduces the overall amount of radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are human-made chemicals that, once emitted, reach the upper atmosphere and destroy the protective ozone layer, causing what is known as the ozone hole. They have significant adverse impacts on human health and the environment and are also greenhouse gases with high global warming potential. Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 on substances ...

In July 2023, the European Commission tabled a package of proposals aimed at greening freight transport. One of these proposals focuses on improving the use of rail infrastructure capacity. The proposed text suggests changes to the rules governing the planning and allocation of railway infrastructure capacity, which are currently outlined in Directive 2012/34/EU and Regulation (EU) No 913/2010. The goal of the changes is to enhance the management of rail infrastructure capacity and traffic as a way ...

In October 2022, under the European Green Deal, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. 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 do more to control pollution due to rainwater, impose stricter standards for nutrient removal and require advanced treatment ...

The Single European Sky (SES) initiative seeks to make EU airspace less fragmented and to improve air traffic management in terms of safety, capacity, cost-efficiency and the environment. Its current regulatory framework is based on two legislative packages: SES I (adopted in 2004), which set up the principal legal framework, and SES II (adopted in 2009), which aimed to tackle substantial air traffic growth, increase safety, and reduce costs and delays and the impact of air traffic on the environment ...

On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented a legislative package to modernise and reinforce maritime rules on safety and pollution prevention. The package contains proposals to revise five legal acts, including the Port State Control Directive (PSCD). The aim is to update them so that they are in line with the requirements of the International Maritime Organization and the regional organisation for port state control set up under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The proposal refers ...

As part of its fight against harmful substances, on 13 February 2023 the European Commission tabled a proposal for a directive aimed at protecting workers' health by lowering occupational exposure to lead and diisocyanates. In Parliament, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, which is responsible for the file, adopted its report on 7 September 2023. The mandate to enter into interinstitutional negotiations was endorsed by the plenary the following week. On 14 November 2023, Parliament and ...

On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented a maritime safety package, including a proposal on a revised directive for compliance with flag state requirements. Revision of the rules is needed to take account of digitalisation, improve inspections and cooperation between flag states, and align with international rules on safety, pollution prevention, and working conditions, through inspections and surveys. This is to ensure EU flag states discharge their international law obligations. The proposal ...

On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented a legislative package to modernise and reinforce maritime rules on safety and pollution prevention. It contained proposals for the revision of five legislative acts, including the Directive on Ship-source Pollution. The aim is to combat pollution from maritime ships, thereby preventing all ship-owners and operators, regardless of the ship's flag, from releasing any type of illegal discharge into European seas, in line with International Maritime Organization ...

On 1 June 2023, the European Commission presented the maritime safety package, focused on introducing modernised maritime safety and security rules on port state and flag state control, maritime accident investigation and ship source pollution. The package also includes a proposal to revise the Regulation on the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The revised regulation would give EMSA new and more numerous tasks since the last major revision of its mandate in 2013 and aim to make it 'future ...

On 26 April 2023, the European Commission put forward a 'pharmaceutical package' to revise the EU's pharmaceutical legislation and make medicines more available, accessible and affordable, while supporting the competitiveness and attractiveness of the EU pharmaceutical industry, with higher environmental standards. The package includes proposals for a new directive and a new regulation, which would replace the existing pharmaceutical legislation, including the legislation on medicines for children ...