Who’s afraid of the big bad von? After last week, it seems like everybody in the EU institutions is. From Thierry Breton’s resignation, to key portfolios being diluted between multiple Commissioners and discontentment from the Parliament who feels snubbed, Ursula’s reign is starting to feel more and more like a gust of wind ready to blow over any competition…
| College of Commissioner: On 17 September, Ursula von der Leyen presented the next College of Commissioners to the Parliament and then to the public. This new mandate includes six Executive Vice-Presidents: Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Spain, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition), Henna Virkkunen (Finland, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy), Stéphane Séjourné (France, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy), Kaja Kallas (Estonia, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission), Roxana Mînzatu (Romania, Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness) and Raffaele Fitto (Italy, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms). Targeted PFAS restriction: On 19 September, the European Commission announced that, under the REACH Regulation, it is restricting the use of undecafluorohexanoic acid (‘PFHxA’) and PFHxA ‑related substances which are sub-groups of PFAS. PFAS (Risk based approach) – speech by German chancellor: On 12 September, during the VCI Chemistry and Pharma Summit in Berlin, German chancellor, Olaf Scholz stated that ‘we reject a total and undifferentiated ban of all these chemical groups’. On the revision of REACH, the chancellor explained that a ‘risk-based approach must be retained’ in opposition to the generic risk approach (GRA). Landfill Directive: Slovakia has been convicted by the European court of Justice for the mismanagement of its landfills. European Council meeting: According to the draft agenda for the 17-18 October European Council, the COP29 and the Draghi report will be the topics of discussions. Project Common Interest (PCI): The European Commission has launched a call for applications for energy infrastructure PCIs. ‘The call for the electricity, hydrogen & electrolyser categories runs from 18 September to 18 November 2024, and for the smart electricity grids, smart gas grids, CO2 and the projects falling under the Article 24 derogation, from 18 September to 18 December 2024′. European Environment Agency briefing on PFAS in textiles: According to a briefing by the European Environment Agency, textiles are one of the biggest sources of PFAS pollution in Europe (35% of total global PFAS demand are from textiles). European Court of Auditors report on EU’s revenue based non-recycled plastic packaging waste: On 16 September, the European Court of Auditors published a report on the EU’s revenue based on non-recycled plastic packaging waste which underlines that Member States were poorly prepared and used different compilation methods. Draghi report – reaction by the Commission biodiversity chief: On 19 September, during the WWF’s European Business Biodiversity Forum, Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Biodiversity at the Directorate-General for the Environment, stated that according to him, Draghi’s report on the future of EU competitiveness is a ‘compromise-based approach’ explaining that it compromises environmental goals for others. FEAD News: Busy busy week at FEAD! On 16 September, FEAD’s Secretary General, Paolo Campanella, presented on waste management solutions in the EU and discussed the challenges we face as we move toward a more circular economy at the at the 14th International Recycling Logistics Conference. On 18 September, FEAD’s Environmental and Technical Officer, Rafael Basciano, participated to the CIMPA‘s workshop on multilayer packaging. On the same day, our Senior Legal & Policy Officer, Aizea-Astor Hoschen, was at the Industrial Emission Alliance meeting, a day after giving a presentation for Geminor at a HUB opening in Landskrona. At FEAD, we’re gearing up for an exciting end of the year with two key events: On 31 October, we will be co-hosting a joint conference on ‘Higher energy and material security in EU countries’ in Prague. On 5 December, we’re organising a conference on Circular Economy Priorities in Brussels. |
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