European Parliament sets up Special Committee on Cancer
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Fight against cancer becomes top priority for the EU
"The European Parliament will establish a special committee on cancer. This makes the fight against cancer a top priority for the whole European Union", said MEP Peter Liese, health spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP).
The group chairs had already agreed to set up a special committee at the initiative of the EPP Group last week. Formal adoption by the plenary and the official establishment of the committee is due in the coming weeks. "The establishment of a special committee on cancer is a strong signal that we want to join forces in the fight against cancer to help patients". On 4 February 2020, International World Cancer Day, the European Commission will officially launch the consultation on Europe´s Beating Cancer Plan to be presented by the end of this year. The European Parliament´s Special Committee will make contribution to the plan and assist in monitoring its implementation.
Read more: European Parliament sets up Special Committee on Cancer
Concrete climate action - EU publishes new eco-design efficiency standards
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Important step towards CO2 reduction - good for the climate, wallet and jobs - 46 million tonnes of CO2 savings
On Thursday (5 December) the European Commission will publish new energy efficiency requirements for 10 different products in the Official Journal. The measures adopted under the Ecodesign-Directive are designed to save energy and thus protect the climate. There will be new requirements for refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, electronic displays (including televisions), light sources and separate control gear, external power supplies, electric motors, direct sales refrigerators (e.g. supermarket refrigerators, cold drink vending machines), transformers and welding equipment. This will save 46 million tonnes of C02. This corresponds to Denmark's annual energy consumption or the CO2 emissions of about 27 million cars.
Read more: Concrete climate action - EU publishes new eco-design efficiency standards
Green deal can bring additional jobs and growth
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Commission works on emissions trading for transport and buildings despite Green and Socialist opposition
"The Green Deal, if properly implemented, can provide additional jobs and growth to Europe," MEP Peter Liese, EPP spokesperson for environment. "We are currently spending around one billion euros a day on imports of oil, gas and coal. If we invest this money in efficiency and new technologies within the European Union, it will benefit all of us and of course help the climate. Ursula von der Leyen has found the right framework to combine ambitious climate protection goals with jobs and growth. Also in March, just like the presentation of the climate protection law, an industrial strategy will be presented, which will describe in more detail how we will enable our energy-intensive industry to produce climate neutrally.”
European Parliament sets signal against Trump / MEPs want alliance with other industrialized and emerging countries to boost climate protection
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EPP-Group focuses on innovation, support for structural change, market-based means and forest protection
The ENVI Committee of the European Parliament is sending a clear signal against the climate protection policy of US President Donald Trump. While Trump formally announced at the beginning of the week that he would be withdrawing from the Paris climate protection agreement, a large majority of the members of the ENVI Committee even voted for a stronger commitment to climate protection. The EU should not only raise its own climate targets but above all cooperate with other industrialised and emerging countries to raise ambitions together.
"Donald Trump's announcement is a very bad signal, but I am sure that it will survive Donald Trump. The resignation can only come into force once the next presidential election has taken place in the USA and I then hope for improvement", said the environmental policy spokesperson of the largest Group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats).