The existence of many of these species is today at risk. The red list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources includes over 800 animal species and 180 plant species in Europe that are slipping at various rates down the slope towards extinction. This is the case for half the species of mammals and a third of the species of reptiles, birds and fish. 79 European animals are "in serious danger of extinction", which means that it may prove impossible to maintain them in the wild within the next ten years: such is the case for the ... continua

As energy costs continue to rise and the need to fight climate change is becoming ever more pressing, more than a hundred cities in Europe are running sustainable energy use strategies based on the concept of "shining examples", joint action and shared experiences. The BELIEF project encourages all European local authorities, especially urban communities, to form "Sustainable Energy Communities" to improve local policy making, promote energy citizenship and stimulate the markets for sustainable energy. This report was filmed in two urban ... continua

In Belgium, women working on the cash desks and stacking the shelves in Delhaize supermarkets were dismayed to find out that they were earning less than their male colleagues. Now the company is using a new analytical classification system to re-evaluate its salary structure. In Spain, a new equality law was introduced in 2007. As well as insisting on equal pay for jobs of equal value, it introduces paternity leave for the first time and also sets targets for companies to include more women in the board room. Interviews: ... continua

The content is chosen by the European Commission according to topics of interest to young people aged 15 to 18, and is then drafted by a team of professional writers. Since 2004, the Europa Diary has dealt with issues such as consumer credit, counterfeiting, e-commerce, climate change, fair trade, the dangers of tobacco and alcohol use, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.The Diary may also be partially adapted to each country. National partners of Generation Europe may, on the one hand, choose or refuse certain articles according to ... continua

Food products will need to meet the requirements of nutrient profiles to bear nutrition and health claims. Nutrient profiles will be based on the content of nutrients such as fat, saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, salt and sugars, excessive intakes of which in the overall diet are not recommended. Nutrition claims can fail one criterion, i.e. if only one nutrient (salt, sugar or fat) exceeds the limit of the profile a claim can still be made. In such cases the high level of that particular nutrient must be clearly marked on the label, ... continua

The rules that govern nutrition labelling have already been in force for over a decade. In general nutrition labelling is included on a voluntary basis so the inclusion on most products depends on the goodwill of the agri-and-food industry. When nutrition labelling can be found, it may be difficult to find since it can be in small or very small print. Moreover, the type of labelling varies from one product to the next and from one country to the other. As a result, when filling their shopping carts, few European consumers take the time to ... continua

The past six years in Afghanistan have been marked by a struggle to maintain the peace and build the institutions of economic and social revival. This is no easy task in a country driven by two and half decades of conflict. The EU has developed a comprehensive range of measures and missions, with an emphasis on areas of greatest concern, like the burgeoning drugs production and its impact on the security situation, as well as on progress in rural and economic development and supporting the rights of women. What progress lies beneath the ... continua

Over half of all European households now own a computer. But with their scanners, printers and modems, personal computers can account for up to 20% of household electricity consumption. Manufacturers, encouraged by the European Commission, are therefore looking for ways to make their products consume less energy. Consumers have a role to play too. They can buy products with the Energy Star logo for their superior energy efficiency and can develop certain elementary good habits, like switching off devices when not in use. However, the ... continua

The European Commission’s Directorate-General Environment presents a video report on the concrete measures proposed by the European Commission. It includes interviews with key voices.

With the active involvement of the EU, the Bali Conference, last December, demonstrated that a global agreement on climate change is feasible. Today, the European Commission's new energy and climate package aims to slash the EU's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, and by 30% if other industrialised countries agree to do the same.
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The fight against climate change has been organised in such a way that it offers developing countries opportunities for economic and social development.
With their signature of the Kyoto Protocol, most industrialised countries have agreed to limit their CO2 emissions through a quota system.
If need be, however, they may make use of a mechanism that allows them to buy additional emission rights on international markets from developing or emerging economies, which have no limits on their emission levels.
If developing or emerging countries ... continua