Christian Ernhede

The European Commission has warned that the bloc is prepared to walk away from ongoing negotiations on a UN plastics pollution treaty, as key EU demands to cut primary production are in doubt under a draft unveiled on Friday.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen stands ready to fly to a Mercosur summit later this week to sign off on a trade deal with the bloc, amid last-minute efforts to get an agreement over the line.

The European Commission has extolled a ‘brand new’ EU-Mercosur trade agreement, finalised on Friday, with pledges to adhere to the Paris agreement as well as purportedly unprecedented commitments to curb deforestation.

Provisions on environment and climate under the revised Mercosur agreement remain largely unenforceable, contrary to previous suggestions by Commission officials, in what campaigners slam as “greenwashing” efforts.

Left-wing lawmakers have announced hopes of tabling a no-confidence vote against the European Commission, alleging that the EU executive disregarded Parliament and the broader public when pushing through an “environmentally criminal agreement”.

The upcoming Polish presidency has put forward plans to halt “bans and excessive burdens” in the bloc’s green policies, in a stated effort to prevent a public backlash. ENDS Europe takes a look at expectations for the country’s half-year helm.

Environment ministers will push for ships to transport polymer pellets below deck as part of their negotiating position on the proposed Plastic Pellets Regulation.

The EU bank is backing a commercial venture seeking to provide clean-up services at thousands of PFAS-polluted sites across Europe.