2030 EU target for renewables in transport leaves an opening for sustainable crop-based biofuels to help reach Paris goals

BRUSSELS, 17 January 2018 – The European Parliament’s vote to phase out palm oil and allow some crop-based biofuels is a welcome recognition that the EU needs all the sustainable tools it can get in the fight against climate change.

Brussels, 16. January 2018 - The EU hopes to reduce or entirely do away with plastic waste in Europe – but from the perspective of the German mechanical engineering industry, this will mean a need for greater capital investment in state-of-the-art recycling technology. “The technologies to do a better job of recycling plastic waste and achieve a substantial reduction in waste volumes already exist,” says Naemi Denz, member of the board of the Engineering Federation VDMA.

Strasbourg, 16 January 2018

Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament today welcomed the Commission’s strategy to reduce plastic waste. In line with S&D efforts to promote a transition to a circular economy - where all products are designed to be either recycled, re-used or remanufactured-they will push for an even more ambitious proposal when the strategy is debated in the European Parliament.

Kathleen Van Brempt, S&D vice-president for sustainability, said:

Brussels, 16 January 2018

Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have promoted a declaration, co-signed by the United Left (GUE) and the Greens, to support the Colombian peace process.

At the request of the S&D Group, the plenary today debated on Colombia. However, the EPP and ALDE did not allow for an official resolution to be adopted, and this is why the progressive groups in the Parliament adopted a joint declaration*.

S&D vice-president for foreign relations and human rights, Elena Valenciano MEP, said: