Page 20 - Bas Eickhout News Today

On the agenda for the plenary session: the Fit for 55 package, Question Time with the Commission on reducing the use of pesticides and strengthening consumer protection, Council and Commission statements on the rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national Recovery Plan (RRF), Council and Commission statements on global threats to abortion rights, a new trade instrument to ban products made by forced labour, and the Xinjiang police files.

German liberal MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen and Romanian centre-right MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu have organised a dinner in Strasbourg with Airlines for Europe (A4E). The dinner takes place on the eve of a crucial vote on climate change laws.

Experts and MEPs criticised EU commission plans to classify gas and nuclear as a green investment ahead of a crucial vote in July.

Europe rethinks its reliance on burning wood for electricity

European Commission says extra €210bn needed over next five years to pay for phasing out of Russian fossil fuels

The EU unveiled its plans to increase solar generation capacity and accelerate the rollout of major renewable projects in the EU — as part of efforts to reduce energy imports from Russia.

EU leaders unveiled a €210bn strategy aiming to cut Russian gas out of the European energy equation before 2027 and by two-thirds before the end of the year — but questions remain on how it is to be financed.

Greens in the European Parliament expressed concerns over their French colleagues’ alliance with the far left.

On the agenda for the plenary session: the impact of the war against Ukraine on women, the use of the Pegasus Software by EU Member States against individuals including MEPs and the violation of fundamental rights, the final report by Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age/AIDA, 2020 discharge reports, electoral law reform, Commission statements on the ongoing hearings under Article 7(1) TEU regarding Poland and Hungary and the EU Action Plan on Organic Agriculture.

The EU's decision to include natural gas and nuclear power as "transitional activities" in its sustainable investments guidelines for green finance continues to generate massive controversy. Critics call it the "biggest greenwash ever."