The widely used herbicide glyphosate has been judged 'safe', write Pete Farrer & Marianne Falck. But by the time it's used, it's in a 'formulation' with toxic surfactants, which escape EU regulation despite their known dangers. Germany alone has forbidden the use of the most dangerous surfactant - but is keeping its evidence secret.
Toxic glyphosate herbicides fly under the EU's regulatory radar Pete Farrer Marianne Falck | 12th September 2014 News Health Toxics Food Farming GMOs EU Regulation Corporations Germany …
Extensive, long running evidence for the cancer-causing effects of glyphosate, and other toxic impacts, have been ignored by regulators. Indeed as the evidence has built up, permitted levels in food have been hugely increased, writes Dr Mae Wan Ho.
Glyphosate is a disaster for human health Dr Mae Wan Ho | 30th April 2014 News Farming Toxics Regulation Health USA EU Science roundup-ultra-cut.jpg Extensive, long running evidence for the …
The European Commission must not re-approve the 'probably carcinogenic' weedkiller glyphosate so long as its assessment is based on secret industry studies, actual products are not investigated, and in the absence of scientific criteria for endocrine disruption, write 66 MEPs in this Open Letter to Commissioner Andriukaitis, in charge of health and food safety.
EU must not re-approve glyphosate based on flawed EFSA study Michèle Rivasi 65 other MEPs | 1st February 2016 Comment GMOs Health EU Regulation Corporations Science weedkiller-cut.jpg The European …
To accommodate high levels of Roundup residues in GM soya, limits were raised 200-fold - with no scientific justification and ignoring growing evidence of toxicity. What Monsanto calls 'extreme levels' are now the norm - but only in GM crops.
'Extreme levels' of Roundup are the norm in GMO soya Thomas Bøhn Marek Cuhra | 1st April 2014 News Gm Food GMOs Food Farming EU USA roundup-spraying.png To accommodate high levels of Roundup residues …
The illegal killing of songbirds on the UK's military base on Cyprus has reached record levels, a study by RSPB has shown, with an estimated 900,000 birds trapped, killed and eaten in autumn 2014.
UK allows songbird slaughter on Cyprus military base The Ecologist | 9th March 2015 News Birds Hunting Cyprus EU UK Food Crime female-blackcap-mistnet-gm.jpg The illegal killing of songbirds on the …
The health of Europe's citizens is on trial as the EU's food safety regulator challenges the World Health Organisation over glyphosate and cancer, writes Corporate Europe Observatory. On the WHO side, published, peer reviewed science, real world epidemiology and open processes. While the EFSA conclusion is based on secret industry studies and opaque procedures. Will science or realpolitik win the day?
EFSA and EU member states vs. WHO on glyphosate as carcinogen: can science win? Corporate Europe Observatory | 2nd December 2015 News Health Science Regulation EU Corporations Toxics …
A new Trade Secrets law to be voted on next week by the European Parliament threatens a massive clampdown on journalists and whistle-blowers, write Anne Friel & Anaïs Berthier, giving corporations the right to sue those who disclose private information even in the public interest to protect health, safety and environment.
EU's 'trade secret' protection risks health, environment and freedom! Anne Friel Anaïs Berthier ClientEarth | 10th June 2015 Comment Law EU Corporations enjoy-coca-cola-cut.jpg A new Trade Secrets …
The European Commission was guilty of maladministration and acted unlawfully in approving pesticides for which there was insufficient safety data, the EU Ombudsman has ruled. It must now reform its practices, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers, or face legal action.
'Unlawful'! EU's hasty approval of pesticides condemned Vanessa Amaral-Rogers | 22nd February 2016 News Food Farming EU Regulation Toxics Law farmer spraying field.jpg The European Commission was …
The EU's food and farming safety regulator is trying to create a 'back door' system to licence the use of herbicides that have been banned for their toxic impacts on people and wildlife - under a clearly inapplicable 'plant health' exemption.
EFSA creates 'plant health' loophole for banned weedkillers Oliver Tickell | 8th September 2016 News Pesticides Health Law Farming EU Food poppies-cut.jpg The EU's food and farming safety regulator …
The EU's nature directives provide effective protection for endangered species and habitats, writes Leonardo Mazza. So why the Commission's decision to 'review' and 'modernise' the laws? With its commitment to business-friendly deregulation and uninterest in the environment, the aim is surely to gut them - something only EU-wide citizens' mobilisation can prevent.
European Commission's deregulation drive threatens EU nature laws Leonardo Mazza | 11th July 2015 News EU Natural World Biodiversity Law Poland augustow-forest-cut.jpg The EU's nature directives …
Article 6 of the Euratom Treaty provides for nuclear industry practices to be rejustified in the light of new scientific evidence of harm to health, writes Chris Busby. We now have that evidence, in particular that radiation exposure even at very low levels causes severe and heritable genetic damage to people and entire families. Now, we must use the law to protect our health from radiation!
… how Christopher Busby | 28th November 2016 Activism Nuclear Science Health Energy WMD …
The EU referendum debate is taking place between different wings of the corporate elite, dominated by assumptions in favour of big business, free trade and endless economic growth, write Helena Norberg-Hodge, Rupert Read & Thomas Wallgren. But to vote for a sustainable future we must adopt a very different, local perspective - one you'll never find in UK's 'mainstream' media.
We must localise the EU and curb corporate power - but does that mean in or out? Helena Norberg-Hodge Rupert Read Thomas Wallgren | 31st May 2016 News EU Economics Sustainability Corporations …
With EU ministers due to decide tomorrow on the future of the glyphosate in the EU, Colin Todhunter finds evidence of collusion between regulators and the corporations whose sales of the 'probably carcinogenic' herbicide add up to many billions of dollars a year - evidence that underlies a legal action alleging fraud by the European Food Safety Authority against the EU's 508 million citizens.
… corruption'? Colin Todhunter | 17th May 2016 Activism Pesticides Health Science Regulation …
After leaving the EU the government could allow dangerous pesticides banned elsewhere in Europe to be used in the UK, writes Keith Tyrell. Today, Pesticides Action Network is launching a new campaign calling on citizens to fight back against the pesticide industry - and ensure that EU directives and regulations serve as a baseline for British pesticide laws.
… laws Keith Tyrell PAN UK | 8th February 2017 Activism Pesticides Regulation UK EU Brexit …
The latest salvo in the battle over Africa's seed systems has been fired, writes Stephen Greenberg, with the Gates Foundation and USAID playing puppet-masters to Africa's governments - now meeting in Addis Ababa - as they drive forward corporation-friendly seed regulations that exclude and marginalize the small farmers whose seeds and labour feed the continent.
Grabbing Africa's seeds: USAID, EU and Gates Foundation back agribusiness seed takeover Stephen Greenberg Oliver Tickell | 23rd March 2015 News Africa Farming Seeds Corporations USA EU maria banda …
Biotech corporations have invested billions in a range of new 'GM 2.0' technologies designed to redesign the world's germplasm and create new generations of super-GMOs, writes Nina Holland. And powerful investors have no intention of letting tedious EU regulations get in the way of the profits they are now poised to reap - no matter what the laws actually say.
Brussels biotech lobby's last push for 'GM 2.0' technologies to escape regulation Nina Holland | 2nd February 2016 News GMOs EU Regulation Corporations biofuels-cut.jpg Biotech corporations have …
In its decision to leave the EU, the UK is cutting itself off from one of the world's most effective systems of climate governance, write Tim Rayner & Brendan Moore. But we still have our own Climate Change Act and can lead the EU, if not as a member, at least by example - provided current and future Conservative Party leadership make their commitment clear, and implement their promises.
The UK can still lead on climate change - even after Brexit Tim Rayner Brendan Moore | 8th July 2016 News Climate Change Brexit Politics Emissions EU UK leadsom-cut.jpg In its decision to leave the …
Poland's environment ministry has a plan for a huge increase in logging in Europe's last great primeval forest, writes Zachary Davies Boren. Officials claim it's to control bark beetles. But ecologists say the insects are regulated naturally within the forest ecosystem, while logging threatens huge damage to irreplaceable biodiversity.
Timber! Poland's bid to increase logging 8-fold in primeval Bialowieza Forest Zachary Boren Greenpeace Energydesk | 18th February 2016 News Forests Biodoversity Ecology UNESCO Poland Belarus EU Law …
Modern economies depend on growth, writes Giorgos Kallis: the moment it stops, we all get poorer, government tax revenues decline and unemployment rises. So is it possible to have prosperity without growth? Yes it is - and here's how ...
Prosperity without growth: 10 policy proposals for the new left Giorgos Kallis Research Degrowth | 28th February 2015 Comment Green Economy Economics Politics EU without-money-all-rich-cut.jpg Modern …
Brussels is a city of ruthless, well-resourced corporate lobbyists. And unlike ordinary EU citizens, they enjoy priviliged access to officials, negotiators and parliamentarians, and are used to getting their own way. That's a state of affairs that David Lundy & Olivier Hoedeman are determined to end with their 'citizens tours' of EU Lobbyland ...
… Europe Observatory | 28th April 2015 Activism EU Trade Corporations Corporate …
A 'Friend of the Sea' Dutch-owned trawler certified to supply 'sustainably caught' shrimp to the US and EU was arrested in Liberia after operating in an an area reserved for artisanal fishers, writes Peter Hammarstedt. The vessel, which had no licence and lacked the turtle excluders required by law, was discovered by the crew of Sea Shepherd's 'Bob Barker' in a joint mission with the Liberian Coast Guard to clamp down on rampant illegal fishing.
… Hammarstedt Sea Shepherd | 26th May 2017 Activism Oceans Fishing Regulation Liberia USA …
Austrian timber company Schweighofer is linked to large-scale illegal logging which accounts for half of Romania's timber production. An EIA investigation finds that almost all the illegal timber ends up in the company's mills.
Austrian timber giant ransacking Romania's forests The Ecologist | 21st October 2015 News Romania Austria Forests Corporations Regulation EU romania-forests-cut.jpg Austrian timber company …
The Scottish government has announced that its wild beaver populations will be given the full protection of both UK and EU law. The decision has been welcomed by campaigners who point out all the benefits of beavers to biodiversity, water management and flood control. Now, they say, England and Wales should follow suit.
Scotland's wild beavers win legal protection Oliver Tickell | 24th November 2016 News Beavers Scotland UK EU Mammals Biodiversity Water Farming Law Conservation Rewilding beaver-cut.jpg The Scottish …
Knowing what isn't in a beauty product can be as important as knowing what is. New EU legislation threatens to restrict the 'free from' term on skincare labels but Neal's Yard Remedies say this penalises those that go out of their way to ensure products are safe
… products Mark Briggs | 10th April 2012 Activism Health Natural World Society …