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Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Commission is due to table a 90% climate target for 2040, according to a leaked draft, while a coalition of 11 EU countries including France and Germany have issued a letter calling for ambitious targets.

Let’s dive straight into a tour of the EU, dedicated to how the CAP and national policies support farmers coping with the damages caused by extreme weather events.

Die Verordnung über In-vitro-Diagnostika folgt dem Beispiel der Verordnung über Medizinprodukte. Die Europäische Kommission hat die Umsetzungsleitlinien für beide Verordnungen aufgrund von Verzögerungen bei der Einhaltung verlängert.

Chery Algérie a publié un communiqué visant à rassurer ses clients et le public sur son engagement envers la livraison en temps opportun des véhicules. […]

L’article Délais de livraison des véhicules : Chery Algérie rassure ses clients est apparu en premier sur .

Le règlement sur les dispositifs de diagnostic in vitro suit le même chemin que le règlement sur les dispositifs médicaux, la Commission européenne ayant prolongé les lignes directrices pour la mise en œuvre des deux législations en raison des retards accusés par les entreprises dans la mise en conformité.

The EU's Platform Workers Directive is on life-support and might be split in two after European governments voted down a provisional agreement found in December. “Better no deal than a bad deal,” sources told Euractiv.

After a group stage full of shocks, goals, late drama and managerial departures, here's what we've learned so far from Afcon 2023.

President Ruto's government loses its bid to overturn a block on the controversial 1.5% housing levy.

Lost in the Smog Željka Šulc

Op-Ed by Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH

Lost in the smog

“If I ever leave Bosnia and Herzegovina, it will be because of the air pollution. I, as an individual, may not be in a position to do much about all the other negative issues such as corruption or the lack of rule of law (or I may not be aware of the fact that those are “killing us softly”) but I can feel and see how smog kills us…or actually I see nothing these days,” said Maja, inhabitant of Sarajevo, to me at the OSCE regional kick-off meeting on “Climate change and security in South Eastern Europe: Tackling challenges at the interface of air pollution and health”.

Maja, we fully share your concerns and support your intention to secure a healthy life for you and your family. However, it's crucial to emphasize, as you're well aware, that the impact of air pollution on your well-being is sadly connected to corruption and the absence of a robust rule of law. This forms a vicious and destructive cycle that demands substantial and committed efforts from all of us to break.

World Health Organization data shows BiH to have the fifth-highest mortality rate from air pollution in the world (Ambient air pollution attributable death rate (per 100 000 population, age-standardized) (who.int)) whilst The World Bank estimates that PM 2.5 air pollution causes 3,300 premature deaths in BiH every year and the loss of over 8% of GDP.

It's hard to envision a more explicit manifestation of the repercussions of corruption, negligence, and the absence of effective rule-of-law mechanisms than what unfolds when you gaze outside your window on winter days in BiH. The impact is direct and universal – no one is unaffected, and it is literally killing thousands of people.

Decades of negligence, corruption, turning a blind eye and ongoing irresponsibility, combined with a lack of public awareness and increasing suppression of civic activism, are now resulting in thousands of premature deaths and countless illnesses every year in BiH, with the city of Sarajevo being one of the worst affected urban areas. 

Corruption led us to weak enforcement of environmental regulations where regulatory authorities fail to monitor and penalize industries that violate emission standards, allowing them to continue polluting without consequences. The issuance of permits without proper scrutiny has allowed businesses and individuals to operate, build and pollute without adhering to environmental standards. And the lack of rule of law, resulting in a weak judicial system. leads to a lack of accountability, which further encourages unlawful practices that contribute to this horrible air pollution.

When decision-making processes related to environmental policies are not transparent, it becomes challenging for the public to hold authorities accountable for their actions or inaction in addressing air pollution.

Access to information, public participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters are the three pillars of the Aarhus Convention, an international agreement to which BiH is a party. You have the right to know all the facts, you have the right to demand all the relevant information, you have the right to participate in all decision-making processes that affect your environment and health - this is all provided to you by this Convention.

Aarhus Centres, currently operating in 14 countries throughout the OSCE area, including in BiH, are there to serve as a bridge between public authorities, civil society, business and the public. And they are also investing great efforts to try to address the growing problem of air pollution in the country.

In South Eastern Europe, and in BiH especially, reliable research and data on the impacts of climate change and air pollution on public health remains lacking and so do local policies to tackle the issue.

That’s why Aarhus Centre Zenica, hosted by the Eko Forum NGO, is pioneering scientific research into the health effects of industrial air pollution, one of the main exposure sources in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research looks into air pollution caused by coking (a part of the steel-making process) and uses genetics and DNA analysis to examine the impacts of such pollution on the health of local residents and will result in a first-of-its-kind study in BiH, which will inform future mitigation efforts and public health interventions.

I am sure that everyone has heard the alarming statistics many times before, and we all tend to pass them by not worrying too much. But they are alarming. And they require urgent action by everyone.

And yes, it is the decision-makers who are primarily responsible. But, let’s not just point fingers.  You have the right to know, to assess, to challenge, to influence – you have the power to hold them accountable. Every single action, project, permit, decision they made has an influence on your life, your health and well-being of your family.

It seems absurd that in the 21st century we are fighting for clean air, but unfortunately it is the reality we live in, not just people in BiH but the rest of the world as well. Some countries are dealing with this more effectively while others still struggle to address this issue adequately. What I see as one of the main factors that divides them is the strength of people. Awareness and the strength of people. Awareness that begins very early, when you, as power holders, demand programmes that suit you and your community, when you go out to vote, and when you demand accountability from your elected officials.  I think their intention is not merely to cast a vote in the hope of choosing competent, honest, and accountable politicians; rather, they actively contribute to shaping individuals with such qualities.

Let’s not be lost in the smog. Change begins with every individual commitment. Speak up, demand change - each small action adds up to a monumental impact. The result will be visible from your window.

L’enquête de la Médiatrice européenne a révélé des cas de mauvaise administration concernant les réunions de la Commission européenne avec les lobbies du tabac, mais la Commission insiste sur le fait que des mesures de transparence solides ont été mises en place.

Germany's pro-business coalition party the FDP now cites "unreasonable bureaucratic hurdles" in the EU's proposed supply chains directive, in a major and unexpected U-turn, writes the associate children's rights director at Human Rights Watch.

La junte malienne a annoncé, jeudi 25 janvier 2024, la fin de l’accord pour la paix et la réconciliation, communément appelé l’accord d’Alger, signé en […]

L’article Crise au Mali : Bamako annonce « la fin avec effet immédiat » de l’accord d’Alger est apparu en premier sur .

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International Holocaust Remembrance Day Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 27 January 2024 - On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina pauses to reflect on the millions of people who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The unimaginable suffering of Jews, Slavs, Roma and Sinti, individuals with disabilities, sexual and religious minorities, and many others during one of the darkest chapters in human history serves as a stark but necessary reminder that we must prevent the recurrence of such inhumanity.

Unfortunately, as evidenced in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world, we have failed to learn these lessons. Whilst the unspeakable brutality of the Holocaust provided the vocabulary through which we now attempt to understand the crime of genocide, we still struggle to comprehend the true extent of such horrors. Denialism, the glorification of war criminals, and a disturbing rise in hate incidents and speech, locally and globally, often undermine our calls for “never again” and for the unconditional recognition and respect for victims of such crimes.

The echoes of the Holocaust underscore our individual and collective responsibility to preserve and protect the human rights of all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, race or religion. Through education, dialogue, and a steadfast commitment to justice and accountability, we can prevent the recurrence of history's gravest mistakes.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina reiterates its dedication to combatting all forms of discrimination and intolerance. As individuals, communities and governments, we must denounce hatred wherever and whenever it arises while acting jointly to promote empathy and respect. Together, we can move towards a future shaped by tolerance and dignity.

After Eastern European farmers in particular protested against cheap grain from Ukraine last summer, farmers are now blockading motorways in Germany, France and other countries in protest at high fuel prices. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has initiated a "strategic dialogue" on the future of the agricultural sector. Europe's press looks at the causes and eyes the future with apprehension.