Ajankohtaista

EurActiv: ”Finnish MEP: ‘Political fight begins’ over Europe’s old-growth forests”

17.4.2020

Sarvamaa spoke to EURACTIV ahead of the publication of the European Commission’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 where forestry is expected to play a key role.

Read the whole article on forest conservation, commercial use of forests and global deforestation from here >

 

”There is no one size-fits-all solution [for commercial use of forests]. For example in my member state – Finland – there is no commercial exploitation of forests in protected areas. They are protected, period. Now, of course I’m all for protecting primary forests. Regarding old-growth forests we need to have definitions at EU level in place first. For example, what percentage of forests in Europe is “old growth”? That depends on the definition.”

”Bioenergy is part of the bio-economy, which is too often overlooked. It is a complex issue that has many aspects to it. Whether you buy your biomass from China or Sweden, makes a dramatic difference. We might be able to replace parts of oil imports with forest-based biofuels. At least 80% of global deforestation is caused by massive plantations like soy, coffee, and cacao in South America, Indonesia, and tropical countries. So yes, I think Europe should impose stricter criteria for imports of agricultural products coming from those countries.”

”From what I hear, the Commission’s environment DG wants to change the definition for sustainable forest management as part of the upcoming biodiversity strategy for 2030. I really hope that if DG environment will look at all three aspects of the equation: 1) environment and biodiversity, 2) the economy, and 3) social aspects. If we start to re-define sustainable forest management from one aspect only, we will definitely end up losing on all fronts. And from what I hear, this is unfortunately what DG environment has decided to do.”

 

Ajankohtaista

Open letter: the EU must not sit idly by while a Member State’s democracy is in jeopardy

15.4.2020

The recent actions of Viktor Orbán’s government in Hungary are a flagrant attack on the cornerstones of the rule of law and the values of the Union.  Last week, the government overrode the objections of the opposition and civil society, granting the Prime Minister indefinite powers to rule by decree. This law has also mandated draconian prison sentences for spreading ‘misinformation’ which could be used to stifle independent journalism.  

 

We urge the European Commission and the European Council to:

  • unequivocally condemn the Hungarian government’s misuse of the coronavirus crisis to erode democratic values.
  • more strictly control the spending of EU funds, and
  • enhance current measures that prevent the creation of an illiberal system within our Union.

Read the whole letter from here >

 

Respectfully,

Transparency International EU 

Transparency International Hungary  

Access Info 

Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland 

Alliance4Europe 

AMARC Europe: World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters 

ARTICLE 19 

Association of European Journalists  

Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland 

Citizens Network Watchdog Poland 

Civil Society Europe 

Corporate Europe Observatory 

Danes je nov dan / Today is a new day  

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation 

Defend Democracy 

Democracy International 

EU DisinfoLab 

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

European Federation of Journalists 

European Humanist Federation 

EuropeanMay 

European Movement International 

European Youth Forum 

Staffan Dahllöf (Freelance reporter) 

Antonis Ventouris (Freelance) 

Freemuse

Free Press Unlimited 

Fundacja Miasto Obywatelskie Lubartów 

Funky Citizens 

Global Forum for Media Development 

Gong 

The Good Lobby  

Human Rights Watch 

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union 

Hungarian Europe Society 

Hungarian Helsinki Committee  

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Europe 

International Press Institute 

JEF Europe (Young European Federalists) 

Lawyers for Human Rights 

Vigjilenca Abazi (of Maastricht University) 

Mertek Media Monitor 

Netherlands Helsinki Committee 

Open Society European Policy Institute

Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa 

The Oslo Center 

Professor Laurent Pech  (of Middlesex University) 

Poets, Essayists and Novelists International 

Reporters Without Borders  

Solidar and Solidar Foundation 

Unhack Democracy

 Vouliwatch 

 WeMove Europe 

 

Daniel Freund MEP, Co-ChairAnti-Corruption Intergroup

Petri Sarvamaa MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup  

Lara Wolters MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup 

Ramona Strugariu MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup 

Stelios Kouloglou MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup 

Abir Al-Sahlani MEP 

Anna Donath MEP 

Benoît Biteau MEP 

Brando Benifei MEP 

Caroline Roose MEP 

Claude Gruffat MEP 

Damien Carême MEP 

David Cormand MEP 

Dimitrios Papadimoulis MEP 

François Alfonsi MEP 

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP 

Karen Melchior MEP 

Karima Delli MEP 

Marie Toussaint MEP 

Michèle Rivasi MEP 

Mounir Satouri MEP 

Pascal Durand MEP 

Reinhard Bütikofer MEP 

Rosa D’Amato MEP 

Sabrina Pignedoli MEP   

Salima Yenbou MEP 

Sándor Rónai MEP 

Saskia Bricmont MEP 

Tineke Strik MEP 

Yannick Jadot MEP