The moves have been welcomed by Minister for Environment, Denis Naughten who said it envisages a range of measures available to European Union member states to tackle single-use plastic items.It would ban single-use plastic items in cases where there are readily available, cheap alternatives made from more sustainable materials.Earlier this year, Britain also said it planned to ban the sale of plastic straws and other single-use products."Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem, because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans, and in our food", said EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans.Yesterday, the EU Commission fired the first volley by publishing draft legislation targeting the ten worst single-use plastic (SUP) waste offenders, as well as plastic fishing gear.The governing body also wants nearly all plastic bottles to be collected for recycling by 2025.The commission also wants member states to have … [Read more...] about European Union
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The European Union Is Under Threat. Artists Say It’s Time to Rebrand.
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Art & Design Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Advertisement Supported by ByNina Siegal May 29, 2018 AMSTERDAM — With populist politicians across the Continent attacking the European Union and negotiations underway for Britain to leave the bloc, the very idea of a unified Europe seems to be under threat. Some artists feel the union needs to rethink its public image and refine its communications strategy to combat these attacks. In other words: to rebrand Europe. The German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans has teamed up with a friend, the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, to encourage artists and other creative people to brainstorm ways for Europe to better present itself to the public. They put out a call in March for rebranding proposals, asking: “How can the European Union be valued by its citizens and be recognized as a force for good, rather than as a faceless … [Read more...] about The European Union Is Under Threat. Artists Say It’s Time to Rebrand.
European Union proposes ban on plastic products in attempt to reduce pollution
Raf Casert Associated Press Published 3:16 p.m. UTC May 29, 2018 BRUSSELS — The European Union has proposed banning plastic products like cotton buds, straws, stirs and balloon sticks when alternatives are easily available in an attempt to reduce litter spoiling beaches and ocean beds. The European Commission said its proposal would seek to cut marine litter in half for the ten most prominent items and avoid environmental damage estimated at over $250 billion over the next dozen years. EU Vice President Frans Timmermans said that utensils would not be banned completely, but steps would be taken to have them made out of sustainable materials when possible. “You can still organize a pick-nick, drink a cocktail and clean your ears just like before,” Timmermans said. He also made new proposals to ensure that it is the polluter that pays. The proposal will be assessed by the EU parliament and member states but Timmermans hopes to see results before May 2019. And … [Read more...] about European Union proposes ban on plastic products in attempt to reduce pollution
United States news sites block European Union readers due to GDPR
The GDPR is a lawyer's best friend, given the breadth of coverage and the ease with which the regulations can be violated by companies.So far, this has mainly manifested in organisations refreshing their privacy policies and mailing lists, but in future it will require company-wide data management and reporting, and a much greater accountability to customers over how data is kept and used.GDPR protects the privacy not only of European Union citizens worldwide but also of anyone who is party to a transaction while in the EU.Retain or Store. This tells you how your data is being retained and why. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area.The new rules strike at a core of businesses that offer free content online but that make money by collecting and sharing user data to sell targeted advertising. The NGO believes that those four social networks or … [Read more...] about United States news sites block European Union readers due to GDPR
Italy’s next prime minister faces a collision course with European Union, allies
Eric J. Lyman Special to USA TODAY Published 11:16 p.m. UTC May 24, 2018 ROME — With political novice Giuseppe Conte set to become Italy's next prime minister, reaction at home focuses on his balancing act to hold power, while allies and the European Union fear a collision course with the new anti-establishment government. Conte, a relatively unknown lawyer picked as a compromise candidate, is charged with enacting a controversial populist, anti-migrant platform of the top two parties from the March 4 elections — the 5-Star Movement and the nationalist League. Their victory as the top vote-getters comes amid the populist wave that resulted in Britain's Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president, both in 2016. Italy's election was marked by vulgar and bitter attacks against the political establishment, migrants and the European Union. “Conte steps into an enormously difficult … [Read more...] about Italy’s next prime minister faces a collision course with European Union, allies