OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Environmental Investigation Agency

EIA

The Environmental Investigation Agency investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse, focusing on wildlife crime, forest protection, marine ecosystems, and climate change mitigation through refrigerant gas reduction.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Kitti Nyitrai (Head of Unit Energy)

18 Nov 2025 · Exchange of views on biogases production in the EU

Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

17 Nov 2025 · Sustainability omnibus - update for civil society

Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

3 Nov 2025 · Sustainability omnibus - update for civil society

Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

2 Oct 2025 · Sustainability omnibus - update for civil society

Meeting with Willem Van Ierland (Head of Unit Climate Action)

2 Oct 2025 · Exchange of views on the ongoing implementation of the F-gas regulation, and the upcoming MOP37 under the Montreal Protocol

Environmental Investigation Agency urges EU protection for activists

5 Sept 2025
Topic — The strategy aims to strengthen civil society engagement and protect democratic civic space.
Message — EIA requests a binding agreement to establish structured engagement for civil society. They advocate for a comprehensive EU protection system for environmental defenders. The agency seeks systematic civic space impact assessments for all legislative proposals.123
Why — This framework would provide investigative activists with legal security and increased funding.45
Impact — Member States using restrictive laws or abusive lawsuits would face stricter oversight.67
Read full response

Meeting with Taru Haapaniemi (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen) and WWF European Policy Programme and

17 Jul 2025 · EUDR and its implementation

Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

1 Jul 2025 · Circular and toxic-free plastic

Meeting with Miguel Jose Garcia Jones (Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra) and European Environmental Bureau

5 Jun 2025 · Discussion on the need to tackle emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases.

Meeting with Luis Planas Herrera (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall) and WWF European Policy Programme and

27 May 2025 · EUDR

Response to Delegated Regulation amending Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EU Deforestation Regulation)

13 May 2025

The proposed exclusion of second-hand or used products from the EUDR scope must be clarified and defined to avoid EUDR circumvention. While it is reasonable to exempt products already placed on the market, the delegated act lacks clear definitions and proof requirements for identifying such products. EIA calls on the Commission to define used and second-hand and to issue guidance on acceptable evidence for competent authorities. Operators and traders should also be required to keep transaction records, including quantities of excluded products, for five yearsaligning with existing EUDR obligationsto prevent misuse of this exemption. EIA analysed some of the key trade codes relating to oil palm (see EIA briefing The Palm Oil Black Box: EU trade loopholes - https://eia-international.org/report/the-palm-oil-black-box/). Imports into the EU have seen a shift away from raw palm oil to other oil palm-related products. There is evidently a loophole in the regulations whereby some oil palm products used to make biofuels are neither subject to the sustainability criteria under the EU Renewable Energy Directive nor the legal and deforestation-free criteria under the EUDR. This is potentially altering trade dynamics and driving fraudulent behaviour to avoid regulatory requirements and customs duties and taxes. EIA urges the EU to regularly assess products regulated under the EUDR to ensure they are sufficient and do not create trade loopholes. It is especially important to review the inclusion of so-called waste and residue products oil palm products used to make biofuels. The proposed approach to limit exclusions to products that do not contain relevant commodities, while upholding the existing list of commodities and products under the EUDR, will help ensure the regulation is effectively applied. The Environmental Investigation Agency EIA) advocates for a comprehensive product scope that captures the major drivers of deforestation and urges against any narrowing or dilution of the current coverage.
Read full response

Meeting with Cristina De Avila (Head of Unit Environment)

29 Apr 2025 · Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic pollution (INC-5.2)

Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

24 Apr 2025 · International Plastics Agreement

Meeting with Luis Planas Herrera (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall) and Seas At Risk and SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE

7 Apr 2025 · Pellets Regulation

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE and Fidra

24 Mar 2025 · Webinar: How can the EU lead the way in addressing pellet pollution?

Meeting with César Luena (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Seas At Risk and SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE

22 Jan 2025 · Pellets Regulation

Meeting with Benedetta Scuderi (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Jan 2025 · EU Methane Regulation

Meeting with Cristina De Avila (Head of Unit Environment) and Eurogroup for Animals and

14 Jan 2025 · CITES: Transparency; the future Multi-Annual Financial Framework; EU Live Animal Transport Regulation; and Registration of Captive Breeding Facilities for Appendix-I Species

Meeting with Dario Tamburrano (Member of the European Parliament) and European Alliance to Save Energy

17 Oct 2024 · Priorità per la legislatura

Meeting with Lynn Boylan (Member of the European Parliament) and European Environmental Bureau

26 Sept 2024 · Methane pollution from energy and agriculture

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament) and Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.

6 Sept 2024 · Exchange on the Methane Regulation and follow up initiatives

Response to Waste shipments - information on certificates on interim recovery and disposals and non-interim recovery and disposals

28 May 2024

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), as member of the Rethink Plastic alliance, welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on this Delegated Act which is to outline the certification template and associated instructions for subsequent (non-)interim recovery & disposal operations. Please find our feedback in the attached document.
Read full response

Meeting with João Albuquerque (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Seas At Risk and SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE

9 Apr 2024 · Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution

Meeting with João Albuquerque (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Jan 2024 · Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Climate Action Network Europe and

10 Nov 2023 · Methane

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

25 Jan 2023 · ODS regulation (staff level)

Meeting with Heidi Hautala (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

17 Nov 2022 · Due Diligence

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

7 Nov 2022 · Ozone depleting substances (staff level)

EIA supports adding toxic mobile chemicals to EU regulations

18 Oct 2022
Topic — This consultation covers adding new environmental hazard categories to EU chemical classification rules.
Message — The group supports including persistent, mobile, and toxic substances as new hazard classes. This move would protect consumers and help reach zero chemical pollution.12
Why — Stricter classifications provide the regulatory foundation needed to achieve the group's environmental goals.3
Impact — The automotive industry faces future scrutiny as chemicals in car air-conditioning contribute to pollution.4
Read full response

Meeting with Stelios Kympouropoulos (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

7 Sept 2022 · the revision of fluorinated gases regulation

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

31 Aug 2022 · Vorschlag einer Verordnung über die Verringerung von Methanemissionen im Energiesektor

Environmental Investigation Agency Urges Rapid EU Phase-Out of F-Gases

27 Jun 2022
Topic — This consultation addresses updating EU rules on climate-harming fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions.
Message — The EU should adjust the phase-down according to the maximum technical feasibility. They recommend a blanket ban on all new HFC-based equipment by 2030. They also suggest strengthening measures to prevent illegal trade and removing licensing requirement exemptions.123
Why — Phasing out these gases eliminates toxic chemical substitutes that threaten human health and nature.4
Impact — Stricter enforcement would strip illegal HFC traders of their economic benefits and market access.5
Read full response

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

1 Jun 2022 · Ozone Regulation (staff level)

Meeting with Sara Matthieu (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Human Rights Watch and

12 May 2022 · Waste Shipment Regulation

Meeting with Jorge Pinto Antunes (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski) and WWF European Policy Programme and

9 Nov 2021 · Forestry

Response to Policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics

27 Oct 2021

Our feedback has been submitted as an attachment.
Read full response

Response to Calculation, verification and reporting of data on the separate collection of SUP beverage bottles

16 Jun 2021

It is our view that the current draft Implementing Act contains vague and unclear terminology, leaving room for interpretation which in turn could have negative consequences. For instance, this includes the definition of how bottles can be collected for recycling, terms with regards to quality control (“like skilled personnel”), there being no clear statement on quality aspect and no explicit phrasing clearly outlining that waste-splitting of residual/ mixed/ household/ black bin etc. waste is not to be understood as separate collection. It should be made clear that post-sorting of residual waste is not considered separate collection. Post-sorting of residual waste does not equal separate collection, it leads to low material quality and does not solve the pollution problem. We therefore encourage the following: - That there be strict requirements for the quality of the material, even if it is collected in tandem with other recyclables in order to continue the possibility of closed-loop bottle-to-bottle recycling. - That it be outlined that single-use plastic bottles should be collected in a manner that allows recycling into foodgrade material - That it should be very strictly stated that bottles should not be collected with hazardous waste and/or contaminated materials and that this requirement is overseen and managed by an independent body – rather than industry - That a collection with residual waste, mixed waste, black bin waste, etc. should be banned from being counted as separate collection of single-use plastic bottles for recycling. This ban, in turn, should be made clear by naming all these terms explicitly within the Implementing Act – to remove the current ambiguity of the text as it is now. - And that the definition is aligned with the Waste Framework Directive’s definition of separate collection, in order not to set a precedent for deviation in the future
Read full response

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius) and WWF European Policy Programme and

7 May 2021 · Discussion about Commission's legislative proposal on deforestation and forest degradation

Meeting with Andrea Beltramello (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis), Caroline Boeshertz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and

7 May 2021 · Deforestation

Meeting with Diana Montero Melis (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and WWF European Policy Programme and

30 Apr 2021 · upcoming regulation on deforestation

Meeting with Jorge Pinto Antunes (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski) and WWF European Policy Programme and

29 Apr 2021 · Deforestation and forest degradation.

Meeting with Marcos Ros Sempere (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

10 Mar 2021 · INI EU strategy to reduce methane emissions

Response to Proposal for a legislative act on methane leakage in the energy sector

26 Jan 2021

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) welcomes the Commission's commitment to propose a legislative act in 2021 to reduce methane emissions and provides the following feedback on the inception impact assessment. It is unclear that the Commission is relying on the appropriate legal base, namely Article 194 TFEU. In reviewing the aim and content of the upcoming legislative act, it seems that Article 192 TFEU is the appropriate legal base and EIA urges the Commission to consult its legal services to clarify this issue. In addition, although the EU contributes about 54 Mt CO2e of the total 2.5 Gt CO2e emitted per year by the energy sector at the global level (not accounting for underreporting), these numbers hide an uglier truth: the EU essentially outsources its methane emissions to non-EU countries by importing fossil fuels after most methane from production and processing have already been emitted.  Fossil Gas. In 2018, fossil gas comprised about one-quarter of the EU energy mix (21%). Over 80% of fossil gas consumed in the EU is imported from Russia (40.1%), Norway (18.5%), Algeria (11.3%), Qatar (4.5%) and others (25.6%); the EU imports over half of all globally traded fossil gas. Most methane emissions from fossil gas occur during production and processing with transmission and distribution comprising a much smaller amount.  Crude Oil. In 2018, crude oil comprised about one-third of the EU energy mix (36%). Over 90% of crude oil consumed in the EU is imported from Russia (29.8%), Iraq (8.7%), Saudi Arabia (7.4%), Norway (7.2%), Kazakhstan (7.2%), Nigeria (7.1%), Libya (6.1%), Azerbaijan (4.6%), Iran (3.9%), United Kingdom (3.9%), United States (2.4%) and others (11.6%). Oil production results in methane emissions primarily at and around the oil well pad.  Coal. In 2018, coal comprised about one-sixth of the EU energy mix (15%). Over 40% of coal consumed by the EU is imported from Russia (42.3%), United States (18.3%), Colombia (13.4%), Australia (11.6%), Indonesia (4%) and others (10.5%). Coal production results in methane emissions, virtually all of which occur at and around the coal mine. For these reasons, the Commission should propose a comprehensive package of measures that includes:  Monitoring and Mitigation Across the Supply Chain. The legislative act should ensure that, as the cornerstone of emissions monitoring, MRV is designed from inception to apply across the supply chain up to the point of production, building upon UNEP’s Oil & Gas Measurement Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 but with more robust requirements; (ii) similarly, LDAR should also apply across the supply chain; and (iii) a ban on routine venting and flaring should accompany the MRV and LDAR proposals.  Fossil Gas Phase-Out Plans. The transition away from fossil gas is nuanced and sector-specific, requiring measures crafted to the nature of the sector (e.g. energy, heating, transport, industry), responsive to the timing and deployment strategies of various alternatives (e.g. renewables, heat pumps, green hydrogen, electric vehicles) and reflective of national circumstances. Member States should adopt fossil-gas phase-out plans with clear timeframes and intermediate targets.  Active or Unused Coal Mines and Abandoned Oil and Gas Sites. The Commission should adopt measures to address methane emissions from coal mines, requiring closure and sealing or capture and use. Moreover, several wells at oil and gas sites where production has ceased continue to emit methane, thus justifying obligations to ensure wells are capped or filled.  Feedstocks. The Commission should subject feedstock uses to LDAR and MRV and any other measures it proposes. Fossil gas comprises dry gas (i.e. methane) and wet gas (e.g. natural gas liquids such as ethane, propane and butane), and the definition of feedstocks should therefore include both main constituents of fossil gas. In addition, naphtha derived from oil should also be included as a covered feedstock.
Read full response

Meeting with Anthony Agotha (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Damyana Stoynova (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Helena Braun (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and

9 Sept 2020 · The Green Deal implemetation with view to external relations

Response to Review of EU rules on fluorinated greenhouse gases

7 Sept 2020

The F-Gas Regulation is a landmark piece of European Union (EU) climate legislation aimed at reducing fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). In the years since its adoption, however, it has become clear that it requires significant improvements to improve compliance and enforcement and safeguard our climate system, including by: -- accelerating the HFC phase-down schedule, e.g. adjusting the penultimate step in 2027 to 10% and the final step in 2030 to 5%; -- adopting a real-time, per-shipment, ODS-style licensing system that also includes exempted HFCs and HFCs in transit; -- eliminating the 100t CO2e loophole; -- eliminating free grandfathering and the new-entrants reserve in favour of a system based on allocation at cost (either an auction or allocation fee) and using the revenue to support implementation and enforcement in Member States and facilitate that uptake of natural-refrigerant technologies; -- improving transparency of HFC quota allocation by providing full access to the registry to customs authorities and the public; -- closing the loophole in the definition of “non-refillable container” and prohibiting the use of non-refillable containers throughout the EU; -- establishing minimum civil penalties based on a multiplier of the value of the HFC seizure, to be levied by the Commission and/or Member States, and requiring civil and criminal sanctions in Member States for specific violations ; -- strengthening the obligation on HFC-23 by-product destruction, namely by establishing a certification scheme that ensures full traceability and transparency on HFC-23 by-product destruction, and requiring producers and importers to report on compliance with this provision in their annual reports; -- requiring mandatory producer responsibility schemes that meet certain minimum requirements outlined in the F-Gas Regulation with further rules adopted via implementing or delegated acts; -- improving inspection and enforcement by establishing minimum inspection requirements, an EU risk-based targeting mechanism to assist Member States and an EU-wide market surveillance and coordination policy; -- establishing a fund for seized HFC shipments that may be accessed by customs authorities for disposal in an environmentally sound manner; -- requiring mandatory training on natural refrigerants and technologies as part of certification programmes in Member States that includes hands-on training on the relevant equipment; -- updating antiquated standards to allow for the introduction of safe and energy-efficient natural-refrigerant technologies relying on A3 refrigerants; -- promoting incentive schemes and public procurement for HFC-free alternatives; -- strengthening the placing-on-the-market (POM) prohibitions in Annex III for HFC-based equipment by introducing immediate bans for subsectors that should have already converted to HFC-free alternatives a decade ago, as identified in the Impact Assessment during the previous revision, with additional prospective bans for the remaining subsectors based on a more recent analysis of natural-refrigerant and low-GWP technologies available today; -- introducing bans and containment measures for SF6-based switchgear; and -- aligning the revised F-Gas Regulation with the Paris Agreement and evaluating the climate impact of an accelerated HFC phase-down and POM prohibitions in terms of GWP20, which should be done concurrently with GWP100, to provide policymakers and the public with an accurate snapshot of the near-term climate benefit of fast action on HFCs; These amendments are not only needed to improve implementation, but also for the EU to achieve its climate ambitions as set out in the European Green Deal (EGD) and the EU climate neutrality target.
Read full response

Response to EU Methane Strategy

4 Aug 2020

We are in a climate emergency with irreversible tipping points and positive feedback loops fast-approaching. We simply cannot afford to lose another decade in the struggle against climate change with half-measures on the "second most relevant greenhouse gas." The science on methane is clear and science-based policy on methane even clearer: we need to phase out methane from the energy sector as soon as possible. Fossil gas comprises about one-quarter of the European Union (EU) energy mix with the EU being a major driver of global methane emissions at production sites and across the supply chain, importing over half of globally traded fossil gas. This means that the EU is the main contributor to methane emissions from the energy sector but it also means that the EU can do something about it. To this end, the Commission should review and propose a package of policies to address methane from fossil gas and oil, including: ▪ Fossil-gas phase-out plans bby Member States ▪ Ineligibility of financial assistance ▪ Immediate ban on venting and flaring fossil gas during oil, fossil-gas and natural-gas-liquid production ▪ Immediate leakage detection and repair (LDAR) ▪ Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) ▪ Immediate ban on fracked fossil gas and natural gas liquids and products derived from fracked gas ▪ Methane emissions mitigation at abandoned wells ▪ Methane performance standard Moreover, additional measures will be required to address methane from coal, including: ▪ 2030 phase-out of coal-fired electricity and a pathway for 100% coal-free steel production ▪ Mandatory methane mitigation measures ▪ Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) ▪ Methane performance standard More information can be found in the attached joint NGO position paper on eliminating methane emissions from the energy and petrochemical sectors. We trust the Commission will give due development and consideration to each measure listed therein.
Read full response

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and European Environmental Bureau and

16 Jun 2020 · European Green Deal, new circular economy action plan and the circular plastics economy

Response to Ozone layer protection – revision of EU rules

23 Apr 2020

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Response to Ozone Regulation Inception Impact Assessment EIA welcomes the Inception Impact Assessment and the intent expressed to improve the Ozone Regulation in several ways. We agree that a high level of ambition and strict implementation rules is essential to avoid any backsliding and with the four policy options of 1. Higher level of emission reductions; 2. Improving efficiency while preserving effective prevention of illegal activities; 3. Ensuring good monitoring; and 4. Improving coherence and updating. The Inception Impact Assessment states that the “The objective of the review is predominantly to achieve the overall policy objectives in a more efficient, coherent and clear manner”. However, we urge the Commission to consider that maximising emission reductions is equally a priority, in line with meeting EU climate targets and the Green Deal. The ODS that continue to be produced in large quantities are potent short-lived greenhouse gases. For example, HCFC-22, a commonly produced refrigerant and feedstock, has a GWP100 of 1760 and a GWP20 of 5280 (AR5). We urge that GWPs as well as ODPs are considered throughout the impact assessment that will be prepared. There are a number of areas where additional emission reductions can be achieved, notably through increased monitoring and control of new ODS that are not covered by the Montreal Protocol, through additional measures to address HFC-23 by-product of any HCFC-22 that is imported for feedstock or other purposes, and through mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility requirements. EIA has outlined brief comments in the attached document and looks forward to engaging further as the process continues.
Read full response

Response to Climate Law

6 Feb 2020

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) feedback on European Climate Law – Achieving Climate Neutrality by 2050 Across the world, ecosystems and communities are experiencing unprecedented pressure from climate breakdown. The challenges future generations will face are compounded each day we continue to emit unwanted greenhouse gases. The EU has long been recognised as a global leader on climate action, but the urgency and scale of the crisis demands a new level of ambition and societal transformation. There is much to be commended in the EU’s approach, and we particularly welcome the increasing recognition of the connection between social and environmental injustices, as well as commitments to raise significant capital that will be required to restructure and decarbonise the economy. However, more is needed, and faster. Meaningful action to keep global temperature increases to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels requires the timeline for reaching net-zero-emissions to be bought forward to 2040 or earlier, in line with the EU’s historic contribution to the climate crisis and the global justice imperative. This in turn requires an ambitious 2030 target, e.g. 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, to kick-start a much more rapid transition. We also urge the EU to go further in challenging the structural over-consumption of resources that fuels the climate crisis and adopt a narrative that challenges the metric of economic growth as a means of measuring the prosperity of European citizens. It is time for the EU to adopt a bold set of policies that spur global action. Related to EIA’s specific areas of expertise, we urge the following set of measures to be adopted: Fluorinated gases: F-gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air-conditioning. The EU should significantly strengthen the EU F-Gas Regulation to tackle rising emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and to accelerate the reduction in use of HFCs, including measures to address current high levels of illegal HFC trade. Methane: The EU should adopt a comprehensive package of policies to reduce anthropogenic sources of methane. Specific to the oil and gas industry, this should include a phase-out of natural gas in the EU, robust mandatory monitoring, reporting and verification plus leakage detection and repair for upstream methane emissions and placing on the market (POM) prohibitions for non-compliant oil and gas. Plastics: The EU should continue to support policies that will cap and reduce plastic production and consumption in the EU and globally. Protecting nature and wildlife: The EU should prioritise the protection of wildlife and their natural habitats in the EU and elsewhere in the world as part of a comprehensive climate change strategy, including by addressing drivers of wildlife loss (including poaching, illegal trade and habitat loss). Forests: The EU should promote responsible forest restoration and afforestation that respects biodiversity and human rights. We also urge the EU to increase coherence and enforcement of existing and synergistic EU policies and frameworks including the EU Timber Regulation, Renewable Energy Directive, Biodiversity Strategy and the development of EU action to protect and restore the world's forest. Avoiding false solutions: The EU’s climate strategy must reject false solutions that allow a perpetuation of ‘business as usual’ approaches, such as carbon capture and storage and reliance on carbon offsets. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse. Further details are contained in the attached document with this submission.
Read full response

Response to EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

20 Jan 2020

Detailed comments and recommendations are provided in the attachment. In summary, EIA recommends the following key objectives in developing the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy: 1. recognise the precautionary principle as the foundation for the EU approach to biodiversity 2. significantly reduce biodiversity loss caused by illegal or unsustainable trade and legal trade that stimulates demand in flora and fauna globally; and to halt the deterioration in the status of key species that continue to be threatened by trade such as Asian big cats, elephants, rhinos, pangolins, great apes and endangered trees 3. substantially increase political, financial and technical support to reduce the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss such as deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, environmental degradation and the EU’s ecological footprint more broadly, and to invest in in situ species recovery programmes for key species in decline; ensure that the EU approach to halt biodiversity loss recognises the synergies between the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis 4. strengthen implementation and ensure coherence among existing mechanisms, policies and frameworks 5. improve the full and effective participation of civil society in biodiversity protection by supporting independent civil society monitoring and verification, and promote initiatives to enable transparency, combat corruption and protect civil society freedoms, particularly in countries which play a key role in fuelling biodiversity loss
Read full response

Meeting with Helena Braun (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and WWF European Policy Programme and

3 Jul 2019 · discussion on EU action on fighting deforestation

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and European Environmental Bureau and

13 Apr 2018 · Single use plastic

Meeting with Helena Braun (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and Friends of the Earth Europe and

13 Apr 2018 · discussion on single-use plastics legislation

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (First Vice-President) and European Environmental Bureau and

6 Nov 2017 · Discussion on EU Plastics Strategy

Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen) and Friends of the Earth Europe and

26 Oct 2017 · Plastic strategy