eeb.org

Brussels, 17 July – The European Commission today unveiled its Electrification Action Plan, proposing a legally binding electrification target, measures to make electricity more competitive than fossil fuels, and new tools to accelerate the shift away from fossil heating. Environmental groups welcomed the plan and called for the power-up momentum to be carried forward and for an ambitious approach to the heating and cooling strategy.

Brussels, 19 July 2026 – The European Commission today tabled its revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the cornerstone of Europe’s climate policy that is designed to make polluters pay and drive industrial decarbonisation. Rather than reinforcing this critical investment signal at a time of fossil fuel volatility, the proposal weakens key provisions, rewarding polluters while undermining businesses investing in fossil-free production, the EEB warned.

Implementing the Nature Restoration Regulation: Restoring Nature for the Benefit of All Organised by EEB, WWF EPO, BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth and the Irish Environmental Network With the implementation of the landmark Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) gaining momentum, 2026 represents a vital moment to unlock the transformative potential of the law through credible National Restoration Plans (NRPs) and their delivery on the ground.

Brussels, 15 July 2026 – The European Commission today published the results of its evaluation of the Nitrates Directive. The report reaffirms the Directive’s critical role in tackling nitrogen pollution from agriculture and protecting Europe’s water but highlights need for better implementation, reports the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).

Brussels, 13 July – EU Member States today approved new environmental “operating rules” for the Union’s largest intensive pig and poultry farms. But instead of tightening controls on industrial pollution as intended by the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), the final text granted a “gift” to the biggest industrial farms through various flexibilities and exemptions, warns the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).

Brussels, 13 July – The EU is betting its cement transition on costly and uncertain carbon capture plans. A new report by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) finds that cheaper and commercially available alternatives are already cutting emissions but remain locked out by outdated EU standards and procurement rules.

Brussels, 7 July 2026 – The European Commission today published its Livestock Strategy and long-awaited Protein Plan, but the two send starkly different signals about Europe’s food future. While the Protein Plan recognises the need for plant-rich diets and home-grown protein crops, the Livestock Strategy doubles down on an industrial model that is hurting animals, nature, smaller-scale farmers and rural communities.

A new industry-led platform to secure public funding and roll back regulation The European Commission has handed the chemicals industry a leading role in shaping a key initiative that will help determine which chemical substances and production sites qualify for future public support, according to a new report [1] by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).

As Ireland takes the helm of the Council of the EU, a new EEB memorandum calls on Dublin to shift Europe from short-term deregulation to long-term resilience. From geopolitical shocks to record-breaking heatwaves and continued efforts to weaken environmental safeguards, the Irish Presidency begins at a moment when the gap between Europe’s environmental reality and its political direction has rarely been more stark.

Brussels/Berlin, 1 July 2026 – Seven out of ten European citizens (72%), including those voting for parties often portrayed as sceptical of EU climate policy, believe that companies that emit the most – or fail to reduce their emissions – should pay more.(1) A new poll, commissioned by Beyond Fossil Fuels on behalf of a broad community of organisations, and conducted by YouGov across six European countries, finds broad support for the “polluter pays” principle at the heart of the EU Emission...