European Council on Foreign Relations

EU Mandates Greater Recyclability in Batteries

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 12, 2023

BERLIN, July 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Under the regulations, producers will be responsible for collecting set percentages of waste portable batteries (63% by the end of 2027 and 73% by the end of 2030). Moreover, they will have to meet dedicated collection objectives for waste batteries from light means of transport (51% by the end of 2028 and 61% by the end of 2031). 

Key Points: 
  • The rules also impose mandatory minimum recycled content levels for new industrial, SLI and EV batteries as well as content documentation.
  • And it sets recycling efficiency targets of 80% for waste nickel-cadmium and 50% for other batteries by the end of 2025.
  • "Batteries sold within the EU will have to adhere to sustainable production practices and responsible recycling processes, ultimately supporting Europe's transition to low-emission mobility."
  • "The regulation will shore up the EU - and Germany specifically - as the leading location for investment across the entire battery materials value chain.

Ukraine war: Kremlin's threat to interfere with undersea data cables may be bluster, but must be taken seriously

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Medvedev claimed such rights against the background of recent media reports on the mysterious sabotage of the Nord Stream undersea gas pipeline last year.

Key Points: 
  • Medvedev claimed such rights against the background of recent media reports on the mysterious sabotage of the Nord Stream undersea gas pipeline last year.
  • The question of who was behind the attacks on the pipelines in the Baltic Sea on September 26 2022, however, remains unresolved.
  • But the speculation stretches from western special forces or Ukrainian groups being behind the attack to it being a well-orchestrated Russian operation.

Vulnerable undersea cables

    • As we have shown in a report to the European parliament of last year, subsea cables are the backbone of the contemporary digital economy.
    • According to SubTelForum’s Submarine Cable Almanac as of the beginning of 2023, there were 380 cables in Europe on the ocean floor, mostly the size of a garden hose.
    • If Russia is serious about its threats to cut cables, the main economic cost would be for repair work.
    • For instance, several important cables surface in the port of Marseilles – and the English channel and the Red Sea have a high density of cables.

What’s behind the threat?

    • Probably, this is also a message to two security events happening in the coming days and weeks and meant to increase the feeling of vulnerability and uncertainty.
    • At the end of May, Ireland commenced a national consultative forum on security – online and on four separate days at the end of June.
    • Ireland’s foreign minister, Micheál Martin, said the aim was to build public understanding and generate discussions on our foreign, security and defence policies.
    • The particular focus would be on how Ireland wants to respond to the new security environment and whether to seek Nato membership.

Debate: The end of the internal-combustion car: why competition is vital to bringing about cleaner transport

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 1, 2023

Amid all the political back-and-forths, one would be forgiven for asking oneself whether Europe is making any progress with the green transition.

Key Points: 
  • Amid all the political back-and-forths, one would be forgiven for asking oneself whether Europe is making any progress with the green transition.
  • The consequence of such contradictions is a loss of credibility when it comes to achieving its objectives, and a delay in the race toward ecological transition.

A lead to maintain

    • This position is confirmed by foreign investors who find themselves attracted to the bloc’s green policies and regulatory clout.
    • The recent revaluation of the price of a tonne of CO2 above 100 euros suggests that it will be very effective indeed.
    • According to the IEA, Europe spent nearly 350 billion euros on such measures in 2022 - a record high.

Avoiding “the tragedy of the horizon”

    • Power is intended to be supported in part by the profits from the project “Horse”, which involves a joint venture with the Chinese carmaker Geely.
    • These moves demonstrate the decisive role of competition in developing a range of products and services in line with the imperatives of the energy transition.
    • [More than 85,000 readers look to The Conversation France’s newsletter for expert insights into the world’s most pressing issues.

CGTN:China, EU aim to strengthen ties in the face of global challenges

Retrieved on: 
Friday, December 2, 2022

On promoting the development of China-EU relations, the Chinese president first stressed the importance of keeping the right perception.

Key Points: 
  • On promoting the development of China-EU relations, the Chinese president first stressed the importance of keeping the right perception.
  • The EU pursues strategic autonomy and stays committed to building its own capacity and pressing ahead with European integration, he stressed.
  • China welcomes the EU's participation in the Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative for greater synergy with the EU's Global Gateway strategy, Xi said.
  • China will remain on the side of peace and continue to play a constructive role in its own way, he said.

CGTN:China, EU aim to strengthen ties in the face of global challenges

Retrieved on: 
Friday, December 2, 2022

On promoting the development of China-EU relations, the Chinese president first stressed the importance of keeping the right perception.

Key Points: 
  • On promoting the development of China-EU relations, the Chinese president first stressed the importance of keeping the right perception.
  • The EU pursues strategic autonomy and stays committed to building its own capacity and pressing ahead with European integration, he stressed.
  • China welcomes the EU's participation in the Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative for greater synergy with the EU's Global Gateway strategy, Xi said.
  • China will remain on the side of peace and continue to play a constructive role in its own way, he said.

The World's Most Powerful Passports have the Least Travel Freedom

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 19, 2022

EU member states dominate the remaining top 10 ten spots on the latest ranking, with Germany and Spain in joint-3rd place, with access to 190 destinations visa-free.

Key Points: 
  • EU member states dominate the remaining top 10 ten spots on the latest ranking, with Germany and Spain in joint-3rd place, with access to 190 destinations visa-free.
  • The global mobility gap between the world's most and least powerful passports now sits at an unprecedented 166 destinations.
  • Heathrow Airport has even told airlines to stop selling summer tickets as the UK's biggest airport struggles to cope with the rebound in air travel.
  • Now more than ever, it's a mistake to think of a passport as merely a travel document that allows you to get from A to B.

The World's Most Powerful Passports have the Least Travel Freedom

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 19, 2022

EU member states dominate the remaining top 10 ten spots on the latest ranking, with Germany and Spain in joint-3rd place, with access to 190 destinations visa-free.

Key Points: 
  • EU member states dominate the remaining top 10 ten spots on the latest ranking, with Germany and Spain in joint-3rd place, with access to 190 destinations visa-free.
  • The global mobility gap between the world's most and least powerful passports now sits at an unprecedented 166 destinations.
  • Heathrow Airport has even told airlines to stop selling summer tickets as the UK's biggest airport struggles to cope with the rebound in air travel.
  • Now more than ever, it's a mistake to think of a passport as merely a travel document that allows you to get from A to B.

Migration Outlook report: 57% rise in 2021 irregular migration, growing crises at borders and key elections signal EU migration pivot in 2022

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 24, 2022

The ICMPD Migration Outlook report 2022 charts what drove these spikes and predicts how and why they will continue into 2022.

Key Points: 
  • The ICMPD Migration Outlook report 2022 charts what drove these spikes and predicts how and why they will continue into 2022.
  • Events in 2021 caused not only a large spike in irregular migration, but a shift in the routes irregular migrants are choosing to take to Europe.
  • The ICMPD Migration Outlook 2022 intends to look ahead and to project major developments for the upcoming year at the EU and national level.
  • Although forecasts on migration are difficult to make, the 2022 Migration Outlook identified 12 main migration issues that will shape the migration year in Europe and beyond.

Migration Outlook report: 57% rise in 2021 irregular migration, growing crises at borders and key elections signal EU migration pivot in 2022

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 24, 2022

The ICMPD Migration Outlook report 2022 charts what drove these spikes and predicts how and why they will continue into 2022.

Key Points: 
  • The ICMPD Migration Outlook report 2022 charts what drove these spikes and predicts how and why they will continue into 2022.
  • Events in 2021 caused not only a large spike in irregular migration, but a shift in the routes irregular migrants are choosing to take to Europe.
  • The ICMPD Migration Outlook 2022 intends to look ahead and to project major developments for the upcoming year at the EU and national level.
  • Although forecasts on migration are difficult to make, the 2022 Migration Outlook identified 12 main migration issues that will shape the migration year in Europe and beyond.