How the European People's Party killed a green directive

Saying that your products are green and sustainable usually works well. But unfortunately: 53% of these kinds of claims turn out to be misleading or unfounded. In this way, the environmentally and climate-conscious consumer is being fooled and that has to stop.

That is why the European Commission came up with a Green Claims Directive in March 2023. The dossier passed through the various stages of the Brussels legislative process rather quietly. The finish was in sight, it could be that far as Monday.

But things turned out differently. The European People's Party (EPP) was not happy with the course of the negotiations between the European Parliament and the member states. Companies, even the smallest ones, must now first have their green claims approved, as was stated in the text. That smells of regulatory pressure and that works like a red rag to the largest group in the European Parliament.

The EPP decided to call for help from above and knocked on the door of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, one of them after all. The result is impressive: the Commission now actually intends to simply withdraw the directive, it was announced on Friday.

Since then, the European Parliament has been on edge. The social democrats, the liberals and the greens are furious about von der Leyen’s intervention. They agreed with her when she asked for support for a continuation of her presidency after the European elections a year ago. In return, she was supposed to be an honest broker and stand above the parties, but look at this.

German Social Democrat Tiemo Wölken knows why the EPP played it this way. If the Commission does not withdraw the directive, it will soon return to the European Parliament for approval. The EPP can then only torpedo the law by voting it down 'with their new extremist friends'. That does not look very chic and so they let Von der Leyen do the dirty work, according to Wölken .

With 'new extreme friends' Wölken of course means the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Patriots for Europe. Both groups have indicated that they completely agree with the EPP, read here and here .

2. Permanent funding for the big scientific questions

Is there such a thing as chance? That was a question that the great physicists Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein could not agree on. Answering it would eventually bring the world breakthroughs in quantum physics. But that was not why the researchers did it. They wanted to answer their questions. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

There is less and less money for this type of research. Knowledge institutions and companies prefer to spend money on research that yields something concrete. In order to ensure that the EU continues to invest in fundamental research, the European Research Council (ERC) now wants to become a separate permanent organisation with its own budget. This is what the trade website ScienceBusiness writes based on a letter that it has seen. The site calls the step surprising.

In theory, the ERC already operates largely independently of its funding body, the European Commission. The council draws up its own programmes and decides on the different types of grants and budgets available to applicants. These are managed by a special agency, which is overseen by a board of leading scientists.

The fear is that the Commission wants to merge various funding programmes, including the Research Council, into one large competitive fund in a new multi-annual budget. That could mean less money for fundamental science. To ensure that the money remains, the ERC now wants a loose role. The council now receives money from the Horizon programme, which is the EU's funding programme for innovation and science.

In July, the Commission will present a proposal for the new EU multiannual budget. Traditionally, this is the starting signal for years of negotiations that mercilessly expose the complex relationships between the EU countries and institutions.

3. More respect for our four-legged friends

The EU is now really getting its claws into pet policy, said Slovakian Renew MP Michal Wiezik with satisfaction last week. The reason was the broad approval of the European Parliament's position on a legislative proposal on the welfare and traceability of cats and dogs.

The EU pet market is worth around €1.3 billion. Where there is money to be made, there are always traders who push the boundaries of what is acceptable — and sometimes overstep them. This risk is even greater when national rules differ. Animals are often the victims of this, for example through abuse or neglect.

Harmonisation should change that. The European Parliament also advocates mandatory registration and identification of dogs and cats via a microchip. 'It is estimated that there are currently 100 million stray animals in Europe — on the streets or in shelters — which puts enormous pressure on shelters and authorities,' says S&D MEP Dario Nardella. 'For the first time, the EU is laying the foundation for harmonised standards for the breeding, housing, care and treatment of dogs and cats — whether at breeders, in shelters or in foster homes.'

The online pet trade — a ' Wild West ' according to Renew — will soon be more strictly regulated. More than 60% of the sale of cats and dogs takes place via the internet, often via dubious channels.

According to Nardella, this law is not only about animal welfare, but also about European values. 'Millions of pets are part of our families. They give us joy, loyalty and comfort. It is time for us to give something back to them.'

The European Parliament will now enter into negotiations with the Member States on the final form of the law.

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What should we pay attention to this week?

• EU foreign ministers are meeting on Monday . They will discuss, among other things, the war against Iran. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will also outline the results of an investigation into Israel's behaviour in Gaza .

• On Tuesday , the European Parliament’s Development Committee will hold a debate with billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on what the EU can do to fill the gap left by the Trump administration’s decimation of development agency USAID.

• On Wednesday, the European Commission will present changes to state aid rules, its strategy for a space economy, and an EU Space Act.

• The NATO summit is in The Hague on Tuesday and Wednesday . Will Donald Trump still come to the Hofstad after the American attack on Iran? The 5% spending target seems to be in sight , although Spain has negotiated an exception .

• On Thursday there will be a European summit in Brussels. The situation in Ukraine and the Middle East is on the agenda .

• Pride will take place in Budapest on Saturday , despite a ban by the Hungarian government.

Want to read (and listen) more?

Haste makes waste Brussels think tank CEPS wrote a critical report on the hastily and without impact research cobbled together omnibus proposal. This is the European Commission's plan to simplify a number of green laws.

In fashion Belgium is now also introducing border controls, but not at the border . There is more attention for public transport in particular. France is also checking extra at train and bus stations .

The war Israel and the US are confronting the EU with a fait accompli in the Iran issue, write the media . Attempts from Europe to negotiate with Tehran have proven futile . EU leaders are warning of further escalation . And what are the economic consequences , for example for the oil market , if Iran closes the Gulf of Hormuz ?

To be continued A considerable number of Polish homeowners are still struggling under mortgages they once took out in Swiss francs . They went to court to get rid of them. The Court of Justice of the EU delivered a new ruling on the long-running case on Thursday, but will it lead to a solution ?

Europamania is written by FD-Brussels residents Daan Ballegeer and Mathijs Schiffers , plus Han Dirk Hekking . This time with the cooperation of Jildou Beiboer . Do you have any comments or news? Let us know via [email protected] .