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2022 Highlights

EU Environment newsletter

Overview

Foreword

Biodiversity

Circular economy

Zero pollution

Implementation

Foreword

Dear readers,

It’s a great pleasure to present DG Environment’s “2022 Highlights” newsletter - a special edition to wrap up the year and revisit some of the accomplishments of the past 12 months.

It’s been a busy and eventful year, delivering on the European Green Deal in challenging times. We have played an instrumental role in securing a once-in-a-decade agreement to halt destruction of the natural world at COP 15, after a successful world wildlife conference (CITES COP 19). The EU’s economy promises to become more circular with our proposals to make products more sustainable, to reduce packaging as well as an EU agreement to make batteries more sustainable. We also delivered on our zero pollution ambition with proposals to reduce industrial emissions, make air and water cleaner and to revise rules on classifying and labelling chemicals. We have collaborated daily with our Member States for a better implementation of our environmental norms, and specifically provided support to Ukraine and Moldova.

Please stay tuned in 2023 for the next episode of our monthly DG Environment newsletter, and encourage your friends and colleagues to subscribe for the latest updates on EU environmental policies.

Florika Fink-Hooijer
Director General for Environment, European Commission

Biodiversity

19/12/2022

Historic global deal for nature and people reached at COP15

COP15 in Montréal was the biggest biodiversity conference in a decade. World leaders adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, containing goals and targets to protect and restore nature. Find out more about the agreeement and the EU's role.

06/12/2022

EU agrees law to fight global deforestation and forest degradation driven by EU production and consumption

In December, the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on a new EU law on deforestation-free supply chains, just 12 months after the Commission's proposal.

22/06/2022

Pioneering proposal to restore Europe's nature by 2050

The Nature Restoration Law proposed in June is the first continent-wide, comprehensive law of its kind, aiming to restore ecosystems, habitats and species across the EU’s land and sea.

Circular economy

09/12/2022

EU agrees new law on more sustainable and circular batteries

The European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement in December on a new law to make all batteries placed on the EU market more sustainable, circular and safe. The rules will support EU's energy transition and competitive industry.

30/11/2022

New rules proposed to stop wasteful packaging and boost reuse and recycling

In November, the Commission proposed new EU-wide rules on packaging, to tackle this constantly growing source of waste and of consumer frustration. The Commission also brought clarity to consumers and industry on biobased, compostable and biodegradable plastics.

30/03/2022

New proposals to make sustainable products the norm and address textiles

The Commission presented a package of proposals in March to make sustainable products the norm in the EU, address textiles and empower consumers for the green transition.

Zero pollution

New rules for cleaner air and water

Clean air and water are essential for healthy people and nature. In October, the Commission proposed stronger rules on ambient air, surface and groundwater pollutants, and treating urban wastewater.

Modernising EU industrial emissions rules to steer large industry in long-term green transition

In April, the Commission presented proposals to update and modernise the Industrial Emissions Directive, key legislation to help prevent and control pollution.

Commission sets up rules to identify endocrine disruptors and long-lasting chemicals and to improve labelling

The Commission proposed a revised Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (CLP) and introduced new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors and other harmful chemical substances to better protect people and the environment from hazardous chemicals.

Implementation

08/09/2022

Environmental implementation: Commission urges EU countries to better apply EU environmental rules

The third Environmental Implementation Review published in September shows that progress in applying environmental rules has been made in some areas but the implementation gap in other areas is widening.

08/09/2022

Infringements map and dashboard

Check out the newly launched interactive infringements map and dashboard for information on active and closed infringement cases per country, sector and more.

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EU Environment

Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius

European Green Deal

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