#eu news

[reasonsforhope]

It’s an open secret in fashion. Unsold inventory goes to the incinerator; excess handbags are slashed so they can’t be resold; perfectly usable products are sent to the landfill to avoid discounts and flash sales. The European Union wants to put an end to these unsustainable practices. On Monday, [December 4, 2023], it banned the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear.

“It is time to end the model of ‘take, make, dispose’ that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy,” MEP Alessandra Moretti said in a statement. “Banning the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods.”

This comes as part of a broader push to tighten sustainable fashion legislation, with new policies around ecodesign, greenwashing and textile waste phasing in over the next few years. The ban on destroying unsold goods will be among the longer lead times: large businesses have two years to comply, and SMEs have been granted up to six years. It’s not yet clear on whether the ban applies to companies headquartered in the EU, or any that operate there, as well as how this ban might impact regions outside of Europe.

For many, this is a welcome decision that indirectly tackles the controversial topics of overproduction and degrowth. Policymakers may not be directly telling brands to produce less, or placing limits on how many units they can make each year, but they are penalising those overproducing, which is a step in the right direction, says Eco-Age sustainability consultant Philippa Grogan. “This has been a dirty secret of the fashion industry for so long. The ban won’t end overproduction on its own, but hopefully it will compel brands to be better organised, more responsible and less greedy.”

Clarifications to come

There are some kinks to iron out, says Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany and the European Fashion Alliance (EFA). The EFA is calling on the EU to clarify what it means by both “unsold goods” and “destruction”. Unsold goods, to the EFA, mean they are fit for consumption or sale (excluding counterfeits, samples or prototypes)...

The question of what happens to these unsold goods if they are not destroyed is yet to be answered. “Will they be shipped around the world? Will they be reused as deadstock or shredded and downcycled? Will outlet stores have an abundance of stock to sell?” asks Grogan.

Large companies will also have to disclose how many unsold consumer products they discard each year and why, a rule the EU is hoping will curb overproduction and destruction...

Could this shift supply chains?

For Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion consultancy The Bear Scouts, this is an opportunity for brands to increase supply chain agility and wean themselves off the wholesale model so many rely on. “This is the time to get behind innovations like pre-order and on-demand manufacturing,” he says. “It’s a chance for brands to play with AI to understand the future of forecasting. Technology can help brands be more intentional with what they make, so they have less unsold goods in the first place.”

Grogan is equally optimistic about what this could mean for sustainable fashion in general. “It’s great to see that this is more ambitious than the EU’s original proposal and that it specifically calls out textiles. It demonstrates a willingness from policymakers to create a more robust system,” she says. “Banning the destruction of unsold goods might make brands rethink their production models and possibly better forecast their collections.”

One of the outstanding questions is over enforcement. Time and again, brands have used the lack of supply chain transparency in fashion as an excuse for bad behaviour. Part of the challenge with the EU’s new ban will be proving that brands are destroying unsold goods, not to mention how they’re doing it and to what extent, says Kurazawa. “Someone obviously knows what is happening and where, but will the EU?”"

-via British Vogue, December 7, 2023

[workersolidarity]

🇪🇺🇵🇸 🚨

MEP MICK WALLACE SLAMS EU FOR FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION ON GAZA

📹 MEP Mick Wallace slams the European Parliament for its failure to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire and condemning the Israeli occupation for its war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"The international legal system is at stake," Wallace says in a statement. "The Palestinians are being murdered in the tens of thousands."

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[head-post]

Germans want to continue supporting Ukraine

The latest summit of the European Political Community addressed mainly with the issue of a peaceful Europe. One of the central agendas was the war in Ukraine, according to the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government.

German Federal Chancellor Scholz has emphasised the fact that “Germany will be providing a large amount of support for the task ahead both in financial and humanitarian terms as well as with arms deliveries.”

After the summit in Granada, Spain, Scholz issued a press statement in which he spoke about the threat posed by Russia, adding that it represented a “danger to the security and peace order throughout Europe.” The German Chancellor emphasised:

After the USA, Germany is providing the most support and we Germans continue to support Ukraine.

Read more HERE

[mywingsareonwheels]

Some actually promising environmental news for once!

[tinyshe]

Feb 28, 2024 European farmers are protesting in huge numbers against policies that will greatly reduce food production. Have people finally had enough of the agenda of the globalists?

[neckcorset]

Officials in Copenhagen did not provide any details beyond saying the arrests had “threads abroad” and were “related to criminal gangs,” singling out the banned, predominantly immigrant gang Loyal to Familia that had long been behind feuds, violence, robberies, extortion and drug sales in the Danish capital.

In the Netherlands, police said a 57-year-old Dutch man was arrested in the city of Rotterdam, based on a request from German authorities, according to spokesman Jesse Brobbel.

Two men were arrested in Berlin and one in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, while a fourth suspect was temporarily detained in Berlin, Germany’s federal prosecutor said. Authorities only identified the men by their first names and the first initial of their last name, in line with German privacy rules.

The four were Abdelhamid Al A., born in Lebanon; Egyptian national Mohamed B.; Dutch national Nazih R. and Ibrahim El-R., born in Lebanon.

Just to be clear where this blog stands:

I'm with Palestine and their right to defend themselves. I'm with Palestine in any conflict that involves Israel and the IDF.

But any attacks on innocent people and organizations in other countries, and making a target of the Jewish people as a whole, is unacceptable.

[sylviadubatterysupplier]

6000 Cycles LF280k A Grade EVE 3.2v 280ah Lfp Lifepo4 Battery for solar system energy storage battery

[head-post]

Red Army Faction member arrested in Germany after decades on the run

A former member of the left-wing militant group Red Army Faction has been arrested after more than 30 years on the run, German authorities said on Tuesday.

The Bild newspaper, citing unnamed security sources, reported that 65-year-old Daniela Klette was arrested in Berlin on Monday night.

Klette is one of three former members of the Red Army Faction who have been wanted by police for several years. Klette, Ernst-Volker Staub and Burkhard Garweg were involved in at least 12 robberies in northern Germany between 1999 and 2016. They were also wanted for attempted murder. Authorities speculate that the motive behind the robberies was money rather than any political considerations.

Read more HERE

[head-post]

EU accuses X platform of spreading illegal content and misinformation on the Middle East conflict

The European Union accuses X owner Elon Musk, but the billionaire claims the platform is “transparent,” while reports on misinformation make it difficult to recognise the truth.

A senior European Union official claims social media platform X is being used to spread illegal content and misinformation in the ongoing escalation between Palestine and Israel, warning that violations of the bloc’s rules could result in fines.

Thierry Breton, the EU Internal Market Commissioner, stated in an open letter to Elon Musk that there were clear signs of violent and terrorist content circulating on X.

“We have, from qualified sources, reports about potentially illegal content circulating on your service despite flags from relevant authorities. I therefore invite you to urgently ensure that your systems are effective, and report on the crisis measures taken to my team.”

Read more HERE

[head-post]

Polish farmers block rail links with Ukraine

On 18 February, Polish farmers completely blocked the movement of trucks in both directions at the international checkpoint Dorohusk-Jahodyn and disrupted railway communication with Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported.

Since 9:00 Kyiv time, Polish farmers have been completely blocking the movement of lorries in both directions at the Dorohusk-Jahodyn international checkpoint. The farmers are holding a large-scale protest on the access roads to the village of Dorohusk.

Despite the protesters’ promises to let perishable, dangerous or humanitarian goods through, not a single heavy vehicle has crossed the border since then. The State Customs Service of Ukraine noted that shuttle buses passed through normally without queues.

As of 16 February, Polish farmers blocked six checkpoints on the border with Ukraine.

Read more HERE

[workersolidarity]

🇪🇺 🏥💰 🚨 MORE EUROPEAN HOUSEHOLDS FALLING INTO POVERTY FROM HEALTH SPENDING

According to a new study on Healthcare spending's effects on European households show a worrying increase in "catastrophic health spending", forcing more European households into poverty.

Based on pre-pandemic data from 40 European countries in 2019, the study found that only 23 of 40 European nations could meet the healthcare needs of over 99% of their populations.

The report also found that the poorest individuals are more likely to experience severe economic hardship due to Healthcare expenses.

According to the report, 60 percent of catastrophic health spending in the poorest 20 percent of households can be attributed to spending on medicines, on average across the European Union.

"Our report shows that already before the pandemic, people were facing an unacceptable level of catastrophic health spending," Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said in a press release.

The World Health Organization also noted that over half of Humanity, approximately 4.5 billion people, lack access to essential medical services.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[head-post]

One killed, two wounded as 12-year-old opened fire at Finnish school

A child has shot dead his 12-year-old mate and seriously wounded two others in a classroom shooting in Finland, local police reported.

Police initially said three minors were injured in the attack and taken to hospital, but later said one had died. The other two are in serious condition.

Armed police cordoned off the Viertola lower secondary school, which has about 800 students, in the city of Vantaa – near the capital Helsinki – after a call about gunfire came in at 9.08 a.m. local time.

Police said the suspect was later apprehended and Finnish broadcaster MTV Uutiset said police caught up with him on a 50-minute walk from the school in the direction of Helsinki. One witness said the “small” hooded minor dropped something on the floor and knelt down when police arrived to arrest him.

The suspect was found in possession of a firearm and is now under investigation for murder and two attempted murder charges. However, the suspect is unlikely to be prosecuted because of his age: the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Finland is 15.

Read more HERE

[head-post]

Spain to recognise Palestinian state “before the summer” – Prime Minister

On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told journalists accompanying him on an official trip to the Middle East that Spain planned to formally recognise the State of Palestine “before the summer.”

The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Malta recently issued a joint statement announcing that they would recognise a Palestinian state.

According to the statement, the leaders agreed that “the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through the implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side in peace and security.”

On 9 March, Sánchez announced that he would propose to the Spanish parliament to recognise Palestine as a state.

Read more HERE

[head-post]

75,000 demonstrators protest across France against the immigration law

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of French cities on Sunday to urge President Emmanuel Macron not to sign a tough new immigration law they say tramples on French values.

The timing of the protests was crucial: on Thursday, the Constitutional Council is due to decide whether all articles of the law passed in December are in line with the French Constitution.

The bill would expand the ability to deport foreigners deemed undesirable. It would also reduce the possibility for foreigners to benefit from social measures.

Macron backed the law during its difficult passage through parliament but, in an unusual twist, said some articles appeared unconstitutional. Le Monde newspaper recently quoted an unnamed Interior Ministry official as saying that “a good dozen” articles could be overturned by the Constitutional Council.

Read more HERE