Brussels, 17 September 2008. A report released today by the European Crop Protection Association shows that fake pesticides are increasingly present in most European countries. These illegally-traded pesticides are completely untested and commonly contain toxic elements that pose significant threats to farmers, consumers and the environment. The report: "Counterfeit Pesticides Across Europe: Facts, Consequences and Actions Needed", gives the most extensive expose of the counterfeit problem, its impacts and required solutions.

Major  European  automotive  component  &  equipment  manufacturing  companies,
represented by  the CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers), started last year a standardized process to combat counterfeiting of automotive parts.  In addition  to posing  a  threat  to  consumer  safety,  it  is  estimated  that  product  piracy  costs  the  global automotive parts industry € 5-10 billion per year.

The EP President, Hans-Gert Pöttering, launched this morning EuroparlTV, the Parliament's own webTV channel. As from today anyone with Internet access will be able to watch a regularly changing set of programmes based around the life of the Parliament. The aim of EuroparlTV is to bring Parliament closer to European citizens in a modern and creative format. EuroparlTV is available at the following address: www.europarltv.europa.eu
              
An excellent internet tool
 

Brussels, 16 September 2008: The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) today announced that the paper and board recycling rate in Europe reached 64.5% in 2007, which confirms that the industry is on track to meet its voluntary target of 66% by 2010.

The total amount of paper collected and sent to be recycled in paper mills was 60.1 million tonnes, an increase of 7.6 million tonnes (or +14.5%) since 2004, the base year for the target.