The GUE/NGL Group expresses its disappointment that the Commission has put forward a proposal for the EU's 2014 budget based on the 7/8 February Council conclusions, ignoring both its own proposal and the European Parliament's 13 March Resolution on the matter, which was supported by over 500 MEPs.

At its Annual General Assembly, held in Brussels on June 26th, EuropaBio formally appointed André Goig, Regional Director EAME (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Syngenta AG, as Chair of the Association. He succeeds Stephan Tanda, who has completed his mandate and will continue to represent Royal DSM in his new function as Chair of the Industrial Biotechnology Council and one of the Vice Chairs of EuropaBio.

Brussels, 26 June 2013 - Europe needs to do more on energy efficiency and embed it in a holistic, life-cycle approach that delivers a win-win solution for climate change and the economy, stakeholders from industry, NGOs and academia told EU policymakers at a High-Level Energy Conference organised by EPEE, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, in Brussels on 19 June.

Brussels, 26 June 2013. Through its proposal for a directive on “concessions”, the European Commission has tried to improve transparency in the delivery of public services of general economic interest, to ensure equity for operators of these services and to improve legal security for local governments that want to enter into Public-Private Partnership contracts (PPPs).

Former U.S. intelligence technician Edward Snowden, who made public the scandalous surveillance of European citizens by the US National Security Agency (NSA) via its PRISM monitoring programme, must be protected as he is at serious risk of ill-treatment if extradited to the USA, say GUE/NGL MEPs.