COUNCIL OF THE EU,update

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:28 | Press release | Council adopts regulation on use of supercomputing in AI development   The Council has today adopted an amendment to the regulation on the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) joint undertaking to expand its objectives to include the development and operation of ‘AI factories’. AI factories are entities which provide an AI supercomputing service infrastructure. The amended regulation will make the EU’s supercomputing capacity further available for innovative European start-ups and SMEs to train their AI models and develop their projects. This is the last step in the decision-making procedure. To compete internationally, Europe needs to be a frontrunner in the artificial intelligence technology race. With the regulation adopted today, we will equip our researchers, start-ups and SMEs with powerful tools to develop state-of-the-art AI projects in the EU. Willy Borsus, Vice-President and Minister for Economic Affairs, Foreign Trade, Research and Innovation, the Digital Economy, Spatial Planning and Agriculture of Wallonia Supercomputers for AI With the regulation adopted today, the EuroHPC joint undertaking will promote and operate AI factories, facilities which should include an AI supercomputer, an associated data centre and AI-oriented supercomputing services. The activities covered by AI factories will be open to public and private users, with ad-hoc access conditions for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. The host entities of AI factories will be entitled to receive EU financial support to cover up to 50% of the acquisition costs of AI supercomputers and up to 50% of their operating costs. AI supercomputers will be used mainly to develop and test AI training models, applications and solutions. Next steps Following the Council’s adoption today, the legislative act has been adopted. In the coming days, the amendment to the regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force 20 days later. Background The EuroHPC joint undertaking was created in 2018 to coordinate efforts to make Europe a world leader in supercomputing. Up until now, the main objectives of the EuroHPC joint undertaking have been to develop, deploy, extend and maintain the EU’s supercomputing, quantum computing and data infrastructure ecosystem, promote its use, support the development of supercomputing system components, technologies and knowledge and support the development of computing skills for European science and industry. Since its creation, the EuroHPC joint undertaking has procured nine supercomputers, located across Europe. On 24 January 2024, the Commission proposed a regulation to amend the current legal framework (Council regulation (EU) 2021/1173), introducing an additional objective for the joint undertaking: supporting the development of an AI ecosystem in the EU by developing and operating AI factories. Member states reached political agreement on the amendment on 23 May. AI: Council reaches political agreement on the use of supercomputing for AI development (press release, 23 May 2024) Commission’s proposal for a Council regulation as regards a EuroHPC initiative for start-ups to boost European leadership in trustworthy artificial intelligence Political agreement on the Council regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking Artificial intelligence (background information)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 11:23 | Press release | Nature restoration law: Council gives final green light   Today the Council formally adopted the – first of its kind – regulation on nature restoration. This law aims to put measures in place to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. It sets specific, legally binding targets and obligations for nature restoration in each of the listed ecosystems – from terrestrial to marine, freshwater and urban ecosystems. The regulation aims to mitigate climate change and the effects of natural disasters. It will help the EU to fulfil its international environmental commitments, and to restore European nature. I am pleased with this positive vote on the Nature Restoration Law, which was agreed between the European Parliament and the Council almost a year ago. It is the result of hard work, which has paid off. There is no time for a break in protecting our environment. Today, the Council of the EU is choosing to restore nature in Europe, thereby protecting its biodiversity and the living environment of European citizens. It is our duty to respond to the urgency of the collapse of biodiversity in Europe, but also to enable the European Union to meet its international commitments. The European delegation will be able to go to the next COP with its head held high. Alain Maron, Minister for Climate Transition, Environment, Energy and Participatory Democracy of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region Restoring land and sea ecosystems The new rules will help to restore degraded ecosystems across member states’ land and sea habitats, achieve the EU’s overarching objectives on climate mitigation and adaptation, and enhance food security.  The regulation requires member states to establish and implement measures to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030. The regulation covers a range of terrestrial, coastal and freshwater, forest, agricultural and urban ecosystems, including wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers and lakes, as well as marine ecosystems, including seagrass and sponge and coral beds. Until 2030, member states will prioritise Natura 2000 sites when implementing the restoration measures. On habitats deemed in poor condition, as listed in the regulation, member states will take measures to restore: at least 30% by 2030 at least 60% by 2040 at least 90% by 2050 Non-deterioration efforts Member states will make efforts to prevent significant deterioration of areas that: have reached good condition thanks to restoration host the terrestrial and marine habitats listed in the regulation Protecting pollinators In recent decades, the abundance and diversity of wild insect pollinators in Europe have declined dramatically. To address this, the regulation introduces specific requirements for measures to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 at the latest. Ecosystem-specific measures The regulation sets out specific requirements for different types of ecosystems, including agricultural land, forests and urban ecosystems.  Member states will put measures aiming to enhance two out of these three indicators: grassland butterflies’ population, stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils and share of agricultural land with high-diversity landscape features. Increasing forest birds’ population and making sure there is no net loss on urban green spaces and tree canopy cover until end of 2030 are also key measures of this new law. Member states will put in place measures aiming to restore drained peatlands and help plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030 at the EU level. In order to turn at least 25 000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030, member states will take measures to remove man-made barriers to the connectivity of surface waters.   National restoration plans Under the new rules, member states must plan ahead and submit national restoration plans to the Commission, showing how they will deliver on the targets. They must also monitor and report on their progress, based on EU-wide biodiversity indicators. Next steps The regulation will now be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force. It will become directly applicable in all member states. By 2033, the Commission will review the application of the regulation and its impacts on the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as its wider socio-economic effects. Background The European Commission proposed a nature restoration law on 22 June 2022, under the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, which is part of the European Green Deal. Over 80% of European habitats are in poor shape. Past efforts to protect and preserve nature have not been able to reverse this worrying trend. This is why, for the first time ever, the regulation sets out to adopt measures to not only preserve but to restore nature. The regulation will help the EU reach its international commitments, in particular the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). Nature restoration law Nature restoration (background information) Biodiversity: how the EU protects nature (background information)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 11:56 | Press release | Waste framework directive: Council set to start talks on its revision   The Council adopted its position (‘general approach’) on the targeted revision of the waste framework directive, with a focus on food and textile waste. The general approach aims to prevent waste from fast fashion and to facilitate re-use. It also sets ambitious targets to significantly reduce food waste by 2030. Given the food and textile sectors are the first and the fourth most resource-intensive respectively, today's agreement represents a crucial step towards a more sustainable and circular European economy. Alain Maron, minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for climate change, environment, energy and participatory democracy  Food sector Less food waste by 2030 The proposed directive sets binding targets on food waste reduction by 2030: − 10% in processing and manufacturing − 30% per capita in retail, restaurants, food services and households The general approach agrees with the targets as proposed by the Commission and provides for the possibility to set targets for edible food by 31 December 2027, when the Commission will review the 2030 targets. Reference year and correction factors The food reduction targets will be calculated in comparison to the amount generated in 2020, since it was the first year for which data on food waste was collected according to a harmonised method. Member states are allowed to use a reference year prior to 2020, if adequate data collection methods were in place at national level. The general approach allows member states to also use 2021, 2022 or 2023 as reference years, as the data for 2020 may in some cases not be representative because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministers further agreed that correction factors need to be developed, in order to take into account fluctuations in tourism and production levels in food processing and manufacturing in relation to the reference year. Textile sector The current waste framework directive, already in force since 2008, obliges member states to ensure the separate collection of textiles for re-use, preparation for re-use and recycling by 1 January 2025. According to the general approach, by the end of 2028 the Commission will consider setting specific targets for waste prevention, collection, preparing for re-use and recycling of the waste textile sector. Extended producer responsibility The proposal for the revision of the waste framework directive provides for harmonised extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes that would require fashion brands and textile producers to pay fees in order to help fund the textile waste collection and treatment costs. These schemes will be established up to 30 months after the entry into force of this directive and ministers agreed to include microenterprises in their scope. The level of those fees will be based on the circularity and environmental performance of textile products (known as eco-modulation). As preventing waste is the best option, the general approach sets out that member states can require higher fees for companies following ‘fast fashion’ industrial and commercial practices. The general approach also contains specific provisions for member states where there is a higher share of textile products assessed as fit for re-use on the market. Those member states can ask commercial re-use operators to pay a (lower) fee when making those products available on their market for the first time. Social economy entities The general approach acknowledges the key role of social economy entities (including charities, social enterprises and foundations) in the existing textile collection systems. It allows them to maintain and operate their own separate collection points. According to the Council’s position, member states can exempt them from certain reporting requirements to avoid disproportionate administrative burden. Next steps The Council’s general approach reached today allows the rotating presidency to start talks with the European Parliament on the final text, which will take place under the new legislative cycle. The European Parliament adopted its position in March 2024. Background Over 58 million tonnes of food waste (i.e. 131 kg per inhabitant) are generated in the EU each year, representing an estimated loss of €132 billion. Moreover, food waste accounts for around 16% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from the EU food system. The EU also generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person every year. Currently, only 22% of such waste is collected separately for re-use or recycling, while the rest is often incinerated or landfilled. On 5 July 2023 the European Commission presented a proposal to revise the waste framework directive, specifically targeting the food and textile sectors. The overall aim of the proposal is to reduce the environmental and climate impacts associated with textile and food waste generation and management. General approach on the revision of the waste framework directive Reducing food loss and food waste (background information)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 12:02 | Press release | Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol: EU extends sanctions for further year   The Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced by the EU in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, until 23 June 2025. The restrictive measures currently in place were first introduced in June 2014, and include prohibitions targeting the imports of products originating from the illegally annexed Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU, and infrastructural or financial investments and tourism services from the illegally annexed Crimea or Sevastopol. Furthermore, the exports of certain goods and technologies to Crimean companies or for use in illegally annexed Crimea in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors or for the prospection, exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources are also subject to EU restrictions. The EU does not recognise and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation as a violation of international law. Since 2022, Russia has further violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with its unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU remains steadfast in its commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression, and dedicated to fully implementing its non-recognition policy. Council Conclusions 21 and 22 March 2024 EU response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine (background information) EU sanctions against Russia (background information)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 13:44 | Press release | Green claims directive: Council ready to start talks with the European Parliament   The Council adopted its position (‘general approach’) on the green claims directive, which aims to address greenwashing and help consumers make truly greener decisions when buying a product or using a service. Consumers need reliable, comparable and verifiable environmental claims in order to make fully informed decisions. However, a 2020 study found that more than half of the environmental claims offer vague, misleading or unfounded information. The directive sets minimum requirements for the substantiation, communication and verification of explicit environmental claims.  Today, we reached an important agreement to fight greenwashing by setting rules on clear, sufficient and evidence-based information on the environmental characteristics of products and services. Our aim is to help European citizens to make well-founded green choices. Alain Maron, Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for climate change, environment, energy and participatory democracy Scope This new proposal specifically targets explicit environmental claims (written or oral text) and environmental labels that companies use voluntarily when marketing their greenness and which cover the environmental impacts, aspects or performance of a product or trader. It also applies to existing and future environmental labelling schemes, both public and private ones. The general approach draws a distinction between explicit environmental claims and environmental labels, in order to clearly specify the obligations applicable to each, including which requirements apply to both. Clearer and evidence-based claims Companies should use clear criteria and the latest scientific evidence to substantiate their claims and labels. Moreover, according to the general approach, environmental claims and labels should be clear and easy to understand, with a specific reference to the environmental characteristics they cover (such as durability, recyclability or biodiversity). Prior verification and simplified procedure The general approach maintains the fundamental principle of the ex-ante verification of explicit environmental claims and environmental labels, as provided for in the Commission proposal. This means that any green claim would have to be verified by third-party independent experts before being published. At the same time, it introduces a simplified procedure to exempt certain types of explicit environmental claims from third-party verification: eligible companies should prove their compliance with the new rules by completing a technical document, which must be completed before the claim is made public. While microenterprises will also be subject to verification, they will have 8 months more than other businesses to comply with those rules. Several support measures have been added to help SMEs, including microenterprises, throughout the procedure. These include the provision of guidelines and tools and additional measures to reduce the administrative burden for farmers. They may also include financial support and training. Public environmental labels Acknowledging the importance of existing national or regional public labelling schemes, ministers agreed on the possibility of establishing new schemes and exempting those regulated by EU or national law from third-party verification, provided the latter meet EU standards as regards both procedures and standards. According to the general approach, EN ISO 14024 type 1 ecolabeling schemes will be exempt from verification if they are officially recognised in a member state and comply with the new rules. Recognition by one member state would be sufficient for the whole EU market. Climate-related claims The general approach introduces new requirements to prove climate-related claims, including those involving carbon credits. Climate-related claims are often based on carbon credits generated outside the company’s value chain, for example from forestry or renewable energy projects. The general approach includes the obligation to provide information about the type and quantity of carbon credits, and whether they are permanent or temporary, among others. The Council’s position also distinguishes between: contribution claims (carbon credits to contribute to climate action) offset claims (carbon credits to balance out an emissions share) In offset claims, companies must prove a net-zero target and show progress towards decarbonisation, as well as the percentage of total greenhouse gas emissions that have been offset. Next steps The Council’s general approach will form the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament on the final shape of the directive. Negotiations are expected to begin in the new legislative cycle. Background In a recent Eurobarometer survey, 90% of Europeans agreed that there should be stricter rules for calculating environmental impact and related environmental claims. The Commission published the proposed directive, which complements the recently adopted directive on empowering consumers for the green transition, on 22 March 2023. The proposal follows up on the European Green Deal’s commitment to tackle false environmental claims at EU level. The aim is to accelerate the green transition towards a circular and clean economy in the EU. This directive contributes to the overall objective of achieving climate neutrality in the EU by 2050. Circular economy (background information) Consumer rights: final approval for the directive to empower consumers for the green transition (press release, 20 February 2024)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:06 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of 20-21 June 2024   The press briefing ahead of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will take place on Tuesday, 18 June 2024 at 13.45. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the ECCL Luxembourg press room. To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions. Those who already registered for previous press events of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Tuesday, 18 June 2024 at 12.45 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants after the deadline. Meeting page - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Social policy), 20 June 2024 Meeting page - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Health), 21 June 2024

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:24 | Press release | Radioisotopes for medical use: Council approves conclusions   Today the Council approved conclusions to ensure the supply of medical radioisotopes, as part of the priorities of the Belgian presidency. Medical radioisotopes play a vital role in diagnosing cancer, cardiac conditions and other diseases, and are increasingly used for cancer treatments. The Council’s conclusions aim to maintain Europe’s autonomy as well as global leadership in this field. Recalling the commitment of the European Union, the Euratom Community, and the member states to provide citizens with a high level of healthcare, this set of conclusions highlights the role of radioisotopes for medical diagnostic and therapy, stressing in particular the increasing need for therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. The transport of radioisotopes across the EU is vital for ensuring access for patients, taking into account that some of them must be used within a few hours or days after being produced, as well as the fact that production is mainly concentrated in only a few member states. In order to ensure that medical practitioners can dispose of the relevant medical isotopes when and where they need them, it is important that all involved have a clear understanding of future demand and supply. The Council calls on the Commission, the Euratom Supply Agency, and the member states, as well as industry and relevant stakeholders to continue efforts to secure a reliable supply of source materials for radioisotope production. The Council furthermore underlines the important contribution of European nuclear research reactors and other nuclear facilities able to produce medical radioisotopes at the levels required for the long-term needs in the European Union. Each year, around 10 million diagnosis or treatment procedures in Europe, including for cardiac, neurological and cancerous diseases, are based on radioisotopes. The need for autonomy is crucial for all raw materials, but in nuclear medicine, it is a matter of human lives. Today we approved conclusions to ensure their secure supply and access to them across the EU, while sustaining research and innovation in the field to meet the increasing need for radiopharmaceuticals. Tinne Van der Straeten, Belgian Minister for Energy The Council conclusions urge the Commission to act on five key pillars: Europe’s global leadership role in the supply of medical radioisotopes monitoring and forecast of demand and supply for all relevant medical radioisotopes based on the experience of the European Observatory on the Supply of Medical Radioisotopes research and innovation on topics related to medical radioisotopes  assessment and development of critical skills  assessment of the framework for transporting radioisotopes for medical use in order to contribute to ensure access for patients in all member states They also urge the European Medicines Regulatory Network to assess, according to existing methodology, the criticality of the radiopharmaceuticals authorised in Europe. Background Member states have consistently supported EU actions to secure the supply of medical radioisotopes and approved already in 2009, 2010 and 2012 conclusions on it following the severe supply crisis of that time. More recently, in 2019, the Council called upon the Commission to develop an action plan on non-power nuclear and radiological technologies and medical radioisotopes also in the Council conclusions of 2021 on strengthening the European Health Union. In 2021, the Commission adopted the Strategic Agenda for Medical Ionising Radiation applications (SAMIRA) as a comprehensive action plan to support a safe, high quality and reliable use of radiological and nuclear technology in healthcare, contributing to Europe's beating cancer plan. Council conclusions on the security of supply of radioisotopes for medical use EU health policy (background information)

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:28 | Press release | Council adopts regulation on use of supercomputing in AI development   The Council has today adopted an amendment to the regulation on the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) joint undertaking to expand its objectives to include the development and operation of ‘AI factories’. AI factories are entities which provide an AI supercomputing service infrastructure. The amended regulation will make the EU’s supercomputing capacity further available for innovative European start-ups and SMEs to train their AI models and develop their projects. This is the last step in the decision-making procedure. To compete internationally, Europe needs to be a frontrunner in the artificial intelligence technology race. With the regulation adopted today, we will equip our researchers, start-ups and SMEs with powerful tools to develop state-of-the-art AI projects in the EU. Willy Borsus, Vice-President and Minister for Economic Affairs, Foreign Trade, Research and Innovation, the Digital Economy, Spatial Planning and Agriculture of Wallonia Supercomputers for AI With the regulation adopted today, the EuroHPC joint undertaking will promote and operate AI factories, facilities which should include an AI supercomputer, an associated data centre and AI-oriented supercomputing services. The activities covered by AI factories will be open to public and private users, with ad-hoc access conditions for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. The host entities of AI factories will be entitled to receive EU financial support to cover up to 50% of the acquisition costs of AI supercomputers and up to 50% of their operating costs. AI supercomputers will be used mainly to develop and test AI training models, applications and solutions. Next steps Following the Council’s adoption today, the legislative act has been adopted. In the coming days, the amendment to the regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force 20 days later. Background The EuroHPC joint undertaking was created in 2018 to coordinate efforts to make Europe a world leader in supercomputing. Up until now, the main objectives of the EuroHPC joint undertaking have been to develop, deploy, extend and maintain the EU’s supercomputing, quantum computing and data infrastructure ecosystem, promote its use, support the development of supercomputing system components, technologies and knowledge and support the development of computing skills for European science and industry. Since its creation, the EuroHPC joint undertaking has procured nine supercomputers, located across Europe. On 24 January 2024, the Commission proposed a regulation to amend the current legal framework (Council regulation (EU) 2021/1173), introducing an additional objective for the joint undertaking: supporting the development of an AI ecosystem in the EU by developing and operating AI factories. Member states reached political agreement on the amendment on 23 May. AI: Council reaches political agreement on the use of supercomputing for AI development (press release, 23 May 2024) Commission’s proposal for a Council regulation as regards a EuroHPC initiative for start-ups to boost European leadership in trustworthy artificial intelligence Political agreement on the Council regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking Artificial intelligence (background information)

Meetings Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:20 | Meetings | Agenda highlights - General Affairs Council (Cohesion), 18 June 2024   Ministers will discuss the link between cohesion policy and the next Strategic Agenda. The Council is also expected to approve conclusions on the communication on the 9th Cohesion Report.

Meetings Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 10:24 | Meetings | Agenda highlights - Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 24 June 2024   The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will meet on Monday 24 June 2024 in Luxembourg, when agriculture ministers will seek to approve a set of conclusions on the future of agriculture in the EU. Following a presentation by the Commission on the state of play of the common fisheries policy and on the orientations for the fishing opportunities for 2025, fisheries ministers will express their views on the topic and highlight their priorities. The Belgian presidency will furthermore update the Council on the state of play of four current legislative proposals (plant reproductive material, forest reproductive material, forest monitoring framework, protection of animals during transport).

 

Press material Monday, 17 June 2024

● Council of the EU   17/06/2024 11:23 | Press release | Nature restoration law: Council gives final green light   Today the Council formally adopted the – first of its kind – regulation on nature restoration. This law aims to put measures in place to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. It sets specific, legally binding targets and obligations for nature restoration in each of the listed ecosystems – from terrestrial to marine, freshwater and urban ecosystems. The regulation aims to mitigate climate change and the effects of natural disasters. It will help the EU to fulfil its international environmental commitments, and to restore European nature. I am pleased with this positive vote on the Nature Restoration Law, which was agreed between the European Parliament and the Council almost a year ago. It is the result of hard work, which has paid off. There is no time for a break in protecting our environment. Today, the Council of the EU is choosing to restore nature in Europe, thereby protecting its biodiversity and the living environment of European citizens. It is our duty to respond to the urgency of the collapse of biodiversity in Europe, but also to enable the European Union to meet its international commitments. The European delegation will be able to go to the next COP with its head held high. Alain Maron, Minister for Climate Transition, Environment, Energy and Participatory Democracy of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region Restoring land and sea ecosystems The new rules will help to restore degraded ecosystems across member states’ land and sea habitats, achieve the EU’s overarching objectives on climate mitigation and adaptation, and enhance food security.  The regulation requires member states to establish and implement measures to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030. The regulation covers a range of terrestrial, coastal and freshwater, forest, agricultural and urban ecosystems, including wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers and lakes, as well as marine ecosystems, including seagrass and sponge and coral beds. Until 2030, member states will prioritise Natura 2000 sites when implementing the restoration measures. On habitats deemed in poor condition, as listed in the regulation, member states will take measures to restore: at least 30% by 2030 at least 60% by 2040 at least 90% by 2050 Non-deterioration efforts Member states will make efforts to prevent significant deterioration of areas that: have reached good condition thanks to restoration host the terrestrial and marine habitats listed in the regulation Protecting pollinators In recent decades, the abundance and diversity of wild insect pollinators in Europe have declined dramatically. To address this, the regulation introduces specific requirements for measures to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 at the latest. Ecosystem-specific measures The regulation sets out specific requirements for different types of ecosystems, including agricultural land, forests and urban ecosystems.  Member states will put measures aiming to enhance two out of these three indicators: grassland butterflies’ population, stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils and share of agricultural land with high-diversity landscape features. Increasing forest birds’ population and making sure there is no net loss on urban green spaces and tree canopy cover until end of 2030 are also key measures of this new law. Member states will put in place measures aiming to restore drained peatlands and help plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030 at the EU level. In order to turn at least 25 000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030, member states will take measures to remove man-made barriers to the connectivity of surface waters.   National restoration plans Under the new rules, member states must plan ahead and submit national restoration plans to the Commission, showing how they will deliver on the targets. They must also monitor and report on their progress, based on EU-wide biodiversity indicators. Next steps The regulation will now be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force. It will become directly applicable in all member states. By 2033, the Commission will review the application of the regulation and its impacts on the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as its wider socio-economic effects. Background The European Commission proposed a nature restoration law on 22 June 2022, under the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, which is part of the European Green Deal. Over 80% of European habitats are in poor shape. Past efforts to protect and preserve nature have not been able to reverse this worrying trend. This is why, for the first time ever, the regulation sets out to adopt measures to not only preserve but to restore nature. The regulation will help the EU reach its international commitments, in particular the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). Nature restoration law Nature restoration (background information) Biodiversity: how the EU protects nature (background information)

Press material Sunday, 16 June 2024

● European Council   16/06/2024 15:26 | Press release | Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework adopted at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine   The ongoing war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine continues to cause large-scale human suffering and destruction, and to create risks and crises with global repercussions for the world. We gathered in Switzerland on 15-16 June 2024 to enhance a high-level dialogue on pathways towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We reiterated resolutions A/RES/ES-11/1  and A/RES/ES-11/6  adopted at the UN General Assembly and underscored our commitment to upholding International Law including the United Nations Charter. This Summit was built on the previous discussions that have taken place based on Ukraine’s Peace Formula and other peace proposals which are in line with international law, including the United Nations Charter.  We deeply appreciate Switzerland’s hospitality and its initiative to host the High-Level Summit as expression of its firm commitment to promoting international peace and security. We had a fruitful, comprehensive and constructive exchange of various views on pathways towards a framework for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, based on international law, including the United Nations Charter. In particular, we reaffirm our commitment to refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders, including territorial waters, and the resolution of disputes through peaceful means as principles of international law. We, furthermore, have a common vision on the following crucial aspects:  1. Firstly, any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safe-guarded and environmentally sound. Ukrainian nuclear power plants and installations, including Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, must operate safely and securely under full sovereign control of Ukraine and in line with IAEA principles and under its supervision. Any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of the ongoing war against Ukraine is inadmissible. 2. Secondly, global food security depends on uninterrupted manufacturing and supply of food products. In this regard, free, full and safe commercial navigation, as well as access to sea ports in the Black and Azov Seas, are critical. Attacks on merchant ships in ports and along the entire route, as well as against civilian ports and civilian port infrastructure, are unacceptable.  Food security must not be weaponized in any way. Ukrainian agricultural products should be securely and freely provided to interested third countries. 3. Thirdly, all prisoners of war must be released by complete exchange. All deported and unlawfully displaced Ukrainian children, and all other Ukrainian civilians who were unlawfully detained, must be returned to Ukraine. We believe that reaching peace requires the involvement of and dialogue between all parties. We, therefore, decided to undertake concrete steps in the future in the above-mentioned areas with further engagement of the representatives of all parties. The United Nations Charter, including the principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, can and will serve as a basis in achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.