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PPA: the difficult path to affordable green electricity

Affordable green energy – that's what the EU Commission promises industry with the electricity market reform. However, with long-term supply contracts (PPAs), companies are also buying new risks. Not all of them will be eliminated by the draft law.

By Manuel Berkel

EU and Mercosur wrangle over climate pledges

The EU Commission is urging Brazil and the other Mercosur countries to commit to certain sustainability goals as part of the planned trade agreement. Criticism is now mounting in the four countries – it will come down to a test of strength.

By Till Hoppe

Standard Essential Patents: proposal coming next week

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) – an important institution for standardization in Europe – is protesting against the Commission's plans for SEP regulation. Despite criticism, the Commission continues to adhere to its timetable for the patent package.

By Markus Grabitz

Pesticide regulation: from rejection to tightening

Technical negotiations on the planned regulation to reduce the use of pesticides begin today in the EU Parliament's Environment Committee. Finding a compromise is likely to be difficult. Almost 3,000 amendments have been received, ranging from significant tightening to complete rejection of the Commission's proposal.

By Timo Landenberger

Solar debacle as a reminder for the heat pump industry

Heat pumps are mainly manufactured in Germany – for the moment. This is because manufacturers from China are pushing into the booming EU market. More and more components are coming from the People's Republic. The photovoltaic debacle is threatening to repeat itself.

By Christiane Kuehl

Electricity market: Rapporteur wants capacity mechanisms

The draft report on the electricity market design is to be presented to the EU Parliament as early as May 12. In an interview, rapporteur Nicolás González Casares outlines his ideas for the reform for the first time and also addresses the government in Berlin.

By Manuel Berkel

Spain prior to elections: left-wing alliance is crumbling

Spain's bloc of leftist parties that keeps Pedro Sánchez in power is beginning to crumble. The candidacy of Yolanda Díaz and her newly formed Sumar platform in the upcoming parliamentary elections is taking votes from the Socialist Sánchez and Podemos, which is increasingly becoming a residual party.

By Isabel Cuesta Camacho

Autorenbanner Stefan Braun Markus Grabitz

Von der Leyen and the CDU: a complex relationship

The CDU and Ursula von der Leyen have never been a love affair. The politician is too strict and self-confident, and many in her party find her too brisk and independent. That has not changed under Friedrich Merz. And yet it is clear that even the CDU under Merz would not be against it if von der Leyen would run again in the 2024 European elections.

By Redaktion Table

Battery Regulation: end for disposable e-cigarettes by 2026

Disposable e-cigarettes have conquered the German market in 2022. The disposable product now has a market share of more than 60 percent. But the Battery Regulation means they will be gone by the end of 2026, so the industry is planning to make re-usable e-cigarettes more attractive.

By Markus Grabitz