EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.

EU News: While in general terms wind energy does not represent a threat to wildlife, poorly sited or designed wind farms can have a negative impact on vulnerable species & habitats.  That's why the European Commission has published guidelines for wind energy development in protected natural areas.

The guidelines apply to the Natura 2000 network, a cornerstone of EU biodiversity policy and a key tool to achieve the EU target of halting & reversing biodiversity loss by 2020.  They contain examples of best practice and show how wind energy developments can avoid damage to nature sensitive areas.
Press release ~ Guidance on wind energy and Natura 2000 ~ EU nature and biodiversity Policy ~ EU Wind energy policy
 
EU News: The Commission has proposed safety standards for disposing spent fuel & radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, as well as from medicine or research.  In the Directive put forward this week, Member States are asked to present national programmes, indicating when, where and how they will construct and manage final repositories aimed at guaranteeing the highest safety standards.
Press release ~ Questions and answers ~ The proposal for a Council Directive on the management of spent fuel & radioactive waste ~ IAEA Safety Standards ~ Related International Convention
 
EU News: Controlling your information, having access to your data, being able to modify or delete it – these are essential rights that have to be guaranteed in today's digital world.  To address these issues, the European Commission has set out a strategy on how to protect individuals' data in all policy areas, including law enforcement, while reducing red tape for business and guaranteeing the free circulation of data within the EU.
 
This policy review will be used by the Commission with the results of a public consultation to revise the EU’s 1995 Data Protection Directive. The Commission will then propose legislation in 2011. The Commission is calling on all stakeholders and the public to comment on the review's proposals.  Submissions can be made on the Commission’s public consultation web site until 15 January 2011.
Press release ~ Commission's comprehensive approach on personal data protection in the EU ~ Data Protection Directive ~ Specific rules for the protection of personal data in police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters ~  Frequently asked questions ~ Homepage of Vice-President Viviane Reding
 
EU News: Europe's cyber security experts last week tested their responses in the first ever pan-European cyber-attack simulation exercise. In ‘Cyber Europe 2010’, experts tried to counter simulated attempts by hackers to paralyse critical online services in several EU Member States.
Press release ~ European Network Security Agency (ENISA)
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