Written question – Genetic modification in the context of the ‘dire wolf’ project – E-001687/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer  E-001687/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR)

Recently, US company Colossal Biosciences[1] announced that it has de-extincted the ‘dire wolf’. Through genetic modification, 20 characteristics of the dire wolf have been inserted into the DNA of a grey wolf.[2][3]

  • 1.What is the Commission’s take on the ethical appropriateness of this project, particularly in terms of animal welfare and the potential implications for nature?
  • 2.Which EU legislation does the Commission consider to be applicable to this type of project, especially in relation to the carrying out genetic modifications on EU territory or the release or migration of genetically modified animal species that have been ‘de-extincted’ outside the EU?
  • 3.Does the applicable EU legislation explicitly preclude (i) animals from being genetically modified with a view to bringing lost species back to life and (ii) genetically modified animal species from being introduced on EU territory? If this is not the case, is the Commission willing to put forward a proposal to make this explicit?

Submitted: 28.4.2025

  • [1] https://colossal.com/the-return-of-the-dire-wolf/
  • [2] https://time.com/7274542/colossal-dire-wolf/
  • [3] https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/07/science/dire-wolf-de-extinction-cloning-colossal/index.html
Last updated: 6 May 2025

Press release – CO2 emissions: EP fast-tracks vote on flexibility measures for carmakers

Source: European Parliament

On Tuesday, MEPs agreed to use the urgent procedure for a targeted change to CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans.

The current rules set annual targets, covering five-year periods, for reducing average CO2 emissions from new cars and vans across the EU fleet. From 2025, an annual CO2 emission reduction target of 15% compared to 2021 values will be in application for the 2025-2029 period.

The proposed change would offer manufacturers the possibility to comply with their obligations for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027 by averaging their performance over the three-year period, rather than each individual year. This approach would allow them to balance any excess annual emissions by outperforming the target in subsequent year(s).

Before MEPs voted, representatives of the political groups held a round of short interventions on the issue.

Next steps

Following the agreement to use the urgent procedure, Parliament is now expected to vote on the proposal on Thursday, 8 May.

Background

The proposal is part of the Commission’s industrial action plan for the European automotive sector, announced on 5 March 2025. It followed the strategic dialogue on the future of the automotive industry launched by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 30 January 2025, which involved an open public consultation and discussions with both sides of industry and stakeholders to address the most pressing challenges facing the sector.

Written question – The dangers of rail transport of military freight – E-001686/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer  E-001686/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kostas Papadakis (NI), Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos (NI)

The EU’s goal of faster and higher-capacity rail freight transport with the 2024 amendment of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 combined with a tragic lack of safety systems constitute an explosive mixture.

The transport of ‘undeclared’ cargo and flammable/dangerous materials for which ‘no one is responsible’ and which are not controlled is now an everyday occurrence, according to successive press reports.

This unacceptable situation is becoming increasingly dangerous on the EU railways, with a 23 % increase in major rail accidents across the EU recorded between 2021 and 2023, with 1,567 people losing their lives in 2023 alone on the EU rail network (with modern safety systems covering only 14% of the total rail network).

In view of this:

  • 1.What is the Commission’s position on the fact that, on the basis of the war plans of the EU and its adversaries, rail infrastructure is being used to transport dangerous NATO materials, putting the lives of passengers, workers and residents at constant risk, all the more so when safety standards are proven not to be met?
  • 2.What is the Commission’s position on the fact that the increased burden on the railway with increasingly dangerous loads and without the necessary modern safety systems and controls, on the basis of EU guidelines for fast and increased-capacity transport of goods that satisfy the criterion of greater profit for business groups, multiplies the risks for ordinary people?

Submitted: 28.4.2025

Last updated: 6 May 2025

Press release – Wolves: MEPs fast-track vote on changing EU protection status

Source: European Parliament

Having voted to use the urgency procedure, Parliament will decide on Thursday whether to change the EU’s wolf protection status from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’.

Parliament voted on Tuesday, by show of hands, to fast-track its work on draft legislation enabling a targeted change of the Habitats Directive. The change would align the EU’s wolf protection status with the Bern Convention, lowering it from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected`. MEPs will vote on the substance of the proposal on Thursday.

Next steps

The EU Council of Ministers endorsed the Commission proposal without changes. If MEPs endorse that text on Thursday, the draft rules would only need formal approval by the Council to enter into force.

Background

According to the Commission, there are over 20,000 wolves in Europe, and their populations and ranges are growing. This conservation success story has however led to increasing conflicts with human activities in some regions, in particular concerning livestock.

Highlights – EMPL public hearing on Challenges for volunteer cross-border firefighters – Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source: European Parliament

On 13 May, 14:30- 17:00, the EMPL committee will hold a public hearing on “Volunteers in emergency services and their legal challenges: Cases of cross-border Firefighters”. While playing a crucial role in ensuring the safety and well-being of communities, volunteer firefighters like many other volunteers face challenges which negatively affect the attractiveness of volunteering.

This hearing will look into obstacles for cross-border workers stemming from differences between countries on social security systems in general, and into challenges faced by volunteer firefighters in particular.

EMPL members will hear testimonies and discuss with representatives of cross-border firefighters, experts and stakeholders about working conditions, challenges and potential solutions.

Spain: EIB Group and Cetelem join forces to provide €200 million financing for energy efficiency investments to households

Source: European Investment Bank

  • The EIB Group has signed a €93 million synthetic securitisation agreement with Cetelem, BNP Paribas Personal Finance commercial brand in Spain, to support sustainable projects in the country.
  • The agreement will allow Cetelem to unlock €200 million to finance projects carried out by households aimed at enhancing the energy efficiency of homes.

The EIB Group, composed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has signed a €93 million synthetic securitisation agreement with Cetelem, BNP Paribas Personal Finance commercial brand in Spain, targeting 100% green projects that support energy efficiency in the country. The operation will help Cetelem to mobilise €200 million to finance projects carried out by households that will increase the energy efficiency of homes.

The operation will originate a new portfolio of climate action and environmental sustainability loans to households. These loans will support residential property renovations, small scale renewable energy projects, and the purchase of energy-efficient equipment in Spain. Eligible investments in energy-efficient housing equipment will include, among others, the installation of high-energy performance boilers, insulation windows or solar panels. The projects financed by this operation will improve energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions and help mitigate climate change.

A significant number of these projects are expected to be implemented in cohesion regions where the income per capita is below the EU average.

This operation is one more demonstration of the EIB Group’s role of promoting new financial instruments like securitisation that help unlock capital for green projects, reduce the risk borne by sponsoring financial institutions and strengthen the EU capital markets union.

“We are very pleased to join forces for the first time with Cetelem in Spain to make easier for households investing in energy efficiency projects”, stated Gemma Feliciani, EIB Director of Financial Institutions. “Supporting financial institutions to unlock capital that make the energy transition accessible to all is at the core of EIB vision to advance climate action and the integration of the European capital markets”.

EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt added: This securitisation operation is a good example of how innovative financing methods can help the transition to a greener and more sustainable future. The agreement with Cetelem will make loans available to households so that they can invest in improving the energy efficiency of their homes and making them a relevant actor in the combat against global warming”.

María Ruiz-Manahan, CEO of BNP Paribas Personal Finance Spain, confirms with satisfaction that “this agreement will enable both, our clients and commercial partners, to benefit from better financing conditions, contributing to a more inclusive and responsible consumption models”. Ruiz-Manahan adds that “thanks to this operation and EIB support, BNP Paribas Personal Finance Spain through its commercial brand Cetelem, reinforce its position in the financing of solar panel and sustainable solutions for households, aligned with the purpose of our company.”

The agreement with Cetelem contributes to the EIB Group’s strategic priorities of climate action, sustainable housing, cohesion and the capital markets union. These are part of the Group’s eight priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027.

Transaction details

This transaction is the first synthetic securitisation entered into between Banco Cetelem and the EIB Group, referencing a portfolio of Spanish consumer auto exposures.  Both entities of the EIB Group are involved in the transaction. The EIF is providing protection on the mezzanine tranche of €93 million which is in turn counter-guaranteed by the EIB. The junior tranche is fully retained by Cetelem. Key features of the transaction include synthetic excess spread, a one-year revolving period and pro-rata amortisation of the tranches, subject to performance triggers.

Background information

About the EIB Group

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024, helping power the country’s green and digital transition and promote economic growth, competitiveness and better services for its people.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

About BNP Paribas Personal Finance

“Promote access to more responsible and sustainable consumption to support our customers and partners”

BNP Paribas Personal Finance, known in the Spanish market through its commercial brand Cetelem, is a bank specializing in consumer credit, personal loans, card management, current accounts, paid savings accounts and deposits, operating in Spain since 1988.

Financial partner of major companies in the distribution of durable consumer goods and the motor industry, it is also a reference for market information and analysis thanks to studies by the Cetelem Observatory.

The Cetelem Observatory has been publishing its studies in Spain since 1997. It is a benchmark for the analysis of Spanish consumer habits and trends. The Cetelem Observatory has been consolidated with five important annual reports (Motor, Consumption Europe, Sustainability, Consumption Spain and Bike), monthly editions, and specific thematic and seasonal studies.

BNP Paribas Personal Finance is located in the International Financial Services area, within the retail banking division of BNP Paribas. BNP Paribas Personal Finance is an active member of the Spanish Association of Credit Institutions (ASNEF), the Association of Spanish Companies Against Fraud (AEECF) and the Association for the Development of Customer Experience (DEC).

Latest news – Meeting of 8 May 2025 jointly with D-US Delegation – Delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of China

Source: European Parliament

The China Delegation (D-CN) will hold an ordinary meeting jointly with the United States Delegation (D-US) on Thursday 8 May 2025 at 9:00-10:30 in Strasbourg.

The meeting will focus on the US-Europe-China triangle in an increasingly multipolar world with:

  • Mr Niklas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and Pacific, EEAS; and
  • Mr François Godement, Special Advisor and Resident Senior Fellow – U.S. and Asia, Institute Montaigne.

The meeting will be held in camera.

Press release – €8 million in EU aid for 2,400 dismissed workers in Belgium

Source: European Parliament 3

Employees affected by the bankruptcy of Belgian automotive company Van Hool will benefit from an EU aid package worth €8 million.

On Tuesday, Parliament approved Belgium’s request for support from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) by 598 votes in favour, 48 against and with 5 abstentions.

MEPs acknowledged that “the European automotive and supplier industry is facing unprecedented pressure from both external and internal challenges, such as distortion of competition and high-energy costs.”

Van Hool produced coaches, buses, trolleybuses, and trailers. The company was declared bankrupt in April 2024 following a sharp decline in sales prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, rising inflation, and supply chain disruptions. As a result, 2,400 workers were dismissed, one third of them aged 50 or over, and 80 % with outdated skillsets.

The support package finances counselling, vocational orientation, job-search assistance, and new professional and digital skills training. It is worth €9.4 million in total – with the EGF providing €8 million and Belgium’s Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) funding €1.4 million. Support measures have been available since the layoffs.

Background

Under the EGF Regulation for the 2021-2027 period, the fund supports displaced workers and self-employed individuals who have lost their jobs. EGF support is available for those affected by all types of unexpected major restructuring events, including the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as broader trends, such as decarbonisation and automation. Member states can apply for EU funding when at least 200 workers lose their jobs within a specific reference period.

Once a member state submits an application detailing the redundancies and planned support measures, the Commission evaluates it. If the application meets the EGF criteria, the Commission makes a proposal to mobilise funds that must be approved by Parliament and Council. Since 2007, the EGF has intervened in 182 cases, allocating €700 million to help more than 170,000 people in 20 Member States.

Briefing – Tourism in transport policy: State of play and future perspectives – 06-05-2025

Source: European Parliament 2

With the appointment of Apostolos Tzitzikostas as European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, tourism policy has received new impetus. In the European Commission’s communications, returning policy objectives are geared towards making tourism greener, more digital, more competitive and – since the COVID-19 pandemic – more resilient. The Commission has also set out several initiatives to improve the travel experience by protecting the rights of passengers and making tourism more accessible for people with disabilities. In addition, the EU makes use of digital tools for issuing or refusing travel authorisations, processing biometric data and protecting travellers’ personal data. Furthermore, it addresses the environmental impact of tourism with legislation that encourages energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuels. It also promotes eco-friendly accommodation and little-known destinations in order to cope with overtourism. Service providers in the travel industry face several challenges and opportunities. The sector is affected, among other things, by new taxation rules. Service providers will be able to collect more reliable information on hosts and their short-term rental properties. Funding for tourism is spread across several EU programmes. Some are meant to make the sector more resilient, others to support businesses, protect the environment or encourage cultural exchange. Looking ahead, the Commission work programme for 2025 envisages amending passenger rights, digitising passports and identity cards, facilitating consular protection and protecting travellers.

BaFin warnt vor Vera Capitals

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht

Die Finanzaufsicht BaFin warnt vor Angeboten der angeblich in Stuttgart ansässigen Vera Capitals. Es besteht der Verdacht, dass die unbekannten Betreiber auf den Websites vra-capitalis.com und cfd.vra-capitalis.com ohne Erlaubnis Finanz- und Wertpapierdienstleistungen sowie Kryptowerte-Dienstleistungen anbieten. Die Betreiber behaupten eine Aufsicht der „Europäischen Finanzaufsichtsbehörde“. Diese Behörde gibt es nicht, die BaFin warnt bereits entsprechend.

Die angebotene Dienstleistung steht in keinem Zusammenhang mit der Vereinigung Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse e. V. Deren Registerdaten werden auf der Website missbräuchlich verwendet.

Die Information der BaFin basiert auf § 37 Absatz 4 Kreditwesengesetz, § 10 Abs. 7 Kryptomärkteaufsichtsgesetz.

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