A ground-breaking agreement was reached in Brussels on 8 December. After 36 hours of marathon negotiations, the EU Parliament, Council and Commission announced the final trilogue result on the Regulation on artificial intelligence (AI).

A proposal put forward by the EU Commission in June of this year provides for the exchange and use of personal financial data by various data users to be re-regulated. The Commission's declared aim is to simplify access to data and promote innovation and data-based business models in the EU financial sector. The Chamber of Labour takes a very critical view of the proposal.

In the AI Act, the EU Commission focuses on standards for product safety. The EU Parliament has supplemented the draft with important rights for affected workers, citizens and consumers and clearly limited the democratically unjustifiable use of AI for biometric identification and emotion recognition of persons.

The European Food Policy Coalition published an open letter to Ursula von der Leyen on October 25, condemning that the Framework for Sustainable Food Systems (FSFS), a key EU Green Deal file, is missing from the 2024 work programme, and demanding her to still deliver the FSFS this term. The letter also outlines the signatories’ priorities that need to be met for the announced ‘strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture’ to be fruitful. AK is among the signatories.

On 5 July 2023, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation introducing new rules for plants produced using new genomic techniques (NGT). The Commission divides NGT plants into two categories with different requirements. Category 1 includes plants that could be produced by conventional breeding. They are exempt from the requirements of current GMO legislation. This means no risk assessment for human health and the environment, no labelling for consumers as a genetically modified organism and no traceability of genetic engineering along the value chain.

In July, the EU Commission published a package of measures to ensure a more sustainable use of plants and soil and to strengthen the resilience of food systems. From the EU Commission's point of view, a key component is changes in the use of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). NGTs should function more specifically, more precisely and more quickly than conventional methods and also improve the climate resilience of plants. A new AK EUROPA Position Paper shows the pitfalls of this proposal.

Water is a vital resource. However, it is becoming increasingly scarce due to the climate crisis. Not only humans and nature, but also sectors such as agriculture, energy and the textile industry need large quantities. To find solutions to the major challenges we face, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is calling for a Blue Deal for the EU. Modelled on the EU Green Deal, the intention is to create a European strategy to ensure good management of the "blue gold" for people, the economy and our planet.

The Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKÖS) invite you to the joint film screening of the movie "FOR THE MANY - The Vienna Chamber of Labour".

18 September 2023 marks the eighth anniversary of the diesel scandal, one of the biggest environmental scandals of recent decades. Despite the far-reaching consequences, even after eight years, "Dieselgate" has not been fully dealt with, neither in all Member States nor in the institutions of the European Union. As a recent study by the Chamber of Labour shows, Austria is even more affected than originally assumed. Where does the processing of the scandal stand after eight years in the EU and the Member States?

In March 2023, as part of the new action plan for the circular economy, the European Commission has proposed a directive to strengthen consumers' rights and options with regard to low-cost and simple repairs. Although this push is welcomed, the Commission’s proposal fails to address some aspects adequately that would be essential to speak of a real right to repair for consumers.