SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

European Union Office

Challenging EU policies to make them work for people in poverty

EU Office

EU renewable energy strategy ignores impact of biofuels on food security

Media Reaction | 6 June 2012
Today, European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger published the European Commission’s policy blueprint on the post-2020 strategy for renewable energy. EU Energy Ministers will discuss this new...
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Robin Hood Tax would boost growth and help poor

Press Release | 23 May 2012
European leaders meeting today to discuss ways of boosting economic growth should press ahead with plans for a financial transaction tax (FTT), Oxfam said.
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Overwhelming majority at European Parliament backs EU-wide tax on financial transactions

Media Reaction | 23 May 2012
Today, the European Parliament voted in favour of an European Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), with 487 votes in favour out of 685. The vote took place a few hours before an EU 'growth summit' in...
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Oxfam reaction to EU Finance Ministers’ talks on climate finance for the world’s poor

Media Reaction | 15 May 2012
At the start of the latest round of UN climate talks in Bonn, EU Finance Ministers today debated the state of play of Europe’s commitment to help fight climate change in developing countries. Lies...
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Oxfam welcomes Europe’s unprecedented criticism of the Israeli Government’s West Bank policies

Media Reaction | 14 May 2012
International humanitarian agency Oxfam welcomes the unprecedented stance taken by EU Foreign Ministers, meeting in Brussels today, which strongly criticizes Israeli government policies towards ‘Area...
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Associated Press – EU considers limiting percentage of biofuels made from food that count toward renewable target

21 December 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/eu-considers-limiting-percentage-of-biofu...

Reuters - Climate change deaths could total 100 million by 2030 if world fails to act

21 December 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/climate-change-deaths_n_1915365.html

EurActiv - MEPs vote for brakes on ultra-fast trading, food speculation

21 December 2012
http://www.euractiv.com/cap/parliament-vote-calls-curbs-food-news-515035

The Wall Street Journal - European Parliament Panel Approves Extractive Transparency Legislation

24 September 2012
http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2012/09/18/european-parliament-panel-ap...

Les Échos - Lutte contre la corruption: Bruxelles va durcir la legislation

24 September 2012
http://www.lesechos.fr/entreprises-secteurs/energie-environnement/actu/020227450...

Victory in campaign for EU deal on transparency in the extractive sector

Catherine Olier, Policy Advisor at Oxfam’s EU Office, reflects on a hard-fought victory that will force oil, gas, mining and logging companies to come clean on their finances in the developing world. The European Parliament and EU member states are expected to give their final green light to the agreement in the coming months, bringing EU legislation in line with the US Dodd-Frank Act.
John F. Kennedy could... Read more »

23 Apr 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

EU-India free trade deal puts millions of lives at risk

by Leïla Bodeux, Policy Advisor in Essential Services at Oxfam-in-Belgium
As the mid-April deadline to conclude negotiations for the EU-India free trade agreement approaches, members of the European Parliament and civil society groups from across Europe mobilised in Brussels today to demand that the European Commission withdraw provisions that will harm people’s access to medicines in India and across the developing world.... Read more »

09 Apr 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

European Parliament to vote on EU reporting rules for extractive industries

21 May, 2013
Strasbourg
The European Parliament will vote in plenary on a European anti-corruption legislation (EU Transparency and Accountability Directive), which would require oil, gas and mining companies as well as the logging industry to report what they pay to governments in countries where they do business. Oxfam urges Europe to follow the US lead in resisting the lobbying efforts of powerful extractive companies and enforcing a law that champions the rights of developing countries to benefit from their natural resource wealth.

European Council Meeting

22 May, 2013
Brussels
President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy has announced that the meeting of European Heads of State in May will focus on tax evasion. Oxfam welcomes this initiative and its comprehensive agenda, which will take in the possible reactivation of the European Saving Tax Directive, information exchange, and the strengthening of the Mutual Cooperation Directive. Oxfam is calling on EU Heads of State to take bold collective actions against tax evasion and tax avoidance, which cost the EU around €1 trillion per year. EU Member States should also discuss how to support developing countries in fighting against tax dodging practices which know no borders.

EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting

27 May, 2013 - 28 May, 2013
Brussels
Foreign Ministers will adopt conclusions on the European Food Security Implementation Plan, on resilience and on the Post-2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework. They are also expected to discuss the report on the impact of biofuel production in developing countries issued by the Commission earlier this year.

Oxfam releases a ‘score card’ on EU commitments relating to settlements in the West Bank

27 May, 2013
A year after EU leaders made a public commitment to take unprecedented action to halt the expansion of Israel settlements and provide support to vulnerable Palestinian communities in Area C of the West Bank, Oxfam is to release a ‘score card’ assessing to what extent this rhetoric has led to concrete action and results.

EU Energy Ministers’ meeting

7 June, 2013
Brussels
Energy Ministers are expected to discuss the report on the impact on food prices and land rights of the EU biofuels policy and a proposal put forward by the European Commission in October to limit the contribution of biofuels made from food crops towards the 2020 renewable energy target at 5% of total energy in transport. They will also discuss whether to put in place a reporting mechanism on carbon emissions caused by expanding agriculture to accommodate new biofuels demand.

Oxfam International’s European Union office in Brussels works to influence key decision-makers to ensure that EU policies affecting poor countries have a far reaching, positive impact on the lives of those most in need.

Our work spans numerous policy areas including food security, climate change, development policy and finance, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to victims of conflicts and natural disasters.

The EU office works together with Oxfam’s eight European affiliates in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. We also join forces with allied NGOs and civil society organizations.

Meet the team:

Natalia Alonso
Head of EU Office
Tel: +32 2 234 11 14
Email: Natalia.Alonso@oxfaminternational.org

Natalia Danailov
Office Administrator
Tel.: +32 2 234 11 10
Email: Natalia.Danailov@oxfaminternational.org

Angela Corbalan
EU Media & Communications Officer
Tel:  + 32 2 234 11 15
Email: Angela.Corbalan@oxfaminternational.org

Marc Olivier Herman
EU Economic Justice Policy Lead (Food Security > Biofuels / Financial Market Regulation)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 12
Email: Marco.Herman@oxfaminternational.org

Lies Craeynest
EU Economic Justice Policy Advisor (Food Security > Climate Change / Agricultural Development Policy)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 20  
Email: Lies.Craeynest@oxfaminternational.org

Nicolas Mombrial
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Aid quantity & quality / Financial Transaction Tax / EU budget 2014-2020)
Tel: + 32 2 234 11 13
Email: Nicolas.Mombrial@oxfaminternational.org

Catherine Olier
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Health & Education / Budget Support / Domestic Resources)
Tel: +32 (0) 22 34 11 25
Email: Catherine.Olier@oxfaminternational.org

Tidhar Wald
EU Humanitarian Policy Advisor (Conflict & Humanitarian Affairs)
Tel: +32 2 234 11 16
Email: Tidhar.Wald@oxfaminternational.org

Eimear Gavin
PA to Director of Advocacy and Campaigns & Administrative Assistant
Tel +32 (0)2 234 11 21
Email: eimear.gavin@oxfaminternational.org

Isabel Martins
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 28
Email: Isabel.Martins@oxfaminternational.org

Serena Merrino
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 19
Email: Serena.Merrino@oxfaminternational.org

Nicholas Todd
EU Media and Communications Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 29
Email: Nicholas.Todd@oxfaminternational.org