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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European Voice - EU fails to agree Kyoto negotiating position

21 December 2012
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2012/october/eu-fails-to-agree-kyoto-negoti...

AFP - Eleven EU nations get go-ahead on 'Robin Hood' finance tax

21 December 2012
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iocqnuwHrXvrOSuNYLt-cgPzjqfw?...

BBC - EU acts against harm from biofuel crops

21 December 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19982214

Euronews - EU Commission to limit food-based biofuels

21 December 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frfOFfa71dc

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...

Resilience: We can save lives, but can we turn them around?

By Natalia Alonso, Head of Oxfam’s EU Office


Oxfam’s Penny Lawrence asked us to picture Isutu, a mother of five in Mali with elderly relatives at home and a husband in search of work. She has survived famine and fears she may soon be forced from her land by conflict, yet also struggles to feed herself and her family from day to day.... Read more »

14 Jun 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

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

Food versus fuel? MEPs and UN food expert debate EU biofuels policy - Press Conference

19 June, 2013 - 14:00 - 14:30
ASP5G2, European Parliament, Brussels
Journalists are invited to attend a press conference following a closed-door meeting of MEPs with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food on June 19th, in advance of key votes to determine the future of EU biofuels policy, in order to assess the risks to food security presented by biofuels.

MEPs to vote on EU biofuels policy

19 June, 2013 - 23:00
Brussels
Members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) will vote on a report regarding the European Commission’s October proposal to cap support for biofuels made from food crops at 5% of total energy in transport. Oxfam is calling on the EU to rule out support for biofuels competing with food for crops, water and land. They are pushing up global food prices and driving people off their land.

EU Finance Ministers’ meeting Brussels

20 June, 2013 - 23:00
Luxembourg
Finance Ministers are expected to review their position on the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). Strong evidence suggests that a link exists between speculation on commodities by financial counter-parties and greater food price volatility and, in some cases, higher food prices. High and volatile food prices have had a devastating impact in poor and food import dependent countries, causing increased hunger, conflict and instability. Oxfam-in-Belgium will be releasing a report detailing the involvement in food speculation of banks based in the country.

EU Heads of State summit

26 June, 2013 - 23:00 - 27 June, 2013 - 23:00
Brussels
EU leaders are expected to discuss the allocation of revenue generated by the EU Financial Transactions Tax.

EU high-level conference on climate change

2 July, 2013 - 23:00 - 3 July, 2013 - 23:00
Brussels
EU Member States will participate in a meeting hosted by Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action and Norwegian Environment Minister Baard Vegar Solhjell, along with other states in favour of pushing forward negotiations on a 2015 deal within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

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