Thirty thousand people in the Czech Republic’s Liberec region face a loss of access to drinking water due to the planned expansion of the Turów coal mine. This mine is planned to newly stretch outwards to just 150 meters from the Czech border and downwards to a depth below the bottom of the Baltic. The resulting drainage of Czech underground water is not just a threat to citizens; the drying out of the area would destroy entire local ecosystems and cause significant agricultural damage. A further increase to dust and noise levels is a threat as well. Furthermore, the end date for mining is to be delayed from 2020 out to 2044.
Despite all of the above, the Polish refuse to adjust the mine’s plans so as to reduce its effects on the Czech Republic, nor will they offer any kind of compensation for its effects on the Czech environment. The plan likewise does not count on any arrangements for a replacement source of drinking water.
Because of this, the Liberec region—along with ten affected municipalities, and with the support of Frank Bold—is turning to the petition committee of the European Parliament and requesting an investigation into both the mining extension plan itself and the procedural approach taken by Poland, which is marred by infringements of both EU law and the rights of the Czech Republic. The petitioners are also requesting that the European Commission be addressed in this matter. The Commission monitors observance of EU law, and in cases where it finds an infringement, it initiates proceedings that can even culminate in a suit at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
You too can sign the petition against the expansion of the Turów mine.
The Czech government presented five key priorities it wants to focus on during the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, beginning on 1 July. The priorities include post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, energy security, strengthening European defence and cybersecurity, as well as the resilience of the European economy and of democratic institutions. However, according to Frank Bold experts, there is a lack of emphasis on the green transition - which is crucial for both energy security and economic resilience.
European companies can now take a look at the draft sustainability reporting standards they will report against in the coming years. The drafts were developed by the EFRAG Project Task Force on EU Sustainability Reporting Standards, with the participation of two Frank Bold representatives - Head of the Responsible Companies Section Filip Gregor, and Joanne Houston, from Frank Bold's Brussels office. Both experts will continue contributing to the development of the EU standards as members of the newly established EFRAG Sustainability Pillar.
As part of its strategy to implement the European Green Deal and the Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth, the European Commission presented its proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
