The new EU tax slows small parcels from outside Europe
• The European Union has introduced a new €2 levy on each small parcel worth less than €150 from non-European sites such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, on top of a €3 customs duty already planned from July 1, 2026.
• In France, early application of the tax has been linked to a sharp drop in visits (−42% for Shein in July) and a 25% fall in sales value in September.
• The measure aims to curb the mass import of small parcels from outside Europe, illustrating a major regulatory turning point for international e-commerce.
Source: Reporterre – “Shein, Temu, AliExpress: a new €2 tax on small parcels”
Unexpected halt to energy renovation support programs
• The French government has confirmed the end in 2027 of five support programs for the energy renovation of housing and public buildings, including the ACTEE program, as well as a sustainable mobility initiative, without detailed prior communication to the operators concerned.
• The decision has prompted incomprehension and concern among figures such as Guillaume Perrin and Olympio Kyprianou-Perrimond, who highlight the recognized effectiveness of these schemes and their role for vulnerable households.
• The end of this public support comes with no information on possible replacement schemes, deeply changing institutional support for the energy and social transition.
Source: Le Monde – “The government ends five support programs for the energy renovation of housing and public buildings”
GDP under strain from the hidden value of climate issues
• GDP has historically measured economic activity without accounting for either the degradation of natural capital or the value of the free resources the environment provides, limiting performance assessment to gross output.
• This approach has limited how far environmental issues are taken into account in economic decisions, reinforcing a paradox for businesses and society facing the ecological transition.
• Initiatives such as the integration of a “value of climate action” and INSEE’s adjustment of net domestic product aim to reform official indicators to reflect environmental footprint and steer public investment sustainably.
Source: Le Monde – “Economy and environment: ‘We must put a value on what has no price to inform our collective choices’”
Angry October: when cancer challenges the farming industry
• The Cancer Colère collective has turned the national breast cancer awareness campaign “Pink October” into “Angry October”, linking the disease to agricultural policies and pesticide use.
• The initiative, led by Fleur Breteau, led to a demonstration against Syngenta and agrochemicals as early as October 3, 2026, while denouncing the “pinkwashing” of the FNSEA.
• Cancer Colère is calling for a comprehensive emergency plan including full coverage of cancer-related costs and measures toward a systemic transformation of health and agricultural policies.
Source: Reporterre – “Pink October becomes ‘Angry October’”
Bank of America, Eurazeo and the SMI launch a biodiversity fund
• Bank of America, the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) and Eurazeo have jointly launched the Lighthouse Initiative fund, with $40 million to finance nature restoration and biodiversity protection projects, with Bank of America and Eurazeo as lead investors.
• This new vehicle targets the sustainable transition of a range of sectors and the adoption of technologies to measure biodiversity outcomes.
• The initiative pursues an ambitious regulatory and environmental transformation, aligned with the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with the aim of strengthening the private sector’s role in protecting ecosystems worldwide.
Source: ESG Today – “BofA, SMI, Eurazeo Launch New Biodiversity Solutions Fund”
ANSES under political pressure from the agri-food industry
• ANSES, the agency in charge of pesticide assessment, was forced by the Ministry of Agriculture to review the file on flupyradifurone, a banned pesticide, within two months, under pressure from the agri-food industry backed by the Duplomb law and a decree of July 8, 2025.
• This intervention exposed the agency to unprecedented political injunctions, weakening its scientific independence in favor of economic interests.
• The legal framework in place has thus allowed the executive to prioritize nearly half of pesticide authorization applications, upsetting the balance of health governance.
Source: Le Monde – “Pesticides: ‘It is urgent to reverse the asymmetric balance of power with manufacturers’”
COP17 in Yerevan: hesitation and tense debates on biodiversity
• Bringing together nearly 200 countries in Yerevan, the biodiversity COP17 ended with the adoption of two major texts, one on reviewing progress under the Kunming-Montreal agreement and one on mobilizing financial resources, despite prolonged debates on harmful subsidies and the role of emerging countries as donors.
• The discussions highlighted persistent challenges for businesses and international governance, notably on contributions to the UN fund and the reliability of the scientific basis.
• The goal remains to speed up global efforts by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, in a complex financial context marked by political tensions.
Source: Le Monde – “At COP17 in Yerevan, despite divisions, states agree on texts to try to protect nature”
The data center energy label, between transparency and greenwashing
• On September 21, 2026, the European Union presented an energy labeling system rating data centers from A to G by mid-2027 on their energy efficiency (PUE) and water efficiency (WUE), based on data supplied by operators, while keeping their consumption confidential.
• Several NGOs, experts and MEPs have challenged the initiative, denouncing a risk of greenwashing, the lack of greenhouse gas indicators and trade-secret protection influenced by digital players.
• At European level, the scheme aims to harmonize practices and guide public policy and procurement toward a more sustainable transition in a fast-growing sector.
Source: Reporterre – “An energy label for data centers? NGOs denounce greenwashing and the influence of digital giants”
Palm oil: fifteen multinationals accused of deforestation in Indonesia
• On November 3, 2026, three Indonesian NGOs accused fifteen multinationals, including Nestlé, Unilever and Ferrero, of sourcing palm oil from plantations in Central Kalimantan that potentially violated the law, with impacts on forests, local communities and protected peatlands.
• This situation underlines the growing pressure on companies to guarantee the traceability and compliance of their supply chain.
• The new European regulation banning the sale of products linked to deforestation aims to strengthen environmental and social accountability internationally.
Source: Reporterre – “Nestlé, Ferrero, L’Oréal… 15 groups accused of using palm oil from deforestation”
The European Commission drops the Green Claims directive
• The European Commission has officially withdrawn the Green Claims directive, which aimed to protect consumers from misleading environmental claims by requiring scientific verification and regulating private labels.
• The withdrawal ended a legislative process begun in March 2023, driven by the EU Council’s failure to agree on a negotiating mandate and by concerns about adding to the burden on businesses, especially small ones.
• The decision marks a step in the evolution of European environmental transparency rules, with no immediate alternative announced.
Source: ESG Today – “EU Commission Scraps Green Claims Directive”
