Latest news with #Brussels
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Syensqo completes the third tranche of its €300 million Share Buyback Program
Syensqo completes the third tranche of its €300 million Share Buyback Program Brussels, Belgium – July 30, 2025 17:45 CET Syensqo SA is pleased to announce the successful completion of the third tranche of its share buyback program (the 'program'), launched on February 27, 2025 and concluded on July 30, 2025. Since February 27, 2025, a total of 784,328 shares were purchased, representing approximately 0.75% of the Company's outstanding shares. These acquired shares are expected to be cancelled. Until then, they will be held in treasury. 445,001 have already been cancelled on May 9, 2025. Over the duration of the third tranche, Syensqo invested a total of EUR 50 million at an average purchase price of EUR 63.75 per share. Final update of the third tranche In accordance with article 8:4 of the Royal Decree of 29 April 2019 executing the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations, Syensqo SA ('Syensqo' or the 'Company') hereby discloses certain information in relation to its Share Purchase Program, announced on September 30, 2024. Syensqo announces that it has repurchased 3,434 Syensqo shares in the period from July 28, 2025 up to and including July 30, 2025, as follows: Date of purchase Market / MTF Number of shares Average price paid (€) Total (€) Lowest price paid (€) Highest price paid (€) 30-Jul-25 CEUX 1,894.00 69.72 132,055.55 69.40 69.88 30-Jul-25 XBRU 1,540.00 69.65 107,253.45 69.18 69.86 Total 3,434 239,309 As of July 30, 2025, the Company held in treasury a total of 1,540,858 Syensqo shares, as follows: 143,455 Syensqo shares acquired in the framework of the third tranche of the Share Buyback Program; 746,031 Syensqo shares acquired in the framework of the Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) share purchase program that was completed on October 23, 2024; 651,372 Syensqo shares are held by Syensqo Stock Option Management SRL ('SSOM'), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the Company. Contacts Investors & Analysts Media Sherief Bakr +44 7920 575 989 Perrine Marchal +32 478 32 62 72 Bisser Alexandrov +33 607 635 280 Laetitia Schreiber +32 487 74 38 07 Loïc Flament +32 478 69 74 20 Robbin Moore-Randolph +1 470 493 2433 Safe harborThis press release may contain forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements describe expectations, plans, strategies, goals, future events or intentions. The achievement of forward-looking statements contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties relating to a number of factors, including general economic factors, interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changing market conditions, product competition, the nature of product development, impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, products withdrawals, regulatory approval processes, all-in scenario of R&I projects and other unusual items. Consequently, actual results or future events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should our assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those anticipated. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. About Syensqo Syensqo is a science company developing groundbreaking solutions that enhance the way we live, work, travel and play. Inspired by the scientific councils which Ernest Solvay initiated in 1911, we bring great minds together to push the limits of science and innovation for the benefit of our customers, with a diverse, global team of more than 13,000 associates. Our solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices and health care applications. Our innovation power enables us to deliver on the ambition of a circular economy and explore breakthrough technologies that advance humanity. Useful links Earnings materials Strategy Share information Credit information Separation documents Webcasts, podcasts and presentations Annual Integrated Report Subscribe to our distribution list Attachment 20250730_3rd_tranche_completion_EN (1)Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
EU climate goals at risk as ailing forests absorb less CO2, scientists say
EU climate goals at risk as ailing forests absorb less CO2, scientists say By Alison Withers, Kate Abnett and Simon Johnson COPENHAGEN/BRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Damage to European forests from increased logging, wildfires, drought and pests is reducing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, putting European Union emissions targets at risk, scientists warned on Wednesday. The European Union has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The target includes the expectation that forests will suck up hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions and store it in trees and soil, to compensate for pollution from industry. But that assumption is now in doubt. The average annual amount of CO2 Europe's forests removed from the atmosphere in 2020-2022 was nearly a third lower than in the 2010-2014 period, according to a paper led by scientists from the EU's Joint Research Centre - its independent science research service. In the later period, forests absorbed around 332 million net tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, said the paper, published in the journal Nature. Recent data from EU countries suggest an even steeper decline. "This trend, combined with the declining climate resilience of European forests, indicates that the EU's climate targets, which rely on an increasing carbon sink, might be at risk," the paper said. Today, Europe's land and forestry sector offsets around 6% of the EU's annual greenhouse gas emissions. That's 2% short of the amount the EU calculates is needed to meet climate goals - with the gap expected to widen by 2030. Agustín Rubio Sánchez, professor of ecology and soil science at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, said it was "wishful thinking" to rely on forests to meet climate targets. "Forests can help, but they shouldn't be assigned quantities to balance carbon budgets," he told Reuters. The findings are a political headache for EU governments, who are negotiating a new, legally-binding 2040 climate target - which is designed to use forests to offset pollution that industries cannot eliminate. Already, some are warning this won't be possible. "What should we do when there are factors that we, as countries, as governments, have not much ability to control - like forest fires or drought," Sweden's environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari said in a news conference last week. Over-harvesting, climate change-fuelled wildfires and droughts, and pest outbreaks are all depleting forests' carbon storage. However, some of these risks can be managed - for example, by reducing intense logging, or planting more diverse tree species, which may enhance CO2 storage and help forests withstand climate extremes and pests, the paper said. Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
EU's automated border system to launch in October
BRUSSELS, July 30 — The European Union announced today that a delayed new border-check system for non-EU nationals, which will do away with passport stamps, will finally launch in October. The so-called Entry/Exit System (EES), was initially supposed to kick in last November but was pushed back at the last minute as several countries were not ready. The EES will record visitors' date of entry and exit and keep track of overstays and refused entries. Travellers will have details and biometric data—facial images and fingerprints—collected. The system's introduction has raised fears of queues and longer waiting times for people travelling to Europe on trains, ferries and planes. In March, member states agreed on a phased roll out, which the European Commission said Wednesday will begin on October 12. 'This will strengthen security... by helping us identify overstayers, prevent irregular movements, and reduce document and identity fraud,' said Magnus Brunner, the commissioner for migration. First agreed on in 2017, the automated system will be used in the EU's 27 countries with the exception of Ireland and Cyprus. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, which are not EU members but are part of the Schengen free movement area, will also apply it. The commission said that travellers 'can expect information campaigns' at airports and other border crossings across the EU in the months leading up to the launch. 'With a six-month rollout, member states, travellers, and businesses will have the time to adjust to the new system,' Brunner said. Under the phased rollout, member states should ramp up towards operating the system at half of border crossing points after three months and have it fully deployed by six months. 'EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts,' Britain's Foreign Office said in a travel update. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
16 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Fossil-fuel pledge in EU-Trump deal sparks climate fears
The US currently accounts for about half of the EU's liquefied natural gas imports, compared to Russia's 20%. (Apa pic) BRUSSELS : The EU is promising colossal new US fossil fuel purchases under its trade deal with president Donald Trump, raising concerns for the bloc's climate fight – should the mammoth pledges come true. As part of the framework agreed Sunday, the EU said its companies would buy US$750 billion of liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels from the US – split equally over three years – to replace Russian energy sources. Many experts believe the eye-watering figure to be unrealistic – and point out that market dynamics rather than EU policymakers dictate companies' energy choices. Even on the supply side, Simone Tagliapietra of the Bruegel think-tank noted that the US might not be able to build the additional export capacity within such a short time frame. Brussels insists the number was not plucked out of thin air to keep Trump happy, but was based on an analysis of energy needs as it phases out Russian imports because of the Ukraine war between now and 2027. The proposed increase would mean more than tripling annual energy imports from the United States – about US$70 billion last year – and equate to well over half the €378 billion worth of overall EU energy imports last year. 'Submission' A large part of the EU's additional billions would go to imports of LNG, which is transported in liquid state to European ports before being converted back to gaseous form and injected into the bloc's power network. The US currently account for about half of the EU's LNG imports, ahead of Russia on 20% – a figure Brussels wants to cut to zero to choke off income that helps fund the war in Ukraine. But environmental groups warn against a massive switch to American LNG extracted in part though hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which uses explosives to create cracks in rock formations to release oil and gas deposits. The highly polluting process comes with steep costs to both the climate and local environment, and is banned in a number of European countries. 'The Commission risks replacing one disastrous dependency with another – unplugging Putin's gas and plugging in Trump's,' Greenpeace warned when the EU's phase-out plans were presented. Francois Gemenne, a policy expert who co-authored the UN's most recent IPCC report on climate change, in 2023, accused the EU of 'submission' to Trump's pro-fossil fuel agenda. Elected on a promise to 'drill, baby drill,' the US leader is openly hostile to renewable energy efforts and lashed out again at windmills 'ruining' the landscape before meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland last weekend. For Aymeric Kouam of the Strategic Perspectives think-tank, the energy deal with Trump is both 'dangerous and counterproductive' and imperils its goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. 'Tying Europe's energy future to the US as a main supplier undermines the bloc's energy security strategy, anchored in supply diversification, renewable energy development, and energy efficiency increase,' he said. The EU pushed back at the charge on Tuesday. 'This agreement does not contradict our medium- to long-term decarbonisation objectives or targets at all,' a commission spokesman told reporters of the three-year energy pledge. The Trump trade deal comes as the EU debates its 2040 emissions-reduction target, a key step towards its net zero goal. The commission has proposed a target of cutting emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels, but with new flexibilities to win over reluctant member states. The EU says it has already cut climate-warming emissions by 37% relative to 1990, but its green agenda faces pushback with a rightward shift and rising climate scepticism in many European countries.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
EU roads not ready for war
The EU's roads and railways are unprepared for war, the bloc's transport chief has warned. In an interview with the Financial Times published on Tuesday, commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the transportation infrastructure, including bridges, railways, and tunnels, is incapable of moving tanks, troops, or military supplies in case of conflict. European officials have long warned of a possible conflict with Russia and pushed for militarization, despite Moscow denying it has any plans to attack. Tzitzikostas said defending the region would be impossible if armies cannot move quickly. He argued that if NATO tanks were needed to respond to an invasion, they would risk getting stuck in tunnels, collapsing bridges, and being delayed by border protocols. 'The reality today is that if we want to move military equipment and troops from the western side of Europe to the eastern side, it takes weeks and in some cases months,' he said. 'We have old bridges that need to be upgraded, we have narrow bridges that need to be widened and we have nonexistent bridges to be built.' He explained that much of Europe's infrastructure is not designed for heavy military transport. Trucks generally weigh up to 40 tons, while a tank can weigh up to 70. According to Tzitzikostas, Brussels is preparing a strategy to ensure troops can move swiftly. The plan includes upgrading 500 infrastructure projects along four military corridors and cutting bureaucratic red tape to ease border crossing. The projects, identified with NATO, are classified, but are estimated to cost €17 billion ($19.7 billion). The strategy will be presented later this year. The initiative comes amid a push for greater militarization across the bloc over what officials describe as the 'Russian threat'. Recent moves include the €800 billion ReArm Europe program and a pledge by European NATO members to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP. Moscow has dismissed the claims as 'nonsense.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month that the West uses Russia as a 'monster' to justify growing military budgets. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Western leaders of pushing Europe toward direct confrontation.
