2020

Corporate

LEGISLATED NET ZERO TARGETS

Denmark: Target date: 2050

The government set out plans in 2018 to build a “climate-neutral society” by 2050. Its package included a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and support for electric vehicles. Climate change was a major theme in June 2019 parliamentary elections and the victorious “red bloc” parties enshrined tougher emissions targets in legislation passed six months later.

France; Target date: 2050

1. Luxembourg: 38.72
2. Ireland: 29.97
3. Netherlands: 10.62
4. Slovenia: 9.88
5. Lithuania: 9.65
6. Malta: 9.61
7. Czech Rep.: 6.90
8. Poland: 6.76
9. Denmark: 6.49
10. Germany: 5.82
11. Sweden: 4.38
12. Austria: 3.77
13. Italy: 3.66
14. Hungary: 2.16
15. Bulgaria: 1.70
16. Spain: 1.49
17. Latvia: 1.16
18. Slovakia: 0.81
19. Belgium: 0.45
20. Finland: 0.38
21. Estonia: 0.14
22. Portugal: -1.97
23. France: -2.21
24. Romania: -4.46
25. Cyprus: -6.22

Big Tech has close ties to various think-tanks that can influence new regulations by publishing studies and position papers and organizing discussion forums but these ties are often not at all clear. This is a problem as it allows companies to create the impression that their interests are supported by seemingly independent advocates, making it easier for them to influence the political conversation in their own interests. On the flip-side, this situation makes it harder to scrutinise how these big companies exert influence.

A ruling by Poland’s top court questioning the primacy of EU law could trigger severe financial and political penalties from Brussels, but it won’t cause Warsaw to exit the bloc. Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Oct. 7 that the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) does not have the power to interfere with the Polish government’s decisions on the judiciary. It also said that the Polish constitution takes precedence over EU laws on issues not explicitly delegated by member states to the bloc, such as the internal organization of the judiciary. 

Based on balance of GDP, Average Income and Social Progress Index

1. Germany
2. Netherlands
3. France
4. Denmark
5. Belgium
6. Sweden
7. Italy
8. Austria
9. Ireland
10. Spain
11. Finland
12. Luxembourg
13. Poland
14. Czech Republic
15. Portugal
16. Greece
17. Slovenia
18. Hungary
19. Cyprus
20. Lithuania
21. Estonia
22. Romania
23. Slovakia
24. Latvia
25. Croatia

Source: RAND Corporation

How the Chinese attack unfolds and how Taiwan responds will be critical to regional assessments of whether to aid Taiwan. Most regional countries do not have official relations with Taiwan. Regional countries are cognizant that China (1) views Taiwan as a core national interest, (2) is set on unification with Taiwan, and (3) views any conflict over Taiwan as an “internal affair.” This is likely to contribute to more caution in regional deliberations to assist Taiwan.

1. Austria: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Austria
2. Belgium: Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium
3. Czech- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Prague
4. Denmark: Taipei Representative Office in Denmark
5. Finland: Taipei Representative Office in Finland
6. France: Bureau de Représentation de Taipei en France
7. France : Bureau de Représentation de Taipei en France, Bureau Annexe d’Aix-en-Provence

Tainan 

• Elblag, Poland

Taipei 

• Prague, Czech Republic (2020)
• Riga, Latvia (2001)
• Versailles, France (1986)
• Vilnius, Lithuania (1998)
• Warsaw, Poland (1995)

Taitung

• Debrecen, Hungary

Taoyuan

• Radom, Poland

1. Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA).
2. Participation of Taiwan as an observer in meetings, mechanisms and activities of international bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  
3. Economic, scientific, cultural, political and people-to-people exchanges, as well as exchanges with the participation of Member State representatives, including at the most senior levels.