What's coming up in Parliament

A look ahead to the January plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

The green, just transition away from coal

A Greens/EFA working paper

The transition away from coal and other fossil fuels is not only about coal, energy and our climate. People have to be be placed at the heart of the transition. They must feel empowered to act.

Our vision for trade policy

Read our paper 'Green trade for all'

Trade policy requires a rapid and radical rethink. Globalisation currently demands twice the resources that the planet can provide. We need a systematic transformation to ensure maximum human well-being with the minimum use of resources. Read our ideas and steps we can take right now, in our 'Green Trade for All' paper.

Best Green wishes for 2019

The Greens/EFA Group wish you all the best for 2019. As far as we are concerned, we will continue pushing for progressive, fair and sustainable solutions to the issues facing the European Union.

We need to act now

COP 24 - Bas Eickhout asks for more ambitious on climate policy!

Climate strike

Polish students in school strike for climate

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 10-14 December 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included humanitarian visas, conflict of interest of Czech Prime Minister, transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain, the digital service tax, the revocability of Art 50 ...

Fossil fuel lobbies at the climate negotiations

Yannick Jadot at the COP 24

Conflicts of interest

The case of Czech Republic

Our MEPs demand action on the allegations of conflicts of interest by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis

Gender and climate toolkit

No climate justice without gender justice!

Climate change is one of the most urgent global challenges. We are also aware that climate change is a deeply unjust phenomenon: those who contribute the least to climate change are often the ones that are most affected by its impacts. All aspects of climate change have a gender dimension: the causes, the impacts, as well as the policies to respond to climate change which can have different effects on women and men.

A fair for coal lovers ?

COP 24 in Katowice

Bas Eickhout and Annalena Baerbock

The “innovation principle” is a regulatory Trojan horse from the industry

How a group of industries with problematic products are trying to weaken the precautionary principle

Few words carry a more positive image than “innovation”: solving humanities’ problems, bringing comfort, relief and fun. So why the hell are the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament opposing the introduction of the so-called “innovation principle” in the Horizon Europe Regulation, which will be setting the terms for the next 160 billion euro EU research funding programme? Because this is in reality an industry stunt to hinder the precautionary principle, and the EU citizens' safety. Here is how.

What's coming up in Parliament

A look ahead to the December plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

The costs of corruption across the European Union

This report compares the costs of corruption to public investment in education, healthcare, childcare and housing, elderly care, or policing and fire services. The aim is to raise public awareness about the cost of corruption across the EU and to call for a substantial increase in the fight against corruption by the European Union institutions.

A new EU law for more transparency in the food chain

No more dirty secrets in the authorisation procedure for pesticides, GMOs, food additives and novel food!

Democracy and science have in common the fact that they cannot be properly carried out in the dark: both require transparency. The altercation around the reauthorisation of the herbicide glyphosate in 2017 shed an uncomfortable light on the opacity of both the assessment process and the authorisation process of pesticides in the EU. The Commission's imperfect attempt to make the situation better will be debated and voted on next week in the European Parliament, under strong industry lobby pressure.

Hungary: Orban and the end of the freedom of speech

Media freedom and democracy in Hungary

During the past weeks, we have seen important breaches of democracy in Hungary: a convicted thief, the former prime minister of Macedonia was granted asylum, the Central European University was shut down and will have to move to Vienna, and government mouthpiece media came under the control of one foundation, headed by an ally of Viktor Orbán. The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament call on the Council to react to protect democracy and freedom of speech before the situation deteriorates further.

Our demands for the COP24 negotiations

UN climate talks in Katowice

This December government leaders will gather in Katowice, Poland for the COP24 climate summit, where all countries of the world, including EU Member States, must commit to put forward higher 2030 climate targets by 2020. To stay below 1.5°C, as indicated in the landmark IPCC report, the EU needs to commit to significantly increase both its long-term and 2030 targets.

Into the spoon

Can a business be socially and environmentally responsible while being economically profitable? Into the Spoon is a perfect example of how this can be achieved. Watch this video and get to know some of the people who are making the just and Green transition happen!

Brussels protest on Latvian school reforms

EFA MEP Miroslavs Mitrofanovs opposes Latvian education reforms

Opponents to controversial school reforms in Latvia brought their protests to Brussels this week, su...

IMPACT REVOLUTION

Bring change!

The first zero waste coffee house in Brussels

Boentje café

European Parliament pushes for strong protection for whistleblowers in landmark vote

The European Parliament took a clear position in favour of strong whistleblower protection, making several essential improvements to the European Commission’s draft legal proposal presented earlier this year. The report, supported by an overwhelming majority in the legal affairs committee, will be the Parliament’s negotiating position

Ending corporate abuses: why Europe must support a UN Treaty

Towards a UN binding treaty on business and human rights

Globalisation heavily relies on the exploitation of workers in developing countries by Transnational Corporations. However, when these workers' human rights are abused, it is basically impossible for them to achieve proper redress. International pushes for the creation of a UN binding treaty on business and human rights seek to redress this profoundly unequal dynamic and end corporate impunity.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 12-15 November 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included: Clean Energy Package; Emissions from Trucks and other heavy Duty vehicles; Future of Europe debate with Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany; Romania rule of law resolution; Multiannual Financial Framework; Humanitarian visas.

What's coming up in Parliament

A look ahead to the November plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

Pesticides found in hair samples

We tested people's hair and the majority of participants from 6 EU countries had pesticides in it! Share to tell the EU that pesticides don't belong in our bodies and we need to be stricter on pesticide rules!

Pesticides found in hair samples

Pesticides are ubiquitous in our environment and food

The Greens/EFA set up a campaign to measure human exposure for a selection of 30 pesticides, reported as endocrine disruptors, among the EU population. The analyses detects toxic pesticides such as fipronil but also chlorpyrifos. Read more

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 22-26 October 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included COP 24 – Climate; COP 14 - Convention on Biological Diversity; Reducing plastic pollution; The use of Facebook users’ data by Cambridge Analytica and the impact on data; Charging of heavy goods vehicles; Use of antibiotics in farming; Drinking water directive and open letter; Decision on Sakharov Prize winner 2018; Future of Europe debate with Klaus Iohannis, Romanian President; Debate on EU-wide breaches of REACH chemicals regulation; Killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Our fights, our values

What the Greens/EFA stand for

What's coming up in Parliament

Strasbourg Flash - plenary session 22-25 October 2018

A look ahead to next week's session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

Investigative journalists reveal a vast corruption scandal in Bulgaria involving EU funds

Viktoria Marinova, a Bulgarian journalist, was brutally murdered on 6 October 2018. The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament demanded an immediate and independent investigation into Marinova’s death. While the motive remains unclear, this terrible crime has brought to light serious allegations of corruption in Bulgaria.

Allergy risks not properly assessed for a recently authorised GM maize, says EU expert

Shortcuts in EFSA’s evaluation undermines their conclusions

As the European Parliament is set to vote on an objection against a new genetically modified maize comporting several genetic modifications, concerns arises from experts on the quality of the assessment of these so-called "stacked events" GMOs. Dr Jean-Michel Wal, who was until recently the panel’s allergy expert, officially expressed his doubts twice already, with growing alarm.

EU-Japan Agreement

Preliminary Review on behalf of the Green/EFA Trade Working Group

The EU-Japan deal will be publicly presented as a symbol of an open, liberal trade regime, in contrast with the protectionist measures taking place in the US and elsewhere. The attack on the rules-based international trading system makes it all the more important for the EU to embed its’ values and live up to its commitments for sustainability and ecological responsibility in the agreements it signs. Based on the following analysis, we conclude that the EU-Japan agreement is another missed opportunity to fulfil this often-cited mantra.

New GM ‘eradication’ techniques pose grave threat to ecosystems

Why we need an international moratorium on so-called “gene drive”

The European Parliament will vote next week on a call for an international moratorium on a new biotechnology called ‘gene drive’ that has the potential to eradicate entire populations. Supported by more than 200 global food leaders and NGOs, this moratorium is opposed by many private interests.

Reporting taxation

Analysing loopholes in the EU’s automatic exchange of information and how to close them

The report highlights how EU citizens can continue to use tax havens through avoiding the automatic exchange of financial information by setting up bank and other financial accounts in countries not applying OECD standards effectively, or by holding accounts in the US through a legal entity. Wealthy individuals can also easily circumvent EU tax rules through "Golden Visa" schemes which allow people to buy residency or citizenship in another country.

ENVIE

Circular economy for the win!