The European Parliament’s foreign affairs and development committees agreed on the shortlist for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for 2017. Aura Lolita Chávez Ixcaquic, a Guatemalan environmental and human rights defender from the Maya Quiché people, was nominated by the Greens/EFA group.
Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included Brexit and the state of play of negotiations with the United Kingdom, the situation in Catalonia, air passenger rights and the cancellation of air flights by Ryanair, objection on endocrine disrupters and on genetically modified soyabeans, 2017 UN Climate Change Conference in …
Independent EU body promises common approach to fight fraud
The European Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of establishing a European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The new EU public prosecutor will be an independent body with the power to investigate and prosecute fraud in the EU, particularly VAT fraud.
EU decision on Amazon's tax activities a welcome result for tax justice
European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, has today announced the verdict of the European Commission’s proceedings against Amazon, for infringement of EU competition law. The Commissioner has ruled that Amazon’s tax set up in Luxembourg contravenes EU law. In addition to...
The vote we have won is a victory for democracy, the environment and for citizens.
The European Parliament has managed to stop the thoroughly undemocratic attempt by the EU Commission to change the rules on certain endocrine disruptors through the back door.
Tackling VAT fraud would generate billions for social investment
The Commission’s plans will only work if national tax authorities trust each other to collect and send VAT revenues on behalf of one another. The process of decision-making on tax matters does nothing to engender this trust. So long as unanimity is required in the European Council on taxation.
A debate is taking place in the EU Parliament this afternoon on the situation in Catalonia. The Greens/EFA Group called for the debate after the violence of the Spanish police in Catalonia last Sunday. Greens/EFA Co-President Ska Keller strongly condemns the use of police force and urges the EU Commission to mediate in the conflict.
Amazon state aid decision proves there are tax havens within the EU
3/4 of Amazon’s profits remained untaxed in Europe thanks to sweetheart tax deals with Luxembourg. This is what Margrete Vestager, European Commissioner for competition, announced in a press conference together with a decision requiring Luxembourg to collect €250 million in unpaid taxes from the company. Such decision must now be implemen…
Commmenting on the debate in the European Parliament on the situation in Catalonia following the police violence at last Sunday's independence referendum, EFA MEP Jordi Solé (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya) said:
"The debate and the response of Mr Timmerman's to the situati...
The presence of the fossil lobby at the climate conferences is a huge conflict of interest that we need to address. The fossil lobby should not be allowed to pollute climate policy.
