Historical commitment towards gender balance with the European court reform

The European Parliament approved the long-awaited European Union general court reform today in the plenary. Amending the statute of the court, the court's operating conditions were enforced by increasing the number of judges by 28 to a total of 56. We also witnessed a historical step towards gender balance.

EP tax investigation

Report adopted but special committee must be granted extension to allow more complete investigation

On 26 October, the European Parliament's special committee investigating tax issues voted on a report summarising the findings of the investigation so far. While the Greens voted in favour of the report, which contains some ambitious proposals, we criticise the incomplete nature of the investigation, with member states and corporations refusing to cooperate with Parliament.

Novel Foods

Greens won't mess with citizens' health and freedom of choice

Novel food is defined as food that has not been consumed to a significant degree by humans in the EU prior to 1997, when the first Regulation on novel food came into force. For the Greens/EFA, this weak definition should be improved.

Stop carmakers evading pollution laws

Ensure all cars pollutant emissions are tested based on real driving conditions in Europe

The 'diesel gate' scandal has showed the lengths car manufacturers are willing to go to avoid pollution limiting laws in Europe and beyond. The Greens are pushing for a proper EU investigation of the scandal, with conse...

Transport, energy and biodiversity – EFA Group visit to Valencia

Transport, energy and biodiversity were the focus of a visit to Valencia by a delegation of MEPs from the European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament. The visit was organised and led by EFA's Valencian M...

Tax Justice

The European Commission undermines Parliament's rights to access tax information

This is mission (almost) impossible. A few hours in a secured room in the European Commission to look into over 800 pages of complex tax documents discussed by EU Member States since 2010, with no possibility to take no...

Greens/EFA group calls for greater EU engagement with the Arab Community in Israel

in the face of a new cycle of deadly violence, reaching out to the minority communities in Israel and addressing the occupation are critical for peace

On Wednesday 14th of October, Greens/EFA Members met with Mossawa Center Director, Jafar Farah and other members of the Palestinian Arab community in Israel. During the meeting, they discussed the current situation in Israel and Palestine and the possibility of strengthening cooperation.

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Issue n°15 October 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Organic farming rules: MEPs vote to boost sustainability and credibility of organic farming GMOs: A serious reform of the authorisation procedure is urgently needed FOOD FOR THOUGHT The...

COP21 - The EU cannot afford to fail a second time

Vote in the European Parliament

Tomorrow, the European Parliament is to debate and vote on a report on the international climate agreement that is to be sealed in Paris at the COP21 in December. While the mood has changed since the last key summit that took place in Copenhagen 6 years ago, the EU cannot afford to miss the boat on another key event within its borders

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 5-8 October 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included, car pollution rules in Europe after the Volkswagen scandal; air pollution and industrial emissions rules; Hollande and Merkel; Turkey's worrying escalation; Syria; EU payment service rules; Corporate tax avoidance, rulings and the EU response; Data, privacy rights and the Facebook ruling; EU railway rules.

Self-organised ECI reaches 3 million signatures!

Greens join in celebrating huge milestone for citizen engagement against TTIP, CETA

Over 3.2 million signatures against TTIP and CETA were presented to the European Commission by activists this morning, following a year of campaigning across Europe. The self-organised European Citizens Initiative- which was officially rejected by the European Commission last September on legal grounds- continued to collect signatures regardless, becoming the largest petition of its kind in Europe.

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

The European Ombudswoman asks the European Commission for more transparency

The European Ombudswoman, Ms O’Reilly, today published a report on the links between the European Commission and the tobacco industry. This report follows a complaint brought by an NGO which claimed the...

Greens/EFA work to improve European Citizens' Initiative to make it a real tool for democracy in the EU

The European Citizens' Initiative was touted as the world's first transnational tool for direct democracy and was heralded as a breakthrough in citizen participation because it allowed for 1 million citizens to call on the European Commission to propose EU legislation. However, three years later, citizens and campaign groups are unhappy with the results, and the Greens/EFA have denounced several deficiencies in the way the ECI works.

Catalan Elections – MEPs complain of 'manipulation' in EU Commission answer

A group of MEPs, including Josep-Maria Terricabras and Ernest Maragall from the EFA group, have written to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker calling for an investigation into the apparent 'manipulation' o...

Big companies paying their fair share of taxes

one step closer towards real transparency?

This week, the European Commission published the outcome of its online public consultation on fiscal transparency. Following the Luxleaks scandal, the European Commission promised some concrete actions in 2015 to promot...

President Jean-Claude Juncker is making a farce of the fight against tax avoidance

Exchange of views with Mr Juncker in TAXE - 17 September 2015

It was a long-awaited and well-attended hearing of the European Parliament Special Committee on tax rulings (TAXE) which took place last week. It is indeed not every day that the President of the European Commission him...

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Issue n°14 September 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Animal Cloning: to be worth it the new legislation must include a ban on food from descendants of clones Ongoing Agriculture crisis: Chronicle of a disaster foretold FOOD FOR THOUGHT S...

Ongoing Agriculture crisis

chronicle of a disaster foretold

The European Parliament will today hold a plenary debate with Agriculture Commissioner Hogan and the Council on the ongoing agricultural crisis. This debate takes place following the European Commission and Council agre...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 7-11 September 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included, seal products ban reinforced; keeping water as a basic right and public service; animal cloning and EU rules; the refugee crisis and Europe's chaotic response; the State of the Union debate.

Greens call for stronger recommendations to fight corporate tax avoidance in Europe

Meeting of the Special Committee on Tax rulings and other measures similar in nature or effect (TAXE)

On September 7th, the European Parliament's Special Committee on Tax rulings and other measures similar in nature or effect (TAXE) met for a first discussion on its draft report. After the Luxleaks scandal in November 2...

Cloning for farming purposes

to be worth it the new legislation must include a ban on food from descendants of cloned animals

The European Parliament's environment and food safety and agriculture committees today voted on draft EU legislation on the cloning of animals. The Greens welcomed the vote since they have always opposed to cloning of animals. Read the reasons why

State of the Union 2015

Plenary debate on 9 September

Statement by Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts ahead of the debate on the State of the European Union 2015.

A greener Europe through interconnected electricity grids

The main arguments of Greens/EFA MEP Peter Eriksson’s initiative report to be debated on 15 July 2015 in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE).

EFA MEP publishes open letter on TTIP

Detailed response from SNP President Ian Hudghton MEP

In response to unprecedented interest and lobbying about TTIP (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership), SNP MEP Ian Hudghton has published the following open letter detailing his own and his party's posit...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 6-9 July 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included corporate tax transparency and reporting, TTIP, circular economy, emissions trading system – market stability reserve, energy transition and green job creation, debate with Greek Prime Minister Tsipras, Greens/EFA group nomination for the Sakharov Prize, copyright reform, Srebrenica Commemoration.

Sakharov Prize

Greens/EFA group nominates the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi

The Greens/EFA group nominates the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Prospects for the EU dairy sector

Greens call for stronger proposals to reform milk production in the EU

The EU's milk quota regime ended on 31 March 2015 after 30 years of production limits for milk farmers and dairy processing industries.

EFA MEPs show support for Greece

MEPs from the European Free Alliance Group have shown their solidarity with the Greek people, and their support for a fair deal for Greece following the recent referendum on the country's bailout conditions. EFA MEPs sy...

The reform of EU Electoral Law

Conference organised by EFA MEPs

Josep-Maria Terricabras, President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament has welcomed the debate taking place on reform of the European electoral law. The European Parliament is due to consider proposals in the co...

Empowering the regional dimension and minority rights in the new Member States

Empowering the regional dimension and minority rights in the new member states was the focus of a conference organised at the European Parliament this week by the European Free Alliance Group. The event heard from speake...

Gaza Freedom Flotilla - End the blockade

Several MEPs from the European Parliament's EFA Group have shown their support for lifting the blockade of Gaza to allow much needed humanitarian supplies to reach the local population. Former EFA MEP Ana Miranda is amon...

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Issue n°13 June 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Full ban on cloned animals in food approved by MEPs Circular economy package: Cross-party majority calls for a new ambitious proposal including sustainable food aspects FOOD FOR...

Road charging

10 Green principles

At a time when governments everywhere are struggling with budget constraints, it seems inevitable that road charging for passenger cars will be considered on a broad scale, as governments grapple with decaying infrastructure and look for means to generate additional revenue. In Germany a road charging scheme has been adopted this week with the final signature of the president setting the introduction date to 1 January 2016.

Green jobs

Will the EU lead the transition or watch from the side lines?

The European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee adopted Tuesday 16 June a report on green employment. Driven by Green draftswoman Jean Lambert, the report looks at how to tap into the job creation potential of the green economy.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 8-11 June 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included TTIP vote and debate; the situation in Hungary; EU-Russia relations; Azerbaijan, human rights and the Baku Games; Turkey's shifting relations with the EU; FIFA corruption case; an EU strategy on equality between women and men post 2015; investigative journalism fund...

EFA MEPs say No to TTIP

MEPs from the European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament are saying 'no' to TTIP in Strasbourg this week. TTIP is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a bilateral free trade a...

EFA - Visit to Israel and Palestine

Blog by EFA MEP Jill Evans

Day One - Wednesday 3 June I have been to Palestine and Israel many times in the past fifteen years and I have seen many changes, but some things stay the same. The occupation, of course. The siege of Gaza. The settlemen...

Spain, no rule of law?

Conference on freedom of expression and separation of powers in Spain

-           The conference “Spain, no rule of law?” took place at the European Parliament two days after the controversial booing of the Spanish anthem at Camp Nou st...

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Issue n°12 May 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Commission’s cynical moves to ease way for GMOs in Europe Organic: driving force towards paradigm change for our broken food system School Fruit and Milk Schemes: nat...

Organic food and farming

Driving force towards paradigm change for our broken food system

The promotion of organic food and farming has been one of the European Greens’ core values since entering the European Parliament in 1984.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 18-21 May 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included financial benchmarks, conflict minerals, the situation in Hungary, European agenda on migration, money laundering, maternity leave, the visit of Rajagopal, leader of the "sans terres" movement, “better regulation” package, the state of nature report.

EU & Turkey must overcome impasse in negotiations

Article by EFA MEP Ernest Maragall, with Laura Batalla

(this article originally appeared on euractiv.com) Today, the European Parliament decided to postpone the vote on Turkey's 2014 reform progress report. This is, however, not the first time that the report has been delaye...

Conflict minerals

Proposed EU law risks becoming empty shell

On May 20th the European Parliament will vote on conflict minerals legislation. Greens fear that the proposal will be robbed of all its meaning as EU leaves decision to ban conflict minerals up to companies.

Good night - good train!

A plea to revitalise European night trains

Within the rail industry, over-night services have been a trademark and feature characteristic of European travel culture for over 100 years. However, throughout the last couple of years, there has been a tendency across Europe to discontinue and cut back cross-border and long distance conventional train services, including night trains, Intercity (IC) and Eurocity (IC) connections.

Sporting events must serve people, not big corporations

The European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and Committee on Culture and Education will hold a joint hearing Wednesday 6 May on large sporting events and their links to human rights issues.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 27-30 April 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included fishery discards are back; reducing plastic bag use; biofuels’ climate problem and land use: problem unsolved; Bangladesh tragedy and the textile industry's responsibility; light touch regulation of shadow banking funds; EU budget discharge and problems with ITER nuclear fusion project; EP budget 2016 and MEPs' allowances; Europe's refugee shame and sea rescue; quicker access to funding for youth employment schemes; European Investment Bank's transparency and accountability deficit.

Good policing instead of mass surveillance

we want security policies with a sense of proportion

by Jan Philipp Albrecht, Judith Sargentini and Eva Joly Three magic letters are supposed to protect Europe against terrorists: PNR. The proposed European passenger name record (PNR) system, which has been resurrected ...

EFA MEPs: Migrant Lives Matter

EFA MEPs have taken part in a demonstration outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg calling for a more humane EU approach to migration, following the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean. Ian Hudghton, Josep-Maria...

Regulatory Cooperation In TTIP

What does it mean for the future of our food and democracy?

Report from the discussion with Sharon Treat on US legislators' perspectives on the ongoing TTIP negotiations on regulatory cooperation for food policies  On 14th April as we approached the  Global Actio...

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Issue n°11 April 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY End of Milk Quota: Greens support small producers and call for a crisis management scheme TTIP: a major concern for the future of our food and democracy FOOD FOR THOUGHT Eati...