Fisheries and nature under Team Juncker

Green MEP Isabella Lövin expresses concern at the downgraded commitment to nature and environment protection

So, overall, are you happy with the proposal from Jean Claude Juncker? I am worried about the direction the new Commission seems to be taking. My overall impression is that there is a clear risk that both environmental ...

Food Waste Plan Dumped

European Commission withholds its own action plan against food waste

This weekend a Belgian umbrella organisation of NGO's called 11.11.11 launched their campaign "Sorry is not enough" with the aim to call on the general public to put pressure on policy makers to act strongly ...

Climate and energy policy under Team Juncker

Green MEP Claude Turmes gives a gloomy initial assessment

So, overall, are you happy with the proposal from Jean Claude Juncker? I am not particularly happy with the proposal from Jean-Claude Juncker. The structure he has proposed for the new Commission appears to be based on...

Any hope for sustainable and safe food policy with new proposed EU commissioner?

Jean-Claude Juncker proposed Vytenis Andriukatis as commissioner for Health and Food safety. Despite some promising elements in Andriukatis' mission letter, for example on energy efficiency and public investment, overall we may doubt about any positive influence on our health, nor food safety as Juncker is clearly in favour of the currently negotiated TTIP EU-US agreement.

Sakharov Prize 2014

Greens/EFA nominate Leyla Yunus - Defending human rights in Azerbaijan

  The Greens/EFA group has agreed to nominate Leyla Yunus, a leading human rights figure in Azerbaijan, for this year's Sakharov Prize. The nomination for the EU's annual award for 'freedom of thought' recognises h...

Sustainable and safe food under Team Juncker?

Green MEP Bart Staes gives his initial assessment of the proposals

  So, overall, are you happy with the proposal from Jean Claude Juncker? Not really. There are some promising elements in it, for example on energy efficiency and public investment, but overall it looks like a...

Digital agenda, copyright and privacy under Team Juncker

Greens/EFA MEPs Jan Philipp Albrecht and Julia Reda give their initial impression

So, overall, are you happy with the proposal from Jean Claude Juncker? The overall structure proposed for this broad area of portfolios is generally positive. However, the jury remains out as to whether the candidates...

Team Juncker and employment and social policy

Green MEP Jean Lambert assesses proposed commissioner Marianne Thyssen

  So, overall, are you happy with the proposal from Jean Claude Juncker? Overall, no. It is certainly not the "greenest Commission ever" and I think that some of the nominations defy logic. I am also not...

NGO clampdown in Hungary

Open Letter from Greens/EFA Co-Presidents

  On Monday, 8 September 2014, the Hungarian state launched a full frontal attack against two of the four NGOs responsible for the distribution of Norway's NGO Grants in Hungary. The National Investigation Bureau (...

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Issue n°4 September 2014

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Start of school year for food issues in the EP Food and the Italian Presidency: A serious priority?  FOOD FOR THOUGHT Rosa Chicken and Labelling Matters camp...

EU Commission - Greens criticise possible merger of the climate and energy portfolios

Climate blog

On Thursday 4th September a group of several MEPs including Green members wrote to the new Head of the Commission Jean Claude Juncker to warn him about the decision to merge energy and climate portfolios.

Sanctions against Russia

Disagreements in the EU strengthen Putin

Comment by Rebecca Harms, president of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament Published in German on 28 Juli 2014 at www.zeit-online.de As early as late February, following Russia’s occupation and annexation...

TTIP: A Race to the Bottom

Video

Corporations on both sides of the Atlantic are using TTIP to lower standards and regulation in order to maximise their profits. 'Regulatory coherence' may sound innocent, but it could have a very real impact for ...

GMO (In)digest

Issue 14 of the GMO Campaign Newsletter

EU Work: Renationalisation Proposal See (GMO (In)digest 13) EU Governments’ representatives agreed at a Coreper meeting on 28th May to send the draft Greek Presidency proposal to allow Member States to ban a GMO t...

Greens/EFA Roundup

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 14-17 July 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included the vote on the EU Commission presidency as well as the debates on TTIP EU-US negotiations- EU, Ukrainian crisis and Europe's role, EU maternity leave rules and youth unemployment in Europe. Another EU priority for the Greens is the Special European Council and the repartition of EU top jobs

Strasbourg Flash

Weekly preview of the Greens/EFA group - 14-17 July 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary include the vote on the EU Commission presidency as well as the debates on TTIP EU-US negotiations- EU, Ukrainian crisis and Europe's role, EU maternity leave rules and youth unemployment in Europe. Another EU priority for the Greens is the Special European Council and the repartition of EU top jobs

'Åland ruling'

Stop Climate Change Blog - European Court of Justice confirms the compatibility of national support schemes for renewables with the EU Treaty

Early July, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided on the Ålands Vindkraft case (C-573/12) and reaffirmed the conformity of the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) with the EU Treaty, notably on the prerogative...

Greens/EFA Roundup

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 1-3 July 2014

Table of contents New Greens/EFA group meets in StrasbourgUlrike Lunacek elected European Parliament Vice-PresidentVoices from UkrainePlenary speeches by our Co-Presidents Outside the Plenary Open hearing for European...

EP Presidency

Democracy is about choices

  We need a real choice for the European Parliament's presidency. The President for the coming two and half years of the European Parliament's legislative term should be chosen by MEPs in an open and tran...

Up-to-date list of the MEPs for the new legislative period

Here you can find the list and names of MEPs of our group who will enter into office in July

25 years after Tiananmen

Beijing remains unaccountable

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. The Chinese Government's policy of cover-up has however hardly changed over the years, according to  Green Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Hu...

GMO-free EU under threat

Misleading proposal from Greek Presidency agreed in Coreper

Permanent representatives of Member States agreed today on a misleading proposal from the Greek Presidency that pretends to give Member States more freedom to ban GMOs on their territory. With a very weak premise and ...

2014 EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

Results on European level and per country

You can follow online the European election night with the Greens. Video connections, press statements, projections of the composition of the new Parliament and election results will be available throughout the night

GMO (In)digest

Issue 13 of the GMO Campaign Newsletter

EU Work: New GMO video animation from the Greens/EFA group in the EP The group has created a new animated video called “You don't want GMOs in Europe? Neither do we.” that shows how important it is to vote for a GMO...

Energy Union

Greens call for EU energy policy to be based on efficiency and renewables

The current situation in Ukraine demonstrates once again the EU’s dependence on fossil fuel imports to feed its economies. As with the situation five years ago, the EU has been taken hostage by its biggest supplier, as...

LobbyCloud

Greens welcome launch of new website fostering lobbying transparency

Lobbycloud, a new website aimed at enhancing transparency of lobbying activities in the European Parliament, was presented today at the re:publica 14 internet conference in Berlin by its developer OpenDataCity. This ne...

e-fa: News Round Up

News Bulletin from the European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament

March/April 2014 Round-Up The European Free Alliance (EFA) draws together political parties fighting for democracy and self-determination for the stateless nations and regions of Europe. European Free Alliance MEPs sit i...

Green Quiz

Take up the challenge !

Will you be able to answer key questions on ecology, food, climate, employment and youth issues? Are you more of a newbie than a real activist? Test your Green knowledge!

Greens/EFA Round-up

Debriefing of the plenary week Strasbourg 14-17 April 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included politicisation of EP administration posts and Martin Schulz; monster trucks, pollution and safety; EU airport noise rules; transparency and the lobby register; banking resolution and taxpayers' exposure; regulating investment markets and products; plastic bags; saving migrants' lives at sea; Dany Cohn-Bendit's departing speech; honey, GMOs and EU labelling; scrapping EU data retention rules; EU rules on posted workers; waste shipments and the EU's responsibility.

Food and feed law:

Learning from past mistakes to improve transparency and independence of controls

There is currently an extensive set of European rules to prevent, eliminate or reduce risk to human, animal or plants health along the food chain. To ensure that these rules are enforced by the Member States in a harmoni...

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Issue n°3 April 2014

IN THIS ISSUE - Revision Organic Farming Regulation: Reaction to EU organic label proposals - Food and feed law: learning from past mistakes to improve transparency and independence of controls. - Give Bees a Chance Action week: counter the industry pro-pesticide propaganda. - Caritas Europa Food Report: The EU role to end hunger by 2025 Your Guide to EU Funding: focus on the instruments for Rural and Coastal development - Every month food actors who joined the 'Join the Food Revolution' network share their story, showing the way to take back control over your plate – - Upcoming Events

Grand majority of Parliament votes in favor of a regulation on investor-state lawsuits

Greens criticize the result sharply

Investor-state dispute settlement ( ISDS ) has come into the focus of critics since the start of negotiations on a free trade agreement with the US (TTIP). ISDS means that foreign investors can sue the states hosting the...

Strasbourg Flash

Weekly preview of the Greens/EFA group - 14-18 April 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary include reports on politicisation of EP administration posts and Martin Schulz; monster trucks, pollution and safety; EU airport noise rules; transparency and the lobby register; banking resolution and taxpayers' exposure; regulating investment markets and products; plastic bags; saving migrants' lives at sea; honey, GMOs and EU labelling; scrapping EU data retention rules; Ukrainian crisis and Europe’s role; saste shipments and the EU's responsibility

Greens/EFA Round-up

Debriefing of the Brussels plenary session 2-3 April 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary session included Car engine noise; EU nuclear safety rules; Europe's Magnitsky law; Emissions from aviation; Net neutrality; Clinical trials for medicines; outside the Plenary: Putin's Russia: USSR reloaded?; Bee Week 2014

Launch of the new Bee2Bees Project

Open Data for Healthy Bees

WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT BEES? • Bees play a crucial role as pollinators: a third of our foods depend on them (apples, oranges, peaches, pears, all kind of berries, cherries, broccoli, onions, nuts, almonds, etc.). • ...

Bee Week 2014

Greens/EFA actions to Give Bees a Chance!

Bees and pollinators are bio-indicators of biodiversity and food security: when they start dying in huge numbers then something is seriously wrong with the system. As part of 2014’s European Week of bees and pollina...

GMO (In)digest

Issue 12 of the GMO Campaign Newsletter

EU Work: GMO video animation from the Greens/EFA group in the EP The group has created a short (3mn55s) animated video that shows the reasons for our opposition to the cultivation of GMOs in a very plain and understa...

Revision of Organic Farming Regulation

Reaction to EU organic label proposals

Today the European Commission has published long-awaited proposals to revise EU legislation on organic farming, following a presentation to the Council yesterday. Greens firmly believe that organic agriculture is and...

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Issue n°2 March 2014

  GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Seed regulation: Heading off a serious threat to biodiversity and long term food production Reports on plant breeding and the horticulture sector: the agro-chemical lobby charm...

Greens/EFA Round-up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 10-13 March 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included the Plastic bags and the environment; Remembering Fukushima; EU seed legislation; EU financial supervision; Money laundering; Genetic resources and benefit sharing; Data protection; NSA surveillance and fundamental rights; Phasing out super greenhouse F-gases; Shale gas, fracking and environmental impact; Nanomaterials and EU labelling; EU-IMF Troika Inquiry; Ukrainian crisis and Europe's role; TTIP Beware: EU-US Trade Agreement

Brussels Agenda

Weekly preview of the Greens/EFA group - 17-21 March 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the week include preventing the spread of mega trucks, clamping down on corporate tax evasion, nuclear safety, EU communications legislation and net neutrality, posted workers, waste shipments, honey labels, bee health and GMOs, emissions from global aviation, Ukrainian crisis and the EU's response, right to water citizens' initiative, EU climate and energy policy in the balance

Martin Schulz's Twittergate

Stop the Twitter heist

The Greens/EFA group has previously highlighted its concerns about Martin Schulz continuing to remain in office as European Parliament president, whilst concurrently campaigning as the European Socialist candidate for EU...

Seed regulation

Heading off a serious threat to biodiversity and long term food production

Today, the EP voted for a resolution asking the Commission to withdraw its proposal and come back with a new one after the elections.

Report on the horticulture sector

a case study in lobbying strategies aimed at weakening EU pesticide laws

  Adopted by the Agriculture committee last January and up for approval of the whole EP, this non-legislative report is full of agro-chemical industry myths and slogans, and states that fruit and vegetables n...

Strasbourg Flash

Weekly preview of the Greens/EFA group - 10-13 March 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary include reports on plastic bags, EU seed rules, EU financial supervision, money laundering, genetic resources and benefit sharing, data protection, NSA surveillance and basic rights, greenhouse F-gases, EU climate and energy policy to 2030, shale gas, fracking and environmental impact, nanomaterials and EU labelling, the EU-IMF Troika, Ukrainian crisis and Europe's role, EU-US trade and investment negotiations, Fukushima 3rd anniversary, mass torture in Syria

Protection for Snowden

MEPs to vote on Green call to grant whistle blower protection

Edward Snowden has shown the world that our privacy is breached intentionally, repeatedly and brutally by the NSA. He is now a wanted man, for the crime of exposing the truth. The European Parliament as a whole will ...

Greens/EFA Round-up

Debriefing of the plenary week Strasbourg 24-27 February 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included the European Parliament’s inquiry into the Troika’s response to the economic crisis; the testimony from Edward Snowden; CO2 emissions from cars; aid for the most deprived; railway safety and EU rules; privacy concerns with eCall vehicle tracking; EU-Switzerland relations; youth unemployment and the youth guarantee; tobacco and public health; use of armed drones; EU judicial cooperation and basic rights; Indonesian rainforests and climate change; Ukrainian crisis and Europe's role; extreme weather and climate change.

e-fa: News Round Up

News Bulletin from the European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament

February 2014 Round-Up The European Free Alliance (EFA) draws together political parties fighting for democracy and self-determination for the stateless nations and regions of Europe. European Free Alliance MEPs sit in a...

Plant breeding

Report outlines the worst option for increasing quality and yields

Despite the opposition of the Greens/EFA MEPs, the Agriculture Committee voted with a huge majority in favour of this report, which misguidedly promotes the potential of new breeding techniques, such as GMOs and gene sta...

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Issue n°1 February 2014

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY EU rules on the labelling of meat: European Commission sent back to the drawing board Committee rejects draft seed regulation: 1st positive signal for seed diversity and food security G...