How to get your product on the market, whatever the human or environmental cost, in 4 easy steps

Imagine you want to make money. A lot of money. Imagine one way of making a lot of money is to place your industrial product on one of the biggest markets in the world, for as long as possible, and in as many areas of the market as possible.

President Juncker, be our valentine, give EU democracy back!

The Greens/EFA group is calling for reforms of the comitology system that lead to a truly transparent and democratic process, that takes decisions based peer-reviewed science. This is a great opportunity to put back decisions with potential impacts on health, human rights and/or the environment at the political level where they belong.

What's coming up next week in Parliament

Strasbourg Flash week commencing 13th February

The European Parliament is in session in Strasbourg from Monday 13th to Thursday 16th February. We take a look at the main issues coming up, including the vote on CETA and the revision of the Emission Trading System.

TAAKS AVOID: A PRODUCT NO LONGER AVAILABLE?

How to hide tax money if you know the right tricks

A year ago, the Greens presented the latest IKEA product: Taaks Avoid, an easy-to-assemble item of furniture providing the opportunity to hide tax money if you know the right tricks.

Keep the spirit of the Paris agreement alive!

MEPs must bring emissions trading scheme up to scratch

On 15th February, the European Parliament will vote on an extremely important piece of legislation: the European Emission Trading Scheme!

New Swedish climate law

Interview with Jakop Dalunde MEP

On 2nd February, the Swedish government unveiled a very ambitious new climate law. We are interviewing Jakop Dalunde, Green Swedish Member of the European Parliament, to find more about this.   1.  We hea...

Stop glyphosate

A European Citizens Initiative

Take action and sign the petition launched by a coalition of NGOs and environmental associations.

EU/Azerbaijan partnership

Human Rights under the red carpet?

In recent years, the Azerbaijan government has made concerted efforts to restrict independent activism, critical journalism, and political opposition by imprisoning and harassing many activists, prominent human rights defenders, and journalists. Ulrike Lunacek (EP-Vice President and Green Member of the EP) together with Kati Piri, (S&D Member of the EP) hosted a panel discussion “: Human Rights under the red carpet?” during Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visit in Brussels on February 6, 2017.

World Cancer day

Glyphosate resistant GMOs enter the EU without member states’ validation

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer published its conclusions on glyphosate, classifying it as “probably carcinogenic for humans”.

Parliamentarians from all over Europe unite against tax dodging

When the Panama Papers committee met their national counterparts

Every year, national Parliamentarians from all European countries meet with their peers in the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss hot topics and foster greater cooperation. This year, the fallout from the Panama Papers was one of the key issues...

Europe needs to reaffirm its commitment to solidarity in response to Trump's travel ban

The decision by President Donald Trump to suspend the US refugee programme will cause tremendous harm to refugees and do nothing to address national security issues. In response, “we need to make our European Union stronger,” says Greens/EFA co-president, Ska Keller.

Energy Union

The EU should put its citizens at the core of the energy transition

A few weeks ago, the EU Commission presented the ‘winter package’, a series of eight legislative proposals which will enable the Energy Union project to be put in place. For the Greens, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and the citizens of the EU are the three key elements that should be at the heart of this project.

Electricity price scandal in the Spanish state

Scandalously high electricity prices in the Spanish state have been highlighted by Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras and Jordi Solé in a written question to the European Commission. ...

The revolving door phenomenon is a systemic issue that must be urgently addressed

Conflict of interests

Whilst the revolving door phenomenon is neither new nor unique to Brussels, the latest research by Transparency International Europe has highlighted a dramatic lack of regulation in the European Parliament and serious under-regulation in the European Commission when it comes to revolving doors.

GMO cultivation

Lack of support from Member States means Commission must withdraw its proposals

Today, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, voted on draft regulations for the cultivation in the EU of two GM maize varieties (Bt11 and 1507) and the renewal of one further variety (Mon 810).

30 Years Erasmus

A European Success Story

The European student exchange programme, Erasmus, turns 30 this year! Since 1987, almost 10 million people gained experiences in another European country.

Huge interest in Catalan independence process at European Parliament

EFA event

Several hundred people attended an event at the European Parliament in Brussels to hear more about Catalonia's forthcoming independence referendum.

Who are the middlemen helping to dodge tax or launder dirty money?

New report from the Tax Justice Campaign

Nine months ago, the biggest leak and international tax dodging scandal to date was revealed to the public by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Greens have used the public data from the ICIJ to find out more about the intermediaries between wealthy clients and corporate service providers like Mossack Fonseca,

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 16-19 January 2017

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: EP Presidency; Greens/EFA candidate for EP Presidency; EP Vice-Presidency; New MEPs joins Greens/EFA Group; Brexit; European Pillar of Social Rights; International Science and Technology Centre; Union Customs Code implementation; Money-laundering blacklist.

No new GM plants!

Tell your Ministries to block 3 genetically modified maize from entering EU fields!

No new GM plants have been authorised for cultivation in the EU in almost 20 years.

Glyphosate

Green MEPs demand access to full studies

Four Green MEPs have submitted an appeal to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), calling for access to the full studies used to determine the safety of controversial herbicide, glyphosate.

Jean Lambert for President of the European Parliament

Statement from Jean Lambert on her candidacy

The European Parliament will elect its new President for the second half of this Parliamentary term. Jean Lambert, MEP for London, is the Greens/EFA candidate.

Implications of Maltese presidency for EU tax reforms

Is Malta a Tax Haven?

The Greens publish a new report on Malta’s tax system, which offers a number of advantages for foreign multinationals and wealthy individuals.

Welcome to “Weirdland”

The trial of a “Faucheur de Chaise”

Do you know the difference between Antoine Deltour, whistleblower in the Luxleaks scandal, and Jon Palais, French citizen seizing chairs? When it comes to justice: none. They are both prosecuted for denouncing something morally wrong and costly to our societies, while the real culprits walk free.

Presentation

The European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament currently includes representatives from Scotland, Catalonia, Galicia, Wales and Latvia.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 12-15 December 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: LuxLeaks appeal trial; 4th Railway Package: missed opportunity for progress; New Greens/EFA co-presidents and bureau announced; Commission Statement: rule of law in Poland; Sakharov Prize presentation; Commission Statement: Energy Union Package; Parliament’s rules of Procedure; Commission: Labour mobility package - coordination of social security systems; Revision of the Research fund for Coal and Steel; Council and Commission statements ahead of European Council; European Parliament presidency: Greens/EFA candidate; ETS vote in ENVI.

European Parliament timidly improves transparency, integrity and ethics

Good news from the European Parliament, kind of! The tireless efforts of the Greens/EFA transparency team somewhat paid off this month as the European Parliament voted on a number of proposals to increase transparency an...

Support for Thalidomide Victims

Plaid Cymru and EFA MEP Jill Evans has spoken up in support of thalidomide victims at a key debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. More than fifty years has passed since thalidomide was given to pregnant wom...

Appeals procedure against whistleblowers Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet as well as journalist Edouard Perrin

Joint statement by whistleblowers Ana Garrido, Brigitte Heinisch, Jonathan Sugarman and András Horváth together with Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament

We, whistleblowers and Members of the European Parliament, express our solidarity with the LuxLeaks whistleblowers Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet, as well as the journalist, Edouard Perrin, who all served the public i...

Anti Corruption Day 2016

Today is International Anti Corruption day, a UN sponsored day that aims to raise awareness and call for action in the fight against corruption. Last year, we published a series of proposals for how ethics, transparency and integrity needed to be improved in the EU institutions, as well as a list of ways in which we were working to achieve those goals.

Tax shopping

Exploring Zara's tax business

 The countdown to Christmas is well underway and for most of us, December is the month of shopping fever. While you are wondering what to get Grandma for this special day (and praying you won’t get that ugly p...

EU nature legislation

Green position ahead of the orientation debate of the Commission college on the follow-up to the Fitness Check of the Birds and Habitats Directives

The Birds and Habitats Directives form the cornerstones of the EU’s legislative framework on nature conservation and are making a major contribution to halting the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Hearing Vladimir Sucha and Giovanni De Santi

EMIS Committee

The EMIS committee held its second hearing of JRC officials on Thursday, following disappointment from some Members with the first hearing held in April. Vladimir Sucha, JRC’s current director-general, Vladimir Suc...

Time to get tough on money laundering crimes

Lessons from the Panama Papers

What is the link between Russian President Vladimir Putin’s best friend, the international football player Lionel Messi, and Andrew M., an American citizen suspected of running a child prostitution network? At first gl...

European Parliament adopts new measures to control conflicts of interest in the European Commission

It’s almost as if the European Commission is trying its hardest to shoot itself in the foot. The list of ethical scandals just keeps growing: Cañete, de Gucht, Kroes, Barroso, Oettinger.

European Parliament moves forward on transparency of decision-making and impact of lobbyists

After much insistence and plenty of reminders from the Greens/EFA group, the European Parliament has finally put into place an official mechanism that allows Members of the European Parliament to publish a list of the interest groups or lobby organisations that they met with in the context of a particular report or piece of legislation.

Join the Food Revolution Newsletter

Issue n° 23 November 2016

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Public health- The Parliament says no to herbicides with bentazone Glyphosate: the European Court of Justice rules for transparency on access to information on chemicals GMO cultivation, not here not anywhere

EFA President in Brexit talks

President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament Josep-Maria Terricabras is taking part in the first of a series of exchanges of view on the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. Josep-Maria Te...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 21-24 November 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Occupational retirement provision; EU-Turkey relations; Conflict minerals trialogue; Council/Commission Statements on outcome of COP22; EU Parliament refuses to refer CETA to the ECJ; Commission considers Code of Conduct changes; Emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants; Renewing the approval of the active substance bentazone; Sign language and professional sign language interpreters; Umbrella deal on EU-US data protection; Dieselgate hearing with French Minister, Ségolène Royal; EU accession to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Ratification of the Istanbul Convention will mean that women and girls will be guaranteed the right to live lives free from violence.   Statistics show that violence against women is a serious problem in the Europ...

Hearing of French Minister Ségolène Royal

EMIS inquiry committee 24 November 2016

  Ségolène Royal, France’s environment minister, appeared before the EMIS committee in Strasbourg today. The much-anticipated hearing got off to a rocky start, as Ms Royal arrived 40 minutes l...

Ombudsman report

excellent work on transparency, citizen rights, good administration and conflicts of interest

  The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament is a big supporter of the work done by the European Ombudswoman, Emily O’Reilly, to ensure oversight over the EU administration and defend transparency and ...

Let's get CETA to the European Court of Justice!

Ask your MEP to support our resolution

On Wednesday 23rd November, the European Parliament will vote on our resolution. We call on Members of the European Parliament to approve our demand to send CETA to the European Court of Justice. But we need your support, send them a tweet.

Nobel winning economist Pr Stiglitz visits the Greens in the European Parliament

A blog from our Tax Justice Campaign

Pr Stiglitz did us the honour to come and speak yesterday with Green Members of the European Parliament. As a member of the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT), together wit...

A new era for the EU-Africa cooperation in the energy field?

A blog from COP22 in Marrakesh

Helping Africa accelerating its energy transition is indispensable while climate negotiations are on-going in Marrakech. As 16 November is the so-called “Africa day” at COP 22, several options are on the table to put energy efficiency, renewables and grid development in focus. Africa's domestic potential in renewable energy sources remains largely untapped. Throughout the continent, 635 million people are left without access to electricity.

Positive feedback on Greens/EFA draft EU Directive for the protection of whisteblowers

  On 4 May 2016, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament presented a draft Directive to ensure minimum standards of protection for whistleblowers across the European Union. The Directive, drafted with the...

Conflicts of interest

Juncker finally pushing to improve the Commission’s ethics rules, but more needs to be done

Next Wednesday 16th November, the Commission is due to discuss (and possibly decide) on a prolongation of the cooling off period for ex- Commissioners, which is designed to prevent possible conflicts of interest arising from the "revolving door".

Start of the COP22

A day to celebrate

The last year has seen a major change in global attitudes towards climate change and how to tackle it. This change started after the Paris Agreement - the first globally binding agreement to fight climate change - was reached in December 2015. Just eleven months later, this agreement has already entered into force - a speed that is unprecedented among global agreements - a clear confirmation of the importance that countries attach to combating climate change and to the myriad opportunities this fight entails.

GMO cultivation

Not here, not anywhere

In the coming weeks, the European Commission will submit to the Standing Committee on plants, animals, food and feed three draft regulations aimed at the renewal of the authorisation for cultivation in the EU of three GM maize varieties.

Finance Ministers agree on criteria to define tax havens

Will US be screened accordingly, after Trump’s victory?

This post was supposed to be about yesterday’s European Finance Ministers meeting and their decision on criteria to screen non-European countries who are deemed to be tax havens. These criteria will ultimately lead to some countries appearing on the first European common backlist of tax havens at the end of 2017.