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.

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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 the occupational retirement provision, EU-Turkey relations, conflict minerals, the outcome of COP22, CETA & ECJ, Commission code of Conduct, emissions of atmospheric pollutants, dieselgate hearing with French Minister Ségolène Royal, ...

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.

Members of the European Parliament failing to improve their own ethics system

A blog post from our Transparency and Democracy campaign

  Today, members of the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee have voted to amend their “Rules of Procedure”, which govern the way the EU’s only directly elected institution works and which lay down...

Corporate tax avoidance

New research shows chemical giant BASF uses toxic tax tricks to avoid €923 million in tax

A chemical giant abusing their powers... It might sound like the plot to a trashy old movie, found in the bargain bin on an old VHS. But sadly, it is merely the latest episode in a long-running real life horror saga. After Google, Amazon, Starbucks, McDonalds, IKEA, and Apple, you can now add BASF to the ever growing list of major companies caught not paying their fair share of taxes.

Two years after the Luxleaks scandal

what progress for tax justice?

A blog from our Tax Justice campaign Happy anniversary! Two years ago, the newly appointed European Commission – "the Commission of the last chance" – started its mandate with the Luxleaks scanda...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 24-27 October 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Breaches of democracy, rule of law, fundamental rights; Commission Work Programme; Corporate Tax package; Democracy and press freedom Hungary; Key debate on conclusions of European Council; Debate on situation of journalists in Turkey; EU budget 2017; 2016 Sakharov Prize winner; CETA trade deal on hold (Thursday)

How a fair EU agri-food policy can help create jobs in rural areas

A blog from our food campaign

How effective is European support for farming and agriculture? Well, the numbers speak for themselves: rural economies are in bad shape. Between 2005 and 2010, 2.5 million farms were lost in the EU, with the average f...

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Issue n° 22 October 2016

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Glyphosate: MEPs protest on Right to Know Day against fake transparencyBan on Bisphenol A in all food contact material GMO- Divergence of opinion within EFSA highlights serious shortcom...

Greens freeze part of Commission budget to force action on revolving doors and ethics

Today, the European Parliament voted on the EU budget for 2017, sending a clear signal to the European Commission that they need to urgently reform their ethics codes, particularly to control the revolving doors (which i...

Why the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base is much more than a cryptic acronym

A blog from our Tax Justice Campaign

CCCTB: Say hello to the new acronym in town. It stands for Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base and while it might sound boring, it’s actually something quite revolutionary.

Hearing of Alexander Dobrindt, Olaf Lies and Ségolène Royal

EMIS inquiry committee - 20 October, November

Hearing with German Transport Ministers Alexander Dobrindt and Olaf Lies (20 October), upcoming hearing with Minister Ségolène Royal (presumably in November)

World Food Day

Agriculture must move in step with the needs of our climate

“Climate is changing. Agriculture must too”. That is the theme of this year’s UN World Food Day, to be celebrated on 16th October. The message is a promising one. And with World Food Day falling just before the ne...

GMOs

Divergence of opinion within EFSA highlights serious shortcomings with assessment process

Since the beginning of the year, the European Commission has proposed eight new authorisations for commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) plants in the EU, a further two authorisations for cultivation and the renewal of the authorisation for cultivation of the GM-maize Mon 810.

In solidarity with Népszabadság

Questions about media freedom and pluralism in Hungary

The biggest Hungarian opposition daily newspaper Népszabadság was summarily shut down over the weekend of 8-9 October 2016. Journalists were told that their offices were being moved to another building and that they should put their things into boxes ready for the move.

National Technical Services and Type-approval Authorities German type approval authority “Kraftfahrtbundesamt” leaves many questions open

EMIS inquiry committee - 10 October 2016

The hearing of the Committee of inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) with the German type approval authority (“Kraftfahrtbundesamt”, KBA) was very left many questions open.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 3-6 October 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: transparency; GMO cultivation faces objection vote; Commission hearing on macro-economic conditionality for Portugal & Spain; Legal Aid Directive will ensure minimum standards; Making sure trade policy protects human rights; European Public Prosecutor's office and Eurojust; Ratification of the Paris agreement (COP 21); 18th birthday Interrail pass for Europeans; Look ahead to European Council meeting; The need for a European reindustrialisation policy; Women’s rights in Poland; Thailand, the case of Andy Hall; Enforcement of EU law not sufficiently transparent; Syria; Food Contact Materials.

Ban on Bisphenol A in all Food contact materials

A strong call for better EU food safety rules

Food contact materials (FCMs) are largely used in everyday life such as food packaging, kitchen utensils, tableware, etc.

Green Plan for Transparency and Integrity in the European Parliament

(AKA, “Rules of Procedure”)

The recent ethics scandals involving former Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso - who moved through the revolving door to Goldman Sachs - and former Commissioner Neelie Kroes - who failed to declare that she was listed as Director of a company in a secretive tax haven (Panama), has made clear that there is an urgent need to reform the Commission's ethics system. Indeed, in a plenary debate held on Tuesday 4th October, the majority of political groups made strong calls for the EU Commission to reform its ethics system.

Dodgy taxes, shady ethics

Reforming two broken systems

A blog from our Transparency & Democracy and Tax Justice Priorities Conflict of interest: situation in which a person or organisation is involved in multiple interests, financial or otherwise, which could possibly negatively affect his or her motivation or decision-making.

MEPs protest on Right to Know Day against fake transparency on glyphosate

“Secret Science is not science”

Every year, on 28th September, transparency campaigners, governments and international bodies such as UNESCO celebrate International Right to Know Day.

6 reasons to ban GM plant cultivation in the EU

On Friday 14 October, the EU Commission will probably submit to the Standing Committee on plants, animals, food and feed three draft regulations aimed at renewal of the authorisation of cultivation in the EU of three GM maize varieties

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Issue n°21 September 2016

On Thursday 8th September, the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament examined three petitions opposing the use of the systemic herbicide glyphosate.

Don’t let neoliberal ideology undermine farmers’ existence

Interview with Jan Slomp, President of the Canadian National Farmers’ Union

Interview with Jan Slomp, President of the Canadian National Farmers’ Union

Who wants to be a tax haven?

A blog from our Tax Justice Campaign

Imagine being on the TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. You’ve reached the last stage and you hope to win the one million Euro prize. All you need to do is answer the following question... What is a tax haven? Is ...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 12-15 September 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Car emissions scandal; Work-life balance; Rule of law in Poland; Situation in Turkey; State of the Union; Social dumping in the EU; Asylum - additional measures for Italy and Greece; Apple tax ruling; Copyright reforms; External investment plan; Nomination for Sakharov Prize 2016; Informal EU Council on security.

The Monsanto Tribunal

Because industrial agriculture is endangering farmers, citizens, the ecosystems and our future

Industrial agriculture has developed rapidly in so called developed countries in the wake of Second World War in an attempt to avoid famines and restore food sovereignty in the countries most affected by this conflict.

Good for business, bad for us

Why Bayer buying Monsanto is more than just another merger

German drugs and chemicals group Bayer has announced a $62 billion cash offer for the US company Monsanto, owner of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup and of the only GM plant currently authorised for cultivation in the EU (Mon 810 Maize).

Sakharov Prize 2016

Greens/EFA nominate Can Dündar for defending of freedom of thought and expression in Turkey

The Greens/EFA group has agreed to nominate Can Dündar, a Turkish journalist, columnist and documentarian, for this year's Sakharov Prize.

Interview of Olivier de Schutter

Former UN special Rapporteur for the Right to Food

Interview of Olivier de Schutter former UN special Rapporteur for the Right to Food, co-chairs the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food

Protecting universal postal services

MEP Jill Evans has defended the Universal Service Obligation to deliver and collect post at least five times a week within the EU. Jill Evans was speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament&#...

1 year Dieselgate

EMIS interim report to be voted

Since March of this year, the EMIS inquiry committee has been investigating possible maladministration on the part of the European Commission or Member States authorities in relation to the implementation of European emissions legislation. With the committee’s interim report due to be debated in the European Parliament this week, we take a look at the key findings of the inquiry so far.