Apple ruling wake-up call for EU on tax legislation

Tax Justice

On Wednesday 15th of July the General Court of the European Union annulled the Commission's 2016 state aid decision concerning Apple in Ireland. The ruling by the General Court on illegal state aid to Apple in Ireland is a huge setback in the fight against tax dumping in Europe.

Time to hammer out historic deal

Council 'negotiation box' on recovery package/MFF

Now is the time to hammer out a historic deal. Angela Merkel's U-turn on grants needs to be reflected in the recovery package and EU budget, in that the rule of law and climate protection are the main focal points.

MEPs vote for more action to tackle money laundering

Quotes from Saskia Bricmont MEP and Sven Giegold MEP

Yesterday, the European Parliament voted on amendments to its resolution on Anti-Money Laundering (AML). The final vote will take place this afternoon. It is expected that the text will be carried with a large majority. The resolution is a reaction to the Commission’s recent Anti-Money Launder...

Parliament votes set out steps for EIB to become EU Climate Bank

European Investment Bank

The European Parliament has made clear its demands on the level of ambition that the Bank would have to reach to become the European Climate Bank. The European Investment Bank has set climate ambitious targets for itself, but it’s time for words to be followed by actions.

European Parliament calls for paradigm shift for sustainable chemicals and toxic-free environment

Chemical Strategy

The Greens/EFA group are calling for endocrine disrupters, used in cosmetics, toys and food packaging to be banned, as well as long-life fluorochemicals in all non-essential applications. The combination or 'cocktail' effects of chemicals should be addressed, rather than looking at the toxicity of individual chemicals.

Merkel must seize opportunity to put Green Deal at heart of recovery

German Presidency

Today (Wednesday 8 July), Chancellor Angela Merkel will present the priorities of the German Presidency of the European Council to the plenary of the European Parliament. The German presidency will have a great opportunity to contribute to these efforts by building an ecological, solidarity-based and gender-equitable Europe and by making the Green Deal and climate protection a motor for jobs and the transformation into a green economy.

Hydrogen Strategy must not be excuse to continue polluting the planet

Green Deal

Hydrogen can play a role in decarbonisation and in promoting the greening of European industries and the economy. However, the Hydrogen Strategy must not be allowed to become a greenwashing exercise used to subsidise obsolete gas pipelines. Funding hydrogen from fossil fuels is not sustainable and not in line with our climate commitments.

Green Deal and climate protection must be engine for jobs & recovery

German Council Presidency

Ahead of the start of the German Presidency of the European Council tomorrow, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament are calling for the Green Deal and climate protection to be the engine for job creation and recovery and for the launch of a rule of law initiative.

The Commission & Council must match Parliament's ambition

Budget 2021

Only last week, the Parliament called for a total of 30% of the 2021 budget to be spent on climate change and 10% on biodiversity, but the EU Commission's proposal of 25% is very unambitious.

Parliament pushes through EU-wide class action in deal on collective redress

Consumer protection

"This directive fills the legal vacuum in the EU consumer legislation. With such new ground breaking instrument European consumers will no longer be left on their own, like in the Volkswagen emission cheating scandal. Empowering consumers and citizens is the way of the future." declared Heidi Hautala, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the file in the Legal Affairs Committee

European Council

Quote from Ska Keller

The European Council summit has ended without any notable progress on the Coronavirus Recovery Plan.

Parliament report on conflicts of interest exposes flaws in system for managing EU funds

Andrej Babiš

Today (Friday 19 June), Members of the European Parliament will vote on the report into conflicts of interest in the case of the Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš.

Victory for animal welfare – MEPs vote for inquiry committee on animal transport

Quote from Tilly Metz MEP

Today (Friday 19 June), after long-standing calls from the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, MEPs have just voted in favour of setting up a committee of inquiry into animal transport.

European Council Summit

Quotes from Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts

EU leaders will meet (Friday 19 June) to discuss the recovery fund to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and a new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

European Parliament permanent subcommittee on tax a victory for tax justice

The European Parliament’s plenary session has voted to support a standing subcommittee to look at tax transparency and to tackle tax evasion and avoidance.

Discrimination has to stop: European Parliament to vote on resolution for strong Disability Strategy

Disability Strategy

Today, (Thursday 18 June) on the initiative of Katrin Langensiepen, Greens/EFA MEP, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution that calls on the Commission to put forward a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term post-2020 European Disability Strategy.

European Parliament approval paves way for sustainable investments

Taxonomy

The European Parliament has approved a law on sustainable investments known as 'taxonomy', designed to make the financial sector more sustainable.

Parliament must vote for clear stance against racism

Anti-racism resolution

Following the tragic murder of George Floyd and protests in the US and around the world, the European Parliament will (today) debate and (Friday) vote on the Resolution on the anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd.

EU must not tolerate encroachment on autonomy

Hong Kong Security Law

Ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday 18 June) plenary debate and vote on the resolution on the situation in Hong Kong and national security law (Friday 19 June), Greens/EFA, along with EPP, S&D, Renew and ECR, call on EU governments and the European Commission to make it clear to China's leadership that the EU is not prepared to respond with "business as usual" in the face of the violation of Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms.

Commission agrees to additional protections for frontline workers

COVID-19

Member States will be required to include written instructions for workers in order to protect them in the workplace. The Commission will report back to the European Parliament on this revision by the end of 2020. This follows the demands of the Greens/EFA group to improve protections for frontline workers potentially exposed to the virus through their roles.

Hong Kong

EU Foreign Ministers must condemn Beijing's attacks on Hong Kong's autonomy

The EU foreign ministers must strongly condemn Beijing's attacks on Hong Kong’s autonomy. For the EU, as a community of values, such a restriction of civil liberties is unacceptable.

European Commission seizes the momentum of the Franco-German initiative

Recovery Plan

Today (Wednesday, 27th May), the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the new Recovery Plan under the umbrella of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

EU Commission proposals must kick-start agricultural reform

Farm to Fork/Biodiversity

Today (20 May), the European Commission has just released its "Farm to Fork" and Biodiversity strategies. The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament applaud the fact that the Commission has not caved into calls to delay these strategies, and is moving forward to help tackle the loss of species and seems to be pursuing a more sustainable approach to agricultural policy.

Franco-German proposal good base for recovery, but more needed to ensure success

COVID-Recovery

The French and German governments proposed an initiative for a recovery plan for the consequences of the Corona crisis includes recovery bonds and grants for the EU countries that were hard hit by the crisis, as proposed by the European Parliament last week. However, with a planned volume of €500 billion, the plan falls short of the €2 trillion called for by the European Parliament. With regard to the climate target for 2030, the wording is vague.

European Parliament calls for solidarity & Green Deal to be at heart of recovery

Covid19 Recovery

The European Parliament has just adopted a resolution on the economic recovery plan following the Covid19 pandemic, which puts the Green Deal at its core. The European Parliament is proposing a socio-economic recovery and transformation plan backed by the MFF amounting to €2 trillion, of which at least €1 trillion would be in the form of grants financed through a common loan guaranteed by the EU budget.

'Discharge' vote on EU spending

quotes from Viola von Cramon-Taubadel MEP & Daniel Freund MEP

This week, the European Parliament has voted on the so-called 'Discharge' procedure, signing-off on the spending for 52 European institutions and agencies for 2018. The discharge is a key opportunity for the Parliament to scrutinise the spending and functioning of European institutions and agencies.

European Parliament to debate emergency law in Hungary

Quote from Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP

Today (14 May) at 09:00, the European Parliament plenary session will debate the Emergency Legislation in Hungary and its impact on the Rule of Law and fundamental rights, at the request of the Greens/EFA group.

Greens/EFA Proposal for a Fair and Efficient Asylum System in Europe

New Paper

In view of the European Commission’s upcoming proposal for a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has just released a "Proposal for a fair and efficient asylum system in Europe.” This paper calls for increased support for the willingness of cities and municipalities to receive refugees and asylum seekers, a fair distribution of refugees and asylum seekers in the European Union, and compulsory compensation payments from EU governments that refuse European solidarity.

Reports of shooting incident by Greek border guards must not go unanswered

Greek border/Migration

Using violence against people who are seeking help is not only a brutal violation of fundamental rights, but it is also the very antithesis of what the EU is about. The Greek government, Frontex and the European Commission must clarify exactly what happened and outline what steps they will take to ensure that force is not used against innocent people.

Draft Environment Committee report calls for 65% less greenhouse gases by 2030

EU climate law

The European Parliament Environment Committee's draft for a European Climate Law calls for a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, going beyond the European Commission's proposal of 55%. The draft report also calls for a CO2 budget and a European Climate Council.

Fight against money laundering in times of the Corona crisis more important than ever

Anti-Money Laundering Action Plan

The European Commission presented its new Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Action Plan. The plan, which is the first step before the legislative proposals expected at the beginning of next year, supports long-standing Greens/EFA calls for increased action on money laundering. The Commission also published an updated list of countries that pose a risk of money laundering.

A wake-up call for common fiscal policy in the eurozone

German Constitutional Court ruling/ECB

The German Constitutional Court declared the decisions of the European Central Bank on the Public Sector Purchase Programme to be contrary to its powers. The lesson to be learnt from this judgment must be that the governments of the eurozone must come back to terms with reality. A common fiscal policy will ease the burden on monetary policy.

Parliament report: no mechanism to address conflict of interest in Czechia

Andrej Babiš

This Thursday, the Budgetary Control Committee will adopt a report into the conflicts of interest around Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, following a fact-finding mission to the Czech Republic, February 26-28. The report finds there is no clear mechanism in place in Czechia to prevent and address situations which may objectively be perceived as conflict of interests.

Commission announcement of due diligence legislation

Quote from Heidi Hautala MEP

Yesterday, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders announced, in a webinar hosted by Greens/EFA MEP Heidi Hautala, that the Commission will introduce a legislative initiative next year on mandatory due diligence for companies.

Conclusion of negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU & Mexico

Quote from Anna Cavazzini MEP

The European Commission is still stuck in the old patterns of outdated trade policy. The regulations on environmental protection are insufficient. The Paris Climate Convention is not effectively anchored and there are no obligations to reduce emissions.

Commission initiates infringement proceedings

Poland/Rule of law

The European Commission's decision is the right response to the undue interference of the Polish government in the independence of the judiciary. This concrete step was long overdue after months of finger pointing at the Polish government.

Greens/EFA group propose €5 trillion sustainable recovery plan

Corona crisis

Tuesday 28 April, the Greens/EFA group has just released an in-depth sustainable recovery plan for the EU to exit the Corona virus crisis. The Greens/EFA group are calling for a €5 trillion green recovery to build a more resilient, sustainable, and fairer future for Europe and the world.

Majority of EU leaders keep kicking the can down the road

European Council

We need a big effort to tackle the economic and financial crisis with solidarity and a recovery package, including increasing the European budget, setting up a vast recovery fund and sharing responsibility within the European Union. As a package, all measures can achieve European financial and economic recovery.

Coronavirus / Europe's islands - call for urgent EU intervention

Press Release from EFA MEP François Alfonsi (Corsica)

Europe's islands could face economic collapse as a result of the necessary measures put in place to combat the spread of Coronavirus, and targetted intervention at EU level is needed to prevent this. That is the message that a cross party group of MEPs representing many of Europe's island...

We need European solidarity now

Corona-Resolution

The majority of MEPs voted against mutualisation of debts, an amendment proposed by the Greens/EFA on the resolution on the COVID-19 pandemic. Greens all over the European Union support this initiative.

Corona-crisis must not be an excuse for postponement

Farm-to-Fork/Biodiversity

A leak today (Thursday, 16th April) has revealed that the European Commission is considering postponing the Farm-to-Fork and Biodiversity Strategies. The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament rejects any postponement and calls for the timetable to be maintained, especially in view of the ongoing negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Repeal of confinement measures must be coordinated at EU-level

Coronavirus

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel, presented the roadmap Joint European Roadmap towards lifting COVID-19 containment measures.

Ministers agree on fiscal measures to combat COVID-19 crisis, now EU leaders must decide on Corona bonds

Eurogroup/Corona crisis

Last night, European finance ministers reached an agreement on the COVID-19 crisis to utilise the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to finance support for the domestic financing of costs related to healthcare, cure and prevention costs for the Coronavirus. The Eurogroup meeting also agreed to the Commission's SURE proposal for unemployment due to the crisis and the European Investment Bank pan-European guarantee plan.

Greens/EFA call for corona bonds in response to the crisis

Eurogroup/Corona crisis

Ahead of tomorrow's Eurogroup meeting of eurozone Finance Ministers, Greens/EFA Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in the European Parliament are calling for European solidarity and corona bonds issued by an EU fund in a new paper in response to the corona crisis

European Court of Justice: Refusal to accept refugees violates EU law

Quote from Tineke Strik

The European Court of Justice has ruled, Thursday 2 April, that Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic should not have refused to admit refugees and asylum seekers. The suit was filed against the three countries by the European Commission.

Riba asks Commission and UN to investigate Spanish Supreme Court after threats to public officials

Press Release from EFA MEP Diana Riba (Catalonia)

EFA MEP Diana Riba (ERC) has written to European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders and to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, following the Spanish Supreme Court's warning that Prison Board officials could be liable for the offense of 'breach of official duty'...

Presidential election in Poland

Quote from Terry Reintke MEP

In Poland, the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party is pushing ahead with plans to hold the country's Presidential elections on 10th May, in spite of the public health risk with the current coronavirus pandemic.

European Council summit

Quote from Ska Keller MEP

Following last night's video conference meeting of EU leaders, President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, Ska Keller MEP, comments: "Despite being in the midst of an unprecedented public health emergency, it's shameful that European governments were unable to agree...

MEPs to vote on necessary emergency funding for EU regions hit by COVID-19

Corona crisis

Tonight at 20:00, the European Parliament will vote on a series of emergency measures to financially support Member States and regions affected by the new coronavirus (COVID-19). The Greens/EFA group welcome the measures, which will see €37 billion mobilised for investment in healthcare product...

EUCO: Letter to the European Council on Eurobonds & ESM

Ahead of today's European Council summit, the Greens/EFA Members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee are calling for economic measures, based on solidarity to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, in a letter to the European leaders.   Sven Giegold MEP, financial and economic...