Press Releases | Greens/EFA

UK Parliament(CC BY 3.0)

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The time for games is over

Brexit

This devastating defeat for Theresa May cannot be seen as a crisis but as an opportunity to break the deadlock in the UK Parliament and take the question of Brexit back to the people. The time for political games is over, the solution to this crisis must be put to the British public

UNHCR (CC BY-NC 2.0)

A European solution is not automatically a good one

Merkel/Macron

Greens/EFA co-presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts comment on the outcomes of the meeting between President Macron and Chancellor Merkel.

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Digital-world-©-Nicholas-Monu

Bridging the digital language divide

Press release from EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

Greens/EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru) hopes her new report 'Language Equality in the Digital Age' will make an important contribution to bridging the digital language divide. This could lead to Siri speaking Welsh, or Alexa speaking Lithuanian, whilst making it easier for sign language ...

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©Nuno Nogueira

European Commission cannot have carte blanche on foreign affairs priorities

EU foreign policy

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has today expressed strong concerns about the European Commission's proposals to bundle multiple peace-building, defence and security policies under one budget line.

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@Kristian Auth

Posted workers/transport: weak mandate must be renegotiated

Quote from Terry Reintke

A majority of MEPs have just rejected the negotiating mandate for posted workers in the road transport sector. MEPs voted to overturn the decision made in the Transport Committee, where Social Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives voted against social rights such as minimum wages, adequate rest periods, local collective agreements and legally secure entitlement to allowances for travel, accommodation and food.

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©andrea-boldizsar

Modest success on targets but key decisions pushed back to 2023

Renewable Energy

The European Parliament, Commission and Council came to agreement on the revision to the Renewables Directive late last night.

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Cross-party leaders calls on Commission to take immediate action on Polish judicial reforms

Poland

The Greens/EFA group has organised a cross-party letter calling on the European Commission to take immediate steps to put the brakes on Polish judicial reforms.

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Migrants © Samuel Aranda

Refugees in the Mediterranean – MEPs call for solidarity

Press release from EFA MEPs Jordi Solé & J-M Terricabras (Catalonia)

MEPs today held an emergency debate on humanitarian emergencies in the Mediterranean and the need for solidarity. This follows the Italian and Maltese governments' refusal to allow the refugee rescue ship MV Aquarius access to their ports in order to land the 629 people on board. Speaking ...

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European Parliament to call for release of political prisoners:

Russia 2018 World Cup

The European Parliament will tomorrow call for the release of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director imprisoned in Russia who is currently on hunger strike, and other political prisoners in Russia. MEPs will vote tomorrow on a resolution on the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group, which is ...

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© eliandric

Cohesion policy must be a driver of the circular economy

Circular economy

The European Parliament has today backed Greens/EFA proposals on making Cohesion Policy a driver of the circular economy. The proposals are contained in an initiative report from Greens/EFA MEP Davor Škrlec.

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©abraham osorio

Aquarius debate in European Parliament

Quote from Philippe Lamberts

We urgently need a new approach to this humanitarian crisis. Monday's undignified showdown over the Aquarius was a horrible reminder that the EU still lacks a coherent strategy for responding to the suffering on Europe’s borders.

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Europe needs solidarity, not tax giveaways

Future of Europe/Mark Rutte in the European Parliament

Mr Rutte might like to present himself as a man of the people by cleaning up some coffee. But on Europe, his vision is every man for himself.

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©-Tobias-Keckel

No double standards on EU's human rights commitment

Press release from EFA MEP Jordi Solé (Catalonia)

Catalan MEP Jordi Solé has called upon the EU to avoid double standards in its commitment to human rights and democracy around the world. The EFA MEP spoke in the European Parliament's debate today about the EU's annual report on human rights and democracy in the world, in the pres...

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UNHCR (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Refugees stranded at sea shows urgent need for Dublin reform

Aquarius/Sea Watch 3

Two rescue ships carrying refugees, including pregnant women and children, have been refused permission to dock in Italy and Malta.

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Jordi Borras

Altsasu case – concerns over fundamental rights and judicial independence in Spain

Statement from EFA MEPs Ana Miranda & Jordi Solé

MEPs from the EFA Group in the European Parliament have voiced concerns about the independence of the Spanish judiciary and fundamental rights in Spain. The MEPs criticised this week's 'disproportionate' sentencing of several youths from the small Basque town of Altsasu, who were invo...

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Ggia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

New study shows how EU-Turkey deal is turning refugees into detainees

Asylum

The European Union's agreement with Turkey is failing to uphold the rights of refugees in Greece, according to a new study commissioned by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament.

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New Spanish government should play progressive role in the EU

Greens/EFA group welcomes new Spanish government

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has welcomed the appointment of the new Spanish Government and expressed hopes for a renewed role for Spain in Europe, geared towards more green and progressive policies. Greens/EFA group co-presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts comment: &l...

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UNHCR (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Deaths on the Mediterranean must shake EU ministers into action

Home Affairs Council

Ahead of tomorrow's meeting of EU Home Affairs ministers, the Greens/EFA group is calling for progress on reforms to the Dublin system, which determines which Member State is responsible for an asylum claim.

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Alvesgaspar - Own work CC BY-SA 4.0

We expect the coalition to work in the interest of citizens

Italian government

We respect the choices made by the Italian citizens. While we strongly object with most of the program of the new government, we consider the European institutions have to work with it. We strongly urge the coalition to adhere to universal human rights and to clearly reject any kind of hate speech.

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Prime Minister ousted to restore dignity to the institutions

Confidence motion to remove Rajoy

Greens/EFA co-presidents Philippe Lamberts and Ska Keller commenting on the no-confidence motion.

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selensergen

EU must fight illegal trade measures at the WTO

Trump EU trade tariffs

"The US has imposed illegal measures that must be challenged in the WTO. The EU has spent enough time trying to placate a US administration hell-bent on upending global cooperation on trade,"

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@Erich Westendarp

European Commission looking for savings in the wrong places

Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy

The Greens/EFA group has expressed strong concerns with the European Commission’s planned reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy, due to be published on Friday (1 June). The European Parliament today backed an own-initiative report on the reforms, which are expected to see CAP spending on rural development cut by 25 percent. The Greens/EFA Group wants to see a more targeted approach, promoting rural development and small farms and investing money in transitioning to sustainable agriculture.

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© Alexander Briel

Future of Europe debate with Xavier Bettel

Quote from Philippe Lamberts

The European Parliament is today holding a debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, on the Future of Europe. Greens/EFA group co-president Philippe Lamberts will speak for the group. In his speech, he will say that Luxembourg’s commitment to European integration is undermined by its aggressive tax policies.

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Greens/EFA welcome Commission back-track on partnership principle

MFF and Cohesion Policy

The European Commission has today presented its first sectoral proposals for the post 2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, starting with the European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund and Common Provisions Regulation.

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OG Picture: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

EU must remain united in defence of multilateralism

Trade

The European Parliament will this evening hold two key debates on trade - on President Trump’s trade tariffs and the EU’s new anti-dumping legislation, which is due to be voted on tomorrow. The Trump administration is due to make a final decision on tariffs for steel and aluminium from the European Union on 1 June.

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© Lya_Cattel

North Sea plans are unsustainable and at odds with Common Fisheries Policy

Fishing

The Greens/EFA group has condemned the decision of the majority of MEPs to back fishing legislation without guaranteeing meaningful sustainability targets. MEPs voted today on the trilogue outcome on the Multiannual Management Plan for the North Sea. While the Common Fisheries Policy sets an upper limit to fishing intensity (known as F-MSY), the North Sea Plan allows fishing at higher levels than allowed under the basic regulation.

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@Kristian Auth

Big win for a socially just Europe

Posting of workers

The European Parliament backed the outcome of trilogue negotiations on the revision of the Posting of Workers Directive. Under the agreement, workers who provide a service in an EU Member State other than their country of origin will not only be guaranteed the same pay as their colleagues, they'll also receive the same entitlements, making their terms and conditions genuinely equal.

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Parliament backs Greens/EFA plans on sustainable finance

Sustainable Finance

The European Parliament has today voted in favour today of an initiative report from Greens/EFA MEP Molly Scott Cato, setting out the parliament’s position on Sustainable Finance. The Greens/EFA group has successfully steered the parliament's position on the sustainability transition to include support for plans to extend the concept of stranded assets to include fundamental ecological systems and services such as unsustainable agriculture. The European Commission published its proposals on Sustainable Finance on 24 May.

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Image by Hans

Time for a comprehensive strategy on plastic waste

Plastic

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed the European Commission's proposals for a directive on single use plastics, but called for stronger reduction targets and action on chemicals used in plastics.

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Going green will future proof the finance sector

Sustainable Finance

The European Commission has today published two proposals on Sustainable Finance. The first is a way of classifying the climate risks of various financial products ("taxonomy"). The second makes clear the responsibility of investment professionals towards the people whose money they are managing.

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car emissions © Mike Schmidt

Toll systems must reflect environmental costs

EU Road Tolls

The European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism committee has today backed proposals to reform EU-wide car tolls. The report includes a number of demands of the Greens/EFA group.

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Mark Zuckerberg at the European Parliament

Greens/EFA reaction to the meeting with Facebook boss

A simple apology to European Facebook users is not enough. We want Facebook to put measures in place to make advertising more transparent and prevent misuse of personal data.

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© Benoit Beauregard

EU sets global standard for fundamental rights, consumer protection and fair competition

General Data Protection Regulation

The law will be directly applicable throughout the European Union from Friday 25 May 2018. The rules apply to companies, whether they are established inside or outside the European Union.

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davide ragusa

New Yellow-Black coalition will bring serious harm to Italy and EU

Italian Election

Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts and European Green Party co-chair Monica Frassoni comment on the proposed new Italian coalition government.

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Rolf van Melis | CC

Commission needs to get serious on CO2 from trucks

Mobility Package

The European Commission has today presented its third mobility package, intended to reduce CO2 emissions and improve road safety.

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Court action should be wake-up call to Germany, France and UK

Air quality

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed the decision of the European Commission to refer several EU countries to the European Court of Justice over their failure to take action on air quality.

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President Tajani, conservatives and the right team up to help Facebook boss dodge public scrutiny

Mark Zuckerberg in the European Parliament

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to a private meeting with the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament, the chairman of the Committee on Justice and Home Affairs and Jan Philipp Albrecht, rapporteur for the General Data Protection Regulation. The exact date is not yet known but it is expected next week. Despite the demand of the Greens/EFA group and others, the discussion will take place behind closed doors.

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Chafer Machinery (CC BY 2.0)

Ramazzini Institute pilot study shows adverse health effects from doses considered safe

Glyphosate

The Ramazzini Institute has today presented the first results of a pilot study on glyphosate, which indicate that the substance has serious adverse health effects, including on sexual and reproductive health.

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Tax avoidance

Reaction to Antoine Deltour ruling from Benedek Jávor

LuxLeaks

The Luxembourg Court of Appeal has today ruled on the case of Antoine Deltour. The Court has acknowledged his status as a whistleblower but gave him a “suspension du prononcé” for downloading documents related to the LuxLeaks, for which he receives a €1 fine.

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Lobbying in Europe © alvarez

New report into fast food giants shows tax haven threat of Brexit

McDonalds tax report

“Today’s report demonstrates clearly that corporations have not changed their approach to tax avoidance. In spite of massive public distaste for it, they are continuing to game the tax system, chasing the remaining loopholes and seeking to create new ones," said Greens/EFA Tax Justice spokesperson, Molly Scott Cato.

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© ktsimage

Trump's solo run is a dangerous game with fire

Iran agreement

The US President announced today to impose economic sanctions on Iran which means the US is withdrawing from the Iran Agreement. The agreement was concluded in 2015 between Iran, the United States, the European Union, Russia and China to suspend Iran's nuclear programme and the enrichment of uranium and plutonium and to prevent Iran from producing weapons-grade uranium or plutonium. In return, economic sanctions against Iran were lifted.

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© Alexander Briel

Freedom of expression is not a crime

Russia declares Bronis Ropė persona non grata

The Russian Foreign Ministry declared Greens/EFA member Bronis Ropė persona non grata in Russia. He will be refused entry to this country for the next five years. Greens/EFA Presidents Philippe Lamberts and Ska Keller commented: “We are deeply concerned over the fact that without appropriate justification, members of the European Parliament could be refused entrance to the territory of the Russian Federation

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© Alexander Briel

Quote from Philippe Lamberts

Prime Minister of Belgium / Future of Europe

Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts comments on today's debate on the Future of Europe with Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel.

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Budget © nobiggie

It is time to reform the EU budget

Multiannual Financial Framework

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed the European Commission's proposals to reform the income side of the EU budget. The European Commission has today published its proposals for the post 2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including plans to introduce new Own Resources.

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Stodtmeister (CC BY 3.0)

EU needs to stop conflicts of interest from undermining climate policy

Revolving doors

"There is a revolving door between politics and the fossil fuel lobby all across Europe. It’s not just a handful of cases – it is systematic," comments Max Andersson, Greens/EFA MEP attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn today.

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OG Picture: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

European Union must defend multilateralism

Trade dispute with the USA

US President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from the European Union until 1 June. Ska Keller, co-president of the Greens/EFA Group, comments: "The European Union must use this postponement as an opportunity to vigorously defend m...

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Image by Hans

New dawn for plastic management

Draft legislative proposal on plastics

Reaction from Greens/EFA MEP Margrete Auken to the leak of the European Commission's draft legislative proposal on plastics.

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© ranplett

EU Member States back plans to protect pollinators

Neonicotinoids

The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed has today voted to approve the extension of the European Commission's restrictions on the use of three of the most widely used neonicotinoids. Greens/EFA food safety spokesperson Bart Staes comments: "At long last, this strong a...

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©gilles-lambert.jpg

Support for independent journalism is the best antidote

Fake News

Well-funded independent journalism with high professional standards is key to addressing disinformation and propaganda, says Josep Maria Terricabras, Vice President of the Greens/EFA group.

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Victory for whistleblower rights campaigners

Commission Whistleblower proposals

After a long campaign for the protection of whistleblowers in the EU, the Greens/EFA group has welcomed the publication of the European Commission’s proposals. The Greens/EFA group has been consistently pushing for a directive and published its own draft proposal in May 2016, which was updated earlier this month following a public consultation.

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New rules will ensure greater transparency in car industry

Dieselgate

Pascal Durand comments on the new type approval rules.

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