EU budget must drive the green transition

Multiannual Financial Framework

The Greens/EFA group reaction to the EU budget.

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

13.03.2018

LIVE press conference 13 March 2018 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

What's coming up in Parliament

Strasbourg Flash - Plenary session 12-15 March 2018

A look ahead to next week's session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

Greens/EFA group calls for postponement of budget discharge until Commission answers ethics questions

EU Commission ethics

"With the Commission showing so little regard for transparency and conflicts of interests, we cannot in good faith discharge their budget until they introduce the necessary ethics reforms," says Bart Staes.

EU needs more money to tackle future challenges

Ska Keller on the informal EU summit

"A strong European Union needs more money to tackle its future challenges and invest in education and climate change," says Ska Keller.

EU plans financial injection for bloated arms industry

Defence industry

The Greens/EFA Group has voted against plans that would see the European Union provide financial support to the European defence industry in developing weapons and other arms.

The fight against corruption and how to win it

Defeating the disease

New estimates released this year have shown the staggering amount of money that is lost due to corruption in the EU: between 179 and 990 billion euros, every single year. To play with a metaphor, corruption is like a contagious disease, a virus that spreads quickly, infecting people in ways that are not always visible, and ravishing our public services in its wake. The virus was created by humans, but we don’t need doctors to eradicate it, just a lot of hard work - or better said, a lot of teamwork! We need your support for these campaigns and we are happy to lend you ours as well – just get in touch, and let’s get to work.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 23-27 October 2017

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included a Minute's silence for Daphne Caruana Galizia; Protection of whistleblowers; Extension of Glyphosate licence; Biofuels: targets need to be genuinely sustainable; GMOs: Parliament votes on 20th objection; Action needed to ensure adequate minimum income; Entry/Exit system “costly and disproportionate”; Protecting workers from carcinogens; Discharge of the Council EU budget; Combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU; Sakharov prize.

Reform of the EU budget is long overdue

Future of EU finances

The Greens/EFA co-presidents welcome the fact that the European Commission is now taking steps to reform the EU budget.

Improved cooperation could save billions of euros

Preparation of the European Council of 22 and 23 June 2017

"EU member states need to make pooling and sharing resources the rule, not the exception. Improved cooperation could save billions of euros, money that is urgently needed to prevent conflicts and violence in the world," comments Greens/EFA co-president Ska Keller, ahead of the Council summit.

Commission proposal lacks real ambition

EU budget 2018

The European Commissioner for Budget, Günther Oettinger, has presented his draft EU budget for the year 2018. This officially launches the annual budget procedure that will continue until the end of this year. For the Greens/EFA group, the draft budget shows little ambition.

European Commission must invest more to promote solidarity

European Solidarity Corps

“Promoting solidarity between young people across the EU is something we strongly support, but the European Commission will have to do better than this to make it happen," comments Greens/EFA education and policy spokesperson, Helga Trüpel.