Juncker investment plan is a missed opportunity

Press release from EFA MEP Ernest Maragall (Catalonia)

EFA MEP Ernest Maragall - a member of the European Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee - has voted against the European Commission proposal for a European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), which he says is insufficient to bring about fair and sustainable growth in...

OLAF Supervisory Committee’s annual report 2014

Greens/EFA motion for resolution

Tabled by Bart Staes on behalf of the Greens/EFA group, The European Parliament, –        having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European ...

EU investment plan

MEPs vote to give clearer focus to Juncker Plan

The European Parliament's budgetary and economic affairs committee today voted on the draft European Fund for Strategic Investments. The outcome will serve as the basis for the Parliament's position in negotiations with EU governments and the European Commission. Commenting after the vote, Greens/EF...

ITER nuclear fusion project

MEPs' concerns with ITER budget underline need to pull the plug

The European Parliament's lead budgetary control committee refused to recommend granting a discharge (1) to the EU budget line for the ITER nuclear fusion project in a vote yesterday evening. The report voted by the committee highlighted concerns with cost overruns, delays and mismanagement. Comment...

Transparency and anti-corruption

EU rules on whistleblower protection must be prioritised

The European Parliament today adopted a report on the fight against fraud. The report included a clear call on the European Commission to bring forward a legislative proposal on the protection of whistleblowers. After the vote, Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Javor said: "It is high ...

Education in Valencia and the EIB

At the invitation of Valencian MEP Jordi Sebastià, fellow MEPs from the EFA Group in the European Parliament, Ernest Maragall and Jill Evans, visited the region to look into the use of European Investment Bank (EIB) loans to support education. Jordi Sebastià is concerned that whilst the Region of ...

EFA MEPs back single seat for European Parliament

Several EFA MEPs have given their backing to the campaign for a single seat for the European Parliament. At an event in Brussels, MEPs signed a pledge calling for an end to the Parliament's monthly commute to Strasbourg which costs the taxpayer some 180 million euros annually. Jordi Sebastià signs...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 15-19 December 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included tar sands, EU GMO authorisations, EU Commission's work plans and 'better regulation', European economic governance, EU budget shortfalls, EU summit, LuxLeaks, recognising Palestine, CIA abuses and the complicity of EU member states,...

EU budget

Shortfalls and chaotic budgeting doomed to continue

The European Parliament today voted to approve an agreement on the EU's budget for 2015. The Greens/EFA group has criticised the deal, which will leave the EU again facing shortfalls next year, with Green budgetary spokesperson Indrek Tarand saying: "By failing to truly solve the problem of the...

EU Budget fails to deal effectively with payments shortfall

Press release from EFA MEP Ernest Maragall

Catalan MEP Ernest Maragall (substitute member of the European Parliament's Budgets Committee) has criticised a deal on the EU Budget for 2015 approved today by MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Parliamentary approval was required for the deal agreed between the European Parliament and ...

EU investment plan

Nuclear industry can't be bankrolled by EU funds

An initial list of projects proposed by EU member states, which could benefit from funding under the EU investment plan proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker, was today discussed by EU finance ministers. The list includes a disproportionate number of nuclear energy projects (1). Commenting on the list, Gr...

Concerns over Juncker's Jobs & Growth Promises

Press Release from EFA MEP Ernest Maragall

Catalan MEP and member of the European Parliament's Budgets Committee Ernest Maragall has commented ahead of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's long-awaited presentation to the European Parliament of his Commission's plan for Jobs, Growth and Investment. Mr Maragall is also a member of th...