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...

EU budget

Extra-time for budget talks due to intransigent governments, as shortfalls doomed to continue

A deadline for the agreement of the EU's budget for 2015 expired at midnight last night, as talks between the European Parliament and Council broke down (1). The Greens have criticised the delay and the negotiation process, with Green budgetary spokesperson Indrek Tarand saying: "The intransige...

Greens/EFA Roundup

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 20-24 October 2014

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included the Ebola crisis and the EU's response, the Energy and climate policy and the EU summit, Hungary's crackdown on civil society, the election of the European Commission, the EU budget, bullfighting, lobbying and the single seat and rounding up migrants in coordinated EU action.

Stop European subsidies on bullfighting!

Support the Green amendment and sign the petition

On 22 October, Members of the European Parliament will vote on a Green proposal to stop EU funds for bullfighting and the related industry for this brutal and cruel activity. Help convince them by signing the petition

Breaking out from the old pattern

A Green vision for the new EU Commission

  This time it’s different. The traditional “Europe at a crossroad” has morphed into a cliff-hanger situation. For the European Union, the next five years have become a matter of make-or-break choices. Shaken by the violent crisis of the past years, European public opini...