Corona crisis

Artwork Rainbow on wall/ CC0 Kevin Grieve

We can only win against Covid if we act together

An opinion by MEP Anna Cavazzini

With the advent of a new vaccine, hopes are now rising that there could be an end on the horizon. However, the vaccine itself has presented a number of logistical and diplomatic challenges, as many governments have begun playing the politics of division instead of pulling together to save lives.

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Green light for financing sustainable recovery

Recovery and Resilience Facility

Early this morning, negotiations were concluded on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the central piece of the Next Generation EU package, designed to help the EU through the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. The, RRF will make €672.5 billion (€312.5 billion in grants and €360 billion in loans) available to member states to support their investments and reforms in favour of the ecological and digital transition. The priorities are: Green transformation, digital transformation, resilience, economic cohesion, social and territorial cohesion, institutional resilience, and policies for the next generation, children and youth.

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New study shows breaches of rule of law during first Covid wave

Covid-19

Greens/EFA group MEPs working on rights and democracy, have released a first of kind legal study into the emergency measures taken by EU member states during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, assessing the impact on the democracy and the rule of law, free movement of people, asylum and refugee protections and data protection.

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EU law in the 'first wave' : the legality of national measures to tackle the COVID-19 crisis

A study commissioned by MEPs Terry Reintke and Tineke Strik

COVID-19 has challenged not just the public health but also the legal structure of the European Union. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the extent to which Member States have complied with or breached EU law in four key areas during the COVID-19 ‘first wave’

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Lady Justice Statue - iStock.com/MarkusBeck

Impact of Covid-19 measures on democracy, fundamental rights & rule of law

Quote from Sergey Lagodinsky

The Covid crisis must not be used as an excuse by governments to encroach on peoples' rights and the rule of law. The true test of a democracy is how well it fares in a crisis and this year has shown that some EU governments are all too quick to undermine the rule of law and European values.

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Europe's Regions must play key role in EU Recovery Plan

EFA MEP Diana Riba: "Thinking globally and acting locally is more necessary than ever"

EFA MEP Diana Riba has called for Europe's regions to play a key role in the the EU's forthcoming recovery plan, designed to help the EU's economy and society recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Diana Riba was speaking in the European Parliament's debate on the recen...

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No community left behind / La population au coeur de la transition

30.06.2020

Putting people at the centre of the just transition

Join Greens/EFA MEPs Mounir Satouri, Henrike Hahn and Green Mayor of Loos-en-Gohelle, Jean-Francois Caron to discuss how to safeguard social and economic justice in the transition, the infrastructure and initiatives that will put people at the centre, and how to support green investment in local industry and start-ups.

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Picture with sign No border crossing — © imagemonkey

Protecting Schengen

Why internal border controls in Europe should be lifted immediately

Border controls in the European Schengen area jeopardise one of the most tangible achievements of an integrated Europe: the possibility to travel and live together in a common area without internal border controls. Internal border controls divide families and friends, they re-establish boundaries between long integrated regions and neighbourhoods and undermine the process of developing new regional cooperation. They seriously restrict our freedom. The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament stands up for the achievements of the Schengen area.

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EU Funding for Cities

10.06.2020

Webinar

Cities and local governments can take the lead in climate action and realize ambitious action plans for a sustainable future. This recognition leads us to raise the question, how the EU can back cities’ efforts in the most effective way?V4 capital cities are advocating a proposal to strengthen EU financing for cities in the next MFF, the Green Deal and the Recovery Plan. It is already backed by almost 20 European municipalities. How to move forward?

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Billion euro bailouts: will public cash lead to climate-friendly transport?

04.06.2020

Webinar with Greens/EFA MEPs Jutta Paulus and Ciarán Cuffe

The recovery plan should be an opportunity to invest in much-needed public transport and to ensure a true modal shift, reducing air pollution and contributing to climate action. During this webinar, Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament Jutta Paulus (EP rapporteur for shipping emissions) and Ciarán Cuffe, will discuss with Andrew Murphy, from Transport & Environment, on how public money can turn transport green.

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).

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Recovery Plan - a crucial moment for the EU

27.05.2020

A webinar with MEPs Bas Eickhout and Rasmus Andresen

During this webinar, we will get together with Daniela Schwarzer, director of the German Council on Foreign Relations, and Professor of political science Catherine E. De Vries to gain insight into the economic recovery plan and new multiannual financial framework (MFF) that will be proposed by the European Commission this Wednesday.

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