What's coming up in Parliament

A look ahead to the December plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

New report: The cost of corruption across the EU

Corruption

The report on the cost of corruption on citizens' life finds that with the €904 billion a year lost to corruption across the EU we could end world hunger, eliminate malaria, provide basic education, safe water, sanitation, healthcare and electricity and still have money left over (€360 billion). The Greens/EFA group are calling for the EU and its Member States to take a far more proactive stance in the fight against corruption.

The costs of corruption across the European Union

This report compares the costs of corruption to public investment in education, healthcare, childcare and housing, elderly care, or policing and fire services. The aim is to raise public awareness about the cost of corruption across the EU and to call for a substantial increase in the fight against corruption by the European Union institutions.

Major breakthrough on transparency for MEPs

Transparency/Lobbying

The Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has voted for the first time for binding lobby transparency for MEPs. MEPs who co-author EU laws will need to publish any meetings they have had with interest representatives that fall under the scope of the EU Transparency Register. The Greens/EFA group have long been calling for much stronger rules around lobbying in the European Parliament, in order to increase the transparency and accountability of decision making.

Hungary: Orban and the end of the freedom of speech

Media freedom and democracy in Hungary

During the past weeks, we have seen important breaches of democracy in Hungary: a convicted thief, the former prime minister of Macedonia was granted asylum, the Central European University was shut down and will have to move to Vienna, and government mouthpiece media came under the control of one foundation, headed by an ally of Viktor Orbán. The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament call on the Council to react to protect democracy and freedom of speech before the situation deteriorates further.

Closure of CEU a dark day for Hungary and Europe

Hungary

"So long as the EPP continues to keep Fidesz within their ranks, they are endorsing and supporting Orbán's assault on the rule of law. This was a supposedly a red line for the EPP, now Manfred Weber must clarify how he expects to reconcile the actions of the Hungarian government with Fidesz's role in the group." Judith Sargentini, Greens/EFA rapporteur on the rule of law in Hungary report, comments on the closure of the Central European University in Budapest.

European Commission finds Czech PM Babis has conflict of interest

Andrej Babiš

Several international media outlets are reporting that the European Commission's legal service has concluded that Prime Minister of Czech Republic Andrej Babiš has a conflict of interest between his role as head of the Czech government and his business dealings.

Hungary - media freedom and democracy

Quote from Judith Sargentini

"If this melange of autocracy isn't enough for the Council to do something, then what is? The Council needs to get its act together and debate our report on the rule of law in Hungary now, before the situation deteriorates further." Comments of Judith Sargentini on the media freedom and democracy in Hungary.

We cannot allow Schengen border controls to become the new normal

Schengen

MEPs voted in favour of entering into negotiations with the Council and the European Commission on the rules applicable to temporary border controls inside the Schengen area. "Border controls in the Schengen area must remain the absolute exception and strictly limited in time. The EU must stand up for the right of citizens to free movement", declared Greens/EFA MEP Bodil Valero.

Launch of the Parliamentary Network of Friendship Groups of Catalonia

Press release from EFA MEPs J-M Terricabras and Jordi Solé

With the support of EFA MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras and Jordi Solé, a group of Members of Parliaments from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia and Flanders, together with MEPs from the European Union-Catalonia Dialogue Platform, have established the Parliamentary Network of Friendship Group...

Greens/EFA demand debate on medical devices

Implant files

The "Implant Files", a cross-border investigation by journalists into how medical devices on the EU market, such as pacemakers, artificial hips and contraceptives, which may have caused pain, injury or even death among patients, must be debated by the European Parliament, according to the Greens/EFA group.

Alleged conflict of interest Czech of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš

Quote from Bart Staes MEP, Greens/EFA

"It is up to the European Commission, as guardian of the treaties, to look at all the evidence and decide if Babiš has a conflict of interest between his role as Prime Minister and his potential links to Agrofert. It would seriously undermine trust in the European political system if a sitting Prime Minister is negotiating EU funds that could end up in his own pockets."