Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 12-15 December 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: LuxLeaks appeal trial; 4th Railway Package: missed opportunity for progress; New Greens/EFA co-presidents and bureau announced; Commission Statement: rule of law in Poland; Sakharov Prize presentation; Commission Statement: Energy Union Package; Parliament’s rules of Procedure; Commission: Labour mobility package - coordination of social security systems; Revision of the Research fund for Coal and Steel; Council and Commission statements ahead of European Council; European Parliament presidency: Greens/EFA candidate; ETS vote in ENVI.

Emissions Trading System

Tentative step towards aligning flagship scheme with Paris Agreement

The European Parliament’s Environment committee has today voted on the much-needed reform of the Emissions Trading System (ETS). The so-called EU 'cornerstone policy' in the fight against climate change has been largely malfunctioning, and has not been able to deliver a carbon price hi...

Hearing Vladimir Sucha and Giovanni De Santi

EMIS Committee

The EMIS committee held its second hearing of JRC officials on Thursday, following disappointment from some Members with the first hearing held in April. Vladimir Sucha, JRC’s current director-general, Vladimir Sucha, had previously been invited to appear, but had to be replaced by his colleag...

Commission's Winter Package

A lost decade for the energy transition

The European Commission has today presented its Winter Package, containing a series of legislative proposals on the future energy policy of the European Union. The proposals fall far short of what will be needed to match the ambitions agreed under the Paris Agreement.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 21-24 November 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Occupational retirement provision; EU-Turkey relations; Conflict minerals trialogue; Council/Commission Statements on outcome of COP22; EU Parliament refuses to refer CETA to the ECJ; Commission considers Code of Conduct changes; Emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants; Renewing the approval of the active substance bentazone; Sign language and professional sign language interpreters; Umbrella deal on EU-US data protection; Dieselgate hearing with French Minister, Ségolène Royal; EU accession to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women.

Hearing of French Minister Ségolène Royal

EMIS inquiry committee 24 November 2016

  Ségolène Royal, France’s environment minister, appeared before the EMIS committee in Strasbourg today. The much-anticipated hearing got off to a rocky start, as Ms Royal arrived 40 minutes late due to a delayed flight, and the Members therefore only had an hour for thei...

Hearing of Alexander Dobrindt, Olaf Lies and Ségolène Royal

EMIS inquiry committee - 20 October, November

Hearing with German Transport Ministers Alexander Dobrindt and Olaf Lies (20 October), upcoming hearing with Minister Ségolène Royal (presumably in November)

Hearing of Mr Alexander Dobrindt

EMIS inquiry committee - 19 October 2016

Hearing of Mr Alexander Dobrindt - Federal Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Germany

For an EU Car Emission & Safety Agency

EMIS inquiry hearing

The revision of the EU type-approval framework for cars is currently being discussed in the European Parliament in the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). This reform has been put forward by the European Commission in the aftermath of the scandal on diesel emissions and turn-off devices. While the Greens/EFA welcomed the Commission's proposal as a good basis for discussion, we are more sceptical about the draft report presented by MEP Daniel Dalton (European Conservatives and Reformists, ECR UK).

Nuclear security and non-proliferation

Greens/EFA motion for resolution

Tabled by Klaus Buchner, Bodil Valero, Ulrike Lunacek, Molly Scott Cato, Sven Giegold, Barbara Lochbihler, Bart Staes on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group The European Parliament, –  having regard to its resolution of 17 January 2013 on the Recommendations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (N...

Comment on the Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements 10 October 2016

Bas Eickhout

National Technical Services and Type-approval Authorities German type approval authority “Kraftfahrtbundesamt” leaves many questions open

EMIS inquiry committee - 10 October 2016

The hearing of the Committee of inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) with the German type approval authority (“Kraftfahrtbundesamt”, KBA) was very left many questions open.