A victory for food safety and the environment: ECJ ruling on new GMOs

GMOs

Today, the European Court of Justice ruled that organisms obtained by mutagenesis, otherwise known as "new breeding techniques" by the biotech industry, are in fact Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), and are subject to the 2001 EU GMO Directive and all its obligations. Despite heavy lobbying by the industry looking for ways to circumvent the GMO Directive, the Court's ruling is a victory for European food safety and the environment.

Combating environmental criminality and ecocide

27.06.2018

Environmental crime (including ecocide) is nowadays widely recognized as a significant global threat to peace, security and sustainable development that needs to be tackled with urgency and codified under domestic and international law. Civil society, institutional and political experts will provide insight on the different aspects of environmental criminality, in view of proposing concrete recommendations.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 11-14 June 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included: Multiannual Financial Framework; Brexit; Iran nuclear deal; Netherlands PM Mark Rutte on the Future of Europe; Poland: independence of the judiciary; Renewable Energy Directive; Circular economy at the heart of cohesion policy; Tax justice: transparency of big companies; FIFA: Play Fair – Fight for the forgotten; Climate change photo exhibition.

Cohesion policy must be a driver of the circular economy

Circular economy

The European Parliament has today backed Greens/EFA proposals on making Cohesion Policy a driver of the circular economy. The proposals are contained in an initiative report from Greens/EFA MEP Davor Škrlec.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 28-31 May 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included: Commission proposals on plastics, sustainable finance, sustainable fishing, Multiannual Financial Framework and cohesion policy, trade dispute on steel and aluminium tariffs, debate with Luxemburgish Prime Minister, posting of workers, reform of the CAP, objections to the authorisation of two GMOs

Parliament backs Greens/EFA plans on sustainable finance

Sustainable Finance

The European Parliament has today voted in favour today of an initiative report from Greens/EFA MEP Molly Scott Cato, setting out the parliament’s position on Sustainable Finance. The Greens/EFA group has successfully steered the parliament's position on the sustainability transition to include support for plans to extend the concept of stranded assets to include fundamental ecological systems and services such as unsustainable agriculture. The European Commission published its proposals on Sustainable Finance on 24 May.

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

29.05.2018

LIVE press conference 29 May 2018 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

Time for a comprehensive strategy on plastic waste

Plastic

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed the European Commission's proposals for a directive on single use plastics, but called for stronger reduction targets and action on chemicals used in plastics.

Going green will future proof the finance sector

Sustainable Finance

The European Commission has today published two proposals on Sustainable Finance. The first is a way of classifying the climate risks of various financial products ("taxonomy"). The second makes clear the responsibility of investment professionals towards the people whose money they are managing.

Toll systems must reflect environmental costs

EU Road Tolls

The European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism committee has today backed proposals to reform EU-wide car tolls. The report includes a number of demands of the Greens/EFA group.

Commission needs to get serious on CO2 from trucks

Mobility Package

The European Commission has today presented its third mobility package, intended to reduce CO2 emissions and improve road safety.

Court action should be wake-up call to Germany, France and UK

Air quality

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed the decision of the European Commission to refer several EU countries to the European Court of Justice over their failure to take action on air quality.