EU Institutions

Why dangerous hormone-disrupting chemicals are still everywhere

...and why we need to reform comitology

In your shampoo, in your sports bottle, in your bathroom air freshener, in your cleaning products, in your food and its packaging, in the pesticides the local farmer uses near your children’s school, even in nappies... endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are everywhere, omnipresent, like a monster from a horror movie. And a broken EU decision-making process is letting them slip through and continue to poison us.

Climate protection should not be a footnote

Sibiu/Future of the European Union

On the 9th May, heads of states and governments of the European Union Member States will meet in Sibiu to discuss the future of the EU. They are due to agree to a 10 point declaration on the future of Europe.

GREENS/EFA Proposals on Media Freedom in the EU

Media freedom, pluralism and independence across Europe are being undermined in many ways. Although the European Union institutions may claim to have limited competence to defend media freedom and pluralism across the region, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament is convinced that more can, and should be done.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 15-19 April 2019

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included Climate change and Greta Thunberg, the rule of law, Frontex - European Border and Coast Guard, CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, Whistleblower protection, EU-US trade talks, the investigation into conflict of interest surround Czech PM Andrej Babiš, Copyright,...

EFA in the European Parliament

Summary overview of the work of EFA MEPs in the European Parliament 2014 -2019

The European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament is made up of MEPs representing Europe’s stateless nations, regions and minorities. Over the 2014 -2019 Parliamentary term, EFA MEPs have come from Catalonia, Galicia, Latvia, Basque Country, Scotland, Valencia and Wales. ...

PM Andrej Babiš could face prosecution for EU subsidies fraud

Czech Republic

Czech police have finalised their investigation and proposed to the state prosecutor to charge six people including Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his wife for their alleged roles in the Stork's Nest scandal involving the fraud CZK 50 million in EU funds.

Future of Europe debate with Latvian Prime Minister

Krišjānis Kariņš

Philippe Lamberts, President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments on the Future of Europe debate with the Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.

European Parliament fails to remove ExxonMobil lobby badges

Quote from Molly Scott Cato MEP

Yesterday, (Tuesday, 16 April) the European Parliament administration denied the Greens/EFA request to remove the Parliamentary access badges of ExxonMobil lobbyists, after they refused to attend a hearing on climate denial.

Facebook’s new rules will hurt democratic debate

Facebook/European elections

As of this week, Facebook put in place new rules for political advertisement in all EU Member States. Effectively, political advertisements will be only allowed in the country where an individual or organisation is based.

Horizon Europe Programme

Quote from Jakop Dalunde MEP

With more than a third of Horizon Europe’s budget being earmarked for climate-related expenditure, EU is sending the right signal in order to leverage additional public and private funding in order to solve the global challenges at our doorstep, said Greens/EFA MEP Jakop Dalunde.

EU Whistleblower Protection Directive approved

Quote from Benedek Jávor MEP

For the first time across the EU, those who wish to expose corruption, wrong doing and illegality in the workplace will be able to come forward safe in the knowledge that they will have legal guarantees and rights to protection. This Directive has been a long time coming and is a shining example of how the EU can directly improve the lives of citizens.

European Commission failed to complete investigation before end of mandate

Babis case

In the hearing of the Budget Control Committee of the European Parliament with EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger, the case of a possible conflict of interest of the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis was raised again.