EU Institutions

A Greens/EFA take on the plenary week

Plenary week, 17-19 June 2020

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd, Hong Kong, sustainable investment/taxonomy, tax sub-committee, the Disability Strategy, the animal transport inquiry committee, investigation against the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on the misuse of EU funds and potential conflicts of interest, the Future of Europe, recovery/MFF, land grabbing and deforestation in the Amazonas, Brexit, Eastern Partnership and European Council.

European Council Summit

Quotes from Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts

EU leaders will meet (Friday 19 June) to discuss the recovery fund to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and a new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Fighting Racism in Europe and Worldwide - Live Talk with Alice Kuhnke, MEP, and Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

Webinar

The topic of our one hour conversation is straight forward: What is the extent of the racism-problem in Europe and how do we effectively address beyond mere rituals and appeals. Two weeks after George Floyd‘s murder, we will try to find answers to racist patterns that lead to so much suffering and discrimination in our times: How does the powerful Black Lives Matter movement influence politics in the UK, in Sweden, in Europe as a whole? Which steps come next on the local, national and global scale in the fight against racism?

Financing the green deal

As you know the commission proposed a pact called the European Green Deal, that will be the roadmap for Europe to tackle climate change and become carbon neutral in 2050. In our previous blogs we have explained what this pact is, and what it is not. In this blog, we would like to address an important aspect that is missing: MONEY. In the world we live in today, to achieve the goals that the EU has set, we need a good budget.

Recovery Plan - a crucial moment for the EU

WATCH: 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.

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).

A Greens/EFA debriefing of the plenary week

Plenary week, 13-15 May 2020

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the Recovery and Transformation Plan & Multiannual Financial Framework, Discharge 2018 procedure, emergency legislation in Hungary and its impact on the rule of law and fundamental rights, transitional CAP mandate vote and a debate on COVID-19 vaccines.

'Discharge' vote on EU spending

quotes from Viola von Cramon-Taubadel MEP & Daniel Freund MEP

This week, the European Parliament has voted on the so-called 'Discharge' procedure, signing-off on the spending for 52 European institutions and agencies for 2018. The discharge is a key opportunity for the Parliament to scrutinise the spending and functioning of European institutions and agencies.

European Parliament to debate emergency law in Hungary

Quote from Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP

Today (14 May) at 09:00, the European Parliament plenary session will debate the Emergency Legislation in Hungary and its impact on the Rule of Law and fundamental rights, at the request of the Greens/EFA group.

No Quarantine for Democracy

Webinar

MEPs Terry Reintke, Daniel Freund, Heidi Hautala and Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield discuss, how the #COVID19 crisis has tested European democracy and how to ensure a vibrant democracy thrives in EU countries and institutions.

Parliament report: no mechanism to address conflict of interest in Czechia

Andrej Babiš

This Thursday, the Budgetary Control Committee will adopt a report into the conflicts of interest around Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, following a fact-finding mission to the Czech Republic, February 26-28. The report finds there is no clear mechanism in place in Czechia to prevent and address situations which may objectively be perceived as conflict of interests.

Commission announcement of due diligence legislation

Quote from Heidi Hautala MEP

Yesterday, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders announced, in a webinar hosted by Greens/EFA MEP Heidi Hautala, that the Commission will introduce a legislative initiative next year on mandatory due diligence for companies.