EU Institutions

KEY DEMANDS FOR THE GERMAN COUNCIL PRESIDENCY 2020

Germany takes over the presidency of the EU Council. This comes at a crucial time in the history of the European Union, faced with many unprecedented challenges at once. The EU Green Deal must lead the way out of this crisis. For the climate. For jobs. For recovery.

Green Deal and climate protection must be engine for jobs & recovery

German Council Presidency

Ahead of the start of the German Presidency of the European Council tomorrow, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament are calling for the Green Deal and climate protection to be the engine for job creation and recovery and for the launch of a rule of law initiative.

No feel-good summit

EU-China Summit

When Commission President von der Leyen and Council President Michel meet China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang today for an electronic version of the traditional EU-China Summit, there is only one question: feel-good summit, yes or no?

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.