EU Institutions

european court of justice ©katarina_dzurekova (CC BY 2.0)

ECJ Advocate General's Opinion on Oriol Junqueras

Quotes from Ska Keller & Diana Riba

The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice has issued the opinion that our colleague Oriol Junqueras has the right to be a Member of the European Parliament, despite the Spanish Supreme Court not letting him take up his seat after he was elected in the last European elections in May.

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business conflict ©mohamed mahmoud hassan

Legal Affairs Committee clears Commissioner candidates of conflicts of interest

Quote from Sergey Lagodinsky MEP

The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has just confirmed the absence of conflicts of interest for Commissioner candidates Thierry Breton (FR), Adina-Ioana Vălean (RO) and Olivér Várhelyi (HU). The Legal Affairs decision opens the way for the three candidates to appear before joint committee hearings on Thursday

en | fr

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Protecting Journalists is Protecting Democracy

EU needs to step up ambition so that the #TruthNeverDies

The UN highlights each year, on 2 November, the need to end impunity for crimes against journalists, because journalists are in the front line when it comes to holding the powerful to account, which is why they are often violently silenced. This year, the UN is reminding us that each year one journalist gets a Pulitzer prize, but one hundred get shot. Press freedom across the world - including in Europe - is in crisis.

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European flags — © Photo European Parliament

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 21-24 October 2019

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the votes on the EU budget 2020, the search and sea rescue in the Mediterranean, the Turkish military operation in Northeast Syria, the public country-by-country reporting, pesticides and bees, the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania,...

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Free as a bird © Tiburonstudios — © Tiburonstudios

Well deserved prize for human rights defender Ilham Tohti

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Greens/EFA have supported and do welcome this choice. Ilham Tohti is the paradigmatic non-violent prisoner of conscience who has been jailed for life just for speaking up on behalf of Uyghur minority in China, even after being sentenced he has held on to his consistent approach of trying to build bridges between Han Chinese and the Uyghur minority.

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The European Council must open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania

Eu enlargement

The European Parliament, on the initiative of the Greens/EFA group, adopted a firm response to the decision by three countries (France, Denmark and the Netherlands) to block opening EU accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania at last week's European Council.

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Parliament votes to invest in climate protection, youth and sea rescue

EU budget 2020

The European Parliament has taken a bold step towards a more forward-looking and greener budget. Those Member States who are serious about fighting climate change, youth unemployment and the catastrophe in the Mediterranean must now agree to putting more money where it's needed.

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ohrid lake between macedonie and albania — Elen Schurova (CC BY-SA 2.0)

EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania

Quote from Philippe Lamberts MEP

"It's unfortunate that EU enlargement is being held back by the French President. Only by having a credible path to EU membership can we help to build stability and lasting peace in the Western Balkans."

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Parliament rejects Goulard - politics of trust must be at heart of new Commission

New Commission

Today, following the second joint-hearing of the Commissioner-designate Sylvie Goulard in the European Parliament, MEPs have not endorsed her candidacy for the Commission. The Greens/EFA group voted against.

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EIB must become climate bank & stop support for fossil fuels

Climate

Today, the European Parliament will debate 'Greening the European Investment Bank' (EIB) at the plenary session in Brussels. The Greens/EFA group support calls for turning the EIB into a climate bank and are calling for the EIB to stop financial support for any fossil fuel projects by 2020, ...

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Syvlie Goulard - Photo European Parliament

Greens/EFA reaction to Sylvie Goulard

New Commission

After having analysed the written answers of Sylvie Goulard, the Greens/EFA group pushed for a second hearing before the final assessment.

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Right intentions and promising words are not enough

Hearing with Frans Timmermans

On the hearing of Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President-designate for a “European Green Deal”, Bas Eickhout, Coordinator of the Greens/EFA in the Committee on Environment, comments:

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