European Union

EFA MEPs: Elections review ignores 'flagrant democratic violations'

Press release from the EFA MEPs in the European Parliament

MEPs have debated and adopted a report taking stock of the 2019 European elections. Whilst the review contains some positive points, such as increased voter turnout and the spitzenkandidaten process, it ignores some of the flagrant democratic violations related to the election, notably with regar...

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Hemicycle Brussels — Photo European Parliament - Architecte : Association des architectes du CIC : Vanden Bossche sprl, C.R.V. s.a., CDG sprl, Studiegroep D. Bontinck

Plenary Flash 23-26 November 2020

Greens/EFA priorities

During this week plenary session, the European Parliament will debate and vote on tackling homelessness rates in the EU, planned obsolescence, LGBTI equality strategy, new industrial strategy, abortion rights in Poland, pharmaceutical strategy, MFF/Recovery Plan, ...

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Definition of democracy — ©-Tobias-Keckel

European Council Summit & Rule of Law

Quote from Philippe Lamberts MEP

It's shameful that Hungary and Poland are attempting to derail the entire Recovery Plan and MFF because their governments no longer stand for the values on which this Union is built. There is no European Union without European values, which include democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

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Hungary & Poland block MFF/Recovery Plan

Quotes from Philippe Lamberts & Ska Keller

Representatives of the governments of Hungary and Poland have blocked the decision on 'Own Resources', which halts agreement on the Recovery Package and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The European Council will hold a leaders' summit via video conference on the 19th of November.

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Lady Justice Statue - iStock.com/MarkusBeck

Impact of Covid-19 measures on democracy, fundamental rights & rule of law

Quote from Sergey Lagodinsky

The Covid crisis must not be used as an excuse by governments to encroach on peoples' rights and the rule of law. The true test of a democracy is how well it fares in a crisis and this year has shown that some EU governments are all too quick to undermine the rule of law and European values.

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EU4Health

Quote from Tilly Metz MEP & Michèle Rivasi MEP

The cuts in EU4Health called for by the Council were irresponsible, especially in times of pandemic. It is a success that the European Parliament has tripled the amount envisaged by the Council in the budget negotiations.

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Long-term budget stronger on climate, biodiversity & rule of law

MFF/Own resources

Negotiators for the European Parliament, Council and Commission agreed on a text for the EU's seven year budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027. The Parliament succeeded in gaining an additional €16 billion in top-ups for EU programmes such as EU4health, Horizon, Erasmus and Rights and Values, on top of the €1,074bn MFF and €750bn Recovery Fund EUCO agreement from July.

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European Council — European External Action Service (https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/32978511020)

#EUCO

Quote from Ska Keller

Greens/EFA Co-President Ska Keller comments on ongoing EUCO:

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European Parliament Building Strasbourg © European Union 2017 - Source : EP

Greens/EFA plenary session debriefing

4-9 October

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the climate law, rule of law and fundamental rights mechanism, rule of law and fundamental rights in Bulgaria, multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the rule of law, reinforcing the youth guarantee, forest strategy, approval of McGuinness and Dombrovskis, fight against money laundering following the FinCEN files.

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Bulgaria: Rule of law report

Quotes from Ska Keller MEP and Daniel Freund MEP

Members of the European Parliament have just voted (Thurs. 8 Oct.) on a report on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights in Bulgaria, following widespread protests over a series of corruption scandals tied to the country's political elite.

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Europe's Regions must play key role in EU Recovery Plan

EFA MEP Diana Riba: "Thinking globally and acting locally is more necessary than ever"

EFA MEP Diana Riba has called for Europe's regions to play a key role in the the EU's forthcoming recovery plan, designed to help the EU's economy and society recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Diana Riba was speaking in the European Parliament's debate on the recen...

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European court of justice — european court of justice ©katarina_dzurekova (CC BY 2.0)

Hungary and ECJ ruling on Central European University

Quote from Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP

The ECJ has ruled on what should be clear in any European democracy; that measures to limit academic freedom are incompatible with EU law. Forcing out a university is undemocratic, it goes against European values and now it's been ruled as illegal.

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