European Union

Flash - Plenary session 18-22 January 2021

Greens/EFA priorities for the session

During this week plenary session, the European Parliament will debate and/or vote on Portuguese Council Presidency, vaccine strategy, new President of the US and the current situation, access to decent and affordable housing for all, EU gender strategy, TEN-T regulation, technical support instrument, more fish in the seas ...

For an independent EU ethics body common to all EU institutions

Online conference - Register here!

The EU institutions have some of the best ethics rules for lobby transparency, for Commissioners and staff to cool-off before taking the revolving door into a lobby job and against other conflicts of interest. Yet, the implementation of these rules can be improved. The new EU Commission said it i...

The EU ethics body

A new institution fighting intransparent lobbying and conflicts of interest

The EU institutions have some of the best ethics rules for lobby transparency and against conflicts of interest including revolving doors. Yet, the implementation of these rules is fragmented and politicised.

Greens/EFA welcome that deal has been reached but insist on time for parliamentary scrutiny

Brexit

A deal has been reached between negotiators from the European Union and United Kingdom on a future relationship, to follow the end of the Brexit transition period, which concludes at the end of this year. The deal will still need to be approved by the European Council and the European Parliament. The Greens/EFA group are calling for the European Parliament to have sufficient time to scrutinise all elements of this agreement before it is voted on.

Greens/EFA debriefing of the plenary session

14-18 December

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the Council Conclusions on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Rule of Law and Climate Law, the presentation of the Digital Service Act (DSA), the Drinking Water Directive, transitional provisions for Agricultural Funds, the European Year of Rail 2021, a new Strategy for European SMEs, and the future relations between the EU and the UK following Brexit negotiations.

Green light for financing sustainable recovery

Recovery and Resilience Facility

Early this morning, negotiations were concluded on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the central piece of the Next Generation EU package, designed to help the EU through the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. The, RRF will make €672.5 billion (€312.5 billion in grants and €360 billion in loans) available to member states to support their investments and reforms in favour of the ecological and digital transition. The priorities are: Green transformation, digital transformation, resilience, economic cohesion, social and territorial cohesion, institutional resilience, and policies for the next generation, children and youth.

Rubber-stamping of Brexit deal ignores European Parliament's responsibilities

Brexit

European Parliament group leaders agreed in the Conference of Presidents of the Parliament to push ahead with a vote on a potential Brexit deal before the end of the year. The Greens/EFA group express concern that expediting the consent procedure will not allow adequate time for proper democratic scrutiny of any potential deal with the UK on a future relationship.

Parliamentary unity in negotiations on long-term budget paid-off

MFF

Members of the European Parliament are voting on a resolution on the outcome of last week's European Council summit on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 (MFF), the InterInstitutional Agreement, the EU Recovery Instrument and the Rule of Law Regulation.

Fighting for your rights online

Did you know that the EU's internet rules haven't changed in 20 years? The reform of the rules through the "Digital Services Package” has the potential to be either a threat to fundamental rights or a major improvement.

Plenary Flash 14-18 December 2020

Greens/EFA priorities for the session

During this week plenary session, the European Parliament will debate and/or vote on digital services act, the conclusions of the European Council meeting, water legislation, new strategy for European SMEs, European Year of Rail, Council configuration on Gender Equality, ...

No place for fossil fuels in the Just Transition Fund

EU agreement

The Just Transition Fund is the first instrument of the European Green Deal. Thanks to the Greens/EFA, co-legislators agreed to remove funding for natural gas projects from the final text entirely.

Agreement on the rule of law a good base for action

EU Summit

Statement by Ska Keller MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, on the agreement reached at today's (Thursday 10 December) summit of EU leaders on a binding rule of law mechanism.