Fair Trade

Paper work, Office Work, Contract signature — ©scott-graham

Parliament pushes through EU-wide class action in deal on collective redress

Consumer protection

"This directive fills the legal vacuum in the EU consumer legislation. With such new ground breaking instrument European consumers will no longer be left on their own, like in the Volkswagen emission cheating scandal. Empowering consumers and citizens is the way of the future." declared Heidi Hautala, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the file in the Legal Affairs Committee

en | de

Read

Africa Strategy must move beyond business as usual

EU/Africa

We regret that the Commission has not taken this opportunity to balance the rights of the private sector with social and environmental duties, which would allow it to become a real player in development. We urge the Commission to play its role as a regulator, in particular with regard to due diligence

en | de

Read

The Mercosur trade agreement is a bad compromise

Quote by Heidi Hautala

The Mercosur trade agreement is a bad compromise and it is comes at the wrong time when there is an increasing demand for sustainable development. The price for the Mercosur agreement will be paid by farmers, the environment and the climate.

en | de

Read

EU must change from a kerosene tax paradise to a global pioneer for climate action

Aviation/CO2 tax

The non-governmental organisation "Transport and Environment" today published a study, kept secret by the European Commission, on the consequences of a kerosene tax on aviation.

en | fr | de

Read

New rules wasted opportunity to tackle dual quality of products

Consumer protection

The European Parliament voted on better enforcement and modernisation of EU consumer protection rules. While there are some improvements on current consumer protection legislation, today's changes are a wasted opportunity to tackle the dual quality of products.

Read

Product quality/Unfair Commercial Practices Directive

Quote from Julia Reda MEP

Last night, 'trilogue' negotiations between the European Commission, Council and Parliament were concluded on changes to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, part of the new deal for consumers released by the Commission last year, aimed at tackling among others the unfair practice of so-called “dual quality” by companies operating across different Member States.

Read

Reform of the European Citizens' Initiative is a step forward

Press release from EFA MEP J-M Terricabras (ERC)

Catalan MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras (Greens/EFA) has welcomed today's vote in the European Parliament in favour of reforming the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). The vote passed with 535 votes in favour, 90 against and 41 abstentions. Terricabras is spokesperson for the Greens/EFA gro...

Read

Palm oil

Quote Bas Eickhout

"The battle is not over, the proposal is under consultation for the next four weeks so we, along with civil society and the public, still have time to close these loopholes and clamp down on destructive palm oil entering the EU. Green victories never come without a fight." Bas Eickhout, Greens/EFA rapporteur on the file and leading candidate of the European Green Party in the European elections

Read

New report: The cost of corruption across the EU

Corruption

The report on the cost of corruption on citizens' life finds that with the €904 billion a year lost to corruption across the EU we could end world hunger, eliminate malaria, provide basic education, safe water, sanitation, healthcare and electricity and still have money left over (€360 billion). The Greens/EFA group are calling for the EU and its Member States to take a far more proactive stance in the fight against corruption.

en | it | fr | de | es

Read

Greens/EFA demand debate on medical devices

Implant files

The "Implant Files", a cross-border investigation by journalists into how medical devices on the EU market, such as pacemakers, artificial hips and contraceptives, which may have caused pain, injury or even death among patients, must be debated by the European Parliament, according to the Greens/EFA group.

en | it | de | fr | es

Read

Ending corporate abuses: why Europe must support a UN Treaty

Towards a UN binding treaty on business and human rights

Globalisation heavily relies on the exploitation of workers in developing countries by Transnational Corporations. However, when these workers' human rights are abused, it is basically impossible for them to achieve proper redress. International pushes for the creation of a UN binding treaty on business and human rights seek to redress this profoundly unequal dynamic and end corporate impunity.

Read

Tax report — (CC BY-SA 2.0) Dave Dugdale

European Commission rule Luxembourg did not give selective tax treatment to McDonald's

Tax avoidance

The European Commission has today ruled that the non-taxation of certain McDonald's profits in Luxembourg did not constitute illegal State Aid, as it is in line with national tax laws.

en | fr | es | de | it

Read