Priority

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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EU Member States must stop blocking action on tax transparency

Tax

Members of the European Parliament voted on a resolution calling on Member States to make progress on measures designed to improve tax transparency for multinationals. In the five years since the LuxLeaks scandal, which showed the extent of multinational tax avoidance, EU Member States have blocked a European Commission proposal on public country-by-country reporting (CbCR) from April 2016. The German government, together with a handful of EU tax havens, have blocked action.

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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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Greens/EFA group proposes upper limit for supplementary income of MEPs

Following Sylvie Goulard hearings

MEPs from the conservative EPP and the socialist S&D parliamentary groups were unusually vocal in their criticism of extra income earned by MEPs during the Hearing with the French Commissioner candidate Sylvie Goulard.

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Fiat and Starbucks rulings show urgent need for better EU laws on tax avoidance

Tax

The rulings by the General Court shows that we need much better EU-wide rules to end tax avoidance by multinationals. The court rulings prove the strengths and weaknesses of using the EU's State Aid rules to fight tax dumping, and show the urgent need to review and improve the State Aid framework.

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Green light for a permanent tax committee

Tax

Coordinators in the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee of the European Parliament agreed to create a permanent sub-committee on tax and financial crime. It is a victory for all of us who want to see an end to the dodgy tax practices and illicit activities that undermine the global financial system and divide our societies.

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Eurozone budget: small steps will not address flaws of the Euro

Quote from Sven Giegold MEP

The Eurogroup of Eurozone Finance Ministers has agreed on general principles for reforms of the common currency, including on a Eurozone budget as well as a reform of the European Stability Mechanism Treaty.

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10-point plan for European tax justice

Tax justice

The Greens/EFA group have launched a 10-point plan for tax justice in the European Union, which will form part of its core demands for the coming legislative period in the European Parliament. The Greens/EFA Group has already been at the forefront of driving demands to combat excessive tax avoidance, tax evasion and money laundering in Europe.

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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.

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A step towards greener financial markets

Sustainable investment

The European Parliament has just voted on its position on financial standards for defining what can be considered as sustainable economic activities and sustainable investments.

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Parliament's call for tough action on tax must be heard

Tax

The European Parliament has just approved the special committee on taxation's (TAX 3) final report, which calls for EU Member States to take bold steps in order to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and money laundering. The Tax 3 report laments the lack of progress in the fight against tax avoidance and evasion by EU Member States, despite numerous tax scandals of the last few years and public pressure around the issue.

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Anti-money laundering blacklist debate in European Parliament

Quote from Judith Sargentini

On the initiative of the Greens/EFA group, the European Parliament will debate the "Urgency for an EU blacklist of third countries in line with the Anti-Money Laundering Directive".

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