International

Amazon fires debate

Quote from Heidi Hautala MEP

On the initiative of the Greens/EFA and other groups, the European Parliament debated the on-going fires in the Amazon rainforest. Heidi Hautala MEP and Greens/EFA spokesperson on trade comments.

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.

Saving lives is not a crime

Mission Lifeline judgement

In the case of Malta against the captain of the private sea rescue boat 'Lifeline', captain Claus-Peter Reisch was today sentenced to a fine of 10,000 euros due to alleged inadequate registration of the vessel.

A welcoming Europe for all

Our views on asylum and migration

We believe that a migration and asylum policy founded on human rights and solidarity is urgently needed and that migration should be managed responsibly and effectively. The right to asylum shall be upheld and the human rights of all migrants shall be respected, as provided by international and human rights laws, including the Geneva Convention, to which the EU is party.

European Defence Fund boost for the defence industry with no Parliamentary scrutiny

Quote from Reinhard Bütikofer MEP

MEPs have just adopted a €13 billion boost for the defence industry. The new fund will provide arms companies with fresh money from the EU budget as of 2021. The majority of MEPs voted to waiver their parliamentary scrutiny over the design of the programme. The Greens/EFA succeeded in ensuri...

European Commission failed to complete investigation before end of mandate

Babis case

In the hearing of the Budget Control Committee of the European Parliament with EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger, the case of a possible conflict of interest of the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis was raised again.

What's coming up in Parliament

Greens/EFA priorities - plenary session 15-18 April 2019

A look ahead to the March I plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Greens/EFA priority issues on the agenda

Back to the future? How the EU can regain relevance in the Western Balkans?

A GREENS/EFA Conference

At the beginning of the current legislative term the Commission communicated that there will be a 5-year enlargement stop. This led to a loss of credibility of the EU's most powerful incentive for the region's transformation. Since then we witnessed more autocracy and foreign influences in the Western Balkan region. Behind this background the conference aims to assess also latest developments and ask "How the EU can regain relevance in the Western Balkans?"

EU-China summit

Quote from Reinhard Bütikofer MEP

The European Union is now learning to speak with one voice towards China. This concerns economic issues from the Chinese silk road policy to its industrial policy 'Made in China 2025', but also includes the establishment of a brutal police state in Xinjiang in China's west.

Deal on EU fund a worrying gift to defence industry, but bans funding for killer robots

European Defence Fund

Early this morning, an agreement was reached in trilogue negotiations on the European Defence Fund. The seven year, €13 billion fund will allow for spending on weapons of mass destruction, white phosphorus or depleted uranium ammunition without any Parliamentary scrutiny.

MEPs and activists are blocking the runway of the F-16 airbase to request the withdrawal of US nuclear bombs

Four members of the European Parliament: Michèle Rivasi (France), Tilly Metz (Luxembourg), Molly Scott Cato (United Kingdom) and Thomas Waitz (Austria) and a group of activists of “Agir pour la Paix” entered a Belgian air base  Kleine Brogel. They came in holding banners “Nuclear free zone for Europe” and symbolically blocked runway of the F-16 airbase to request the withdrawal of US nuclear bombs on European soil.

Revisions to Gas Directive will limit power of monopolies to threaten energy supply

Energy

Late last night, trilogue negotiations were concluded on revisions to the Gas Directive, which strengthens EU market rules around gas pipelines entering the EU from third countries. The revisions will make it harder for Member States and third countries, such as Russia, to pursue pipeline projects which that undermine European solidarity and pose a security risk, such as Nord Stream 2.