Refugee crisis

Internal squabbling prolonged as EU rights and freedoms under threat

Commenting on the outcome of today's meeting of EU home affairs ministers on the refugee crisis, Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts said: "It is disheartening that, despite the ever more dramatic humanitarian crisis on the EU's southern borders, EU governments could only agree to prolong...

Linguistic and minority rights must be respected in Europe

Press release from EFA MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras (Catalonia)

In a significant new report approved today, MEPs have stated that the EU must respect ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity. Significantly, the report also called upon EU Member States that have not yet done so to ratify and effectively implement the Framework Convention for the Protection of Na...

Empowering the regional dimension and minority rights in the new Member States

Empowering the regional dimension and minority rights in the new member states was the focus of a conference organised at the European Parliament this week by the European Free Alliance Group. The event heard from speakers from a variety of political groups and backgrounds about the diverse experien...

Freedom flotilla - call to release Gaza blockade activists

Press release from EFA MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras (ERC)

President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament Josep-Maria Terricabras has paid tribute to those involved in the 'Freedom Flotilla' and called for a peaceful end to the blockade of Gaza. Israeli armed forces intercepted the ship 'Marianne' early this morning and it is now being escorted to th...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 8-11 June 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included TTIP vote and debate; the situation in Hungary; EU-Russia relations; Azerbaijan, human rights and the Baku Games; Turkey's shifting relations with the EU; FIFA corruption case; an EU strategy on equality between women and men post 2015; investigative journalism fund...

EFA Group - Visit to Israel and Palestine

Press release from the EFA Group in the European Parliament

MEPs from the EFA Group in the European Parliament are visiting Israel and Palestine this week as part of a fact finding mission to the region. The MEPs include Josep-Maria Terricabras (President of the EFA Group), Jill Evans (Vice-President), Ernest Maragall, Jordi Sebastià and Alyn Smith. They a...

Spain, no rule of law?

Conference on freedom of expression and separation of powers in Spain

-           The conference “Spain, no rule of law?” took place at the European Parliament two days after the controversial booing of the Spanish anthem at Camp Nou stadium -           Judge Santia...

Hunger strike for Occitan language

Press release from EFA MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras

Catalan MEP and President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament, Josep-Maria Terricabras has paid tribute to Aquitaine regional councillor David Grosclaude. M. Grosclaude, of Partit Occitan, is on hunger strike in protest at the lack of official support for the Occitan language, and notably th...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 18-21 May 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included financial benchmarks, conflict minerals, the situation in Hungary, European agenda on migration, money laundering, maternity leave, the visit of Rajagopal, leader of the "sans terres" movement, “better regulation” package, the state of nature report.

Alexander Langer

Lentius, profundius, suavius

Alexander Langer

A visionary witness of our time

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 27-30 April 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included fishery discards are back; reducing plastic bag use; biofuels’ climate problem and land use: problem unsolved; Bangladesh tragedy and the textile industry's responsibility; light touch regulation of shadow banking funds; EU budget discharge and problems with ITER nuclear fusion project; EP budget 2016 and MEPs' allowances; Europe's refugee shame and sea rescue; quicker access to funding for youth employment schemes; European Investment Bank's transparency and accountability deficit.