Preparation of the European Council meeting (15-16 October 2015)

Plenary speech by Rebecca Harms

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 5-8 October 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included, car pollution rules in Europe after the Volkswagen scandal; air pollution and industrial emissions rules; Hollande and Merkel; Turkey's worrying escalation; Syria; EU payment service rules; Corporate tax avoidance, rulings and the EU response; Data, privacy rights and the Facebook ruling; EU railway rules.

Refugee crisis/home affairs council

Returns proposals risk dismantling EU asylum law

EU home affairs ministers will meet tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss a number of further measures in response to the refugee crisis, including on a proposal on returns of failed asylum seekers and refugees. Ahead of the Council, Green migration spokesperson Ska Keller stated: "It seems EU gover...

Debate on the current situation in the EU with François Hollande and Angela Merkel

Plenary speech by Rebecca Harms

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

06.10.2015

Recorded press conference 6 october 2015 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

EU summit/refugee crisis

Small pieces of the puzzle agreed for EU asylum policy but comprehensive solution must follow

Commenting on the outcome of the EU summit on the refugee crisis, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said: "EU governments are slowly moving towards a more common response to the refugee crisis. Following Tuesday's agreement on the emergency relocation system for refugees, last night's agre...

Refugee crisis

EU governments must break the impasse

Commenting ahead of today's council of EU home affairs ministers on the refugee crisis, Green asylum and migration spokesperson Ska Keller, who was the European Parliament's rapporteur/draftsperson on the original redistribution scheme, said: "The persistent prevarication and squabbling between...

The refugee crisis and the EU - A Green response

Contribution by 8 Green MEPs

INTRODUCTION Greens have long argued for an effective Common European Asylum System (CEAS) which would respond to the needs of those seeking sanctuary. This should ensure that wherever they may claim asylum in the EU, their application will be dealt with fairly and should have a similar outcome; tha...

Conclusions of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on migration

Plenary speech by Philippe Lamberts

Turkey

Appeal for peace from the chairs of the European Parliament's political groups

An appeal for peace in Turkey was today launched by the chairs of the EPP, S&D, Liberal, GUE/NGL and Greens/EFA groups in the European Parliament, following an initiative of the Greens. The appeal calls for the peace process to restart and for all sides to return to the negotiating table.The tex...

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...

European asylum strategy

Contribution to the debate by MEPs Ska Keller, Judith Sargentini and Jean Lambert

European citizens are demonstrating an unprecedented level of solidarity with refugees.  They show that compassion and protecting those in need must remain at the heart of European action. On the other hand, most European governments are displaying an embarrassing lack of solidarity, insuffic...