Regions

Situation in Poland - the Silesian minority

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

President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament, Josep-Maria Terricabras, intervened in a debate about the situation in Poland to raise the issue of the country's Silesian minority and the denial of minority rights. The debate was held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in the pre...

Keeping Poland and Europe together

Plenary debate on the situation in Poland

The Greens/EFA Co-President Rebecca Harms called on the ruling majority to ensure full respect of the rule of law and to listen to the increasingly vocal movement of Polish citizens who oppose the changes threatening freedom of the media and the independence of the judiciary in Poland

Poland

EU Commission correct to address rule of law concerns in Poland

The European Commission today announced it is putting Poland under a monitoring procedure under the EU's rule of law framework. The move comes in response to the legal and constitutional changes in Poland regarding the public broadcaster and the judiciary. Commenting on the situation, Greens/EFA co-...

Catalonia's journey to independence

EFA MEPs joined colleagues from the European Free Alliance political party to celebrate the formation of a pro-independence government in Catalonia. The Catalan parliament met on Sunday to elect a new head of government, just hours before the deadline for doing so. This follows elections in Cataloni...

Making the positive case for EU membership

Press release from EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans has told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that 'Wales has a great deal to contribute to making the EU more effective - improving Europe for all its people'. Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans (EFA) The MEP was speaking in a key debate with European Commission Pr...

Electoral success in Corsica

EFA MEPs have paid tribute to the victory in Corsica on Sunday 13 December of the progressive nationalist coalition Pe A Corsica (For Corsica) which finished first in elections for the Corsican Assembly. The alliance of autonomist and independentist parties received around 35% of the vote and w...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 23-27 November 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Brussels plenary included EU cohesion policy and marginalised communities; EP tax investigation; Energy Union: stuttering European energy transition; European cooperation and defending democratic freedoms following the Paris attacks; Diesel gate, car pollution rules and the EU response; Greens/EFA events around the COP21 climate talks.

Cohesion policy and marginalised groups

Fight against anti-Gypsyism to be strengthened under EU Parliament vote

The European Parliament today adopted a report setting out its opinion on cohesion policy and marginalised groups. A majority of MEPs voted to ensure Roma do not face discrimination in the context of EU cohesion policy. After the vote, Greens MEP and EP draftsperson/rapporteur Terry Reintke said: â€...

Scotland’s place in the UK’s EU Renegotiations

As the UK Government seeks to renegotiate the UK's EU membership, SNP President Ian Hudghton MEP hosted a press briefing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Scotland's place in the UK's EU Renegotiations. He was joined by SNP Europe Spokesperson Stephen Gethins MP. Mr Hudghton emphasised that...

Structural and cohesion policy

EU's cohesion policy goals must not become a hostage of economic cycles

The European Parliament today adopted a report on EU structural and investment funds (1). The report sets out the EP's position on a proposal by the European Commission to directly link EU member states' macroeconomic stability with the payment of EU Cohesion Funds. Commenting on the outcome of vote...

Merkel-Hollande debate

Internal stability of the EU a prerequisite for solving other crises

Commenting in the context of the European Parliament debate with French President Hollande and German Chancellor Merkel, Greens/EFA president Rebecca Harms said: "Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande have stumbled from one crisis to the next without properly solving the underlying problems ...

MEPs welcome Juncker's reply on Catalan independence

Press release from EFA MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras & Ernest Maragall

- 'it is not for the Commission to express a position on questions of internal organisation related to the constitutional arrangements of a particular Member State' - Juncker MEPs Terricabras and Maragall EFA MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras and Ernest Maragall have welcomed a clarification from Europea...