Rights and freedoms

Hungary protests

Quote from Judith Sargentini

Following protests this weekend in Hungary around the so-called new "slave law", which allows employers to increase the amount of overtime for employees without financial compensation, and after the governing Fidesz party tightened control over the courts, the media and forced the closure of the Central European University, the European Council must initiate Article 7 proceedings against the Hungarian government, according to the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament. Read the declaration of Judith Sargentini, Greens/EFA rapporteur on the rule of law in Hungary report.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 10-14 December 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included humanitarian visas, conflict of interest of Czech Prime Minister, transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain, the digital service tax, the revocability of Art 50 ...

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

11.12.2018

LIVE press conference 11 December 2018 10:30-10:50

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

Gender and climate toolkit

No climate justice without gender justice!

Climate change is one of the most urgent global challenges. We are also aware that climate change is a deeply unjust phenomenon: those who contribute the least to climate change are often the ones that are most affected by its impacts. All aspects of climate change have a gender dimension: the causes, the impacts, as well as the policies to respond to climate change which can have different effects on women and men.

What's coming up in Parliament

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

Hungary: Orban and the end of the freedom of speech

Media freedom and democracy in Hungary

During the past weeks, we have seen important breaches of democracy in Hungary: a convicted thief, the former prime minister of Macedonia was granted asylum, the Central European University was shut down and will have to move to Vienna, and government mouthpiece media came under the control of one foundation, headed by an ally of Viktor Orbán. The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament call on the Council to react to protect democracy and freedom of speech before the situation deteriorates further.

Plan to tax tech giants falls flat in the Council

Digital tax

"The fact that the Finance Ministers cannot come to an agreement on something as important as a digital tax is extremely disappointing," comments Molly Scott Cato, economic affairs spokesperson for the Greens/EFA group.

Hungary - media freedom and democracy

Quote from Judith Sargentini

"If this melange of autocracy isn't enough for the Council to do something, then what is? The Council needs to get its act together and debate our report on the rule of law in Hungary now, before the situation deteriorates further." Comments of Judith Sargentini on the media freedom and democracy in Hungary.

Global migration needs a global response

UN Migration Pact

"The European Union will undermine its credibility if it cannot show its united support to this global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, a voluntary declaration that promotes the protections of human rights, and the humane treatment of migrants," says Judith Sargentini.

Launch of the Parliamentary Network of Friendship Groups of Catalonia

Press release from EFA MEPs J-M Terricabras and Jordi Solé

With the support of EFA MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras and Jordi Solé, a group of Members of Parliaments from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia and Flanders, together with MEPs from the European Union-Catalonia Dialogue Platform, have established the Parliamentary Network of Friendship Group...

Brussels protest on Latvian school reforms

EFA MEP Miroslavs Mitrofanovs opposes Latvian education reforms

Opponents to controversial school reforms in Latvia brought their protests to Brussels this week, supported by Greens/EFA MEP Miroslavs Mitrofanovs, and former MEP Tatjana Ždanoka. They oppose plans by the Latvian government to phase out most Russian language teaching in the country's school...

Towards a more social Europe

Child benefit/EU Employment Agency

There will be no cuts in child benefit for parents whose children live in an EU Member State other than that in which the parents work, according to the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee.