Rights and freedoms

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.

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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.

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JudithSargentini©Martin-Pluimers — © Martin-Pluimers

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.

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Refugee Camp Lebanon — Worldbank (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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.

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Catalonia Protest — Sasha Popovic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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...

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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...

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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.

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Ending corporate abuses: why Europe must support a UN Treaty

Towards a UN binding treaty on business and human rights

Globalisation heavily relies on the exploitation of workers in developing countries by Transnational Corporations. However, when these workers' human rights are abused, it is basically impossible for them to achieve proper redress. International pushes for the creation of a UN binding treaty on business and human rights seek to redress this profoundly unequal dynamic and end corporate impunity.

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sunflower©sergey-zolkin — ©sergey-zolkin

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 12-15 November 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included: Clean Energy Package; Emissions from Trucks and other heavy Duty vehicles; Future of Europe debate with Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany; Romania rule of law resolution; Multiannual Financial Framework; Humanitarian visas.

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EP backs Minimum standards for minorities in the EU

Press release from EFA MEP Miroslavs Mitrofanovs

MEPs have strongly supported a report calling for minimum standards for minorities in the EU (rapporteur József NAGY). The report represents a complete overview of the European Parliament’s position on the rights of national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in the EU. ...

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MEPs concerns at harsh sentences sought for Catalan leaders

Press release from the EFA Group in the European Parliament

MEPs from various political groups in the European Parliament, including the European Free Alliance, have signed a joint statement expressing their concern at the harsh sentences for Catalan political prisoners demanded by the Spanish prosecutor this week. Several Catalan pro-independence leaders...

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Special committee to vote on final report 13/11

Terrorism

Following the attacks in Paris, London and Brussels, the European Union has launched more than 250 anti-terrorist measures, ranging from the monitoring of passenger data to the entry and exit system. The Greens/EFA group are calling for alternatives to mass surveillance and repressive security policies.

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