Saving lives is not a crime

Mission Lifeline judgement

In the case of Malta against the captain of the private sea rescue boat 'Lifeline', captain Claus-Peter Reisch was today sentenced to a fine of 10,000 euros due to alleged inadequate registration of the vessel.

European Defence Fund boost for the defence industry with no Parliamentary scrutiny

Quote from Reinhard Bütikofer MEP

MEPs have just adopted a €13 billion boost for the defence industry. The new fund will provide arms companies with fresh money from the EU budget as of 2021. The majority of MEPs voted to waiver their parliamentary scrutiny over the design of the programme. The Greens/EFA succeeded in ensuri...

What's coming up in Parliament

Greens/EFA priorities - plenary session 15-18 April 2019

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

Back to the future? How the EU can regain relevance in the Western Balkans?

10.04.2019

A GREENS/EFA Conference

At the beginning of the current legislative term the Commission communicated that there will be a 5-year enlargement stop. This led to a loss of credibility of the EU's most powerful incentive for the region's transformation. Since then we witnessed more autocracy and foreign influences in the Western Balkan region. Behind this background the conference aims to assess also latest developments and ask "How the EU can regain relevance in the Western Balkans?"

Deal on EU fund a worrying gift to defence industry, but bans funding for killer robots

European Defence Fund

Early this morning, an agreement was reached in trilogue negotiations on the European Defence Fund. The seven year, €13 billion fund will allow for spending on weapons of mass destruction, white phosphorus or depleted uranium ammunition without any Parliamentary scrutiny.

MEPs and activists are blocking the runway of the F-16 airbase to request the withdrawal of US nuclear bombs

Four members of the European Parliament: Michèle Rivasi (France), Tilly Metz (Luxembourg), Molly Scott Cato (United Kingdom) and Thomas Waitz (Austria) and a group of activists of “Agir pour la Paix” entered a Belgian air base  Kleine Brogel. They came in holding banners “Nuclear free zone for Europe” and symbolically blocked runway of the F-16 airbase to request the withdrawal of US nuclear bombs on European soil.

Revisions to Gas Directive will limit power of monopolies to threaten energy supply

Energy

Late last night, trilogue negotiations were concluded on revisions to the Gas Directive, which strengthens EU market rules around gas pipelines entering the EU from third countries. The revisions will make it harder for Member States and third countries, such as Russia, to pursue pipeline projects which that undermine European solidarity and pose a security risk, such as Nord Stream 2.

EU-Morocco fisheries agreement violates international humanitarian law

Fisheries

Today, Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the planned fisheries agreement between the European Union and Morocco. The vast majority of the catches under this agreement are however to take place to the waters of Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco.

EU countries must develop counter strategy on nukes

Crisis on INF

The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announced that the United States will formally withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which was signed between the US and the Soviet Union and successfully led to the disarmament of around 2,700 short and intermediate range missiles primarily from European soil during the 1990s. The end of the INF Treaty could result in a new global arms race for short and intermediate range nuclear weapons and pose a severe risk to global security.  This development comes after the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017, of which 70 states have so far signed, and 20 have ratified. So far the only EU country which has ratified the ban treaty is Austria.

Golden visa schemes pose serious risks

Quote from Sven Giegold MEP

Today, the European Commission warned EU Member States of controversial "golden visas" programmes that sell residence permits and even citizenship to non-EU citizens in exchange for money and investment. The European Commission's report is a result of a long running Greens/EFA push for more transparency around golden visa schemes.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 14-17 January 2019

GREENS/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the special committee on pesticides, glyphosate, gender equality and taxation policies, Brexit, the Romanian presidency, nuclear decommissioning, rights and values, …

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

15.01.2019

LIVE press conference 15 January 2019 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts presents the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group