Social Rights

Plenary Flash 23-26 November 2020

Greens/EFA priorities

During this week plenary session, the European Parliament will debate and vote on tackling homelessness rates in the EU, planned obsolescence, LGBTI equality strategy, new industrial strategy, abortion rights in Poland, pharmaceutical strategy, MFF/Recovery Plan, ...

Affordable Housing

AirBnB and the Digital Services Act - Possibilities for regulating online short-term rental to ensure affordable housing

We want to have a conversation about ‘the AirBnB-effect.’ The expansive growth of short-term holiday rental is extracting housing from the market and driving up prices, and has a negative impact on liveability in large cities and popular tourist destinations in Europe.  This phen...

Commission proposal welcome but falls short on ambition to fight poverty & inequality

European minimum wage

The European Commission has just released its draft directive on a European minimum wage. The proposal sets out minimum standards and uniform criteria for the level of EU-wide minimum wages. For the Greens/EFA group, the European Commission's proposal falls short of its stated ambition to fight poverty and inequality.

Gender equality in EU's foreign and security policy

Info mail on the report by Greens/EFA MEP Urtasun

"The European Parliament will adopt the first-ever report calling on gender equality in EU’s foreign and security policy. While several countries around the world have already adopted a foreign policy with a strong focus on gender equality, the EU continues to lack one. This is why we call on the EU and its leaders to promote a gender transformative vision of foreign policy that protects and promotes women’s human rights" said the rapporteur

Parliament votes for serious action on rule of law

Rule of law

Today, the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights (DRF). The Parliament vote reaffirms the commitment of MEPs to establish a comprehensive approach to the rule of law instead of ...

The EU Commission’s Renovation Wave must put people first

A blog by Ciarán Cuffe, Greens/EFA MEP

Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and the renovation rate in Europe is a win-win. It’s a chance to tackle poverty, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says Ciarán Cuffe, Greens/EFA MEP and rapporteur on the European Parliament’s report: ‘Maximising the energy efficiency of the EU Building stock’.

Housing rights before market interests, for a socially just recovery

Our housing system is not working for people. Across Europe, from Paris to Warsaw, Dublin to Athens, an increasing number of people in the EU are struggling to afford the rising costs of housing. Greens/EFA MEP Kim van Sparrentak is leading a report in the European Parliament to tackle the housing crisis.

No community left behind

Webinar

The transition away from fossil-fuel-based economies is starting, and it has the potential to create new jobs and new resources for Europe. Join our MEPs Mounir Satouri and Henrike Hahn for this chat to discuss how to safeguard social and economic justice in the transition.

Discrimination has to stop: European Parliament to vote on resolution for strong Disability Strategy

Disability Strategy

Today, (Thursday 18 June) on the initiative of Katrin Langensiepen, Greens/EFA MEP, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution that calls on the Commission to put forward a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term post-2020 European Disability Strategy.

Commission agrees to additional protections for frontline workers

COVID-19

Member States will be required to include written instructions for workers in order to protect them in the workplace. The Commission will report back to the European Parliament on this revision by the end of 2020. This follows the demands of the Greens/EFA group to improve protections for frontline workers potentially exposed to the virus through their roles.

Greens/EFA Recovery and Resilience Plan

More than ever, we Europeans see the importance of strong cooperation and solidarity to face collective economic, social and environmental threats. More than ever we Europeans understand the immeasurable value of well-funded and well-run public services and safety nets that underpin stable and inclusive societies and economies that truly work for all people.

What world do we want to return to?

Greens/EFA Recovery and Resilience Plan

More than ever, people in Europe and everywhere understand that with solidarity and cooperation we can overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Together, we can make another European and global future, one that is more socially, economically and environmentally resilient. Read our plan