Social Rights

1 year since Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered

"Daphne Caruana Galizia paid the ultimate price for her fearless reporting into corruption and organised crime in Malta. The European Parliament must create a Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for investigative journalists. Those who make public what governments want to sweep under the rug deserve applause, recognition and protection"

Diesel is finally considered carcinogenic for workers

Occupational health

he European Parliament has forced governments to recognise the carcinogenic nature of diesel engine emissions. This is an undeniable victory for the health of workers across Europe. Every year in the EU, 3 million workers are exposed to diesel pollution through the course of their professional activities.

NGO rescuers nominated for Sakharov Prize

Refugees

A collection of NGOs who have been responsible for leading the rescue effort of refugees at sea are in the pre-selection phase for the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize. MEPs from the Foreign Affairs and Development Committees have just voted for the Greens/EFA group candidates to be included in the shortlist for the Sakharov prize.

Independent investigation into abhorrent murder urgently needed

Bulgaria/Viktoria Marinova

Viktoria Marinova was brutally murdered in the Bulgarian city of Ruse. She had recently been reporting on corruption in EU funds involving top officials and major companies in Bulgaria. The Greens/EFA group demand an immediate and independent investigation into Marinova's death.

More ambitious reduction targets will lead to EU-wide job creation

Car industry/CO2 emissions

"Even though this is clearly a politically steered report from the Commission, designed to influence votes in the Parliament and Council, it still finds that employment numbers in the entire EU will increase with more ambitious reduction targets," says Bas Eickhout, energy policy spokesperson for the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament.

We need a social Union

Debate on the Future of the European Union with Greek Prime Minister

In Greece, Europe broke one of its fundamental promises, to bring prosperity to its citizens. Instead it brought poverty. Europe didn’t find a solution based on solidarity and solidity. Our lesson from this needs to be that we finally create a social union. So far we have only vague declarations on how nice social policies would be, but that’s not enough

Racism and hatred towards minorities must not become socially acceptable

Italy

The announcement by the new Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to have a register of Sinti and Roma people will be debated today by Members of the European Parliament at the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group.

Transport committee told to try again after MEPs reject mobility package

Workers’ rights

The fight for the rights of lorry and bus drivers is still alive, after the European Parliament rejected a set of legislative proposals on driving and rest times, posting of workers, and cabotage.

Posted workers/transport: weak mandate must be renegotiated

Quote from Terry Reintke

A majority of MEPs have just rejected the negotiating mandate for posted workers in the road transport sector. MEPs voted to overturn the decision made in the Transport Committee, where Social Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives voted against social rights such as minimum wages, adequate rest periods, local collective agreements and legally secure entitlement to allowances for travel, accommodation and food.

Greens/EFA Debriefing

Plenary week, 28-31 May 2018

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary week included: Commission proposals on plastics, sustainable finance, sustainable fishing, Multiannual Financial Framework and cohesion policy, trade dispute on steel and aluminium tariffs, debate with Luxemburgish Prime Minister, posting of workers, reform of the CAP, objections to the authorisation of two GMOs

Big win for a socially just Europe

Posting of workers

The European Parliament backed the outcome of trilogue negotiations on the revision of the Posting of Workers Directive. Under the agreement, workers who provide a service in an EU Member State other than their country of origin will not only be guaranteed the same pay as their colleagues, they'll also receive the same entitlements, making their terms and conditions genuinely equal.

European Labour Authority - quote from Terry Reintke

Social Fairness Package

"Setting up joint labour inspections could be a great way of protecting the rights of workers across borders," comments Greens/EFA social policy spokesperson, Terry Reintke,