Society

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.

Parliament pushes through EU-wide class action in deal on collective redress

Consumer protection

"This directive fills the legal vacuum in the EU consumer legislation. With such new ground breaking instrument European consumers will no longer be left on their own, like in the Volkswagen emission cheating scandal. Empowering consumers and citizens is the way of the future." declared Heidi Hautala, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the file in the Legal Affairs Committee

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

Commission's Strategy falls short of expectations

Gender Equality

""Ursula von der Leyen has said she wants to put gender equality high on the agenda, but she falls short of delivering equality within her own Strategy," comments Greens/EFA MEP Alice Bah Kuhnke.

A Greens/EFA take on the plenary week

13-17 January 2020

Greens/EFA priorities for the plenary week included the European Green Deal, the Sustainable Investment Plan, Just Transition Fund, Roadmap on Social Europe, the Council hearings on the rule of Law in Hungary and Poland, Czech PM Andrej Babiš' conflicts of interest, Convention on biodiversity, ...

Parliament calls for more ambition in green transition

European Green Deal

A majority of MEPs have voted in favour of a cross-party resolution on the European Green Deal, initiated by the Greens/EFA group. The Greens/EFA group have succeeded in including demands for more biodiversity protection, more climate financing and a more social approach to tackling the climate crisis.

Bland declarations on employment will not solve inequality

Roadmap for a Social Europe

We were waiting for a roadmap that could curb inequalities and tackle the scourge of poverty, but instead the Commission has offered bland declarations on employment. The Commission Roadmap reduces the social agenda to the issue of employment and leaves out issues such as poverty and social exclusion.