Society

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.

European Parliament calls for the strongest possible protection for whistleblowers

The Legal Affairs Committee voted in favour

Whistleblowers are the drivers of positive change. They have uncovered tax dodging, data breaches and war crimes, and in the process they have helped to change politics. That's why this proposal is now a good basis with which to protect those who wish to disclose information in the public interest.

More compensation and greener commuting for rail passengers

Passenger rights

MEPs voted for rail passengers throughout the EU to have a greater entitlement to compensation without the loophole of force majeure, for full rights even when travelling with several railway providers, and to be able to take bicycles on the train.

Drinking Water Directive

Quote from Benedek Jávor MEP

Members of the European Parliament have just voted on the Drinking Water Directive, after 1.68 million citizens called on the EU to recognise access to safe water as a basic human right in the first-ever successful European Citizens Initiative.

EU governments must end voter manipulation on social networks

Facebook/Cambridge Analytica Scandal

In response to European Parliament plenary debate on Facebook and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament call for a ban on targeted and personal-profile advertising on social networks. MEPs will vote on the resolution on "The use of Facebook user's data by Cambridge Analytica and the impact on data protection" on 25 October.

Our fights, our values

What the Greens/EFA stand for

For 35 years, we have been making a difference and fighting to make Europe the global leader in terms of climate and environmental protection, peace and social justice, fair globalisation, and in the fight for human rights.

A major step for the protection of all workers

Social rights

The European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee adopted its report on the directive proposed by the European Commission in December 2017 to make working conditions more transparent and predictable across the EU.

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.