European Ideas Lab - Brussels

01.03.2018

Greens meet Changemakers

DRAFT PROGRAMME    Thursday 1 March 2018   15:00-17:00 European Parliament tour with Greens/EFA MEPs   17:00-18:00 Registration   18:00 ...

Glimmer of hope

Accountability of the Council budget may soon be improved, ending seven-year stalemate

A seven-year dispute between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union over whether or not the Parliament should have the right to oversee how the Council spends its budget, may soon be resolved, if all goes according to plan. For the last seven years, the European Parliament ...

Tragic death of investigative journalist shows urgent need to end opacity and protect sources and whistleblowers

The work done by Ms. Caruana Galizia and her colleagues on the Panama Papers has been crucial for uncovering the murky reality of corruption in Malta. It was thanks to these journalists that the European Parliament was able to secure an EU-wide inquiry into tax avoidance and financial secrecy

European Ombudsman Encouraged by Parliament

... to Increase Transparency, Participation and Accountability in the EU institutions

The European Parliament petitions committee adopted its annual report on the activities of the European Ombudsman in which it congratulated the work done by Emily O’Reilly and her team so far to increase the transparency, good governance and accessibility of the EU institutions.

Catalan independence declaration

Press release from EFA MEPs J-M Terricabras & Jordi Solé (ERC)

Commenting on today's declaration of Catalan independence, Josep-Maria Terricabras MEP, President of the European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament, said: "Today marks an exciting new chapter in European history as Catalonia declares its independence. And following our perma...

European Parliament demands protection for whistleblowers across Europe

Whistleblower protection

The European Parliament will call on the Commission to propose legislation to protect whistleblowers across Europe, no matter how they came across the information or which channel of reporting they use to sound the alarm, according to a report adopted today by the Legal Affairs Committee.

Key Transparency Challenges in the European Union

Right to Know Day, 28th September 2017

The objective of this statement is to highlight key transparency challenges across Europe in order to provide a common basis for future campaigning to improve respect for the right of access to information, to increase citizen participation, and to ensure democratic accountability at both EU and national level.

Right to Know Day: Public Event

28.09.2017

Transparency at EU and Member State level: Challenges and Next Steps

To mark International Right to Know Day, the European Parliament Intergroup on Integrity, Transparency and Organised Crime is bringing together NGOs and journalists from across Europe to identify the main challenges in accessing information across Europe. We need more transparency in Europe (both from EU and the Member States) so that democracy can flourish. Register to join us on 28th September, starting at 9:00!!

New GMOs / Monsanto Papers

27.09.2017

Watch the videos - livestreamed press conferences

Follow our press event live with EU and US guest speakers and MEPs Michèle Rivasi and Bart Staes

Caterpillar boycotted the hearing of Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion

Letter by MEP Sven Giegold requesting the withdrawal of their access badges

Caterpillar has to lose its entrance passes to the European Parliament for their refusal to answer questions on their tax avoidance to the public in today’s Parliamentary hearing. Shying away from the European Parliament’s public hearing on Caterpillar’s efforts in tax dumping will not keep such practises under wraps.

MEPs call for dialogue in Catalan situation

Press release from EFA MEPs J-M Terricabras & Jordi Solé

Nearly 50 MEPs from across the political spectrum have today signed a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy 'to express our deep concern regarding the situation in Catalonia, which has reached a critical point.' The MEPs are critical of the 'repressive actions' of the Spa...

Catalonia is under siege

Press release from EFA MEPs J-M Terricabras & Jordi Solé (Catalonia)

Catalan MEPs have written to all members of the European Commission and MEPs following today's attack on Catalan democracy by Spanish armed police. Spain's Guardia Civil raided several Catalan ministries, arresting members of the government, ahead of Catalonia's independence referendu...