Poland: European Commission begins infringement proceedings

02.07.2018

Quote from Ska Keller

On the announcement that the European Commission will begin infringement proceedings against Poland, Ska Keller, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments.

Austria

02.07.2018

Open for shady money

Tax loopholes, the sale of passports to dubious figures and inaction against money laundering makes Austria a safe haven for tax evaders, kleptocrats and corrupt cash according to a new report from the Greens/EFA group. The study "Austria - (still) open for shady money" released at the beginning of the Austrian Presidency of the EU shows that while Austria has made some progress on issues of financial secrecy in recent years, the country remains an attractive destination for dirty money.

Save Your Internet!

29.06.2018

Copyright Directive

Unfortunately, the internet as we know and love it is under threat. The European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs voted on 20th June in favour of the European Commission’s proposed Copyright Directive, which will tighten copyright laws and restrict our freedoms, In particular two amendments are the most dangerous.

European summit conclusions

29.06.2018

Quote from Ska Keller, Greens/EFA Co-President

This summit buries the right to asylum in Europe. In future, refugees will de facto no longer have the possibility for asylum on European soil. The heads of state and government follow the right-wing nationalist agenda.

Green light for new flagship programme

27.06.2018

European Solidarity Corps

The Greens/EFA group has welcomed a breakthrough in the negotiations over the EU’s flagship solidarity programme, European Solidarity Corps. The Council had originally refused to provide fresh funds to make the programme viable in the current budget period. However, after consistent pressure from the European Parliament, the Council finally backed down and agreed to provide more than €75m in additional money to fund this new flagship programme.

Combating environmental criminality and ecocide

27.06.2018

Environmental crime (including ecocide) is nowadays widely recognized as a significant global threat to peace, security and sustainable development that needs to be tackled with urgency and codified under domestic and international law. Civil society, institutional and political experts will provide insight on the different aspects of environmental criminality, in view of proposing concrete recommendations.

European Parliament calls on the EU to take a stand against Viktor Orban's assault on democracy

25.06.2018

Hungary

The European Parliament has backed a report from Greens/EFA MEP Judith Sargentini for EU Member States to trigger Article 7 sanctions procedures against Hungary. Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban's re-election in April the Hungarian government has continued its authoritarian crack down on civil society, academia and freedom of speech. Last week the Hungarian government passed the "Stop Soros" package of laws which aim to single out NGOs working on migration in the country and will make it almost impossible for organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to continue their operations in Hungary.

Results must not be dictated by Orbán and Seehofer

22.06.2018

EU (mini) summit

In the run-up to next week's EU summit and the planned mini-refugee summit on migration this weekend, Green/EFA Group Co-Presidents Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts comment.

World Refugee Day

21.06.2018

It's #WorldRefugeeDay In a time where each day thousands are forced to flee, it's time we stand #withrefugees Don't get discouraged by all the anti-migration or far-right rhetoric. All over Europe, people like you are standing up to support refugees.

Cross-party letter to President Tajani

21.06.2018

Discrimination in Europe

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, upon the initiative of Marco Affronte and Philippe Lamberts, has organised a cross-party letter to the President of the European Parliament, calling on him to speak out against the recent racist and discriminatory remarks of some European political leaders.

New GMOs are not progress, but yet another tool of industrial farming

21.06.2018

Our food system needs real innovation

Very soon, the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) will publish its ruling concerning the legal statute of a group of biotech. After the ruling, tense negotiations will set the future of the current European GMO regulation. As always, citizens and lawmakers will face the full force of the industry lobbies. Whatever happens these new GMOs will not bring any progress to our food and farming system: innovation is somewhere else.

Quote from Josep Maria Terricabras

20.06.2018

European Citizens' Initiative reform

The European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs committee has today voted on the reform of the European Citizens' Initiative, with the majority blocking all meaningful improvements.