Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 18-22 January 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included car pollution laws and real driving emissions tests, Poland and the rule of law, presumption of innocence in criminal trials, sugar in baby food, EU-Kosovo, Denmark's new refugee law ...

EU food law

Draft EU baby food rules sunk by MEPs due to provisions on sugar

The European Parliament today voted to reject draft EU rules on baby food, which would have allowed baby foods to contain far higher levels of sugar than those recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (1). Commenting after the vote, UK Green MEP Keith Taylor, who was behind the motion to reject the rules,...

Belgian nuclear reactors

New study confirms risks remain and reactors must be shut down

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament today presented the third study in a series on the Belgian nuclear reactors Doel 3 and Tihange 2, which was commissioned from materials scientist Dr Ilse Tweer. The study presents new information on flaws in the reactor...

EU car pollution rules

Postponing vote on controversial car emissions is political chicanery

A much anticipated vote on draft EU rules on testing pollutant emissions from cars, which was foreseen for next week, will be postponed. The decision was taken at the Conference of Presidents of political groups today and was supported by the EPP and S&D political...

Better regulation

or how to make it difficult to propose a new law

The Commission 'Better Regulation' package is the centre-piece of its new agenda to change what the Union does, and how it does it. Here is a Green look behind the scenes of this mechanism

Poland

EU Commission correct to address rule of law concerns in Poland

The European Commission today announced it is putting Poland under a monitoring procedure under the EU's rule of law framework. The move comes in response to the legal and constitutional changes in Poland regarding the public broadcaster and the judiciary. Commenting on the situation, Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca...

The circular economy package

a transformation for all?

The European Greens believe that the EU's economy needs to work for both people and planet. The circular economy can contribute by creating jobs, protecting the environment and promoting growth in Europe, but like any other paradigm shift, it needs to have citizens' interests at its core.

Transparency of Meetings with Lobbyists

The Green/EFA group is committed to lobbying transparency and to the equal access of stakeholders to the decision-making process. That is why we are now the first political group in the European Parliament to automatically publish information about meetings...

10 steps towards tax justice in Europe

It’s been a year since the Luxleaks scandal. The Greens pushed hard for change and got the European Parliament to support tax transparency. But the fight continues.