Sasha Popovic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Catalan leaders' sentences a 'travesty of justice'

Press Release from Alyn Smith MEP (SNP), President of the EFA Group in the EP

Responding to today's verdict in the trial of Catalan pro-independence leaders which saw them receive sentences of between 9 and 13 years imprisonment, Alyn Smith, SNP MEP and President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament described the sentences as 'a travesty of justice which will o...

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Public Domain

MEPs joint declaration condemns Turkish military intervention in Syria

Sixty MEPs condemn Turkish military intervention in Syria

Sixty MEPs from different political groups in the European Parliament – including Greens/EFA - have come together to co-sign a political declaration that condemns Turkey's military intervention in Syria. They call upon the EU to impose sanctions against Turkey and to tackle the humanita...

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Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0)

UK Supreme Court Rules Westminster Shut Down Unlawful

Press Release from EFA MEP Alyn Smith (SNP)

SNP Member of the European Parliament Alyn Smith has said the Parliament must resume immediately after the UK Supreme Court ruled Boris Johnson’s decision to shut down Parliament was unlawful and unconstitutional upholding the ruling of Scotland’s supreme court. Alyn Smith said: &q...

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@constantine-fountos

Greens/EFA demand urgent action on climate

Global climate strike

We need fast action now. CO2 must have a fair price. We urge the new European Commission to make climate priority a reality and increase our CO2-reduction target from the weak 40 per cent to at least 65 per cent by 2030. It is also unacceptable for aircraft and ships to not pay the price and to benefit from tax subsidies.

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UK MEPs sign joint declaration on Brexit

Cross party declaration commits to working together in the face of Brexit

The proroguing, or shutting down the UK Parliament in order to limit scrutiny of the implications of a potential no deal Brexit is completely unacceptable. The signatories commit themselves to continue to work across party lines and declare that it is vital that MPs do likewise.

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SNP MEP elected President of EFA Group in the European Parliament

Alyn Smith succeeds Josep-Maria Terricabras

Alyn Smith MEP has today been elected President of the European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament. He succeeds Catalan MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras who stood down at the recent European election. An MEP for the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2004, Alyn was recently re-el...

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MEP calls for international election observers in EU poll

Press Release from EFA MEP Alyn Smith (SNP)

SNP MEP Alyn Smith has today given an impassioned speech in the European parliament in Strasbourg warning that the Leave campaigns lied and broke the law, and that politicians from the campaign will do so again in the upcoming EU elections. Alyn said: "President, thank you. So as a Scotti...

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'Idiotic Westminster chaos of Brexit'

Press Release from EFA MEP Ian Hudghton (SNP)

The SNP's leader in the European Parliament, Ian Hudghton MEP, has called out the 'idiotic Westminster chaos of Brexit'. As the European Parliament debated recent developments in Brexit this afternoon, Mr Hudghton reminded MEPs that Scotland had voted to remain in the EU. He argued...

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Brexit - 'Leave a light on for Scotland'

Press Release from EFA MEP Alyn Smith (SNP)

SNP Member of the European parliament Alyn Smith has, to warm applause, urged the European Union to "leave a light on" for Scotland to find our way back to the EU if we are removed against our democratic will. The intervention was warmly applauded across the Chamber and by Presidents Tu...

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Tax avoidance

Tough new measures needed to tackle tax avoidance

Press Release by EFA MEP Jordi Solé (ERC)

The European Parliament has backed a report setting out tough new measures to tackle tax avoidance and financial crimes. This is the result of a year-long special committee which was set up to look into the matter, following several recent scandals such as Luxleaks and the Panama papers. Green...

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People together

Reform of the European Citizens' Initiative is a step forward

Press release from EFA MEP J-M Terricabras (ERC)

Catalan MEP Josep-Maria Terricabras (Greens/EFA) has welcomed today's vote in the European Parliament in favour of reforming the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). The vote passed with 535 votes in favour, 90 against and 41 abstentions. Terricabras is spokesperson for the Greens/EFA gro...

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European Union

MEP demands urgent plan for replacement of EU funds

Press release from EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

Member of the European Parliament for Wales, Jill Evans, has joined calls with a cross-party group of MEPs in a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May asking her to urgently bring forward a proposal to replace the funding provided for Wales by the EU. Wales currently benefits from billions of pound...

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Trial of Catalan political prisoners

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

EFA MEPs from Catalonia have spoken out in the European Parliament this week as the trial gets underway in Madrid of the Catalan political prisoners - government ministers, civil society leaders and former Speaker of the Catalan parliament - for seeking to assert Catalonia's right to self-determ...

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Non-compliance with EU rules on railway safety

Press release from EFA MEP Ana Miranda (Galicia)

Galician MEP Ana Miranda has insisted that the opening of infringement procedures against the Spanish state for non-compliance with EU rules on rail safety, announced last Thursday by the European Commission, should have political consequences for former Spanish ministers José Blanco and Ana ...

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Leaving the EU will devastate regional development

Press release from EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

The worst regional inequality in Europe is between London and Wales, new research has found. The research from the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) also found that the UK would be entitled to €13 billion (in excess of £11 billion) of regional development funding for the...

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