Rights and freedoms

Women's Rights: Poland

Polish government intends to withdraw support for Istanbul Convention

The Polish Minister for Social Affairs, Labour and Family has today announced their intention to withdraw Poland’s signature from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The convention, commonly referred to as the Istanbul Conventi...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 21-24 November 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included the occupational retirement provision, EU-Turkey relations, conflict minerals, the outcome of COP22, CETA & ECJ, Commission code of Conduct, emissions of atmospheric pollutants, dieselgate hearing with French Minister Ségolène Royal, ...

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Ratification of the Istanbul Convention will mean that women and girls will be guaranteed the right to live lives free from violence.   Statistics show that violence against women is a serious problem in the European Union today: 1 in 3 women in the EU has experienced sexual violence since th...

Data protection

Transatlantic deal is great step forward

The European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee has today adopted with a significant majority the EU-US data protection agreement for police and law enforcement authorities (“Umbrella agreement”). The agreement provides regulation for data protection when it comes t...

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

22.11.2016

LIVE press conference 22 November 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

EU-Turkey relations

Accession negotiations must be frozen

The European Parliament will today debate EU-Turkey relations. While there is expected to be support from a majority of MEPs for a freeze on accession negotiations with Turkey, the Greens/EFA group is also calling for pushback on Turkey's calls for enhancement of the Customs Union and Visa Liberalis...

European entry permit

Superfluous data collection

 The European Commission today presented its proposal for a new European entry permit. Under the proposals, travellers to the European Union who do not need a visa would have to apply for entry using the EU Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The system is intended to coll...

Turkey Progress Report

Accession negotiations must be put on hold

The European Commission will present today its annual report on Turkey’s progress on EU membership. Commenting ahead of the report, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said: “The EU and its Member States must strongly condemn the recent arrests and call on the Turkish government ...

Turkey

Opposition arrests a further blow to democracy and rule of law

Several members of Turkey’s opposition HDP party, including its leader Selahattin Demirtas, have been arrested and detained in Ankara.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 24-27 October 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Breaches of democracy, rule of law, fundamental rights; Commission Work Programme; Corporate Tax package; Democracy and press freedom Hungary; Key debate on conclusions of European Council; Debate on situation of journalists in Turkey; EU budget 2017; 2016 Sakharov Prize winner; CETA trade deal on hold (Thursday)

Turkey

Persecution of journalists must end

The European Parliament will today debate the situation of journalists in Turkey. Commenting ahead of the debate Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said: “The situation of journalists in Turkey, which was bad before the coup, intensifies day by day. "Thousands of journalists have been dis...

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

25.10.2016

LIVE press conference 25 October 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group