Saudi Arabia

European Parliament calls for EU arms embargo on Saudi Arabia

The European Parliament today adopted a resolution including a call for an EU-wide arms embargo against Saudi Arabia until alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen have been fully investigated. MEPs supported the inclusion of the amendment proposed by the Greens/EFA group in a re...

Spain's 'attack on Catalan democracy'

European Free Alliance (EFA) Press release

European politicians from the European Free Alliance (EFA) have strongly criticised a decision of the Spanish constitutional court to suspend the functions of Catalonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs for five months. The Spanish government brought the case arguing that Catalonia's appointment of a Fo...

Unlocking the potential of Erasmus+

Press release from EFA MEP Ernest Maragall (Catalonia)

In a landmark report by Greens/EFA MEP Ernest Maragall, the European Parliament's Culture Committee has called for the EU's flagship Erasmus+ to do much more to promote mobility in vocational training across Europe. The report, approved by the Culture Committee today, says that whilst Erasmus+ has b...

Unlocking the potential of Erasmus+

Today our MEP Ernest Maragall has issued a report calling for Erasmus+ to do much more to promote mobility in vocational training across Europe. Mobility can greatly improve employability, but there are currently far too many barriers for young people in vocational training. With young unemployment still unacceptably high, Erasmus+ must be reformed to help unlock the full potential of Europe's young people.

Brexit vote must respect all constituent parts of UK

Press release from EFA MEP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

The UK government should only have a mandate to leave the European Union if all four constituent parts of the UK vote to leave in the forthcoming referendum, Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans has told a debate in the European Parliament. MEPs were debating the renegotiation deal in Strasbourg with European...

UK's EU membership - Alyn Smith and Jill Evans

Vote must respect all constituent parts of UK

Celtic United Front on UK EU Referendum

EFA Press release from Alyn Smith (SNP) & Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru)

MEPs Alyn Smith, Martina Anderson and Jill Evans representing the SNP, Sinn Fein and Plaid Cymru have today (Wednesday) intervened in a European Parliament debate on the EU proposals which may form a basis for agreement to be presented by the UK Prime Minster in a referendum on EU membership. All ag...

Basque prisoners and human rights

A cross-party group of MEPs is to visit the Basque Country in February to consider the situation of Basque prisoners. EFA MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras (Catalonia) and Tatjana Zdanoka (Latvia) will participate in the delegation which follows a visit to the European Parliament in March 2015 by represe...

Hearing: Deportation of Hungarians of Czechoslovakia in 1946/47

Hosted by MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras & Tamás Meszerics

MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras and Tamás Meszerics (Greens/EFA) will host a public hearing in the European Parliament to consider the issue of the forced deportation of the Hungarians of Czechoslovakia for forced labour in 1946/47. Speakers: Josep-Maria Terricabras MEP (President of the EFA Group i...

Hearing: Ruslan Kotsaba – Ukrainian prisoner of conscience

Organised by EFA MEP Tatjana Ždanoka

A hearing to consider the case of imprisoned Ukrainian journalist and blogger Ruslan Kotsaba will take place in the European Parliament on Tuesday 26 January from 14:00 to 15:30 in room ASP 5E1, organised by Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka. The Ukrainian journalist, blogger and Maidan activist Ruslan K...

Regional clusters can help drive growth

EFA MEPs met Mikel Irujo, Delegate of the Government of Navarra in Brussels, to discuss sub-state government networks in the European Union. They looked at new initiatives backed by the European Commission which focus on the approach of clustering regions. EFA MEPs with Mikel Irujo (centre) Mr Iruj...

"Lies and Double Standards" on Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

EFA MEP Tatjana Ždanoka from Latvia has criticised the 'lies and double standards' applied to the EU's relations with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Ms Ždanoka was speaking during a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the progress of the three countries towards the EU, following the...