European Parliament

Europe’s Shift To The Right Must Be Countered With Mass Mobilization

June 12, 2024 Giuliano Granato, People's Dispatch. Strategize! 2024 European Parliament elections, Austerity, Elections, Europe, European Parliament, European Union (EU), Rightwing Politics, Social Movements, The Left

The composition of the new European Parliament will more or less trace the outgoing one. Much ado about nothing? Not really. It’s not just a question of how many votes and seats you get—the conservative European People’s Party (EPP) increased their share by 10 seats, and the ultra-right parties Identity and Democracy and European Conservatives and Reformists by 13—but also where and how. The ultra-right is the leading force in two key countries such as France and Italy, where it won around 30% of votes (40% if we add the votes of Zemmours Reconquuête in France and Salvinis Lega in Italy).

Mapped: Deep Ties Between Big Ag And Europe’s Right-Wing Politicians

October 19, 2023 Clare Carlile, DeSmog. Educate! Big Ag, Europe, European Parliament, Lobbying

Striding out on alpine hikes, mingling at rooftop soirées and lending office space free of charge – these are just some of the ways Big Ag has sought to win over influential EU lawmakers on critical green reforms in recent years. These relationship-building activities have helped to forge a powerful alliance in Brussels between select politicians from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and those with a commercial interest in slowing moves to more nature-friendly farming: pesticide manufacturers and farming unions linked to industry. A major investigation published earlier this month by DeSmog and Politico revealed the high volume of meetings held by six key EPP parliamentarians.

Monsanto Papers Lead To New European Parliament Pesticide Committee

January 19, 2018 Staff, Sustainablepulse.com Resist! European Parliament, Monsanto, Pesticide

The Conference of Presidents, a governing body of the European Parliament, has Thursday endorsed the mandate of a Special Committee to analyse and assess the authorisation procedure for glyphosate and other pesticides, following recent revelations from the Monsanto Papers and the Great Glyphosate Rebellion, in which many EU states have vowed to phase out the use of glyphosate-based herbicides. Following a Greens/EFA and Socialists and Democrats (S&D) initiative, the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament announced that the Special Committee will be composed of 30 members and will meet for nine months. The constituent meeting is expected in March 2018. Co-presidents of the Greens/EFA group Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts stated: “Thanks to the hard work of campaigners and environmentalists, the issue of glyphosate and other harmful pesticides has been brought to the forefront of the political debate.

European Parliament Resoundingly Votes To End Glyphosate Use

October 25, 2017 Staff, www.greenpeace.org Resist! Europe, European Parliament, glyphosate

By Staff of Greenpeace - From 16 December 2022, all remaining uses should be ruled out. This is an important shift in the Parliament's position. While today's vote is for a ban, in 2016 the Parliament had voted for a seven year licence coupled with restrictions on the uses of glyphosate. Franziska Achterberg, Greenpeace EU food policy director said: “The Parliament clearly says that glyphosate has got to go. Although the phase out periods are longer than technically needed, the Parliament’s proposal is a breath of fresh air. More than one million Europeans and now the Parliament are calling for ban on this dangerous chemical. It’s time for the Commission and national governments to hear this message.”

Monsanto Banned From Lobbying European Parliament

October 2, 2017 Whitney Webb, www.mintpressnews.com Educate! Europe, European Parliament, Lobbying, Monsanto

By Whitney Webb for Mint Press News - Monsanto, accustomed to lobbying its way to favorable treatment by governments the world over, pushed the EU Parliament too far. Banning lobbyists is a rare move, but one the EU turned to after Monsanto decided to play hardball and no-show a key regulatory hearing. Agrochemical giant Monsanto’s fight to renew the chemical license for its most popular herbicide, glyphosate (aka “Roundup”), was dealt a major blow this past Thursday when the European Parliament officially banned lobbyists representing the interests of the corporation. The move came after the controversial corporation and its lobbyists refused to attend a parliamentary hearing regarding allegations that Monsanto had sought to unduly influence studies examining glyphosate’s safety. As a result of the ban, Monsanto officials and those on the company’s payroll will be unable to meet with members of the EU Parliament (MEPs), attend parliamentary committee meetings, or use digital resources available in Brussels or Strasbourg. During fiscal year 2016, Monsanto spent between €300,000 to €400,000 (c. $354,000 to $471,000) on lobbying efforts at the EU Parliament. Given parliament’s looming decision regarding the renewal of glyphosate’s license, it is likely that such spending has been greater over the past year.

EU Parliament Adopts Call for an Arms Embargo Against Saudi Arabia

February 29, 2016 Sharmini Peries, www.therealnews.com Resist! Embargo, European Parliament, Saudi Arabia

By Sharmini Peries for The Real News - On Thursday the European parliament called on the European Union to impose an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying that Britain, France, and the EU government should no longer sell weapons to a country accused of targeting civilians in Yemen. EU lawmakers voted 359 in favor, 212 against, with 31 abstentions from the formal call for an EU embargo. Although the vote is not legally binding, lawmakers hope it will pressure the European Union to act.

VIDEO: Solidarity To Greece By European Parliament Left

July 6, 2015 SYRIZA European Parliament, www.popularresistance.org Organize! Austerity, European Parliament, Greece, Solidarity

By SYRIZA European Parliament. Brussels - On Wednesday, July 1, 2015, during Greek negotiations with the Troika and in advance of the vote on the Greek referendum, members of the European Parliament on the Left gave statements of support for the people of Greece. They held signs that said "Solidarity with Greece" and "No to austerity" and Greek flags. The members of Parliament were with the GUE/NGL which stands for the United European Left and the Nordic Green Left. The statements by eleven members of Parliament representing nine political parties are in English.

TTIP Chaos In Strasbourg

June 14, 2015 Khinezar Tint, www.globaljustice.org.uk Resist! Europe, European Parliament, European Union (EU), TTIP

By Khinezar Tint for Global Justice Now. On the evening of the 9th of June the EU Parliament decided to postpone a crucial plenary vote on the TTIP resolution a day before the vote was to occur. I was in Strasbourg representing Students Against TTIP in the Europe-wide campaign against the toxic trade deal when this snap decision occurred. Myself and other activists from across Europe had already begun planning our action for the morning of the vote when we heard the surprising news: that once again another spanner had been thrown in the works of the great whirring machine that is TTIP. The plenary vote that was supposed to take place was to be on a series of amendments to the TTIP resolution that was voted on in late May this year. Hundreds of amendments were submitted. The fact that so many amendments had been submitted for the resolution showed just how devisive the issue of TTIP had become in European Parliament, something that would have not occurred if it weren’t for the dedicated effort of European activists and campaigners who have brought TTIP, a trade deal that could have easily passed by in obscurity, to light—as made evident by a recent petition against TTIP that has already received two million signatures (and still counting)!

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