PLENARY FLASH: 10-13 March

Europe must be united in the face of Russian aggression and America’s shift to autocracy. The EU must show leadership and take responsibility for its own freedom and security. It is now time to strengthen our defence capabilities by increasing spending on security and defence. Bold investments are essential to guarantee a stable and lasting peace for the people of Ukraine. EU countries should pool parts of their defence budgets and procure jointly to deliver additional support to Ukraine and expand Europe’s conventional capabilities. The EU needs to move beyond the economic orthodoxy on austerity and outdated fiscal rules and support European defence, security and prosperity through joint borrowing and investments. The Greens/EFA support the ReArm Europe initiative but insist on EU member states finally working closer together on cooperation.

The Greens/EFA call on the EU and its Member States to increase efforts to help Ukraine defend itself. We must enable Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position to negotiate a just and lasting peace on its own terms. 

• Debates: Tuesday, 11 March 
• Votes:  Wednesday, 12 March
• MEP: Mārtiņš Staķis, Hannah Neumann, Sergey Lagodinsky, Villy Søvndal

Next Tuesday, the Commission will come out with a new proposal on the ‘returns’ of migrants and failed asylum seekers, replacing the 2008 Return Directive (and the 2018 recast proposal). Our Group is not opposed to safe, dignified and voluntary return for people without the right to stay in the EU, provided that they have had access to fair procedures, and our Group agrees that EU return policy could be improved. However, we have serious concerns about the expected reform proposal as being neither dignified nor effective. The reforms are based on a shift from prioritising voluntary returns towards a default of forced deportations, entailing prolonged, often arbitrary detention as well as inhumane coercive measures. We are fundamentally opposed to the use of so-called ‘return hubs’, which entail significant human rights risks and shift the responsibility for taking care of people needing to return from the EU to third countries. The Greens/EFA Group have long argued for a more safe, dignified and effective EU asylum and migration system based on evidence-based policies.

Proposal expected Tuesday 11th of March. 

• MEP: Tineke Strik, European Parliament Rapporteur for the 2018 recast of the Return Directive
• More: Migration Pact fails to deliver real solidarity & respect for fundamental rights

The Clean Industrial Deal is a first step into a joint industrial future. The Clean Industrial Deal is an opportunity to develop a European industry and create millions of jobs while achieving our climate neutrality goals. The Green Deal is the key to European competitiveness, more jobs and lower energy prices for industry and consumers. Any attempt to scrap the Green Deal will harm the predictability of the investment environment for companies. Slowing down our energy transition will only prolong our fossil dependencies and would undermine our strategic autonomy. Billions currently spent on expensive fossil fuels imports must be channelled into investment in renewables, energy efficiency and electrification.

The Greens/EFA Group calls on the European Commission to propose a roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels and harmful subsidies. The EU needs massive investment in wind, solar, geothermal energy, storage and electricity grids. It’s also crucial to build a domestic manufacturing base for EU green industries. Made in Europe must become the hallmark of the EU as a market leader in green materials. 

The Greens/EFA Group has presented its own plan to create jobs, reduce energy costs and promote investment. 

• Debate: Tuesday, 11 March
• MEPs: Bas Eickhout, Sara Matthieu, Michael Bloss

At the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group, MEPs will debate on Wednesday the need to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities. It is now more important than ever for the EU to sever ties with Russian energy and speed up our investment in renewables in order to decrease Russia's ability to wage this war. The Commission's act to postpone the adoption of the Roadmap to phase out Russian energy commodities for the second time makes this debate even more urgent.

The Greens/EFA Group also call for making full use of seized Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s defence in accordance with international law. The EU must not only use the profits deriving from these assets, but search for legal avenues to utilise the assets themselves to assist Ukraine.

• Debates: Wednesday, 12 March
• MEPs: Ville Niinistö

The Greens/EFA welcome the fall of the Assad regime. The EU must support a Syrian-led political transition that includes all segments of the country, in particular women, to unite and rebuild. The Greens/EFA Group calls on the EU and Member States to use all diplomatic channels to advocate for the stabilisation of Syria and oppose external interference. Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity needs to be respected.

The Greens/EFA Group also call on the EU to prioritise its support for transitional justice and ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes and brought to justice. We welcome the European Council’s decision to lift sectoral sanctions as a positive step towards alleviating the suffering of millions of Syrians and enable recovery. We also call for all other sanctions that negatively impact humanitarian operations, the economic and social rights of Syrians and their access to basic services, or impact Syrian financial institutions to be lifted.
In the current evolving political and security situation, Syria cannot be deemed a safe country. The return of any refugee or asylum seeker needs to be voluntary and safe in full accordance with international law and the principles set out by UNHCR.

• Debate: Tuesday, 12 March
• MEP: Hannah Neumann