Aktuelles | 20.11.2020

Plenary Flash 23-26 November 2020

Greens/EFA priorities

Tackling homelessness rates in the EU

Addressing the housing crisis has become even more urgent with the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic, which has brought to the fore the existing inequalities in the access, affordability and quality of housing. The Parliament will vote on this resolution from the PETI Committee, which condemns the increasing homelessness rate in the EU caused by rising housing costs, reduced social protections and inadequate policies in many Member States. For the Greens/EFA group, access to housing is a fundamental right. We want to see the EU set an ambitious goal to eradicate homelessness by 2030. We particularly support the call for the Commission to propose an EU Framework for National Homelessness Strategies.

Vote on Monday
Greens/EFA MEPs: Kim van Sparrentak
More: EP’s report ‘Access to a decent and affordable housing for all’ (Green MEP Kim van Sparrentak EMPL rapporteur)

Towards a more sustainable Single Market: planned obsolescence

Sustainable consumption and production - using fewer resources and producing less waste - are key tenets of the European Green Deal. Ahead of announced legislative initiatives by the European Commission on the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution proposing measures to achieve a sustainable single market. The Greens/EFA strongly support a ban on premature obsolescence and a mandatory labelling on the estimated lifetime and repairability of a product. We can no longer allow producers to get away with creating products that are designed to break after a certain time, causing unnecessary and preventable waste.

Debate on Monday, votes on Tuesday and Wednesday
Greens/EFA MEPs: David Cormand (Rapporteur), Anna Cavazzini
More: EP’s report “Towards a more sustainable market for businesses and consumers” (Green MEP David Cormand IMCO rapporteur)

New LGBTI Equality Strategy

On Wednesday, the European Parliament will debate the recently published LGBTI Equality strategy. For many people in the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-Binary, Intersexual and Queer) community, discrimination is still an everyday reality. The Greens/EFA strongly support the Commission’s proposal to include gender-based and sexuality-based hate crimes in the list of EU crimes and welcomes the mutual recognition of parental rights across all EU countries.

Debate on Wednesday

Greens/EFA MEPs: Terry Reintke and Kim van Sparrentak
More: LGBTIQ Strategy, Greens/EFA Press Release

A New Industrial Strategy

This own-initiative report improves upon the Commission’s strategy when it comes to tackling the impacts of the COVID19 crisis and recovery, including long-term reconstruction and resilience. The Greens/EFA group supports the report, calling on the Commission to provide a clear and comprehensive policy framework that prioritises the green and digital transition, strengthens long-term competitiveness, reinforces the EU’s social and economic resilience, and that takes into account the gender dimension in the implementation of the strategy.

Presentation Monday, vote Tuesday and Wednesday
Greens/EFA MEPs: Micha Bloss (rapporteur), Henrike Hahn
More: Commission’s Industrial Strategy

Pharmaceutical Strategy

Public funding for the development of medicine is important in order to guarantee accessible and affordable medicine for all. Sadly, the actual development costs are often black boxed and pharmaceutical companies are able to charge excessive prices, while also receiving public funding that flows, not into research, but into their shareholders’ pockets. In its Pharmaceutical Strategy, the European Commission will present its proposals to tackle this problem. The Greens/EFA are calling for more transparency and a more efficient use of public funding for pharmaceutical companies.

Debate Thursday
Greens/EFA MEPs: Kim van Sparrentak and Tilly Metz

Abortion Rights in Poland

Last month, the "Constitutional Tribunal" in Poland considered the access to abortion on some grounds as unconstitutional. This will further deprive women of their reproductive and health and rights. The ruling comes amid severe concerns regarding the independence and legitimacy of the "Constitutional Tribunal", as the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Venice Commission have previously expressed. The Greens/EFA Group considers the restrictions on access to abortion a violation of human rights. We express our solidarity with the protesters and denounce the drastic deterioration of the rule of law in Poland.

Debate Wednesday, votes on Thursday
Greens/EFA MEPs: Sylwia Spurek and Terry Reintke

MFF/Recovery Plan

Following the Polish and Hungarian governments’ veto of the Multiannual Financial Framework, Recovery Fund and Own Resources package over the rule of law, MEPs will discuss the situation in the debate on the preparation of the December European Council summit on Wednesday. For the Greens/EFA it is clear that the Parliament has done its job and we stand united behind what has already been agreed. The Greens/EFA group strongly condemn the Hungarian and Polish governments' attempt to derail the entire Recovery Plan and MFF. There is no European Union without European values, which include democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

Debate on Wednesday
Greens/EFA MEPs: Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts (Co-Presidents of the Group), Rasmus Andresen (MFF) and David Cormand (Own Resources)

More: EUCO Debrief, Press Release on the MFF/Own Resources

The European Gender Action Plan for EU’s Foreign Policies will be published on Tuesday. More here
An update on our campaign for a greener Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform can be found here.
The full plenary agenda for the week can be found on the Parliament website here. The plenary sessions can be followed live here.