Plenary Flash - 3-6 October 2022

Energy prices: Vote on the resolution and debate on excess profits and cost of living

Ahead of next Wednesday's vote on the resolution on the EU’s response to the increase in energy prices in Europe, the Greens/EFA Group call for supporting households, especially those in energy poverty, as well as SMEs during this crisis. Member States must ban forced disconnections from energy supply and evictions from homes and support small businesses. Multinational companies and financial actors, not only those from the energy sector, that are making excessive profits, shall be subject to a windfall tax for the whole duration of this crisis to pay their fair share. Revenues must be targeted to vulnerable households and shared between Member States in full solidarity. The Greens/EFA Group calls for an immediate and full embargo on fossil fuels and uranium imports from Russia. Binding energy reduction targets and massive investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy are needed to stop energy dependence. EU Member States shall work together more closely to lower gas prices, such as through the common purchasing and a price cap on imports while avoiding investments into new fossil fuel infrastructure that will be wasted as we head towards a climate neutral economy.

Vote: Wednesday, 5 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Marie Toussaint, Bas Eickhout, Jutta Paulus, Philippe Lamberts, Ernest Urtasun, Thomas Waitz

More:

• Resolution 
• Read the Greens/EFA Study on Renewable Energy
• Read the Greens/EFA Energy Poverty Handbook
   

Commission proposal for measures under the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation in the case of Hungary

During the last plenary, MEPs declared that Hungary is no longer a democracy, but a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy. As the guardian of the Treaties, the European Commission is tasked with ensuring that European values, including the rule of law and democracy are guaranteed across the EU. Last week, the Commission proposed measures for Hungary to protect the EU budget from the systemic corruption of the Fidesz government in public procurement, under the rule of law conditionality mechanism. The Commission's problem map is too narrow and the measures proposed are inadequate to address systemic corruption and state capture in Hungary let alone problems linked to the independence of the judiciary.

The measures proposed by Hungary in response do not go far enough to solve the narrow subset of  issues around corruption and will not necessarily be implemented, and can easily be retracted. Furthermore, it is impossible to measure the effectiveness of these measures before the Council takes a decision (within a maximum of three months). The Commission should launch a new conditionality check based on the problems with the independence of the judiciary, where the budgetary implications are clear-cut, and the Council should take firm action to protect EU taxpayers money used to consolidate Orban's hybrid regime.

Debate: Tuesday, 4 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Terry Reintke, Daniel Freund, Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield

More: MEPs recognize Hungary no longer fully democratic

A common charger for electronic devices

In two years, consumers in the EU will finally be able to charge mobile phones, tablets, and digital cameras with one single cable. The common charger for electronic devices will reduce electronic waste, save resources, limit extraction of raw materials, and is a victory for the environment as well as for consumers in the EU. The Greens/EFA Group has pushed for this to be as widely applicable as possible, and as a result, the standard USB-C cable will be able to fast charge any small-medium device from laptops to e-readers in the future as well. The group has also pushed for the so-called unbundling of chargers and devices, allowing consumers to buy them separately.

Debate/vote: Tuesday, 4 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Anna Cavazzini
 

The death of Mahsa Amini and the repression of women's rights protesters in Iran - Debate with High Representative Borelli with resolution

On Tuesday afternoon, the European Parliament is going to debate and vote on a resolution about the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini and the repression of women's rights protesters in Iran. The Greens/EFA Group strongly condemn the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini, Hadis Najafi and all other victims of unrestrained violence of security forces. The Greens/EFA Group call on the Council and Commission to demand that Iranian authorities immediately stop violence against protesters and to keep the internet accessible for all. We also call to support NGOs and international action keeping the country's population connected to information, platforms for expression, and the outside world. The EU needs to put pressure on the Iranian authorities to release all peaceful protesters, activists and journalists, such as Niloofar Hamedi, the journalist who broke the story of Mahsa Zhina Amini's arrest and killing. Furthermore, there needs to be an independent, impartial and effective investigation into the circumstances of Mahsa Zhina Amini's death and those responsible need to be held accountable in a fair trial.

Debate: Tuesday, 4 October
Vote: Thursday, 6 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Ernest Urtasun

Accessibility in the EU Internal Market

The Accessible EU Centre will soon be created by the Commission, impacting the lives of 100 million persons with disabilities throughout the EU. This report, on initiative of the Greens/EFA Group, calls on the Commission to guarantee an ambitious and inclusive Centre. This requires adequate funding and more cooperation with accessibility professionals, organisations representing people with disabilities, public and private actors at national and EU level. The goal is to tackle the lack of qualified accessibility experts, as well as to support the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of accessibility-related legislation and make the life of persons with disabilities easier.

Debate/vote: Tuesday, 4 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Katrin Langensiepen, Rapporteur for the European Parliament

Ocean Governance and the protection of biodiversity

International scientific reports show that better governance of oceans and protection of marine biodiversity is urgently needed. While certain legislation is in place in the EU, this has not led to a significant recovery or protection of marine ecosystems. In view of the COP15 in Montreal and ongoing UN negotiations on an international ocean treaty, the Greens/EFA Group calls for concrete measures, including a deep sea mining moratorium, the prohibition of all environmentally damaging extractive industrial activities in marine protected areas, two additional protected areas in the Antarctic, enhanced protection of the Arctic region, including a prohibition on oil and gas exploration, and a just transition away from fossil fuels through a prohibition on new offshore drilling licences.

Debate/vote: Monday, 3 October
Greens/EFA MEPs: Grace O’Sullivan

MORE:

• Situation of Roma people living in settlements in the EU
  MEP: Romeo Franz
  Debate: Tuesday, 4 October
• Access to water as a human right
  MEP: Mounir Satouri
  Debate: Tuesday, 4 October
• Humanitarian situation after the devastating floods in Pakistan and the climate crisis
  Debate: Wednesday, 5 October
  MEP: Alviina Alametsä

LINKS

• Group Presidents, Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts will hold the plenary session press briefing at Tuesday, 4 October at 10:40.
• The full plenary agenda for the week can be found on the Parliament website here.
• The plenary sessions can be followed live here.