G7/EU-US Summit: Greens/EFA call for global solidarity - Quotes from Philippe Lamberts & Ska Keller
On this morning's plenary debates in the European Parliament on the upcoming G7 meeting in Cornwall (11 to 13 June) and the EU-US-Summit (Brussels, 15 June), from 09:00-11:50, Philippe Lamberts MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments:
“We urge G7 leaders to build on the finance ministers meeting and take the historic momentum and set effective limits for tax competition. The status quo will harm both national budgets, citizens and investment in public infrastructure to rebuild our economies after the Covid-19 crisis. We urge the G7 and EU leaders and in particular France, Germany, Spain and Italy to take the courageous step and set a minimum effective tax rate of 21%, which would yield double the tax revenues for the EU compared to the current proposal of 15%.
“We call for the EU governments and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to stop blocking a temporary suspension of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines and support US President Joe Biden, South Africa and India. We urge for the EU and the G7 to show global solidarity.”
Ska Keller MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments:
“We demand for strengthening the international Covid-19 initiative Covax and make the vaccines against Covid-19 a public good for the benefit of all. We need full support of ramping up global vaccine production and transfer of technology and know-how to where it is most needed. Urgent action is needed to stop dramatic biodiversity loss and protect ourselves against the next pandemic.
“We are at a crossroads in the fight against climate change. It is the European Commission's turn to come up with a climate package that fits the needs of fundamental change in climate action, saves the Green Deal and makes the EU a credible international partner. Ahead of COP26, it is now the time to team up with global leaders and to become a real climate champion in saving the climate, making climate action socially just and creating jobs for the future.”
Background
The plenary debate is starting now and can be followed live here.
Last week, the G7 finance ministers agreed on a global minimum corporate tax rate of at least 15%. The agreement is supposed to form the basis of a worldwide deal. The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament urges for G7 a clear commitment to a minimum effective tax rate of 21% and backs the proposal of US President Joe Biden. G7 leaders will also discuss climate action and a global response to the Covid-19 crisis, climate action will also be on the EU-US Summit agenda.
