OUR ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICIES AND STRUCTURES
The Greens/EFA Group is committed to fostering a workplace free of any type of inappropriate behaviour. This includes psychological, sexual, physical and remote harassment, as well as discrimination, including discrimination based on grounds such as race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, or sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, and which will all be equally condemned.
As an employer caring for the wellbeing, respect and dignity of its staff, Members (MEPs), accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs), local assistants, interns and external staff contractually bound, the Greens/EFA Group is dedicated to implementing a strong zero tolerance anti-harassment and misconduct policy. Consequently, these policies foresee tailored measures, which shall be commensurate to the seriousness and specificity of each situation reported.
Our policies will be regularly updated as required. The Greens/EFA Group, while enhancing its own structure, will remain committed to advocate for reform and push for more effective and independent Anti-Harassment structures in the European Parliament.
MARCH 2024
On 13 March 2024, the following measures were adopted to improve the implementation of the Group’s Anti-Harassment policy. Further comprehensive measures will come on the basis of the external assessment.
The Greens/EFA Group, while enhancing its own structure, will remain committed to advocate for reform and push for more effective and independent Anti-Harassment structures in the European Parliament.
NOVEMBER 2023
The Greens/EFA Group has always led in demanding that sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour is stamped out in politics. We have pushed for stronger measures to be put in place in the European Parliament to protect those who come forward. Cases of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour are still not dealt with adequately at an institutional level. Procedures are too slow and bureaucratic, and the onus is put on those who speak up, rather than those in power. Reforming the manner in which the EP administration handles cases of harassment remains a priority for the Greens/EFA Group.
The Green/EFA Group recognises institutional short-comings and has acted to enhance our own internal procedures to better anticipate possible issues and better protect staff. In March 2023, the Bureau of the Group agreed to revise the Group’s anti-harassment procedure, to increase victim protection, ensure procedures carried out entirely by external experts, and to include the possibility of internal sanctions.
Following an external audit, this updated Group anti-harassment policy was voted by the Group on 8 November 2023, and is in place.
