What's coming up in Parliament

Topics

• Paradise Papers: scandal shows need to implement PANA recommendations
• Malta: money laundering scandals need to be investigated
• Poland: parliament to vote on breach of EU values
• Winter plan for asylum seekers: call for action plan
• COP23: turning diplomacy into action
• Environmental Implementation Review must be stronger

Greens/EFA events

• Press briefing with Greens/EFA co-presidents (Tuesday)

Paradise Papers: scandal shows need to implement PANA recommendations
Debate on Tuesday 14 November

The Paradise Papers have highlighted once again the enormous problem posed by offshore territories and tax havens used by wealthy individuals and large companies for tax evasion and tax avoidance. The British government in particular has major questions to answer. It is unacceptable that the UK, whose overseas territories are largely involved in the scandal, is currently blocking progress on the future EU blacklist. See our press release for more details.

The European Parliament's inquiry committee into the Panama Papers (PANA) has set out a strong set of recommendations to tackle tax evasion, tax avoidance and money laundering. We want to see the establishment of a permanent investigatory committee so that the parliament can respond to future leaks and scandals. More on the PANA recommendations on our website.

Malta: money laundering scandals need to be investigated
Debate on Tuesday 14 November

Action is needed in Malta to tackle money-laundering and ensure that journalists and whistle-blowers are protected. The shocking murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, whose work was crucial in uncovering the murky reality of corruption in Malta, raised serious concerns about the safety of journalists. Revelations by the ICIJ consortium in April 2016 showed that a Minister and the chief of staff of the Prime Minister owned shell companies in tax havens but investigations on Panama Papers revelations have not been forthcoming.

Poland: parliament to vote on breach of EU values
Debate Wednesday 15 November

We have serious concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary and public media, the freedoms of NGOs and civil society, and for women’s rights and environment protection. In light of the Polish government's continued failure to comply with the fundamental values of the EU, we will support a motion which would instruct the committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs to draw up a report on the infringement of fundamental principles and values by the Polish Government.

Winter plan for asylum seekers: call for action plan
Debate on Wednesday 15 November

As winter sets in, urgent action is needed to prevent suffering and loss of life in the overcrowded hotspots in Greek islands. Approximately 5,000 people currently live in the Moria camp, which has a capacity of around 2,000. Many of them currently live in summer tents and have to sleep on the floor on thin sleeping mats or blankets, including seriously ill and disabled migrants, pregnant women, children and survivors of torture and other trauma. We call for an action plan to be launched as a matter of urgency by the Greek authorities, with the support of the European Commission to ensure that asylum seekers on the islands are transferred to adequate housing on mainland Greece and have access to medical care, including mental healthcare. We also want to speed up the relocation of those eligible and to prioritise and ensure family reunification.

COP23: turning diplomacy into action
Until 17th November, Bonn

With President Trump pulling out of the Paris Agreement, there is a need for international leadership. This year, heads of states and governments cannot simply reaffirm their commitment to limit global warming to safer levels. They need to make substantive progress on the rules and processes in order to implement the decision made in Paris in December 2015. The G20, and Europe in particular, must abandon their addiction to fossil fuels but also move forward on the so call ‘solidarity package’, which includes making progress on health, education, gender, and human rights.

This week, the issue of conflicts of interest was raised at the COP by Greens/EFA MEP Max Andersson. A group of developing countries is leading the charge to demand the introduction of a conflicts of interest policy in the UN Climate Change negotiations, and they are supported in this endeavour by NGOs, Green politicians, and other countries. You can read more on our website.

Environmental Implementation Review must be stronger
Oral question Wednesday 15 November

We need to ensure that the serious structural deficiencies in environmental implementation are addressed. While we welcome the Commission’s approach, we want to see if strengthened and given greater political relevance.

-----

Co-presidents press briefing
Tuesday 14 November – 10.30-10.50, EP press room LOW N -1/201

Press briefing with Greens/EFA co-presidents on the key issues of the session for the Greens/EFA group. Also live-streamed on our website.