What's coming up in Parliament

Commission ethics: questions remain on Selmayr appointment
Debate Monday 12 March

On a Greens/EFA initiative, there will be a debate on the integrity of the Commission, focussing in particular on the recent appointment of Martin Selmayr as the Commission Secretary-General. In response to a series of problems regarding ethics and conflicts and interest in the European Commission, the Greens/EFA group has called for a postponement of the discharge of the Commission's budget and for the parliament to be given the chance to properly scrutinise his appointment.

More info: Greens/EFA call for postponement of budget discharge

Next steps: The Budgetary Control committee will vote on the discharge on March 19-20.

PEST: first meeting for committee set up in wake of glyphosate saga
Monday 12 March, 20.45–21.30

The new committee on the EU authorisation procedure for pesticides will have its constitutive meeting to elect its Chair and Vice-Chairs. The committee, formed in response to the recent glyphosate saga, provides an opportunity to make sure the serious questions surrounding the transparency of the EU pesticide authorisation process are properly answered. The Greens/EFA members are Bart Staes and Michèle Rivasi.

More info: Committee will provide answers to the serious questions raised by glyphosate scandal

Brexit: parliament to set out its position
Debate Tuesday 13, Vote Wednesday 14 March

This resolution will form the parliament’s reaction to Theresa May’s Mansion House speech and its chance to shape the position of the Council ahead of their meeting on 22-23 March. The Greens/EFA group welcomed the recent proposals from the Commission to put in place a backstop to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

Tax Justice: MEPs to decide who sits on new committee
Vote Tuesday 13 March

MEPs vote on the composition of the new special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance. The key priorities for the Greens/EFA group are to ensure the follow-up of the recommendations produced by the Panama Papers inquiry committee, investigate new or unexplored topics which emerged during these investigations (such as the practice of "golden visas" and digital taxation), and to look into the Paradise Papers.

More info: Unfinished work to do on tax justice

Murder of Slovak journalist, Ján Kuciak
Debate on Wednesday 14 March

The Greens/EFA group called for this debate following the murder of the Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak and his partner Martina Kušnírová. From Thursday 8th to Friday 9th March, Greens/EFA MEP Benedek Jávor took part in a mission to Slovakia, organised in wake of the murders. They met with NGOs, journalists, senior members of the Slovak government and police. A resolution will be voted on in April.

MFF: Post Brexit budget must be ambitious
Debate Tuesday 13, vote Wednesday 14 March

The Greens/EFA group has sought to achieve a parliament position that supports maintaining the size of the EU budget after Brexit and improving the quality of spending. We want to see the EU budget brought in line with sustainable development goals and to increase climate-related spending to 30% as soon as possible. The group is also calling for increased funding for key programmes such as Erasmus+, the Youth Employment Initiative and LIFE+. The Commission will publish its MFF regulation in early May, with the legal basis for the various programmes to follow at the end of the month.

Dieselgate: Commissioner Bieńkowska on EMIS follow up
ENVI committee, Wednesday 14 March, 2pm

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will hold an exchange of views with Commissioner Bieńkowska on the follow-up to the on the recommendations of the European Parliament's Dieselgate inquiry committee (EMIS).

Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base
Debate Wednesday 14, Vote Thursday 15 March

The Greens/EFA group supports the re-launch of the EU proposal for a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB). This is a revolutionary way to tax large companies operating in Member States in order to simplify corporate taxation and fight corporate tax avoidance, which costs the EU between €50 and €70 billion a year. We are calling on the Council to adopt the proposals as soon as possible and for the Commission to present legislative proposals on a minimum corporate tax rate, to prevent a further race to the bottom on tax competition between the Member States.

Greens/EFA press conferences

Legacy of Fukushima: press conference with former PM of Japan
Wednesday 14 March, 3pm, EP press room (LOW N -1/201)

Sunday marks seven years since the Fukushima disaster. This accident demonstrated not only the terrible initial consequences of major nuclear accidents but also the major consequences for human health, the environment and national economies. To discuss the lessons of Fukushima, Philippe Lamberts and Michèle Rivasi will be joined by Naoto Kan, who was Prime Minister of Japan at the time of the incident.

Co-presidents press briefing
Tuesday 13 March, 10.30-10.50, EP press room LOW N -1/201

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