The European Parliament Goes Green!
Upon the European elections in May 2019, the Greens/EFA group has grown significantly in size and holds more seats than ever before in the European Parliament. This dossier aims to give an overview of who they are and what other actors expect from them.
Introduction
In 2009, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Green European Foundation collated the ambitions of newly elected Green Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a yearbook for the first time. This year the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Green European Foundation have teamed up again to shed light on the ideas, dreams and wishes of Green MEPs and present civil society's expectations of the Greens/EFA group. The articles and videos that make up this collection analyse the results of the elections to the European Parliament in different EU member states as well as the opportunities and challenges lying ahead to deliver on the green agenda.
About the dossier
Upon the European elections in May 2019, the Greens/EFA group has grown significantly in size and holds more seats than ever before in the European Parliament. How can they take advantage of their increased influence to implement urgent changes in various policy fields over the next five years? How can they cooperate with civil society and grassroots movements to come up with successful policy approaches to the difficult tasks ahead? This dossier aims to give an overview of who they are and what other actors expect from them.
Climate protection has finally made it onto the political agenda as a priorityEva van de Rakt, Aurélie Maréchal
Positions and expectations from NGOs
Catherine Woollard, Director of European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union
Watch on YouTube
Interview with Catherine Woollard from European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
Dharmendra Kanani, Director of Insights at Friends of Europe - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union
Watch on YouTube
Interview with Dharmendra Kanani from Friends of Europe
Jagoda Munic, Director of Friends of the Earth Europe - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union
Watch on YouTube
Interview with Jagoda Munic from Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE)
Anne Gaspard, Director of Equinet (European Network of Equality Bodies) - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union
Watch on YouTube
Interview with Anne Gaspard from European Network of Equality Bodies (Equinet)
Challenges for the EU
The political landscape is evolving across the world. Climate is a dividing line in elections from Finland to Australia, and a question to which all parties must answer. The EU elections in May 2019 saw more Green MEPs elected than ever before on the back of a surge turbocharged by street movements. Though certainly greener, overall the European Parliament is fragmented and the balance of power uncertain.
This selection of articles from the Green European Journal sketches some of the challenges facing the European Union in the years to come. As it wields its growing influence, the green movement should be prepared to direct EU policies to achieve more sustainable future for Europe and the world. From the climate crisis and growing threats to democracy to worsening employment conditions and Fortress Europe, there is much work to be done.
Further publications
Agriculture Atlas
Focus on Hungary
Energy Transition Blog
About
Published by: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union & Green European Foundation
Place of publication: www.eu.boell.org & www.gef.eu
Date of publication: July 2019
License: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0
Language of publication: English
Concept & production: Gio Megreslishvili, Nora Weis, Violette Voyer, Zora Siebert
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors alone. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Green European Foundation or the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union.