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 priority
Eva van de Rakt, Aurélie Maréchal

New Green MEPs

New Green MEPs tell you who they are, how and why they joined the European Parliament and what they aim to achieve. At the end of each video you'll have an answer to a surprise question.

Watch the videos

Positions and expectations from NGOs

Catherine Woollard, Director of European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union

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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

video-thumbnail 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

video-thumbnail 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

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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.