Today the constitutional committee of the European Parliament voted on proposals to change the internal rules of procedure of the Parliament (“Corbett report”). The changing of the rules caused intensive debates over minority rights in the Parliament, lobby transparency, stricter rules on integrity and transparency. The Greens had presented a “plan for integrity and transparency […]
Billions of tax avoidance: BASF has built up a perfidious tax policy
A report published today by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament reveals how the German chemical multinational BASF has been avoiding paying taxes in the European Union on a grand scale for years. The company BASF makes targeted use of tax advantages in individual countries, and particularly benefits from tax havens such as Belgium, […]
Parliament on EU budget: No Christmas bonus for former Commissioners without better integrity rules
On this Wednesday, the European Parliament has voted on the EU budget 2017 and the revision of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). Several Green amendments were adopted by majority. These include a freeze of 20 percent of the budget line, from which ex-Commissioners receive their transitional allowance payments for 3 years. The freeze will only […]
Despite global efforts in fighting tax dodging: ever more money hidden in tax havens
The Greens / EFA group has commissioned a study to look at the amount of wealth hidden by individuals in tax havens. Sarah Godar (HWR Berlin) and Hannes Fauser (FU Berlin) have concluded offshore financial centres seem to be doing fine, despite the financial crisis and the international efforts to increase financial transparency. Wealth from […]
Transparency and integrity in the European Parliament: petition and start of negotiations next week
Conservatives, Social Democrats and Liberals are still blocking more lobby transparency and tougher integrity rules in the European Parliament. Meanwhile, more than 47,000 EU citizens support a petition to call on MEPs to lift the blockade against a reform of lobby transparency and integrity rules. Our petition had initially been launched in German and English. […]
Letter to EU President Tusk on CETA
In an open letter to EU President Donald Tusk, the co-presidents and trade spokespersons of the Greens/EFA Group demand that the decision on signature, conclusion and provisional application of CETA is withdrawn from the agenda of today’s Trade Minister Council meeting in Luxembourg. They argue that the Council lacks the institutional and political legitimacy to […]