The 34th European Green Party Council was held on 1 - 4 December 2021. It brought together our Green family online to decide on a joint political trajectory for the next period ahead and celebrate our successes.
As we come into the new year, the European Greens have set forth new priorities for 2022. The first is combatting the climate crisis and ensuring a Green Recovery from the COVID pandemic. Secondly, we will be increasing our policy leadership: as Greens rise in the polls and take on more duties in local and national governments, the Green agenda is also getting more ambitious and action-oriented. Thirdly, we will be focusing on fostering strong relations between member parties. Fourthly, we'll be strengthening our regional strategies and the Local Councillors Network. And lastly, we are very keen to deepen our relations with civil society.
We are also announcing several campaigns in 2022. We will continue our successful climate campaign and build a new feminist campaign on trans rights. This latest campaign is built on the resolution on trans rights in 2020 and brings together our member parties and Gender and Queer network. As part of the SOLIDAR network, we will also engage in their Just Transition for Social Justice campaign.
The 12 resolutions summarised below have also been voted on by member parties and groups across Europe and adopted as of 4 December. This Council's resolutions, which put into writing our common positions that were voted on at the event, tackle topics that are on the forefront of the Green agenda at this time such as dismantling fortress Europe, solidarity for Lebanon, strengthening resilience in municipalities, and much more! The final resolutions below represent a united Green position on the issues.
Anti-corruption, transparency and participation need to be at the heart of distributing EU funds
Tabled by the Committee of the European Green Party
In recent years, the EU has experienced a crisis in the rule of law whereby the values of political integrity have been seriously undermined in several Member States. EU institutions and Member States must act to prevent these dangers from becoming systemic. The European Commission's Resilience and Recovery Facility (RRF), cohesion policy including the Just Transition Fund (JTF), European Investment Bank's (EIB) funding and other tools to boost post-pandemic recovery and climate transition provide a significant opportunity to contribute to the necessary change. The resolution sets forth a list of measures to be implemented, including making EU spending conditional on respecting the rule of law and open contracting measures.
A common position on Afghanistan
Tabled by Miljöpartiet de gröna, Sweden
During the Taliban takeover of Kabul between 14 August and 1 September 2021, more than 123,000 Afghan civilians were evacuated by US forces and its coalition partners. The crisis comes on top of the 2.2 million Afghan refugees already living in neighbouring countries and over 3.5 internally displaced Afghans forced to flee their homes inside Afghanistan's borders. The resolution aims to set a baseline for how the EU needs to act in the current situation in order to provide the best immediate support for the people of Afghanistan. It proposes that a European approach to the situation must be built on two pillars: 1) grant protection to those who seek it; and 2) increase and improve the support for and protection of the people who remain in the country.
Upholding the prospect of EU integration of the Western Balkans
Tabled by the Committee of the European Green Party
The European Union is a community of values. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and for human rights, including the rights of those belonging to minorities, constitute the foundation of the EU. This is the right moment to accelerate the EU's enlargement policy with the aim of accelerating the accession of Western Balkan states. This resolution puts forth that EU foreign policy should be focused on the integration, democratisation, stabilisation, and reconciliation of and in the Western Balkans.
Future Relations with Russia must be based on values, the rule of law and fundamental rights
Tabled by the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament
The Russian government continues its systematic efforts to move its country further away from standards of international law, democracy and human rights. It is time to define our positions based on our green values, including sustainability, transparency, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The resolution aims to shape Europe's relationship with the Russian Federation to 1) ensure regional and global peace and stability and preserve norms of international law, 2) restore and secure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in Europe, 3) prioritise human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and 4) keep and create possibilities for collaboration to solve common problems.
European solidarity for Lebanon
Tabled by Groen, Belgium
Lebanon is suffering from a financial crisis, which has been further accelerated by COVID-19 and the Beirut port explosion in 2020, and resulted in the highest inflation rates in the world, putting 82% of the population in poverty. Meanwhile, in the past, humanitarian aid has often disappeared into the pockets of a corrupt political class. Yet, it is crucial that the European Union Europe continues to provide development and humanitarian aid in to Lebanon, in the hour of its greatest need. This resolution proposes to urge the European Union and its Member States to only sanction those directly responsible for the current crisis and to continue supporting civil society in the Lebanese Republic.
Fortress Europe? No, thanks!
Tabled by Europa Verde – Verdi, Italy
In October 2021, 12 EU Member States (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia) asked the European Commission to finance the construction of walls along their borders using EU funds. Meanwhile, more and more EU countries have already announced, started or completed plans to build walls and fences along their outer borders to keep out migrants and asylum seekers. The resolution sets forth several steps to oppose this trend of 'Fortress Europe', such as calling on the Greens in each Member State to promote a fair and humane approach to migration, political asylum, reception and integration policies. It also calls on EU institutions to strongly condemn the construction of walls and militarisation of border management, as well as the inhumane treatment to which migrants are subjected at all external borders of the Union.
European leadership for global climate action
Tabled by Committee of the European Green Party
At the United Nations Climate Conference (COP26), progress was made on finalising the Paris Agreement rulebook, introducing new emission commitments, and funding pledges and international initiatives. But once most countries updated their 2030 emissions targets (Nationally Determined Contributions – NDCs), the world is still heading towards a global heating of 2.5°C, spelling disaster for people and ecosystems around the world. To bridge the gap, the EU must cut emissions by at least 65% by 2030 compared to 1990 and reach climate neutrality by 2040 at the latest. This resolution calls on the EU and European countries to take measures to radically strengthen international climate action, such as negotiating a treaty to phase out fossil fuels, increasing international climate finance, climate-proofing trade and making polluters pay.
Building resilient green municipalities of the future
Tabled by the Committee of the European Green Party
The COVID crisis and climate crisis have proved that there is a need for active municipalities that are able to work continuously on their resilience, adapt to new conditions and innovate. Regions and municipalities are also at the forefront of citizens' engagement with public decision-making and participation and thus a cornerstone of democracy in the EU. This resolution emphasises the importance of long-term plans in various sectors such as urban planning and mobility to strengthen environmental, climate and social resilience, support independent access to resources by municipalities, welcome new forms of civic participation, and much more.
Towards better implementation of European environmental legislation
Tabled by Miljöpartiet de gröna, Sweden
The Green Deal currently being pursued by the Van der Leyen Commission is an important step in EU policy. Nevertheless, despite costly infringement cases, the implementation of environmental legislation must be improved. Through law enforcement and judicial cooperation, Europe must ensure that misconduct is effectively investigated and that wrongdoers are properly punished both at home and abroad. This resolution calls for various initiatives to do so, such as committing more resources to pursuing cases against infringements of environmental legislation, promoting the implementation of high environmental standards across Europe with implementation at appropriate levels of governance, and making EU environmental legislation clearer and more robust.
Energy poverty: A just energy transition of European regions means energy poverty eradication.
Tabled by Verdes Equo, on behalf of the MED Network, Spain
Access to energy is directly related to the well-being of society and people. Actions as basic as cooking, preserving food, access to hot water, lighting, etc. require access to energy which, unfortunately, is not always equally guaranteed. This situation is known as energy poverty. Far from considering energy as a common good and a basic right to be guaranteed, energy in Europe has been controlled by monopolies and oligopolies, to the benefit of the few companies that dominate the markets. This resolution stresses the importance of tackling energy poverty and calling governments and the EU act now so that this winter the right to energy is guaranteed.
Electric cars serving climate, employment, environment and social justice: a role for European industries
Tabled by Europe Ecologie - Les Verts, France
In the EU, transport accounts for 27% of CO2 emissions, and the personal car is responsible for around 12% of total EU emissions of CO2. In order to become environmentally friendly, our approach to mobility has to change; transport policy should aim to reduce dependence on and use of private cars wherever possible, reduce the necessary distances where possible, and promote public transport. This resolution aims to set the framework the role of electrification in the decarbonisation of mobility, where the electric car can be a partial solution. It proposes to 1) ensure the sustainability of vehicle and battery production throughout the value chain, 2) support electric cars should in areas where public transport and active modes are difficult to achieve and 3) anticipate this shift in EU industrial policy.
End the humanitarian crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border
Tabled by tabled by Partia Zieloni, Poland
The current situation at the EU´s Eastern border with Belarus can only be described as a severe
humanitarian crisis. For several months, the Belarussian regime has been sending men, women and children, who want to flee their homes, to its border region with the EU, predominantly Poland. Many people are sleeping rough on bare ground with no access to food, clean water or medical assistance. This resolution strongly condemns the failure of EU member states to act in accordance with EU law their human rights obligations by denying people access to asylum. It calls for urgent action such as asking that EU member states grant effective access to fair asylum procedures to people stranded in the border region and offer relocation, and demanding that the Polish authorities let ensure access to the border zone for journalists, medical workers, NGOs and volunteers.
