The 34th European Green Party Council which will be held on 1-4 December is fast approaching! Originally, we planned to hold the Council in Budapest, Hungary, but due to rising COVID-19 cases, the event has been reduced to an online statutory programme.
The Council brings together our Green family to decide on a joint political trajectory for the next period ahead. This Council's resolutions, which put into writing our common positions and are 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, and strengthening resilience in municipalities, and much more!
We are the most cohesive political family because we move ahead together. Our resolutions put into writing our common positions after in-depth discussions among the Greens and are voted on by the EGP full member parties at our Councils. We have had many resolutions since our founding in 2004, which provide mandate for action. They function as the core of our political existence and are part of our democratic and transparent decision-making processes within the European Greens. We are proud of the enormous work Green parties across Europe do to bring common positions to the Council!
The 11 draft resolutions summarised below have been tabled by member parties and groups across Europe. Their proposals will be debated and voted on by delegates during the Council. The final resolutions, which will represent a united Green position on the issues, will be published after the event.
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), Modernisation Fund, Just Transition Fund (JTF) and other tools to boost post-pandemic recovery and climate transition provide an opportunity to contribute to this 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. Today, Europe is unwilling to continue development and humanitarian aid in 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! Building bridges, breaking down walls, exploring borders
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 migration, political asylum, reception and integration policies, and calling on EU institutions to strongly condemn the construction of walls and the inhuman 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
It was hoped that COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Conference held in Glasgow held in Scotland this November would mark a turning point in humanity's efforts to tackle the climate emergency. Regrettably, current commitments still fall short of doing our fair share to limit global heating to 1.5°C. To bridge the gap, the EU must cut emissions by at least 65% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2040 at the latest. This resolution would call 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 and climate-proofing trade.
Building resilient green municipalities of the future
Tabled by the Committee of the European Green Party
The COVID crisis and its recovery 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. Municipalities are also at the forefront of citizens' engagement with public decision-making and participation. This resolution sets out to emphasise 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. This resolution proposes to commit more resources to pursuing cases against infringements of environmental legislation and to emphasise the need for common environmental action.
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.
For an industrial role for electric cars serving the climate, employment, the environment and social justice
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. Electric mobility is developing at an extremely rapid rate and this growth will accelerate because it corresponds to the strategy chosen by European public authorities to decarbonise mobility. This resolution aims to set the framework for what could be an ecological vision of the EV. It proposes to 1) ensure the sustainability of vehicle and battery production throughout the value chain, 2) favour use of EVs for local use in rural areas rather than long-trips for which trains are provided and 3) anticipate this shift in EU industrial policy.
Resolution titles and texts are subject to change following the political debates that will take place at the Council, with voting on 4 December.
