A series of big topics were on the agenda for Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg between 12-15 March. Arguably the most important was a debate and vote on the EU’s post-2020 budget. It is one in a series of steps that will lay out the future priorities of the Europe’s political union. 

Bertrand Piccard, the initiator, chairman, and co-pilot, of Solar Impulse which made the first successful round-the-world solar powered flight presented a new project during the European Ideas Lab in Brussels

Former German Green party leader Cem Özdemir delivered a hard-htitting speech at Germany's Bundestag on 22 February comparing the country's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to the Nazis. He accused the AfD of seeking to impose Nazi-style press censorship and “despising everything modern Germany stands for”

Thomas Waitz, Member of European Parliament (MEP) and European Green Party committee member, says the authorisation procedure for herbicides such as glyphosate must become more transparent. He is critical of previous studies, which he says rely too heavily on input from big industrial players, such as the American agricultural giant Monsanto

Today, 22 February marks our 14th anniversary as the European Green Party. Borne out of a shared ambition for a new kind of politics, Green parties have put the health of our planet at its core so that future generations have the opportunity to live fulfilling and meaningful lives in a sustainable world. We are now proud to boast 44 member parties from across Europe and beyond

In a letter to the EU environment commissioner Karmenu Vella, the German government said it was "considering public transport free of charge in order to reduce the number of private cars" in 5 German cities, including former capital Bonn and industrial cities Essen and Mannheim.  The move is an attempt to meet EU air pollution targets and avoid being handed down a big fine for exceeding limits

Frassoni says she is extremely concerned by the racially motivated shootings on 3 February in Macerata, central Italy by Luca Traini, a failed election candidate for Italy’s far-right Northern League