Here, at the end of the week, I give an overview of my work and the currently important debates and issues in the European Parliament.

Calendar week 42

Welt-TV: Fluchtursachen bekämpfen und nicht Geflüchtete

Statt weiter Vorschläge zu machen, die das Chaos und Leid an den Außengrenzen nur verstärken, sollten wir in der EU zunächst mal das Gemeinsame Europäische Asylsystem (GEAS) umsetzen, das wir erst diesen Sommer beschlossen haben. Im Interview mit Welt TV habe ich außerdem gewarnt, dass wir die Ursachen für die weltweit wachsende Zahl an Geflüchteten bekämpfen müssen – also Klimawandel, Kriege und andere Krisen – statt Geflüchtete selbst. Für Deals mit Drittstaaten gilt: Nur unter Einhaltung der Menschenrechte! Es kann nicht sein, dass Schutzsuchende in Ländern wie Tunesien missbraucht, gefoltert und zum Sterben in der Wüste ausgesetzt werden, nur damit weniger Menschen es bis an die europäischen Außengrenzen schaffen.

DLF-Kultur: Das Albanien-Modell ist keine Lösung, sondern verschleiert die echten Herausforderungen

Diese Woche hat Italien das erste Mal Schutzsuchende, die aus Seenot gerettet wurden, in ein albanisches Haftlager gebracht, wo ihre Asylanträge nun in einem Schnellverfahren behandelt werden. Genau einen Tag später hat ein Gericht in Rom diese Entscheidung übrigens auch schon wieder gekippt, weil die Personen unrechtmäßig dorthin gebracht wurden. Für mich ist das “Albanien-Modell” nur ein weiteres Symptom der Grundeinstellung vieler EU-Staaten, die nach der einen perfekten Lösung suchen, ihrer Verantwortung nicht nachkommen zu müssen. Sie verschleiern damit bloß, mit welchen Herausforderungen wir es wirklich zu tun haben. Es ist außerdem naiv zu denken, dass die Auslagerung von Asylverfahren oder die Misshandlung von Menschen an den Außengrenzen langfristig dazu führen wird, dass weniger Menschen versuchen werden, in Europa Schutz zu finden. Mehr dazu in meinem DLF Kultur-Interview.

Wer profitiert von Global-Gateway – Veranstaltung im Europäischen Parlament

Am Mittwoch haben Udo Bullmann und ich gemeinsam mit den NGOs Counter Balance, Eurodad und Oxfam den Bericht “Who profits from the Global Gateway” im Europäischen Parlament vorgestellt. Die Studie wirft viele Fragen auf, zum Beispiel inwiefern die Global Gateway-Strategie und die versprochenen 300 Milliarden wirklich dem “Globalen Süden” zugutekommen. Von den 40 untersuchten Projekten hat keines einen konkreten entwicklungspolitischen Mehrwert für die Partnerländer gebracht; stattdessen haben vor allem europäische Unternehmen profitiert. Außerdem sieht es so aus, als würden menschen- und umweltrechtliche Standards nicht eingehalten. Deshalb muss es dringend mehr parlamentarische Kontrolle und größere Transparenz bezüglich der Projekte geben, sowie eine bessere Einbindung in die Governance-Struktur.

Plenary Week October I in Strasbourg

Binnengrenzkontrollen in Deutschland und Europa

Ein besonders wichtiges Thema dieser Plenarwoche waren die eingeführten Binnengrenzkontrollen in Mitgliedstaaten wie Deutschland. Diese nur für den Notfall gedachte Maßnahme wird aktuell eher zu einer Regelmäßigkeit, die den Schengenraum als eine der wichtigsten europäischen Errungenschaften massiv gefährdet. 

Gerade im deutschen Fall hat die Regierung die Kontrollen weder mit den Nachbarn noch der EU-Kommission abgesprochen – so geht man in Europa nicht miteinander um. Außerdem verspricht man den Bürger*innen, dass man mit diesen ineffektiven Kontrollen irreguläre Migration verhindern kann, was praktisch überhaupt nicht umsetzbar ist. Damit treibt man die Menschen in die Arme von Rechtsextremisten. Meine ganze Rede dazu (ab Min 19:10:51). Zum Artikel von RP-Online.

Debatte um mehr Frontex-Unterstützung

In der Debatte um mehr Frontexbeamt*innen fehlt es mir an Ehrlichkeit: Seit Jahren wird immer mehr Geld in Strukturen investiert, mit dem Versprechen, dass es dann am Ende weniger Asylanträge gibt. Wären wir wirklich ehrlich, müssten wir aber dazu sagen, dass jeder Mensch, der an einer europäischen Außengrenze steht, das Recht hat, dort Asyl zu beantragen und ein rechtsstaatliches Verfahren zu bekommen. Durch mehr Grenzbeamte also weniger Asylanträge zu haben, ist ein Versprechen, dass Demokrat*innen so nicht einlösen können, ohne den Grundsatz der Rechtsstaatlichkeit an unseren Grenzen aufzugeben. Für mich bedeutet Grenzen schützen aber in erster Linie auch, dass Menschenrechte an den Grenzen geschützt werden. Davon sind wir gerade weit entfernt. Meine ganze Rede dazu im Plenum könnt ihr euch hier anschauen (ab Min 16:54:23).

Menschenrechtsresolutionen in Straßburg

In dieser Plenarwoche haben wir uns dafür eingesetzt, dass Menschenrechtsverletzungen in China, der Türkei und im Irak endlich Konsequenzen haben. 

Ich war dabei verantwortlich für die Entschließung zu Menschenrechtsverletzungen in China. Dort verübt die Regierung seit Jahren schwerste Verbrechen an den Uiguren, einer muslimischen Minderheit, die in “Umerziehungslagern” in der Region Xinjiang unter anderem gefoltert und zwangssterilisiert werden. Wir stehen hinter den Menschenrechtsverteidigern Ilham Tohti und Gulshan Abbas und den vielen anderen, die sich seit Jahren gegen diese Verbrechen stark machen. Wir fordern ihre sofortige Freilassung und Auskunft über ihren Aufenthaltsort, Zugang für ihre Familien und Anwälte sowie ausreichende medizinische Versorgung. Von der Wirtschaft erwarten wir, dass sie umgehend sicherstellt, dass in ihren Lieferketten unter keinen Umständen Produkte zum Einsatz kommen, die durch Zwangsarbeit der Uiguren geschaffen wurden. Hier meine Rede dazu (ab Min 21:14:38).

Wir sind außerdem sehr besorgt über die anhaltende Verschlechterung der Pressefreiheit und demokratischen Standards in der Türkei und die gezielte Verfolgung von unabhängigen Journalist*innen, Aktivist*innen und Oppositionellen. Insbesondere das Urteil gegen den deutsch-türkischen Journalisten Bülent Mumay verurteilen wir schwer und fordern die türkischen Behörden nachdrücklich auf, die Anklagen gegen ihn und alle willkürlich inhaftierten Regimekritiker*innen sofort fallen zu lassen.

In der Irak-Entschließung fordern wir das dortige Parlament auf, die Änderungen des Personenstandsgesetzes unverzüglich und in vollem Umfang abzulehnen. Der Gesetzesvorschlag ist ein klarer Verstoß gegen die internationalen Verpflichtungen des Irak in Bezug auf die Grundrechte der Frauen und wird dazu führen, dass die Scharia noch radikaler angewendet wird. Wir unterstützen alle Frauen, einschließlich der Mitglieder des irakischen Parlaments, die diese Reform ablehnen und für den Erhalt eines der fortschrittlichsten Gesetze in der Region kämpfen.

Was sonst noch so im Plenum los war

Um die Prioritäten der ungarischen Ratspräsidentschaft vorzustellen, hat Viktor Orbán, wie das traditionell am Anfang jeder Ratspräsidentschaft so üblich ist, eine Rede in Straßburg gehalten. Allerdings ist Orbán mittlerweile nichts als ein korrupter Diktator, der seine eigene Bevölkerung belügt, die Pressefreiheit abschafft und Minderheiten mit Füßen tritt. Genau aus diesem Grund haben wir von der Grünen/EFA-Fraktion uns klar gegen seinen Besuch im Plenum ausgesprochen. Man sollte diesem Rechtsradikalen keine weitere Plattform bieten, um Desinformationen zu verbreiten und die europäische Einheit zu untergraben. Weil er trotzdem kommen durfte, haben wir ein klares Zeichen gesetzt. Zu unserer Pressemitteilung geht’s hier (en).

Wir haben zwei Resolutionen zu Moldawien and Georgien verabschiedet. Darin geht es um die anhaltenden Versuche Russlands, die Demokratien in beiden Ländern zu schwächen, aber auch darum, wie Georgien immer autoritärer wird. In Moldawien finden am 20. Oktober Präsidentschaftswahlen statt, bei denen auch über einen EU-Beitritt abgestimmt wird. Es ist absolut inakzeptabel, dass sich Russland in irgendeiner Weise in die Wahlen eines souveränen Staates einmischt und versucht, die Ergebnisse zu beeinflussen. 
Gleichzeitig sind wir besorgt darüber, dass die derzeitige Regierungspartei in Georgien nahe dran ist, ein autoritäres Regime zu errichten, indem sie Menschenrechte unterdrückt und die Meinungsfreiheit einschränkt. Umso wichtiger ist es deshalb, dass auch Georgien unabhängige Wahlen sicherstellt. Zu unserer Pressemitteilung (en).

Wir haben als Parlament über eine Milliarden Euro aus dem EU-Solidaritätsfonds bewilligt, um Griechenland, Slowenien, Italien, Frankreich und Österreich beim Wiederaufbau nach den schweren Überschwemmungen im Jahr 2023 zu unterstützen.

Calendar week 40

Über eine kaputte Migrationsdebatte

In meinem Interview mit t-online ging es um die völlig von der Realität entkoppelte Migrationsdebatte und wie wir damit immer wieder gegen dieselbe Wand rennen. Inzwischen vermitteln viele Politiker*innen der Eindruck, man könne mit einfachen Maßnahmen eine ganz andere Welt bauen, in der Deutschland keine Probleme mehr hätte. Statt sich den wahren Herausforderungen zu stellen, bestärkt das nur diejenigen, die eigentlich gar keine Lösungen wollen. Was wir zum Beispiel brauchen, sind Lösungen für die  fehlende Infrastruktur, mit der man die Integration erleichtern könnte, also Sprachkurse, Wohnraum, Kinderbetreuung, damit auch Geflüchtete mit Kindern arbeiten gehen können. Mit dem Nachahmen der falschen populistischen Antworten kapitulieren demokratische Parteien stattdessen gerade vor den Rechtspopulisten. Wir brauchen jetzt aber mutige Lösungsansätze statt weiterer Scheindebatten. Uns Grünen müssen dabei nicht alle Antworten gefallen, aber wir wollen jetzt endlich mal ernsthafte Antworten.

Zurück zur Vernunft: Zeit für einen Pakt für gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt

Gemeinsam mit meinem Parteikollegen Julian Pahlke fordere ich ein Ende der täglichen Diskriminierung und Ausgrenzung durch die aktuelle Migrationsdebatte. Dort sehen wir vor allem eine Entwicklung, die die gesamte Migrationspolitik an den rechten Rand führt und wiederholt zu Chaos und Leid führt. Deswegen erwarten wir vom Kanzler einen Pakt für gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt, ebenso wie ein Beratungsgremium mit wissenschaftlichen Expert*innen. Wir wollen weg von einem rhetorischen Überbietungswettbewerb, in dem es nur noch um das lauteste Schreien nach Aufnahmestopps, Zurückweisungen oder “Abschiebungen im großen Stil” geht. Man kann auch gegen Islamismus vorgehen, ohne ganze gesellschaftliche Gruppen zu diskriminieren. Der Spiegel berichtet. Hier geht’s zum Artikel.

Konstituierende Sitzungen der Türkei- und Chinadelegation

Diese Woche fanden die konstituierenden Sitzungen der Delegationen statt. Unter den Delegationen des Europäischen Parlaments versteht man offizielle Gruppen der Mitglieder, die für die Beziehungen zu den Parlamentarier*innen in Nicht-EU-Staaten, aber auch Regionen und Organisationen, zuständig sind. 
In  dieser Legislaturperiode bin ich Teil der Türkei- and Chinadelegation. Auch wenn in letzterer wegen der von Chinas verhängten Sanktionen die Arbeit momentan schwierig ist und interparlamentarische Treffen nicht möglich sind, werde ich den Anlass nutzen, um auf die Menschenrechtssituation in der Region aufmerksam zu machen.

Calendar week 39

Meine Worte zu den Landtagswahlen und dem Rücktritt des Grünen Bundesvorstands

Das Wahlergebnis im Brandenburger Landtag für uns Grüne ist sehr bitter und muss Folgen haben. An vielen Stellen ist den Menschen nicht mehr klar, wofür die Partei eigentlich steht. Ich wünsche mir einen deutlich klareren Kurs. Gerade deshalb habe ich größten Respekt vor der Entscheidung des Bundesvorstands. Danke für all die Arbeit in extrem herausfordernden Zeiten. Es muss jetzt für uns Grüne in diesem Neuanfang darum gehen, wie wir mit neuen Gesichtern wieder mehr Menschen für grüne Ideen begeistern und Vertrauen zurückgewinnen können. Dazu brauchen wir eine intensivere Zusammenarbeit der diversen Parteiebenen, die Voraussetzung für die notwendige neue Geschlossenheit ist. Wir können die falschen Narrative gegen die Grünen bekämpfen, aber dafür brauchen wir mehr und nicht weniger grünes Selbstbewusstsein und Vertrauen in uns und unsere grünen Antworten. Zu meinem Tweet.

EU-Gelder finanzieren Missbrauch, Folter und Mord in Tunesien

Ein neuer Bericht des Guardian zeigt, wie EU-Gelder tunesische Beamte finanzieren, die Schutzsuchende systematisch foltern, vergewaltigen und zum Sterben in der Wüste aussetzen. Damit sollen sie von den europäischen Grenzen ferngehalten werden. Dabei wird auch deutlich, dass die tunesischen Sicherheitskräfte, die von der Kommission finanziert werden, doppelt abkassieren: Einmal EU-Gelder für die “Migrationskontrolle” und dann nochmal, wenn sie den Schmuggel von Geflüchteten nach Europa organisieren. Die EU-Kommission kann die Berichte über den Horror in Tunesien nicht länger ignorieren. Sie muss endlich einsehen, dass sie nicht den Abbau von Schmuggler-Netzwerken finanziert, sondern die Netzwerke selbst und all die Gewalt, die schutzsuchenden Menschen in Tunesien angetan wird. Das habe ich auch dem Guardian so gesagt. Ich habe die Kommission außerdem in einer schriftlichen Anfrage gemeinsam mit 48 anderen Abgeordneten aufgefordert, ihrer Verantwortung gerecht zu werden.

Die Sacharow-Preis-Nominierungen stehen fest

In einer gemeinsamen Sitzung des Ausschusses für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (AFET), des Unterausschusses für Menschenrechte (DROI) und des Entwicklungsausschusses (DEVE) wurden die Nominierungen für den Sacharow-Preis 2024 vorgestellt. Das ist die höchste EU-Auszeichnung für den Kampf um Menschenrechte, vorgestellt. Im Oktober werden dann die drei Finalist*innen ausgewählt und am 18. Dezember wird der Preis verliehen.Jina Mahsa Amini und die Bewegung “Frau, Leben, Freiheit” im Iran war die Preisträgerin letztes Jahr.  Dieses Jahr haben wir Grünen den Wissenschaftler, Korruptions-und Regierungskritiker Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu vorgeschlagen. Er wird Juli 2023 aufgrund angeblicher Straftaten von der autokratischen aserbaidschanischen Regierung in Baku festgehalten und ihm werden dringend notwendige medizinische Behandlungen verwehrt.

Calendar week 38

Landtagswahlen in Brandenburg

Der SPD-Kanzler will Abschiebungen im großen Stil, die CDU will das Asylrecht gleich komplett abschaffen: Die aktuelle Migrationsdebatte spaltet mit ihren hysterischen Beiträgen die Gesellschaft und stärkt Rechtsextreme und Populist*innen wie BSW massiv. Das ist schäbig und muss sich dringend ändern. Deswegen solltet ihr am 22. September in Brandenburg grün wählen und euren Leuten in Brandenburg Bescheid sagen. Spread the word! Hier meine ganze Nachricht an euch als Video.

Zuwanderung als neues Thema der Rechten – Zu Gast bei der FR

Bei der Frankfurter Rundschau habe ich gemeinsam mit Gilda Sahebi, Birgit Glorius und Christine Dankbar über die aktuelle Migrationsdebatte und den Zuwachs der Rechtsextremen diskutiert. Es ging darum, welche Rolle demokratische Parteien dabei spielen müssen, die Debatte wieder in eine progressive und menschliche Richtung zu lenken und wie Empörungsunternehmer wie Friedrich Merz versuchen, politisches Kapital aus den Themen der extremen Rechten zu schlagen. Das fördert eine Spaltung der Gesellschaft, stärkt die AfD und befeuert Rassismus. Stattdessen braucht es mutige Lösungen, bessere Integration und eine Abkehr von der Hysterie. Hier könnt ihr euch die ganze Diskussion anschauen (ab Min. 35).

Phoenix “unter den linden”: Debatte mit der CDU

Seit Jahren wird in Deutschland auf jede Herausforderung in Sachen Asyl und Migration eine Asylrechtsverschärfung geworfen, statt in sinnvolle Integrationsmöglichkeiten und einen Abbau der Bürokratisierung zu investieren. Bei phoenix “Unter den Linden” habe ich erklärt, warum die CDU mit ihrer aktuellen Debatte die Gesellschaft spaltet und Gefahr läuft, Wahlkampf für die extreme Rechte zu machen. Sie sind mit ihren Forderungen mittlerweile an einem Punkt angekommen, an dem Menschenrechte verletzt, das Asylrecht abgeschafft und unser Grundgesetz geändert werden soll. Damit nehmen wir der AfD die Arbeit ab und schaffen die Demokratie und den Rechtsstaat schön selbst ab. Das ist nicht nur brandgefährlich, sondern wird unserer historischen Verantwortung nicht mal ansatzweise gerecht. Ganz zu Schweigen davon, was diese rassistische Debatte mit den Menschen in Deutschland macht, die zu migrantisch gelesenen Communities gehören. Hier seht ihr wichtige Ausschnitte auf meinem Insta.

Interview im rbb-Inforadio: Grenzkontrollen haben keinen Effekt auf Migration

Stationäre Grenzkontrollen haben keinen Effekt auf Migrationsbewegungen, weil jede schutzsuchende Person während einer solchen Kontrolle das Recht hat, einen Antrag auf Asyl zu stellen, der dann geprüft werden muss. Das und weitere Punkte am aktuellen deutschen Vorgehen durfte ich am Dienstagmorgen im rbb-Inforadio kritisieren. Dabei ging es auch darum, dass die bereits begonnenen Kontrollen den europäischen Zusammenhalt und den Schengenraum schwächen und das Leben von Pendler*innen erschweren werden. Das ist weder ein europäischer Lösungsansatz noch effektiv. Stattdessen muss es darum gehen, EU-Außengrenzstaaten endlich in Vertragsverletzungsverfahren zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen, wenn sie Geflüchtete weiter nicht registrieren und deren Menschenrechte missachten.

Menschenrechtsresolutionen verabschiedet

Am Donnerstag wurden im Parlament Entschließungsanträge zu weltweiten Menschenrechtsverletzungen verabschiedet. 

Als Abgeordnete stehen wir in Solidarität mit afghanischen Frauen und Mädchen und verurteilen das Tugendgesetz der Taliban, das Frauen verbietet, in der Öffentlichkeit laut zu sprechen oder zu singen. Es ist ein weiterer Schritt in der Verbannung von Frauen aus dem öffentlichen Leben und eine Einschränkung ihrer Rechte. Als Parlament fordern wir, dass Geschlechter-Apartheid als Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit anerkannt wird und es weitere Sanktionen gegen das Taliban Regime gibt. Wir haben uns auch für eine Erhöhung der humanitären Hilfe, bessere Unterstützung der afghanischen Zivilgesellschaft und humanitäre Visa ausgesprochen. In einem zweiten Entschließungsantrag haben wir uns für die sofortige und bedingungslose Freilassung von politischen Gefangenen in Belarus ausgesprochen. Das Lukaschenko-Regime inhaftiert seit Jahren systematisch Kritiker*innen, Journalist*innen und Aktivist*innen. In Gefängnissen werden politische Gefangene dann häufig gefoltert und in Isolationshaft gesteckt. Angehörige und Rechtsanwälte hören oft über Monate nichts von den Inhaftierten. Wir fordern mit Nachdruck, dass Familien, Anwälte und das Rote Kreuz Zugang zu Gefangenen bekommen, dass das Regime zur Verantwortung gezogen wird und es weitere Sanktionen gegen Lukaschenko und die Verantwortlichen gibt.

Die Delegationen stehen fest

Wir Abgeordnete haben diese Woche final die Zusammensetzung der insgesamt 48 parlamentarischen Delegationen bestätigt, die es in dieser Legislaturperiode geben wird. Ich bin damit ab sofort Vollmitglied in der Delegation im Gemischten Parlamentarischen Ausschuss EU-Türkei (Türkei-Delegation) und stellvertretendes Mitglied in der Delegation für die Beziehungen mit der Volksrepublik China (China-Delegation).

Neue EU-Kommission vorgeschlagen

Am Dienstag hat Kommissionspräsidentin von der Leyen in Straßburg den Vorschlag für die neue Europäische Kommission vorgestellt. Alle vorgeschlagenen Kommissar:innen müssen sich nun den Fragen von uns Abgeordneten stellen, mit denen wir sie eingehend prüfen.

Wir Grünen begrüßen vor allem das Bekenntnis zu Rechtsstaatlichkeit, Justiz und Demokratie ebenso wie zum Green Deal. Die schrecklichen Überschwemmungen gerade zeigen, dass dringend konkrete Maßnahmen zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels und seinen tödlichen Folgen notwendig sind. Wir sind allerdings sehr darüber besorgt, dass Raffaele Fitto, Kandidat einer rechtspopulistischen Regierung, als Vizepräsident der Kommission nominiert wurde. Wir dürfen nicht zulassen, dass die EU von denen verhöhnt und ausgehöhlt wird, die unsere Werte untergraben. To our press release. Zur PM des Parlaments (en).

Calendar week 37

Interview im Deutschlandfunk

Wegen der aktuellen Migrationsdebatte habe ich Philipp Amthor diese Woche im Deutschlandfunk nochmal die rechtliche Lage in Deutschland und Europa erklärt. Dabei habe ich auch klargemacht, dass es vor allem die europäischen Kolleg:innen der Union sind, die an unseren Außengrenzen für Chaos sorgen. Jetzt mit dem Knüppel auf das Asylrecht loszugehen, ist für mich pures Wahlkampfgetöse und keine ernsthafte Politik. Wenn Merz und seine konservativen Kolleg:innen wirklich Verantwortung übernehmen wollen, sollten sie die Kommission unter Druck setzen, europäisches Recht durchzusetzen, insbesondere in Griechenland und Polen. Click here for the interview.

Migrationskontrolle ohne Rechtsstaatlichkeit ist keine Lösung

Im NDR gehe ich noch einmal darauf ein, warum es nach den schrecklichen islamistischen Anschlägen in Mannheim, Solingen und München seriöse Gespräche unter den demokratischen Parteien braucht – und keine öffentliche Hysterie der Konservativen. Diese Taten zu instrumentalisieren, um europäisches Recht missachten zu können, wird eine europäische Kettenreaktion hervorrufen. Das spielt ausschließlich rechtsextremen Populist:innen wie Meloni, Orban und Wilders in die Hände, die weiter die europäische Rechtsstaatlichkeit und den Schengenraum aushöhlen können. Wenn uns Europa lieb ist, braucht es ernsthafte und realistische Bemühungen, rechtsstaatliche Lösungen zu finden. To the interview.

Zu Gast bei der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Am Freitag habe ich bei der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung mit dem Migrationsforscher Gerald Knaus über aktuelle Herausforderungen in der Migration in Deutschland gesprochen. Wir haben dabei über verschiedene Ansätze diskutiert, wie man mit Fluchtbewegungen umgehen kann und warum man sich dieser Aufgabe europäisch widmen muss. Außerdem sollte man nicht aus den Augen verlieren, dass wir in puncto Integration und Arbeitsmarktzugang deutlich mehr tun müssen, wie beispielsweise schnelleren Einstieg in Sprachkurse zu ermöglichen. Darunter fällt ebenso die Anerkennung von Bildungsabschlüssen. Das würde Deutschland auch dabei helfen, die dringend notwendigen hochqualifizierten Fachkräfte anzuwerben, die uns in fast allen Arbeitsbereichen fehlen, allen voran in der Pflege und im Gesundheitswesen. Eine Aufnahme des Webinars könnt ihr hier anschauen.

Calendar week 36

Zurück aus der Sommerpause – Der parlamentarische Alltag geht weiter

Nach der parlamentarischen Sommerpause sind diese Woche die Ausschüsse wieder gestartet. Dabei wurde in allen Ausschüssen über die Haushaltsänderungsvorschläge für 2025 abgestimmt.

Im Entwicklungsausschuss (DEVE) haben außerdem die Kommissarin für internationale Partnerschaftsprogramme, Jutta Urpilainen, und der Kommissar für Humanitäre Hilfe und Krisenmanagement, Janez Lenarčič, über ihre Arbeit in der vorangegangen Legislaturperiode, Herausforderungen und Erfolge, berichtet. Es ging dabei auch um die Global Gateway Strategie, wobei Lenarčič betont hat, dass es weiterhin wichtig ist, nicht nur in Infrastrukturprojekte, sondern auch Bereiche wie Gesundheit und Bildung zu investieren, wenn wir Resilienz im Globalen Süden fördern wollen. 

Wir haben außerdem über unsere Änderungsvorschläge für den Haushalt 2025 abgestimmt, wo ich für die Grünen zuständig war. Dabei haben wir als Ausschuss vor allem mehr Gelder für humanitäre Hilfe und für die Unterstützung der Zivilgesellschaft gefordert. Zur ganzen Sitzung geht es hier.

Im Kultur- und Bildungsausschuss CULT wurden die Ergebnisse der Studie „EU-Kultur- und Kreativsektorpolitik – Überblick und Zukunftsperspektiven“ vorgestellt. Außerdem ging es darum, welche Themen diese Wahlperiode besonders wichtig werden. Beispiele sind der Einfluss von Regierungen auf den Kultursektor, die Gewährleistung fairer Arbeitsbedingungen oder die Rolle von KI im Kultur- und Kunstbereich.

Zu Gast für die Debatte waren zudem für die Kommission, Pia Ahrenkilde, Generaldirektorin für Bildung, Jugend, Sport und Kultur, und Roberto Viola, der Generaldirektor für Kommunikationsnetze, Inhalte und Technologien. Zur ganzen Sitzung geht es hier.

Mehr Führung vom Kanzler in der Migrationsdebatte

Die Union stellt immer abstrusere Forderungen in der Migrationsdebatte. Statt klare Kante gegen die teils rechtswidrigen Vorschläge der CDU/CSU zu zeigen, bleibt der Kanzler jedoch stumm. Damit Friedrich Merz nicht ohne Widerspruch den Diskurs über verstärkte Kontrollen an den deutschen Außengrenzen und konsequente Zurückweisungen bestimmt, wünsche ich mir mehr Führung vom Kanzler. Diese Forderungen sind mit dem Schutzanspruch Geflüchteter und der Rechtsstaatlichkeit in Europa so nicht vereinbar. Dass ich hier eine klare Haltung von Scholz erwarte, habe ich auch gegenüber der Funke Mediengruppe zum Ausdruck gebracht. Zum Artikel geht es hier.

Der Realitätsverlust in der Migrationsdebatte gefährdet Europa

Ich habe im Stern erklärt, warum die Forderungen der Union nicht nur hysterisch, sondern in großen Teilen auch rechtswidrig sind und warum wir damit ganz Europa gefährden. Es ist grotesk, dass seit Jahren deutsches und europäisches Asylrecht immer weiter verschärft wird, obwohl die geweckten Erwartungen nicht erfüllt werden können. Statt die eigene Politik zu hinterfragen, fordert die CDU deshalb jetzt den Rechtsbruch. Für mich ist das nichts als Wahlkampfgetöse, das uns im schlimmsten Fall unsere Rechtsstaatlichkeit, Europa, so wie wir es kennen, und das Leben vieler Menschen kosten wird. Zum Interview geht es here.

Kalenderwoche 31

Warum die aktuelle Debatte über Grenzkontrollen irreführend ist

I have mit IPPEN.MEDIA darüber gesprochen, warum Grenzkontrollen irreguläre Migration nicht stoppen werden und wir, auch im Sinne des Rechtsstaats, unseren Umgang mit Asylsuchenden in Europa ändern müssen. Es ist wichtig, die Bevölkerung nicht in die Irre zu führen und Dinge zu versprechen, die so eigentlich gar nicht möglich sind und vor allem auch nicht die gewünschten Effekte zeigen. Gerade jetzt, wo Olaf Scholz angekündigt hat, die deutschen Binnengrenzkontrollen noch weiter verlängern zu wollen, ist es wichtig, sich darüber im Klaren zu sein, dass das weder umsetzbar noch EU-rechtskonform ist. Dazu habe ich auch ein Gutachten beauftragt, das ihr hier nachlesen könnt.

“Orte des Unrechts”: Straflosigkeit an den EU-Grenzen

Schwere Menschenrechtsverletzungen an den EU-Grenzen sind laut der EU-Grundrechteagentur (FRA) keine Seltenheit und bleiben in der Regel ohne Konsequenzen. Ein neuer FRA-Bericht, der diese Woche veröffentlicht wurde, zeigt Fälle von Raub, körperlicher Gewalt und Vergewaltigung sowie eine grundsätzliche Straflosigkeit für diese Verbrechen. Schwere Menschenrechtsverstöße werden von den Mitgliedstaaten nicht gründlich untersucht, und Verurteilungen gibt es nur sehr selten. Für mich ist das ein Ergebnis der „Je-härter-desto-besser-Politik“ konservativer Regierungen, die statt der versprochenen Ordnung und Kontrolle nur Chaos und Leid verursacht. Ein Umdenken in der Asyl- und Migrationspolitik ist notwendig, um die Rechte und Würde aller Menschen zu schützen.

Budgetverhandlungen für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit

Während in der künftigen Kommission noch unklar ist, wie die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit ausgestaltet werden soll, haben wir im Entwicklungsausschuss bereits Änderungsanträge für den Haushalt 2025 eingereicht. Die Kommission hat allerdings in einem ersten Schritt bereits angekündigt, die Mittel für humanitäre Hilfe und Entwicklungszusammenarbeit kürzen zu wollen. Weil es weltweit aber immer mehr Krisen und Kriege gibt, und im Hinblick auf die notwendige Erreichung der Nachhaltigen Entwicklungsziele für 2030, habe ich stattdessen mehr Gelder für die aus unserer Sicht wichtigsten Programme von NDICI Global Europe gefordert. Das ist das Finanzinstrument für die Kooperation mit Drittstaaten. Dazu gehören unter anderem die Förderung von Menschenrechten und Zivilgesellschaft, menschliche Entwicklung und die Erreichung des Biodiversitätsziels. Auch für humanitäre Hilfe ist es unabdingbar, Kürzungen zu vermeiden.

Konsequenzen nötig: Bericht über katastrophale Aufnahmebedingungen in Samos

An neuer Bericht von Amnesty International macht erneut auf die grausame Menschenrechtslage in griechischen Auffanglagern aufmerksam, insbesondere im EU-finanzierten Zentrum auf Samos. Dort werden Geflüchtete täglich ihrer Rechte beraubt, etwa durch Freiheitsentzug und mangelnden Zugang zu Grundbedürfnissen wie Trinkwasser und medizinischer Versorgung. 

Es wird vor allem kritisiert, dass diese Hotspots gegen EU-Recht verstoßen. Das kürzlich verabschiedete neue Gemeinsame Europäische Asylsystem bringt jedoch neue Regelungen mit sich, darunter auch eine überarbeitete Aufnahmerichtlinie, die  beispielsweise festlegt, unter welchen Bedingungen Schutzsuchende festgehalten werden dürfen.Die Auffanglager auf den griechischen Inseln dürfen auf keinen Fall als Vorbild für die Implementierung dieser Richtlinie dienen. Deshalb habe ich eine dringende Anfrage an die Kommission gestellt, um zu erfahren, wie die Kommission sich die Lage auf den griechischen Inseln nach der Pakt-Implementierung vorstellt. Werden sich die Zustände ändern oder sind sie nach Ansicht der Kommission bereits genau so, wie sie sein sollten?

Sommerpause im Parlament

In den nächsten Wochen wird es im Parlament etwas ruhiger, da die Sommerpause diese Woche offiziell begonnen hat. Ich berichte trotzdem weiter in den News from the Borders und dem Wochenrückblick. Außerdem freue ich mich auf die neuen Herausforderungen, die nach der Sommerpause im Parlament anstehen.

Kalenderwoche 30

Konstituierende Sitzungen in allen Ausschüssen

Während der konstituierenden Sitzungen haben alle neuen Ausschüsse im Parlament diese Woche ihre neuen Vorsitzenden gewählt. Darunter auch meine vier Ausschüsse: Der Innenausschuss (LIBE), the Entwicklungsausschuss (DEVE), the Haushaltskontrollausschuss (CONT) and the Ausschuss für Kultur und Bildung (CULT). 

Der Vorsitz des Innenausschusses ging an Javier Zarzalejos, ein spanisches Mitglied der EVP-Fraktion (Europäische Volkspartei), in der auch die CDU/CSU Mitglied ist. Leider hat die EVP im Innenausschuss mit ihren Stimmen auch dafür gesorgt, dass der Rechtsextreme Charlie Weimers von den Schwedendemokraten den zweiten Vorsitz erhalten hat. So viel zur Brandmauer gegen rechts.

Den Vorsitz im Entwicklungsausschuss hat Barry Andrews von der Renew-Fraktion, unsere Grünen-Abgeordnete Isabella Lövin ist seine Stellvertreterin. 

Den Kultur- und Bildungsausschuss leitet ab sofort unsere neue Grünen/EFA-Abgeordnete Nela Riehl, Diana Riba von unserer Fraktion unterstützt sie dabei als dritte stellvertretende Vorsitzende.

Im Haushaltskontrollausschuss hat ab sofort Niclas Herbst von der CDU den Vorsitz.

Hier könnt ihr alle VIP-Posten unserer Fraktion nachsehen.

Wahlnachlese in München

Am Mittwoch war ich für eine Wahlnachlese mit der grünen Bundestagsabgeordneten und bayerischen Landesgruppensprecherin Jamila Schäfer in München. Wir haben hier noch einmal Bilanz zur Europawahl gezogen, gemeinsam mit Mitgliedern der grünen Ortsverbände im Münchner Süden. 

Diese Wahl ist ein Weckruf an uns Demokrat:innen, sich den Herausforderungen in Deutschland und Europa ehrlich zu widmen und den Menschen Politik wieder näher zu bringen. Das wird nicht mit populistischen Antworten funktionieren, sondern mit mutigen Lösungen, die den Rechtsstaat und die Menschenwürde in den Mittelpunkt stellen.

Kommission stellt Umsetzungsplan für Migrationspakt vor

In der ersten Ausschusswoche der neuen Legislaturperiode hat Kommissarin Ylva Johansson den gemeinsamen Umsetzungsplan für den Pakt zu Asyl und Migration im Innenausschuss vorgestellt. Das Anfang des Monats veröffentlichte Dokument erklärt lediglich, welche Verpflichtungen aus dem Pakt entstehen und ist keine Auslegung der Gesetzestexte. Stattdessen soll es den Mitgliedstaaten bei ihren Umsetzungsplänen helfen.

Auch wenn wir mit den meisten Inhalten nicht übereinstimmen, ist es wichtig, dass der Pakt einheitlich und korrekt umgesetzt wird und wir Spielräume abseits der Reform für Verbesserungen nutzen. Hier geht es zur Aufnahme der Ausschusssitzung.

Urteil in Münster: Syrischen Asylbewerber:innen droht angeblich keine pauschale Gefahr

Diese Woche hat das Oberste Verwaltungsgericht Münster in einem möglicherweise wegweisenden Urteil entschieden, dass für syrische Zivilist:innen keine pauschale Gefahr durch den Bürgerkrieg in Syrien mehr besteht. Mit dieser Begründung hat das Gericht den  subsidiären Schutz für einen 2014 nach Deutschland eingereisten Syrer abgelehnt. 

Subsidiärer Schutz bedeutet, dass eine Person nicht als Flüchtling nach Asylrecht oder der Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention anerkannt ist, aber Schutz erhält, weil im Herkunftsland eine ernsthafte Gefahr droht. Die Annahme, dass es in Syrien sicher für Menschen sei, ist komplett unzumutbar. Zwar mag es in einigen Gebieten weniger Kämpfe geben, aber auch das Auswärtige Amt beurteilt die allgemeine Sicherheitslage im ganzen Land als “äußerst volatil”. Was dieses Urteil jetzt für tausende von Menschen in Deutschland bedeuten könnte und welche Rolle der neue EU-Migrationspakt dabei spielt, kommentiere ich hier im Tagesspiegel (Paywall).

Kalenderwoche 29

Die neue Legislaturperiode hat begonnen

Diese Woche hat das 10. Europäische Parlament zum ersten Mal getagt und damit hat die Legislaturperiode 2024-2029 offiziell begonnen. Wir sind jetzt 720 Abgeordnete, das sind 15 Sitze mehr als in der letzten Periode.

Für mich bedeutet das fünf weitere Jahre, in denen ich Abgeordneter im Parlament sein darf und dafür kämpfen werde, dass wir endlich menschliche Lösungen in der Migrationspolitik finden – weg von Rechtspopulismus und hin zu mehr Rechtsstaatlichkeit. Dafür werde ich als Mitglied im Ausschuss für Inneres (LIBE), für Entwicklung (DEVE), in the Kultur- und Bildungsausschuss (CULT) and in the Haushaltskontrollausschuss (CONT) tätig sein.

Sprecher der deutsche Delegation

Auch die Grüne Europafraktion hat diese Woche gewählt und ich darf für diese Legislaturperiode als Sprecher der Delegation die Leitung übernehmen. Mein Dank gilt Rasmus Andresen, der unsere Gruppe durch die letzte Legislatur geführt hat und meinen Kolleginnen und Kollegen für ihr Vertrauen. Ich möchte diese Verantwortung nutzen, um eine bessere Verbindung zwischen Berlin und Brüssel zu schaffen, denn auch die nationale deutsche Politik hängt sehr stark von den Entscheidungen ab, die in Brüssel getroffen werden. Zu meinem Instagram-Post.

Roberta Metsola wieder Parlamentspräsidentin, Nicolae Ștefănuță ist Vizepräsident

Es war eine Woche voller wichtiger Wahlen, darunter auch die für die Parlamentspräsidentin. Wir haben am Dienstag Roberta Metsola von der Europäischen Volkspartei (EVP) im ersten Wahlgang als Präsidentin bis 2027 wiedergewählt. Die Amtszeit der Parlamentspräsidenten beträgt immer 2,5 Jahre, also eine halbe Legislaturperiode.

Außerdem wurden am Dienstag die 14 neuen Vizepräsidenten des Parlaments gewählt, darunter auch Nicolae Ștefănuță aus unserer grünen Fraktion. Er ist ein unermüdlicher Verfechter von Gleichberechtigung, Jugendrechten und Transparenz und hat quasi im Alleingang eine starke grüne Bewegung in Rumänien aufgebaut. Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Hier geht es zu unserer Pressemitteilung (eng).

Von der Leyen bleibt Kommissionspräsidentin

Ursula von der Leyen wurde gestern in ihre zweite Amtszeit als Kommissionspräsidentin gewählt – auch von unserer grünen Fraktion. Das war keine leichte Entscheidung, aber eine notwendige. Schließlich haben wir im Wahlkampf versprochen, weiter gegen den Rechtsruck in Europa und damit auch im Parlament zu kämpfen. Die Wahl von der Leyens ist ein Schritt in diese Richtung, denn die Alternative war ein Kandidat, der nicht davor scheut, gemeinsame Sache mit Rechtsextremen zu machen. Zu meinem ganzen Statement kommt ihr hier. Zur Pressemitteilung meiner Fraktion (eng).

Resolution zum Ukraine-Krieg

Angesichts des anhaltenden Angriffskrieges Russlands in der Ukraine haben wir in unserer ersten offiziellen Entschließung als neues Europäisches Parlament unsere anhaltende Unterstützung für Kiew bekräftigt. Wir fordern, dass die EU-Sanktionen gegen Russland und Belarus verlängert werden und außerdem eine solide rechtliche Regelung für eingefrorene Staatsgelder Russlands her muss. In diesem Zuge haben wir auch den Besuch Orbáns in Russland scharf verurteilt. Er hat damit nicht die EU vertreten, im Gegenteil: Der Besuch ist eine klare Verletzung der EU-Verträge und muss Konsequenzen haben. Hier geht es zur Pressemitteilung des Parlaments.

Zugang zu Kaufverträgen für Covid-19-Impfstoffe: EU-Gerichtshof gibt Klage teilweise statt

Weil die Kommission uns Abgeordneten keinen vollständigen Zugang zu den Kaufverträgen für die Covid-19-Impfstoffe geben wollte, haben fünf Abgeordnete unserer Fraktion 2021 Klage beim Europäischen Gerichtshof eingereicht. Der hat jetzt am Mittwoch in einem Urteil klargestellt, dass die Kommission den Zugang zu bestimmten Teilen der Verträge zu Unrecht verweigert hat. Das Gericht hat die Entscheidung der Kommission für nichtig erklärt und festgestellt, dass die Kommission unter anderem nicht ausreichend dargelegt hat, warum der Zugang zu wichtigen Bestimmungen wie zum Schadensersatz oder dem Weiterverkauf von Impfstoffen kommerzielle Interessen beeinträchtigen würde. Das ist ein großer Erfolg im Kampf für mehr Transparenz und Vertrauen der EU-Bürgerinnen in EU Institutionen. To our press release.

Calendar week 28

Grünes Hearing mit Ursula von der Leyen

Weil es bald darum geht, die neue Kommissionspräsidentin (oder den neuen Kommissionspräsidenten) für die nächsten fünf Jahre zu wählen, haben wir als Grüne Fraktion Ursula von der Leyen diese Woche zu ihren Plänen und Zielen befragt, sollte sie wiedergewählt werden. Dabei wollte ich vor allem wissen, wie sie das Verhalten der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten an den Außengrenzen kontrollieren beziehungsweise sanktionieren will, wenn diese systematisch EU-Recht brechen und grundlegende Menschenrechte missachten. Außerdem habe ich gefordert, dass das Parlament künftig in geplante Migrationsabkommen involviert wird, da alles andere absolut intransparent ist.

Treffen mit NGOs zu Migration und Asyl

Wir haben diese Woche mit Organisationen aus der Zivilgesellschaft gesprochen, die zu Asyl und Migration arbeiten. Dabei ging es um die Lage im zentralen Mittelmeer und in Libyen, aber auch an der Grenze Polen-Belarus, um mehr Teilhabe von flüchtlingsgeführten Organisationen und darum, wie das Parlament repräsentativer werden kann. Wir haben auch über die Implementierung des Migrationspakts gesprochen, die uns in den nächsten Jahren garantiert sehr beschäftigen wird. Grundsätzlich ist klar: Es gibt extrem viel zu tun, um Menschenrechte an unseren Grenzen zu schützen, und dabei müssen wir die Zivilgesellschaft einbeziehen, wo es nur geht.

Neue Delegationsvorsitzende und unser Vizpräsidentschaftskandidat fürs Parlament

In unseren Fraktionssitzungen wurde diese Woche über vieles abgestimmt und unsere Vorsitzenden der Delegationen und Ausschüsse stehen – ebenso wie unser Kandidat für die EP-Vizepräsidentschaft Nicolae Stefanuta. Meine Kollegin Anna Cavazzini bleibt Vorsitzende des Ausschusses für Binnenmarkt und Verbraucherschutz (IMCO) und Mounir Satouri wird Vorsitzender des Unterausschusses für Menschenrechte (DROI). Für den Vorsitz in den  Delegationen sind es Hannah Neumann für den Iran, Thomas Waitz für Montenegro, Diana Riba i Giner für Zentralamerika, Sergey Lagodinsky für EURONEST und Ville Niinistö für Russland.

BafF-Treffen

Diese Woche habe ich mich mit Mitarbeiter:innen der Bundesweiten Arbeitsgemeinschaft Psychosozialer Zentren für Flüchtlinge und Folteropfer e.V. getroffen. Die BAfF ist der Dachverband von psychosozialen Zentren und Einrichtungen in Deutschland, in denen Geflüchtete psychologisch und therapeutisch betreut und beraten werden. Wir haben über die Herausforderungen bei der Umsetzung der GEAS-Reform gesprochen und wie wichtig eine langfristige und nachhaltige Finanzierung ist, um die Versorgung von Geflüchteten sicherzustellen.

Dritte rechtsextreme Fraktion im Parlament gegründet

Ein unschöner Wochenrückblick ist leider, dass die Rechtsextremen im Parlament noch eine weitere Fraktion gegründet haben. Jetzt gibt es neben Meloni (EKR) und Orbán (Patrioten) auch noch die Truppe Europa Souveräner Nationen (ESN), angeführt von der AfD. Was ich von diesem durchgeknallten Gruselkabinett halte, in dem Menschen sitzen, die den Holocaust “weder gutheißen noch missbilligen” wollen, die an die Verschwörungstheorie vom großen Bevölkerungsaustausch glauben oder Deutschland als Großmacht in Europa fordern, könnt ihr hier nachlesen. Für mich ist diese Fraktion nichts als ein Sammelbecken von Demokratiefeinden, Antisemit:innen und schlichtweg Neonazis.

Warum Grausamkeit in der Migrationspolitik keine Antwort ist

In an interview with the Tagesspiegel (hinter einer Paywall) habe ich darüber gesprochen, dass Grausamkeit an unseren europäischen Außengrenzen weder eine Antwort ist noch eine sein darf. Statt unrealistischer und unmenschlicher Lösungen braucht es Menschlichkeit und Solidarität, sonst gewinnen am Ende nur die Rechtspopulist:innen. Gerade in der aktuellen Debatte um Afghanistan finde ich zum Beispiel, dass man nicht den Eindruck vermitteln darf, dass ein Großteil der Probleme in Deutschland mit Abschiebungen zu lösen wären. Stattdessen müssen wir Grüne uns trauen, unsere Antworten auf Migration auch mal gegen Mehrheiten zu vertreten, denn wir wissen: Wir haben überzeugende und vor allem menschliche Lösungen zu bieten.

Calendar week 27

Gespräch mit Ursula von der Leyen 

Wir Grünen hatten ein konstruktives Treffen mit Ursula von der Leyen, in dem wir über das Ziel einer stabilen Mehrheit gesprochen haben. Wir haben deutlich gemacht, dass wir nicht Teil einer Mehrheit sein werden, die mit extremen Rechten, einschließlich EKR, verhandelt oder sich auf diese verlässt. Die Konservativen müssen sich jetzt also entscheiden, ob sie mit uns zusammenarbeiten wollen oder mit dem rechten Rand im Parlament – beides geht nicht.

Afghanistan 

Leider gab es diese Woche mehrere schlechte Nachrichten mit Bezug zu Afghanistan. Bis zu 1.000 gefährdete Personen aus Afghanistan wollte die Bundesregierung jeden Monat seit Ende 2022 aufnehmen. Stattdessen werden nun auf Druck des Innenministeriums reihenweise Zusagen zurückgenommen. Bisher hätten rund 20.000 Personen aufgenommen werden müssen. Tatsächlich sind es 533, also weniger als drei Prozent der angekündigten Aufnahmen. Die Lage in Afghanistan ist derweil so schlimm, dass die GIZ nun endgültig ihre Arbeit vor Ort eingestellt hat. 

Zudem gab es einen Skandal in Eisenhüttenstadt. Während die Schutzquote für Asylsuchende bundesweit sehr hoch und oft schon nah bei 100 Prozent liegt, liegt diese in Eisenhüttenstadt nur bei 51 Prozent. Woran das liegt, kann das Bamf allerdings nicht erklären. 

EU-Gelder finanzieren indirekt Menschenrechtsverletzungen

Die beiden NGOs ECRE and PICUM haben gestern in Brüssel ihre neue gemeinsame Studie vorgestellt. Sie zeigt, dass EU-Gelder für die sogenannte Grenzverwaltung für den Aufbau von schädlicher Infrastruktur an den Außengrenzen Europas verwendet werden. Die führt dann häufig zu Menschenrechtsverletzungen, beispielsweise durch Hundestaffeln in Kroatien, Überwachungstechnologien (inkl. künstlicher Intelligenz) oder die Zusammenarbeit mit Drittstaaten wie Tunesien oder Ägypten. 

Die Studie hat sich vor allem mit dem Instrument für finanzielle Hilfe im Bereich Grenzverwaltung und Visumpolitik (BMVI) beschäftigt. Das ist im Endeffekt eine Finanzhilfe der EU-Kommission für Mitgliedstaaten, um sie bei der Kontrolle und Verwaltung ihrer Grenzen zu unterstützen. Dabei kam heraus, dass Mitgliedstaaten fast doppelt so viele Mittel wie in der vorherigen Periode von 2014 bis 2020 bekommen haben, nämlich rund 4 Milliarden Euro. Von diesen Geldern hat übrigens kein Land außer Finnland und Kroatien in ihren Plänen überhaupt Mittel für Hilfe und Schutz für Menschen an ihren Grenzen vorgesehen. Hier geht es zu einer Zusammenfassung der Studie (auf Englisch).

Háwar Help: Filmpremiere zum anstehenden Jahrestag des Genozids an Jesid:innen

Am Mittwoch Abend war ich bei der Filmpremiere von “Bêmal – Ein Volk zwischen Rückkehr und Heimatsuche” von Düzen Tekkal und den Filmemachern David Körzdörfer und Henry Donovan, bei dem es um den Völkermord an den Jesid:innen im Irak geht. Der jährt sich nämlich am 3. August zum zehnten Mal. 2014 hatte der IS in der traditionell von Jesid:innen bewohnten Sindschar-Region im Nordirak tausende von Jesid:innen ermordet und versklavt, die Überlebenden wurden vertrieben. Viele von ihnen leben heute in Deutschland. 

Allerdings häufen sich immer wieder Meldungen, dass Überlebende trotz Schutzstatus zurück in den Irak abgeschoben werden, wo ihnen nach wie vor Gefahr droht. Wir haben den Ermordeten gedacht, aber auch darüber gesprochen, welche Lehren wir endlich für die Zukunft ziehen müssen. Und das muss vor allem beinhalten, Jesid:innen in Deutschland Schutz zu garantieren.

Wir haben unsere Generalsekretäre gewählt!

In unserer Fraktionssitzung haben wir diese Woche Vula Tsetsi als unsere Generalsekretärin wiedergewählt und Guillaume Sellier als unseren stellvertretenden Generalsekretär. Wir sind dann also ready für die erste Plenarsitzung der neuen Legislaturperiode, die ab dem 15. Juli in Straßburg stattfindet.

Calendar week 26

Zu Gast bei “Absolute Mehrheit”

Im Funk-Podcast “Absolute Mehrheit” ging es diese Woche darum, was ich machen würde, wenn meine Partei, also die Grünen, die absolute Mehrheit hätten. Es war ein spannendes Gespräch, weil mal anders diskutiert wurde und Platz für Ideen und Konzepte war, über die sonst wenig gesprochen wird im Politikeralltag. Ich denke zum Beispiel, dass wir Medien für die Stärkung der europäischen Öffentlichkeit und mehr Bürgerräte brauchen. Ich wurde auch gefragt, wie ich darauf reagiere, wenn Menschen denken, wir hätten zu viele Geflüchtete im Land und habe dazu gesagt: “Die Lösung dafür, weniger Geflüchtete zu haben, ist dafür zu sorgen, dass sie nicht mehr die Geflüchteten sind, sondern Teil der Gesellschaft werden können.“  Hier könnt ihr die Folge hören (66 Minuten). 

Zu Gast im Ronzheimer-Podcast

In seinem Podcast habe ich mit Paul Ronzheimer über die aktuelle Migrations- und Asylpolitik in Deutschland und Europa gestritten. Dabei ging es auch um den aktuellen Populismus von immer mehr Politiker:innen. Ich habe gesagt, dass man jetzt zum Beispiel einfach fordern kann, Menschen nach Afghanistan abzuschieben, aber es wird trotzdem nicht passieren. Außer man trifft nach einem Anschlag einfach Vereinbarungen mit islamistischen Terrorist:innen und hofft, dass man damit islamistische Anschläge verhindern kann; das ist dann halt nicht sehr schlau. Ich habe auch darüber gesprochen, dass nicht die Menschen, die in Europa Schutz suchen, das Problem sind, sondern ein nicht funktionierender Verteilungsmechanismus und mangelnde Solidarität. Außerdem hat jeder Mensch das Recht auf ein faires Asylverfahren. Die Menschen, die hier sind, werden überwiegend hier bleiben, unabhängig davon, wer gerade regiert. In dem Rechtsstaat, den wir haben, können wir nicht Millionen Menschen abschieben. Und das ist auch richtig so. 

Lage im Grenzwald zwischen Polen und Belarus wird immer dramatischer

The Grupa Granica hat ein Update zur Lage an der polnischen EU-Außengrenze gegeben. Obwohl die neue polnische Regierung eine Rückkehr zur Rechtsstaatlichkeit versprochen hat, werden weiterhin grundlegende Menschenrechte gebrochen. Massive Grenzgewalt und illegale Zurückweisungen gehören nach wie vor zum Alltag und scheinen eher zu- als abzunehmen. Zudem haben die Aktivist:innen von einer „Vor-Pogromstimmung“ bei der lokalen Bevölkerung gesprochen. Mit Kriegsnarrativen wie “hybride Waffen” oder “Lukaschenkos Projektile” wird Stimmung gegen Schutzsuchende gemacht. Helfende werden als Schleuser:innen und Handlanger Putins bezeichnet. Dadurch steigt sowohl die Angst als auch die Gewaltbereitschaft bei den Anwohnerinnen und es kommt immer häufiger zu Übergriffen auf Schutzsuchende und humanitäre Helfer:innen im Wald oder umliegenden Ortschaften.

Volt bleibt Teil von uns

Es ist offiziell, Volt Europa wird auch diese Legislaturperiode wieder Teil unserer Greens/EFA-Fraktion im Parlament sein – diesmal allerdings mit fünf anstatt einem Abgeordneten. Wir freuen uns! Hier geht es zur Pressemitteilung unserer Group.

Calendar week 25

Deutsche Landeschefs fordern offen Rechtsbruch 

Mehrere Ministerpräsidenten fordern in einem Papier langjährige Grenzkontrollen. Ich finde es wirklich verstörend, dass viele Regierungschefs von Bundesländern offenbar Grundsätze der Rechtsstaatlichkeit aufgeben wollen. Eine Zurückweisung von Schutzsuchenden an Binnengrenzen ohne Asylverfahren ist auch nicht vereinbar mit dem GEAS, das sie selbst begrüßen. Es ist aber auch nicht vereinbar mit grundlegenden unveräußerlichen Rechten. Es mangelt vielen Politikern einfach an Verständnis für den Rechtsstaat in der Asylpolitik, den sie schützen, erklären und stärken sollten. Es fehlt auch Verständnis für komplexe Migrationsbewegungen. Wenn die Landesregierungen gelernt haben, dass Grenzkontrollen dauerhaft keine Asylanträge verhindern können, werden sie wahrscheinlich Lager an den Grenzen fordern, in denen Menschen mindestens für Dublin-Verfahren eingesperrt werden. Das wird nicht mehr lange dauern. Es ist absehbar, wohin die Debatte steuert. Die Akteure wissen noch nicht, was sie tun, weil ihnen unveräußerliche rechtliche Grenzen nicht bewusst sind. Die Utopie, dass irreguläre Migration einfach gestoppt werden kann, ist der beste Nährboden extrem rechter Politik. Den handelnden Akteuren wird erst später auffallen, dass sie das als EU-Mitglied im Rechtsstaat nicht umsetzen können. Da sie der Bevölkerung aber jahrelang erklärt haben, dass es das richtige Ziel ist, werden die Rechtsextremen stärker. Wir sollten statt diesem Populismus effizientes, entbürokratisiertes, schnelles Asylsystem organisieren. Und dann müssen wir endlich die notwendigen Ressourcen für die Integration aufbringen. Der Mangel an Integrationsstruktur ist Gift für Geflüchtete und die Gesellschaft. 

Bund-Länder-Treffen zu Flucht, Migration und Integration

Diese Woche sind wir gemeinsam mit Mitgliedern des Bundestags, des Europäischen Parlaments, der Landesebene und Expert:innen zusammengekommen, um beim Bund-Länder-Treffen über aktuelle Veränderungen und Herausforderungen im Bereich Flucht, Migration und Integration zu sprechen. Dabei ging es um das neue Staatsangehörigkeitsrecht und die Chancentour in Deutschland ebenso wie um die erfolgreiche Umsetzung der Migrationsgesetzgebung aus Sicht der Kommunen, die effektive Anerkennung von Staatenlosigkeit, das Rückführungsverbesserungsgesetz, die Innenministerkonferenz und vieles mehr. Wir haben auch einen gemeinsamen Appell für einen deutschlandweiten Abschiebungsstopp von Êzîd*innen zur Innenministerkonferenz verabschiedet. 10 Jahre nach dem Genozid sind Êzîd*innen im Irak nach wie vor stark gefährdet und dürfen auf keinen Fall dorthin abgeschoben werden.

Terry Reintke und Bas Eickhout neue Ko-Vorsitzende

Wir haben Terry von den deutschen Grünen und Bas von den niederländischen Grünen am Mittwoch mit deutlicher Mehrheit zu den Ko-Vorsitzenden unserer Grünen/EFA-Fraktion im Europäischen Parlament gewählt. Terry war bereits in der letzten Legislaturperiode unsere Vorsitzende gewesen, gemeinsam mit Philippe Lamberts, der zu den diesjährigen Europawahlen aber nicht mehr angetreten ist.

Neue Vorwürfe gegen griechische Küstenwache 

Die griechische Küstenwache wirft offenbar regelmäßig Schutzsuchende einfach über Bord. Solche Verbrechen müssen strafrechtliche und personelle Konsequenzen haben. EU-Kommission und EU-Regierungen müssen endlich das Schweigen brechen. Der BBC hat zudem eine 90 minütige Reportage zu ihrer Recherche veröffentlicht, laut der die griechische Küstenwache einfach Menschen ins offene Meer wirft, um sie dort ertrinken zu lassen. Außerdem hat BBC mit einem ehemaligen griechischen Küstenwache-Offizier gesprochen, der sagt, der Umgang mit Flüchtenden sei “eindeutig illegal”. 

Nature Restoration Act

Am Montag haben die europäischen Umweltminister:innen nach längerer Blockade durch die Mitgliedstaaten endlich das finale Go für das Nature Restoration Act gegeben. Zu verdanken ist das vor allem der grünen österreichischen Umweltministerin Leonore Gewessler, die in letzter Minute die Haltung Österreichs änderte und für das Gesetz stimmte. Nach dem Gesetz müssen alle EU-Länder dafür sorgen, die wichtigsten Lebensräume in einen sogenannten günstigen Erhaltungszustand zu versetzen. Dazu müssen sie bis 2030, 2040 und 2050 bestimmte Ziele erreichen, um diese Lebensräume zu verbessern und zu erweitern. Ein Mittel dazu ist zum Beispiel die Einrichtung und Verwaltung von nationalen und regionalen Schutzgebieten. Dieses Gesetz war längst überfällig und ist unerlässlich, um die Pariser Klimaziele zu erreichen und die Klimakrise und das Artensterben zu bekämpfen. Wir Grünen haben uns schon lange für dieses Gesetz eingesetzt, allen voran Jutta Paulus. Jetzt kommt es darauf an, dass die EU-Mitgliedstaaten das Gesetz vollständig umsetzen.

Calendar week 24

Rechtsruck bei den Europawahlen 

Erstmal vielen Dank für die Wahl ins Europäische Parlament! Auch wenn es für endgültige Schlussfolgerungen noch zu früh ist, will ich hier meine Gedanken zum Wahlergebnis mit euch teilen: Das Wahlergebnis ist schlecht, nicht nur für uns Grüne. In vielen EU-Ländern, inklusive Deutschland, wurden Regierungsparteien abgestraft. Viele Menschen haben sich von etablierten Parteien und der Art, wie Politik gemacht wird, entfremdet, besonders in Ostdeutschland. Wir als Grüne müssen darauf Antworten finden. 

Trotz Skandalen profitieren an vielen Orten Rechtsextreme und Populist:innen. Das Ergebnis muss auch die Union zum Nachdenken anregen: Das Versprechen, dass man Frieden einfach nur beschließen müsse und Flucht oder Migration einfach verhindern kann, dass Wohlstand einfach entsteht, wenn man sich nicht mehr um das Leid der Anderen oder zukünftigen Generationen kümmert, ist eine Illusion. Es zeigt, dass auch demokratische Parteien immer öfter populistischen Forderungen unterliegen, was die Gesellschaft in eine Sackgasse führt. 

Gegen den Rechtsrutsch helfen weder Anbiederung noch Dämonisierung. Immer mehr Menschen verwechseln Demokratie mit Faschismus. Deshalb müssen wir als demokratische Parteien durch überzeugende Vorschläge für die Demokratie werben, sonst wird sie abgewählt.

Die Woche nach der Wahl

Die Europawahlen sind vorbei: Jetzt beginnt die Vorbereitung auf die neue Legislaturperiode. Das bedeutet, dass wir diese Woche in unserer ersten Fraktionssitzung zusammen gekommen sind, um gemeinsam als Greens/EFA zu entscheiden, wie es jetzt weitergeht, wer also die Gruppe leitet, Vorsitzende oder Vorsitzender der jeweiligen Delegationen wird oder auch, wer in welchem Ausschuss sitzt.

Wir haben dabei auch neue Kolleg:innen willkommen geheißen, wie zum Beispiel den kroatischen Abgeordneten Gordan Bosanac von Možemo!, Lena Schilling für die österreichischen Grünen oder Rasmus Nordqvist aus Dänemark. Ich bin glücklich über jeden neuen Kollegen und jede neue Kollegin und freue mich auf die Zusammenarbeit in den nächsten fünf Jahren. Die grüne Gruppe wird kleiner, aber sie wird auch diverser, weil wir Grüne aus Staaten haben, in denen es vorher keine gab, wie zum Beispiel aus Kroatien und Lettland.

Treffen der europäischen Justiz- und Innenminster:innen 

Diese Woche einigte sich der Rat darauf, den Schutzstatus von Geflüchteten aus der Ukraine in der EU, über die sogenannte Richtlinie zum temporären Schutz, um ein Jahr zu verlängern. Damit geht diese vorerst bis zum März 2026. Dank der Richtlinie erhalten Menschen aus der Ukraine, im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen Geflüchteten, sofortiges Aufenthaltsrecht, sowie Zugang zum Arbeitsmarkt und den Sozialsystemen. Außerdem einigten sich die Minister:innen darauf, dass alle Mitgliedstaaten vor dem 12. Dezember 2024 einen Fahrplan dazu vorlegen sollen, wie und bis wann sie den sogenannten Asylpakt umsetzen wollen. 

Besuch einer Schülergruppe 

Am Donnerstag hatte ich Besuch von einer Schülergruppe aus Berlin. Wir haben unter anderem über die Wahlergebnisse gesprochen und darüber, warum sich junge Menschen nicht von der Politik abgeholt fühlen – und wie wir das ändern können. Wir Grüne haben vor allem in der Wählergruppe von 16 bis 24 stark verloren. Allerdings gingen diese Stimmen gar nicht an die AfD, und auch nicht so sehr an die CDU, sondern viel an progressive Kleinparteien. 

Kalenderwoche 20 und 21 

Frontex untätig bei Pushbacks durch die griechische Küstenwache

Aegean Boat Report hat einen Report veröffentlicht, der einen Pushback durch die griechische Küstenwache im Januar 2024 zeigt. Ein Boot mit 38 Menschen wurde, kurz bevor sie die Insel Lesbos erreichten, von der Küstenwache aufgehalten, der Motor durch einen griechischen Beamten zerstört und das Schlauchboot in türkische Gewässer zurückgeschleppt. Während des gesamten illegalen Vorgangs war auch ein Frontex Schiff anwesen, das aber nicht eingriff. Stunden später wurden die hilflos treibenden Menschen von der türkischen Küstenwache aufgegriffen und an Land gebracht. In einem Brief an Frontex Exekutivdirektor Leijtens frage ich ihn, wie viele mögliche Pushbacks Frontex seit Dezember 2022 beobachtet hat, welche Maßnahmen sicherstellen sollen, dass Frontex nicht an illegalen Handlungen beteiligt ist oder diese verheimlicht und welche Konsequenzen es hat, dass Frontex Mitarbeiter offensichtlich versäumen Berichte über beobachtete Menschenrechtsverletzungen einzureichen. Nach seiner Bestellung als Frontex-Chef hatte Leijtens mehr Transparenz und ein Ende von Frontex-Beteiligungen an Pushbacks versprochen. Dieser und viele weitere Berichte zeigen allerdings ein anderes Bild der Realität. Hier könnt ihr den ganzen Brief lesen. 

Bericht von Lighthouse Report und weiteren Medien zu EU- Finanzierung in Zusammenhang mit Aussetzungen in der Wüste

Eine in dieser Woche erschienene Investigativrecherche, veröffentlicht von u.a. Lighthouse Reports, Spiegel und der Tagesschau zeigt auf, wie in Marokko, Mauretanien und Tunesien systematisch Menschen von Sicherheitskräften anhand ihrer Hautfarbe aufgegriffen, in Busse verladen und in unbesiedelten (oft Wüsten-)Gebieten ausgesetzt werden. Ohne weitere Unterstützung sind diese Menschen – auch Frauen und Kinder – dann auf sich allein gestellt und damit der Gefahr ausgesetzt,  entweder von Menschenhändlern oder Verbrecherbanden aufgegriffen oder im schlimmsten Fall dem Hungertod ausgeliefert zu sein. 

In den letzten Monaten wurden diese Vorfälle nicht nur unzählige Male dokumentiert, der Bericht liefert auch Beweise, dass für diese Vorgänge zum Teil Ausrüstung und Material wie Jeeps verwendet werden, die von der EU oder ihren Mitgliedstaaten finanziert werden. Deswegen habe ich diese Woche einen Brief an Kommissionspräsidentin Von der Leyen und Kommissare Varhelyi und Schinas geschickt, in dem ich meine Besorgnis über diese Erkenntnisse ausdrücke und wissen möchte, wie die Kommission auf die Vorwürfe gedenkt zu reagieren. 

Treffen mit Minority Rights und Grupa Granica zur Lage an der Grenze Polen-Belarus

Seit fast drei Jahren befinden sich Schutzsuchende im Wald an der polnisch-belarussischen Grenze in einem Limbo von Pushbacks und Gewalt. Mit dem Machtwechsel in Polen hatten viele gehofft, dass der neue Ministerpräsident Donald Tusk die menschenunwürdige Behandlung von Asylsuchenden im Grenzwald zu Belarus beenden wird. Stattdessen fordert er nun eine Stärkung des Grenzzauns, der zum Teil mit EU-Geldern finanziert werden soll, und schürt die Angst vor Belarus und den Schutzsuchenden, die zwischen den beiden Ländern festsitzen. Tusk will nun über zwei Milliarden € in die Sicherung der östlichen Landesgrenze stecken und sagt offen, dass es sich um ein „Element der Abschreckung“ handele. 

Am Montag, dem 13. Mai, haben Aktivist:innen von der Minority Rights Group and Grupa Granica über die Lage im Grenzwald zwischen Polen und Belarus informiert. Dort versuchen seit dem Spätsommer 2021 immer wieder Schutzsuchende, die Grenze in Richtung Polen zu überqueren. Sie kommen oft aus Kriegs- und Krisengebieten und wollen in der EU Asyl beantragen. In der Praxis werden diese Menschen leider bis heute von polnischen Grenzbeamten gewaltsam zurückgewiesen; doch auch Belarus lässt die Menschen nicht mehr ins Land. Sie stecken fest; einige sterben oder werden vermisst, andere bekommen Kinder. Dabei steht ihnen ein rechtsstaatliches Asylverfahren zu, sobald sie um Asyl bitten. Bei dem Treffen war auch ein 23-jähriger syrischer Geflüchteter dabei, der uns davon berichtet hat, wie ihm ein polnischer Soldat bei seiner Flucht letztes Jahr in den Rücken geschossen hat. Er hat sich bis heute nicht gänzlich von der Verletzung erholt. Mehr Informationen dazu und darüber, dass auch die neue polnische Regierung diese menschenunwürdige Behandlung weiter fortsetzt, findet ihr hier auf meiner Website.

CDU strebt Bündnis mit Rechtsextremen an 
Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) sagt inzwischen offen, dass sie auch eine Zusammenarbeit mit “post”-faschistischen Parteien wie Giorgia Melonis Fratteli d`Italia, ehemaligen Neonazis der Schwedendekoraten und offen faschistischen VOX eingehen würde, um weiter an der Macht zu bleiben. Zum Teil handelt es sich dabei um Rechtsextreme bei denen Hitlergrüße zum guten Ton gehören, wie man auf diesem Insta-Video sieht.

Kalenderwoche 18 und 19

Abdelhamid El Khadiri darf bleiben 

Abdelhamid El Khadiri arbeitet als Pflegeassistent. Trotzdem sollte er abgeschoben werden, obwohl sein Chefarzt ihn auch langfristig in der Klinik anstellen wollte und es generell viel zu wenig Personal gibt. Völlig absurd, aber das passiert, wenn man „im großen Stil“ abschieben will. Abdelhamid hat nun endlich eine Duldung mit Arbeitserlaubnis bekommen. Die Härtefallkommission prüft nun, ob er dauerhaft in Deutschland bleiben darf. Danke an alle, die sich dafür eingesetzt haben. Eine Zusammenfassung des NDR-Beitrags zu seinem Fall, findet ihr auf meinem Instagram. 

Angriffe auf Politiker:innen und Freiwillige im Wahlkampf 

In den vergangenen Tagen und Wochen kam es zu mehreren feigen Angriffen auf Menschen, die Wahlkampf machen. Mein Kollege, der SPD-Europaabgeordnete Matthias Ecke, wurde sogar auf der Straße von Rechtsextremen krankenhausreif geprügelt. 

Dagegen haben wir am Sonntag vor dem Brandenburger Tor demonstriert. Danke an alle, die dabei waren, und nicht einfach hinnehmen, wenn demokratische Politiker*innen angegriffen und eingeschüchtert werden.

Veranstaltungen 

In den letzten zwei Wochen hat für mich auch der Wahlkampf für die Europawahl so richtig begonnen. Gemeinsam mit meinem Kreisverband Treptow-Köpenick habe ich beim gemeinsamen Wahlkampfauftakt darüber diskutiert, welche Themen und Herausforderungen Europa in den nächsten Jahren besonders fordern werden. Ich freue mich auf viele spannende Diskussionen, Veranstaltungen und Begegnungen in den nächsten Wochen.   

Deutsche Binnengrenzkontrollen teilweise EU-rechtswidrig

Ich habe für die grüne Europafraktion eine kritische Analyse der deutschen Binnengrenzkontrollen in Auftrag gegeben, um zu sehen, ob diese mit EU-Recht vereinbar sind. Die ganze Studie könnt ihr auf German and English lesen. Eine Zusammenfassung findet ihr auf meiner Homepage. Außerdem hat die Brandenburger Grünen-Fraktion ein Gutachten in Auftrag gegeben, aus dem hervorgeht, dass es sich bei den Grenzkontrollen vor allem um politisch motivierte Symbolpolitik handelt. Mehr dazu in der taz and here könnt ihr das Gutachten lesen.

Planned migration deal with Lebanon is "unworthy money suitcase policy"

Ich habe bei DW das geplante Mifrationsabkommen er Europäischen Kommission mit dem Libanon kritisiert. Die EU macht sich mit soclhen Deals von nicht verlässlichen Partnern erpressbar. Außerdem ist die Lage für geflüchtete Menschen im Libanon extrem schwierig. Wir sollten dafür sorgen, dass Geflüchtete dort besser integriert werden und zudem Umsiedlung nach Europa ermöglichen. Bei der Zusammenarbeit muss die Menschenwürde im Mittelpunkt stehen. Zum DW-Artikel geht’s hier.

Calendar week 15 and plenary week in Strasbourg (week 16)

What's next for GEAS? Discussion in the Home Affairs Committee

The representative of the European Commission last week in the Committee on Internal Affairs presented the Commission's plans for implementing the recently adopted new Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

Following the adoption of the pact, it is now necessary to examine how the member states can prepare their national systems for the implementation of the very complicated set of rules. The Commission is already working on a plan to be presented in June 2024. In addition, new structures are being set up within the relevant directorate to monitor the national procedures in each Member State.

There are not only many new obligations for national asylum systems, but also a lot of work for the Commission in terms of funding and enforcing the rules. As we noted in the Committee on Home Affairs, the current CEAS rules are not being properly implemented, partly because the Commission is not fulfilling its role as „ guardian of the Treaties “. This must change in the future. However, we in Parliament are skeptical as to whether the Member States are prepared to abide by the rules and whether the Commission will be able to hold them to account. Here you can see the discussion about GEAS (from 10:46).

We demand clear consequences for Russian influence in parliament

We MEPs have today adopted a resolution by a majoritywhich calls for a decisive response to Russian interference in parliament. In it, we strongly condemn Russia's attempts to obstruct the functioning of democratic processes in Europe by influencing MPs and call for clear consequences. 

We are appalled by the credible allegations that some MEPs have been paid to spread Russian propaganda and by the involvement of MEPs in the pro-Russian media portal „Voice of Europe“, while Russia continues its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. In view of the imminent European elections from June 6 to 9, 2024 this is particularly worrying and a response is imperative. 

In particular the AfD, where suspicions are mountingmust immediately make public its financial ties to the Kremlin and disclose the purpose and exact amount of all payments from Kremlin-affiliated sources. You can read our further demands read here.

Supply Chain Act: Companies have a duty of care towards people and the environment

Despite the blockade by the German FDP, we in Parliament have the New directive on corporate due diligencebetter known as the Supply Chain Act, was adopted. We Greens see this directive as a milestone for responsible business conduct because it transposes the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into European law for the first time. Even if the compromise with the Council does not fully meet our demands, the new regulations will improve working conditions for people in the EU and beyond. Together with the Ban on products manufactured using forced labor on the Union market we actively combat slavery, child labor, other forms of exploitation, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. More on this in the Parliament's press release. 

First EU legislation on violence against women and domestic violence

During the plenary week in Strasbourg, we MEPs voted by a large majority to the first EU legislation on violence against women and domestic violence ever adopted. This is a major step forward in the fight against violence against women by harmonizing measures against gender-based violence across the Union. This is a step forward, especially for Member States that do not yet have corresponding regulations. Unfortunately, the text falls far short of the Commission's original proposal and the European Parliament's even more ambitious position, particularly with regard to harmonizing the criminal offence of rape throughout the Union. Here, alongside other Member States Germany slowed down in the Council under Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP).

We Greens in the European Parliament will continue to advocate for all forms of gender-based violence to be included in the list of EU crimes, as we did, among other things, in a Motion for a resolution 2021 have demanded.

Reform of the Schengen Borders Code adopted

In the last plenary week of this legislative period, the European Parliament voted in favor of the Reform of the Schengen Borders Code voted in favor. With the amended rules, member states can now – introduce internal border controls for up to three years in exceptional situations –. There are also new rules for a European response to exceptional health situations such as a pandemic and more options for member states to respond to irregular migration within the EU. The compromise is controversialpartly because many experts fear an erosion of the right to asylum. It now remains to be seen whether the EU countries will adhere to the new rules at all in the future or whether the current chaos will continue. If you would like to find out more about this, you can find my briefing on the topic here.

Human rights violations in Azerbaijan, Gambia and Hong Kong

This week, we MEPs adopted three motions for resolutions on human rights violations in Azerbaijan, Gambia and Hong Kong adopted.

In it, we call for the immediate release of human rights defender Ilhamiz Guliyev and all other political prisoners in Azerbaijan. In addition, the charges against economics professor and activist Gubad Ibadoghlu should be dropped and his travel ban lifted. After he was released from prison on April 22 and placed under house arrest, his medical care must now be secured. The ongoing human rights violations in Azerbaijan are fundamentally incompatible with the orientation of COP 29. We therefore call on the Commission to consider suspending the strategic energy partnership with Azerbaijan. 

We fear that The Gambia could be the first country in the world to repeal legal protection against female genital mutilation. We therefore call on the Gambian Parliament to reject a proposal to repeal the current FGM law and maintain the criminalization of the practice. In addition, national efforts to prevent and eradicate female genital mutilation must be strengthened through enforcement measures, education and cooperation with international partners.

We are concerned about the suppression of pro-democracy forces since the adoption of the Ordinance on the Protection of National Security in Hong Kong and the Extension of the National Security Law to China. Both laws must be repealed and the more than 200 arrested activists must be released immediately. EU member states must also urgently impose sanctions on those responsible in Hong Kong and suspend extradition treaties with China and Hong Kong.

Withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty

On April 24, we have prepared for the Exit from the Energy Charter Treaty voted in favor. Since its introduction in 1998, this treaty has been the world's most important investment protection agreement and has led to numerous lawsuits before private arbitration tribunals, through which corporations such as RWE have been awarded millions of euros. Now the way has finally been paved for this protection of investments in fossil fuels to no longer actively prevent measures against climate change and for the energy transition. Germany had already decided to withdraw from the treaty in 2022.

This decision was preceded by many years of initiatives by civil society and us Greens. My colleague Anna Cavazzini was the rapporteur for the Trade Committee and played a leading role in this historic step. Now the Council still has to adopt the decision by qualified majority.

It's here: the right to durable, repairable and recyclable products

With a huge majority, we have finally Directive on the right to repair and the Ecodesign Regulation adopted. This will make sustainable products the new norm, along with more transparency and sustainable minimum requirements for products on the EU market. We Greens have been campaigning for these regulations for years. This will extend the lifespan of goods and save consumers money. Clothing, electrical appliances and furniture will now be easier to repair. In addition, companies will no longer be allowed to destroy their returned clothing and shoes in incineration plants or dispose of them in landfills. This is an important step that paves the way for a future-oriented circular economy instead of even more throwaway culture. To our PM.

A step backwards for the Common European Agricultural Policy

An Majority of liberals, conservatives and right-wingers has the withdrawal of central environmental requirements in the emergency procedure in the Common European Agricultural Policy (CAP). Under the guise of reducing bureaucracy, important environmental requirements of the Green Deal are being withdrawn. We Greens/EFA have voted against this short-sighted measure.

The CAP was negotiated for three years and largely bypassed by Parliament in just three weeks in a botched process; and that without the usual impact assessment by the EU Commission. Below the decision not only will our environment suffer, but farmers will no longer earn a living. The only beneficiaries are the agricultural industry and food corporations. Efficient management of natural resources, the restoration of biodiversity and far-sighted climate protection would have benefited farmers much more in the long term. Click here for our press release.

Webinar on financing and coherence for sustainable development

In my capacity as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Development and shadow rapporteur for the Greens on the EU External Instrument NDICI-Global Europe I took part in a webinar organized by CONCORD, the European umbrella organization for development NGOs. The topic of the event was financing and coherence in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The EU is an important donor in international cooperation and presents itself as an important, values-based partner for countries in the Global South. At the same time, it shapes the fiscal, regulatory and economic framework of partner countries and also pursues geopolitical interests. We discussed how we can ensure that cooperation can actually contribute to combating poverty and reducing inequalities, including in the area of migration. The webinar can be here check.

Calendar week 15

We Greens in the European Parliament vote against tightening asylum laws 

As Greens in the European Parliament, we voted against the EU asylum pact. The new system will create more bureaucracy, a patchwork asylum system and more suffering. It is no solution to lock up even children and families in camps. There is an urgent need to improve EU asylum law. But that is why we can no longer condemn the wrong and continue on the wrong path of recent years. Even if many are calling for more and more hardness in asylum policy: I stand by the fact that I believe this is the wrong path. Democracies should never solve problems through dehumanization and disenfranchisement, but through respect for human rights and functioning solutions based on the rule of law. I have explained my view again at Phoenix discussed and in my speech in plenary. 

Last DEVE meeting before the end of the legislative period

In the last meeting The Committee on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid debated the humanitarian situation in Myanmar and Sudan this week. 

For more than three years Myanmar in the civil war after the so-called junta violently overthrew the government. Almost 20 million people in Myanmar are in urgent need of humanitarian aid due to the severe humanitarian crisis caused by this war. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Myanmar and DG ECHO have drawn attention to the fact that the situation in Myanmar has worsened with the introduction of a Forced recruitment for the military has tightened significantly. As a result New refugee movements The routes taken by people are increasingly exposed to risks such as sexual violence and human trafficking. 

April 15 marks the first anniversary of the outbreak of war in Sudan. Away from major media attention, the situation deteriorates. Humanitarian and human rights situation from month to month. Sudan is now the country with the most displaced people in the world, with almost 18 million people suffering from hunger. NRC and DG ECHO have given an overview of the situation in the debate; in addition to financial support, more reporting and diplomatic efforts are also important. 

We also have the Statement on the âEU Talent Poolâ a platform to facilitate access to job vacancies in the EU for jobseekers from third countries. We welcome this proposal, which promotes legal migration channels, in principle. However, it is important that the results are not only in the interests of the EU (recruitment of skilled workers), but also in those of the partner countries, and we have tabled corresponding amendments. The Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will only work on the proposed legislation in the next legislative period. 

Frontex failure in the Pylos shipwreck? Report of the ombudswoman investigation in the Committee on Home Affairs

After the Pylos shipwreck in the summer of 2023in which more than 600 people drowned off the Greek coast, the European ombudswoman launched an investigation. The results were presented to us this week presented to the Committee on Internal Affairs. They show that Frontex is unable to fully comply with its basic human rights obligations during search and rescue operations. The investigation found that Frontex does not have internal guidelines for sending distress signals and does not ensure that the agency's fundamental rights officers are sufficiently involved in decision-making in maritime emergencies. The debate in the Committee on Home Affairs also showed how incapable of action the Commission is when it comes to holding Frontex to account. We in Parliament see this as a major problem. Watch the entire session in the webstream here. 

Abortions are a fundamental European right

The right to a legal and safe abortion belongs in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This is what we Greens, together with other Members of the European Parliament, announced on Thursday. in a resolution passed with a large majority. We also criticized the fact that some European member states, such as Poland, Malta and Hungary, still have very restrictive laws that only allow abortion under narrowly defined circumstances and thus actively endanger women's health. The CDU and other right-wing parties have not succeeded in weakening our demands for the right to access to safe and legal abortion and self-determination. Click here for our press release and Here is a summary of the demands.

AfD MPs should have allowed themselves to be bought by the Putin regime

On Wednesday, at the initiative of our group, we MEPs debated the resolution in Parliament, according to which Alleged Russian payments to the German AfD member of parliament and European candidate Petr Bystron have taken place. We demand a full investigation and an investigation by the European Commission into violations of the Digital Services Act. This incident must be an urgent wake-up call for all democrats. If the allegations are confirmed, it would be further proof of how AfD politicians are becoming mouthpieces for Russian disinformation campaigns and Kremlin propaganda. The aim of Russian hybrid warfare is to divide our societies and undermine trust in democracy. Anyone who allows themselves to be bought by the Russian president or other despots must bear the political and legal consequences. In the plenary week starting on April 22, we will vote on a resolution on this issue. To our press release.

Calendar week 12

NGO ships are illegally detained by Italy

According to the IOM, at least 322 people lost their lives in the central Mediterranean in 2024. While Italy has sent the ships of Sea-Watch, Sea-Eye and SOS-Humanity more than 60 people have died after drifting unmaneuverable on the Mediterranean for days and not being found. Now a court in Italy has ruled: The ship of SOS Humanity must be released, its detention was obviously unlawful. It is becoming increasingly clear that the criminalization of sea rescue is the real crime. This is also confirmed by more and more court rulings. More about this on my Insta.

Parliamentary breakfast on the externalization of migration control

Egypt, Niger and Tunisia have become increasingly important partner countries for the EU in terms of migration management and externalization in recent years. In order to reduce irregular migration through and from these countries, the EU has committed considerable financial resources and taken a variety of measures, including border management and support for local asylum systems. At a parliamentary breakfast on Wednesday, we discussed how this externalization policy affects refugees and migrants. Bread for the World and Misereor presented three recent studies and explained what lessons we can and must learn from them for the future. For example, the failure of the EU migration agreement with Niger has shown that the EU's externalization policy can have a significant impact on a country's development policy and geopolitical stability. 

Frontex investigation team

On Wednesday we had a Meeting of the Frontex investigation team. We spoke with the Executive Director Hans Leijten, the responsible official of the European Commission Olivier Onidi, as well as with experts. The topic was the EBCG mandate of Frontex. 

As stipulated in the regulation, the agency's mandate, which was agreed in 2019, must be evaluated by the Commission to see whether its implementation is sufficient. Despite the many scandals the agency has faced in recent years, the evaluation concluded that Frontex's mandate is in order and does not need to be revised. The necessary changes can and should therefore be made within the current legal framework.

I am very critical of the human rights situation at the EU's external borders and am concerned about Frontex's involvement in human rights violations. We must ensure that the rule of law returns to our borders. 

Committee on Internal Affairs

On Monday, we discussed the Frontex cooperation with the Libyan Coast Guard in search and rescue operations discussed. The Libyan coastguard is known for its serious human rights violations. 

The tragic and largely man-made situation in the Mediterranean makes it the most dangerous escape route in the world, even though the EU member states and the neighboring countries have solutions available for search and rescue. Libya is notorious for its detention camps, slave trade and the systematic rape of refugees. 

In cooperating with the Libyan Coast Guard, Member States and Frontex are working with the very criminals they want to fight in their efforts to combat people smuggling and trafficking. However, with no EU country wanting to save lives at sea and NGOs finding it increasingly difficult to rescue, the Libyan Coast Guard is often the quickest or only actor to show up when a boat is in distress.

Interview with Welt TV

I spoke to Welt TV on Friday about the EU summit in Brussels and the current situation in the Gaza Strip. The entire interview (6 min.) you can find here. 

Plenary week in Strasbourg in March and calendar week 10 

The combined work and residence permit is being reformed

We have concluded a Reform of the combined work and residence permit for third-country nationalswho want to live and work in the EU. Around 3 to 3.5 million third-country nationals enter the EU every yearmainly for professional reasons. They work in EU countries, pay taxes and, through their mobility, help companies to find urgently needed workers. The amendment to the Combined Permit Directive allows these people a simplified application process and ensures that an applicant only needs one permit to both work and reside in the EU. It gives many non-EU citizens working in the EU the right to be treated like EU citizens in many respects. This applies in particular with regard to fair working conditions, social security, recognition of qualifications and tax benefits.

EU Parliament calls for border to be opened for humanitarian aid in Gaza Strip

With a large majority (372 in favor / 44 against / 120 abstentions), the European Parliament has called on Israel to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza. To this end, the Rafah, Kerem Shalom, Karmi and Erez border crossings must also be opened. The resolution also calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas. We MEPs condemn attacks on aid convoys at the sheds, as well as kidnappings and renditions of such transports by Hamas. You can find the resolution and the Parliament's press release here. 

We will soon have the world's first law to regulate artificial intelligence

This Wednesday in Parliament we have the outcome of negotiations on the world's first Law on artificial intelligence (AI) adopted. This is a significant first step towards ethical regulation of AI. During the negotiations, we Greens insisted in particular that the new law contain strong guarantees to protect fundamental rights. For example, we were able to ensure that some of the most problematic applications are banned, such as many predictive policing applications. There is a risk of discriminatory bias in such applications, which can pose a threat to marginalized groups in particular. Why the new law is a good first step and what we need to do in the future to protect the rights of people seeking protection, can be found on my website.

An important step for European media freedom

Another success of this week is that we the results of the negotiations on the EU Media Freedom Act have agreed to. We Greens have long campaigned for a robust European law that guarantees the independence of public service media and national regulatory authorities and ensures a fair distribution of state resources. For example, the law is intended to reduce political pressure on journalists and press officers and instead offer strong protection for sources. It also ensures that the allocation of state advertising is transparent and fair. This is a clear success for democracy and against autocrats and oligarchs like Orbán. 

Shadow Facilitatorâs Package

Last week, the responsible members of the Committee on Home Affairs began their work on the Facilitators Directive, which is part of the so-called Facilitators Package is. This proposal has been long awaited as Member States are abusing the current legislation to criminalize humanitarian aid to refugees, search and rescue operations and refugees themselves. Unfortunately, the Commission's proposal does not correspond to the communicated misapplication of the rules, but rather has the opposite effect. The proposal is dangerous both for refugees and for those who help them on their journey or on arrival. 

Many elements of the text are vague and have far-reaching consequences that do not serve the purpose of combating abuse and protecting aid. So we still have a lot of work to do to amend this proposal and achieve a good result, but we first need clarity on the implications of this proposal.

The Commission has once again omitted the very important step of an impact assessment, so we as parliamentarians are commissioning a so-called substitute impact assessment before we start our own political work on the draft. This is the only step we are taking before the elections to prepare the work of the new mandate on a solid factual basis.

Tunisia Resolution

On Thursday in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted by a clear majority a Motion for a resolution in which one of the Tunisia Agreement financial aid of €150 million from the European Commission for Tunisia is being criticized. This vote is the result of a process I co-initiated after the Commission accepted this payment in an emergency decision at the end of last year, thereby circumventing the European Parliament's scrutiny rights. With this resolution, we have sent a strong signal to Commission President Von der Leyen that we must ensure that EU funds cannot be used unconditionally for anti-migration purposes, but must meet human rights and democratic standards. 

I also gave a speech on this subject, which you here ...you can listen to.

Resolution on the situation in AfghanistanOn Thursday, we condemned the ever-worsening humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan in another motion for a resolution. Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, people on the ground, but especially women and girls, journalists and activists, have been subjected to increasingly repressive actions by the de facto government and authorities. In recent months, the Implementation of a radical interpretation of Sharia law, as well as public executions, stonings and floggings, which we as a parliament have also strongly condemned. We demand that the Taliban take back the decision to ban women and girls from public life and that they be able to go to school or work without restrictions. Gender-specific persecution and gender apartheid must come to an end. We also demand that arbitrarily detained human rights defenders be released immediately and unconditionally. Manizha Seddiqi, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, Sediqullah AfghanFardin Fedayee and Ezatullah Zwab are just a few of them.
Finally, we also reiterated our call for an increase in humanitarian aid and a larger number of humanitarian visas for people in danger.

You can read the entire resolution read here  and the debate look here.

Calendar week 9

We have a majority in favor of the EU renaturation law 

This Tuesday, we in Parliament voted on the Law on the renaturation of nature coordinated. The aim is to protect nature in Europe and restore damaged ecosystems. The law also contributes to achieving the European climate and species protection targets. Member States are therefore obliged to restore at least 30 % of habitats in poor condition to good condition by 2030, at least 60 % by 2040 and as many as 90 % by 2050. Once an area is back to good status, Member States must ensure that there is no significant deterioration. They must also draw up national recovery plans setting out how they intend to achieve these objectives. In unforeseeable emergency situations, the restoration of agricultural ecosystems can be suspended, for example if food security is at risk. We only narrowly won this vote because the MPs from the CDU, CSU, FDP, Free Voters and AfD rejected the law. The negotiations have also shown: The Conservatives do not shy away from disinformation in order to sabotage the Green Deal of their own Commission President. Click here for our statement.

New directive on protection against strategic lawsuits against public participation

We have decided in ParliamentThe aim is to better protect journalists, activists, human rights defenders and academics across countries from lawsuits that are intended to intimidate them. This applies in particular to individuals and organizations that deal with issues of public interest, such as fundamental rights, allegations of corruption, disinformation or the protection of democracy. That is why, on Tuesday, we voted by a large majority in favor of the trilogue negotiation result of the new directive on protection against so-called Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP for short) voted. Click here for our press release. 

Yulia Navalny's speech and our resolution on the murder of Alexei Navalny

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the murdered Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, spoke before Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. She accused Putin of being personally responsible for the death of her husband in order to once again get rid of a political opponent. She also fears that the Russian police could use the upcoming funeral of Alexei Navalny on Friday to arrest more opposition members. She warned that none of the EU sanctions against Russia to date had had any real effect. Instead of expressing condolences, we must now become inventive in order to depose Putin and thus end the war in Ukraine. She suggested, for example, taking more active action in the member states against structures of Putin's allies, lawyers and financial backers and his supporters. On Thursday, we also held a Resolution on the assassination of Navalny and the need for EU action to support political prisoners and repressed civil society in Russia adopted. In it, we demand, among other things, an investigation into the murder of Navalny by the EU and its member states as well as the exhaustion of all possible sanctions against those who have been suppressing the political opposition in Russia, including Navalny, for years. In addition to the Kremlin, this also applies to prosecutors and judges as well as law enforcement personnel.

Revision of the long-term EU budget adopted

On Tuesday, a majority of Parliament approved the Revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)the long-term EU budget until 2027. The most important changes include support for Ukraine with a total of 50 billion euros, an additional two billion euros for migration and border management and a further 3.5 billion euros for dealing with unexpected problems up to 2027. While some of the funds for the new priorities were provided in addition, another part was reallocated from existing programs. However, European non-governmental organizations are very disappointedthat the humanitarian aid budget has not been increased, especially in light of the increasing global crises and the large funding gaps to address them. There are now fewer funds available to supplement the very tight humanitarian aid budget and the additional funds for emergency aid provided by the reconstruction agency will be cut by 17 %.

Recommendations to the Council, the Commission and the EEAS on the situation in SyriaOn Wednesday, the Foreign Affairs Committee approved the draft Recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the situation in Syria was adopted. In it, we called for the rejection of any normalization of relations with the Assad regime as long as there are no profound and verifiable changes through the implementation of the Resolution 2254(2015) of the United Nations Security Council there. This includes, for example, the release of political prisoners, information on the fate of missing persons and victims of forced disappearance and the prevention of all attacks and obstructions to humanitarian aid. We also want exemptions for trustworthy international humanitarian aid organizations so that they can help quickly and effectively in Syria. Other proposals include stepping up the fight against Russian and Iranian disinformation about Syria, combating the ongoing impunity in Syria and providing greater support for civil society and the desired democratization processes.

Calendar week 8

Beyond the walls: Event on EU outsourcing of migration "control"

On Thursday, together with the journalists Franziska Grillmeier and Vincent Haiges spoke at an exciting event in Berlin about the outsourcing of migration policy by the EU. Franziska and Vincent reported on their experiences at the EU's external borders in Croatia and Bulgaria, Poland and Belarus, Greece, Italy and many other countries. The two had also spent some time in Agadez, Niger, where the EU Commission had set up a failed migration agreement with the Nigerien government haduntil it was overthrown by a military coup. What do all these stories have in common? EU Member States and others Third countries that we support commit the most serious human rights violationsto prevent people seeking protection from finding safety in Europe. And although a lot of information about this violence is freely available on the internet, no consequences are drawn. Or it is denied that this violence exists at all. This raises questions about our European understanding of the rule of law. At the same time, conservative and right-wing politicians are calling for even tougher measures, even more migration agreements and a de facto abolition of the right to asylum. 

One year after the earthquake in Syria and Turkey

One year has passed since a devastating earthquake shook south-eastern Turkey and north-western Syria. More than 56,000 people lost their lives on February 6, 2023. Local aid workers even believe that the current death toll is far higher. In total, over 22 million people were affectedincluding around 13.5 million in Turkey and around nine million in Syria. The situation in Syria was already precarious before the earthquake, with many of the people living there having been displaced by the ongoing civil war. Turkey is also home to around 3.4 million refugees. The earthquake hit a region where more than half of them live. Today, one year after the earthquake, the situation on the ground remains catastrophic. Reconstruction is proceeding slowly. Still alive more than 690,000 people in containers in the Turkish earthquake zone, most of them in the hardest-hit province of Hatay. In Syria, most of the affected families are still living in destroyed houses or in tents. A webinar organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation on Thursday discussed whether the international community has failed. The reason: under the guise of humanitarian aid in Syria, many countries have normalized relations with Syria. A country under the dictator Assad, who is responsible for the murder of countless Syrian civilians. The regime also receives 90 percent of aid from the UN, while a large part of the affected areas are not under Assad's control. In Turkey, too, there is still no accountability for Turkish construction companies, licensing authorities and the government, who are accused of gross negligence. 

New EU anti-money laundering authority comes to Frankfurt 

On Thursday evening, in a joint vote by Parliament and EU ambassadors representing the member states Frankfurt as the new location for the EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) to prevail. For the first time, the seat of an EU agency was decided in this equal procedure between Parliament and the Member States. As the Green Group, we have long campaigned for the Creation of an independent agencyto combat money laundering more effectively. The AMLA will also play a crucial role in coordinating financial sanctions, facilitating the exchange of information and cooperation between national authorities and reducing national divergences in supervisory practices.

Calendar week 7

CEAS adopted in the Committee on Home Affairs

The European Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs voted on the EU asylum reform on Wednesday. All files were adopted. If there are no major surprises, a coalition of liberals, conservatives, right-wing conservatives and a large proportion of social democrats will support the result in Parliament. In the trilogue negotiations, the member states have prevailed on all key points. The next and final step of the reform is the vote in plenary in April. It will then be implemented, which will take around two years. As Greens, we voted against the six regulations and in favor of the reform of the Reception Directive and the Resettlement Directive. Here is an overview the core content of the new reform. We also talked about the shipwreck at Pylos and An MSF employee has described very drasticallythe physical and psychological consequences of the mistreatment of refugees on the Greek islands. You can watch the entire session watch here.

EU talent pool and funding gaps for humanitarian aid

This week, the Committee on Development held a debate on humanitarian aid with Dominic Crowley, President of VOICEthe European umbrella organization of humanitarian organizations. The need for humanitarian aid worldwide is enormous and is constantly increasing due to further crises fueled by armed conflicts and climate change, among other things. In 2023, only 39% of funding appeals could be covered – 5 donors contributed 70% of all funds. It is imperative that non-traditional donor countries are also held more accountable. However, the EU must also face up to the challenges and has sent out bad signals by making de facto cuts in the recent adjustment of the multi-annual financial framework.

I then discussed the EU talent pool together with the other responsible colleagues. As part of a larger package, this platform is intended to simplify legal migration to Europe in future by bundling job vacancies and making information more easily accessible. Even if the EU talent pool is to be welcomed in principle, it is important that the needs of partner countries are not circumvented and that investments are also made locally in training etc. in order to avoid a mere brain drain and that not only highly qualified workers are given the opportunity to come to the EU. The debates can be here listen up.

UNRWA

At Development Committee and in the Foreign Affairs Committee we spoke to UNRWA this week about Israel's accusations and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. After the recent Allegations have been made that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the attack on October 7 16 donor states have already suspended their financial support for the aid organization. With this loss of donations, UNRWA will have to stop its work very soon. The Palestinian relief organization therefore once again emphasized its role in humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip in particular, 1.7 million Palestinians are dependent on humanitarian aid. Yet the population there is already facing a Famine and disease spread rapidly. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has already launched an independent investigation, in which UNRWA is cooperating. In addition, the contracts of the 12 employees still alive were terminated immediately. Click here for the entire meeting.

Kremlin critic Navalny is dead

Alexei Navalny, probably Russia's best-known opponent of the Kremlin, is variously known as the Dead according to media reports. The Putin critic lost consciousness during a walk and died. Medical staff were called but were unable to revive Navalny. The cause of death is still being investigated. The 47-year-old was in a Russian penal colony at the time of his death and had been charged with extremism, among other things, for his criticism of Putin and his war in Ukraine. Even though there is still no official cause of death, Navalny's death once again shows the massive suppression of any criticism of Putin and its consequences. 

Navalny was already a victim of an attack in 2020 with the Novichok nerve agent which he narrowly survived and recovered in Germany. When he returned to Russia after his recovery, he was arrested at the airport immediately after his arrival. Since his arrest, he is said to have been subjected to abuse and torture, arbitrary punishments and psychological pressure. He was sometimes not allowed to receive visitors for months. We already reported in February last year called for Navalny's immediate release in a resolution. Until then, he should be detained under conditions that are legal under international law. Click here for our official statement. 

Attacks on greenery in Biberach

On Wednesday, my party colleagues had to hold their traditional political Ash Wednesday in Biberach. canceled due to unannounced farmers' protests. Police officers were pelted with objects, fireballs were set off, piles of dung were dumped in front of the venue and the window of one of Cem Özdemir's escort vehicles was smashed At the same time, our federal chairwoman Ricarda Lang was insulted at an event in Schorndorf and prevented him from leaving until the police intervened. And in January, angry protesters had already prevented Robert Habeck from leaving a ferry.

Anyone who dismisses these incidents as isolated escalations is wrong in my opinion. For me, they are part of a right-wing populist discourse that demonizes Greens in particular. The increasing hostility is disrupting the political discourse because it is undemocratic – and dangerous. It is not only the police who are called upon to actively protect our democracy, but above all the democratic parties in Germany. We need to treat each other with respect and promote a democratic culture of debate in order to counter the growing potential for violence in public discourse.

Calendar week 6

The protests against the right are also directed at the democratic parties 

It is wonderful that so many people in Germany are taking to the streets against right-wing extremism. But these protests also send a clear message to the democratic parties. The right-wing is also getting stronger because democratic parties themselves too often drive reason out of the debate with populist demands and disparaging language. I spoke about this for a minute in the EU Parliament. You can find my speech here. 

Reform of the Schengen Borders Code 

On Tuesday evening, an agreement was reached between the Belgian Presidency and the European Parliament on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. This reform includes a number of new rules to jointly respond to major health emergencies, a new system allowing member states to return third-country nationals from one country to another within the EU (which we are very critical of), and new rules for internal border controls with a maximum duration of three years, accompanied by new administrative and reporting obligations for member states. A key point is that member states are now allowed to carry out border controls for longer, but must justify this better than before. 

All in all, reform is necessary given the state of Schengen, where internal border controls seem to be the new norm, but there are also many points to criticize:

– Another possibility to carry out long border controls at internal borders. 

– The term instrumentalization appears in the text in order to supplement the exemptions of the Crisis Regulation with further exemptions in connection with the external borders.

– A new internal rendition procedure that increases the risk of racial profiling at external borders. 

Parliament condemns attacks on press freedom and rule of law in Greece

We Members of the European Parliament voted on Wednesday for A resolution on the rule of law and media freedom in Greece. The Christian Democrats, together with the extreme right, had tried to prevent the vote and clear demands on the rule of law and media freedom. You can find the exact voting behavior here. The plenary debate âThe rule of law and media freedom in Greeceâ with a speech from me already took place in the plenary session in January. You can find more information here on my homepage.

Resolution on the elections in Serbia

We voted in Parliament for an independent international investigation into the Serbian local and parliamentary elections. We believe that the elections in December 2023 were full of procedural flaws and failed to meet EU standards. For example, there were attacks during the elections by Serbian officials on election observers, intimidation of citizens and election candidates, forgery of voters' signatures, a massive wave of disinformation and a biased reporting by the national media in favor of the current heads of government. Media freedom in particular has been eroded in Serbia for years. This is happening through political pressure, threats and increasing attacks on journalists. If Serbia does not follow our recommendations to investigate the elections, we believe that a suspension of EU payments to the country is necessary. We also call for accession negotiations to be suspended until Serbia makes progress on EU-related reforms. This includes the full implementation of the election recommendations of the OSCE Office and the Venice Commission.

Human rights resolutions (Iran, Belarus, Nigeria) 

On Thursday, we adopted three resolutions in Parliament on human rights violations in Belarus, Iran and Nigeria. 

In The situation in Belarus has for political prisoners, their family members and activists has deteriorated increasingly in recent weeks. Hundreds of family members of political prisoners have been arrested, their homes searched and additional prison sentences imposed in their absence. In our resolution we condemn the action of Lukashenka's regime in the strongest terms and demand the immediate release of over 1,400 political prisoners. In addition, we continue to demand sanctions against the regime as well as individuals and an independent documentation mechanism for human rights violations.

In our resolution on Iran, we condemn the sharp rise in the number of executions of peaceful protesters such as Mohammad Ghobadlou. We reaffirm our support for the Women's Lives Liberty movement and call for the release of arbitrary detainees, including EU citizens. Parliament has also called for a new EU strategy, including in relation to the Hostage diplomacy of the regimeas well as further sanctions and an independent investigation into human rights violations. We also call for greater support for Iranian civil society and people who have fled Iran. 

In December, over 335 people were killed by armed attackers in the Nigerian state of Plateau, many were injured and displaced. As Members of Parliament, we condemn the violence and express our solidarity with those affected and their families. In the region, there are repeated clashes between farmers and nomadic cattle herders over land and water resources, exacerbated by climate change. The people also suffer from terrorist militias such as Boko Haram. In the resolution, we call for a comprehensive investigation into the attacks by the Nigerian government as well as sufficient humanitarian aid funds and long-term plans for socio-economic strengthening of the region.

Calendar week 5

TV duel with Alexander Throm (CDU)

On Thursday evening I talked to Alexander Throm from the CDU about the current migration policy in Germany and Europe. I tried to make it clear to him that there are no easy answers when it comes to migration policy, even if the CDU/CSU and AfD keep calling for this. Instead, we need to tackle the causes that cause people to flee. We need safe and legal escape routes and must offer people who find asylum in Germany more prospects more quickly, for example through access to the labor market. On Instagram I have summarized my most important points. You can find the entire duel here.

Rostock job advertisement for Remigration Officer

Yesterday, I joined many others in publicly criticizing the city administration of Rostockbecause it has advertised a position for a remigration officer. The term "remigration" has long been used by right-wing extremists as a synonym for the – also forced – departure of a large number of people of non-German origin. Currently, the term is mainly used in connection with the Correctiv research to a meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam at which right-wing extremist deportation fantasies were discussed. I have therefore accused the city of Rostock of normalizing right-wing extremist rhetoric with its job advertisement. Rostock's mayor Eva-Maria Kröger had the job advertisement removed.

More money for migration control in the multiannual financial framework

Yesterday, the EU negotiations on the Multiannual financial framework In Brussels, a further 2 billion euros were approved for the "management" of migration and border protection. A further 7.6 billion euros will be added for migration cooperation with third countries. This means that countries such as Tunisia, Libya and possibly soon Egypt will continue to receive EU funds in future to stop refugees before they reach Europe's borders. The EU heads of state have also called on the Commission and the member states to further examine the possibility of using cohesion funds to tackle migration problems.

We Greens welcome Ukraine aid package and call for Orbán to be stripped of his voting rights

Yesterday's agreement at the EU summit on the release of 50 billion euros in financial aid for Ukraine shows that Hungary only reacts to clear announcements. We Greens welcome While the release of the urgently needed financial aid is welcome, two important steps must now follow. Firstly, it must be ensured that the funds flow as quickly as possible and that Ukraine can rely on the EU's support in the long term. Secondly, the Council must no longer hesitate to withdraw Orbán's voting rights. Blackmail and blockade must not become the norm.

Green Border premiere in Hamburg

On Wednesday I was there for the Premiere of the film Green Border followed by a discussion with Sarah Schneider from Medical Volunteers International in Hamburg. The multi-award-winning film by Polish director Agnieszka Holland portrays the Fate of refugees in the Polish-Belarusian border regionwhich was turned into a restricted zone for months by the Pis government at the time, where refugees were subjected to violence by both governments and journalists, NGOs and lawyers were denied access. You can find out where else the film is showing and when here.

Calendar week 4

Millions of people demonstrate against the right

Since the publication of the Correctiv research there have been numerous demonstrations against the right in Germany. Last weekend there were around 1.4 million people on the street in Germany. Sometimes the crowds were so big that Meetings ended prematurely for security reasons had to be. Thank you for this clear signal! We are more. 

Holocaust memorial speech

Holocaust survivor Irene Shashar spoke on Thursday in the European Parliament on Holocaust Remembrance Day. In her speech, she spoke a lot about her survival as a hidden child, her life after the Shoah and her large family. She also said that Hitler did not win, but that she won against Hitler because she and her family are alive. 

Committee on Home Affairs and Human Rights on EU externalization of migration

The Interior and the Human Rights Committee have met on the externalization of migration in the EU. The main topics were the EU's agreement with Tunisia and the planned agreement with Egypt. I wanted to know to what extent the EU is working on establishing the identity of people who have died while fleeing in order to inform their families and give them a proper burial. I also asked about Frontex's cooperation with (and EU funding of) Libyan actors involved in human trafficking and smuggling. The entire debate can be here listen, my speech starts at 11:58:55.

Debate on the implementation of Global Gateway 

In a joint meeting of the Development Committee and Committee on Foreign Affairs this week, we discussed the progress made in implementing the Global Gateway Strategy. The EU wants to mobilize €300 billion by 2027 through joint investments with the private sector in third countries in five strategic core areas (digital, infrastructure/transport, climate protection/energy, education and research). It is questionable whether these projects, which are largely financed via the NDICI are financed, represent real added value for the partner countries and whether the local population and civil society are sufficiently involved in project planning. Recently, for example, there were concerns about green hydrogen projects in Namibia. The entire debate can be here listen, my speech starts at 16:21:45.

Votes on budget guidelines and budget discharge in the Development Committee 

This week, three opinions were adopted in the Committee on Development, for which I am the rapporteur – both for the 2022 budget relief of Commission and the European Development Fundas well as for the Budget guidelines 2025. As Greens, we were able to positively influence the texts in each case, including through references to the biodiversity and climate protection goals set out in the NDICI. An attempt by the right to push through an amendment on migration conditionality for development cooperation also failed. 

Expert hearing on the EU strategy in the Sahel regionRelations between the EU and the countries of the Sahel and, in particular, the shortcomings and weaknesses of the EU strategy for the region were the subject of a joint hearing of the Committee on Development, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defense. The region has been repeatedly affected by crises since 2012, and there have been several violent changes of power in recent years, including in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The experts criticized above all the seemingly uncoordinated and inflexible actions of the European Union. The crisis in the region was also examined against the backdrop of neo-colonial structures. Many people have no trust in state structures and little knowledge of how the EU works; for many, the EU is equated with the former colonial power France and is therefore rejected. Cooperation with civil society organizations is often difficult and unmanageable for small organizations due to bureaucratic hurdles. The experts also warned of increased influence from Russia and China in the absence of a clear and successful European strategy. A new start to relations would have to address the needs and characteristics of both the individual states and the region and, above all, take place at eye level.
You can listen to the entire hearing view again here.

Calendar week 3

My speech on the deportation plans of the extreme right 

In the European Parliament, I spoke about the rise of the right in Europe and their remigration fantasies. Unfortunately, I only had one minute to speak, there was so much more to say. Here you can find the speech. 

EU Parliament takes legal action against the release of funds to Hungary

The Commission released frozen funds for Hungary in December 2023. These had previously been frozen due to concerns about the independence of the Hungarian judiciary. In response, the European Parliament voted in a resolution on Thursday to refer the Commission to the European Court of Justice. We Greens support this resolution and call for decisive action by the Commission against the Hungarian government and its attacks on democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law. 

Questionable parliamentary report defames civil society 

As a consequence of the Katargate scandal, the EU Parliament has approved a Initiative Report by German CDU MEP Markus Pieper, which goes well beyond the previous regulations on the transparency obligations of non-governmental organizations. This applies in particular when it comes to EU funding. The reason given in the report is that an NGO at the center of the cataract case received millions in funding from the EU Commission. 

Good news from Iran 

In August, I took over the godparenthood for Ehsan Mohammadi. He was imprisoned in Iran for over a year and was sentenced to death for "war against God" at the age of 16. The charges have since been dropped, He had to pay a fine for disrupting public order, but is now free. I very much hope that more sentences will be overturned soon and that all political prisoners will be released. 

EU Committee in the Bundestag

On Wednesday, the EU Committee met in the Bundestag. We exchanged views with Anna Lührmann on the agreement reached by the EU-26 in the European Council in December. Afterwards, we reflected intensively on the election process together with election observers who accompanied the election in Serbia in December 2023. Finally, we welcomed Beate Gminder from the European Commission, who explained the contents of the package decision on the Common European Asylum System.

Resolutions on human rights violations in China, Sudan and Tajikistan 

As in every plenary week, we once again adopted resolutions on serious human rights violations in various countries. 

In the resolution on China We condemn the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other minorities, such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans. The European Parliament calls on the People's Republic of China to immediately release Ding Yuande and other Falun Gong members in particular and to immediately stop the surveillance and suppression of religious freedom. 

In the resolution on the Sudan we have the ongoing conflict and the resulting increasingly insecure food situation and threat of famine.
As the violence continues and spreads, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people in Sudan to get enough food, water and fuel. We are therefore calling for an end to the fighting and for the EU to increase its humanitarian aid on the ground. In addition, the UN arms embargo should be extended to the entire country and violations should be severely sanctioned. 

In The situation in Tajikistan is worsening for government critics, journalists, human rights activists and independent lawyers. In our resolution, we condemn the actions of the Tajik government and call for an immediate end to reprisals against critics and the unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained.

Universal access to energy 

This week, the Report on promoting access to energy in the Global South adopted by a clear majority. On green hydrogen, our Green Rapporteur has succeeded in ensuring that EU investment in green hydrogen projects should benefit developing countries' domestic markets through strong safeguards, while at the same time highlighting the many challenges (including the risk of expanding the use of fossil fuels). The EPP's attempts to remove the references to indigenous peoples' right to consultation and Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from the text were not successful.  

Calendar week 2

Trilogue on the Schengen Borders Code

On Wednesday, we negotiated with the Council and the Commission on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code (SBC). The SBC is an extremely important instrument that regulates the protection of external borders and is intended to ensure a Schengen area without border controls between member states. At the same time, it contains human rights guarantees that enable access to protection for refugees. The inter-institutional negotiations are under time pressure due to the upcoming elections and there are a lot of issues to discuss. On Wednesday, we focused on the migration-related elements of the text, namely the contentious issue of instrumentalization, the idea of an internal transfer procedure between Member States and the harmonization of travel restrictions in the event of a pandemic. The importance of this dossier is underlined by the presence of the Belgian Minister of the Interior together with the Belgian Presidency team, which has taken over the work since this year. Work is expected to continue on an almost weekly basis in order to finalize the text before the end of the legislative term.

Retreat of the European Group

This week, we green MEPs started the new year with a retreat in Brussels. The focus of our exchange was, of course, the European elections in June and what parliamentary work will happen in the Parliament between now and then. On the second day, we had a meeting and got to know each other of all candidates for the election and together we had another intensive discussion about the campaign and the months ahead.  

Visit from Berlin

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of meeting students from the Louise-Schroeder-Schule in Berlin. I talked to the group about my day-to-day work in Parliament, the EU's migration policy and my favorite football club. Thank you very much for your interest and your visit to Brussels! 

Deadliest route to Europe 

According to Caminando Fronteras, 6618 people died last year trying to reach Spain by boat. Over 6,000 of these were on the route from West Africa to the Canary Islands. The figures are based on information from the families of refugees and rescue statistics. Figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are significantly lower. However, it has also stated in the past that its own data represents the lowest limit of the actual death toll. The data and the report by Caminando Fronteras you can find here. 

Bomb attack on NGO in Cyprus

Last Friday, the premises of the NGO Kisa in Cyprus were attacked with a bomb. The anti-racist and refugee solidarity association has repeatedly been targeted by nationalist and far-right forces in the past. More about this on the Homepage of the organization. 

Calendar week 50

Malta and Frontex work with Libyan warlord Haftar 

On Monday, the Spiegel a researchwhich has brought shocking things to light. You can also find a summary without a paywall at Lighthouse Reports.According to the report, Frontex and Malta worked together with General Haftar's troops to kidnap refugees in the Mediterranean and bring them to Libya. Some of these are people who have never been to Libya. Haftar is a warlord and he is not recognized by the EU and the MS. Even worse: his troops are working together with the Russian mercenary force Wagner. So while the Wagner troops are committing war crimes in Ukraine, Frontex and Malta are working with warlords linked to the Wagner group. 

Frontex must end operations that violate human rights 

The European Parliament has passed a resolution calling on Frontex to end operations that violate human rights. Here you can find the entire resolution and here is the votewhich was very clear with 366 votes in favor and only 154 against. 

Sakharov Prize for Jina Mahsa Amini 

The Sakharov Prize The Iranian Women's Prize for Freedom of Thought was awarded on Tuesday and this year went to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Iranian movement "Woman, Life, Freedom". Saleh Nikbakht, a scholar and lawyer for the family of Mahsa Jina Amini, as well as Afsun Najafi and Mersedeh Shahinkar, Iranian women's rights activists who no longer live in Iran, appeared as representatives. The family of Jina Mahsa Amini was stopped shortly before their departure to Strasbourg. The Iranian authorities confiscated their passports and imposed a travel ban. Jina Mahsa Amini was arrested by the Iranian police in September 2022 for allegedly violating the strict hijab law. She was then mistreated in prison and died three days later. Since then, women's rights activists in Iran have continued to fight fiercely against Iran's contemptuous policies towards women. 

Reform for the election of the President of the Commission

The election of the Commission President is to be reformed before 2024. On Tuesday, MEPs voted in favor of the report with the demand to negotiate a binding agreement with the Council on the conduct of the election of the President of the Commission beforehand. Another reform is to safeguard the voting rights of mobile citizens and people with disabilities. The participation of citizens who live in another EU member state and the participation of homeless people should also be promoted. Access to information should be made easier and polling stations should be set up for people with disabilities. 

For the election of the President of the Commission, all European parties nominate a Top candidate on. At the moment, the party that wins the most seats appoints the President of the Commission, as the Council still appoints the President of the Commission according to which party was the strongest in the European elections, while the Parliament sees its lead candidates in competition. There were discrepancies in the election of Ursula von der Leyen, who did not even stand as lead candidate in the last election, and this is now to be counteracted. For the 2024 European elections, the MEPs want a Clear and credible connection in the election of the Commission President. European parties and political groups should therefore enter into negotiations immediately after the election, even before the Council proposes a candidate.

Hungary blackmails the EU

The European Commission has 10 billion euros of frozen funds to Hungary released. The funds under the cohesion policy were frozen last year due to a lack of rule of law and the withdrawal of democratic status. The leaders of the major democratic groups in the EU Parliament have written to Ursula von der Leyen in this regard, as the Commission's criteria for releasing the funds again have not been met, according to non-governmental organizations and constitutional blogs. Viktor Orbán has nothing left for EU policy, nor is he committed to supporting Ukraine. The Commission must protect the democratic standard in the EU and its rule of law. It is a scandal that the Commission is releasing 10 billion euros to Hungary after the recently passed sovereignty law. You can access the letter from the leaders of the democratic groups in the EP here here.

EU Parliament supports recognition of rainbow families

As of this week, the EU Parliament supports the EU-wide Recognition of parenthood. The majority of Parliament voted in favor of an EU Parental Certificate. The certificate should ensure that all children in EU member states have the same rights to custody, maintenance and succession. Currently, 11 member states still do not recognize legal parenthood for same-sex parents, leaving two million children in a situation where their parenthood is not recognized in another EU country. We Greens call on the Council to adopt the regulation unanimously! Families in EU Member States must be able to enjoy the same rights and freedoms. 

Human rights violations and displacement of the Maasai in Tanzania 

Besides Resolutions In addition to the resolutions on human rights violations in Tibet and Belarus, we also adopted a resolution on the evictions of the Maasai in Tanzania this week, an initiative that goes back to my colleague Michèle Rivasi, who passed away unexpectedly at the end of November. In the text, which was adopted by a large majority, we demand that the Tanzanian government forced evictions of Maasai from the Ngorongoro region in order to transform the traditional grazing land into a game reserve, among other things. The communities that have already been displaced are to be given the opportunity to return and receive compensation. This year, a delegation of Green MPs in parliament tried to get an idea of the situation on the ground, but the government in Tanzania refused to issue visas.

Calendar week 49

Deaths on the Balkan route 

We must no longer look away from the many deaths on the Balkan route. I talked to the Tagesschau about itthat the dead are often buried after a few days without identifying relatives or even the cause of death. In my view, we finally need an end to the pushbacks that result in people not being able to apply for asylum from the authorities, but having to hide from them in life-threatening ways. There should also be an EU-wide DNA database for unidentified corpses, for example, so that relatives can find safety. 

Jumbo trilogue

No agreement was reached at the jumbo trilogue on the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) on Thursday and the positions of the Council and Parliament are still very far apart. Specifically, this concerns the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR/AMMR), the Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR/APR), the Screening Regulation, the Crisis Regulation and the Eurodac Regulation. Negotiations on other CEAS dossiers, such as the Reception Directive or the Qualification Directive, have already been concluded. Further negotiations will take place from December 18. The Spanish Presidency plans to conclude the negotiations before the end of this year. The European Parliament's vote on the CEAS would then be scheduled for early March 2024. I will soon publish an overview of the legal acts and negotiations on my website. Here is a report from Deutschlandfunk. 

Access to energy in the global south

In the Development Committee, we have a Report, which calls for a coherent EU approach to access to sustainable energy in the Global South. In the Green-led text, we also call for EU support for small, decentralized and off-grid projects to ensure universal access to energy for all. When developing large-scale renewable energy projects in developing countries, care must be taken to ensure that they do not lead to land grabbing and are only implemented with free, prior and informed consent. The export of green hydrogen from African countries to meet EU demand was the most controversial issue during the negotiations, and we succeeded in focusing on domestic needs.

Proposal for more animal welfare 

The European Commission presented a proposal to revise animal transport regulations on Thursday. The reform is based, among other things, on the final report of the Committee of Inquiry into animal transport, which was adopted by the European Parliament in January 2022. The proposal calls for shorter transport times for animals for slaughter and a ban on the transport of calves under five weeks, but leaves room for improvement with regard to ship transport, exports to third countries and the long transitional periods until the new rules come into force.

Calendar week 48

Major EU asylum reform – GEAS 

We are currently preparing intensively for the jumbo trilogue on the reform of the common European asylum system on December 7. The Eurodac, Screening, APR, AMMR and Crisis Regulation dossiers will be negotiated there. Many questions are still open, including the hugely important issue of solidarity and the question of derogations in situations of migratory pressure or crises. Many important details are also up for debate, such as the definition of a safe third country or the scope of the surveillance mechanism at the EU's external borders. The proposal for the so-called CEAS – with its five different instruments – has been a central component of the European Parliament's work in recent years. 

Study on EU funds for migration measures in third countries

The border protection measures co-financed by the European Commission and the member states regularly result in serious human rights violations. These include the use of physical force or deliberate collisions by the Tunisian coast guard or the interception and deprivation of liberty of migrants, enslavement, forced labor, imprisonment, extortion and smuggling by the Libyan coast guard. 

These are enormous sums, over €70 million each for Libya and Tunisia for the period 2018-2022, a detailed overview can be found in the first chapter of the study. My Dutch colleague Tineke Strik and I have commissioned a study on the EU's financial support for border regimes in Tunisia and Libya for the Green Group in the European Parliament.you can find the entire study here on English and French. A two-page summary is available on German, English, Italian, French and Arabic. You will also find a Summary on my homepage. 

COP 28

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) will take place for the 28th time from November 30 in Dubai. In a coordinated resolution, we Members of the European Parliament are calling for a global Phasing out all fossil fuels and the fastest possible End of subsidies for fossil fuels by 2025! The Loss and Damage Fund (countries that are fueling climate change should take responsibility and pay for countries that are already suffering the consequences) must finally function sensibly and be provided with more money. The measures that have been effective so far are not enough to achieve a 1.5 degree target. I commented critically on this in the Frankfurter Rundschau, that oil deals are to be made here of all places. 

Development Committee

The 'Global Sustainable Development Report 2023' was presented to the Development Committee (DEVE) on Tuesday. Imme Scholz, co-chair of the independent group of scientists who wrote the report and chair of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, presented the report. She began her presentation with the sad news that we have not yet made sufficient progress towards the global sustainability goals. At the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda, all SDGs are seriously off track. While from 2015 to 2019 real Progress on the SDGs Although some progress has been made towards achieving the targets (which are still far from sufficient to achieve them), these have stalled worldwide since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020. This is not only due to the multiple crises, but also to the sluggish implementation of transformation in the energy transition. You can access the report via this link:

Another topic on the agenda was equal opportunities for children with disabilities in developing countries. 80% of people with disabilities worldwide live in so-called developing countries, 98% of children with disabilities do not go to school there. There are still massive differences in education in particular - especially in the Global South - even though some of the projects in sub-Saharan Africa are now inclusive. Funds need to be mobilized for this. Equal education for all is one of the „ Sustainable Development Goals“, and also applies to people with disabilities. 

Exchange on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and its impact on the entire region

Also in the Development Committee this week, there was also a Exchange on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (from 17:34:00) and in the Mashreq delegation to the Impact of the conflict on the region. Representatives from UNRWA, Doctors Without Borders and WFP gave an urgent account of the devastating humanitarian situation of the people on the ground. The people do not have access to sufficient food, water, electricity, etc., and aid is also made more difficult by the very difficult access to Gaza. The situation in the entire region is extremely tense and there is great fear of the conflict spreading further. The UN organizations UNRWA and WFP are already underfunded and urgently need to be provided with sufficient financial resources to continue their work.

Common security and defense policy as a topic in the Committee on Foreign Affairs  

On the annual report on the implementation of the Common foreign and security policy  was voted on this week in the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The report contains many important points, including the call for a reform of the Neighborhood Policy, the need to accelerate enlargement processes and closer international cooperation. A central demand of the report is that the EU must improve its position as a geopolitical actor in order to be better able to respond to events such as the Russian war of aggression and the global impact in times of crisis. However, as the report also calls for the Mercosur agreement to be concluded by the end of the current legislature, we as the Green Group abstained from the final vote on the entire text. You can find the entire report here here.

Also the Report to Common foreign and defense policy was adopted. The Russian war of aggression was also a central topic in this report. Russia's acts of war and the support provided by Iran, China, Belarus and North Korea are condemned in the strongest terms. Parliament also reaffirms its ongoing support for Ukraine, including military support. The funding for this comes from the European Peace Facility. 

The report also calls for an adjustment of the strategic compass of the EU. Findings from the Ukraine war and the Hamas terror are to be incorporated into the compass and the EU's security and defense policy. Both reports will also be voted on again in plenary, probably in the plenary session in January. 

Calendar week 46

Vote on the NDICI implementation report in the committees

On Thursday, the Foreign Affairs and Development Committee of the Implementation report on NDICI-Global Europe for which I am the shadow rapporteur. The own-initiative report contains numerous recommendations to the Commission regarding the programming, implementation and evaluation of the various projects in third countries, particularly with regard to the forthcoming interim report. 

In the text adopted by a large majority, we call, among other things, for a detailed examination of whether the instrument is achieving its primary objectives of combating poverty, promoting democracy and human rights and achieving the SDGs in general. 

Unfortunately, our amendments relating specifically to greater transparency with regard to migration measures were not adopted. We will try to introduce these in the plenary vote.

Important ruling in the UK: "Rwanda model" unlawful 

Important ruling: The UK Supreme Court declares the government's plan to deport asylum seekers coming across the Channel to Rwanda unlawful. You can find the ruling here here in writing. The court argued not only on the basis of the European Convention on Human Rights – from which the UK could theoretically opt out – but more broadly on the basis of the principle of non-refoulement. There is still this illusion in the EU that you can find a country somewhere that is prepared to take all refugees from the EU. Firstly, this country does not exist and secondly, this ruling shows that implementation in accordance with human rights cannot succeed. You can find more information on the ruling here in the Guardian.

Relations with the USA, Japan and China 

Several reports on relations between the European Union and other states were adopted in the Committee on Foreign Affairs this week. In the Report on EU-US relations the importance of the transatlantic partnership emphasized the importance of a common response and strategy to global challenges. Japan is already one of the EU's closest allies. In the report that has now been approved we call for relations to be further deepened and broadened. My colleague Reinhard Bütikofer, as the rapporteur responsible gave his assessment here. 

At third report on China While the need for active and stable relations between the EU and China was emphasized, it was also important to call on the EU to continue to steadfastly and unhesitatingly address China's massive human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities. Any militarily enforced change to the status quo of Taiwan is also rejected. 

Signing of the post-Cotonou agreement in Samoa

On Wednesday, representatives of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP Group) and the EU signed the Successor agreement to the Cotonou Agreement signed in Samoa. The Samoa Agreement is expected to enter into force at the beginning of January 2024 and form the new binding legal framework for relations between ACP and EU states. Cooperation is to focus on sustainable development, climate change, human rights and the promotion of democracy. The process leading up to the signing had been repeatedly prolonged as Hungary and Poland had blocked its adoption in the Council.

Better child protection on the Internet

On Tuesday, we voted in favor of the chat control regulation in the Committee on Internal Affairs. We were able to Significant improvements can be achieved. There will be no mass surveillance of private communications or surveillance regardless of suspicion because our Green Group in the European Parliament has pushed through here. 

EU Committee in the Bundestag

On Wednesday, the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, was invited to the Bundestag's EU Committee. Together we discussed the rule of law and the fundamental rights situation in the European Union. Afterwards, there was an exciting exchange with members of the European Court of Auditors on the implementation of the Corona Recovery Fund and the annual report of the EU budget 2022.

Another ten years of glyphosate

In the appeal committee of the EU member states for the renewal of the glyphosate re-authorization, there were no majority for or against the Commission proposal. Glyphosate is used for 10 more years approved in the EU. It is a scandal that no qualified majority of the Member States voted against, so that the Commission can then extend the plant toxin without the consent of the Member States. Germany abstained, but even if Germany had voted in favor, a qualified majority would not have been achieved. However, the German government has made a commitment in the coalition agreement, Glyphosate off the market by the end of 2023 to take. This will now become more difficult if the Commission's proposal comes into force. 

Calendar week 45

Trilogue marathon on GEAS

We had several trilogue meetings with the Spanish Council Presidency on various dossiers of the EU asylum reform and the kick-off trilogue meeting on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. These topics will occupy me intensively in the coming weeks, as the aim is to finalize everything before Christmas. 

In the case of the Asylum Procedures Regulation, we have worked out the differences to the negotiating mandates of Parliament and the Council – the aim here is to find common ground and opportunities for compromise. However, the positions are so far apart that this will be very difficult. In the case of the Schengen Borders Code, the start of the trilogue served to exchange the two positions. 

Cate Blanchett on the committee

On Wednesday, Cate Blanchett (UNHCR Ambassador) gave a speech in Parliament in which she emphasized the protection of human rights at Europe's borders and compliance with international refugee law, in particular the Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951, as crucial points. Humanity must once again be at the heart of asylum policy! People must also be aware that 90 percent of forcibly displaced persons are taken in by low- and middle-income countries, and what these countries achieve despite having few resources is admirable. She describes the externalization of asylum procedures as inhumane; instead, the protection of refugees should be central to policy. Building walls is not a solution, neither physically nor in people's minds. She talks about the individual fates of refugees with whom she herself spoke while traveling as part of her work. There are now 114 million refugees worldwide. Blanchett calls for the EU and the member states to maintain humanitarian aid. Her entire speech (22 minutes) you can find here. 

Euro 7 in plenary 

The new emissions standard (EURO 7) specifies how much exhaust gas cars built after 2025 may emit. The limit values for pollutants were voted on in plenary yesterday and remain far too low. The pollutant limits for cars and vans with petrol engines remain unchanged; for diesel vehicles, they will only fall slightly compared to Euro 6. The tests for cars and vans will also only become slightly stricter. An alliance of conservatives, right-wingers and liberals voted with a majority in favor of defusing the directive. The car industry is to be given more time to adapt to the new emission values. Synthetic fuels or e-fuels, as demanded by the FDP, will not be taken into account. Stricter emission standards can now be expected by 2030 at the earliest. Air pollution causes 300,000 premature deaths in the EU every year. If something does not change quickly with regard to exhaust emissions, we will not be able to achieve the climate protection targets set for 2030. The car lobby has prevailed here. Parliament will now take its decision into further negotiations with the Commission and Council.

EU enlargement 

On Wednesday, the European Commission published its country reports on EU accession for Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, the Western Balkans and Georgia. The EU Commission is proposing the opening of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, an advance for negotiation talks with Bosnia-Herzegovina, depending on the necessary compliance with the membership criteria, as well as candidate status for Georgia. The heads of state and government are expected to decide on enlargement at their summit in mid-December. You can find the relevant documents here here on the homepage of the Commission

Interview in the Frankfurter Rundschau

With the Frankfurter Rundschau I talked about the current debate on asylum policy. We are currently experiencing a massive shift to the right, unrealistic demands and shrill tones from politicians. I tried to explain that the competition for the harshest rhetoric on asylum policy will only be won by the right. 

Meeting with activists from Jordan

This week, there was also a meeting and exchange with representatives of Human Rights Defenders and activists from Jordan. The activists reported on the challenges they face in their work and how local civil society is also coming under increasing pressure. Through a series of laws, such as a Law against cybercrimeThe scope for action is being further restricted and many organizations, activists and community groups are facing threats and arbitrary prosecution. The activists also said that many organizations no longer carry out parts of their activities or self-censor publications in response to these laws and for fear of consequences. In the report by Human Right Watch you can find more information.

Calendar week 41

Solidarity with Israel and the victims of Hamas 

On Wednesday, relatives of kidnapped Hamas victims were guests at the European Parliament. I sincerely hope that the relevant governments will find ways to rescue these people from the hands of the terrorists. The fact that the Israeli government has not yet contacted their relatives is no credit to them. We also joined President Metsola, Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel and others at a rally to express our solidarity with Israel and the victims of Hamas terror. You can listen to Metsola's speech see here. 

Sea Rescue 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had publicly opposed German funding for sea rescue in the Mediterranean, and âBildâ then claimed that the support would be discontinued. This is wrong. The federal government will continue to fund sea rescue at least until 2026. I was also a guest on the podcast âTo the pointâ of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and talked about sea rescue and the EU asylum law reform. 

Meeting with young activists for gender justice

Within the framework of the âEuropean Week of Action for Girlsâ I met this week with a group of young activists who are working in their home countries for gender justice, girls’ and women’s rights, and political participation of girls and young women, among other issues, hit. The conversation focused on how the EU can advocate for girls' rights worldwide and what role I can play in my work in the Development Committee. 

Event „Moving Cities“

About a dozen mayors have met in Brüssel at the invitation of the Heinrich Böll Foundation on a solidarity-based migration policy.. They demand direct EU funding for municipalities. Together with the European Commission and representatives of cities, I presented my view on the asylum reform pact and the possibilities for the EU to support cities and municipalities that are ready to receive people.

It was great to hear from representatives from different places in Europe who have experience and creative solutions for welcoming refugees. As the EU, we need to do more to find ways to support these initiatives, especially through direct funding to enable inclusion.

Rule of Law Mission of the LIBE Committee to Bulgaria

This week I was in Bulgaria as part of a delegation from the Home Affairs Committee, which focuses on democracy and fundamental rights in member states where rule of law issues are problematic. We met with politicians, civil society, and journalists to examine the status of the ongoing constitutional reform and the problems related to corruption in the country. We met with President Rumen Rade, several ministers, the Prosecutor General and the Ombudsperson. We must not only ensure strict control of member states and the rule of law, but also allow Bulgaria access to the Schengen area. I very much enjoyed my first visit to Sofia.

Plenary Week October I in Strasbourg 

Key debate on flight and migration 

On Wednesday, I spoke in plenary and explained that the deterrence policy of recent years must not be the basis for the trilogue negotiations, because it creates suffering, because it causes chaos and because it does not even lead to fewer people fleeing to Europe on life-threatening routes. We could implement many of the positive goals associated with asylum reform right now. What is lacking for this is not primarily new laws, but the political will. You can find the speech here. 

Sea Rescue 

On Tuesday, we in the EU Parliament commemorated the victims of the terrible disaster off Lampedusa, which happened 10 years ago. But since then, more than 28,000 people have drowned in the Mediterranean and yet there is no EU sea rescue mission. The right-wingers have been successful with their disinformation campaign on sea rescue. Their goal is to have a wall of dead people in the Mediterranean Sea as a deterrent. I hope, on the other hand, that we will get to the point where facts count again and where we are once again proud to help people in need. You can find my speech here. I was also a guest at the Podcast Tekkal and Behroz and talked with them about sea rescue. 

Crisis Ordinance

The Council has agreed on the so-called crisis regulation agreed. This agreement has improved under pressure from the German government, but it is not good. In the European Parliament, we will fight to ensure that standards for asylum seekers are not lowered further. The Council's mandate is not only very different from that of the EP, it is also highly problematic in our view.

The member states are not offered real, sustainable solidarity in a crisis situation; instead, many exceptions are offered. The term instrumentalization also appears in the mandate, which the EP completely rejects. 

Trilogue on the Asylum Procedure Regulation 

At the fourth round of the trialogue, all contentious issues were on the table – from detention to the concept of "safe states." 

The mandates of the co-legislators diverge widely on all these issues, a compromise is a long way off, and the institutions are under great time pressure to close the dossier before the end of the legislative session.

No decisions were made at this meeting, but rather a list of tasks to be completed was drawn up. Much work was delegated to the technical level. The upcoming trialogue is in November and there is still a lot to be done in the process. 

Vote on the confirmation of the mandate for the Schengen Borders Code

This week, MEPs voted to confirm the negotiating mandate given to S&D MEP Sylvie Guillaume to start inter-institutional negotiations with the European Council on this important issue. As shadow rapporteur, I have already supported the mandate in the Home Affairs Committee. We also voted in plenary to confirm the mandate, but the negotiations will not be easy.

Our mandate is important because we are abolishing the concept of instrumentalization, setting a clear end date for internal border controls, limiting the use of the internal transfer procedure, and ensuring checks and safeguards when Member States carry out internal border controls. The work ahead will be difficult, as the Council has a very different negotiating mandate.

Resolutions on human rights violations in Afghanistan, Egypt and Chechnya 

On Thursday, we passed three resolutions in Parliament condemning serious human rights violations and massive repression against civil society activists and opposition figures. About the devastating human rights situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power, especially for former government members and officials, I have spoken repeatedly over the past two years. In our resolution we demand the Taliban to fully implement the announced general amnesty for former government officials and employees, as well as members of the national security agencies. We also urged that the banishment of women and girls from schools, universities and public life be reversed and called for humanitarian visas for persecuted human rights defenders. 

In the resolution on Egypt we called for the immediate and unconditional release of Hisham Kassem, as well as tens of thousands of political prisoners, and an end to the persecution of members of the opposition. Kassem was killed in a politically motivated He was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment after a trial for criticizing a former Egyptian minister online. We also demand that the upcoming presidential elections be fair, free and legal, that arbitrary arrests stop, and that freedom of expression and freedom of the press be implemented. Finally, we also have the Kidnapping and imprisonment of Zarema Musayeva criticized and condemned. She was sentenced in retaliation for the work of her two sons as human rights defenders on arbitrary charges to Sentenced to 5.5 years imprisonment. The European Parliament calls for their immediate release, a comprehensive clarification and investigation of attacks on Chechen activists, journalists, political prisoners and dissidents, and a stronger EU response to the worrying human rights situation on the ground. 

Nagorno-Karabakh

On Thursday, the European Parliament voted in favor of a Resolution on Azerbaijan's latest offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh voted. In the resolution, the European Parliament condemns the new offensive of the autocrat Ilham Aliyev on the territory with Armenian majority.

The European Union must not close its eyes to ethnic cleansing in our neighborhood. The dependence of some Member States on Azerbaijani gas must not make us forget that Ilham Aliyev is a dictator. 

Calendar week 39

Group retreat in Madrid 

This week we held our Greens/EFA Group Retreat in Madrid took place. At the probably last event of this kind in this legislature, we first reflected on the last 4 years and also intensively discussed the next months and the European elections next year. It was very interesting to have an intensive exchange with external guests, MEP colleagues and staff from the different member states about a variety of topics, in normal parliamentary weeks this exchange is unfortunately often too short. 

Tunisia deal

After last week the EU Commission Tunisia €127 million for budget support and migration measures has paid off, On Monday, the country refused entry to the commissionjust shortly after a similar incident with a Delegation of the European Parliament. The Tunisian autocrat Saied incites against black people and spreads anti-Semitism. His security forces take people to the desert to let them die of thirst. Despite this, the EU is sticking to the migration deal and this week, at the Council of Interior Ministers, again put migration agreements with third countries on the agenda. AgendaThe deal of Meloni and von der Leyen must not become a model for future cooperation with other countries of origin and transit.

Calendar week 38

Votes in the Development Committee

In the Development Committee on Wednesday, we discussed, among other things, the Statement on the 2024 budget where I was responsible for the Group. In the adopted text, we urge, among other things, compliance with the funding targets for climate and biodiversity measures set out in NDICI-GE and call for additional funding for humanitarian aid.

On the Agenda The program also included exchanges on promoting access to education and training in the Global South, the Energy expansion in Africa and demining in Ukraine. 

Nominations for the Sakharov Human Rights Prize 

This week the Nominations for this year's Sakharov Prize announced.
The Sakharov Prize has been awarded annually since 1988 by the European Parliament to individuals or organizations fighting for human and fundamental rights.
My group has Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate which is committed to the fight against climate change and for human rights.
In addition to parliamentary groups, further nominations can also be made by 40 deputies, so together with my colleague Hannah Neumann and 56 other deputies, I have also nominated the Afghan Education activists Marzia Amiri, Parasto Hakim and Matiullah Wesa nominated.
In October, 3 finalists will be selected from all nominations, followed by this year's winner. The award ceremony will take place on December 13 during the plenary week in Strasbourg. 

Annual meeting of the Green Trade Union and Future Workshop of the Green Youth

At the weekend I was allowed to work at the Annual meeting of union greens and the Future workshop of the Green Youth I will report on my work in the Parliament and on the current state of negotiations on the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Thank you for the invitation and the exciting discussions! 

Plenary Week September 2023 in Strasbourg 

Draft for the European Election Program 2024

On Thursday, party chairs Ricarda and Omid and our federal political director Emily presented the draft program for the European elections 2024, entitled âWhat protects us.â At its core is an infrastructure union of hydrogen networks and fiber optic lines, of power lines and rails, of solar panels and wind farms â but also of modern hospitals and reliable daycare centers, of institutions and standards that strengthen justice and protect the rights of all. You can read the presentation of the election program watch here.

Renewable Energies Directive

The EU Parliament clears the way for a massive boost for the energy transition, cheap electricity and the EU as an industrial location. The final agreement reached on Tuesday on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive is an important step towards the energy transition and for the EU as an industrial location. Our group was able to achieve that the share of renewable energies in the total energy supply is increased from currently 32 percent to 42.5 percent by 2030, with the goal of reaching 45 percent. Approval procedures for solar parks and wind power projects will be limited to a period of one year, the installation of solar cells on roofs and balconies will become much faster and easier, and those who generate their own electricity will be able to feed it into the grid more easily. The promotion of renewable energies is part of the climate package Fit for 55 and a central goal of the Green Deal to make the EU fit for climate neutrality, create new and better jobs, boost the economy and achieve European energy independence.

Trilogue on the Asylum Procedures Regulation (APR)

The responsible Members of the European Parliament and the Council met for the third time to continue work on the reform of the recast Asylum Procedures Regulation. Currently, discussions are focused on the first and second chapters of the instrument, which define the scope and the basic tasks and guarantees of the APR. There are many details where the two mandates differ, but the main contentious issues of these negotiations are not included in these chapters. The schedule is tight, so it is expected that monthly trilogues will take place with weekly meetings at the technical level.

EU-Tunisia Agreement

Go to EU-Tunisia Agreement this week there was both a Plenary discussion as well as in the context of a joint Meeting of the Maghreb Delegation and the Interior Committee. Here it has once again become clear that across the political groups, most members are dissatisfied with the lack of involvement of the European Parliament in the drafting of the agreement. But even beyond that, there was a lot of criticism. Despite the deteriorating human rights situation in Tunisia, Ursula von der Leyen has signed a migration agreement with the authoritarian government without linking the payments to the respect of human rights. You can find my speech in the plenum here. 

Situation in Afghanistan 

At the beginning of the week, I presented in plenary reminded of the people in Afghanistan. Two years after the Taliban took power, the humanitarian and human rights situation is appalling. WFP reportsthat millions of people in Afghanistan are no longer being reached, this could worsen in the coming months. We have a responsibility towards Afghanistan and must provide support both on the ground and in neighboring countries, and encourage relocations to Europe.

Event with Rasmus Andresen in Wedding Thursday evening from 7 pm Rasmus and I gave insights into EU politics in Wedding. We talked about economy, finances and migration and discussed how we can make Europe more just. a small report dau still follows on my homepage.

Calendar week 36

Meeting on the Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR)

To ensure that the EP's position is best represented by the rapporteur (MEP Fabienne Keller, RE from France), the responsible MEPs met this week. 

Reading through the proposed compromises, we negotiate among ourselves and find majorities for the sensitive issues.At the moment, we are still working on the first two chapters of the APR, which are rather straightforward but very important to ensure principles and guarantees for protection seekers.

Next Tuesday, we must ensure that our key points are included in the common text and commit Member States to procedural guarantees for all asylum seekers, but especially for those in need of protection.

Letter to Commissioner Johansson 

The conservative government in Sweden is planning a new law that would oblige state employees to report undocumented migrants to the police and the Swedish asylum authorities. In practice, this would mean that, for example, teachers, social workers, or health care workers would have to report refugees they care for to the authorities. Together with 30 MEPs from 4 political groups, I have written a letter to Commissioner Johannsson urging her to oppose the adoption of this law. You can find the letter here.

Discussion with Frontex Executive Director and on Sea Rescue in the Committee on Human Rights 

On Thursday, Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens was invited to a meeting of the Human Rights Committee. The topic of the debate was human rights compliance in Frontex operations and activities, especially in cooperation with third countries. Leijtens largely repeated what he has also said in the past. Frontex's central task, he said, is to secure borders while respecting fundamental and human rights. In the discussion, Leijtens agreed that Libya not a safe place for migrants and that there is still a great need for improvement in Frontex activities in terms of safeguarding and compliance. Regarding the Pylos shipwreck, he also only repeated that Frontex had followed the protocol and had fulfilled its mission by notifying the Greek authorities.
At Afterwards, another debate on the "external dimension" of sea rescue took place, with the participation of Sara Prestianni from EuroMed Rights and Giorgia Linardi from Sea Watchwho reported on the current situation in the Mediterranean and for sea rescue organizations since the Italian decree on civilian sea rescue came into force, but also why Libyan and Tunisian ports are not safe places.  

You can read the discussions look here.

Frontex shows no interest in Crotone reconnaissance

From joint research by Lighthouse Reports, El País, Sky News, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Domani, it emerges that the Italian government lied about its role in the Crotone boat accident that killed 94 people, including 35 children, and that Frontex helped cover up the incident. I sent a question to the Commission with 25 MEPs from four political groups, which was answered on August 3. Now Frontex has also responded to our question, showing little interest in clarification. More about this on my homepage.

Calendar week 35

Systematic killings of fugitives in Saudi Arabia

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported in its August report. âThey Fired on Us Like Rainâ about systematic killings of refugees from Ethiopia at the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The report documents that hundreds of people were killed by Saudi Arabian border guards over a period of almost 1.5 years alone, and grenades were allegedly used. As of October 2022 Special Rapporteur of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in a letter massive targeted killings of migrants denounced.
The escape route across the Gulf of Aden and through Yemen to Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most dangerous in the world and is mainly used by people from Ethiopia. The catastrophic situation for Ethiopian refugees was already approved by a resolution of the European Parliament in 2020. criticized. The HRW report shows a new negative high point, which must be investigated immediately and independently. I and the Green group will work for a resolution to be passed in the next plenary week. Monitor also reported about it on TV this week. 

Situation in Niger and the migration agreement with Tunisia in the Foreign Policy Committee

The situation after the military coup in Niger was on the agenda of the Foreign Policy Committee this week. Richard Young, head of the West Africa delegation of the European External Action Service, also attended the meeting. Niger is home to about 300,000 refugees, mainly from Nigeria and Mali. Furthermore, there are additionally 300,000 internally displaced persons. As a host and transit country, Niger has received extensive financial aid and funding from the EU in recent years, also with the aim of preventing people from fleeing to the north and Europe. All financial assistance (except humanitarian aid) has now been suspended with immediate effect.  In the discussion, many deputies called for targeted sanctions as well as an analysis of The EU's strategy for the Sahel region, after Niger, another state in the region after Mali and Burkina Faso, has seen all democratic structures forcibly suspended. 

In another meeting, the migration agreement with Tunisia signed by the Commission and Team Europe in July was discussed. I spoke about the agreement and my position on it at the meeting.he already in this article on my homepage written. The Commission was represented by Director General Gert Jan Koopman, responsible for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. Across the political groups, there were many critical comments and questions about this agreement, which for me were not answered satisfactorily by Gert Jan Koopman. The discussion you can see you here once again (from 11:30).

Budget votes and debate on EFSD+ in the Development Committee

At the first meeting of the Development Committee After the summer break, we voted on Wednesday on the opinion on the mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework 2021 to 2027 and on the budget for 2024, for which I am shadow rapporteur. Due to a changed global context, in particular the consequences of the Corona pandemic and the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, expenditure in the area of external financing of the EU, among other things, has risen very sharply, so that the financial reserves are already almost exhausted. We have therefore called for additional funds to be made available until the end of 2027 in order to be able to respond appropriately to global crises. In particular, the area of humanitarian aid is to be strengthened, but the thematic instruments of development cooperation, for example in the area of climate change, also need additional funds.

This was followed by a Study presentation and debate on the EFSD+. By providing guarantees and grants for loans and capital investments, the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) aims to contribute to inclusive development and related objectives such as inclusive growth, poverty reduction, reduction of socio-economic inequalities and support for vulnerable groups. The study examines how this inclusive approach of EFSD+ is implemented in practice, something we Greens have been skeptical about. In fact, according to the study, success in the implementation of some SDGs can be demonstrated, but it is questionable for SDG 1, the fight against poverty and other goals with a social component.

Declaration of solidarity with the Syrian people

On the initiative of my colleague Katrin Langensiepen, this week I and other MEPs issued a statement of solidarity with the Syrian people. published. The reason for this are renewed large-scale protests against the Assad regime.

On the road in Saxony Anhalt

Together with my colleague Anna Cavazziniand several colleagues from the field, we were in Magdeburg on Friday and met with various companies, initiatives and associations. We have met with GETEC green energy a company that provides sustainable energy supply concepts for industry and municipalities. Afterwards we met with the start-up company Solar Materials which is developing new methods to recycle solar panels in order to return even more of the originally used materials back into the raw material cycle. After lunch, we met with the Together e.V. an association that has been working for years against right-wing extremism and for the promotion of democracy. And finally, we met with the DGB Saxony-Anhalt and exchanged views on current struggles for workers' rights.

Calendar week 34

Visit to Lesbos 

I used the last week of the summer break to get a picture of the current situation on Lesbos and in Greece. The situation is devastating. Until Wednesday, 28 bodies of refugees were found in burnt areas. The Greek migration minister claims that this tragedy proves the dangers of irregular migration. Yet, with such statements, he proves above all his own moral neglect. While the causes of the fire are unclear, he whispers racist hatred to exonerate the government.

There was also a fire on Lesbos yesterday not far from the new camp. Although the camp is located in the middle of a nature reserve, where there are regular fires, the government has built the camp there with tens of millions of EU funds. The idea of large camps at the external borders and isolation has failed again and again in recent years. But instead of building a humane functioning system, they repeat the mistakes of the past and seal themselves off. The fact that this policy costs human lives every day, unfortunately, interests fewer and fewer people. Read more in my Insta video. 

EU funds for Greece 

Conditions in Greece are terrible, even though the EU is giving the country â'¬5 billion for migration and asylum. The European Union's support to Greece comes through four pots: the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF), the  Emergency Support Instrument (ESI) and the Border Management and Visa Policy Instrument (BMVI). The largest pot is the AMIF, through which a total of ⬠9.88 billion has been made available in the current multiannual financial framework. Greece has been allocated ⬠2.75 billion from this pot since 2014. You can find a detailed breakdown on my homepage. 

My sponsorship for Ehsan Mohammadi

I have taken over the sponsorship of Ehsan. Ehsan Mohammadi is 16 years old and was sentenced to death for allegedly waging a “war against God.â In the past, Iran has sentenced minors to death and executed them several times. I call for the release of Ehsan and all political prisoners, and I will advocate for this with those responsible. Even if the topic is no longer so present in the media, we must not forget the people in Iran who fight for freedom and are oppressed for it. Read more on Insta and at the Hawar's sponsorship network. 

EU migration agreement with Tunisia 

On July 16, 2023, the European Commission â without consulting the Council and the European Parliament â signed a migration agreement (âmemorandum of understandingâ) signed with Tunisia. What is wrong with this and why human rights are not in the foreground in this deal, I have among other things explained in the NDR and a little more detailed on my homepage. 

Question to the Commission: Trafficking in human beings by Libyan coast guards 

I have asked the Commission what its position is on the fact that the Libyan Coast Guard, which it supports, is itself involved in smuggling and human trafficking. In its response, the Commission says that the human rights violations and conditions in detention centers in Libya are unacceptable. Nevertheless, the commission supports the very entities that bring people to these camps. The Commission talks about saving lives, but in most cases these are not rescue operations, but pull-backs, in which people are taken against their will to the civil war country Libya, so that they do not apply for asylum in the EU. Moreover, there is a massive lack of transparency vis-Ã -vis the parliament, because evaluations and monitoring are not disclosed. Despite repeated requests, we MEPs do not have an accurate overview of the EU funds for Libya. The whole question and my assessment can be found here.

Plenary Week July Strasbourg

Major success: EU Parliament calls for sea rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea 

The EU Parliament has adopted a Resolution clearly spoken out in favor of an EU sea rescue mission. We also demand, among other things, that information about sea rescue cases be shared immediately, that the criminalization of sea rescue organizations be refrained from and that ships be allowed into the next safe port after sea rescues. I negotiated the resolution for our group and even if we cannot immediately force the Member States to implement the measures, it is a clear sign of where the majority in Europe stands.

My comment on the decision can be found her on Insta. Also, on Wednesday I have made a speech on the ship disaster off Pylos and pointed out the co-responsibility of Greece. 

Exhibition 1000 Dreams

On Monday of this week, together with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Thessaloniki and the NGO Witness Change an exhibition of the project "1000 Dreams" opened at the Parliament in Strasbourg. Instead of always hearing about refugees only from the media, they themselves should have their say and tell their stories. The portraits will also be on display in front of Strasbourg City Hall for several weeks. Read more you can find out here. 

Nature Restoration Law

This week, by a slim majority of 336 to 300, we strengthened our bargaining position for the Nature Restoration Act passed. While the conservatives, together with the far-right groups, have tried everything to prevent the law, our aim is to preserve and improve biodiversity and species diversity by, for example, rewetting peatlands and designating more areas as protected areas. This bill will be an important part of the Commission's Fit for 55 package. 

OSCE Election Observation Mission to Poland

This week, the parliament voted in favor of a Election Observation Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the parliamentary elections in Poland in the fall. We are particularly concerned because of the appointed committee of inquiry into Russian influence, which may lead to weakening and intimidating the opposition. 

Fit for 55

We have compiled other important dossiers of the Fit for 55 package has been adopted. A charging station for e-cars is to be available every 60 km from 2026, ships are to be powered by alternative fuels and buildings are to be insulated more efficiently. We also agreed on a parliamentary position on industrial emissions. You can find out more about the current status of Fit for 55 at here 

Ecodesign Regulation

This week, we decided by a large majority that Products last longer and are easier to repair should be. Spare parts and soft updates are to be available for longer, making products and devices usable for longer. The Ecodesign Regulation also prohibits the destruction of unsold textiles and electronic devices. A circular economy should thus steadily replace the model of a throwaway society. Trilogue negotiations with the Commission and the Council will now begin.

Calendar week 27

Study: Lawless space â criminalization of refugees in Greece 

The study I commissioned from Borderline Europe analyzes the criminalization of refugees as suspected smugglers in Greece. 

Trials last an average of 37 minutes, with the average prison sentence being 46 years. Most persons are sentenced on the basis of the testimony of a person from the police or coast guard, who in 68 percent of the cases is not even present during the proceedings. Persons convicted of smuggling are the second largest group in Greek prisons. They are usually arrested immediately upon arrival, held in pre-trial detention for months, and have very limited ability to defend themselves. german, English and greek Language available. 

Interior Committee on the boat disaster off Pylos and on European-Libyan cooperation in the field of migration

On Thursday, an exchange of views with Interior Commissioner Johansson and Frontex Director Hans Leijtens on the Shipwreck off Pylos on June 14 took place. While Interior Commissioner Johansson spoke of internal Greek investigations to answer the many unanswered questions and Frontex, according to Leijtens, had followed protocol and informed the relevant Greek authorities and followed their instructions, I wanted to know from Frontex (from 11.27:32), why her plane did not send a mayday call and what consequences are generally drawn from the shipwreck. I wanted to know from the Commission whether there is an increase or decrease of legal migration routes to Europe and why the EU does not fund private sea rescue NGOs, when the Libyan coast guard is funded with the same argument. 

Another item on the agenda was an exchange of views on cooperation with Libya. While the Commission representatives wanted to maintain cooperation with Libya and to strengthen it in some areas, a representative of the UN Fact Finding Mission about the worst human rights violations, committed by the Libyan coast guard, among others. The invited NGO representative also reported about it. I wanted to know from the Commission (from 12:48:34) why the Libyan coast guard does not carry EU-funded life jackets on their boats, when these are the first thing given to a boat in distress. 

Development Committee on the reports on humanitarian aid and the budget for 2024

At the same time as the Interior Committee on Thursday also held a Meeting of the Development Committee held, where the reports on humanitarian aid and the opinion on the Budget for 2024 for which I am responsible for the Green Group. The main challenge for both reports is to reconcile the steadily growing need for humanitarian aid due to the COVID pandemic, climate change, the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, among others, with the actual budgetary resources available. 

In the Foreign Affairs Committee: financial support for Ukraine.

To support Ukraine financially in the period 2024 – 2027, the EU Commission has proposed the creation of a new financial instrument, the Ukraine Facility, proposed. This instrument was the subject of a joint debate of the Budget and Foreign Affairs Committees this week. As a Green group, it is important to us that sufficient funding is made available for Ukraine as a whole, but also for local authorities and for civil society. It must also be ensured that corruption is fought and that the money is used especially for sustainable reconstruction. Here you can read the View the meeting and the speech of my colleague Rasmus Andresen.

Mashrek Delegation: Lebanon Mission Debrief and Exchange on Current Security Situation in the Region

In the Mashreq delegation, members of the delegation reported on the parliamentary trip to Lebanon that took place in June. The group from several parliamentary groups had met with Lebanese government representatives, members of civil society and aid organizations to get an idea of the devastating economic and social situation. Afterwards, there was also an exchange on the current security situation in the region with the European External Action Service and two experts from the Carnegie Middle East Center. You can find the entire session here.

Calendar week 25

Visit to Frontex in Warsaw 

On Monday and Tuesday, I visited Frontex headquarters in Warsaw with a delegation from the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Among other things, we exchanged views with Director Hans Leijtens. The main focus was on a discussion of current Frontex operations and the status of the development of the "Permanent Reserve". 
It was particularly important to me to talk about the human rights situation at the external borders and how human rights can also be better respected within Frontex operations. The shipping accident off Pylos and the future prevention of such accidents were also a recurring topic in the discussions. 

GEAS discussion on Deutschlandfunk

At Deutschlandfunk I discussed the shipwreck off the Greek coast and the effects of the planned European asylum reform GEAS with CDU Member of Parliament Serap Güler and migration researcher Franck Düvell from the University of Osnabrück on Wednesday. I made it clear that external border procedures, detention centers and the expansion of the list of so-called safe third countries will not bring any improvements for asylum seekers and will not stop the deaths in the Mediterranean. We see that many boats with refugees are already taking the further journey to Italy in order to bypass Greece and the inhumane conditions there for refugees. As long as there are no safe escape routes, people will continue to try to cross the Mediterranean. 

World Refugee Day

For World Refugee Day 2023, according to the UNHCR study more people on the run than ever before – a total of over 110 million people worldwide. The EU's response to the ever-increasing number of displaced persons must not be even more isolation – we need more humanity again. Unfortunately, we have seen a contrary development for years with the envisaged GEAS reform, but also e.g. in United Kingdomthat legally stands before the de facto abolition of the individual right to asylum. 

Review of the Multiannual Financial Framework

On Tuesday, the European Commission published the proposals for the review of the Multiannual financial framework (2021-2027, the so-called "mid-term review") and the EU own resources (âown-resources packageâ) was published. This review will allow the EU budget to be adapted to new challenges, especially those arising from the corona pandemic and the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. However, it is not only important to have sufficient financial resources, but also that they are used for the right priorities. The MFF proposal requires unanimity in the Council and the consent of the EP. The proposal for own resources requires unanimity and ratification by national parliaments as well as EP consultation.

June plenary week in Strasbourg 

Hundreds dead in the Mediterranean 

The Greek authorities have issued a Ship's distress call ignored for hours. In addition there are Reportsaccording to which the Greek coast guard tried to tow the boat into Italian waters. The Greek coast guard may have contributed to the accident. In the ARD I have commented on this and said âthat one accepts the dying in the Mediterranean, it must be said. That one perhaps even partly wants people to die in the Mediterranean in order to deter.â Eurotopics has summarized voices and media reports from other European countries on the boat accident and translated them into German.  

Europe Calling Webinar 

On Thursday I participated in a Europe Calling Webinar with the title âReform of EU asylum law â Historic success or step backwards for human rights?â. The other guests were the migration researcher Gerald Knaus, the European Minister of Foreign Affairs Anna Lührmann, the child rights expert Farbod Mahoutchiyan from Plan International and the asylum rights expert Sophie Scheytt from Amnesty International. It was a critical exchange and I will do my utmost to ensure that the Council proposal will not become reality.

EU Committee in the Bundestag

This week, the EU Committee of the Bundestag hosted our Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. This was his first visit to the EU Committee since taking office five months ago. We talked about the support of Ukraine, the status of the procurement of equipment for the Bundeswehr and the NATO enlargement by Finland and Sweden. 

Motion for a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Sudan

The humanitarian situation in Sudan has deteriorated drastically since the outbreak of fighting between the SAF and RSF in mid-April, and children are particularly affected. For this reason, the European Parliament this week passed a resolution Emergency resolution and called for both an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian assistance, as well as the issuance of emergency travel documents for refugees by member states. 

AI Act

This week, the European Parliament adopted by a large majority its Negotiating position on rules for safe and transparent artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. We define risks and high-risk AI practices, but also see the potential of safe AI tools. These should bring benefits to the citizens. Particularly important to us Greens is the ban on biometric surveillance, e.g. automatic facial recognition. You can find more information here

Adoption of Sustainable Development Goals Report

The Development and Environment Committee present an annual implementation report on the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The achievement of the SDGs in 2030 is a long way off, unfortunately not a single country is currently on track to achieve all 17 SDGs.

The resolution adopted in plenary session in June Report is published in the run-up to the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2023, the annual UN conference that takes stock of the implementation of the SDGs and takes place in New York in July. The report refers to the implementation of the EU Sustainable Development Goals so far and makes concrete recommendations. As the Green Group, we were able to negotiate important points into the text, among others regarding over-indebtedness, structural reforms of the World Bank and IMF, the Global Gateway Initiative, biodiversity and climate measures as well as access to water.

Donor conference for Syria

In the premises of the European Parliament in Brüssel this week, the 7th Brussels Conference for the Future of Syria and the Region took place. A total of â'¬5.6 billion has been pledged to support the Syrian people, of which â'¬3.8 billion alone has been provided by the EU and its member states. The conflict is now in its 13th year and millions of people are still in need of humanitarian aid, with the situation worsened by the devastating earthquake in February.

Calendar week 23

Interior Committee on Schengen Area and Pushbacks in Greece

On Monday this week, the Committee on Home Affairs, Civil Liberties and Justice met. There, the Commission presented in a first session of the final report on the situation of the Schengen area in front of the audience. The growing cross-border cooperation was praised. The Council decision to deny Romania and Bulgaria accession to the Schengen area, however, was criticized. According to the Commission, there is no legal basis for this. I have asked the Commission Questions (from 15.54.30) on internal border controls, its assessment of the Schengen accession of Croatia and its further approach to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

In addition, an exchange of views took place with Commission Vice-President Schinas from Greece on issues raised by the New York Times documented pushbacks of the Greek coast guard took place. While Commissioner Schinas questioned the authenticity of the video footage and denied any occurrence of pushbacks in the Ãgäis, I wanted to know (from 17.25.23) whether, firstly, the Libyan coast guard should continue to be financed by the EU, if the EU wants to take action against human trafficking. My second question was whether Commissioner Schinas could explain how exactly the legally compliant interception of a refugee boat by the Greek coast guard takes place at sea.

Geopolitical Dialogue with Jutta Urpilainen

Earlier this week, as part of the monitoring process for the application of the NDICI-Global Europe biannual geopolitical dialogue, I asked some questions to the Commissioner for Development Cooperation Jutta Urpilainen. The exchange focused on the initiatives on critical raw materials, the cooperation with Ethiopia and the Global Gateway Strategy and the respective financial implementation. The exchange took place behind closed doors, in my intervention I referred to the compliance with environmental and social standards in the implementation of specific projects. 

Letter to Borrell on Uganda 

Since 2021, the human rights situation in Uganda has repeatedly deteriorated. Since the election of President Yoweri Museveni, there has been an increase in arbitrary arrests, violence against the opposition, demonstrators, and civil society organizations, as well as a restriction of media freedom. In May, a draconian anti-LGBTI law was passedwhich provides for heavy prison sentences and even the death penalty in certain cases.
Together with 65 MEPs from 6 political groups, I have written a letter to Josef Borrell and Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, urging them to ensure that EU development funds are not misused by the Ugandan government. 

We also call for targeted entry bans, visa restrictions, and asset freezes on individuals who participate in, incite, or support human rights abuses in Uganda. The EU must make additional efforts to improve the safety of human rights defenders and LGBTI activists.
The entire letter you can find here. [Twitter Jan-Christoph Oetjen] 

Calendar week 22

Meeting with BAG Global Development

This week I met with members of the BAG Global Development, who were in Brussels at the invitation of my colleague Anna Cavazzini. The exchange was primarily about the reform of the common asylum system in Europe and the position of the Greens on this legislative package. 

Meeting with UNDP Turkey

Together with Louisa Vinton, the representative for Turkey of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), I exchanged views this week on the current situation in Turkey, especially in the areas affected by the earthquake. They also discussed the election results and their impact on the population, refugees and future cooperation with the EU. 

Meeting with Front Line Defenders on Jordan

Increasing human rights violations, restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, threats against activists and the still existing ban of the teachers' union by the Jordanian authorities were the topic of my meeting with Hala Ahed and representative of Front Line Defenders. Hala Ahed works as a lawyer in Jordan and is a laureate of the 2023 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk.. 

Event on "No Hunger by 2030?"

On Friday, together with my colleague Martin Häusling (agricultural policy spokesman for the Greens/EFA) a Event in Berlin on the topic "No hunger by 2030? The state of food security worldwide and the role of the EU". Joining the panel were Sigrid Müller, Deputy Director at the World Food Program Global Office in Germany and Tobias Reichert, Agricultural Policy and World Trade Officer at GermanwatchThe two inputs of our guests, as well as the entire discussion, can be viewed at here Watch.

Calendar week 21

Interior Committee on Frontex

In the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) this week, a Survey (from 10.07.30) on the boat accident off the Calabrian coast at the end of February took place. Present were the new Frontex Director General Hans Leijtens, the commander of the Italian Coast Guard and a representative of Doctors Without Borders. The purpose was to clarify how the tragedy occurred and why no rescue mission was launched. While Mr. Leijtens presented that Frontex immediately forwards the coordinates of boats in distress to national coast guards, the Italian coast guard had not received such a call, according to its commander. After several inquiries by us MEPs, the Director General of Frontex then finally admitted that the distressed boat was not classified as being in a distress situation. The representative of Médecins Sans Frontières generally criticized poor communication of Frontex and national coast guards with NGOs and appealed to both not to constantly hinder the work of NGOs active on the ground. 

Mashreq Delegation Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Syria

In the Mashreq delegation took place this week a Briefing with representatives of UNRWA, NRC and DG ECHO on the situation of refugees in Syria. All three described the great need of the civilian population and especially of refugees in Syria and the region. More than 15 million people are in urgent need of international assistance. Poverty, hunger and shelter are the central problems, they said. Both in areas controlled by the regime and in rebel areas, a lack of perspective and hope is spreading more and more. The earthquake at the beginning of February has further aggravated the situation. All three NGO representatives appeal to the members of the delegation and the international community to provide sufficient funds at the upcoming EU conference on Syria in June. 

Votes in the Development Committee 

In the Development Committee this week, we have the SDGs Implementation Report where the Greens were able to introduce many good amendments to strengthen the wording of the original report, including the target of 0.7 % of GNI, international cooperation on tax issues and the unsustainable debt burden of developing countries. Also adopted was the Opinion by my colleague Michèle Rivasi on the sustainable use of pesticides, which sends a clear signal to end the double standard policy on pesticides (possible export of pesticides banned in the EU to third countries). Finally, the Opinion to the European Investment Bank, for which I was responsible, was accepted. 

EU Committee in the Bundestag 

On Wednesday, we discussed in the EU Committee why the EU has not yet acceded to the European Convention on Human Rights. All member states have already ratified it, but the EU as an institution has not yet done so. This step would be important especially in order to make decisions in which the EU acts as a community or its agencies (e.g.: Frontex) responsible for their actions. Furthermore, there was a report of the election observers on the election in Turkey and an update on the Next Generation EU Package. 

Interview on ZDF Morgenmagazin 

With the ZDF morning show I talked about migration policy, camps at the external borders and the Greens. Setting up mass detention camps is a populist move. Apart from suffering and chaos, it will bring nothing.

Plenary week May 2023 

Criticism of Olaf Scholz in the European Parliament 

This Tuesday, Olaf Scholz was a guest in the European Parliament and has made a speechin which he – repeated his position, albeit in cloaked – terms, that tighter asylum laws were necessary. Thereupon, his speech and the attitude of the federal government were criticized on many issues. Our Co-Chair Terry Reinkte said in her clear speech, that she wants a chancellor who learns from his mistakes in Russia policy and who does not want to build a "Fortress Europe."  

Paving the way for EU accession to the Istanbul Convention

On Wednesday we have the Paving the way for EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention. All EU member states have already signed the convention, but six states (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia) have yet to ratify it. Following today's vote, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council is expected to ratify the convention on behalf of the entire EU in June.

In April 2019, at the request of the Greens/EFA Group, the European Parliament asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for a legal opinion on the EU's possible accession to the Istanbul Convention. The ECJ published its ruling on October 6, 2021, stating that unanimity in the Council is not required to accede to the Convention on behalf of the EU.

On February 21, 2023, the Council requested the consent of the EU Parliament to adopt the decision on the EU's accession to the Istanbul Convention. It is expected that the Justice and Home Affairs Council will adopt the accession to the Convention in June, which will complete the ratification procedure. The adopted text also has an asylum policy aspect regarding non-refoulement. 

No EU money for fences 

The EU Parliament has refused to spend EU money on building more ineffective border fences. We have also communicated this to the Awork of Rasmus Andresen in the Budget Committee. The pressure to spend EU money on fences came primarily from the Council and some member states. When it came to the actual vote, we had a majority because the Greens voted unanimously and the majority of the left, social democrats and liberals did so. The majority of conservatives again voted with the right-wing populists and right-wing extremists in favor of building fences with EU funds. 

33 Years Refugee Council Mainz

On Thursday I was allowed to give the speech at the anniversary celebration of the Mainz Refugee Council. The celebration had originally been planned for the 30th anniversary, but had to be postponed several times due to Corona and could finally take place this week. The Refugee Council supports and advises refugees and campaigns in particular for better accommodation and full respect for their rights. The celebration also included discussions with Josef Winkler from the Green Party in the state parliament, Ann-Christin Bölter and Torsten Jäger from the Migration Initiative Committee and Stephan Hesping from the Refugee Council about the current challenges for state and city politics. 

EU Enlargement and European Election Law

On Wednesday the EU Committee The two sides exchanged views on EU institutional reforms and EU enlargement in a joint session with the French parliament, the Assemblée nationale, in the Bundestag. In addition, there was an open debate on the reformation of the European electoral law as well as on the current status of the Western Balkans enlargement of the EU together with the Special Representative of the German government for the countries of the Western Balkans – Manuel Sarrazin. 

Calendar week 18 

Meeting of the Schengen Investigation Group

This week, the LIBE Committee working group, which specializes in issues related to the Schengen acquis, met with representatives of the European Commission, representatives from Croatia, as well as civil society experts to discuss the so-called Croatian independent Mechanism for monitoring human rights at Croatia's external borders to be discussed. This mechanism was initiated by the European Commission as a condition for the allocation of EU funds from the AMIF (Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund) to Croatia, where violent and systematic rejections have been documented for years. The mechanism has been heavily criticized for its lack of independence and efficiency, and many experts and NGOs on the ground made recommendations to improve its work, as it is much needed. Recently, a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed to continue the original temporary mechanism, which is now considered by the Commission as a blueprint for the proposed monitoring mechanism in the screening regulation. However, serious doubts remain as to whether the organizations implementing the mechanism are truly independent, as they are all close to the Croatian government, and the mechanism has not yet started to actually implement its monitoring activities. At the same time, pushbacks in Croatia are not decreasing, but rather increasing, as Human Rights Watch noted in its recent report reported.

Meeting with Unicef and NGOs

This week I met with several representatives of international organizations and NGOs. First, I met with UNICEF to discuss innovative financing in the development sector. The innovative finance approach aims to raise funds for humanitarian and development aid in a more long-term, sustainable, targeted and efficient way.
Afterwards, I met with representatives of the NGOs Lesovos Solidarity and Kindernothilfe e.V. to discuss the current situation of refugee children and adults in Greek camps, as well as the state of play in the negotiations of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Finally, I had another meeting on GEAS, this time with Amnesty International. More info about GEAS can be found here.

Festival for democracy in Schöneweide 

At the weekend there was the festival for democracy Schöneweide in my constituency. We from the district association Treptow-Köpenick were represented there with a stand and a raffle. 

This year the motto of the festival was: "Overcoming barriers, finding each other". 

and was able to show that Treptow-Köpenick is a colorful, friendly and attractive district where racism, xenophobia and intolerance have no place. 

30 years of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen 

On Saturday I was Leipzig to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Büdnis 90/Die Grünen. 30 years ago the two parties Bündnis 90 and the Greens in Leipzig joined together to form BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN. Since May 14, 1993, we have grown together and have moved many things together. On this evening, however, we not only exchanged views on our history, but also took a look at the future of our party. 

Calendar week 17

Istanbul Convention

This week, the Committees on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and Women's Rights and Gender Equality in a joint meeting voted in favor of the EU's accession to the Istanbul Convention. This important step for the EU would not only be important and effective in the fight against gender-based violence, but also a political signal from the Parliament towards the Member States that refuse to ratify this important international instrument.

Recording in Belgium 

The reception of refugees was once again a topic of discussion in the Interior Committee, this time with a view to Belgium. The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration informed us about the current state of the reception and accommodation crisis in Belgium and answered critical questions from the (mainly Belgian and Dutch) MEPs about the situation of asylum seekers:inside who sleep in the open and are not accommodated in accordance with the EU acquis. Minister De Moor's hope for the adoption of the Pact as a European solution raises doubts whether Belgium is ready to receive and treat all asylum seekers in a humane and dignified way. You can watch the meeting here follow up from 17:40. 

Frontex

The Frontex control working group met on Thursday, to discuss with the European Commission the ongoing evaluation of the 2019 Frontex Regulation, which gives the agency significantly more powers and resources. This evaluation by the Commission is necessary not only to determine what shortcomings in implementation are hindering Frontex's work, but also to assess whether the governance, accountability, and fundamental rights framework of the mandate is sufficient. 

We also spoke with Jonas Grimheden, Frontex's Fundamental Rights Officer, who updated us on the state of play in various countries and problematic areas of operation. Since he took office, his work and the work of the FRO's office have expanded considerably. However, the situation of fundamental rights at the EU's external borders is still dire, as deaths at sea are on the rise and pushbacks have become the new norm. Member State behavior and Commission actions must change for the rule of law and fundamental rights to return to our borders.

Serbia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Sudan in the Foreign Affairs Committee 

The Foreign Affairs Committee voted this week on a report on joint procurement in the European defense industry, as well as on the country reports on Serbia and Kosovo. Here, here and here you will find the coordinated texts in a short time. The continuing Crisis and the catastrophic situation in Lebanon were also a topic in the committee this time, and the director of the relevant department of the European External Action Service was also invited to the debate. On the conflict in Sudan, the unstable situation on the ground and the evacuations, there was also a debate scheduled at short notice together with the Development Committee and the European External Action Service. Here you could watch the session (The Sudan part starts at 11:51).

Plenary week April 2023

Parliamentary position on the Pact on Asylum and Migration adopted 

The EU Parliament has adopted key legislative proposals of a new Pact on Migration and Asylum adopted and thus decided on a position for the trilogue negotiations with the Council and the Commission. You can find my position on the various regulations here. 

My speech on fences and sea rescue 

This week in the European Parliament we discussed how to save lives in the Mediterranean. In these debates, everyone often agrees that no one should die, but in reality, human dignity, human rights and yes – also human lives – are subordinated to political goals. Here is an excerpt of my speech.

Resolution on Afghanistan 

In a bipartisan resolution on Afghanistan this week, we called for the release of Matiullah Wesa and all those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights. Matiullah Wesa was arrested by the Taliban on March 27 for advocating for the right to education for girls in Afghanistan. The ongoing gender apartheid in Afghanistan is dramatic, and we therefore call on the de facto authorities to fully respect the rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls and to restore their full and equal participation in public life.

Fit for 55 

On Wednesday, we in the European Parliament took a major step forward for European climate policy. Even though I would have liked more, this is a good day for the climate. The EU has set itself the goal of reducing net greenhouse gases by 55 percent by 2030, and to achieve this, the Parliament approved decarbonization through a CO2 offset tax, a higher price for CO2 certificates and a climate social fund. Explanations for the individual measures, you will find On these charts on my Instagram channel. 

Rainforest protection 

On Wednesday, we voted in the European Parliament in favor of a new law to protect rainforests. The regulation will in future guarantee that supply chains for products sold on the EU's internal market are deforestation-free. Unfortunately, many members of the CDU/CSU voted against it together with the AfD or abstained. 

Calendar week 15/2023

Afghanistan conference and workshops

Together with the Left Group and my Green colleague Tineke Strik, this week I hosted the conference "Afghanistan, where the world failed humanity" organized. In the run-up to the two panels on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the reception of Afghan refugees, various civil society actors were able to exchange views in workshops and draw up joint demands for the European institutions. In this context, I also exchanged views with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, on how we can continue to live up to our responsibility towards Afghanistan. You will soon find a detailed report on the event on my homepage. 

Negotiations on the digitization of Schengen visas

On Wednesday, the first official meeting between Parliament, Council and Commission on the Digitization of Schengen visas took place. The Parliament's rapporteur and the representative of the Swedish Presidency of the Council have agreed on an ambitious timetable to finish the negotiations in the next two and a half months and to conclude them before the summer break. To this end, several meetings are being held at technical and political level to finalize the details of the agreement, which will digitize Schengen visas and introduce an EU platform (similar to the US ESTA system) for third-country nationals traveling to the EU for short periods of time. 

Letter to the Danish government about deportations to Syria

In a cross-party Letter to the Danish government this week, I joined numerous other MEPs in calling for the decision to categorize additional areas in Syria as safe and thus allow deportations there to be reversed. This decision contradicts numerous reports by NGOs and the United Nations, which describe the suffering and human rights violations to which Syrian refugees are exposed upon their return and which cannot justify deportations.

Legally Questionable Detention Center for Protection Seekers in Bosnia-Herzegovina

With funds from the EU and Austria, a prison was built in Bosnia and Herzegovina to house refugees who had previously been pushed out of Croatia. The Lipa camp was built under the responsibility of the ICMPD migration center, whose director is former ÖVP Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger. The largest Donors are the EU (500.000 €) and Austria (€ 821,672). It is clear that the EU should not fund camps with prisons where refugees are illegally detained after being violently pushed. 

Mediterranean route 

In the first three months of this year at least 441 people drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while fleeing. The number is higher than it has been since 2017. The reasons are gaps in rescue missions and failure by EU member states to provide assistance. Italy's right-wing government imposed a nationwide state of emergency because of the arrivals via the Mediterranean Sea. 

Calendar week 13/2023

Vote on the EP position on the Common European Asylum System

On Wednesday, we voted in the Interior Committee on the position of the European Parliament on the reform of the common European asylum system. This means that the European Parliament now has a position for the negotiations with the Council. Find out why I voted the way I did and what it's about on my homepage. 

Humanitarian aid to Ukraine from the perspective of local NGOs

Together with MEP Barry Andrews (Renew) and the NGO ActionAid I hosted an event on Tuesday on the challenges and opportunities for EU humanitarian aid in Ukraine based on the experiences of local NGOs. Various organizations from Ukraine, Moldova and Romania were present. The NGOs shared their experiences in providing humanitarian assistance to refugees from Ukraine and what challenges they face as women, women-led and/or youth-led organizations. Learn more here on my homepage. 

Equal pay for equal work: Guideline for more wage transparency

In plenary this week, we voted on the Pay Transparency Directive. Our group has long called for "Equal pay for equal work". Women still earn 13% less than men and this directive aims to eliminate this gender pay gap. Through the directive, companies must take necessary steps to create transparency, eliminate gender pay discrimination and pay women fairly. Here you can watch the debate. 

Schengen Borders Code 

On Wednesday, we shadow rapporteurs from the political groups met to negotiate the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. It is planned to come to the vote at the end of April. Rapporteur Sylvie Guillaume, Their report more in line with our Green positions, has to find compromises with the other two big groups, EPP and RENEW, to ensure a stable majority in the Home Affairs Committee. However, the two groups are sticking to the Commission proposal and show little willingness to compromise with our common position with the S&D. The issue of internal border controls is the most contentious point between the groups. especially in light of the recent Judgment of the ECJ on the legality of internal border controls between Austria and Germany. 

Calendar week 12/2023 

International Donor Conference for Turkey and Syria

On Monday at the international donor conference in Brussels for Turkey and Syria 7 billion for the earthquake victims, about half of which is to come from the European Commission, the member states and the EIB and EBRD (Team Europe). We presented the results, but also the current situation on the ground, on Thursday in a joint meeting of the delegations for the Mashreq countries and Turkey was discussed together with the Development Committee. While all MEPs welcome the pledged sums, it must be ensured that the funds are also used efficiently and benefit the most vulnerable groups in particular. 

Two hearings on the situation in Afghanistan

The EU Parliament's Afghanistan delegation held two hearings this week. The first session dealt with the Issue of the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan.. Women are no longer allowed to attend universities or work in NGOs, except in the social and health sectors. They are increasingly dependent on their husbands, with sexual violence and forced marriages on the rise. In the second hearing, the new EU study on 20 years of support to Afghanistan presented. Although Afghanistan is the largest recipient of humanitarian aid from the EU, the funds and support have not been able to achieve sustainable stability in the country.

Discussion on the situation in Melilla with the Spanish Minister of the Interior

In the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) this week was joined by the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. It was about the Incident 24 June 2022in which many people died. Grande-Malaska saidthat the violence would have come first from the asylum seekers and that the Spanish security forces would only have defended themselves adequately. This has been refuted many times. The Social Democrat was sharply criticized for his statements by most parties, only the far-right parties gave him credit for courage. 

Hunger strike in Greek deportation prison

In the northern Greek Paranesti deportation prison eleven refugees went on hunger strike to draw attention to the catastrophic and inhumane conditions in prison. The systematic and arbitrary detention of people on the run in Greece was also highlighted in two investigations by the Border Violence Monitoring Network and from Mobile Info Team documented. In the reports, those affected describe physical abuse and violent practices in the camps, as well as deplorable hygienic conditions and lack of access to sufficient medical care and legal counsel. Together with members of the Socialist and Left Groups, I call for the release of all underage refugees and all refugees whose detention time exceeds the legal limit, an end to violence, and an immediate improvement in prison conditions. You can find the letter here. 

Implement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On Wednesday, the Development and Environment Committees met jointly to discuss the draft of the Report to discuss the implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the European Commission, I chaired the meeting for the Development Committee. This year's report coincides with the mid-term of the SDGs, summarizing the current state of play and making recommendations in various areas. MEPs agreed that major efforts, such as effective debt relief measures, need to be made, particularly in the international financial framework, if we are still to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The report is likely to be voted on in plenary in June. The meeting can be here listen up. 

Right to Repair: European Commission Consumer Package

The European Commission presented a consumer package on Wednesday. The first proposal of the package includes the right to repair, which is to be enshrined in law. The second proposal is for a Green Claims Directive. This should ensure that companies provide reliable information about the environmental friendliness of their products and services. We Greens welcome both proposals and will work hard in the upcoming negotiations to ensure that consumers do not have to bear the cost of repairs in the future. The Greens/EFA press release can be found here. 

Plenary Week in Strasbourg March 2023 

My speech on the recent boat accidents in the Mediterranean Sea

At the weekend there was a renewed misfortuneThe Italian authorities did not initiate a rescue of people in distress at sea for over 24 hours. 30 people died, only 17 could be rescued. This reality is so cruel that we have every reason to be ashamed. It is for me the greatest shame of Europe right now, that we seem to prefer to let people drown, rather than bring them to safety, because we want less asylum applications. You can find my speech here and the contribution on of my homepage here.

Final steps towards a Parliamentary position on the amended Asylum Procedures Regulation (APR) 

This week in Strasbourg, we had one of our last meetings before the vote in the Home Affairs Committee scheduled for March 28. There are agreements, but also some important and controversial points. We are in a difficult position, because the Commission proposal already contains many elements that are difficult for us Greens. I will keep you informed about this. 

Visit to the European Investment Bank 

On Thursday, MEPs from the Development Committee (DEVE) and the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) visited the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg, with MEP David McAllister and myself in the chair. In the exchange with, among others, EIB President Werner Hoyer focused on the EIB’s activities in third countries since the creation of EIB Global, the importance of the Global Gateway Strategy for the EIB’s activities, and the impact of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine on the various EU policies. 

Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) adopted

On Tuesday we have deputies the report to policy coherence for the sake of development „Policy Coherence for Development â PCD) was adopted by an overwhelming majority. PCD is a legal obligation derived from the EU Treaty, which requires that development cooperation objectives be taken into account in all EU policies that may have an impact on developing countries. However, there are significant shortcomings in implementation that undermine the credibility of EU development cooperation policies. The report makes very detailed suggestions for institutional (and technical) improvements, such as the need for a dedicated PCD team within DEG INTPA, the need for clear PCD targets and indicators, and transparent monitoring. 

While all these proposals are justifiable, they do not address the key sectoral policy areas where policy inconsistency prevails in the interest of development, in particular trade, finance, environment and climate change, food security, migration and security. The goal of the Greens has been to work with the submitted requests for amendments to point out some of the major deficiencies in this area, unfortunately these were not adopted at the committee level.

Minimum income directive adopted

The directive for an adequate minimum income in the EU was adopted. The resolution follows the recommendations published by the Commission, which provide for a minimum income above the poverty line. My Green colleague Sara Matthieu appealed of the Belgian Greens, said after the vote: âMember states must act now.â

EU Parliament votes for mandatory protection of forests

The Parliament voted in favor of the new Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) regulation. The law requires EU member states to halt the shrinkage of forests, wetlands and agricultural land as natural carbon sinks. In addition, these areas must be managed to remove a total of 310 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2030. The law was adopted with a large majority.

New EU directive for building energy efficiency 

The new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive was adopted in Parliament this week. In doing so, the Parliament endorsed binding minimum standards and savings targets that will save 62 percent of the EU’s current heating costs. The directive pursues these goals while lowering energy bills for vulnerable households, reducing Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels and creating quality jobs. The press release of the group can be found here.

Calendar week 10/2023 

Meeting of EU interior ministers 

On Thursday and Friday, the justice and interior ministers of the EU member states met in Brussels to discuss asylum policy. The focus was again on repatriation and isolation. The blame for the shipwreck with at least 72 dead near Crotone was put on in the press conference of the Council to the traffickers, while it was also Frontex and the Italian coast guard that failed to fulfill their responsibilities. If the situation is to improve, if the chaos and injustice are finally to be brought to an end, the pragmatic countries must prevail against the right-wing populist governments. This is what I said in the ZDF-Morgenmagazin clarifies.

Reform process of the Schengen Borders Code

After I have in November en discussion group This week, an exchange on the topic was organized by various civil society development organizations and my colleagues Saskia Bricmont and Carlos Zorrinho, with the participation of representatives of both civil society and the Commission. The focus was on the Africa-EU partnership and what role Global Gateway can play in it. While there is consensus that investing in infrastructure is important, there remains concern that other priorities are being lost sight of in the process and that there is little oversight, in part because of a lack of transparency. In the meantime, the Commission has Lighthouse projects The results show that most of the projects can be assigned to the infrastructure sector.

Women's rights in Afghanistan 

On the occasion of International Women's Day, I reiterated my proposal that we establish a European scholarship program to enable women* in Afghanistan's neighboring countries to receive the training or study they are denied in Afghanistan. You can find the speech here. 

Global Gateway 

After I have in November en discussion group This week, an exchange on the topic was organized by various civil society development organizations and my colleagues Saskia Bricmont and Carlos Zorrinho, with the participation of representatives of both civil society and the Commission. The focus was on the Africa-EU partnership and what role Global Gateway can play in it. While there is consensus that investing in infrastructure is important, there remains concern that other priorities are being lost sight of in the process and that there is little oversight, in part because of a lack of transparency. In the meantime, the Commission has Lighthouse projects The results show that most of the projects can be assigned to the infrastructure sector.

Foreign Affairs Committee: Mexico, EU-Nato relations and crisis response center 

This week, the update of the EU-Mexico Partnership Agreement was discussed. The increasing deterioration of the human rights situation in Mexico, as well as the due diligence of European companies on the ground must definitely be taken into account in the negotiations. Therefore, we also demanded an update and more information from the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the status of the negotiations. In addition, together with the Subcommittee on Security and Defense, there was an exchange on the joint declaration on cooperation between the EU and NATO, which was signed in January. Finally, the EEAS presented a Report on the EU Crisis Response Center. The Crisis Response Center monitors the situation around the world, gathers information, and assists member states and embassies in evacuating citizens from affected areas and delivering humanitarian aid in the event of a crisis. You can watch the meeting look here. 

Calendar week 9 2023

Boat accident in Calabria – The people could have been saved 

On February 26, a boat carrying about 200 people capsized off the Calabrian coast. At least 66 dead were washed up in Italy. The crashed boat probably departed from Turkey and bypassed Greece because refugees are disenfranchised and mistreated there. Frontex passed info to Italy, but no sea rescue was initiated. You can find my press release here. In addition, I have worked in the Tagesschau reaffirmedthat we Greens will work to ensure that the FDP does not harass the sea rescue organizations with a new ship safety regulation for small ships and further complicate their important work. 

Hans Leijtens becomes new head of Frontex 

The new Executive Director of the EU border management agency Frontex, Hans Leijtens, started his work on March 1. On my homepage you will find my demands to Leijtens as well as a Chronology of allegations against Frontex. 

Interior Committee: Hearing on the situation of children on the run

In the hearingWe were told the moving stories of Sajid Khan Naisi and Parwana Amiri, who came to the EU as minors and became impressive advocates for the rights of children on the run. We also exchanged views with NGO experts, lawyers and the UNHCR on the situation of children on the run. At the crucial moment when the reform of the Common European Asylum System enters the phase of inter-institutional negotiations, such hearings are an important reminder for MEPs not to forget who are the addressees of the reform, whose rights need to be particularly protected. 

Development Committee: Humanitarian situation in Ukraine and earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

This week, in the Committee on Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation, I spoke on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine as well as the Effects of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria spoke. In an exchange with Janez Lenarčič, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Preparedness, I addressed the difficult situation in northwestern Syria. It is important that the people on the ground are not abandoned and that everything is done to ensure that aid also reaches the areas not controlled by the government.

Meeting with GIZ Head Thorsten Schäfer Gümbel 

On Thursday, I met with Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, Spokesman of the Executive Board of GIZ, in Brussels. Among other things, our conversation focused on aid for Afghanistan and the future financing of development cooperation in the EU budget.

Istanbul Convention LIBE/FEMM 

The Committee on Internal Affairs (LIBE) and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) have discussed the draft report regarding the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention discussed. A total of 1400 amendments were tabled. The rapporteurs focus especially on a comprehensive definition of gender-based violence, on the general inclusivity of the text and on protection against children. In the discussion, many made an effort to include cybercrime and consent in the report. The most contentious issues remain the articles on abortion and sex work.

Plenary week in Strasbourg – February 2023

My speech on EU action after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

This week in the European Parliament, we discussed the EU's approach to the humanitarian disaster following the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. I clearly advocated the opening of border crossings, support for local NGOs, and visa facilitation and family reunification for those affected to Europe. You can find my speech here. 

My assessment of the outcome of the EU Special Council and reform of the European asylum system  

The document of the EU Special Council, which was adopted last week, calls for even more partitioning, border controls and repatriations at the EU's external borders. This Wednesday, I therefore clearly spoke out against the results in the plenary hall of the Parliament: "It is always claimed that we have open borders, we do not have open borders. On the contrary, we have thousands of deaths at the borders every year and tens of thousands more who are pushed illegally." You can find the full speech here[ Door Closes ] And... here my briefing on the current state of negotiations for a reform of the EU asylum system. 

The EU phase-out of combustion engines by 2035

Parliament has approved the Result of the trilogies assumed: The sale of new cars with internal combustion engines will be phased out by 2035. This means that Europe will be the first continent where no new cars or vans with combustion engines may be sold anymore. You can find our press release here. We Greens succeeded in excluding synthetic fuels from the agreement as an alternative to zero-emission vehicles, because these fuels are expensive, inefficient and in short supply. Even though the right side of the parliament voted unanimously against, this is a great success for climate protection with a narrow majority. You can find the result of the vote here.

EU accession to the Istanbul Convention 

The signing of the Istanbul Convention by the EU in June 2017 was a clear sign of the EU's commitment to eliminating gender-based violence. However, until now, the ratification of the Convention was blocked in the Council, as six Member States – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia – had not yet ratified it themselves. This Wednesday Parliament has now spoken out very clearly in favorthat the ratification of the Union and thus the enforcement of the important convention in all member states should finally happen. 

Resolution on the human rights situation in Eswatini 

On January 21, 2023, human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko shot dead in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) shortly after King Mswati III issued a threat against activists (see here). Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy in Africa and the human rights situation is very poor. Protests that began in 2021 were crushed and dozens of people were killed. About this we have this week A resolution where we demand, among other things, an independent investigation into the murder of Thulani Maseko. 

Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR) 

This week we negotiated the APR Dossierwhich is to be voted on in the Interior Committee at the end of March. As part of the 2020 Pact, the European Commission has decided to amend the recast APR and add measures aimed at more procedures at the external borders, more detention of asylum seekers and easier return. As Greens, we have fought to ensure that as many people as possible do not have to live in detention or in conditions similar to detention, and that the right to an effective remedy is upheld, which gives asylum seekers the opportunity to appeal against negative decisions and to be protected from repatriation before their appeal is concluded.

Parliament votes for ethics authority

In response to the corruption scandal, the EU Parliament calls on the EU Commission to immediately submit proposals for a strong and effective independent Ethics authority to submit. This ethics authority is an important anti-corruption measure. 

Letter to Borrell on Moldova

This week, together with 113 other MEPs, I wrote a letter to EU External Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell on the deteriorating security situation in the Republic of Moldova. Maia Sandu, the pro-EU president, reported last week on intelligence reports that Russian attempts to influence and document plans for a coup attempt. Moldova has been a candidate for EU membership since June 2022, and is under particular threat from its border with Ukraine. In our letter, we demand that the Commission take measures to support Moldova in combating destabilization attempts by pro-Russian forces. You can find the letter here.

Calendar week 6 /2023 

EU Special Council and reform of the European asylum system 

The European Council held a special session on refugees and migration. The focus, not for the first time, is on measures to combat symptoms, compartmentalization, and externalization. The negotiations on the new European Asylum Pact, meanwhile, still do not seem to offer a solution to the mistreatment of refugees at the external borders and the lack of solidarity among the member states. My briefing on the current state of negotiations on the asylum pact in the context of the EU Special Council can be found here. In addition, I have worked with the Frankfurter Rundschau talked about how Europe is capitulating to the real challenges with this wall-building rhetoric. 

President Selenskyj in the EU Parliament 

On Thursday Volodomyr Selenskyj spoke to us in the European Parliament. He emphasized the "European-Ukrainian values", fundamental and human rights and promoted Ukraine's accession to the EU. Ukraine's EU accession will still take time, it is not a short-distance run, but it is right to support Ukraine on this path – especially in the fight against the Russian aggressor, who must lose this war of aggression. I have also reposted the most important sentence of his speech on Instagram spread. The whole speech you can find here. 

Status agreement between Frontex and North Macedonia

On Monday, the Interior Committee voted on the Status agreement between Frontex and North Macedonia ab. This is the first updated status agreement since the last reform of the agency in 2019. Such a status agreement means that the agency can work on the territory of the third country and carry out joint operations, including repatriation. This is a very dangerous precedent, in my opinion, because Frontex is already involved in several scandals and in serious human rights violations. Northern Macedonia has – according to NGOs and the European Commission – a dysfunctional asylum system and systematic pushbacks – but this does not seem to bother the Commission and Member States. As Greens, we voted against this status agreement, but did not have a majority. Next week we expect the same result in the plenary vote. 

Situation in Jordan 

On Thursday there was a meeting of the Mashreq delegation, where the Status of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Jordan was discussed. Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan, and Gerhard Krause, Deputy Head of Unit of the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, were invited to attend. I took the opportunity to ask questions about gender equality and youth participation, among other issues; there is still some room for improvement, especially in the first area. The meeting can be here take a look. I also introduced a short point on the humanitarian situation in Syria after the devastating earthquake, we will discuss this in more depth in our next meeting.

Landmark court rulings in Rome and Strasbourg

In recent weeks, there have been two landmark rulings at European courts. First, at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Croatian authorities were indicted, and second, at the Court in Rome, the Italian authorities were indicted. In both cases, the state actors were found guilty. You can read more about this on my Homepage. 

Calendar week 4/2023 

Question to the Commission on pushbacks on tourist ferries from Italy to Greece

A week ago Lighthouse Reports published a report on the results of their research on pushbacks on tourist ferries from Italy to Greece. They found evidence that asylum seekers, including children, are held in unofficial prisons – sometimes handcuffed – during the crossing in the belly of passenger ships. SRF and ARD Monitor were also involved in the research and have reported on it in TV reports. On January 25, I, together with five other Green MEPs, submitted a written question on the matter to the European Commission, which has been answered. here finds. 

Development Committee 

This week, three opinions for which I am responsible in my group were adopted in the Development Committee. In one Recommendation on the functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS) we MEPs have underlined the important role of the EU delegations for the effectiveness of development cooperation through an equal dialogue with the partner countries, whereby I have once again introduced the importance of civil society via an amendment. Also in the budget discharge for 2021 on the European Development Fund (EDF) and the European Commission we Greens were able to push through some important amendments: among others, the need to bring development cooperation in line with the 2030 Agenda, to give more support to civil society organizations in the context of shrinking spaces and to local NGOs. Previously unused EDF funds to be used in the area of food security must now meet certain criteria and primarily benefit small-scale farming structures, agroecological practices, and sustainable fisheries.

Digitization of visa policy

At Proposal the European Commission, we have been working with colleagues from other political groups on a parliamentary draft on digital visas for people traveling to the Schengen area. Similar to the ESTA system in the United States, the EU is also working on the development of a European platform that will allow third-country nationals to apply for travel to a specific European country via a central EU platform and to submit basic data so that the platform can assign the Member State responsible for examining the visa application. This simplifies the procedure for the applicants and brings the EU in the middle of the Schengen visa, which is already harmonized by the Schengen acquis. We have been working on this legislation in committee for several months and after the last meeting of the shadow rapporteurs this week, we can vote to confirm our report and now start the inter-institutional negotiations with the Council. The vote will take place on Tuesday, January 31.

Shadow meeting on the issue of visa liberalization after the corruption scandal with Qatar

Following a corruption scandal in December, investigations are underway to determine which third countries used illegal methods to influence decision-making in the European Parliament. Because of Qatar's central role in the scandal. the parliament decided at its December plenary session to freeze all legislative work related to the country, with a particular focus on the ongoing visa liberalization process. As rapporteur for this dossier, I had to ensure that we respect this decision and the ongoing investigations, while at the same time ensuring that visa liberalization, as an important and positive instrument, does not fall prey to corruption. We have therefore jointly decided to continue work on this dossier but not to lose sight of the instrument and to ask the Commission for further assessments of the partner countries that will benefit from the visa-free regime.

Reform of the Schengen Borders Code

In December 2021, the European Commission published a proposal to reform important elements of the Schengen Borders Code. As in any EU legislative procedure, the European Parliament has to prepare its report in order to enter into discussion with the Member States and update the Code. The proposal contains many politically sensitive elements, and as parliamentarians responsible for the dossier, we met for the first time this week to discuss the first compromise proposals after all political groups had put forward their ideas. The main focus of the discussion was on the process and time span of internal border controls, a problem that has been very present in the Schengen area since the so-called refugee crisis. Since many member states, despite the rules of the Schengen area of freedom, security and justice, carry out constant internal border controls, citizens cannot travel completely unhindered, while EU law is undermined on a daily basis.

Letter Olivier Vandecasteele

Together with 60 MEPs, I wrote a letter to the Commission and the Council this week, urging them to work for the release of Olivier Vandecasteele. Oliver Vandecasteele was arbitrarily arrested last year in Iran and charged with espionage after working there for six years for a humanitarian NGO. After a sham trial without his own lawyer, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes. The United Nations has also criticized Iran's inhumane treatment of Vandecasteele. You can read the letter here read.

Plenary session in Strasbourg in January 2023

My speech on the criminalization of humanitarian aid 

In the European Parliament this week, we discussed the criminalization of sea rescue and humanitarian aid. I emphasized that we as Europe can declare moral insolvency if we continue to punish helping people in need more than letting them die. You can find the speech here.  

MPs call for special tribunal for Russian war of aggression on Ukraine 

In the vote, a broad cross-party majority supported the establishment of the Special Tribunal in close cooperation with the International Criminal Court. The resolution can be found here. 

Parliament votes for stricter rules on waste export and bans export of plastic waste 

In 2020 alone, 32.7 billion tons of waste worth â¬13 billion were exported to non-EU countries. This is bad for the environment and robs the EU recycling system of resources. In order to process waste in a more environmentally friendly way, the EU Parliament has voted for a new law. It will restrict the export of waste to third countries and ban the export of plastic waste altogether. The parliament voted with 594 votes in favor and only 5 against. Read more in Handelsblatt.

Iran: EU Parliament calls for classification of Revolutionary Guards as terrorist organization

The European Parliament calls on EU member states in its Resolution to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization and to impose targeted sanctions against Revolutionary Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi. Members of the EU Parliament strongly condemn the regime's executions and call for an end to executions, the abolition of the death penalty and the release of all political prisoners. Another demand is access for a United Nations fact-finding mission. 

Global Gateway in plenum

On Thursday morning, I commented on the Global Gateway Initiative in a debate with the Commission. In particular, I highlighted the concerns from a development perspective that this strategy may use DC funds that end up supporting EU geopolitical interests rather than achieving concrete development cooperation goals. In order to be able to verify this from a parliamentary perspective, we urgently need an overview of the individual projects, which is still not the case one year after the launch of the strategy. Unfortunately, only the Commissioner for Transport and not the Commissioner for Development, Jutta Urpilainen, who is actually responsible, was present from the Commission, so that in the end we MEPs could take away few concrete answers. At least the lighthouse projects for 2023 should be announced in the next weeks. You can find my speech here. 

Calendar week 2/2023

Trial of human rights observers in Greece 

All charges against 22 of the 24 accused aid workers on Lesvos that have been heard so far have been dropped. The charges against the international employees were dropped, while those against two Greek employees were not. However, this is not an acquittal and the Greek authorities could re-file charges on other counts.

Among them are Seán Binder and Sarah Mardini, who carried out search and rescue operations, but also provided swimming lessons for children and medical assistance to the residents of Moria. On August 21, 2018, Sarah was arrested while leaving Lesvos airport for Germany. On the same day, Seán was also arrested when he went to visit Sarah at the police station. Seán, Sarah and their colleague Nassos Karakitsos were held in pre-trial detention for 106 days before being released on bail. The charges are flimsily constructed to criminalize assistance to refugees. The two were demonstrably not in Greece at all when they did the things they are accused of. It is all about deterrence, one wants to make it clear to aid organizations that one will not tolerate it if they improve the situation of the refugees. At Legal Centre Lesvos you will find out why this is not the end of the case. With the Frankfurter Rundschau I talked on Wednesday about how and why Greece deliberately criminalizes human rights activists.

Parliament corruption scandal 

On Thursday, I was invited to the BAG Europe to talk about „Qatargate“ and the consequences of the corruption scandal. In December, serious allegations of corruption were made by Belgian authorities against Eva Kaili, the vice president of the parliament, and others. Kaili was arrested and removed as vice president. Work on all reports on Qatar was frozen. As the rapporteur on visa liberalization for Qatar and Kuwait, I will wait for the investigation to be completed before there will be further negotiations on the report. In the future, it must be ensured that any attempts to undermine democratic processes are stopped.   

As a group, we have long called for improved transparency and anti-corruption measures. Many of our demands are now, albeit too late for Qatargate, in an Resolution of the Parliament have been taken up. These include an independent ethics body, the establishment of a special committee, stricter rules for friendship groups, an overhaul of the transparency register and broader obligations for MEPs, a parliamentary vice president in charge of fighting corruption, time off for retiring MEPs and the strengthening of the anti-corruption agency OLAF and the European Public Prosecutor's Office.

Visit of the Baden-Württemberg parliamentary group in Brussels and meeting with Beate Gminder

The Greens from the state parliament in Baden-Württemberg had their New Year's retreat with us in Brüssel from January 10 to 12. We used the days to intensify and expand our mutual networks. After a long pandemic period, we did not have the opportunity to meet the ânewcomersâ in person for a long time. 

Together we then also met Beate Gminder from the Commission's "Task Force Migration Management". She explained the steps taken with regard to the reform of the Common European Asylum System and other related reform processes. Using the Polish-Belarusian and Polish-Ukrainian borders as examples, we discussed the situation at the various external borders and the problems arising from the contradictory response of the Member States. Due to the responsibility of the federal states, there was also a lot of talk about the reception and integration of refugees from Ukraine.

Annual kick-off retreat

We as the German delegation of the Greens in the European Parliament had our annual kick-off meeting this week, where we discussed many topics for this year. We were especially happy about the visit of Toni Hofreiter, Emily Büning and many other great colleagues. 

Last plenary week 2022

Corruption scandal in the European Parliament 

Over the weekend, enormous allegations of corruption against the Vice President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili have come to light. Corruption is an attack on democracy, and it must have harsh consequences: For those who take bribes, for those who have bribed, but also for the EU institutions, which must now do everything to ensure that this does not happen again. That is why we froze the visa negotiations with Qatar in Parliament on Monday evening. You can find my speech in parliament here. On Tuesday, we elected Eva Kaili as Vice President with 99.5% of the votes cast. deposed. On Wednesday we have a Investigation Committee to investigate the bribery scandal and a tightening of lobbying rules. 

Sakharov Prize

The Sakharov Prize 2022 of the European Parliament was adopted on December 14 in an solemn ceremony to the brave people of Ukraine. At the ceremony in Strasbourg, the people were represented by their president, elected politicians, and civil society. Europe's message is clear: We stand with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for bringing to justice those who unleashed this war and for preventing a repeat of the aggression.

Criminalization of sea rescuers 

Tuesday was Seán Binder Guest at the European Parliament. Seán is one of many who have been recognized for their work with refugees. criminalized become. Four years after their first arrest, the sea rescuers, including Seán, Sara Mardini, Pieter Wittenberg and Nassos Karakitsos, will stand trial again on January 10 on the Greek island of Lesbos. They continue to face flimsy charges such as „espionage“ and „membership in a criminal organization“ because of their life-saving work. In recent weeks, the Netflix movie „The Swimmers“which tells the story of Sara Mardini and her journey from Syria to Europe, drew international attention to her trial. 

Visa liberalization for Kosovo

On Wednesday, the negotiating teams of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a long-awaited agreement on granting visa-free regime for Kosovo. Citizens from Kosovo are to be allowed to enter the European Union for short stays without a visa by 2024 at the latest. Kosovo is the only one of the six Western Balkan countries that has not yet benefited from an EU-wide visa waiver.

Conditionality mechanism for Hungary 

On Monday evening, the permanent representatives of the EU member states agreed on the continuation of the conditionality mechanism for Hungary, which means a freeze of 55 percent of the funding, or about 6.3 billion euros. The EU member states are clearly showing Viktor Orbán that he is not a good man. Blackmail attempts has gone too far and that there is a majority in the Council for the protection of the rule of law. 

Financial support for Ukraine 

Monday evening was also agreed on the release of 18 billion Euro aid for Ukraine, which Viktor Orbán had previously blocked with his veto. My colleague Terry Reintke has demandedWe must finally abolish the national veto in the EU Council. We must not allow harassment and blackmail to determine EU policy and an autocrat like Viktor Orbán to put the rest of the EU under pressure.

Candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Bosnia and Herzegovina has received on Tuesday from the Council the recommendation of the Candidate status The candidate status is conditional on Bosnia and Herzegovina Candidate status is conditional on Bosnia and Herzegovina taking the measures listed in the EU Commission recommendation to strengthen the rule of law, fight corruption and organized crime, manage migration, and uphold fundamental rights.

Calendar week 49

Results of the Council of Ministers of the Interior

On Thursday, the European Council of Ministers of the Interior met. The ministers approved the Schengen accession of Croatia, but the accession of Bulgaria and Romania was blocked by Austria. The ÃVP blocked because they want to use the refugee issue for election campaigning. The so-called Balkan route runs mostly through Greece, northern Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary, and the routes through Bulgaria and Romania make up only a small part of the total. Fraction out. Furthermore, there was no majority for the Instrumentalization Ordinancewhich is why it was not voted on. The regulation would threaten massive asylum law tightening and illegal pushbacks could be disguised even easier. That it is not coming for now is good news. 

EU Commission proposal strengthens rainbow families 

On Wednesday, the EU Commission published its Proposal on the mutual recognition of parenthood was published. The long-awaited proposal consolidates the right of children to recognition of both parents. The proposal is a very important step for the legal status of children in rainbow families. What is worrying is that same-sex marriages or partnerships are still not recognized despite the right to freedom. Free movement and free movement of persons for all are among the most important achievements of the EU. We Greens demandThe European Union must ban discrimination against children on the basis of their parents’ marital status or sexual orientation. Children from rainbow families and their parents must finally have the same rights as all other families everywhere in the EU.

Investigative research on the EU external border of Bulgaria and Croatia

On Thursday Lighthouse Reports an Investigative Search in which serious conditions at the external EU borders of Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia are revealed. The video footage and interviews testify that people in Bulgaria are sometimes locked up in converted dog kennels without toilet and without water for days before they are pushed back across the border by Bulgarian officials. The research had access to internal documents, which prove that in that border station also ten officials of Frontex are stationed. In addition, they could observe how Frontex vehicles have repeatedly parked within sight of the border station, while refugees were locked inside. The Tagesschau summarizes the most explosive findings of the research. here together. 

Letter on the release of political prisoners in Belarus

This week, I joined 127 other members of the European Parliament from 21 countries in a letter to Belarusian dictator Lukashenko calling for the release of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and all political prisoners in Belarus. Alex Bialiatski received the Nobel Peace Prize in October this year for his work to protect human rights in Belarus. His organization has documented the unjust imprisonment of over 1,440 people. The letter to Lukashenko can be found here. 

Third country nationals welcome? – Conference

On Saturday, together with PxP Embassy e. V., I organized a conference on the situation of third-country nationals in Germany and the federal states. Together with representatives of civil society, politics and affected BIPoC people from Ukraine, we discussed the current situation, possible solutions and future perspectives. It quickly became clear that the current situation is a psychological burden for third-country nationals, as they are sent back and forth between authorities and cannot build up a perspective to stay. An unbureaucratic and adequate solution would be to apply §24 of the Residence Act for people fleeing Ukraine. An overview of the program, the guests and the content can be found at here. The conference was broadcast live and recorded. 

Arrival (un)possible? – Panel discussion on people with disabilities from Ukraine on the run.

On Friday I was at the Podium another Conference on the topic of refugees from Ukraine together with Catrin Wahlen and Jian Omar, Green MPs from Berlin. The topic was people with disabilities from Ukraine and their situation in Germany. The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine poses particularly difficult challenges for people with disabilities, be it during evacuation from the war zone, on the escape route, but also after arriving in a safe place.

Calendar week 48

Hearing of Frontex chief candidates 

This week we have in the Committee for the Interior interviewed the three potential candidates for the position of the new Executive Director of Frontex. After the scandals of the agency and its former director, it is important that the person in charge understands the complexity of Frontex's tasks and has a clear understanding of fundamental rights. Unfortunately, the candidates shortlisted by the Commission do not bring a new approach, but rather have a connection to the version of Frontex that is tainted by human rights violations and scandals. The Croatian candidate Terezija grass is largely responsible for the systematic, violent crimes against asylum seekers at Croatia's external borders, she has obstructed the publication of those crimes, and she has actively promoted the criminalization of NGOs. Her hearing lived up to her reputation. The agency's acting head, Aija Kalnaja, tried to convince the committee with the positive changes and increased transparency since her tenure. However, her stance on promoting fundamental rights within the agency is shaky and her independent decision-making questionable. Hans Leijtens, Dutch member of the Frontex Management Board and head of the Dutch Marine Corps, although he has been involved in Frontex's work for a long time, seems to have a clearer picture of the changes expected from Frontex when it comes to the implementation of its mandate, its cooperation with member states, and the way it deals with issues related to fundamental rights. The European Parliament will soon decide which candidate it will support and inform the Management Board; a decision is expected before the end of the year. You can watch the hearing of the candidates here listen up. 

Visa liberalization 

Yesterday, the European Parliament's Home Affairs Committee, with me as rapporteur, voted in favor of visa-free travel for Ecuador, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. This clears the way for citizens of these countries to travel visa-free to the EU for up to 90 days. Read more in the European Interest. 

Development Committee 

We have discussed this with representatives of civil society. discusseshow important it is to involve local authorities in development cooperation for the long-term success of development projects. We adopted the report on the Pandora Papers by a large majority, which sends a strong signal against tax evasion. We also adopted the opinion on environmental crime, in which Ecocide is classified as a criminal offense for the first time. In the afternoon, the Commission was invited to jointly discuss the Global Gateway Initiative to discuss. Once again, it has become clear that many things are still unclear for all parties. You can find my questions to the commission here at 18:13. 

Foreign Affairs Committee 

This week, the Foreign Policy Committee also held a hearing on the Global Gateway Initiative with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. The Committee invited five experts from various fields to discuss the status and further developments of the initiative in the region. You can watch the hearing here listen to from 10:00. In addition, an interparliamentary meeting between the European Parliament and national representatives also took place on Wednesday. The exchange was mainly about Ukraine and Europe's role in the world. You can listen to the debate here find. 

Meeting with the Afghan Diaspora 

On Tuesday, I met with representatives of the Afghan diaspora from all over Europe. The situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated dramatically for people on the ground over the past year. This makes it all the more important to support voices and civil society organizations that continue to operate in Afghanistan. What we need above all is a long-term common strategy on how we as the EU confront the Taliban and how we find innovative ways to continue to provide humanitarian assistance. 

Meeting on the UN Development Program in Lebanon

This week I have also been working with Melanie Hauenstein met. She is the representative of the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Lebanon. We talked about the still dramatic situation in Lebanon and the work of the UNDP on the ground. In February, I led a delegation to Lebanon, where the situation for the population has deteriorated even further since then. Lebanon is in a severe economic and political crisis. There is currently no president and only an interim government. Many people have only a few hours of electricity per day, little access to clean drinking water or functioning sanitation. As a result, the cholera cases in the country are also increasing. You can read my report about my trip in February on here read up.

Plenary week in Strasbourg in November

Civilian rescue at sea in the European Parliament 

On Tuesday, I met with the civilian sea rescue organizations Sea Watch, Mission Lifeline, Médecins Sans Frontières and SOS Méditerranée to talk about the criminalization of the organizations and about their work. Afterwards, we held a joint Photo action and spread out the names of those who drowned in front of the parliament. On Wednesday, the sea rescue was then a topic in the plenum and I reacted there quite angrily to the largely fact-free argumentation of the conservatives. You can find the speech here. The press release and speeches of the other Greens you can read here find. 

The European Parliament turns 70 

At a formal session in the Strasbourg plenary hall, MEPs recalled the founding of the Joint Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952. Given the current multiple crises, we need more legislative powers of the Parliament to create European solutions for migration, climate change, rule of law, social justice and energy. You can listen to the speeches of the chairmen of the political groups here Watch. 

Hacker attack on the parliament 

On Wednesday, we MEPs voted to brand Russia a "supporter of terrorism." Just hours after the vote, Russian hackers targeted the European Parliament. Due to the Russia-launched DDOS attack the website of the European Parliament was unavailable for several hours. More at Euractiv. 

Afghanistan 

Wednesday evening we had a important debate on the human rights situation in Afghanistan. Many of the speakers spoke out strongly for the rights of Afghans and against the human rights violations in the country. What pissed me off was that great speeches were made in parliament about the people in Afghanistan and how bad the situation is on the ground, but when these people then arrive at our external borders, there is suddenly not so much understanding and solidarity for the situation of the people. I would like us to be able to maintain that solidarity with people from Afghanistan at our borders as much as when we talk about their situation in the country. You can find my speech here. The resolution that we have adopted on this is here. 

Parliament continues to call for action for Hungary  

The European Parliament overwhelmingly calls on the EU Commission and the Council to continue to apply the rule of law conditionality mechanism in the case of Hungary. This also includes withholding €5.8 billion from the Corona Recovery Fund because the 17 anti-corruption measures proposed by the Hungarian government are not satisfactory and their effective implementation is not guaranteed. The Hungarian Prime Minister has brought media, judiciary and public tenders under his control. We Greens call on the EU Commission to stick to the procedure until the Hungarian government has made satisfactory changes to the proposed measures and the rule of law and protection of EU funds is guaranteed.

Women's quota for company boards 

This weeks we also adopted the directive on gender balance on listed boards. While we Greens welcome the fact that there is finally a Guideline will give, but the fact that the final text has only similar ambitions to the text first proposed a decade ago is disappointing. 

Calendar week 46

Schengen Border Code Reform in the Interior Committee

This week in the Home Affairs Committee, we discussed the European Parliament's progress report on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. Despite its importance for citizens:inside and the market, the Schengen area has been under pressure for years because Member States carry out internal border controls. The European Commission presented a reform proposal last December that attempts to address the problems, but the proposals unfortunately move away from harmonization and aim to legitimize behavior by member states that is neither right nor forward-looking. MEP Sylvie Guillaume from the S&D group, who is responsible for leading our negotiations on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code, published her report and presented it to the committee. As the Green/EFA MEP responsible for this dossier, I broadly support Ms. Guillaume's report and plan to work with her to restore a Schengen area without internal border controls and with respect for fundamental rights. You can watch the debate watch here (starting from 10.32.52). 

Global Gateway 

This week I went to a Event to the new Global Gateway Initiative invited by the European Commission. The initiative was launched in December 2021 and was designed to bring together development goals and geopolitical interests. The initiative also aims to close the current financial gap for the implementation of development goals by mobilizing over 300 billion euros by the end of 2027. Our partner organization for the event "Eurodad" is on the whole not entirely convinced of the project, especially that so much money can be mobilized through these mechanisms. In order to allow an exchange between the Commission, Eurodad and representatives from the European Parliament and civil society, we met on Wednesday and discussed intensively. The representative of the Commission, Nicolas Stoetzel, agreed to answer questions. 

Humanitarian situation in Ukraine in the Development Committee 

This week in the Development Committee, we talked about the Youth Action Plan, the Pandora Papers, and a trip to Indonesia, about whose assessment there were very different opinions. The focus, however, was on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine as winter approaches. Over 40 percent of the energy infrastructure has been destroyed and Putin is terrorizing the Ukrainian population by trying to keep them cold. The EU has managed to provide food to around 100,000 people in Kherson and the surrounding area, but unfortunately this is still far too little. People in Ukraine now need generators and ways to heat – most of all, the 500 generators provided with EU funds cannot come close to meeting the need. We are working to increase funding and provide even more support to Ukraine in the coming year. You can view the committee here view and here you will find the relevant documents. 

New elections in Berlin 

As expected, on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the Berlin State Constitutional Court declared the election for the Berlin House of Representatives and the district councils in need of repetition. For the court, it is clear that not only individuals, but thousands of eligible voters „not, not effectively, only under unreasonable conditions or not uninfluenced“ cast their vote. Now a repeat election must be scheduled within the next 90 days, presumably it will be February 12, 2023. Find out more at the Green Berlin. 

Calendar week 45

Sea blockade Italy 

Over 1000 rescued this week to a safe harbor off Italy maintained. The Rise Above could land in Calabria. The Ocean Viking is now on its way to Toulon in France, as Italy has not assigned it a port. Around 250 people had to spend days on board the Rescue ships already hold out in the port of Catania before they were allowed to go ashore on Tuesday. Three people jumped into the water out of desperation. This was preceded by a tug-of-war between the aid organizations and the new right-wing Italian government, which unlawfully wanted to collectively turn people back. I have spoken with Radio One spoke about the undignified behavior of the Italian government towards people rescued from distress at sea. 

Schengen accession of Croatia 

I am pleased to welcome Croatia to the Schengen area. The Schengen area stands for an area of freedom, security and an area of justice – including justice for the refugees at our external borders. Therefore, in our accession report, we call on Croatia to establish an independent human rights monitoring mechanism, which is truly independent and a functioning supervisory body, in order to end the pushbacks at the EU external borders. You can find my speech in parliament here. 

Congratulations to Alexandra Geese!

We have this week Alexandra Geese to deputy chairmen of the Group. Alexandra succeeds Terry Reintke, who was elected in October to succeed Ska Keller as co-chair and lead the group together with Philippe Lamberts. Alexandra joined the European Parliament in 2019 and is the Greens' digital expert. She has the "Digital Services Act"She negotiated against the lobbies of the big tech companies and is campaigning for more sustainability in digitization. As a member of the Budget Committee, she fights for gender-equitable business. 

Visa Digitization in the Interior Committee 

On Tuesday, we discussed the Commission's proposal to digitize Schengen visas and visa stickers in the Home Affairs Committee. As the responsible member of the Greens, it is my task to understand where the potential difficulties lie in the digitization of visas. The rapporteur is our new colleague Matjaž Nemec, a Slovenian MEP from S&D, who has organized meetings with experts and EU institutions to facilitate our work on this very technical issue. The next step is to review his recent report in detail and decide what our green priorities are. We hope that this work will lead to a simpler, more harmonized procedure for obtaining Schengen visas that will allow people with IT skills, other difficulties, or people coming from places with unstable internet connections to apply on paper and gain access to the Schengen area without discrimination. Here goes it to the recording of the meeting with my short speech from 15:53. 

Reform of the Stability and Growth Pact

On Wednesday, the European Commission presented its proposal for the Reform of the Stability and Growth Pact presented. We Greens welcome the proposal, but criticize that the EU Commission falls short of the requirements for green and social investments. Especially in economically hard times, characterized by energy insecurity and rapid inflation rates, the EU Commission should have gone further and sent a clear signal for public investment, especially as we need to become more independent from the fossil energies of autocrats. You can find all our demands here. 

Euro 7 standard risks damage to health and environment  

With a two-year delay, the EU Commission this week presented a reform of the Exhaust standards which ignores its own environmental goals and the recommendations of its own panel of experts. We Greens call for stricter measures to reduce pollutants in line with the Green Deal to protect health and the environment. Road transport is responsible for more than 20 percent of CO2 emissions in the EU. So far, the European Union has been able to secure a lead through technology, but with this unambitious proposal, the EU Commission is clearing the way for more cars that pollute and endanger health. 

Calendar week 43

EFAD Decision in the Development Committee

On Wednesday, in the Committee on Development Cooperation, we gave the EFAD Report agreed to. EFAD stands for European Financial Architecture for Development and aims to reorganize European development cooperation. Through intensive discussions, we Greens managed to sharpen several elements in the report and negotiate others out, which in our opinion have nothing to do with development cooperation – such as using development funds for migration prevention. Among other things, we were able to put a focus on climate projects and the promotion of biodiversity, and add monitoring mechanisms and feedback analysis to projects. The decision will now be voted on in plenary. 

Croatia's Schengen accession

On Tuesday we have in the Committee for the Interior (LIBE) agreed to the Schengen accession of Croatia, under certain conditions. After years of closely following Croatia’s border practices in dealing with asylum seekers at its external borders, as shadow rapporteur for the parliamentary process of Croatia’s Schengen accession, I wanted to ensure that mechanisms and conditions for the application of fundamental rights and the rule of law are in place at the country’s borders. This includes that Croatia must respect basic human rights, especially at its external borders. We have demanded that the Croatian government present us with an action plan for the observance of these rights, as well as the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism of border practices. Croatia already had such a mechanism in the past, but it is doubtful whether it would be effective. independent was. In our report, we also called on the EU Commission to evaluate Croatia’s border management practices and see for itself the situation on the ground. The final decision on Croatia’s accession will be taken by the Council of the EU. 

Discussion in the Interior Committee about labor migration

At Tuesday, the members of the Interior Committee discussed the labor migration package of the Commission, which aims to harmonize the situation of migrant workers in the EU. This reform package aims to make the EU more attractive for job seekers by simplifying, streamlining and integrating procedures. The freedoms enjoyed by EU citizens in the common market should also benefit those working in our countries. For this, we need a more progressive, common and less bureaucratic system of labor migration and residence. 

Air quality standards in the EU 

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled part of its Zero Pollution package of legislative proposals on air quality, among other things. The standards the commission is proposing for air quality are far below what the European Commission has set. WHO recommends. By 2030, the Commission wants to allow levels twice as high as the WHO recommendation. Air pollution is the biggest environmental problem. Health risk in the EU, an estimated 364,200 premature deaths in 2019 will be attributed to nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Currently, 97 percent of the urban population in the EU lives in areas with poor air quality. We Greens demand that the Commission follow the recommendations of the WHO and adjust its air quality standards accordingly. 

High protection rate in Germany

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) argues that the Balkan route must be closed because so many people are not eligible for protection. Yet the adjusted protection rate in Germany is currently 71.6 percent and for people from Syria and Afghanistan – who mainly come via the Balkan route – it is almost 100 percent. Especially in view of this factual situation, it is shabby to play off the refugees from Ukraine against those from Syria and Afghanistan. The Migazin reports.

Second plenary week in Strasbourg in October 

Frontex budget denied

On Tuesday, we MEPs denied the 2020 budget discharge for Frontex for the second time with a clear majority. This sends a strong political signal to the agency. In the latest Report of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) it came to light that Frontex had concealed violations of fundamental rights and assisted national authorities in illegal pushbacks. Commissioner Ylva Johansson expressed shock at the allegations. I was more shocked by this reaction, however, because the allegations the report makes have been known for years and are not new. This decision is also a slap in the face for the EU member states that have let Frontex have its way and have allowed European borders to degenerate into places devoid of values and the rule of law. Our borders are only protected if human rights are also protected at these borders. You can find an article about this at tagesschau.de. You can read my speech on the OLAF report here listen at 19:47. 

500 € per month for private reception of refugees

I call for a bonus of 500 euros per month for the private accommodation of refugees. This would relieve the burden on refugees, helpers, the communal shelters and the state coffers. Because accommodation in public shelters costs significantly more. You can find an interview about this in the Mirror (Paywall) and a Summary in the Süddeuschen Zeitung.

Internal border controls

On Wednesday, we had a debate on border controls within the Schengen area. Here, the European Court of Justice has ruled that these are illegal over a longer period of time. Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, etc. have been constantly extending their internal border controls for years. I have been talking about this in my Speech demanded that we initiate infringement proceedings against member states that continue to maintain internal border controls, since even the ECJ's court ruling has not dissuaded the member states from their course. You can also read my speech here read up. 

COP 27

On Thursday, we as the European Parliament held a Resolution on the COP 27 climate protection conference. An overwhelming cross-party majority is calling for the Paris pledge to be honored in order to pay for climate damage and losses. The heads of state and government of the countries that have fueled the overheating of our planet for decades must finally compensate countries and regions that suffer most from floods, heat and droughts.  We call on the EU to increase its climate targets and back them up with concrete binding measures. In addition, we Greens were able to push through our demands for the release of political prisoners in the host country Egypt, as well as the special consideration of the gender-specific effects of climate change. 

Rule of Law in Malta

On Thursday we have a Resolution on the rule of law and freedom of the press in Malta. Five years ago, journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered in Malta. The resolution recognizes the fundamental work of journalists as an important contribution to democracy, as well as to the investigation of organized crime, tax evasion and money laundering. We also condemn the criminalization and attacks on journalists. We must continue to fight for journalists and press freedom within the EU. 

EU budget for 2023

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved the EU budget for 2023 was decided. In doing so, we sent an important signal for further financial support to Ukraine. Through the AMIF program, we are increasingly supporting Member States that take in refugees. Another important point that we Greens were able to introduce was the increase in the area of climate. Unfortunately, some groups in the European Parliament misused the accompanying budget resolution to place a non-budgetary and Islamophobic amendment there. We Greens stand up for women's rights and self-determination. The opposite of a headscarf compulsion that is contemptuous of women is not a headscarf ban, but to respect the free decision and the right of self-determination of women. For this reason, we voted against this resolution that accompanies the budget position. You can find our press release here. 

Sakharov Prize

This year, the "brave Ukrainian people" will receive the Sakharov Prize, represented by its leadership and civil society. "This prize is for the Ukrainians who are fighting in their country. For those who were forced to flee. For those who lost loved ones and friends. For all those who stand up and fight for what they believe in“, said the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in her speech on the matter. The Ukrainian people are not only fighting to protect their homeland, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, but they are also defending European values, freedom, democracy and the rule of law, she added. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded annually since 1988 to individuals and organizations that promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. The award ceremony will take place on December 14 in Strasbourg. Read more in the mirror.

Calendar week 41

Congratulations Terry!

Terry Reintke was named Wednesday as the new Co-Chair of the Green Group in the European Parliament. She shares the chairmanship of the group with Philippe Lamberts, replacing the previous co-chair Ska Keller. Terry has been a member of the European Parliament since 2014, when she became the youngest woman in the Parliament. She serves on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Employment and Social Affairs, and Women's Rights and Gender Equality committees. She has been vice chair of the parliamentary group since 2019. Terry is from the Ruhr area and was women's and gender policy spokeswoman on the federal board of the Green Youth and a member of the board of the Federation of Young European Greens. She announced that she wants to fight for social justice, find answers to the climate crisis, as well as defend democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights of the EU, especially in light of current times and crises.

Schengen accession of Croatia 

In the Interior Committee meeting this week were two important topics on the agenda that I am currently working on. (our topics from 16:28:50). First, we discussed Croatia's Schengen accession and the European Parliament's report. Systematic, violent attacks by Croatian authorities against people seeking protection have been widely reported by civil society and the media, and even the European Court of Human Rights condemned the country for a pushback that resulted in the death of a child. All these facts and the lack of evidence of a significant change in the behavior of the Croatian border police do not seem to stop conservatives from promoting the interests of the Croatian prime minister, who has promised Schengen accession by January 2023. It is crucial that we preserve the rule of law at our external borders and that Croatia fully implements the Schengen rules – including and in particular the rules on fundamental rights – and allows a truly independent surveillance mechanism at its external borders.

Visa liberalization Kuwait and Qatar 

I have presented my draft report on the process of visa liberalization for Kuwait and Qatar, in which, after many discussions with NGOs and officials, I decided to propose the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU for citizens of Kuwait and Qatar. My conditions – as formulated in my report – aim to formulate specific human rights criteria for the future visa waiver agreement that the EU will conclude with each country and expect Kuwait and Qatar to make tangible changes while allowing mutual exchanges between our countries. I hope that in the near future the European Commission will not only negotiate a very strong visa waiver agreement, but also keep the cycle of evaluations open and bring more countries on the path of visa-free travel in the Schengen area.

Discussion with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, the Council Presidency and other MEPs 

This week, I also had the opportunity to participate in a discussion with Members of the European Parliament involved in the reform of the Common European Asylum System, with the rotating Presidencies of the Council, first and foremost the Czech Republic, and with Commissioner Johansson. We discussed the status of the asylum reform with detailed updates on each dossier from 2016 (Qualification Regulation, Reception Conditions Directive and Resettlement Framework) and 2020 (Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, Crisis Regulation, Screening Regulation and the Extended Asylum Procedures Regulation and Eurodac Regulation) to see how we can complete this reform before the end of the legislature in mid-2024. The Czech Presidency is working on a common position of the Member States on solidarity, and we are working in the European Parliament to get full mandates for all dossiers, as we did in the last reform cycle. However, the Council seems to want to discuss only those dossiers that are a priority for it, i.e. those that make it more difficult for protection seekers to come to Europe and receive protection, and not those that deal with the sharing of responsibility and solidarity between Member States for a more humane asylum system. We need to make sure that we come out of this reform cycle with rules that make our common European asylum system better and stronger for protection seekers, rather than just with more obstacles at our external borders.

Votes in the Development Committee 

On Thursday, we voted in the Committee on Development on the extension of the Multiannual Financial Framework and were able to bring home some successes. All the compromises we negotiated were adopted, as were all our amendments. For example, our amendments to increase the funds that will be used for biodiversity, as well as our amendment on gender mainstreaming and support for sexual and reproductive health and rights – especially for women. Most importantly, our amendment 36 was adopted. This limits funding linked to migration targets to a maximum of 10%. This means that a maximum of 10% of the funds may be spent on so-called "migration management", which often means that autocratic states are given funds to turn them into gatekeepers of Europe. Of course, we would have preferred that no money at all is used for this purpose, but the limitation to 10 percent is already a success. You can find the report and the amendments here. 

The three African paradoxes according to Cristina Duarte, the UN Special Advisor for Africa 

Thursday was Cristina Duarte, UN Special Advisor for Africa, joined the DEVE Committee to talk about the global challenges facing Africa. When you look at Africa, three paradoxes quickly emerge. Africa is rich in food, natural and energy resources, and finance – and yet all three areas pose major challenges to African countries. African countries have $1.3 trillion in pension funds and have more than $70 billion in public spending – yet most of them are struggling for debt relief. Africa is rich in agricultural resources: land, water, and a large market, but it suffers from chronic food insecurity. Africa is rich in energy resources, but suffers from electricity poverty. 17 % of the world's population live on the African continent, but they consume only 3.3 % of the world's energy consumption. In 2019, energy consumption in Germany and France was higher than in all of Africa. Duarte pointed out that the lack of energy is the bottleneck for all other sectors. In Africa alone, 600 million people do not have access to electricity. But for this, countries need access to data and research on what all can be done to ensure energy security, with the least environmental impact. You can watch her whole speech here listen. 

Calendar week 40

Protests in Iran 

We deputies have this week discussed a Resolution on the death of Mahsa Jina Amini and the repression of women’s rights protests in Iran. The death of the young woman at the hands of the morality police has triggered a nationwide protest movement, which has been violently responded to by the security authorities. We call on the Council and the Commission to put pressure on the Iranian authorities to immediately end the violence against protesters and to keep the internet accessible to all. We also call for an independent, impartial and immediate investigation into the death of Mahsa Jina Amini. We also demand the abolition of all laws and practices that deprive women of their autonomy and rights. You can listen to the speech of my colleague Terry Reintke... here listen. 

MEPs recommend rejection of Frontex's 2020 financial statements

The Committee of the European Parliament for the Control of the Budget denied the so-called „discharge“ of the 2020 budget of the EU border agency Frontex. As justification, MEPs cite the extent of the serious misconduct committed and possible structural problems within the agency. These include the suicide of a staff member, as well as the 17 cases of sexual harassment reported in the agency, 15 of which were closed without investigation. In their discharge report, the deputies also regretted that Frontex had failed to address some of the issues raised in the previous report. Report of the parliament has not implemented the conditions set by the parliament. In particular, they demand an end to the repatriations to Hungary, which according to the latest plenary decision is no longer considered a functioning democracy. They also demand an investigation into the agency's involvement in pushback incidents in Greece.

Lampedusa anniversary

Monday was the ninth anniversary of the Lampedusa tragedy. On October 3, 2013, a cutter with 545 people on board sank off Lampedusa. The Italian coast guard and local fishermen rescued 155 people, 366 were confirmed dead. Roberta Metsola commemorated the victims in her opening speech of the current plenary week. The anniversary of this tragedy reminds us that rescue at sea is a duty. No matter who is in power in Italy, Greece or Malta. Infomigrants spoke with survivors and told their stories. 

Parliament calls for massive increase in military aid to Ukraine 

On Thursday, the parliament condemned the sham referendums in Ukraine. Russia had held sham referendums in the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya earlier this week, in some cases forcing residents at gunpoint to vote in favor of joining Russia. Another part of the resolution was the massive increase in military aid to Ukraine. We criticize the partial mobilization and the measures to force the inhabitants of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to serve in the armed forces of Russia. Another important point was the improved protection of critical infrastructure in response to the explosions at the Nord Stream pipelines. All contents of the resolution can be found at here. 

European Parliament has launched uniform charging cable

This week, the European Parliament cleared the way for the unified charging cable. This means that the USB-C charging cable will soon become standard for electronic devices from laptops to tablets and cell phones. This is an important step towards sustainability, so that you no longer need a different charging cable for each device. This will reduce the cable clutter for consumers, but also the mining of raw materials, the resulting environmental damage and our e-waste. The press statement of the Green Group on the decision can be found at here. 

Solidarity with Armenia 

Azerbaijan penetrated deep into the sovereign Armenian territory on September 13 and attacked the border for 200 km. More than 200 people were killed in this attack on Armenia. Video over the weekend shows the Azerbaijani army executing Armenian prisoners. These are war crimes! To show our support for Armenia after the Azerbaijani aggression, we Greens organized a solidarity photo campaign. You can find the post from my colleague Jordi Solé here here. 

Calendar week 39

Open Letter to the Commission on the Admission of Russian Dissidents and Defectors 

In my letter to the Commission, I join 34 other MEPs from four political groups in calling for the EU to establish a coordinated mechanism for Russian dissidents and defectors. People should be able to apply for asylum easily and simply, instead of being drafted into the Russian army and shot at Ukrainians. You can find the letter on English and German here. 

Letter to the Serbian Government on Europride 2022 

On September 17, Europride was supposed to take place for the first time ever in Southeastern Europe, in Belgrade. Unfortunately, there were threats from right-wing extremists and Putin supporters in the run-up to the event, and the Serbian government was unwilling to allow Europride to run on its actual route and to enforce the right to demonstrate. In the end, Pride participants were only allowed to walk a mini-route surrounded by police units. Despite a massive police presence, there were attacks against participants. A group of Albanian activists was attacked only a few meters from the police officers present, and a journalist from the Tagesspiegel, Nadine Lage, was attacked when she was on her way home with a friend. Together with many other members of parliament I wrote a letter to the Serbian government demanding a reappraisal of what happened before and during Pride. You can read the letter here read.

Greece

After a girl is said to have died on the Evros River, evidence is mounting, that the government blackmailed the family to change their statements. An NGO was pressured to make statements loyal to the government about the case. The Greek government also told me during my visit last week that they had prevented tens of thousands from entering the EU. How they managed to do that, they do not reveal; because there is no legal way to prevent people from applying for asylum. The Frankfurter Rundschau reported on my visit to Greece. 

Conference on refugee policy at "Bread for the World 

My work week began as a guest at the conference "In a Permanent State of Emergency? Human rights challenges at the EU's external borders - and beyond the Mediterranean". of Bread for the World. We examined the long-running crises at our external borders and worked together to find solutions. I was a speaker on a panel with Lars Castelucci, member of the Bundestag and asylum policy spokesman for the SPD, with Professor Petra Bendel from Friedrich Alexander University and with Robert Nestler from Equal Rights Beyond Borders. Our panel was moderated by Jonas Wipfler from Medico. 

I also see the new federal government as an opportunity to do things differently from the conservative Ministry of the Interior. We must show solidarity and take the initiative to ensure a fair sharing of responsibility for the people arriving. We also need to take an example from the welcoming culture of many Europeans:inside and involve the civilian population in the reception of those seeking protection, not only from Ukraine. There was great agreement on the panel about the need for a better, more European-oriented asylum policy, but also much criticism of the current situation and the worrying discussions in the Council about the reform proposals of the Pact, Schengen and the so-called Instrumentalization Directive. 

Calendar week 38 

In the European Parliament there are so-called green weeks, in which there are no fixed appointments in Brussels and Strasbourg. Many MEPs use these to work in their constituencies or to get a picture of their issues on the ground. This week, I was in Greece with a delegation to look at the situation at the external borders.

Location on the Evros 

On Monday we were at the border with Turkey and stood in front of two containers, in which lay the bodies of 20 people found on the Evros River. This year alone, the bodies of 51 people have been found in the Greek border region. We talked to Dr. Pavlidis; he is taking care of these cases on a voluntary basis, trying to create certainty for the relatives whether their missing sons, daughters or parents are still alive. We had the opportunity to visit the camp in Fylakio, where people are actually allowed to be imprisoned for a maximum of 25 days. In practice, even children are locked up there for months and have no access to education or medical care. The camp itself is small, but full of locked doors and barbed wire, with no shade or color. People live in container houses with blocks for families, men and unaccompanied minors. We were denied access to the border region, even though we are MEPs and I am responsible for external borders in the Parliament. Unfortunately, the Greek authorities here concretely prevent me from doing my work as an MEP. 

Political situation in Greece 

On Tuesday we had a meeting with the Greek Minister of Migration Notis Mitarachi, who has repeatedly accused us MPs and also renowned international media of spreading fake news and Turkish propaganda when we talked about the obvious pushbacks, violence and disappearances at sea. The Greek government is not only building fences on the border, but also a wall of lies.

The many discussions with experts and representatives of civil society left the picture of a state in which basic democratic standards and human rights are no longer respected. The EU, especially the Commission, must act quickly and build pressure to prevent further deterioration. Civil society, independent journalists and refugees need active support to resist the attacks by the state and the government. 

Meeting with Frontex in Greece 

All activities of the agency are based on the self-declared needs of the national authorities and are under that supervision. The Greek authorities try to keep Frontex away from their illegal activities and pushbacks, because Frontex should actually report them – which they have demonstrably not done in many cases. The border guards and supervisors we spoke with claim to report all activities, but have never witnessed any pushback. When we asked what they actually do all day, we did not receive a comprehensible answer. 

The EU needs a reception program for Russian reservists 

Putin declared the partial mobilization of Russian reservists in his speech this week. Russian men can thus be drafted for deployment in the war against Ukraine; if they resist, they can face up to ten years in prison. I am committed tothat we in the EU start a reception program for fleeing Russian reservists. Those who cannot find a safe escape route now as reservists could soon be forced to shoot at our allies.

EU Committee in the Bundestag 

This week, the Croatian Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović was a guest. Božinović emphasized several times how much Croatia would like to become part of the Schengen area and has already fulfilled all the necessary requirements for this; among others, all the demands to respect human rights at its borders. When my colleague Julian Pahlke asked him about the many documented pushbacks at the Croatian border, Božinović said that most of these accusations were false statements and lies. After these brutal and illegal pushbacks have been documented for years by observers on the ground, international media, NGOs and even institutions such as the Council of Europe, and have even been recorded on video, this is already a very brazen lie by Mr. Božinović.

Calendar week 37

State of the Union speech by von der Leyen 

On Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen held her annual âState of the Unionâ Keynote address. A special focus of her speech was Ukraine, which was underlined by the visit of the Ukrainian First Lady Olena Selenska. Thus, the first 15 minutes of her speech were also the strongest, when she invoked the unity of Europe regarding Ukraine and made clear that Ukraine’s place in the future should be in the European Union. 

The President of the Commission raised many important points in her speech and also said a lot of the right things. Unfortunately, the actions of the Commission are often not determined by these fine words. For example, it is not at all fitting when von der Leyen claims that the EU must also deal well with refugees if they do not come from Ukraine, but at the same time the Commission tolerates serious human rights violations at our external borders. Moreover, von der Leyen has not condemned those EU states that undermine the rule of law.

CDU/CSU support right-wing extremists in Italy 

Ursula von der Leyen did not mention in her speech that her party family, the conservative EPP, supports right-wing extremists all over Europe. In Sweden, for example, the conservatives are trying to form an alliance with the Sweden Democrats. Our group leader Ska Keller also used her speaking time after von der Leyen's speech to point out how the CDU/CSU supports right-wing extremists. EPP chairman Manfred Weber (CSU) traveled to Italy to campaign for Silvio Berlusconi, who will soon become junior partner of the far-right Lega and the fascist Fratelli dâItalia. You can find this part of the speech on Twitter. You can listen to Ska's entire speech watch here. 

We fight for the Europride in Belgrade 

Serbian police banned the march at Europride in Belgrade on Saturday. Our deputies are in direct talks with the Serbian government and demand to find a solution. Some members of the Green Party and the queer commissioner of the German government, Sven Lehmann, will also travel there to support the organizers and the queer community in Serbia. Here you can watch the speech of my colleague Terry Reintke in the European Parliament, for which she received a standing ovation. 

Directive for minimum wages 

On Wednesday, we approved the final agreement on an EU-wide minimum wage. The wages of 25 million workers in the 21 EU member states with a statutory minimum wage are to rise by up to 20 percent in stages. In the future, member states must take into account the increase in the cost of living when calculating minimum wages. Member states are recommended to establish a basket of goods and services at real prices in order to determine the cost of living and thus achieve an adequate standard of living. Find out more at the Homepage of our group. 

Hungary is no longer a democracy 

A clear majority of MEPs voted in favor of a report by my colleague Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, which states that Hungary is no longer a functional democracy. Instead, the report assumes a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy. Our group calls on the Czech presidency to ensure that the Council adopts recommendations on the rule of law and sets a deadline for the Hungarian government. Read more at Gwendoline. The Hungarian government also passed a decree this week that forces women to, listen to the heartbeat of the fetus before having an abortion. 

Law for deforestation-free supply chains 

None Forest should be more for our supply chains are cleared. The forests need our protection, because they are indispensable – for the Climate, for our ecosystems and as a habitat for animals and humans. That is why we in the EU Parliament have passed the law on deforestation-free supply chains. Anna Cavazzini explains on Twitterwhat it says. Who abstains here or even votes against – like the CDU / CSU – has not recognized the seriousness of the situation. Who voted how, you can see here Watch. 

EU Parliament speaks out against gigantic pipeline construction

In a resolution, we as the EU Parliament have spoken out against the construction of a huge oil pipeline between Uganda and Tanzania. The construction is planned by the oil giant Total Energies. This pipeline would be the largest heated oil pipeline in the world. More than a hundred thousand families and farmers are already displaced from their land. Once completed, the pipeline would emit over 34 million tons of CO2 annually and threaten protected wildlife. Ecologically, construction would be a global disaster. Read more you can find out here. 

Thanks Ska! 

On Thursday, Ska Keller announced her retirement from the chairmanship of the Green Party after six years. She has done a great job and fought hard for the successes of the Green parties across Europe and achieved great successes. With her at the helm, we have fought for a more social, greener and more democratic Europe. Since I have been involved in the Green Youth, she has been a political role model for me, showing us that you don't have to be a grandpa to be involved in European politics and to achieve something. Thank you Ska! You can read Ska's statement here. 

Calendar week 36

Frontex is denied budget discharge 

On Monday, we members of the Interior Committee denied Frontex budgetary discharge because Frontex continues to violate its mandate, engages in human rights abuses, and the content of the OLAF report has still not been made available to the general public. This is a strong signal to the EU member states that perpetrate and cover up crimes against refugees. 

Two years since the fire in Moria

Two years ago, the Moria camp burned down completely. At that time, the EU Commission promised "No more Morias", but today the system of deterrence through violence, misery and deprivation of rights is stronger than ever. Today, people are systematically abandoned at sea and mistreated. I spoke with the Frankfurter Rundschau about the current situation on the Greek islands and about why everything is much worse than it was two years ago. On my Insta you can also find a drone video that I had taken after the fire. 

Czech Presidency presents plans

On Monday, we members of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs spoke with the Czech Council Presidency to learn about its priorities. For me, the focus is on the work on the Commission proposal on the Common European Asylum System. In the coming months, the focus will be on issues of solidarity between Member States and a recast of the Asylum Procedures Regulation, for which I am responsible in the Green Party. The Presidency wants to continue working on a regulation on the "instrumentalization of migration", which is a dangerous proposal because it disenfranchises refugees, arguing that they are sent by a dictator to destabilize the EU. You can watch the session look here. 

Visa digitization 

This week, the first talks took place in the European Parliament to advance the process of digitizing short-term visas for access to the Schengen area. MEPs from all political groups came together to discuss the Commission proposal to discuss and debate what impact the digitization of visas could have on third countries and on the people applying for the visas, from a data protection or IT literacy point of view.... After this first meeting, we will have further discussions with the European Data Protection Supervisor and other authorities and bodies dealing with visas and large-scale IT systems in the EU before we, as the European Parliament, put together our negotiating mandate. 

Visit to Casa Comun 

On Monday, I was a guest speaker at Casa Comun, which took place as part of the World Council of Churches Assembly in Karlsruhe. Together with volunteers and people involved in helping refugees, I exchanged views on the situation at the EU's external borders, pushbacks and systematic human rights violations by Frontex, and on my work in Parliament. In the discussion we also talked about what measures are needed to improve the situation of protection seekers and to ensure that human rights and human dignity are respected. You can download the program here Watch. 

Treptow-Köpenick 

In my constituency, too, the BVV parliamentary group is thinking about how energy can be saved in the district in view of the current supply situation. A motion in the BVV also focuses on energy-saving projects at schools. Learn more here.

Calendar week 35 

After the summer break, work in Brussels really got underway again this week with the committees. 

Situation at the external borders

Seven years ago, the death of Alan Kurdi shocked the world. Seven years later, suffering and dying at the external borders has become everyday life. This is not a coincidence or fate, but a strategy of the majority of EU states. This cruelty must never become normal. The taz summarizes the current situation on the Mediterranean and talked to me about what the traffic lights must do now. 

Greece 

The death of Maria, a 5-year-old girl, is shaking up many people in Greece. She died because Greek authorities refused to rescue her at the Evros River. The parents are blaming the Greek government. The Greek government also attacked Spiegel reporter Giorgos Christides for reporting on Maria's death and the pushbacks at the Evros reported in Der Spiegel. The Border Violence has in a report highlights several cases of pushbacks on the Evros River and shows their systematic nature. 

Development Committee 

This week, I called for the 2023 budget and an increase in the multiannual financial framework until 2027 to be re-examined in light of the Russian attack on Ukraine, climate change-related natural disasters and the spread of hunger in the world, as well as an increase in funding for humanitarian aid and a stronger gender perspective in EU foreign policy. I also gave an assessment for my group colleague Michèle Rivasi on an agreement between Guyana and the EU to prevent illegal logging and the social, economic and welfare damage it causes. You can watch the session watch here. 

Visa facilitation for Kuwait and Qatar 

On Thursday, we discussed the possibilities for a visa waiver for citizens from Kuwait and Qatar. As rapporteur, it was important for me to get a detailed explanation from the Commission on the rationale for this visa waiver and its impact on the EU's relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This report was a priority for Member States to ensure good cooperation with GCC countries. We will continue to work intensively on this dossier, taking into account all human rights and geopolitical aspects.

Treptow-Köpenick

In my constituency in Treptow-Köpenick, the tree disc festival in the Karl Kunger neighborhood is taking place this weekend and celebrating its tenth anniversary. The festival was once planned as an action by residents:inside to plant together tree discs (areas fenced on the ground, which serve to protect them) to beautify the cityscape. Catrin Wahlen, member of the House of Representatives for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and herself a resident of the neighborhood, will also be there, as will the BVV parliamentary group. Learn more here.

Calendar week 28

Frontex investigation team

The subject of our discussion was the application of Article 46 of the Frontex Regulation, which provides for the suspension of any operation if the criteria, including respect for fundamental rights, are not met. There has long been a debate about whether Article 46 is the right instrument in cases like Hungary, Greece or Lithuania. As a Frontex working group, we have called for the suspension of all operations in Hungary, and there is no question in my mind that the systematic and serious human rights violations and breaches of EU law by Greece must also be a serious reason for Article 46.The agency argues the added value of Frontex presence, but according to the list of problems in the agency, serious changes must be made for Frontex to be trusted at all. De session you can watch here Watch.

Schinas in the Interior Committee 

Vice President Margaritis Schinas came to the European Parliament on Thursday to discuss migration and asylum with us members of the Interior Committee. A Greek vice president with ties to the Greek ruling party that denies the ongoing pushbacks and violations of EU law at Greece's external border, Schinas defends his country of origin and avoids acknowledging the reality of the problems. This time was no different. In the face of clear questions, Vice President Schinas used his years of experience as a speaker and avoided answering questions. You can watch his show here watch (I'm speaking at 12:23).

Committee on Internal Affairs

On Tuesday, there was a joint meeting of the Women's Rights and Equality Committee, the Social Affairs Committee and the Interior Committee. There we addressed the Situation of women who have fled from UkraineOn Wednesday, the Executive Director of the European Asylum Agency, Nina Gregori, presented to the European Parliament, followed by a Q&A session with us MEPs. annual asylum report presented. Subsequently, the rapporteur Ramona Strugariu and the shadow rapporteurs discussed the opinion of the Interior Committee on the Denial of 2020 budget discharge for Frontex. Finally, on Wednesday afternoon, the Home Affairs Committee exchanged views with Deputy Director General Beate Gminder, who is responsible for the "Task Force Migration Management" under EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson, as it had done in previous months. She presented the current status of the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive for Refugees from Ukraine and answered questions from the deputies.

Development Committee 

This week the Food insecurity in Ethiopia, which Situation in Afghanistan after the earthquake and the Developments in the Republic of Moldova in the foreground. In all topics, it became clear that global food insecurity – triggered by the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine – is the major challenge that we urgently need to address. In addition, the Czech presidency presented its goals, which include combating global food insecurity as well as Russian disinformation. The Russian government is currently trying to push the narrative globally that the global hunger crises are the result of Russia's sanctions – when in fact they are the result of the war of aggression on Ukraine.

Visa liberalization for Kuwait and Qatar

I am the rapporteur for the visa liberalization of Kuwait and Qatar. Even though everything in the countries of the region is by no means as the European Union imagines, there is now a proposal to introduce visa-free travel from Kuwait and Qatar. In fact, the two states have also made progress in recent years and have largely met the EU Commission's criteria. I have had exchanges with several Members of Parliament this week in connection with reporting - that is, leading the negotiations for the European Parliament - and I have also met with the Ambassador from Qatar and diplomats from Kuwait.

Plenary week in July at a glance

Taxonomy – EU Parliament waves through EU Commission greenwashing

In the EU Parliament, conservatives, liberals and right-wingers have overruled us and classified gas and nuclear as sustainable. Soon they'll probably propose that booze and cigarettes are health-giving and plastic waste is eco-fertilizer, finally saving the world. 

But seriously, the taxonomy is the EU Commission's green guide for investors. In the future, investments in gas projects and nuclear power plants will also come under the EU Commission's sustainability seal. The Austrian and Luxembourg governments have announced legal action before the European Court of Justice. Here you can see how the German delegates voted. 

Greek prime minister lies in parliament 

On Tuesday was the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with us in Parliament visit. Under his responsibility refugees are disenfranchised, blackmailed and pushed baked. Meanwhile, in Greece, refugees are enslavedto mistreat other refugees and bring them back to Turkey illegally. Unfortunately, Mitsotakis lied to us MPs and pretended that there were no systematic pushbacks – and received support for this from conservatives and right-wingers in parliament. 

In response to these lies I this letter to Commission President von der Leyen, asking her when the Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, will finally take action. The letter was co-signed by 42 MEPs from four political groups, ranging from left-wingers to conservatives. Specifically, we ask to what extent the Commission believes the Greek government's explanations and whether it will finally initiate infringement proceedings.

Parliament votes to include right to abortion in EU Charter of Fundamental Rights 

We MEPs have condemned, by a majority of 324 votes, the regression in women's rights and sexual and reproductive health and related rights in the US, and in some EU countries. The right to abortion should be included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union be included. The Commission and Member States should strengthen their political support for human rights defenders and health care providers who advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Here you can see how the German MPs voted and how a majority from CDU/CSU is against reproductive rights. 

End female poverty in the EU 

In a Report, which passed Tuesday with 535 votes in favor, 18 against, and 79 abstentions, we MEPs call for gender equality to be more effectively integrated into policies to address homelessness, lack of access to affordable housing, and energy issues. According to Eurostat, the risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU was higher for women in 2020 (22.9 %) than for men (20.9 %). Since 2017, the gender poverty gap has widened in 21 Member States. Due to the strong link between female poverty and child poverty, one in four children in the EU is at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

My constituency Treptow-Köpenick

In my constituency Treptow-Köpenick, the BVV faction of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen has made a proposal to sustainably improve school route safety. Currently, school routes within the district are rather a burden for students and parents due to insufficient crossing possibilities, few parking spaces and short traffic light phases. Learn more here.

Calendar week 26

Home Affairs Committee with Commissioner Ylva Johansson and a Lying Greek Minister 

On Monday, the Interior Committee had two high-level talks with Commissioner Ylva Johansson on the situation of refugees from Ukraine and with the Greek Minister responsible for migration Notis Mitarachi, on the situation in his country. You can find the video here, while also asking questions to Johansson (15:11:34) and Mitarachi (16:25:58). Commissioner Johansson tried to answer all questions of MEPs about funding, solidarity, return and EU cooperation. 

On the other hand, Minister Notis Mitarachi only repeated the usual list of lies that the conservative Greek government has been spreading for years. Moreover, the conservative and right-wing MPs in the Interior Committee not only ignored the facts about the systematic human rights violations by the Greek authorities, they also actively support the propaganda of the Greek government. Minister Mitarachi chose the few questions he wanted to answer and simply ignored all comments and questions that did not fit his construct of lies. 

Study on the criminalization of solidarity in Europe 

The study Resilience and resistance commissioned by the Green Group in the European Parliament analyzes the state of criminalization of solidarity with refugees in the European Union. People are put on trial for helping others on the run in a humanitarian way. This is meant to deter and ensure that the flight to Europe remains life-threatening and inhumane. 

Since 2015, we have seen more and more people in Europe, in more and more EU countries, being criminalized for showing solidarity with refugees. The European Union must take immediate action to address the crackdown on solidarity and prevent the criminalization of humanitarian aid.

Schengen Borders Code

OnThursday, the representatives responsible for the legislative process for the Reform of the Schengen Borders Code responsible deputies for the first time for an exchange with the European Commission. In this particular case, we will have a very difficult task to follow the Commission's ideas as it tries to address the shortcomings of the Schengen area by restricting the right of asylum. Our task as parliamentarians is to adopt a negotiating position that strengthens both the freedoms we value in the Schengen area and the fundamental right to asylum enshrined in our charter.

Deaths in Melilla, New Level of Inhumanity in Greece 

In Spain an operation near Melilla praised by the head of government, in which dozens of people died. Severely injured people were apparently tied up and not cared for, dead people were thrown into mass graves without being examined. It is an intolerable disgrace for Europe. The number of dead is completely new in quality and quantity for the EU national borders.

Shortly after the shocking pictures from Melilla reached us, published the mirror a research in which absolutely inhumane practices of the Greek authorities are revealed, which dwarf anything ever seen before. In Greece, refugees are now being enslaved in order to mistreat other refugees and bring them illegally back to Turkey. If this continues without consequences, the EU no longer needs to claim to represent any values. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reacted promptly to the reports and calls for an investigation into the illegal pushbacks. 

Development Committee – Global Food Security and Ukraine War 

On Thursday we had in the Development Committee, the Director of the World Food Program, David Beasly. He gave us a report on the current food security situation in the world. We are undeniably in an unprecedented global food crisis. Putin is not only waging a war on Ukraine, but also threatening the food security of millions of people around the world. You can find more info on the topic here.

Calendar week 25

EU funds for Ukraine 

On Tuesday, the Development, Foreign Affairs and Budget Committees met in Brussels to discuss EU funding for Ukraine. You can watch the meeting here view. Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Zynzadze reported that humanitarian aid is currently urgently needed, as well as first aid kits, generators, fuel, water filters and many other goods. In the medium term, reconstruction of civil infrastructure as well as the energy sector and demining will also be major challenges. 

The Commission reported in the meeting that over €4.2 billion in assistance has been mobilized for Ukraine, of which €705 million will be spent in the coming weeks. This is to be supplemented by an MFA package of €9 billion this year. So in total that would be around €13 billion this year. 

For humanitarian aid, another €135 million has so far gone to Ukraine and €8 million to Moldova, with another €205 million soon to be added. These funds are distributed by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department. This will primarily provide medical care, food supplies, emergency shelter or generators, and support evacuations. In addition, the funds will be used for specialized centers for victims of sexual violence. 

About 16 percent of the population in Ukraine is in need of humanitarian aid and about €1.4 billion is still needed here this year to continue the work. The meeting also warned that funds for Ukraine must not come at the expense of other crises and regions in the world – especially given the worsening global food crisis.

Interviews

Two longer interviews with me appeared this week. One on the occasion of the World Refugee Day at RND and in many German local newspapers. With Deutschlandfunk Kultur I have worked in the format World Time about politically motivated pushbacks and why I don't believe in a new beginning for Frontex. The interview is followed by a feature on the pushbacks. 

Meeting with the International Rescue Committee 

I had a meeting this week with the International Rescue Committee (IRC)where I discussed the situation of asylum seekers and refugees in Greece, the problem of pushbacks at various external borders, the problems of Member States with the care of people from Ukraine and the general state of reform of the EU common asylum system. 

Green Berlin

Next Saturday, for the first time in a very long time, an analog event of the Green Party Berlin will take place. In the framework of the Structural reform process we will come together for the Future Conference. For a whole day, we will be able to talk to each other about how the party will position itself in the future. I am very much looking forward to it! 

Treptow-Köpenick 

On Sunday, June 19, 2022, my district association Treptow-Köpenick held for the first time in a long time a general meeting in person. Above all, a lot was elected, our delegates for the BDK, LDK, LA and also the women's conference were determined. In addition, the structural reform process of the state association and the central concerns of our district association within the process were also discussed. I was allowed to report on my work in the European Parliament. 

Calendar week 24

Frontex investigation team

Frontex investigation teamOn Tuesday, we discussed cooperation with third countries in the Frontex inquiry group. Frontex has been under criticism lately because of several scandals involving the agency, as well as pushbacks in the Aegean Sea and the resignation of Executive Director Leggeri. Since the Frontex mandate for 2019 the Agency has more possibilities to conclude so-called status agreements – legally binding contracts with third countries – one of them was recently concluded with the Republic of Moldova to support the country on its border with Ukraine. This type of cooperation is not easy for the European Parliament to verify, and we do not receive a clear answer from either the Commission or the Agency when we ask about the Agency's cooperation with Libya. You can read my contribution here listen

Foreign Affairs Committee

On Tuesday we have in the Foreign Affairs Committee discussed the parliamentary elections in Lebanon together with the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries. We deputies received an assessment of the European Parliament Election Observation Mission in Lebanon. In addition, we exchanged ideas with Dr. Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre, and Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi, executive director of the Middle East Department of the European External Action Service, on the sociopolitical situation in Lebanon.During my speaking time, I asked both of them for their assessments of the election and the situation in the country as a whole. Following on from my impressions of my Delegation trip to Lebanon in February, I was particularly interested in the social mood after the election and the extent to which young people in particular feel represented by the new parliament, which includes 13 independent deputies.

Committee on Internal Affairs

This week, the Committee on Interior and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality discussed with the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Diana Schmitt. Refugees fleeing Ukraine are predominantly women, children, and the elderly, which puts them at higher risk for trafficking. Moreover, the unprecedented involvement of civilians in hosting refugees, as great and welcome as it is, unfortunately poses an increased risk for human trafficking at the same time. The EU has a Directive on combating trafficking in human beings as well as a Strategy to combat trafficking in human beings, and the coordinator presented her specific strategy for this particular situation of people fleeing Ukraine.

I asked some questions about the difficulties in identifying victims of trafficking or exploitation at the border. You can watch the session here listen to my contribution from 15.58.

Climate and small water bodies in Treptow-Köpenick

Temperatures of well over 30 degrees are expected in Berlin this weekend. Among other things, small bodies of water in the city are important for maintaining the urban climate. In my very water-rich district of Treptow-Köpenick, the BVV faction of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen therefore requested the district officeto place a special focus here once again and to improve the condition of the small water bodies in the district.

Investigative Committee on the Right-Wing Extremist Attack Series in Neukölln

The Parliamentary Investigation Committee of the Berlin House of Representatives was constituted this week. Its purpose is to investigate the series of right-wing extremist attacks in Neukölln and the mistakes made during the investigation. It is an important sign that we as politicians must become more capable of acting against right-wing violence. Learn more here.

Strasbourg Plenary Week in June at a glance 

FIT for 55 – Parliament rejects weakened position on European emissions trading 

The CDU/EPP conservatives, together in a majority with AfD and other right-wingers, have amended the European emissions trading proposals to fall short of the Commission's proposal. The amended version very clearly bore the hallmarks of the fossil fuel industry lobby and moved far away from the 1.5 degree target. That is why we could not agree to these amendments and voted against the entire ETS. It will go back to the Environment Committee to be renegotiated. We Greens will do our utmost to make it an effective instrument in European climate protection. More information on the FIT for 55 can be found at the Homepage of the European Green Group. 

Ukrainian parliament speaker promotes rapid EU accession

It was a great honor for us Members to welcome the Ukrainian Speaker of the Parliament in the plenary. In his speech Ruslan Stefanchuk said Ukraine needed EU candidate status as a message to show that "what we are doing is not in vain. But if we don't get that message on June 24, that will be a message to Putin that he can just go ahead." The EU Commission is expected to make its recommendation next week Friday on whether Ukraine should be granted EU candidate status. 

MPs call for protection of the right to safe and legal abortion

The European Parliament has condemned the regression of women's sexual and reproductive rights worldwide, but especially in the US and some EU member states, and called for safe access to abortion. At following a debate in plenary, House members on Thursday approved a resolution, with 364 approvals, 154 disapprovals and 37 abstentions, exhorting the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the landmark ruling in Roe v Wade (1973) that enshrines the right to abortion in the nation's Constitution. You can find the adopted text here. 

EU Parliament and Council agree on uniform charging cables

On Tuesday, there was a great agreement between the EU Parliament and EU states: In two years, there will be a uniform charging cable (USB-C) for all smartphones, tablets, etc.. Later, this will also apply to laptops. An end to cable confusion in the EU is in sight! You can find out more on the homepage of Anna Cavazzini, who negotiated for the Green Party. 

Lux Parliamentary Audience Award goes to film about Srebrenica 

The European Parliament's LUX Audience Award was presented today to the film "Quo Vadis, Aida?" by Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić. The film is about Aida, who translates for the UN soldiers in the Srebrenica protection zone and tries to save the lives of her husband and children. The film relentlessly shows how the United Nations failed and abandoned the people of Srebrenica. And how Dutch Durchbat soldiers even helped organize the genocide. More than 8000 people were murdered by Serb forces at that time because they wanted to destroy the Bosniaks, the Bosnian Muslims. Žbanić was accompanied at the award ceremony in Parliament by Srebrenica survivor Munira Subašić. Here you can watch the award ceremony again. 

Agreement reached on EU-wide minimum wage

The negotiators of the European Parliament, the EU Commission and the Council have reached an agreement on the rules for minimum wages in the EU. The legislation will increase the wages of around 25 million workers in the EU. The minimum wage will not be the same everywhere with this legislation, but to set the minimum wage, EU member states are recommended to start from a basic package of goods and services. The European Parliament will vote on the agreement in July, after which EU governments are expected to give their approval. DW reports. 

Calendar week 22

Committee on Internal Affairs 

At Interior Committee we have on Monday on the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive for Refugees from Ukraine discussed. To this end, as three weeks ago, the Committee exchanged views with Deputy Director General Beate Gminder for the "Task Force Migration Management" under the EU-Commissioner Ylva Johansson is responsible for. She gave an update on the registration of Ukrainians in the EU and the disbursement of EU funds to Member States to support them in receiving and caring for refugees. Several parliamentarians criticized the double standards in dealing with refugees. In particular, for the treatment of Poland, where refugees from Ukraine are welcomed while other refugees are subjected to pushbacks at the Polish-Belarusian border. The Commission must take more decisive action against such human rights violations. 

Frontex – Alya Kalnaya introduces herself 

On Monday, the current acting executive director of Frontex, Aija Kalnaja visited, the Committee on Internal Affairsto talk to us about the future of the agency. She distanced herself from Fabrice Leggeri and spoke out in favor of more transparent cooperation with Parliament in the future. She also promised to implement the recommendations made by the Frontex Inquiry Group. Her confirmation as Executive Director ad-interim is expected to take place later this month in the Frontex Management Board. However, we must be involved in the process of selecting the agency's future director. As part of the parliamentary scrutiny of Frontex, we MEPs welcomed the exchange with Aija Kalnaja, but still have many unanswered questions regarding Frontex' involvement in human rights violations. In addition, there was a somewhat surprising statement by Ms. Kalnaja, in which she said, that the employees of Frontex are traumatized because of the eventsIt is the victims of pushbacks who have reason to be traumatized. 

Regulation on asylum procedures 

On Wednesday, the members responsible for the Asylum Procedure Regulation responsible MEPs to discuss the main aspects of the amended proposal for a regulation. For us Greens, it is crucial that border procedures – the cornerstone of the Commission's proposal for a Common European Asylum System – do not become mandatory for Member States, as these procedures are inadequate and mostly mean the detention of asylum seekers. Furthermore, based on our assessment of the implementation of border procedures and stakeholder assessments, we are convinced that all vulnerable applicants and all minors – unaccompanied or with their families – must be exempted from border procedures.

EIB Global event

On Thursday, an event was held on a Eurodad-commissioned Study which I co-hosted with my colleague Udo Bullmann (SPD). The topic of the discussion was the role of EIB Global, the new development arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB), within the European Financial Architecture for Development (EFAD). In addition to the question of the added value of this new arm and how EU-financed investments in the Global South can serve a public purpose, the discussion also covered issues such as transparency, human rights and environmental standards in development finance. On the future of EFAD, I am currently also working as a shadow rapporteur on a Initiative Report, which hopefully can be completed in the summer.

Question to the Commission on the situation on the Evros River 

On an island between Turkey and Greece, people seeking protection are stuck and need help. Greek police refuse to help the people, even though the European Court of Human Rights has ordered them to do so. Spiegel journalist Giorgos Christides has a Video published on Twitterthat those affected have sent him. One woman says in the video: "Please help us. The children are going to die here." The vice president of the EU Commission, Margaritis Schinas, claimed in an interview with de Volkskrant meanwhile, even said that there was no systematic problem with pushbacks in the EU and that NGOs and independent media should not be relied upon to address the issue. I have told the Commission sent a request to learn what they plan to do in the face of ongoing pushback and serious human rights abuses. Read more about this topic at Greek Refugee Council. 

Calendar week 20

EU Parliament calls for punishment of war crimes in Ukraine

The Resolution on war crimes in Ukraine and prosecution was adopted by a large majority in the European Parliament. It is about supporting the International Criminal Court in gathering evidence and prosecution, close cooperation with Ukrainian civil society and prosecution of sexual violence, gender-based violence and environmental crimes. The adopted text calls on the EU to support the establishment of a special international court to punish the crimes of aggression committed against Ukraine. In addition, we MEPs have advocated for Sanctions against Putin lobbyist (and former German Chancellor) Gerhard Schröder. 

Parliament approves suspension of EU tariffs on all Ukrainian exports

Parliament has spoken in favor of it, suspend import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the EU for one year, to support the country's economy. This temporary liberalization of trade, approved with 515 votes in favor, 32 against and 11 abstentions, comes against the backdrop of the Russian war, which hinders Ukraine's trade with the rest of the world. The procedure was accelerated so that they could be adopted today in plenary. They will completely remove import duties on industrial and agricultural goods and all EU anti-dumping and safeguard measures on Ukrainian steel exports for a period of one year. The EU is Ukraine's most important trading partner, accounting for more than 40 % of total trade in goods in 2021. In turn, Ukraine will account for around 1.2 % of total EU trade.

The Samos 2 do not have to go to jail 

Good news, the public pressure has worked! Two refugees who were charged in Greece have been released! They were facing a total of 240 years in prison for fleeing to Greece, although they were obviously innocent. The taz reports about the case. 

Green Berlin 

The state association of the Greens in Berlin has grown many times over in recent years. Not only are we now clearly the second strongest party in Berlin, but membership has also increased significantly. That is why the state executive board is now starting a process of structural reform of the state party. The main focus will be on how we as a party can adapt our structures to meet the challenges. The process will start on Saturday with a kick-off event. More information is available here. 

Elections in Lebanon

Lebanon voted on Sunday for the first time since the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion, the 2019 anti-government mass protests and the state bankruptcy. Voter turnout was just under 50 %. Islamist Shiite Hezbollah and its allies lose majority in parliament. Opposition newcomers, formed from anti-government protests since October 2019, garnered about 10% of the vote. Among the 128 deputies, only eight are women. There are strong doubts that the new parliament can effectively and sustainably tackle the immense problems in Lebanon. Three months ago, I was in Lebanon as head of a delegation from the European Parliament, and I saw here summarized my impressions.

Calendar week 19 

Interior Committee on Temporary Protection Directive for Refugees from Ukraine 

In the Committee on Internal Affairs on Thursday a discussion on the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive for Refugees from Ukraine on the agenda. To this end, the Committee exchanged views with Deputy Director General Beate Gminder who is responsible for the "Task Force Migration Management" under EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson. 

Many parliamentarians expressed their concerns about the disbursement of EU funds for the care of refugees to the governments of the Member States directly, instead of giving them to NGOs or municipalities. They also discussed how to effectively combat human trafficking, especially of Ukrainian women and children, how the registration of Ukrainian refugees is progressing, and how measures currently being taken can be used to benefit refugees from other countries of origin in the long term. Some also highlighted the problems faced by stateless persons from Ukraine and third-country nationals who cannot or do not want to return to their countries of origin.

Foreign Affairs Committee 

Since mid-April, I have been a substitute member of an additional committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET). This week, in the Committee meeting Among other things, the report on the control of European funds in Lebanon was discussed. I have been particularly involved with the situation in Lebanon since my Trip to Beirut at the end of February, but also in view of the elections scheduled for Sunday.

African journalists visiting Brussels

In the course of a program of taz Panter Foundation I invited 16 journalists from 15 African countries to Brussels for a two-day program to explore the city, ask questions about the EU, visit the European Parliament and network with various NGOs. As part of the program, the journalists also produced a magazine, which you can download at here and download it. You can find a report of the visit here. 

Parliamentary investigative committee on right-wing extremist series of attacks in Berlin-Neukölln 

Last week, the Berlin House of Representatives appointed the Parliamentary Investigation Committee (PUA) to investigate the investigative process in connection with the clarification of the series of right-wing extremist crimes in Neukölln that took place in the period from 2009 to 2021. Behind this unwieldy name lies an important goal: to provide clarification. In the course of the legislative period, the PUA will now hopefully create the transparency that we very urgently need in this area. More information and what the state executive board has to say about it can be found at read here. 

A guest of the Green Party in Dortmund

 On Monday evening I was a guest of the Green Party Dortmund in the House of Diversity and spoke on the topic "European Asylum Policy and Ukraine" with Berivan Ayvaz, Jenny Brunner and Katrin Lögering spoken. In the discussion with my party colleagues and the participants, it was important for me to talk about the potential for change in European asylum policy due to the current situation. And also about how we can extend the great empathy for refugees from Ukraine to other people. You can watch the event here (but you have to scroll forward for a long time and there are problems with the sound at the beginning).

The plenary week in Strasbourg in May 

Discharge over Frontex budget denied for now

We Members have denied budgetary discharge to Frontex. Fabrice Leggeri resigned last week, because it became clear that Frontex was systematically involved in pushbacks and Leggeri was covering it up. 

There was a large majority of 492 votes against the discharge, which we as the Greens/EFA Group very much welcome, as it is now important to work through the failures of Frontex. Frontex has still not fulfilled the demands of the EU Parliament from the previous discharge report, let alone dealt with the allegations of illegal pushbacks. Furthermore, we as Members of the EU Parliament still do not have the report of OLAF. Without seeing this report, it is not possible to make an informed decision on the budget. Frontex is the EU agency with the largest budget: while it was "only" 118 million euros in 2011, it is expected to become 900 million euros by 2022, as well as include a permanent reserve of 10,000 soldiers. After the resignation of Leggeri, it is not enough to just put new person at the top. We need fundamental reforms so that Frontex focuses on human rights and the rights of refugees.

Frontex referendum in Switzerland 

In Switzerland, on May 15, a Frontex referendum will take place, at which it will be decided whether a much higher sum should flow into the EU agency or not. Switzerland has to pay the contributions because it participates in the common border protection as an associated Schengen member. I was a guest of the Green Party in Switzerland to talk about the scandals of Frontex and who is responsible for respecting human rights. You can watch this here in livestream Watch. 

Transnational lists for the European election 2024 

On Tuesday, we deputies voted by a narrow majority in favor of transnational lists in the 2024 European elections voted. Following a call by the Green Group, the majority of the Parliament also voted in favor of lowering the voting age to 16 years and gender-balanced lists. In concrete terms, this proposal of the Parliament to the Member States means that all voters will receive two votes: one vote for a candidate in the national constituencies and one vote for an EU-wide constituency with 28 additional candidates on transnational lists. Nevertheless, a threshold of 3.5% has been set. The Parliament will submit a proposal for electoral reform to the Member States by the end of the year, which must be ratified by all national parliaments before it can enter into force. From my Group, the main participants in the negotiations were Damian Boeselager, co-founder of Volt, participated and represented our position. Damian expressed after the vote. 

Situation of women in Ukraine 

On Thursday we have debated the situation of women in Ukraine. Women are raped, abducted, beaten and beaten to death in wars. In Ukraine rape is used as a weapon of war. Most women flee to Poland or Hungary, where they have no access to abortions. My colleague, Kim van Sparrentak, told the Commission again today clearly how important it is to give Ukrainian women this access. There is also a high risk that Ukrainian women in the EU will be forced into prostitution or end up in trafficking circles. The Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, emphasized in her speech that Russia is not only at war with Ukraine, but also and especially with its women. She clearly stated that rape is a war crime and assured that the EU will do everything possible to deal with these crimes and bring those responsible to the international court. She also stressed that with the Temporary Protection Directive, refugees are entitled to medical care, which includes safe abortion. This is what she means by "standing with Ukraine." 

Construction of a wall on the Polish-Belarusian border 

The final debate this plenary week was about the construction of the wall on the Polish-Belarusian border. There, refugees who do not come from Ukraine continue to be beaten, mistreated and illegally deported. The fence that is now to be built runs through the Białowieża primeval forest and endangers ecosystems there.  Ylva Johansson emphasizedthat the EU would not finance fences or walls at the EU's external borders. Unfortunately, the Commissioner did not say that non-Ukrainian refugees at the Polish-Belarusian border also have the right to apply for asylum in the EU. 

Calendar week 17 

Frontex director Leggeri resigns 

After various lies, dozens of scandals, and thousands of pushbacks, must be Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri now finally resigning. The fact that it has taken so long and that mafia-like structures have become possible at Frontex is a scandal that goes far beyond Leggeri. For years, the EU member states and the EU Commission have glossed over serious crimes and thus created a climate in which the violent rejection of protection seekers became the core of European asylum policy at most external borders. The systematic disregard of EU law at the external borders has been under Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President just as possible as the increased criminalization of everyone who wants to help people in a humanitarian way. The fact that the pressure on Leggeri has now become so great that at least he and a few of his cronies will have to resign is a step in the right direction. We have been campaigning for this for a long time and have worked hard on it. But it was only made possible by great investigative journalistic work. A joint investigation by several media outlets only revealed the facts in the middle of the week, That Frontex has documented pushbacks in its own database and classifies them as "preventing departure". With the support of FragDenStaat sues Sea Watch Frontex before the ECJ because of the systematic and illegal pushbacks. They demand that Frontex release its information. 

Structured Dialogue with Commissioner Lenarčič for Humanitarian Aid

Earlier this week, the so-called „structured dialogue“ with the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Janez Lenarčič took place in the Development Committee. This debate takes place once a year according to the framework agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission. The Commissioner for Development Cooperation Jutta Urpilainen was prevented at short notice, so this part will be made up in early May. The results of the debate will be included in the 2022 summary report, which will serve as the basis for the resolution of the political groups to be adopted in plenary in July.

During the debate, the commissioner gave, among other things, an update on last year's adopted Commission communication on humanitarian aid, addressed the situation in Ukraine but also other crisis situations that must not be forgotten, among others in Syria or Yemen. The whole debate can be here listen up.

Meeting with LAG Europe

On Monday, LAG Europe organized a meeting on the situation of refugees from Ukraine. In addition to discussing their situation and status in EU countries, the meeting also focused on the impact that the arrival of millions of people has on the EU's common asylum system. Since the Temporary Protection Directive came into force, various problems have been raised in terms of equal access to rights and state services in different Member States. Unfortunately, there have also been cases of discrimination against non-Ukrainians coming from Ukraine and seeking protection. The focus of the Commission and the Council on the European Pact on Flight and Migration has certainly diminished. The solidarity shown to Ukrainians across the EU to show what our societies can do should have a positive impact on the situation of all those seeking protection. It is certainly a positive element that the Commission is proposing protection-oriented solutions and guidelines to ensure that borders are open for those seeking protection from Ukraine. Our task now is to use this momentum to end refoulement at all our external borders. 

Lisa Paus becomes Federal Minister for Family Affairs 

Lisa Paus was sworn in this week as the new Federal Minister for Family Affairs. She succeeds Anne Spiegel. As a member of the Bundestag for the Berlin state association, she has done important work in recent years, for example in the Wirecard Committee, and helped develop our concept of a basic child allowance. I wish her every success in her new task and am sure that she will master the challenges well.

Calendar week 16 

Ukraine 

Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression on the whole Ukraine, according to UNHCR data over five million people fled the country. Because the traditional Easter marches were unfortunately not able to condemn Russian wars and demand necessary consequences, we as Leave No One Behind with Vitsche and Adopt a Revolution have created a alternative easter march organized. 

More than half of the people fled via Poland, where a lot of solidarity is shown with Ukrainians who have fled. However, at the border with Belarus people continue to be pushed back. Victims and activists report increasing violence and criminalization. 

Interior Committee – EU continues to support Libyan Coast Guard 

EU support for Libya has been controversial for years, and the hearing of the LIBE Committee this week brought neither more clarity nor agreement on this issue. In several reports, including from the Human Rights Representative of the UN and of the Council of Europe as well as from various Non-governmental organizations such as ECRE, the EU is unanimously urged to stop funding the Libyan coast guard and to stop supporting the pullbacks in the central Mediterranean. Despite these efforts, the European Commission's Neighborhood Policy Department persists in maintaining EU support for Libya and funding Tripoli's MRCC. Before the EU opens its wallet, the legality and human rights implications of EU funding for a maritime coordination center in a civil war country, with no safe haven for disembarkation, must be investigated.

Development Committee – Situation in Ukraine and Global Food Security 

A big topic in the Development Committee right now, in addition to the situation on the ground, is the impact of the Russian attack on Ukraine on global food security.

Interventions in the last committee meeting on the humanitarian situation were made by the European Commission as well as Mykyta Poturayev, Chairman of the Committee on Humanitarian Aid and Information Policy of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament), an NGO operating on the ground and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In addition to the great need for assistance, the lack of access for humanitarian workers and the difficulties in organizing humanitarian corridors are of concern.

The war in Ukraine will also have a devastating impact on food security in the Global South, and I will report on this in more detail.

MEP Charles Goerens then presented the report on the future European financial architecture for development, to which I, as the responsible shadow rapporteur for the Greens, will submit amendment proposals by the end of next week. The whole session can be viewed here check. 

Moria and pushbacks in the Mediterranean 

There were over 10,000 documented pushbacks in the Aegean last year. The 2021 Pushback Report from Mare Liberum shows how normalized and commonplace brutal pushbacks on the border between Greece and Turkey have become. ND summarizes the findings here togetherAfter the fire in Moria a year and a half ago, six Afghans were sentenced, yet there are justified doubts about their perpetration and the judicial process. The Guardian has a longread about the criminalization of refugees and helpers and reworks the story of Moria.

Calendar week 14 – Plenary week in Strasbourg 

European Parliament allocates €3.4 billion for Ukrainian refugees 

After the Parliament had given the green light at the last plenary session for the reallocation of EU regional and asylum aid to EU countries, hosting people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, MEPs approved further urgent support measures.

By a vote of 549 to one, with eight abstentions, the House approved the immediate release of Around 3.4 billion euros (out of a total of 10 billion euros) from the „REACT-EU„funds, as well as faster access for EU countries to funds for infrastructure, housing, equipment, employment, education, social inclusion, healthcare and childcare for refugees.

Special session of the Development and Home Affairs Committee on the Temporary Protection Directive and humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian refugees.

Monday evening, the Development and Home Affairs Committees met to discuss with Commissioner Johansson and Commissioner Lenarčič, as well as representatives of UNHCR and UNICEF, the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive and humanitarian assistance to refugees, especially children, as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. While it is a great success that the member states of the European Union were able to agree on activating the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time and show great solidarity in receiving Ukrainian refugees, we must not turn a blind eye to unequal treatment. Thus, the magazine the Spiegel for example recently reportedthat at least one EU-funded detention center for refugees in Ukraine continued to operate after the Russian invasion began, an allegation on which the European Commission has not yet commented. The entire meeting can be viewed here listen, my speech begins 20:35:04.

Resolution and debate on the situation in Afghanistan

During this plenary week, I participated in a debate with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on the situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women's rights, moreover, on Thursday, we adopted by a large majority a Resolution adopted.

In my Speech I pointed out, among other things, the devastating famine in the country and called for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to be maintained and strengthened, especially since women and children are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. In addition, underlying causes must be addressed, such as the freezing of the Afghan Central Bank's reserves caused by international sanctions. You can read the entire debate here listen up.

Another important issue is the unaddressed failure of the EU and its member states to evacuate local forces, human rights defenders and other vulnerable groups, as well as the creation of safe escape routes and more ambitious resettlement programs. Unfortunately, we Greens could not negotiate any demands on this in the otherwise very positive resolution.

Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism 

On Wednesday evening, the plenary discussed the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism and voted in favor of the report for which I was responsible. This monitoring mechanism is an important instrument, but it is only as effective as it is if breaches of the rules by the Member States are actually punished and have consequences. Pushbacks at the external borders are violations of fundamental rights that also violate Schengen and EU rules. Our main Green priority was to include fundamental rights monitoring in this mechanism. We also wanted to ensure that violations resulted in consequences to protect the great achievement that is the Schengen area. For this, we found allies in the European Parliament, and hopefully the Council will also take our opinion into account.

Berlin State Delegates Conference 

At the state delegates' conference last weekend, the Berlin state association dealt in detail with the reorientation of health policy in Berlin. The Corona pandemic in particular made it clear to all of us that we must be better prepared in the future. But clear words were also spoken about the war in Ukraine. In an urgent motion, the state association clearly condemns the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, but also makes clear demands on the federal government to be able to adequately meet the challenges for our city. You can find a summary here.

Calendar week 13

Ukraine – Situation of refugees and 10 points plan of the EU 

EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola has come to a visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev broken out. The Ukrainian army was able to recapture some strategically important locations and the Russian advance toward Kiev was repelled. Overall, the Ukrainian armed forces are in a much better position than many gave them credit for at the beginning of the war. 

Meanwhile, according to UNHCR data more than 4.1 million people have now fled Ukraine, 2.4 million of them via Poland alone. Around 280,000 refugees from Ukraine have been registered in Germany since the beginning of the warbut since not all are registered, the number could be significantly higher. The EU Council and the Commission are continuing with a Ten-point plan on a voluntary distribution of refugees. There will be no fixed quotas for the time being. The plan includes financial support for the member states concerned and the refugees and an EU platform for registration. Information hubs for onward travel will be established and an index showing reception capacities will be created. All member states agreed on the need to maintain uniform standards for the reception of children and minors. In addition, Moldova in particular will receive EU support because the small and relatively poor country has taken in the most people per capita from Ukraine. The EU will also work with third countries such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom to accept refugees from Ukraine. 

Refugees can find important information in Ukrainian, Russian, and English at the German government's help portal Germany4Ukraine. In addition, you get every working day my "News from Ukraine" on Telegram.

Deferred budget discharge for Frontex

The CONT committee responsible for budgetary control Has decided to postpone the discharge of the Frontex budget for 2020. The annual budget discharge is a power of the European Parliament, which ensures democratic control over the institutions, services and agencies of the EU. The reasons for the CONT Committee's decisions were – in line with the opinion of many members of the Home Affairs Committee – manifold. The agency failed to meet the conditions set out in the European Parliament's previous discharge report and refused to address serious and systematic human rights violations in Greece and Hungary, where Frontex currently operates. Most importantly, OLAF, the EU's anti-fraud agency, found evidence of harassment, misconduct, and Frontex's involvement in illegal pushbacks. Unfortunately, despite the European Parliament's efforts, the report was not made public, but its contents were presented to members of the CONT and LIBE committees in a meeting behind closed doors. The Agency's Board of Directors is also currently discussing the consequences of the findings of the OLAF report. As a Parliament, we must maintain strict control and ensure constant exchange with Frontex, as the agency urgently needs structural changes and a new Executive Director.

Reconciliation ETS and international climate finance

Industrialized countries agreed in the Copenhagen Accord at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference to raise $100 billion annually for international climate finance starting in 2020. UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme, estimated in 2016 thatthat the cost of meeting the climate change adaptation needs of developing countries will reach $140 billion to $300 billion per year by 2030. It is now believed that the upper end of this range may be the most realistic. By comparison, developed countries currently provide less than $100 billion per year in climate finance to developing countries, with only 5 % of the funds allocated to adaptation as a primary objective and another 15 % as a major objective.

At the moment the Realignment of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU Emissions Trading System – ETS) was negotiated, the Development Committee was able to submit an opinion for this, whereby I was responsible for the Green Group. We tried to bring in that the member states have to use a specific percentage of the revenue from emissions trading for international climate financing. So far, this is already possible, but on a voluntary basis, resulting in only 3 % of revenues being spent on climate adaptation measures in the Global South. Unfortunately, due to the lack of support from the other parties, we were unable to push through our amendment with a specific demand of 50% and could only agree on a compromise proposal calling for a „substantial increase“.

State Delegates Conference in Berlin 

This weekend, the first state delegates' conference of the year will be held in Berlin. The main topic will be the future of healthcare policy, which is also the subject of the main motion. In the last two years, we have seen clearly what is not going so well in the state of Berlin. But the war in Ukraine will also be addressed, and the state executive board has initiated an urgent motion on this issue. Because of the pandemic we are still meeting digitally, you can follow the debates here.

Calendar week 12

Three summits on Ukraine in Brussels 

The Ukraine war was the subject of three summits in Brussels yesterdayNATO's, the G7's and the European Union's. The aim is to isolate Russia, for example by excluding it from the G20 group. 

Deputies provide emergency aid for refugees 

The European Parliament on Thursday approved the reallocation of EU regional and asylum funds to EU countries hosting refugees from Ukraine. The Parliament adopted the Commission's proposal with an overwhelming majority of 562 votes. There were only two votes against and three abstentions. Relief measures include access to emergency shelters, food and water supplies, and medical care or education. This could include cohesion policy funds from 2014-2020 that have not yet been allocated or used, as well as an additional €10 billion from reconstruction aid for the Cohesion and the territories of Europe. You can learn more about this in the Press release of the European Parliament. This is an important and necessary first step in allocating funds to support refugees, but more needs to be done to ensure sustainable financial support for countries hosting the most refugees. 

Committee on Internal Affairs 

In a fast-track procedure, a Frontex status agreement was concluded with the Republic of Moldova, ensuring that the agency can be present on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. Although it is necessary to show solidarity and help Moldova, this fast-track procedure was not the right solution. It would have been sufficient to send Frontex with a provisional agreement to ensure assistance, but maintain the democratic process of concluding a status agreement, ensuring parliamentary oversight and the integrity of the democratic process. 

War in Ukraine and food security

The long-planned hearing on food security in the Development Committee (to review: Part 1 from 09:31:10 and Part 2), which was scheduled due to the catastrophic impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 „No Hunger“, took on a new, depressing dimension. Ukraine and Russia so far jointly account for 30% of the world's wheat and barley production. A continuation of the war and the associated decline in exports, according to FAO estimates, can lead to malnutrition for another 8-13 million people in the next two years, in addition to the 800 million people already suffering from hunger. The main purpose of the hearing was to identify ways in which targeted development cooperation can help make countries in the global South less dependent on food imports.

The issue was taken up even more concretely during Wednesday's miniplenary, during the discussion on the „need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine“. My speech on this, you can here listen. Why we Greens oppose the Commission's plans for more food security, which are mainly based on a softening of the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy, can be heard at my colleague Martin Häusling's website. read epub.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the European Parliament 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his speech on Wednesday condemned "Putin's criminal invasion of a sovereign, independent democracy: Ukraine“.

"Vladimir Putin has violated the basic principles of international law. And now he is killing innocent civilians by bombing hospitals and homes. This blatant disregard for law and human life poses an immense threat to Europe and the world“, he said.

„We must not let Ukraine down. It is counting on us. Let us therefore use all the means at our disposal. We must continue to impose unprecedented sanctions on Putin and his accomplices in Russia and Belarus and increase the pressure as much as possible“, said the Canadian Prime Minister. You can watch the entire speech here Watch. 

Treptow-Köpenick

With the meeting of March 17, 2022, the district assembly in Treptow-Köpenick has adopted the budget for the years 2022 and 2023. The Greens were particularly critical of the very narrow room for maneuver, the reason being the austerity measures imposed by the Berlin Senate. What opportunities the new budget offers and what priorities have been set with it, you can see here read at the Group.

Calendar week 11 

Sound of Peace 

On Sunday, we are jointly organizing the big peace rally "Sound of Peace", where Silbermond, Gentleman, Peter Maffay, Revolverheld, Michael Patrick Kelly, Antje Schomaker and Zoe Wees will also be present in Berlin. We call thereby purposefully to the Donate and then distribute the funds to non-profit organizations that, among other things, provide humanitarian aid in Ukraine, support refugees, or help journalists with their work. A list of funded organizations and information about what they do can be found at here. 

We also call on all cultural workers and event organizers across countries to join the "Sound of Peace" initiative and organize peace rallies and events. Carry here your concert, event or rally for peace.

Guideline for the reception of refugees from Ukraine 

The EU Commission has Guidelines for the application of the Operational Guidelines to assist Member States in the application of the Temporary Protection Directive. In doing so, however, the Member States are free to interpret these a bit more broadly in order to grant protection to more people, and the German government has already promised to do just that. For the homepage of the Green European Parliamentary Group I have A text about my visit to Lviv and the Polish-Ukrainian border. There you will also find our core demands and an assessment of the now activated EU directive for the admission of refugees from Ukraine. How the directive works in principle, you will learn here. 

TRIPS waiver update

In the middle of this week, Politico magazine published a Articlewhich shows that a possible agreement has been reached between the EU, South Africa, India and the USA to lift patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines. At first sight reason for joy, we Greens in the European Parliament, strengthened by a Resolution from last June, has long been a temporary waiver of patent rights on medical products for the fight against the corona pandemic. But aside from the fact that this agreement comes plenty late (the TRIPS waiver proposal was already submitted to the WTO by India and South Africa in October 2020), the proposal arguably only covers vaccines, is geographically limited, and only covers patents, not other intellectual property barriers, such as trade secrets, which can include important information to facilitate manufacturing. For an agreement to be reached, all WTO member states would have to agree to the compromise.

Treptow-Köpenick 

The Greens in Treptow-Köpenick want to quickly reorganize the district office in terms of personnel. Until now, positions have often remained unfilled for years, with drastic consequences for the services offered by the district office to the population. A request with demands has been introduced and passed in the District Assembly -Session on Thursday 17.03.2022.

Calendar week 10

My trip to Ukraine 

I visited Lviv, Ukraine, and the border crossing between Poland and Ukraine over the weekend to see the situation for myself. Tens of thousands are fleeing to Lviv, only to find safety in other countries. Fathers take wives and children to the train station before they have to return to the war. More than 2.5 million people are according to UNHCR already fled the country. I report about my impressions among others at Late Night Berlin, in the Morning show and in the podcast Generally educated. In my Telegram channel and on my Homepage I will provide daily updates on developments on the ground and in neighboring countries until further notice.

Large majority of European Parliament welcomes EU unity in response to Russian war of aggression and solidarity with refugees from Ukraine 

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine was on the agenda of the European Parliament on Wednesday. MEPs debated the role of the European Union and the changing security situation with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Tuesday's topic was the situation of refugees and we agree: it is our duty to receive people fleeing quickly and without bureaucratic hurdles and to effectively support non-EU countries like Moldova. Those fleeing war from Ukraine or repression from Russia or Belarus must find a safe haven in the EU. An absolute majority of MEPs also welcomed the EU's swift response to ensure the protection of people fleeing Ukraine and called for sufficient financial assistance to sustain support in the medium and long term. The recording of the debate can be found here. 

Out with fossil fuels, in with renewables

Putin's war clearly shows us how urgently the European Union must work on its energy independence. We Greens call on the EU Commission to massively accelerate the transition to one hundred percent renewable energies. We call for an EU Energy Independence Fund, into which the EU member states should each pay one percent of their gross domestic product for the development of energy efficiency and renewable energies. The EU Energy Independence Fund can finance 100 million heat pumps and 70 million solar roofs by 2030. For far too long, it has been ignored that energy policy is also security policy. Dependence on fossil imports has left us vulnerable and open to blackmail. Find out more on the homepage of the Green Members of Parliament Micha Bloss and Jutta Paulus. 

Parliament calls for halt to sale of citizenship for investment

Golden visas or passports have been offered in recent years by EU member states such as Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Greece and Portugal in exchange for investments. The programs are often used by Russian oligarchs. Limited oversight and lack of accountability lead to security and corruption risks. We welcome sanctions against oligarchs linked to Vladimir Putin's regime, but golden passports can be used to circumvent just such sanctions. Parliament now calls by a large majority on the Commission to adopt a legislative proposal that effectively curbs the issuance of golden passports. 

Afghan Women Friendship Group 

On Monday, the first meeting of the friendship group with Afghan women took place, which was initiated among others by the MEPs Tineke Strik and Pernando Barrena. At this first meeting there were already some guests like the Afghan Nasrin Nilam Rasa, who could tell about her own experiences but also actors of the civil society or activists from Germany. With this friendship group we would like to achieve together that the fate of the Afghan women is not forgotten and that we are sufficiently informed for our parliamentary work. Nasrin Nilam Rasa reported, among other things, that the women in the country have lost all the hard-earned rights of the last 20 years and that the situation is getting worse every day under the Taliban. The next meeting will take place in May.

Calendar week 9

Zelensky speaks live to the EU Parliament 

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky "in a break between the missile attacks“, a significant speech to the European Parliament.
"We are fighting for our rights, our freedoms, our lives and currently for our survival. We are fighting to be equal members of Europe. So prove that you are on our side“, he said to the MPs. "Prove that life will triumph over death and light over darkness“
Here you can see the full speech with German subtitles. 

Parliament calls for tougher action against Russia

With a broad majority, MEPs across party lines call for progress on Ukraine's recognition as an EU candidate country. The parliamentary resolution also calls for: The EU should curb imports of Russia's main exports, such as oil and natural gas; sanctions should strategically weaken the Russian economy and industry; a SWIFT exclusion is demanded for all banks in Russia and Belarus. In addition, a faster delivery of defense weapons to Ukraine is to support the country in its resistance against the Russian invasion.

Directive adopted: Admission of all Ukrainian war refugees gets legal framework

All 27 EU countries are ready to accept refugees from Ukraine. After a meeting of EU interior ministers on March 03, 2022, it was announced that the EU will activate a directive guaranteeing protection in the EU to war refugees from Ukraine - without costly asylum procedures. On my homepage you can find more about the background here. I expressly welcome this decision.
I have also commented in the media: "In recent years, refugees from war zones have been repeatedly turned back, although this is forbidden and inhumane. Regardless of today's decision and the criteria established, all those seeking protection have the right to access asylum procedures. There must be no rejections."

Humanitarian aid for Ukraine

On Tuesday morning, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Janez Lenarčič, gave an update to the Development Committee on humanitarian aid and the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for Ukraine. Most member states are participating in this operation, with the first truck going to Kyiv last Saturday, and more aid on the way. Meanwhile, other countries such as Moldova have also asked for help to better respond to the needs of the high number of refugees. Regarding humanitarian aid, the United Nations currently estimates that about 18 million people in Ukraine and neighboring countries will be in need of assistance, the appeal issued the same day assumes an initial need of 1.1 billion US dollars. The EU has so far been able to mobilize 19 million euros, but in the meantime Ursula von der Leyen has promised another 500 million euros. Ukraine has been receiving humanitarian aid from the EU since 2014, but the critical issue at the moment is access for humanitarian workers, so yesterday's news of the establishment of humanitarian corridors is at least good news. You can watch the whole session here listen, also at DG ECHO there are regular updates.

Green Berlin 

The Greens in Berlin have strongly condemned Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine. In their press release they make it clear that we, as part of the urban society, clearly stand in solidarity with Ukraine. As part of the state government, we are now trying with the help of the appointed crisis team to provide the arriving people as best we can and to send humanitarian aid in the direction of Ukraine. In the press release you will find some links and hints on how you can help too.

Calendar week 8 

Putin starts war of aggression against Ukraine 

People suffer and die because the dictator of the largest country in the world finds his country too small. What a terrible madness. The attack must be stopped immediately, the Russian troops must be withdrawn. My group in the European Parliament, as well as the parliamentary group in the Bundestag, are committed to ensuring that there will also be serious sanctions after the shutdown of Nord Stream 2. These sanctions will also hit us, but we are paying part of the Russian war of aggression with our gas bills – we should be prepared to pay the price for this to end immediately. Solidarity costs. I have spoken on my homepage and on Telegram the News from Ukraine, where I will additionally inform about the situation on the ground and at the Ukrainian external borders. 

Delegation trip to Lebanon 

This week, I was in Lebanon as Head of the EU Delegation, talking to MPs, civil society and refugees. The socio-economic crisis in Lebanon has worsened – many people do not have sufficient access to medical care, electricity and water. Children have stopped going to school for months in order to be able to financially support their parents through work. 74 % of people are affected by poverty, although Lebanon is not a poor country. Of the 1.5 million Syrian refugees the small country has taken in, 90 % live in poverty. The population in Lebanon must be better supported in this crisis, sustainable solutions are needed. 

But the situation of refugees from the Syrian civil war was also on the agenda. The vast majority of refugees are not in Europe. These people deserve that we do not think about their fate first, when they have to flee further to Europe out of need and desperation. We also discussed ways to find a way out of the socio-economic crisis and what contribution the EU should make. I will write a longer article about my trip on my homepage. 

Treptow-Köpenick 

My district association Treptow-Köpenick is reorganizing itself for the next few years. Together with the board, several new working groups have been founded in recent weeks, for example the Diversity Working Group. In order to be able to explicitly offer young people in the district a networking opportunity, the board now also invites to the first networking meeting for young people in the district. You can find all dates and information here.

Second session week in Strasbourg 2022

ECJ rejects actions by Poland and Hungary against rule of law mechanism

The EU may cut funds to member states that violate the rule of law. That is what the European Court of Justice has ruled - rejecting complaints from Poland and Hungary. The Regulation on budget conditionality aims to protect EU funds from misuse by national governments that violate the rule of law. The regulation came into force on January 1, 2021. So far, the Commission has not applied it. On March 11, 2021, Poland and Hungary challenged the regulation before the EU Court of Justice. On February 16, 2021, the EU Court of Justice ruledthat Hungary's and Poland's complaints against the conditionality rules protecting the European Union's budget should be dismissed. The majority of MEPs agree that the Commission must now also apply the rule of law mechanism consistently. 

Commission refuses to respond to pushbacks by Croatia

Together with other members of my group, I have submitted a question to the Commission in which we ask questions about Croatia's systematic pushbacks. In its answer, the Commission refuses to even acknowledge that Croatia systematically carries out pushbacks – although these have been documented thousands of times and for over four years. The Commission also maintains its recommendation to allow Croatia to join the Schengen area, even though Croatia's practice at its external borders clearly violates the Schengen Borders Code. The Commission does not intend to initiate infringement proceedings against Croatia, pointing out that it has repeatedly asked Croatia to investigate the allegations and that Croatia has established a monitoring mechanism for such cases. This attitude is cynical because the Croatian government and authorities are supposed to monitor themselves, when it is they who are responsible for the systematic pushbacks. The monitoring mechanism is not independent and it obviously does not work. Question and answer can be found at my homepage. 

EU-Africa Summit 

On February 17 and 18, the 6th EU-Africa Summit took place in Brussels. This year's summit has been long awaited, as it had to be postponed several times due to the Corona pandemic - it was originally scheduled for the end of 2020. This year's summit was organized around seven different „roundtables“ and most of the outcomes were set beforehand behind closed doors, without significant consultation with civil society or involvement of the parliamentary level. While the final declaration contains quite welcome passages on, among other things, education financing and the transfer to special drawing rights - implementation remains to be seen - there are other sections that are more critical. These include further externalization and the focus on migration prevention and repatriation in the migration sector. More could also have been achieved in the area of global immunization equity. While African countries continue to hope for the EU to give in on the patent issue, here, as expected, it remained declarations of intent for increased vaccine donations and production. You will find a detailed article on the results of the summit soon on my website. The final declaration can be found here. 

European Parliament approves 1.2 billion euro loan for Ukraine 

Parliament approved a Commission proposal to give Kiev a Macro-financial assistance to grant. Macro-financial assistance is a form of financial assistance offered by the EU to partner countries experiencing balance of payments difficulties. The assistance is disbursed in two tranches. Half of the €1.2 billion loan can be disbursed immediately to support stability in Ukraine if certain conditions are met. 

Greek border guards alleged to have thrown protection seekers into the sea 

Greek border guards probably threw two men into the sea and killed them. Reports are mounting that the deaths of people are being accepted in order to avoid asylum applications. The mirror has reviewed the case (paywall). The Guardian reports without paywall. BR24 summarizes the results in German and without paywall. 

Treptow-Köpenick 

The Treptow-Köpenick district council has issued a joint resolution against right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism at demonstrations in the district. The resolution, which was introduced by the Greens, SPD and Left, was passed with a large majority. During the regular walks in the neighborhood, known members of the neo-Nazi scene in the district are repeatedly recognized, and many of the slogans spread at the demonstrations contain anti-Semitic and right-wing extremist narratives. You can find out more here at the Website of the group. 

Calendar week 6

Croatian police are instructed to conduct pushbacks 

The Mirror and the tagesschau report on an internal directive that explains to Croatian police officers how they are to carry out illegal pushbacks in the future. In other words, they are following orders and not carrying out pushbacks on their own whim, as the Croatian government previously claimed. The instruction in question is a reaction to a complaint lodged by Mirror and ARD video released in October in which Croatian border guards were filmed torturing and illegally deporting people seeking protection. On a response from the Commission to my inquiry regarding the videos, I have been waiting for four months, although it is actually obliged to answer such written requests within six weeks. In the instruction that has now become public, Croatian border officials are admonished not to allow themselves to be filmed during pushbacks in the future and to search the surrounding area for hidden cameras before conducting pushbacks. The violent pushbacks themselves are to continue as usual. 

Internal closed meeting on the Interior Committee 

Our group had an internal retreat for the members of the Interior Committee. The coordinators of the various sub-working groups on migration, the rule of law, and security and human rights gave us an update on the latest developments. The central topic was the rule of law, especially in states like Hungary and Poland, where it is increasingly being undermined. We discussed how we as a group want to deal with this problem, also against the background of the upcoming elections in Hungary this year. Nevertheless, we also want to keep an eye on countries where the rule of law is clearly under threat, civil society actors are being criminalized and the work of journalists is being obstructed. We also expect a proposal from the Commission for a directive against gender-based violence on March 8. We will continue to put pressure on the Commission to take decisive action against violations of the rule of law to ensure compliance with the EU acquis across the EU.

External dimension of migration

While little progress has been made so far under the French Presidency in developing the migration and asylum package, there have been several moves to address the external dimension of migration. This will be reflected, among other things, in the results of next week's EU-AU Summit reflect. The report published in January also Council resolution on the establishment of an operational coordination mechanism for the external dimension of migration points to this focus. At the same time, the implementation phase of NDICI-Global Europe, the external financing instrument, which provides 10% of expenditure for measures in the migration sector and is subject to parliamentary control. To discuss all these issues, I and my staff had several meetings this week with Caritas, Diakonie, Brot für die Welt and UNHCR. All organizations share the view that the EU, driven by the member states, is sticking to its current course. The focus is on unilateral measures of externalization, border security and repatriation, and not on the search for sustainable and partnership-based solutions based on legal migration channels, the promotion of intra-African mobility, increased resettlement, but also on real development measures such as investment in education.

Calendar week 5 

Taxonomy – Commission engages in greenwashing and classifies nuclear power and gas as sustainable 

Ursula von der Leyen has ignored her own expert:ing group and instead allowed herself to be guided by the economic interests of individual member states. Every cent spent on nuclear power plants and gas projects will go to renewable energies. As Greens, we reject the absurd decision to classify nuclear power and gas as sustainable. We call on all members of the European Parliament to vote against this delegated act. An absolute majority in the European Parliament is needed to stop the proposal. A strengthened qualified majority of 20 EU member states representing 65 percent of the population can also block the proposal in the Council of Ministers. Austria and Luxembourg have announced that they will appeal to the European Court of Justice against the delegated act. More background information can be found on the homepages of the Green MEPs Micha Bloß and Jutta Paulus. 

Afghan Women Day at the European Parliament 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Afghan Women's Days took place at the European Parliament to draw attention to their difficult situation. For the opening event on Tuesday, various guests were invited, including UN Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and Afghan human rights activist and former Minister of Women's Affairs Sima Samar. Sima Samar appealed to the rest of the world: the blame game should finally stop and collective responsibility should be taken. You can watch her speech here Watch.

Committee on Internal Affairs

This week we discussed in the LIBE Committee on the readmission agreements that the EU has concluded with third countries. Readmission agreements are either legally binding or non-binding cooperation agreements between individual Member States or the Union and third countries that are countries of origin or transit on flight routes to the EU. They serve to facilitate deportations by ensuring that third countries take back their citizens who are irregularly residing in the EU. The problem with these agreements is that they are often reached under pressure, with development funds or visas being linked to cooperation. The Commission has tried to take a bigger role in implementing and maintaining functioning readmission agreements, but success has been limited. For us Greens, the issues are human rights, the possible tying of funds or visas to readmission, and the long-term impact on the EU's relations with third countries if readmission becomes the central issue of cooperation.

Each year, the Commission presents a report on the status of these readmission agreements; Members of the European Parliament can only read these reports in secure reading rooms. Public scrutiny of the EU's actions towards third countries with which it has or negotiates such agreements is very limited. 

Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of the Interior 

At the informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Lille, the member states agreed that EU members that do not accept refugees should pay contributions in the future. At the same time, according to the plans, refugees are to be registered more comprehensively upon arrival and filtered with regard to their asylum prospects. In addition, a Schengen Council is to be established. Overall, the French Council presidency is pushing for more deportations and isolation from the outside world. Time Online reports. 

Pushbacks through Greece 

Greek officials are resorting to increasingly brutal means to keep out asylum seekers. Iranian Parvin A. was pushed six times, tied up and reports being beaten with wooden clubs – and has now called in the UN. Here, Parvin describes her story and Forensic Architecture lay out how they researched. In addition, on the Greek-Turkish border. found the bodies of 19 people, which Turkish officials say were previously pushed from Greece.

Calendar week 4 

Holocaust commemoration in the European Parliament 

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer spoke at a special session of Parliament to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In her speech, the centenarian Holocaust survivor told of her mother and brother who were murdered in Auschwitz and how she herself was arrested and deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Margot Friedländer warned that the memory of the Holocaust today is "politically abused, sometimes even ridiculed and trampled on“: "In disbelief I had to see, at my now one hundred years, how symbols for our exclusion by the Nazis, the so-called Jewish star, are shamelessly used today by new enemies of democracy on the open street to make themselves - in the middle of a democracy! – to stylize themselves as victims. On a day like today, we must stand together so that the memory of the Holocaust remains true and is not abused by anyone." You can read the speech of Margot Friedländer look here and here you can find her speech in written form.

I remain Vice Chairman of the Development Committee 

On Wednesday took place the Constituent meeting of the Development Committee at which the chairmanship was newly elected. I am pleased to have been confirmed in my position as Vice Chairman and to be able to use this function in the second half of the legislative period to work on my key issues. 

Schengen reform package in the Interior Committee 

With the Commission, we have discussed its recently published proposal for a Schengen reform package discussed. I questioned elements of the reform proposal because parts of the package would legalize pushbacks within the EU. As Greens, we also do not feel it is necessary to include a definition for the instrumentalization of refugees and migrants in the new Schengen Border Code, which many are calling for because Lukashenko tried to blackmail the EU. We also need to ensure that future crises, such as the pandemic, not result in endless controls and closures of the EU's internal borders again. Other representatives of progressive parties expressed similar concerns. You can read my speech here listen from 11.12. 

85 Percent of EU Development Funds to Serve Gender Equality 

The Development Committee (DEVE) and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) have approved the Third EU Action Plan for Equality (Gender Action Plan III) was adopted by a large majority. With this, the European Parliament demands, among other things, that 85 % of EU development spending should serve gender equality. In addition, the EU should take a leading role in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights in third countries, while member states should ensure universal access at home.

More street trees for Treptow-Köpenick 

The BVV faction of my district association in Treptow-Köpenick has introduced a motion for more funds to plant street trees in the district. For a long time, the financing here lay with the state policy, in the face of increasing droughts and the simultaneously shrinking tree population, the district now wants to take care of itself. Learn more on the page of the group. 

European Investment Bank unveils new "EIB Global" development branch

European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer presented the new development branch „EIB Global“ and discussed general questions on the future European financial architecture for development with MEPs from the Foreign Affairs, Development and Budget Committee. The debate can be here listen in. I asked questions about, among other things, future cooperation with the EBRD, compliance with human rights standards, and specifically about the planned disbursement of funds to Republika Srpska, even though the parliament there is threatening to secede (from 17:39:25). 

Calendar week 3/ First session week in Strasbourg in 2022

Elections for the new President of the European Parliament 

Three women stood in the elections for President of the European Parliament this week. The Swedish Alice Bah Kuhnke from our group achieved a respectable success with 101 votes by convincing also MEPs outside our group. Alice has a visible migrant background and told in her speechhow she was threatened by Nazis for the first time at the age of 10 and how she wants to use her candidacy to show other 10-year-olds in Europe that they belong. The Spanish candidate of the Left Group, Sira Rego, received 57 votes. 

The Maltese Roberta Metsola was elected as the new President of the European Parliament. Conservatives, liberals and social democrats had agreed on this in advance. I have already worked with Ms. Metsola in the Frontex Committee of Inquiry, and she is regarded as a politician who is also willing to compromise with other groups. However, she has also come under criticism for being an anti-abortion activist. In Malta, abortions are currently prohibited. 

Deviation from the previously agreed d’Hondt procedure for the election of vice:presidents

Before the elections, all the groups, with the exception of the far-right ID, agreed that the d’Hondt procedure would be used for the distribution of the 14 Vice-Presidents. With the d'Hondt procedure, the seats would have been distributed proportionally and our Greens/EFA group would have received 2 vice:inside positions. However, the conservative EPP, the S&D social democrats and the Renew liberals then decided that they didn't care about the agreement and then pushed through eleven of their own, even though only nine had been agreed. The remaining seats were then determined in free votes and from our group could still be Heidi Hautala from Finland. 

Nuclear power and gas are not sustainable!  

The EU's taxonomy regulation is about classifying which economic activities are environmentally sustainable or not. It is about promoting private investment in green and sustainable projects. The EU Commission informed us on New Year's Eve, a few hours before midnight, that nuclear power and gas would be included in the taxonomy and thus labeled as sustainable. Because this is obviously not the case with nuclear power and gas, we are currently still trying to prevent this classification. I have co-signed two letters on this. In one, members of the Greens, S&D and Renew have spoken out against the inclusion of nuclear power and gas. The other is about the Commission's actions, which show disrespect for the Members of the European Parliament. In his speech in the plenary, my group colleague Rasmus Andresen asked French President Emmanuel Macron to give higher priority to the interests of European citizens than to the interests of the French nuclear lobby. 

Digital Services Act (DSA) 

This week, a large majority of MEPs (530 votes) voted in favor of stricter rules for Facebook, Google, Apple and Co., supporting our group's call for a ban on personalized advertising based on sensitive data such as sexual orientation, ethnic origin, political opinion or trade union membership. You can find out more about the DSA at the Homepage of my group colleague Alexandra Geese. 

Animal transport in the EU 

Live animal transports mean a lot of suffering for the animals. We Greens want to limit the transport time for animals to a maximum of 8 hours a day, on the road and in the air. Unfortunately, our motion, which was voted in the final report of the Committee of Inquiry for the Protection of Animals during Transport, did not find a majority. From Germany, the members of the SPD and the Left voted in favor of our motion,CDU,CSU, FDP and AfD voted against. Here you can find a graph with the voting behavior. 

Demonstrations against Nazis and lateral thinkers in my constituency Treptow-Köpenick 

On Monday evening, numerous counter-rallies took place in Berlin to the so-called „walks“ of Corona deniers, Nazis and conspiracy ideologists. Also in my constituency in Treptow-Köpenick there was a counter-rally in front of the city hall Köpenick. Numerous people opposed the Nazis and showed solidarity with the people who have to endure the most in the Corona pandemic. The rally was organized by the Center for Democracy in Schöneweide. You can read a detailed report about the different events at Berlin Counter-Nazis read about it. There you will also always find the calls for the counter-rallies and a lot of information. 

Calendar week 2 /2022 

Committee on Internal Affairs 

At the Session This week, Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, Commissioner Ylva Johansoon and Danish Minister for Migration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye were present. Thematically, those present urged a softening from the EU asylum acquis, which would make access to asylum more difficult for people at our external borders. The first long and difficult discussion revolved around the situation at the Belarusian border and whether the emergency measures proposed by the Commission are really proportionate and necessary now that the crisis has been averted and arrival numbers are very low.

According to the majority of MEPs who spoke, action against Member States whose laws violate the EU asylum acquis and international refugee law would be the necessary step. In her speech, Commissioner Johansson acknowledged for the first time that the laws of member states that have been violated by the Immediate action „benefit“ are not in line with EU law, which will hopefully also result in infringement proceedings.

The second difficult issue concerned the Danish proposal to create an asylum system that excludes arrivals at the external borders, in which these people would no longer be allowed to apply. This would come close to abolishing the individual fundamental right to asylum and the Danish minister Tesfaye was sharply criticized for this by his Social Democratic party colleagues and many others anyway. The Danish case is unique because of Denmark's withdrawal from EU cooperation on justice and home affairs, but it is also dangerous as a precedent. 

Meeting with the European Investment Bank (EIB) 

Earlier this week, I met with Maria Shaw-Barragan, Director of Investment in Africa, Caribbean, Pacific, Asia and Latin America at the European Investment Bank. The meeting was about the transformation of the EIB into a „Development Bank“ and the new development branch, which started work at the beginning of this year. The background to this development is the general restructuring of EU development funding, based on a Recommendation of an independent group of „Wise Persons“ and a June 2020 Council Recommendation. To this end, the European Parliament's Development Committee is planning a Reportfor which I am responsible for the Greens.

Greece 

On January 9, 25 people fled to Lesvos, including 17 children. They could not apply for asylum, were imprisoned, beaten and abandoned at night at sea on a rubber dinghy without a motor. These crimes are simply unbearable. Aegean Boat Report reports. It also has in the new Moria on Friday burned again. EU minimum standards are still not nearly met, media are not allowed to report from the camp, and asylum applications are not examined in terms of content. 

"Pushback" was named the unword of the year 

I think it's very good that pushback was chosen as the unword of the year and that this should trigger a discussion. However, I am not at all convinced by the jury's reasoning and, in my view, clearly misses the core of the problem. I have written my thoughts about this in this longer Thread on Twitter summarized. 

Treptow-Köpenick 

On Monday evening, a memorial rally was held to commemorate the Corona deaths in Treptow-Köpenick. At the same time, it was a counter-event to the Monday conspiracy ideological gatherings in the district. Organized by the Center for Democracy and Tolerance, next to which both the office and my constituency office are located, this was an important sign in the district. Learn more about the event on Twitter. 

Calendar week 50

Commission proposes to strengthen the Schengen Borders Code 

The Commission has proposed the Tighten the Schengen Borders Code from 2016This is in order to make it even more difficult for those seeking protection to gain access to procedures under the rule of law and to criminalise migration and flight even more. The justification for this is the current situation at the Belarusian external border, which is described by the Commission and the Council with completely exaggerated war rhetoric, in which refugees at our external borders are described as a 'hybrid attack'. The Commission's proposal to amend the Schengen Borders Code is characterised by a restriction of asylum procedures based on the rule of law, a deterioration in reception conditions and accelerated return procedures, thus disregarding the founding principles of the European Union, which include the fundamental right to asylum. This proposal follows shortly on the heels of the recent proposal for a Council regulation under Article 78(3) TFEU to respond to the situation on the EU border with Belarus, where Poland, Latvia and Lithuania are flouting EU law and denying people access to asylum procedures. These two proposals have a lot in common, they mean legalising everything that Member States are currently doing in practice in violation of the Schengen Borders Code and asylum acquis. Because it is no longer possible to deny the illegal pushbacks and serious human rights violations at the external borders, an attempt is now being made to partially legalise them. 

Plenary vote Reorientation of humanitarian aid

This week, the plenary session of the Report on the refocusing of EU humanitarian action was adopted by a large majority; I had already presented the report in the weekly review for weeks 44 and 45. In 2021, the need for humanitarian aid has risen sharply worldwide - due to the COVID 19 pandemic, but also to climate change and conflicts - and at the same time there is a lack of funding. We therefore call on the Commission to allocate sufficient budgetary resources to EU humanitarian aid to respond to protracted and emerging crises through timely, predictable and flexible funding. EU Member States must also lead by example and allocate a fixed proportion of their gross national income to humanitarian aid to show global solidarity. A key focus in the future direction of humanitarian aid must also be on measures to address climate change.

Sakharov Prize awarded to Alexei Navalny 

The imprisoned Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is to receive the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize. His daughter Dasha Navalnaya will receive it on behalf of her father in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Here you can watch her speech. 

Green Berlin

Susanne Mertens and Philmon Ghirmai will lead the state party in the next few years, other members are Jana Brix (women's and gender policy spokesperson) and Aida Baghernejad, Dara Kossok-Spieß and Enad Altaweel. I am particularly pleased about the election of Karolina Ziehm, who will in future keep an eye on the state party budget as a financier and who, like me, is a member of the Treptow-Köpenick district association. It was a farewell party conference for the old state executive committee. Many thanks to Nina Stahr and Werner Graf, who led the state party into a successful time. You can find more information here. 

Also confirmed at the state candidates' conference were the proposals for the Green senatorial posts in the new Senate. Bettina Jarasch will become Senator for Transport, Environment, Climate Protection and Consumer Protection, Ulrike Gote for Science, Health, Care and Equality and Daniel Wesener will take over the Senate Department for Finance. At the same time, the state party conference also approved the proposed coalition agreement with a large majority. 

Calendar week 49

Meeting of EU interior ministers 

The EU interior ministers met on Thursday and talked about how to deal with refugees at the external border. The EU Commission has already granted Poland, Latvia and Lithuania the possibility to restrict the fundamental right to asylum and to detain people for up to 5 months under Article 78, paragraph 3 TFEU. For Germany, it is no longer Horst Seehofer who is taking part, but the new Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. 

The European Council also concluded thatthat Croatia fulfils the necessary conditions for the full application of the Schengen acquis. This decision is incomprehensible, because only a few days ago, the Council of Europe's Committee against Torture published a report stating, that Croatia is systematically and violently pushing back against refugees. This is, of course, not compatible with the Schengen Borders Code and therefore Croatia should not become a Schengen member as long as people are systematically tortured and beaten at the border. You can read the report of the anti-torture committee at here read. 

After all, Germany and 14 other EU member states are taking 40,000 particularly vulnerable people from Afghanistan on. According to this, Germany alone is to take in 25,000 people through the resettlement programme. As recently as August, the Council refused to give a concrete figure. 

Situation on the external border with Belarus 

On Wednesday, the Body of Nigerian man discovered by Polish police. This is the 14th documented fatality on the Polish-Belarusian border. Five days earlier, the Kurdish Iraqi Avin Irfan Zahir, mother of five children, died.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has obliged Poland in several cases to improve the situation of protection seekers at the border with Belarus by taking emergency measures. In some cases the judges would have ordered that the people be provided with food, water and clothing, that they be allowed to contact their lawyers or that they not be deported to Belarus. It remains to be seen whether Poland has complied with the orders.

Scientific Reflection Symposium: The Coronavirus Pandemic 

This week I participated in the CAES (Center for Applied European Studies) Reflection Symposium on the Coronavirus Pandemic. The topic of my panel was "COVID-19 worldwide: The EU as an international helper?", which I discussed together with Dr. Parnian Parvanta, Vice-President of Médecins Sans Frontières. The whole event can be downloaded here In my opening statement, I addressed the shortcomings of the European strategy to achieve global vaccine equity. Among other things, I referred to the slow progress of COVAX, but also to the European Commission's continued rejection of a patent suspension under the TRIPS Agreement, despite the European Parliament's position to the contrary.

Kabul airlift 

Afat, 2, is the 1,000th evacuee from the Kabul airlift.... I am very pleased that, through commitment and donations, so many people have now been evacuated and I hope that the new government will quickly take on more responsibility for people in Afghanistan. Here you can go to the homepage of the Kabul Airlift. In the Leaves for German and International Politics I wrote in detail how the German government abandoned many people in Afghanistan and then we founded the Kabul Airlift.  

Thousands of local Afghan forces and their families are still waiting to leave for Germany. Despite almost 25,000 promises of admission, only about 7,000 have come so far.

SOS Sessions 

From 11 to 14 December, the second edition of the charity event „SOS SESSIONS“ will take place – to raise money for the mission of SOS Méditerranée. I will be there, too, and that's why I talked to Radioeins about sea rescue in the Mediterranean. You can listen to the five minute interview here listen. 

Berlin admission program 

Within the framework of the state admission programme, Berlin has 95 refugees received from Lebanon. These are people from Syria who are particularly in need of protection and who previously lived in Lebanon. Next year, 100 more people are to be taken in.

Calendar week 48

EU Commission wants to make access to asylum at external borders more difficult

The EU Commission wants to soften certain asylum rules for those seeking protection at the border with Belarus. For example, the asylum process could be extended and deportations simplified. In addition, the authorities are to have four weeks, instead of the current maximum of ten days, to register asylum applications. In total, those seeking protection could now be detained for up to 20 weeks. In addition, the Commission wants to allow simpler and faster deportations. In Deutschlandfunk I criticized this proposal (from minute 2.27). 

Open letter to the EU Commission on surveillance in Greek camps

Together with my group colleague Alexandra Geese, I have written a letter to the Commission in which we explain how refugees in the new camps on the Greek islands are being monitored around the clock and locked up like felons. The situation is almost certainly contrary to EU law, yet the camps are being financed with €37 million from the Corona reconstruction fund, which is not earmarked for this purpose. 

Read here the letter from Alexandra Geese and me to the EU Commissionwhich more than 40 MEPs have co-signed. As the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, we want to raise the issue of disproportionate surveillance methods in plenary in December. The Frankfurter Rundschau reports about our letter.  

Coalition agreement and state delegates' conference in Berlin 

After the coalition agreement was presented in the federal government last week, the coalition agreement for the state of Berlin has also been available since Monday. I am pleased that repatriations to war and crisis zones will still not take place and that the state of Berlin will in future try harder to work towards residence permits instead of tolerations in such cases in order to create prospects. 

In addition, a state naturalisation centre is to be set up to process applications effectively and quickly. The Berlin coalition also wants to support the admission of people seeking protection from the EU's external borders and expand the existing programme for Iraqi and Syrian refugees to include Afghan refugees. Electoral law is also to be reformed at last, so that people without EU passports can also vote in elections to the House of Representatives. You can find the whole draft here. 

The state delegates' conference will vote on 11.12.2021 on whether the Greens Berlin agree to the coalition agreement. In addition, the state executive board will be newly elected. I am very happy about the numerous candidacies, including Karolina Ziehm from my district association Treptow-Köpenick. You can read about the debate on this and the upcoming election of the state executive board at green.berlin There you will also find a list of the candidates.

Committee on Internal Affairs 

This week, the two remaining dossiers of the Asylum and Migration Pact were discussed by the relevant parliamentarians in a Meeting of the Committee on Internal Affairs presented. Both dossiers are supported by Social Democrats, with whom we have a great deal of agreement in terms of content, but the attitude of Liberal and Conservative MEPs will make a progressive compromise more difficult.  

Both reports propose amendments to the key elements of the Commission's proposal aimed at strengthening access to asylum These reports coincidentally come in the same week that the Commission also adopted a council regulation (Parliament has only an advisory role) for the situation on the Belarusian border. This move by the Commission is neither legally sound nor overly elegant in relation to Parliament, which is in the middle of legislative work on the Pact. 

Development Committee 

During this committee week, the Development Committee discussed access to water as a human right, the upcoming EU-African Union Summit and the situation in Ethiopia. There was also a public hearing on combating child labour in the Global South. The EU-AU Summit to be held in Brussels on 17 and 18 February 2022, building on the already adopted new EU-Africa Strategy. Originally, the meeting was already planned for October 2020, but had to be postponed several times due to the corona pandemic. 

Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee publishes serious allegations against Croatia The Council of Europe's anti-torture committee criticises systematic pushback of asylum seekers by Croatian police in report. There is no longer any doubt – this borders on crimes against humanity. This is no way to become a Schengen member. The press release and the 39-page report of the Council of Europe you can find here.

Calendar week 46 and 47 

Coalition agreement was presented 

After intensive negotiations, the Coalition agreement now public. I was allowed to help negotiate the areas of flight, migration and integration. Of course, there were compromises, but I am very satisfied with the results. 

We are creating a modern citizenship law in which we enable multiple nationality and give people the opportunity to become naturalised after only five years, or even after three years in the case of special integration achievements. Children whose foreign parent has lived legally in Germany for 5 years will be granted a German passport from birth. In addition, we will facilitate naturalisation for the so-called guest worker generation. 

We are improving the prospects for people to stay in Germany by turning training tolerations into residence permits, as well as abolishing the Duldung Light and chain tolerations. For more integration and participation, we will open up integration courses to all people who come to Germany, expand the federal government's migration counselling service, and strengthen migrants' self-help organisations and psychosocial support for refugees. 

There will be a federal humanitarian admission programme from Afghanistan. Digital humanitarian visas for persons in need of protection will be made possible and resettlement based on UNHCR needs will be strengthened. The local forces procedure will be reformed so that allies receive protection. 

Family reunification will now also be possible again for subsidiary protection beneficiaries, in addition, the reunification of siblings will be made possible and the quota of 1000 per month will be lifted, because: Families belong together. 

External borders and Belarus 

At Interview with RND I clearly criticised Poland's actions and said: 'Poland should be expected to abide by the law and to conduct asylum procedures in accordance with the rule of law. Instead, it has relied on violating the law from day one. Apparently, the aim is to abolish the right of asylum and thus European values in the slipstream of this conflict."

The Belarusian opposition leader Tikhanovskaya gave a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. She spoke of the people's struggle for freedom against the Lukashenko regime, the political prisoners and how the regime instrumentalises those seeking protection. And she stressed once again that Lukashenko is not the legitimate President of Belarus, must not be recognised and sanctions must continue to apply. On Tuesday there was also a debate on the situation of refugees in Belarus and on the EU's external border with Poland. 

The EU Commission provides Poland, Lithuania and Latvia with an additional 200 million euros for "border protection". and in return expects the countries to examine the asylum claims of those seeking protection. The additional funds may not be used for the construction of fences or walls, but for surveillance technology or border protection vehicles. 

The Greens in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have called on the state government toto support the admission of people on the Belarusian-Polish border and to reaffirm its own willingness to accept them. The Federal Government, which is still in office, has so far rejected admission from Belarus.

Vote Legal migration

This week in plenary, the report with recommendations to the Commission on policy and legislation for legal migration was adopted by a clear majority. The COVID 19 pandemic has shown once again that migrant workers, including those in systemically important professions, are an integral part of our societies. Nevertheless, legal routes to the EU, including for people in search of economic opportunities, remain an afterthought in the European Commission's „New Pact on Migration and Asylum“ presented in September 2020.

I welcome the legislative own-initiative report, which highlights the benefits of labour migration, calls on the Commission to bring forward ambitious legislative proposals to create pathways for third-country workers of all skill levels, and stresses the importance of preventing exploitation.

An amendment tabled by the right-wing ID Group on EU funding for border protection facilities at the EU's external borders was not adopted, otherwise the report would not have received our group's support. Unfortunately, the amendment tabled by the Greens/EFA together with the left and S&D for an intersectional perspective on labour exploitation did not receive a majority. The Commission now has until 31 January 2022 to submit a legislative proposal to this effect.

The relevant text, including the opinion of the Committee on Development, for which I was shadow rapporteur, can be found at here, a briefing from the European Parliament's scientific service is here accessible.

Global vaccination distribution 

While the EU leads the world in vaccination rates, the Global South still has little or no access to vaccines. Only 2.25 % of people in low-income countries are fully vaccinated, compared to around 55 % in Europe. Now that the EU is starting to restrict entry from South Africa, it becomes clear again that new variants could always emerge due to the unfair distribution of vaccines and that it is also in our own interest to vaccinate the world's population. If we continue to neglect vaccination in low-income countries, we will be contributing to a prolongation of the pandemic and taking human lives. That is why I, together with other Members, have written to the European Commission once again urging it to support an exemption from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 as a priority measure, but also to take other measures. You can find the letter here.

CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) 

This week, the European Parliament unfortunately voted in favour of a European agricultural reform that does not deserve the name. The agricultural turnaround remains absent and the common European agricultural policy falls far short of the promises of the Green Deal. The members of the CDU, CSU and FDP voted in favour, we Greens, the SPD and the Left voted against. My colleague, Green MEP Martin Häusling, explained on Deutschlandfunk why we cannot be satisfied with the result. 

The Common European Agricultural Policy (CAP) will account for just under €387 billion, roughly one third of the European Union's Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2021 to 2027. Three quarters of the payments are still area payments and are subject to few conditions. The package consists of the regulations on national strategic plans, the single common market organisation and the financing, management and monitoring of the CAP. The agreement leaves implementation largely to the EU member states. 

Calendar week 44 and 45 

Poland and Belarus 

In the European Parliament on Wednesday, we held a Plenary debate on the situation on the border between Poland and Belarus. Our Greens/EFA Group is clearly against EU funding for walls, for an end to pushbacks and for a large-scale relocation programme. Socialists and the Left also spoke out clearly against new walls and fences. The conservatives from the EPP demanded funding for new walls and a further expansion of Fortress Europe. The right-wing and far-right groups praised Poland for its current mistreatment of refugees at the EU's external border. 

(DE) I find it shameful how the public debate on the Polish border continues to lose sight of the fact that it involves many people whose lives are in danger and who are being deprived of their rights without any plausible justification. Certainly, Poland should be supported in this crisis, but if the support offered (humanitarian, EASO, Frontex), which exists precisely for such purposes, is not accepted and no attempt is made to comply with EU law, we must also ask ourselves what kind of Europe the Polish Government actually wants to live in and whether we simply want to watch it tear down European values with a wrecking ball and watch more and more people die. Of course the EU, Germany and Poland must not allow themselves to be blackmailed. But the enthusiasm with which many are now building walls and demanding illegal measures even before the legal options have been exhausted is more than disconcerting. Walls and fences are a symbolic sham solution. The only and most important solution is to stop luring people to Minsk with lies. The key to this lies with the airlines, in Moscow and in the countries of origin. There is a huge humanitarian disaster looming in the winter, because Poland and Lukashenka won't give in.

Afghanistan: 148 people evacuated from Kabul airlift!

On Saturday, we were able to use the cable airlift to bring 148 people from Afghanistan, including local Bundeswehr personnel. After many smaller evacuation operations, this was the first donor-funded flight to Germany since August. I also shared this message on Twitter.

Frontex investigation team 

On 11 November we met with the management of Frontex. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of the recommendations of the Frontex investigation team. from our report of July 2021 to be monitored by the Agency. Since the publication of the report, the situation at the EU's external borders has worsened. Frontex is either not present because Member States lack the political will to cooperate with the Agency (Poland, Croatia, Hungary) or cannot effectively carry out the tasks of monitoring fundamental rights (as in Greece or Lithuania).

Executive Director Leggeri presented the scant progress that has been made since we began working for greater transparency and accountability at the EU's largest and most expensive agency.

Frontex has not managed to recruit 40 fundamental rights observers. The fundamental rights observers who have been recruited are being hindered in their work. To our surprise, this does not seem to bother the new Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Jonas Grimheden.

Speech by Filipo Grandi at the opening of the mini-plenary session

Four times a year, the so-called „miniplenary“ takes place in Brussels for one and a half days. At the opening of the session, where among other things the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border was debated, Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, gave a speech on Wednesday that was her here ...you can listen to.

While noting the continued importance of the Geneva Convention on Refugees, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, he also called for better international cooperation on migration. He recalled that over 90 % of refugees and internally displaced persons do not live in high-income countries. Host countries need support through resettlement, humanitarian assistance and development cooperation. He also mentioned the climate crisis, which is leading to more and more displacement and must also be the focus of political action through COP 26. He also referred to the UNHCR position on the Belarusian border, calling for humanitarian access and a move away from a policy of walls and barbed wire.

Development Committee

On Tuesday, in the Development Committee. Report on the refocusing of EU humanitarian action adopted. The report was drawn up in response to a Communication of the European Commission from March 2021 on the same topic. Building on this, the first EU Humanitarian Aid Forum planned.

The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world's leading humanitarian aid donor, providing around 36 % of the world's humanitarian aid, equivalent to EUR 7 577 million. In the report, we call on the Commission to present a sound annual budget for EU humanitarian aid that ensures timely, predictable and flexible funding, both for long-term crises and for responding to new crises.

We also call for greater international responsibility-sharing and an increase in global funding for humanitarian aid. To this end, the EU Member States must lead by example and allocate a fixed proportion of gross national income to humanitarian aid. The report also points out that climate change and environmental crises must be a central part of any future EU humanitarian aid strategy. Working with local communities and indigenous peoples will be crucial to help vulnerable groups build climate resilience. The Commission also needs to assess the gender aspect in humanitarian crises, as women* and girls are often disproportionately affected in conflict and crisis situations.

Calendar week 43

My focus so far this week has been entirely on the beginning coalition negotiations on the new federal government with the FDP and SPD. But of course more happened this week: Here comes my weekly review.

Coalition negotiations 

This week, the specialist groups started their work and began coalition negotiations with the SPD and FDP. I am part of the steering group for the area of flight, migration and integration. Together with Luise Amtsberg, Dirk Adams and Filiz Polat, I will try to negotiate a policy in the coming weeks that focuses on the rights and dignity of refugees and people on the run. With the new Federal Government, there is a chance to leave the undignified policies under Horst Seehofer behind us. Boris Pistorius, Frank Schwabe, Nancy Faeser and Aydan Özoguz are negotiating for the SPD. The FDP is represented by Joachim Stamp, Hans-Ulrich Rülke, Linda Teuteberg and Stephan Thoma. 

EU Commission does not want to finance walls at external borders 

President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU would not finance barbed wire or walls at the external borders. A number of heads of government, led by the new Austrian Chancellor Schallenberg, have called for just that. Von der Leyen's party colleague Manfred Weber and the far right groups in the European Parliament are also demanding that the EU fund a new iron curtain in Europe. 

Committee on Internal Affairs 

On Tuesday, Fabienne Keller (Renew) presented her proposal for a regulation on asylum procedures to the Home Affairs Committee. The rapporteur has understood many of the issues raised by progressive parties, experts and NGOs about the dangers of border procedures and the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers on the basis of their application.Nevertheless, her report is a cause for concern. Over the coming months, we will work with other shadow rapporteurs responsible for this important dossier to ensure the fundamental rights and procedural safeguards that asylum seekers need to have a fair process for establishing their need for protection. We will also work to ensure that the rules are implemented by Member States. Due to the nature of asylum procedures in times of systematic human rights violations at the EU's external borders, we will propose an independent, effective monitoring mechanism to ensure respect for human rights and human dignity. You can watch the session here. Fabienne Keller speaks at 17:34:52 and I speak at 17:46:12. 

Kabul airlift 

My colleague Theresa Breuer explains in the NZZ how we have evacuated 579 people from Afghanistan so far. You can read the article read here.

Schengen investigation team

The Schengen Inquiry Group this week discussed the violent pushbacks at the Croatian external border and the so-called 'independent monitoring mechanism'. Our group invited the head of the monitoring group, who is also the judge appointed by Croatia to the European Court of Human Rights, and the organisations working within the mechanism. Those responsible for the monitoring mechanism are all close to the government, which is why it cannot be said that the monitoring mechanism is independent. Our questions about its funding and its close links to the Croatian government were not answered. The Croatian Ombudsman, who was invited to the consultative body of the mechanism chaired by the European Commission, shares our concerns about the monitoring mechanism. Those responsible for the monitoring mechanism were generally dismissive of the independent actors invited, but also indignant about the critical questioning by MEPs. Neither the European Commission nor the Croatian authorities seem to care that the level of violence at the Croatian external border has not changed since the establishment of the monitoring mechanism in June. And it was shown once again that the monitoring mechanism is only a fig leaf that is not suitable for checking or even ending the pushbacks at the Croatian border. 

Treptow-Köpenick 

On Saturday (30.10.2021) will be elected in my Green district association Treptow-Köpenick. Elections will be held for a new board of directors, cash audit and diet commission, and a vote will also be held for the counting community agreement, a kind of coalition agreement at district level. I wish all candidates good luck and look forward to working with them. More information can be found on the website of the district association. 

Calendar week 42

Coalition talks 

Following the exploratory talks in the federal government, we as Greens are now entering coalition negotiations with the SPD and the FDP. As the asylum and migration policy spokesperson for the Group in the European Parliament, I have been asked by the party to contribute as part of the steering group. I look forward to the challenges and intensive discussions in the coming weeks.

Pushbacks 

On Wednesday evening pushbacks were debated in the plenary of the European Parliament. The responsible Minister of the Interior, Ylva Johansson, criticised the current Polish practice and stressed that pushbacks must never be normalised and legalised. With the Social Democrats the second largest group in the European Parliament is now also calling for infringement proceedings against Poland, Greece and Croatia.
You can watch the plenary debate watch at this link (from 20:30). The Council of Europe also calls for an end to pushbacks and also criticizes attempts to legalize pushbacks.

Poland 

On Wednesday the Polish prime minister spoke in the European Parliament and delivered a propaganda show to justify the undermining of the rule of law. He also talked about refugees and the situation on the border with Belarus in order to divert attention from his own authoritarian restructuring of the state. I spoke with Deutschlandfunk about the speech and the situation in Poland.

Although the Polish police illegally pushback hundreds of people every day, and at least eight people have already died on the border with Belarus, Horst Seehofer offers Polish police help in sealing off. However, Seehofer will also soon leave his post as Federal Interior Minister. The Greens in the Bundestag called on the German government and the EU not to illegally turn back refugees. It is a pan-European task to guarantee adequate accommodation and a fair asylum procedure for those seeking protection.

For more than two months 31 refugees have been held at the border between Poland and Belarus and are not allowed to enter either country. In order not to freeze to death they tried to cross the barbed wire yesterday and were then forced back with pepper spray. You can find a video of it on Twitter at Ansgar Gilster.

Action against Frontex

Omar B. and his family were illegally deported to Turkey by Frontex on a plane in 2016, despite having applied for asylum in Greece. The family was then detained in Turkey before being returned to northern Iraq. He is now suing the EU border agency Frontex for damages at the ECJ. His lawsuit should not remain an isolated case. 

The Court will have to decide whether Frontex is responsible for the human rights violations that it admits but blames entirely on Greece. This case is important not only because of the danger to which this Syrian family was exposed, but also to clarify Frontex's responsibility towards people who are mistreated in its areas of operation.

Berlin 

After exploratory talks Coalition negotiations for the formation of a state government in Berlin. I am pleased that the Greens, with their strong result, now have even more of a say in this and that Bettina Jarasch, a Green who will contribute her perspective as migration policy spokesperson, will also be involved in the negotiations.

In addition, after some time of preparation, a Reception programme for Syrian protection seekers who are in Lebanon. Up to 100 people are to come to Berlin each year, and the first transfer already took place on 19 October 2021. 

Calendar week 41

Afghanistan 

The agenda of the Delegation for relations with Afghanistan included the still worrying humanitarian situation, which is likely to worsen over the winter months. In this context, also the humanitarian situation Special summit of the G-20 countries The EU wants to make an additional €1 billion available for humanitarian aid. You can read my assessment of this in the Interview with Watson read up.

I also talked to T-online on the occasion of the taps on Afghanistan. Withdrawal must not mean the end of the commitment to the people of the country. on the contrary, the problems are greater now than before, the responsibility even greater.

Exploratory paper 

The exploratory paper of the Alliance90/Greens, the SPD and the FDP forms an excellent foundation for intensive coalition negotiations. The fact that there are also points that hurt is not a weakness of one of the three parties, but the essence of democracy. You can download the paper read here. 

Italy

A court in Naples finds that returning people rescued at sea to Libya is a crime. The captain of the Asso28 was sentenced to a year in prison for returning 101 people seeking protection to Tripoli. From now on, those responsible for any civilian ship involved in pushbacks can be tried and convicted. epd reports. 

Sakharov Prize 

This week, in a joint meeting of the Development and Foreign Affairs Committees, I discussed the three finalists of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize has been awarded annually since 1988 by the European Union as a distinction to individuals, groups or organisations active in the field of human rights. I am pleased that the Greens nominated 11 Afghan womenwho have worked for equal rights in their home country and for access to education and an inclusive Afghan society have made it to the final selection. The award ceremony will take place during the plenary session in December.

Calendar week 40

Afghanistan 

On Thursday, the High Level EU Resettlement Forum on Afghanistan took place in Brussels. At the invitation of Commissioner Ylva Johansson, decision-makers from across the European Union came together to discuss the reception and resettlement of people from Afghanistan. Amnesty International made clear demands to the conference, which you can find here. Unfortunately, the representatives of the member states did not agree on any clear targets for resettlement during the meeting.

With the Kabul airlift we were able to evacuate 11 German nationals and two people with German residence permits from Afghanistan to Pakistan on Wednesday – including nine children. It's crazy that we have to do this, but I'm happy for the people that it worked out. 

After the failure of the federal government, tens of thousands of people continue to wait out their evacuation. 217 of them were brought to Germany on a charter flight on Thursday. 

Pushbacks in Croatia and Greece 

Special units from Greece and Croatia systematically commit human rights violations at the EU's external borders. Research by Spiegel, Lighthouse Reports and ARD proves this unequivocally and beyond doubt. On video, one can watch Croatian border officials beating defenseless people and forcibly taking them from Croatia to Bosnia. With recourse to the equipment used and with the help of some witnesses, the journalists clearly prove that these are not individual cases but state-ordered measures. In Greece, the research team was able to prove that the pushbacks in the Aegean Sea were carried out by Greek special forces. 

Monitor did a report on this and also accompanied a family on their way from Bosnia to Croatia. The article ends with my assessment of the new monitoring mechanism in Croatia, which unfortunately is only a fig leaf and will not prevent pushbacks and abuse. You can find the article here from minute 16. You can find further research results in the Mirror (Paywall) and at BR24.

Criminalisation of civil society and solidarity in Europe 

A report initiated by Parliament itself follows the recent assessment by the Fundamental Rights Agency that civil society is in a difficult situation in almost all EU Member States. The criminalisation of solidarity in the context of migration and asylum or search and rescue operations has long been an issue. The shrinking space for civil society is a major problem that the EU needs to address. With an internal civil society strategy, we could take a step forward in setting a benchmark and reviewing the behaviour of Member States. You can find the report here. 

Criminalisation and prevention of solidarity in Greece 

In recent years, the Greek government has increased bureaucratic hurdles through various laws, and at the same time there are repeatedly targeted legal proceedings against people who help those seeking protection. How this criminalisation of assistance works was made clear at a hearing in which the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, met with numerous human rights defenders in Greece. A report and further links to the allegations made, can be found at Human Rights Watch.

Vote on the Implementation Report on the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey

This week in plenary, we adopted the implementation report on the EU Trust Fund (EUTF) and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRT) by a large majority. The report was negotiated under the shared competence of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Development, for which I was responsible on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group.

The report seeks to provide a political assessment of the EU Trust Funds, which have been in place since 2014 and have been extended until December 2021, as well as the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. During the negotiations, the Greens/EFA managed to include positive wording on a number of key issues in the text, including reiterating the concerns expressed by the Parliament on the requests for extension of the EUTFs. The lack of transparency in the implementation of projects, particularly in relation to border and migration management (Libyan coastguard funding), was problematic. 

We stress in the text the need to respect the principles of democratic accountability, transparency and sound financial management, and that the instruments in their existing form undermine the role of the European Parliament and the integrity and unity of the EU budget. The text also includes a call for the Commission to carry out a transparent impact assessment, carried out by independent EU bodies and experts, of the effects of EU-funded projects on the human rights of migrants and refugees and on the population of the country concerned.  

You can read the negotiated text here read about it. An article on the problem of the lack of transparency of the financing instruments can be found at here.

Calendar week 38 and 39/2021

Evacuations from Afghanistan 

We're going to get Kabul airlift still hundreds of evacuation requests from Afghanistan and this failure of the federal government to evacuate continues to bum me out. We have now managed to evacuate a few more people from Pakistan to evacuate outbut it is mainly German bureaucracy that prevents people from being rescued. 

According to research by Panorama, German authorities are also delaying and preventing the right to family reunification for refugees. In Germany alone, according to the Foreign Office, more than 4,000 people from Afghanistan have been on the waiting list for an appointment for up to two years in order to be able to submit their documents at all. As a result of the filibustering, they have now come under Taliban rule. 

The current federal government wants nach SPIEGEL information  are now taking another 200 people a week out of the country via Pakistan. The Foreign Office is trying to sell this as a success after abandoning thousands of local forces and their families when the Taliban overran the country. 

Situation at the Polish external border

Several people are at the Border between Poland and Belarus died. At least two of them after they were pushed by the Polish police. The Polish border guard nevertheless proudly announced on Twitter on Tuesdaythat a new record was set and 473 people were prevented from crossing the border or pushed back. These are clear human rights violations. The photo was accompanied by a hooded policeman posing at the border post. The Polish parliament has rejected the State of emergency on the border with Belarus extended for 60 days. The press and aid organisations are thus further denied access.  

I have an interview with the Deutschlandfunk on the current situation at Poland's external border. In it, I say that we in the EU lack solidarity and are only making ourselves vulnerable to blackmail because we lack a robust asylum system based on the rule of law. 

Development Committee 

This week in the Committee on Development we discussed the opinions on the General budget for the year 2022 and on the own-initiative report on legal migration policy and legislation, for both of which I was the shadow rapporteur for the Greens/EFA Group. I abstained on the final vote on the budget because, despite good passages, the text contained various inconsistencies with the previously tabled budget amendments in the area of funding for biodiversity measures and the export of renewable hydrogen from developing countries.

By tabling numerous amendments and working with the left and liberal forces in the EP, we were also able to secure a narrow majority for a progressive text in the area of legal migration. If it had been up to the EPP and the ECR rapporteur, the text would have been reduced to border security measures and the fight against migration. Here you can read the final statement in a timely manner.

Green Party election success in Treptow-Köpenick 

Elections were held in Berlin. In addition to the election for the Bundestag, the election for the House of Representatives and the district councils took place at the same time. In my district association in Treptow-Köpenick the Greens were able to improve significantly and sit in the future with eight deputies in the BVV. At the same time, the district association now also has the right to appoint a city councillor and can play an even more active role in shaping the district. There was also a strong improvement in the election to the House of Representatives. You can find all information about the results read here. 

Calendar week 37/2021

Kabul airlift 

I spoke at length on the Dissent podcast about the Kabul airlift, Afghanistan, and the failure of the federal government. You can listen to the one-hour conversation here.

Afghanistan resolution in parliament

In the resolution on Afghanistan, the European Parliament shows a progressive stance - compared to the Council and the Commission - on the current situation in Afghanistan. The resolution contains positive wording on migration-related aspects, including an extension of the ressettlement, humanitarian visas, a special visa programme for Afghan women seeking protection from the Taliban regime, the suspension of returns to Afghanistan and the application of the Temporary Protection Directive. During the negotiations, we Greens/EFA were also able to secure paragraphs on the establishment of a fact-finding mission within the UNHCR, an extension of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), on „Everything But Arms“preferences, on safe passage and the role of EU delegations in neighbouring countries, on insufficient progress on good governance and on the fight against corruption and the rule of law in the context of the war on terror.On local forces and protection, we managed to get a call for EU and Member States to work together to facilitate the further evacuation of EU citizens and vulnerable Afghans, in particular through the use of available safe corridors. Unfortunately, two Green amendments on the extension of temporary visas and the suspension of returns to third countries hosting large numbers of Afghan refugees and to third countries where effective protection of Afghan asylum seekers is not guaranteed were not adopted. Nor did we succeed in deleting paragraphs on the exchange of intelligence and on the EU's ability to act autonomously and on strengthening EU defence cooperation. You can read the accepted text here.

Closed warehouse on Samos

On Saturday, the first closed camp in Greece will open on the island of Samos. Several thousand people can be accommodated here. One of the new things is that all services and procedures for the protection seekers are to be provided behind the barbed wire fence and the 3-meter high wall. The protection seekers should and can thus no longer leave the camp without further ado. While the European Commission still does not want to talk about the fact that these are closed camps, the Greek government talks about it quite publicly without being shy. In view of the even greater isolation, aid organisations describe the new camps as open-air prisons.

Blue Card Reform 

Parliament has adopted the EU Blue Card reform approvedwhich aims to facilitate the employment of highly skilled non-EU nationals and reduce labour shortages in key sectors. Under the revised rules, applicants must provide an employment contract or a binding job offer of at least six months and proof of higher qualifications or professional skills. Currently, a 12-month contract or offer is required. The salary threshold for applicants has also been lowered to a minimum of 100 per cent and a maximum of 160 per cent of the average gross annual salary in the member state where the applicant is employed; previously it was 150 per cent with no upper limit.

State of the Union address

Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) has described refugees currently arriving in Poland and Lithuania as a "hybrid attack to destabilise Europe". That's what she said in her State of the Union address on Wednesday, and that choice of words is absolutely wrong. It is true that Lukashenko is exploiting people to put pressure on the EU. But these people are not weapons or ammunition, and therefore we should not speak of a 'hybrid attack'. The RND has summarized the most important points of the speech here. You can read the whole speech watch here.

Calendar week 36/2021

Kabul airlift  

For weeks there have been promises to evacuate people from Afghanistan, but the processes at the Interior Ministry are being dragged out. No one from the Foreign Office lists has yet been promised admission. Even people from German lists who have been evacuated are being forced to travel on to the US. The people in Afghanistan – also German citizens – are simply abandoned. I explained the situation in this video on Insta. At least six people on German evacuation lists have been executed in Afghanistan. People have been virtually prevented from being rescued, despite public claims that they should be evacuated. I spoke to Watson about this. 

Afghanistan in Parliament 

The situation in Afghanistan has dominated the agenda in the EP this week, with debates at several levels on how to move forward now. On Monday, a joint meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the Delegation for relations between Afghanistan and the EU, of which I am a member, discussed the change in the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power. There are already numerous reports of massive restrictions on women's rights, and the situation is worrying, calling into question all the achievements of the last 20 years. Respect for women's rights must be a prerequisite for any dialogue with the Taliban regime, humanitarian aid must be guaranteed and safe escape routes to Europe must be made possible for women at risk. The whole debate can be listen here. This Human Rights Watch report from early August gives a good overview of how even before the fall of the government, violence against women in Afghanistan was pervasive and often went unpunished. 

One year after the fire in Moria 

On the night of September 8-9, 2020, the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesvos burned to the ground. Since then there have been many promises but hardly any change. People on Lesvos are still living in a completely unsuitable tent camp, there are still no adequate supplies of the necessities of life. After the fire disaster, the Commission promised 'No more Morias'. That promise has been broken. When I visited the new Moria a few weeks ago, the conditions were still inhumane. About the current situation I have with the news of the day spoken. You will also find on my homepage a report about my visit to Lesbos. Also at WDR Current I reported on the situation. 

Situation in the Canary Islands 

In August alone, according to the NGO "Caminando Fronteras", at least 509 people died during the crossing to the Canary Islands. This makes the Canary Islands route currently the deadliest in the world, ahead of the central Mediterranean route. The German-language weekly summarizes the reports. You can get more info in the Spanish-language El Día from Tenerife. 

Calendar week 35/2021 – after the summer break

Parliament's summer recess is now over. I have used the time to set up the Kabul Airlift and to check on the ground the situation of refugees on the Greek islands.

Kabul airlift

Over the past few days, as part of the Kabul Airlift, I have been working to evacuate as many vulnerable people as possible from Afghanistan. In a first rescue operation with a chartered plane, we were able to save 18 people. After the federal government called off the evacuation in Kabul, we were able to get another 189 people into and out of the airport to safety. I was also in Doha this week to continue working on evacuating people there. 

Unfortunately, there were also some difficulties and a real evacuation scandal. Thousands of people were put on lists and hope was spread, but these lists did not automatically land at the airport gates, so hardly anyone was given access to the airport. So they claimed in public that they were broadening the criteria, but in practice they only gave access to the airport to a very narrow group of people. Because of this PR show, many went to the airport with hope, but were never scheduled for evacuation. More than 190 people died in an attack in the crowd outside the airport.I speak in this Insta-video about the background of the scandal and the difficulties we had with the Foreign Office. At SWR I also explained that many more people could have been taken out of Afghanistan. You can find all other important information on the Homepage of the Kabul Airlift.

EU Conference of Interior Ministers

At the meeting of EU interior ministers it became clear that the priority of the Council and the Commission is to prevent refugees from Afghanistan from entering the EU. Those who want to flee from the Taliban should, in their opinion, stay in the region – and under no circumstances come to Europe. But neighbouring states have already taken in more than 80 percent of the refugees from Afghanistan. The EU must now save more people instead of sealing itself off further and further. Der Spiegel reports on the results of the conference.

Situation in the Greek islands

During Parliament's summer recess, I was again on Lesvos to see what the current situation is in the new Mavrovouni camp after the fire in Moria. I also met the Frontex forces on the ground to talk to them about the current situation and the pushbacks by the Greek coastguard. I visited various NGOs and civil society actors who are fighting to change the situation politically, but also make offers so that refugees have the opportunity to get through their difficult everyday life a little better. How the situation is currently, I have seen in this detailed article described.

Greece and pushbacks

It was announced this week, that the European Commission has stopped payments to the Greek coast guard for the time being. The background is allegations that the Greek coast guard is systematically involved in human rights violations.

Frontex

The European Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs has exercised its powers as the EU's budgetary authority and voted against granting discharge to the Frontex budget. With this decision, the pressure is high on the agency to fulfil the expected tasks, namely to recruit an adequate number of fundamental rights officers to monitor the missions. You can follow the vote and debate here (from 10.15am).

Evaluation of the Asylum and Migration Pact

The European Parliamentary Research Service presented its Rating of the Asylum and Migration Pact. The European Commission's reform proposal to reform the EU asylum system was already presented a year ago, but without an impact assessment by the Commission. Researchers now point out that the pact's proposals carry many risks, including the extensive detention of asylum seekers at the EU's external borders. It will be an important task for us to create legal clarity and put in place safeguards to ensure that reform does not lead to worse conditions for those seeking protection in the European Union.

Calendar week 28/2021

Outcome of the Frontex investigation team 

For four months, the European Parliament has been investigating allegations against Frontex in the Frontex Scrutiny Group. The investigation has made it very clear that there are systemic problems at Frontex. At the heart of the allegations is that Frontex knows about and actively participates in human rights violations at the EU's external borders. The resulting report is a first step in the right direction. 

For many months now, Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri has repeatedly attracted attention with new scandals and the distortion of facts. He has lied to parliament several times and is actively preventing the cases from being investigated. Despite this, the EU member states are holding on to him. If the EU Member States really want Frontex to improve, they must finally appoint a new Executive Director. Frontex continues to expand. Yet wherever human rights violations are reported the EU agency looks the other way. Neither in Croatia nor in Greece does Frontex have any serious missions to monitor borders across the board. This turns the agency into a tax-wasting machine that serves as a fig leaf to cover up violations of the law by the Member States. Human rights organisations are banned from observing the borders. Frontex looks the other way or is sent away. It is becoming increasingly difficult to observe what is happening at Europe's external borders. Meanwhile, even the locations of sea rescue cases are kept secret. But hundreds of reports of human rights violations must no longer go without consequences. The EU Commission must finally launch an investigation with infringement proceedings against Frontex and Greece. The member states must reorganise Frontex. In view of the devastating report of the Court of Auditors, the EU Parliament should block a further budget increase of Frontex. You can watch the presentation of the report here Watch. (My speech at 9:39). 

My guest contribution on the Frontex investigation team 

I wrote a guest article for T-Online in which I call for consequences after Frontex covered up human rights violations. It is entitled: "Violence, Breaches of Law, Torture: Anything is Possible at EU Borders." 

Open letter to Heiko Maas

The security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating by the day, the Taliban are conquering more and more territory and a successful peace negotiation seems a long way off. In addition, the humanitarian situation is difficult and the pandemic situation continues to deteriorate. More and more people are having to flee because of this. The Afghan government recently asked for a Deportation stop from Europebut Germany continues to deport. Therefore I have written a letter to Heiko Maas and ask him to adjust the assessment of the current security situation in the situation report, irrespective of any domestic political motives and in accordance with new findings and developments.

Criminalisation of sea rescue NGOs 

We also had a debate on the criminalisation of life-saving activities by Member States. Médecins Sans Frontières described the multiple attacks on civil society that are under way in several EU countries. When I asked the Commission why, in the absence of state or EU-led search and rescue operations, it – does not support NGOs that fill the gap and save lives, I got no answer. Until the Commission takes action here against the criminalisation of sea rescue NGOs, people will continue to drown who should not have to. You can watch the meeting here See. (My speech at 10:37) 

Green success in lobby control 

Lobbying rules in the European Parliament and the EU Commission are to be controlled by an independent ethics body in future - despite opposition from the Christian Democrats and CDU/CSU in the EU Constitutional Affairs Committee. We Greens had already called for this in the European election campaign 2019 demanded, now finally the EU Constitutional Committee for Daniel Freunds Report voted for an independent ethics panel. You can find out more on the homepage of Daniel Freund. 

Calendar week 27/2021 

AMIF 

The 9.88 billion euro fund for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) for 2021-2027 aims to strengthen the common European asylum policy. We have achieved that funds can be applied for directly by regional and local authorities, so that EU states can no longer so easily prevent the funding of committed cities and regions. This means that municipalities can no longer be so easily prevented from dealing with flight and migration in a spirit of solidarity.

Talk without guest 

I was a guest on the podcast "Talk ohne Gast". I didn't really understand the concept behind it, but the conversation with Till Reiners and Moritz Neumeier was great fun. You can listen to the episode listen to the longer version here or watch in a slightly shortened version here on video.  

Subsidies for climate-damaging energy sources 

Every year billions of euros of state money are spent on fossil fuels - we Greens want to finally turn off this climate-damaging money tap. What you should also know outside Brussels: Most MEPs from the CDU, CSU and FDP wanted to prevent this. You can find out how the German MEPs voted by contacting my colleague Michael Bloß on Twitter see 

Question on Afghanistan 

Together with my colleagues Bettina Vollath (S&D) and Clare Daly (GUE), I have this week submitted a written question to the European Commission on Afghanistan. The subject of my question is the current development of the Security situation and the adoption of the Joint Declaration on Migration Cooperation (Joint Declaration on Migration Cooperation, JDMC), that is, the new repatriation agreement between the EU and Afghanistan. Since the JDMC was adopted without the involvement of Parliament, I would like to know to what extent the Commission will involve the EP in the future with regard to the agreement. I am also interested in the Commission's assessment of the security situation in the country and the compatibility with deportations to Afghanistan. I have also asked a question about the issuing of visas to local staff. The Commission has 6 weeks to reply to my questions, and I will link the reply here.

Question on the withdrawal of residence permits of Syrian refugees in Denmark

On 26 April, together with a number of left-wing and Socialist MEPs, I sent the Commission a question on the withdrawal of residence permits for Syrian refugees in Denmark. We wanted to know what the Commission's position was on the plans and what, if anything, it intended to do about repatriations to Syria. 

In the reply, the Commission writes that it does not support return to Syria and agrees with the assessment of the High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations that the conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return do not currently exist. And the Commission also makes it clear that Denmark remains bound to respect the principle of non-refoulement and also remains committed to examining each case individually. However, our question what measures the Commission intends to take to counter Denmark's behaviour was not really answered. You can find the question and the answer here. 

Justice for Stanislav Tomáš

On 19 June, Stanislav Tomáš died in the Czech Republic after two police officers knelt on him. This is a tragic example of racist police violence in Europe. The Anti-racism and diversity group of the European Parliament calls in a Letter to the Commission to make a public statement against police misconduct that disproportionately affects marginalised people such as Roma, PoCs and others. We call for an independent and exhaustive investigation into the case. In addition, the Commission should call on Czech public officials and the media to refrain from stereotyping the victim and further stigmatizing Roma. The focus should remain on the inadequate or non-existent police response that led to the death of Stanislav Tomáš.

Calendar week 26/2021 

Frontex 

This week, three committees of the European Parliament met to discuss once again the budget discharge for Frontex. Many different investigations are under way to uncover the specific failings of Frontex. As the budgetary authority, Parliament has a responsibility to hold Frontex to account when it is not operating as required by its mandate. In parallel with the budgetary procedure, the Frontex investigation team is working on its report, concluding its four-month inquiry into the agency's role in human rights abuses. In internal meetings during the remaining weeks of this parliamentary session, the members of the working group will discuss the findings and the recommendations to be included in the written report. You can watch the meeting of the interior committee here. 

33 European cities form safe havens alliance 

Together they signed a declaration and thus founded the "International Alliance of Safe Harbour Cities".. In the paper, the cities call for the right to asylum to be upheld in every European state, for reception quotas for the voluntary reception of refugees in the municipalities, and for direct funding of reception in the cities by the European Union to the municipalities. 

My podcast on Afghanistan 

In my podcast, I talk with journalist Shikiba Babori about the current situation in Afghanistan, the troop withdrawal and the future of the people in the Hindu Kush. We focus especially on the rights of women and minorities. We also explain why freedom of the press is better in Afghanistan than in many neighbouring countries. You can listen to the episode here. You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify, Itunes or Soundcloud Subscribe.

Visit to the Greek Greens 

This week I was at the Greens in Greece guest. In their webinar, they discussed the implications of the European Commission's proposal for a new common pact on asylum and migration. Greece, as a member state at the EU's external border, is an important building block for all proposed solutions. The Greek civilian population has been trying for years to provide what the member states cannot: humane accommodation and solidarity with people seeking protection in our country. It is good and important that the Greek Greens are actively involved in the discussion here.

Pride in Tbilisi 

Currently, the Pride in Tbilisi took place. At the request of local activists, I, together with other MEPs, appealed to the Georgian authorities to provide sufficient protection for the events. Previously, events of the LGBTQI community were often attacked by opponents. The leader of the ruling party, Irakli Kobakhidze, even wanted to cancel Pride. You can read the letter to the Georgian Minister of the Interior here.

Calendar week 25/2021 

Frontex investigation team 

This week the Frontex investigation team holds its last meetingto complete its four-month inquiry into the agency's role in human rights abuses. In those four months, it has become very clear that there are systemic problems at Frontex in terms of its operations, its management, its financial practices and its accountability. Commissioner Johansson expressed her concern and disappointment to Executive Director Leggeri at our meeting on Wednesday, and the Portuguese Interior Minister, Mr Cabrita, insisted that our investigations must have consequences. In the coming weeks, the group will negotiate its findings and recommendations, which will be incorporated into a report. The question is still whether the Conservatives are prepared to commit to the truth or whether they want to negate the facts and human rights in order to exonerate Frontex and continue building Fortress Europe undisturbed. 

From the Sea to the City – Alliance of Host Communities 

In Palermo, the European conference "From The Sea to the City" began on Friday, where various European cities are forming an alliance today to welcome refugees. I discussed with Gesine Schwan, Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Muhamad al-Kashef, Chiara Cardoletti and the mayors of Potsdam and Palermo, Mike Schubert and Leoluca Orlando. More info and the videos of the panels can be found here. 

My written questions on "sound cannons" and accommodation on the Greek islands in winter 

The Greek border police is using so-called „sound cannons“ at the EU's external borders to prevent people seeking protection from being able to apply for asylum. Not only does this violate EU law, but countries have now outlawed such weapons because they can cause permanent damage. How the European Commission assesses the situation I'm trying to find out with this written question. 

The Memorandum of Understanding concluded between the European Commission and the Greek government after the Moria fire disaster stipulates that the new camp on Lesbos will be operational by the end of September 2021 at the latest. However, the tender for the construction has only been published at the end of May. It also provides for a maximum construction period of 8 months, well into next year. How the Commission now intends to keep its promise that protection seekers will not have to freeze in tents for another winter, I ask you in this written question.  

Serious human rights violations in Croatia 

New videos showhow the sick and pregnant women are also systematically denied access to asylum procedures in Europe that are based on the rule of law. Entire families are being taken back through the forest across the Croatian EU border at night. Ursula von der Leyen is simply watching as the rule of law is abolished at the external borders. The Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee also conducted an unannounced investigation into how Croatian police treat fugitives in the summer of 2020. According to information from investigative journalists, the report clearly confirms the human rights violations at the border. Zagreb is vehemently opposing the publication. 

Matić Report 

With the Matić Report the European Parliament is clearly committed to sexual and reproductive rights and recognises them as fundamental human rights. The denial of these rights is a form of gender-based violence that is unfortunately a reality in many Member States. Member States must now fully guarantee sexual and reproductive rights and ensure access to safe and legal abortion. In the run-up to the report, anti-feminist actors put massive pressure on progressive MEPs to prevent its adoption. Packages of plastic fetuses were even sent out and fundamentalist lobby organisations did their utmost. But the majority of MPs clearly positioned themselves in favour of the right to self-determination, bodily integrity, equality and non-discrimination. In the current context of strengthening anti-feminist and authoritarian ideologies, this report is a strong sign for feminism and emancipation. 

Development Committee There were two votes in the development area. The motion for a resolution on the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25/ Nairobi Summit) was supported by us Greens and adopted with a broad majority. In doing so, the European Parliament endorses the results of the meeting and calls for the implementation and funding of the ICPD action programme. The central demand is universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as part of universal health coverage. Also adopted was the Report on the role of EU development cooperation and humanitarian aid in dealing with the consequences of the COVID 19 pandemic. (DE) The report assesses the EU's global response to the Covid 19 pandemic and makes recommendations on how to tackle the health, social and economic crisis triggered by Covid 19 in the Global South through development and humanitarian aid. Although the text itself did not contain any problematic passages, I abstained from the vote because, due to the EPP and S&D leadership, there was no opportunity to push through progressive demands on debt relief, health and agroecology, among other issues.

Calendar week 24/2021

Nadir crew negotiates to take rescued to Italy instead of Libya

The German observation ship Nadir has found an emergency at sea in the Maltese sea rescue zone. Instead of sending a rescue ship, Malta had only alerted the Libyan coast guard, which wanted to bring the people to the internment camps. The crew refused. With political pressure and negotiations, in which I also got involved, it was finally achieved that the Italian coast guard rescued the people and brought them to Italy. You can read more on the Twitter channel of RESQSHIP and at DW. 

Frontex investigation team 

This week, the Schengen Inquiry Group met with the European Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs exchanged. In my contribution, I have tried to describe the complex and deeply worrying situation in which the Agency finds itself, based on our findings. We were able to observe an example of pushback described by Agency staff as the modus operandi of the Greek Coast Guard. This confirms that the Greek government lied to the LIBE Committee and that in order to reduce the number of arrivals, fundamental rights are violated on a daily basis at the Greek-Turkish border. Frontex can either cooperate with the Greek authorities, who are actively violating rights and the agency's own mandate, or stop operating. But in our experience with the agency in Hungary, Frontex is still carrying out operations in support of repatriation, despite the Commission's advice, even when the violations are recognised by the EU's own court, the ECJ. This inquiry brings more and more evidence of the serious problems with the agency and at the Union's external borders. You can watch the whole session watch again here. 

Presentation of the election campaign of the Green Party Berlin for the parliamentary elections 2021

Under the claim „klargehtdas“ the campaign of the Berlin Greens for the election to the House of Representatives in September 2021 was presented today. I am pleased that we are entering the race for the Red City Hall in Berlin with Bettina Jarasch. In recent years, she has been a strong advocate for those seeking protection in Berlin as Spokesperson for Refugees and Migration, and hopefully she will soon be able to do the same from the Red City Hall. The election posters are available here. 

Conference of Interior Ministers 

The Minister of the Interior of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Thomas Strobl (CDU), at the start of the conference of the Ministers of the Interior in Rust in Baden in favour of deportations from Germany to Syria. He knows you can't do that because people are being abused and killed there and it would take a deal with Assad. He's only interested in catering to right-wing populist sentiment.

Implementation of Global Europe-NDICI

As Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Development, I participated this week in the first geopolitical dialogue with Commissioner Urpilainen and High Representative Borrell. This was the first meeting in this series, which is to take place every six months in future as part of the European Parliament's greater rights of participation and control with regard to the implementation of Global Europe-NDICI. The multi-annual indicative programmes for pre-selected countries from the geographical pillar, which will play a key role in development cooperation in the coming years, were discussed. Most of the meeting was held in camera, but you can watch the first part of the meeting at here listen. The EP's monitoring work has only just begun with this meeting, and I will be taking a closer look in the future, especially at the projects that fall under the migration target. What is at stake in this, CONCORD has recently Position paper summarized.

Asylum Procedure Code 

On Thursday, what was probably the last meeting on the asylum procedure regulations before the summer break took place. The political groups are still far apart on issues such as the wider use of border procedures and the use of detention in the pre-entry phase of the asylum procedure. Unfortunately, the European Commission has still not provided us with accurate figures on the cost of the proposed procedures or given us a credible simulation of the provisions. Therefore, we must await the internal parliamentary report on the Pact and ensure that our reforms do not codify incorrect practice or lower standards of protection for asylum seekers. 

Calendar week 23/2021 

EU Parliament calls for temporary suspension of vaccine patents

The European Parliament calls for temporary suspension of Corona vaccine patents, in order to eliminate supply bottlenecks in poorer countries. The call for the suspension of patent protection was controversial in Parliament. 355 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, 263 against and 71 abstained. MEPs from the CDU, CSU, FDP and AfD tried to prevent the demand. Here you can see how the German MEPs voted. 

Covid 19 certificates 

Members of the EU Parliament voted with a clear majority for the planned vaccination certificate. We welcome the agreement to ensure free movement in the pandemic by providing a common EU tool to ensure mutual recognition of national COVID-19 certificates. The system will have high data protection standards. The technical approach chosen – a public key infrastructure – ensures that no personal data will need to flow within the EU, but will only be stored on the certificate itself and in the patient file of the doctor or testing or vaccination centre. It is therefore not possible to trace back where a certificate is issued. The certificate is valid for 12 months. You can find out more in the Parliament press release. 

Afghanistan 

Since the announcement and start of the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, the security situation on the ground has deteriorated once again. The Taliban are conquering new territories in the provinces, there are weekly attacks on civilians, especially women and children. Peace negotiations are stalled and the COVID-19 pandemic has further weakened the economy. A catastrophic drought is looming and already a third of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid. Afghanistan is considered the most insecure country in the world, yet regular deportations continue from Europe and the EU has recently signed a new readmission agreement with Afghanistan. I highlighted all these factors in our Afghanistan resolution this plenary week as rapporteur for the Greens, calling for, among other things, a halt to deportations, the issuing of humanitarian visas to local people, greater involvement of the Afghan Parliament and greater accountability for the attacks that have taken place. Unfortunately, I was not able to get all of these demands passed in the cross-party resolution, but on migration at least I was able to get one point on a mandatory human rights review of the new repatriation agreement. Here are the links to my speech on the situation in Afghanistan, to the Green resolution and the cross-party compromise.  

European Court of Auditors criticises Frontex 

The EU Court of Auditors has massively criticised Frontex in a report. I am calling in Der Spiegel for the EU Parliament to block the Frontex budget. We cannot continue to waste taxes on lack of transparency, inefficiency and human rights violations. You can find the article here. 

Interview with Deutschlandfunk Kultur 

I spoke with Weltzeit on Deutschlandfunk Kultur about European refugee policy and how the impression is being created that the EU is waging war against people trying to reach Europe on rubber dinghies. You can listen to the conversation here. 

Lesbos 

Now it becomes known that the construction work for the new camp on Lesbos have not even begun. The agreement concluded between the Greek Government and the European Commission memorandum of understanding however, envisages that it will be put into operation in September 2021. That this is unlikely is also shown by the fact that the public tender for the construction was published only recently. This foresees a completion in the course of 8 months. Already in April I have the European Commission asked to comment on the progress of the construction of the planned new camp on Lesbos, it has not done so so far.

Calendar week 22/2021

Policy against right-wing extremism and for Saxony-Anhalt

I spoke with Sebastian Striegl, chairman of the Greens in Saxony-Anhalt, about the upcoming state elections on June 6. The topic is how best to fight right-wing extremism and what ideas we Greens have for Saxony-Anhalt. The 54-minute conversation you can find me on Instagram see 

Frontex investigation team 

On Thursday, we spoke to the head of operations of the Italian coastguard, who described cooperation with the Libyan coastguard as cooperation required by law to rescue people. As Libya is not a safe haven and people there face imprisonment, torture and forced prostitution, some of the MEPs questioned this designation. The new fundamental rights officer of Frontex and the UNHCR were also guests. All were aware of the existing problems within Frontex as well as the concerns at the EU's external borders, but instead of discussing the specific cases under investigation, the conversation focused more on the future and the possibilities that the new Fundamental Rights Officer has. 

Even though our investigation is drawing to a close, there are still many questions to be answered before we can draw conclusions in our report. It is therefore a pity that the Danish navy and the Spanish coastguard could not come, and that Frontex's former fundamental rights officer was not there either, whose reports Fabrice Leggeri largely ignored, according to Spiegel research.to cover up the pushback scandal. You can follow the entire session here. 

Readmissions between Turkey and Greece

Greece rejects asylum applications from people seeking protection and issues exit orders to Turkey. However, Turkey has not allowed any readmissions for over a year now - people have to leave, but cannot. This leads to a situation of "perpetual refugees" who live in miserable conditions in Greece because they no longer receive benefits.

I have asked the EU Commissionwhether this practice is compatible with EU law. In its reply, the Commission statesthat the practice of denying benefits is contrary to European law. Now, at long last, the Greek Government must also comply with the EU directive and, therefore, with applicable law. Unfortunately, however, we currently have a situation both in the camps and at the external borders in which the Greek Government is obviously breaking the law and getting away with it. You can find the question and the answer here. 

News from Greece

The Greek authorities started this only yesterday, Vaccinate refugees on Lesvos, Chios and Samos against Covid-19, although the country has been vaccinated since January. It is incomprehensible that the people in the camps are being vaccinated so late, because they are particularly at risk due to the cramped conditions and lack of hygiene, and many are actually infected. On my homepage I inform here regularly on the latest developments in Greece.

Asylum Procedure Code 

On Tuesday, the MEPs responsible for reforming the asylum procedure regulation met with the European Commission to discuss their simulation of the new rules. The presentation of their simulation raised more questions than it answered. Although evidence-based policy-making has been our demand as a Parliament in the process of reforming the Common European Asylum System, we expect implementation and impact assessments of the old and new procedures, not fictitious figures simulated with fictitious staff in fictitious centres of the future. The Commission has admitted that it does not have the facts to realistically simulate the application of the rules proposed in the Pact. As we discussed this somewhat opaque simulation, it also became clear that there is no attempt to simulate how the fundamental freedoms and reception conditions of asylum seekers would be affected by the changes. Moreover, there is no data to simulate arrivals in countries like Germany and France, which seem to be the most defensive of the Commission's proposals. Probably mainly because they expect to have to take in fewer protection-seekers with the new pact. 

Belarus 

On June 02 Dzmitry Furmanau, for whom I took a prisoner sponsorship, was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a penal column. He is already detained for more than a year. Repeatedly he is transferred to solitary confinement without explanation. There he has to stand in his cell from morning until night. Overall, the conditions of detention in Belarus are catastrophic, as increasing reports of Torture, Suicide (attempts) and Dead prove. Therefore, the EU urgently needs to support political prisoners and democratic activists. Currently there are 472 political prisoners in Belarusian prisons. If you would like to support them, you can contact Politzek ...inspired.

Calendar week 21/2021 

Talk with Afghan MPs 

As a member of the Delegation for relations between Afghanistan and the EU, I took part in a meeting with the European External Action Service on Friday. The main topic was the security situation - also in view of the imminent withdrawal of NATO troops. You can watch the meeting here (my speech begins at 15:54:55). I also had a meeting with three members of the Afghan Parliament. This exchange also focused on the current security situation, the difficult negotiations with the Taliban and, above all, how we can facilitate closer cooperation. At the last donor conference in November 2020, the EU pledged €1.2 billion for Afghanistan, which is urgently needed. Unfortunately, not all the money is reaching its destination. Corruption is a major problem. This is where the Afghan Parliament can play an important role, if it can properly exercise its budgetary control functions. I have pledged my support in this.

Proposal for a new Pact on Migration and Asylum 

On Thursday, the Committee on Home Affairs invited to various panels on the Commission's proposal for a new pact on asylum and migration. Unfortunately, there are still relevant actors who see a Fortress Europe and externalisation of the EU's external borders and cooperation with dictators as the right concept for a common European asylum policy. I was shocked by the ignorance of the governments of Germany and France towards the states on the EU's external borders, which are to be expected to do even more with the pact than they already are. Moreover, we currently have a situation in which people and their rights at the external borders are being trampled underfoot on a daily basis. As the Pact currently stands, this would not change in the future either.You can watch the first part of the session at here and the second here Watch. 

Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri tries to cover up pushback scandal and ignores his own human rights commissioner  

Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri has been under pressure for months over his border guards' involvement in illegal pushbacks in the Aegean. Internal documents show: Frontex's own human rights officer spoke of "solid evidence" of pushbacks in the Aegean, but Frontex chief Leggeri may have simply ignored her. The Spiegel reports. 

Greek refugee camps are being walled up 

Under the keyword „modernization“ are just all refugee camps in Greece rebuilt. They are equipped as standard with three-metre-high fences, surveillance technology and personalised access cards. This practice clearly contradicts the EU Reception Directive. I have written to the EU Commission on this this written question sent. I would like to know whether the Commission is aware of these developments, whether it supports the construction of concrete walls to enclose Greek refugee camps and whether this construction work is in line with the EU's values and objectives. 

MEPs call for a full return to the borderless Schengen area

Since 2015, border controls between member states of the Schengen area have continued, even though the agreement is designed to abolish them. The Schengen Borders Code must be revised and the Commission should consider infringement procedures against states that continue to carry out controls. MEPs voted in favour of this by a clear majority in the European Parliament's Home Affairs Committee this week. Read more here. 

Civilian rescue at sea 

On Wednesday, I was invited to Sea-Eye to talk about sea rescue and the role of Frontex in the Mediterranean. The Sea-Eye 4 ended its mission last week, rescuing more than 400 people. People still have to die on the flight to Europe. The solutions are obvious: civilian rescue at sea could also be financed by the European Commission, as a study I commissioned shows. Study ...is the way it's done.

Belarus 

Following the forced landing of Ryanair flight 4978 and the kidnapping of Roman Protasevich by the Belarusian regime, I join other MEPs in calling for consequences. In this letter we call on Siemens to cease cooperation with the regime in Minsk. Specifically, Siemens is supporting Belarus by supplying materials for the construction of a nuclear power plant on its immediate border with the EU. In addition, European banks such as the Eurasian Development Bank and the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen are granting loans to the Belarusian state, which are being used to build the nuclear power plant.

Calendar week 20/2021

This week I gave a speech in Parliament on preventing sea rescue in the Mediterranean. There were also many important votes on asylum, migration and Corona patents, and a meeting of the Frontex investigation team.

My speech on European sea rescue in Parliament 

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to speak in the EU Parliament about sea rescue in the Mediterranean. I find it pathetic that EU states have decided that people in the Mediterranean should rather drown or be mistreated in Libya than reach Europe alive. You can find my entire speech on my Instagram. 

EU Parliament votes for TRIPS waiver 

The EU Parliament votes for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for Corona vaccines and medicines. Of the German parliamentary groups, the Greens, SPD and Left voted in favour. CDU/CSU, AfD and FDP voted against ensuring that people in poorer countries have sufficient access to necessary vaccines and medicines. Unfortunately, the German government and the EU Commission are also against the plan to temporarily suspend property rights. The voting behaviour of the German delegates can be seen here. Here you will find more information about the TRIPS waiver in general and the positioning of the USA and the EU. Here you can listen to individual speeches from the debate.

EU Parliament calls for respect of human rights in cooperation with third countries 

In the externalisation of EU migration policy, responsibility is increasingly being shifted to third countries, with the result, among other things, that people find it more difficult to seek protection in the EU. This week, the European Parliament adopted a report by my group colleague, Tineke Strik, which calls for respect for human rights to be made the focus of all agreements with third countries. This report provides the first operational framework for ensuring effective protection and safeguards throughout the migration policy cycle and across all EU actors and bodies, as well as for enhanced parliamentary scrutiny and democratic oversight. Find out more at Twitter at Tineke Strik.  

Parliament votes for more legal access to the EU 

With a clear majority of 495 votes in favour and 163 against, the European Parliament has voted in favour of more legal opportunities for labour migration to the EU. The EU Commission is thus called upon to create more legal opportunities for access to the EU and also a talent pool. More on the vote you can find out on Twitter from my group colleague Damian Boeselager. 

Commission replies to my question on the situation of shelters on the Greek islands 

On 12 March, I sent the Commission a question to find out what specific plans were being made to improve the situation on the Greek islands. The answer states that the accommodation has improved since the fire in Moria. However, even eight months after the fire, the residents do not notice much of this. The situation is far from being humane and from meeting EU standards. The Commission writes: "The Greek authorities have confirmed that the residents of the new centre will be able to enter and leave the camp as they wish". At the moment, people are not allowed to move freely and are locked up. The Commission claims here that this will be different in the new camps, but the Greek government continues to speak publicly of closed campswhich are to be built there. Here the Greek Government seems to be making different promises to the public than to the Commission. You can find the request and the answer on my homepage. 

Frontex investigation team 

Today, at the sixth meeting of the Frontex Inquiry Group, we spoke to the EU Ombudsman and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, both of whom have raised concerns about the situation at the EU's external borders. You can check out the session here. The week before, we spoke to journalists from Lighthouse Report and Spiegel in the Home Affairs Committee to discuss their investigation into Frontex's role in systematic human rights abuses at the EU's external borders. They told us about their complex investigative methods that resulted in data clearly showing that the agency knows about pushbacks due to the positioning of its operations. In addition, the panellists described cases where Frontex boats themselves were involved in illegal pushback activities. You can find this session here. 

IDAHOBIT

On the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Interphobia on May 17, the LGBTI Intergroup of the European Parliament, of which I am a member, organised an event on the rights of LGBTI people in the EU. Civil society representatives were invited from Poland, Hungary and Latvia, where the situation is increasingly deteriorating. You can check out the event here. In Germany, too, in 2020 782 hate crimes against LGBTI persons were registered. This corresponds to an increase of 36% compared to the previous year. 

Calendar week 18/2021

…Until everyone is safe

On 5 May, the US agreed to suspend patent rights on COVID-19 vaccines, which is an important signal, because we can only tackle this pandemic together. Pressure must now be exerted on the Commission to reconsider its position. Therefore, together with 155 other MEPs, I signed a letter to the Commission urging it to actively support the temporary suspension of vaccine ownership rights. 

If you also want to put pressure on the EU, you can support the European Citizens' Initiative No profit on pandemic Support. 

Police violence in Colombia

Since the end of April, people in Colombia have been on strike against a planned tax reform by President Ivan Duque, as well as against increasing poverty and violence. Since then, the police has been acting with extreme brutality against demonstrators, numerous people have been murdered and disappeared. Every two days, a human rights activist or politician is murdered in Colombia; since 2016, this has affected over 1,000 activists. In a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, I join other MEPs in condemning police violence in Colombia. We are committed to the EU's efforts to ensure that the peace treaty is respected. 

News from Moria

On Lesvos, the Kara Tepe camp was closed, although the conditions there were relatively good. People were moved to the new Moria camp called Mavrovouni. Midwife Julia Falkner is on site for Doctors Without Borders and reports on the catastrophic conditions.  

Why also the new proposal of the Commission will not prevent a new Moria, you can read on my blog.

Hundreds of people rescued from distress at sea

Civilian sea rescue organisations have rescued more than 600 refugees in the Mediterranean within a few days. The ship Ocean Viking of the organization SOS Méditerranée brought 236 refugees to Sicily on Saturday. In the last few days, Sea Watch has rescued another 456 people. 

Mayor calls for European sea rescue programme

The mayor of Palermo calls for a civilian European sea rescue programme in the Mediterranean. European cities, NGOs and aid organisations could work together with the support of the European Union. In June he organises the solidarity congress ‚From the sea to the city‘ together with the mayor of Potsdam. 

A study I commissioned shows..: The EU can finance sea rescue. The Commission could provide financial support to non-governmental organisations to set up a civilian European Maritime Rescue Mission. This does not require the consent of the Member States.

Calendar week 17/2021

This week, my work was once again heavily influenced by Frontex. There have been new revelations about Frontex's involvement in illegal pullbacks to Libya and we are also drafting concepts in the Frontex investigation group to be able to hold the agency accountable for misconduct and breaches of the law in the future.

Frontex provides information to 'Libyan Coast Guard' for deadly interceptions

Frontex sends information on sea rescue cases in the Mediterranean via WhatsApp groups and emails directly to the "Libyan Coast Guard". Until now, Frontex also claimed to the European Parliament that they only inform sea rescue control centres about sea rescue cases. This was their justification for not giving coordinates to surrounding ships that could ensure the fastest possible rescue. You can read the research here read in the mirror. A summary and my commentary on the illegal actions of Frontex can be found at here on my homepage.

Frontex investigation team

This week, we spoke with two legal experts about Frontex's duties and responsibilities. Melanie Fink made concrete proposals to improve transparency and the complaints mechanism at Frontex. She also reiterated: Pushbacks are always illegal and have no basis in the rule of law. However, there is still no answer to the question of how Frontex can be brought before a court for violating people's fundamental rights. It is a fundamental flaw in the construction of Frontex that the agency and its head can currently hardly be held accountable for their misdeeds. We must find ways to change that. You can watch the session again here.

Europe in Saxony-Anhalt

On Wednesday, we did an online event on the topics of climate, flight and trade in Saxony-Anhalt. Besides me, the MEPs Ska Keller and Anna Cavazzini, the Minister of the Environment of Saxony-Anhalt Claudia Dalbert and the chairwoman of Toll e.V Juliana Gombe were there. You can check out the event here.

The digital green certificate is accepted

(DE) This week in plenary, we adopted the 'digital green certificate', in other words the EU Covid certificate. The aim of the certificate is to find a uniform EU regulation for border crossings and to reduce the current bureaucratic hurdles, which mainly affect commuters. For us Greens, the very important issues of data protection, the offer of free testing facilities and the principle of non-discrimination in order to avoid a de facto compulsory vaccination were able to be pushed through, so that I voted in favour of the report. Here you can listen to the debate and individual speeches.

Criminalisation of activists

In the friendship group on migration we exchanged views with Helena Maleno from. She worked in Morocco for the rights of refugees until she was recently deported to Spain. She blames the EU, Spain and Morocco for her expulsion. She is not the only activist to be persecuted for her human rights work. She gained access to files about the case against her. Frontex explicitly collected information about her and asked refugees about her as if she were a human trafficker.

Calendar week 16/2021 

Frontex investigation team 

On Friday, a meeting of the Frontex Investigation Group took place in the European Parliament. I asked questions about the legality of the EU-Turkey deal, the obligation to rescue at sea and the right to leave. Under EU law, asylum seekers must receive an individual assessment of their case after being given a chance to ask for international protection. Non-refoulement, the prohibition of being sent back to a place that puts one's life and dignity in danger, is prohibited. So is the collective expulsion of people who are on the move to seek protection. There is no way around these obligations, either for EU Member States or Frontex. This group will hold further hearings and examine documents to investigate the extent of the agency's complicity in the systematic violations of fundamental rights at the EU's borders. 

The you can watch the whole session here. You can find my questions in the timeline at 10:26.47.

Margaritas Schinas as a guest in the Interior Committee of the European Parliament 

The subject of the meeting was the situation of vulnerable persons and persons with mental health problems in Greek reception centres. What I personally saw and experienced, and what the media and NGOs documented on the ground, was in complete contradiction to the arguments put forward by the Vice-President. The situation in the Greek hotspots is and has been inhumane, degrading and dangerous to the physical and mental health of the protection seekers housed there. The Vice-President also claimed in his remarks that the Pact's proposals would improve the situation. I believe these statements to be false and, as shadow rapporteur on the Asylum Procedures Regulation, I have to say that the proposed changes would make the hotspot approach the default mode for many protection seekers in the EU. I am sorry to say that it was a very disappointing conversation. 

The whole three-hour session you can watch here:

Reception stop for refugees from Greece 

103 refugees from Greece landed in Germany on Thursday. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has announced that it does not plan to take in any more refugees. Yet it would be important to continue taking people out of places like the new Moria. A You can find a report about this in the NDR. 

Development Committee 

Two meetings of the Committee on Development took place this week. On Monday, the rapporteurs presented their Draft on the implementation report on the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. Although good preparatory work has been done here with regard to the criticism of the European Parliament's lack of co-determination and supervisory rights, important elements are missing with regard to the implementation and objective of the instruments, here my speech on this (skip to 14:42:38). Together with my colleagues from the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, I will be tabling the relevant amendments next week.

On Thursday, the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, was a guest for the so-called „Strategic Dialogue“, a regular exchange between the Commission and Parliament. A wide variety of topics were addressed, but the global vaccination strategy remains at the forefront. Little progress has been made, especially our call for a temporary lifting of patent rights on vaccines and medical devices or therapies is still not being heard. Here you can listen to the session.

Greens in Treptow-Köpenick 

My district association Treptow-Köpenick has adopted the district election program at the district members' meeting on 17 April 2021. There was a lively participation of the members in the process. Over 50 amendments were proposed and discussed. The preliminary program can be found here: https://gruene-treptow-koepenick.de/bezirkswahlprogramm/

Iraq delegation 

In the Iraq delegation, we talked about Turkey's role in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Turkey is using the fight against the PKK as a pretext for aggressive operations throughout the region and is fighting Kurdish autonomy efforts in Turkey and its neighbouring states. It is likely to win the fight against them if no third party intervenes. It is also encroaching on Iraq's sovereignty and has established several military posts inside Iraq. Presumably, Turkey's role will soon be discussed in plenary.

Calendar week 15/2021 

Climate crisis as a cause of flight 

On Wednesday evening, I spoke together with Tina Prietz, direct candidate for the Bundestag election 2021 from Erlangen, about the topic „flight cause climate crisis“.

Climate change is already forcing many people to leave their homes, sometimes only for a short time, often within national borders. Some because their homes are flooded, others because their fields dry out and ecosystems are irreversibly damaged. Still others, the so-called trapped populations, lack the resources to escape their situation.

The World Bank expects 140 million climate refugees by 2050, assuming all other conditions remain the same. In 2008, the IOM already estimated the number of climate refugees in 2050 at up to 200 million. And even if global warming can be limited to "only" two degrees, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that there will be 280 million climate refugees by 2100. 

We must face these realities on an equal footing with the Global South and promote opportunities for adaptation to climate change and resilience building. Furthermore, we need a system - if possible on a global level - that takes into account environmental causes as a reason for flight. 

Unfortunately, it is not possible to listen to the conversation, but I can offer you the following Publication the Heinrich Böll Foundation and my Blog post on the causes of flight for more information.

How refugees in Greece receive money 

In order to support the protection seekers on the Greek islands, the UNHCR has set up a Cash Assistance Programme. Under this scheme, a fixed monthly amount is transferred to an account for the protection seekers, which they can then dispose of freely. In this contribution on my homepage I have summarized how EU funds directly reach refugees in Greece. 

Home Affairs Committee on Eurodac 

At Tuesday, the Interior Committee discussed the revision of the Eurodac negotiation. The proposal of the right-wing ECR provides for biometric and alphanumeric data to be linked and transmitted to Frontex, Europol and other agencies. Border and coast guards are also to have access to the data. It is planned to feed biometric data also of children into the database. The aim is to identify third-country nationals and, if necessary, to deport them promptly. The proposal is explicitly for the illegalisation of people rescued from distress at sea. Data protection and human rights for refugees play no role in the proposal. The Committee criticises the Commission for wanting to convert Eurodac into a statistical database in order to take repressive action against refugees. It is also problematic that the proposal builds on amendments to a proposal from the previous legislative period without prior agreement and that no proper parliamentary work and scrutiny was possible. 

Belarus delegation 

The meeting of the Belarus delegation on Wednesday focused on the situation of trade unionists and the Polish minority in Belarus. Solidarity was expressed with the trade unions in Belarus. Independent trade unions have a hard time and their members are often repressed for trade union activities. Activists are dismissed. Solidarity is forming against this and various programmes have been developed. For example, people in solidarity try to continue paying the wages of dismissed workers or organise food for them. 

Asylum Procedure Regulation 

This week, MEPs working on the reform of the Asylum Procedures Regulation met with experts from civil society and the European Commission. The situation in the Greek and Italian hotspots was discussed. 

I am always concerned about the huge gap between the rights of refugees and the reality on the ground. I want to make sure that the legislation is based on human rights and is also implemented as it is intended. At the moment, I have many questions about the amended Asylum Procedure Code and whether the ideas it contains would contribute to asylum procedures based on the rule of law. 

Croatian influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

(DE) On Wednesday, our working group on the Committee on Foreign Affairs dealt with Croatia's influence on Bosnia-Herzegovina. Unfortunately, the EU country Croatia is causing instability in Bosnia by beating back illegal refugees there and even crossing the border with armed forces to do so, thus violating Bosnia-Herzegovina's sovereignty. The conservative government systematically spreads lies about refugees and how to deal with them. But there is also good news. With Možemo! (We Can), a green-left party has been in the Croatian parliament since the last elections and won seven percent in the 2020 elections. 

Calendar week 13/2021

Tareq Alaows withdraws his candidacy for the Bundestag because of racist hostility

Tareq Alaows withdraws his candidacy for the Bundestag for the Greens because of racist hostility and the threat to his family. This makes not only sad, but angry. Tareq is from Damascus and fled to Germany six years ago. On Twitter, many people have set a sign for an open society and against racism under #SolidaritätmitTareq. You can read more about this in the Frankfurter Rundschau. 

Study shows: EU Commission may finance sea rescue operations

I have commissioned a studywhich examines which legal obligations and competences the European Union has in sea rescue. This also applies to EU military operations. In addition to the basic obligation to rescue people from distress at sea, the present study sets out in legal terms that it is within the EU's sphere of competence to take more far-reaching measures to rescue people at sea. Both causes of flight and flight itself constitute humanitarian emergencies that call for humanitarian support by the EU. The EU Commission can also support and finance civilian sea rescue organisations against the will of the Member States. In this text I briefly summarize the results of the study.

Conditions in the new Moria remain undignified

The people in the new Moria will probably have to spend another winter in tents. This has been foreseeable since last October, but apparently the EU Commission is now also aware of it. Nevertheless, an evacuation that could quickly end the suffering is not yet planned. The responsible EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson visits the camps on Lesbos and Samos.

The Moria Complex

In my podcast Dickes Brett I talk to researcher Maximilian Pichl about his study "the Moria complex", the establishment of the hot spot, the EU-Turkey agreement and, above all, who is responsible for these conditions. You can listen to our conversation here. 

Syria Conference

To mitigate the catastrophic consequences of the Syrian conflict, the international community is helping with 5.3 billion euros. Of this amount, 1.7 billion euros will come from Germany. The money is to be used to finance food, medical aid and schooling for children, among other things.

EU Commission takes Poland to the ECJ

The European Commission announced today that it will refer the Polish Government to the European Court of Justice. The reason is the Polish judicial reform, which undermines the independence of Polish judges. Our Greens/EFA Group has repeatedly called on the EU Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against the Polish Government for its numerous attacks on the independence of the judiciary. Here you can read the statement of Terry ReintkeTerry Reintke, shadow rapporteur for the Greens/EFA Group on the rule of law in Poland. 

Calendar week 12/2021

European Council negotiates new refugee deal with Turkey 

On Thursday and Friday the European Council in a video conference and negotiated, among other things, a continuation of the so-called EU-Turkey deal with Turkey. Nothing has been decided yet, but unfortunately the result threatens a new agreement aimed at sealing off the country instead of providing serious protection for refugees.

The Greens in the Bundestag are calling for an end to the EU-Turkey refugee agreement. In the motion of the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag it says: "With the agreement with Turkey, which is in essence contrary to asylum law, the EU has accepted that the responsibility to protect refugees lies solely with Turkey – a country which, with increasing human rights violations, is itself driving people to flee."  

I talked to Detector FM about it, what's wrong with this deal[ Door Closes ] And... in this text I have written down the background in more detail. 

Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament 

On Monday, the meeting took place in the Committee on Internal Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs with representatives of the Portuguese Presidency, the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

The reason for this is the approach that an overarching exchange is needed in order to solve migration issues in a sustainable manner. Here, the focus is on agreements with countries of origin in order to prevent irregular migration. Countries that do not want to take back illegalised people in the EU should be punished for this, e.g. with visa restrictions. MEPs called for independent monitoring mechanisms and criticised the EU's externalisation policy, which leads to human rights violations. Some MEPs urged that agreements with Turkey and Afghanistan should not be extended under any circumstances, but this was unfortunately unsuccessful. The Commission stands by the EU-Turkey deal, even after Turkey has withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention.

Afterwards, we exchanged views on the situation of refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia within the subcommittee on human rights. The European External Action Service is aware that efforts to date have not been sufficient. The Commission stated that the disastrous situation in December was not unexpected and that there had been similar problems years ago. The Danish Refugee Council said there were thousands of pushbacks and some chain rejections every month. Violence at the borders was systematic. Therefore, independent monitoring mechanisms were needed and the access and work of NGOs had to be restored. You can watch the session here

China imposes sanctions on EU politicians 

After the EU imposed sanctions on the Uighur minority in the Chinese province of Xinjiang due to human rights violations, the Chinese leadership reacted with a tit-for-tat response. On Monday, they announced sanctions against several people, including my group colleague Reinhard Bütikofer, who heads the EU Parliament's China delegation.Our group chair Ska Keller says in her this statement quite clearly, "We will not be intimidated by threats from autocracies." 

EU-Africa Strategy 

This week, the report on the EU-Africa strategy was voted on in plenary and adopted by a large majority. I also voted in favour of this text, which is particularly important in view of the 6th EU-AU Summit and the so-called 'post-Cotonou agreement' (partnership agreement between the ACP countries and the EU). It builds on the Commission Communication “ Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa“ of March 2020, which argues for a stronger partnership of equals around the following key issues: Green Turnaround and Access to Energy; Digital Transformation; Sustainable Growth and Jobs; Peace, Security, Good Governance and Resilience; and Migration and Mobility. The parliamentary report takes up these themes and also looks at them from the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the text had to make some compromises in the area of migration, we Greens were able to achieve a good result on gender, health, water and sanitation, trade, regional integration, agro-ecology and indigenous peoples through relevant motions at committee level. You will find the final report here find.

Protests in Belarus 

A meeting of the friendship groups for a democratic Belarus took place. Groups from various parliaments and people from the Belarusian opposition exchanged views here on ways of supporting the democratic movement in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues to wait for the 4th sanctions list against supporters of the regime and calls for the prosecution of crimes by the regime at the international level. People on the ground report that the repression is not abating and is even getting worse. They call for swift responses to violence perpetrated by the regime. Another way in which the EU can support the Belarusian opposition is through visa facilitation and scholarship programmes. Support for political prisoners is also important. Ihar Bancer has now been released from prison and has ended his dry hunger strike. Dzmitry Furmanau, for whom I sponsored a prisoner, is unfortunately still imprisoned. He has since ended his hunger strike, following a slight improvement in prison conditions. For the release of the political prisoners in Belarus you can here sign. 

Calendar week 11/2021

Pioneers of Change Online Conference 

Speakers at Pioneers of Change this week include Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammed Yunus and Fridays For Future activist Franziska Wessel. I also gave a presentation on the benefits of democracy in the EU. The conference will run until 23.03 and you can register for the register here for free and listen to the lectures. 

Five years of the EU-Turkey deal 

The EU-Turkey deal was agreed five years ago. Time was bought at great cost and not used. The result was undignified mass camps like Moria and a dependence on Erdogan. Now a new version of the deal is being negotiated. In this text I have written down the background in more detail. 

Frontex investigation team 

On Monday, the Frontex investigation team, of which I am a member, met again. This time we asked the members of the Frontex management board about their internal investigations. According to the investigations, Frontex did almost everything right, except in one case, but they could not or would not name it specifically. In view of the many proven and well-researched cases, it is surprising what a good report Frontex gives itself in its internal investigations. 

The whole meeting you can see here.  

Report of the Frontex Management Boards 

The Frontex Management Board has also published a preliminary report, which their read here can. Unfortunately, it is very obvious that this is not an independent report, but that the management board is trying to make Frontex look as good as possible. This goes so far as to simply adopt the reports of the Greek coastguard, according to which people on the Aegean simply voluntarily head back towards Turkey as soon as they see a Greek coastguard vessel. The report does not address fundamental rights violations, but nevertheless attempts to justify such fundamental rights violations on a legalistic level. It is not surprising that Frontex wants to present itself well after internal investigations, but the statements in this report are simply absurd and show that, unfortunately, there is no interest whatsoever in clarification. 

Meeting of EU interior ministers 

The interior ministers of the EU states met on Monday to discuss the issues of flight and migration. They came no closer to a humane and common European refugee policy. The only thing they can all agree on is more intensive cooperation with third countries. In concrete terms: more isolation. 

You can watch the press conference after the meeting watch here. 

Vote on the future financing instrument for development cooperation

On Thursday, a joint meeting of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed the adoption of the new „Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe“ voted. One day earlier, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper II) had already given its approval for the Council. With a broad majority, the text will now go to plenary, probably in June or July, and will then be implemented as soon as possible. An overview can be found her here. 

Calendar week 10/2021

The good news of this plenary week is that the entire EU has been declared an LGBTIQ zone. The bad news is that my three fellow MEPs from Catalonia have been stripped of their political immunity.

EU becomes LGBTIQ zone

EU becomes LGBTIQ zone The European Parliament decided this week to declare the EU an LGBTIQ zone. It is an important response to the homophobic LGBT-free zones in Poland and all the reactionaries and right-wingers in Europe who work against equality and the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, trans and intersex people.. In this video of our group it explains again why this is important.

Lifting of immunity for deputies from Catalonia

Unfortunately, the European Parliament also voted this week to lift the immunity of the three MEPs Carles Puigdemont, Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí. Not only the conservative and right-wing groups in Parliament voted in favour of this, but also the social democrats. I think it is a great pity and wrong that my colleague and my two colleagues from Catalonia have been stripped of their immunity for obvious political reasons. They were democratically elected and a democratic solution should also be found to the Catalonia issue. The Süddeutsche Zeitung also reported on the case.

Situation in Syria

Ten years ago, on 15 March 2011, the first demonstration against the political regime in Damascus took place, following the hope of the Arab Spring for democratic change. Unfortunately, instead of democracy came war. Over 500,000 people died, millions were displaced. 

At the end of March, the EU will host the fifth Brussels Conference in support of the future of Syria and the region. In this context, this plenary week there was a Pronunciation with High Representative Joseph Borrell, in addition, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 10 years of conflict in Syria.The COVID-19 crisis has further aggravated the situation. One of our core demands was the return of European children and women from the camps (Al-Hol and Roj) in north-east Syria, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we were able to push this through with an amendment.

Situation in Greece

Six months after Europe's largest refugee camp, Moria, burnt down and many promises were made that the situation would now improve, excuses continue to be sought for not complying with minimum standards and for covering up human rights violations. The European asylum policy is a policy of empty promises. The EU Commission has promised the opposite, but the temporary undignified camp on Lesbos will almost certainly still be there next winter.

Many people point out that the new asylum pact must be implemented first, but the proposal will perpetuate the problems and a decision is not to be expected this year. Waiting for the pact before helping people is like stopping playing football in the Bundesliga because you don't like the pitch yet. In Germany alone, several federal states and more than 230 municipalities want to take in more refugees. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer must end his blockade and allow them to rescue refugees from the new Moria. "In a Written question to the Commission I am seeking answers as to why the situation remains as it is. I have also in this video a brief summary of the situation.

Calendar week 09/2021

This week, Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri and EU Commissioner Ylva Johannsson were guests in the Frontex Investigation Group and I dealt intensively with the amendments to the European Asylum Procedures Regulation, on which no quick agreement is currently in sight.

Frontex investigation team

On Thursday, the first proper meeting of the Frontex investigation team took place in the European Parliament. We questioned Frontex head Fabrice Leggeri and Commissioner Ylva Johansson. Leggeri claimed that the agency had not committed any human rights violations, according to its internal investigation. Despite his testimony, he did not address the question of whether the footage and media evidence was fabricated or whether the acts listed were not illegal. We will continue our meetings to discuss with civil society, experts, journalists, member states and EU institutions before publishing our findings and recommendations. We have also successfully lobbied for the meeting to be held in public. Here you can watch the session

Criminal proceedings against Greece

I call for criminal proceedings against Greece because the government systematically violates the rights of refugees, does not comply with standards in camps and criminalises anyone who points this out or defames them with campaigns of lies. T-Online reports. Besides, I've got in this text on my blog summarizes why it is so difficult for victims to sue when their human rights are violated.

Asylum Procedure Regulation

This week was also about the amended Asylum Procedures Regulation, which is being discussed in Parliament and the Council so that both co-legislators can form their respective opinions before negotiating with each other. The German Ministry of the Interior wants compulsory procedures at the external borders because this would shift responsibility to the states at the external borders. Apart from the serious human rights concerns arising from the nature of border procedures, practical issues also divide Member States into groups with opposing views. Even if the Commission tries to focus exclusively on its reform proposals in the Pact, it could be years before negotiations are concluded. Therefore, in addition to our legislative work, we must ensure that the rules, as they currently stand, are fully respected in order to protect the right to seek asylum in the EU in safe and dignified circumstances.

The role of women in the Afghan peace process

On Friday, I organised a briefing with the Heinrich Böll Foundation on the role of women in the Afghan peace process. We were able to win two important guests for the input. Dr. Soraya Rahim Sobhrang is an Afghan women's rights activist and has been the director of Medica Afghanistan since December 2020. Fawzia Koofi is an Afghan politician, author and member of the negotiating team around the peace talks in Doha. 

We are witnessing a wave of violence and attacks in Afghanistan targeting journalists, human rights defenders, civil society representatives and civil servants, which has claimed the lives of 1,200 civilians in 2020, an increase of 45 % compared to 2019. Just this week, we learned of the killing of three young female media workers in Jalalabad who were gunned down on their way back from work. These recurring attacks serve to intimidate and create a climate of fear and run counter to the aspiration for a peaceful and democratically organised state, which many Afghan women are fighting for.

In the course of the exchange, it became clear what a difficult task the negotiating team on the part of the Afghan Government is facing, not only with regard to achieving a ceasefire, but also with regard to the concrete implementation of women's rights. Even though the talks are an internal Afghan process, allies, including the EU, are needed to build up pressure and make it clear that women's rights as universal rights must be a fundamental part of a new Afghan constitution.More on the role of women in peace processes and 20 years of UN Resolution 1325 can be found here. here.

Legal migration to the EU

Blue Card, Visa, Labour Migration, Family Reunion, Relocation and Resettlement: On my blog you will now find an overview of legal migration possibilities to the EU. You can read about the possibilities of legal entry and what we Greens are calling for in order to facilitate this. here read up.

Calendar week 08/2021

This week, the Frontex working group, which was set up on the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group, met for the first time. There were also meetings of my two committees, the European Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs and the Committee on Development.

First meeting of the Frontex investigation team

The European Parliament's Frontex investigation group began its work on Tuesday. The working group of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will investigate the scandals surrounding the European border management agency Frontex. The inquiry group was set up on the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group. I am one of 14 MEPs in the inquiry group, and unfortunately we have every reason to believe that human rights are now being systematically violated at the external borders and that Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri and EU states are lying to the public and parliaments. You can find a report with further information on tagesschau.de.

Corona vaccines must become accessible to all people worldwide

Together with 114 other Members of the European Parliament, I have this week this letter to the Commission and the Council. We are calling on them to lobby the World Health Organisation to ensure that the patents are also made available to countries in the global south so that they can produce vaccines for their own populations.

Meeting of the Migration Group of the Home Affairs Committee

On Thursday, we discussed the new migration and asylum package with the representative of the Portuguese Presidency, Mário Pedro Magalhães, in the group working group on migration of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Here we exchanged views on the Council's position on issues such as external border procedures and instruments under the package. Portugal stands for a more progressive migration policy, so we hope to make progress towards a more humane asylum policy during the six months of the Portuguese Presidency.

Development Committee

The Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, was invited to the Committee on Development on Thursday. The topics discussed included his recent visit to Afghanistan, the humanitarian crises in the Tigray region, the use of funds for humanitarian aid, but above all all all the areas of responsibility in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Humanitarian Airlift and the global supply of vaccines. 

There is one point in particular that I will take away from this discussion: Commissioner Lenarčič also confirms that the security situation in Afghanistan is currently at a low point compared to the last two decades. Calling for an immediate ceasefire and increasing funding for humanitarian aid in the region is right and important. Why the EU is working on a new repatriation agreement with Afghanistan at the same time is beyond me. listen to it here.

Mashreq delegation

On Thursday, the Mashreq delegation met. Here, current results of a Opinion poll in Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco and Lebanon. The result was that a clear majority is very concerned about COVID-19. In all countries, women* have suffered more from the pandemic. Corona has ensured that the basic needs of many people are no longer secured and a majority are afraid of losing their jobs this year. The results were particularly serious in Lebanon, where almost all respondents feared losing their income.

Calendar week 07/2021

Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On Friday evening, I was a guest at a discussion of the state working group of the Greens in Saxony on the Balkan route. In preparation, I have also this homepage contribution written by explaining where the nearly €90 million that the EU has provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina for the care of refugees and for migration management in general has gone. 

Lead exposure in the new Moria 

According to Human Rights Watch, the Greek government is downplaying the risk of lead poisoning at the new Moria. The camp was built on a former shooting range. So apparently, on top of the many risks, there is also the risk of lead poisoning. Read more at Human Rights Watch. With other deputies I have already on 23 December submitted a written question on the subject to the CommissionUnfortunately, we have still not received a reply, even though the Commission is supposed to reply within six weeks. 

Climate Escape 

On Thursday, I attended an event organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation to present a recent publication called „Climate Justice and Migration – Mobility, Development, and Displacement in the Global South“. As the global climate crisis advances, more and more questions about related mobility are emerging. There is as yet no international legal framework that provides protection for people who have to leave their homes due to climate change. In my speech, I looked at the issue from an EU perspective and formulated a number of recommendations for action, such as increased financial support for projects aimed at helping populations affected by climate change to build resilience, but also changes to the legal framework. Ultimately, however, it should be noted that without genuine political will, little will be achieved. You can also download the publication free of charge or order it as a book here.

Right to abortion in Poland

On October 22, 2020, the Polish Constitutional Court, composed of illegally appointed judges, declared abortion for fetal malformations unconstitutional. This politically motivated decision represents yet another attack on the rule of law in Poland. The ruling results in a near total ban on abortion, as 97.6 % of legal abortions in Poland in 2019 were performed for fetal malformation. To this end, we have MEPs from the Greens/EFA group a question to the Commission posed. In iIn its reply, the Commission saidthat it is up to the Member States to determine health policy. Therefore, unfortunately, we do not expect the Commission to take any prompt action on the right to abortion in Poland.

Mediterranean Delegation

On Wednesday, I attended the parliamentary delegation meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Here, the Secretary-General of the UfM spoke and welcomed the current EU Presidency of the UfM. The EU's core objective is to combat the climate crisis. Climatic changes must be combated, as the Mediterranean region is warming faster than the rest of the world and harbours a large part of the world's biodiversity. At the same time, this is where the greatest extinction of species is occurring. In addition to climate change, pollution, fishing and tourism are also major threats to Mediterranean nature.

Calendar week 06/2021

This week, the EU Parliament voted in favour of my report on procedures at the EU's external borders and a right to repair for citizens. My work was also dominated by discussions on Frontex and with the Belarusian opposition, as well as the humanitarian emergencies in Yemen and Tigray.

Parliament votes in favour of my report on border procedures

The European Parliament has voted by a large majority in favour of my implementation report on procedures at the EU's external borders. This is a clear signal from Parliament for respect for the rule of law and human dignity in the asylum system. I am very pleased that I was able to push this position through as rapporteur.Further information to the report you can find here.

Parliament votes for right to repair

Parliament also voted in favour of a report on the circular economy action plan, on which my party colleague Anna Cavazzini has been working. It is about the right to repair, so that people can use products for longer instead of having to throw them away or replace them. That is consumer and environmentally friendly. MEPs from the Greens, Left and SPD all voted in favour of the report. The AfD, CDU/CSU and FDP MEPs all voted against. In this video it is explained again exactly, where problems currently lie and how we envisage a circular economy in the future.

Interviews on accusations against Frontex

I have given several interviews this week about the accusations against Frontex and my work, including for Time Online, Frontal 21 and Watson.

Opposition members in Belarus continue to be detained

In November I took over a sponsorship for Dzmitry Furmanau, who was arrested in May 2020 during an election rally for Tsikhanouskaya. He is accused of organising mass unrest and is one of over 200 political prisoners in Belarus and, like many of them, is currently facing trial. In a friendly meeting with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a cross-party and informal group discussed measures to support the democracy movement. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the people of Belarus are waiting for action from the EU and that any initiative would be helpful. Specifically, they are calling for an up-to-date sanctions list and new elections in Belarus.

Impact of Brexit on flight, migration and development cooperation

On my homepage I have written reports on how the Brexit affects the issues I focus on in Parliament. Since 01.01.21, the freedom of movement between the EU and the UK has been severely restricted and they are now considered as respective third countries. Here you will learn, why this is a problem especially for asylum seekers and their families. In addition, Boris Johnson's government has announced that it will drastically reduce the UK's budget for development cooperation. You can read more about it here in my text.

Resolution on the war in Yemen

In response to the recent debate on the situation in Yemen in the Committee on Development, I, together with a number of other Members, secured a resolution on this issue, which was adopted by a large majority on Thursday. In order to fundamentally improve the humanitarian situation, better access for aid deliveries and more funds alone are not enough. The security situation must urgently improve and the country must return to peace. This can also be influenced by the Member States. In view of the repeated violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, the European Parliament calls in the resolution, among other things, for an EU-wide ban on arms exports to parties involved in the conflict, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Member States are called upon to urgently stop arms deliveries in order not to further fuel the conflict. You can read my speech on Yemen here listen up.

Humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region

Ethiopia has also been in a humanitarian crisis since the outbreak of the conflict over the Tigray region four months ago. Aid organisations have only very difficult access to the areas, the situation is very unclear and the violation of human rights is on the agenda. In particular, the alleged involvement of Eritrean soldiers in the fighting needs urgent clarification. While the EU has been withholding funds to the Ethiopian Government since December, Member States, including Germany, continue to cooperate. If the EU wants to play a strong foreign policy role, joint action is urgently needed here. Here you will find the link to my speech on the current situation.

Calendar week 05/2021

This week I have again been involved with Frontex and will in future be part of a working group of the Parliament's Home Affairs Committee. I also gave a green assessment of the Brexit for the European asylum system and also conducted longer interviews, which you can read and listen to.

European Parliament Home Affairs Committee sets up Frontex monitoring group

Together with Tineke Strik from the Dutch GroenLinks, I have been sent by our group to be part of the working group on Frontex. We will start our work by examining the role of the agency in the pushbacks, about which the mirror and other media reported at the end of last year. In order to enable the group to work efficiently, but also to ensure transparency, there will be monthly reporting to the Home Affairs Committee, as well as cooperation with the working group on Schengen, which monitors the EU's internal and external borders. 

Info on the accusations against Frontex can be found here.

A green assessment of Brexit

On Thursday evening, the German Greens in the European Parliament in a webinar, an assessment of the Brexit delivered. I also gave a short presentation on the consequences of Brexit for the issues of flight and migration. Since 01.01.21 the EU and Great Britain are considered as respective third countries. Thus, EU citizens are no longer preferred, for example, in the allocation of jobs. An agreement Protects the rights of people with EU or UK citizenship who already live, work or study in the UK or EU. A new, Points-based migration system regulates labour migration to the UK from now on, with professional specialisation being decisive for the granting of residence permits. The UK's withdrawal from the Dublin Agreement and lack of alternative agreements are particularly problematic for unaccompanied minor refugees, who now have limited hope of family reunification with relatives living in the UK. 

My district association Treptow-Köpenick nominates candidates for the election of the House of Representatives

In my Berlin district association Treptow-Köpenick the votes for the state list of the Berlin Greens for the election to the House of Representatives were awarded this week. I am pleased that with Cathrin Wahlen and Jacob Zellmer two committed people from the district association were nominated and wish them every success for the further application.

Talk with NDR Redezeit 

On Thursday evening, I was a guest on NDR's Talk Time, where I spoke about the plight of refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina and on the Greek islands. You can listen to the conversation here.

Interview with Krautreporter

I did a long interview with Krautreporter, in which it is very fundamentally about what a more humane asylum policy in Europe fails. You can read the long interview here.

Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR) 

This week, the Portuguese Presidency has held several meetings with Parliament. We MEPs who are working on the amended Asylum Procedures Regulation (APR) were able to discuss the progress and timetable envisaged by the Council with the chairman of the Council's asylum working group.

It is a very important sign from the Council that they are also examining the Commission's proposals, which contain several difficult and legally problematic changes to the APR. The proposal of compulsory border procedures at the EU's external borders divides the Member States. Some want to keep the procedures, others see it as dumping the challenges on the Member States at the external borders. 

Calendar week 04/2021

(DE) Mr President, this week, I have once again been intensively involved with Frontex and the current situation in Greece. It is a great success that, at our request, a body of the European Parliament is now looking into the allegations against Frontex.

European Parliament investigates Frontex development in pushbacks

A Frontex working group of the Home Affairs Committee will investigate the scandals surrounding the European border management agency Frontex, MEPs on the committee agreed today. The working group will look into allegations of illegal "pushbacks" against refugees.

We have been calling for this for months. It is an important step on the road to the rule of law at the European external borders. The serious allegations of human rights violations at the EU's external borders must be clarified. The extensive evidence of illegal activities by state actors has shown that pushbacks at the external borders are not an isolated incident. It is important that the European Parliament and the EU Commission also investigate and sanction breaches of the law by Member States. Furthermore, mechanisms need to be developed to re-establish independent human rights monitoring at the borders.

Frontex and national authorities like the Federal Police are not above the law. The many officers on duty also deserve to no longer receive unlawful instructions and to be allowed to speak openly about violations of the law.

Frontex stops work at Hungarian border

Frontex is ceasing its activities in Hungary because the agency would risk engaging in lawbreaking there. However, they want to remain active in Greece, where Frontex has been proven to have broken the law. More background on the decision can be found in the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Hearing on the situation of protection seekers on the Greek islands

On Wednesday the head of the EU Commission task force Beate Gminder was a guest in the interior committee. She gave an overview of the situation of the camps on the Greek islands and the planning of new structures. Spyros-Vlad Oikonomou from the Greek Council of Refugees was invited as a representative of those seeking protection. While the Commission and the Greek government spoke of having made a lot of progress, Oikonomou stressed that this progress had in no way contributed to an improvement in living conditions. The health, psychological and also legal situation of the protection seekers is worse than before. The „progress“ of the Commission consists in the transfer of recognized protection seekers to Athens, where they are driven into homelessness. At the same time, living conditions in all camps continue to be inhumane. Unfortunately, the Commission continues to evade MEPs' questions. Also this week's Answer received to my question to the Commission is insufficient. A Summary of the committee meeting can be found here.

Freedom of the press in Iraq

As a member of the Iraq delegation. wrote a letter to the Kurdish prime minister of the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, Masrour Barzani. He had called for the release of freelance journalist Sherwan Sherwani. The latter disappeared in October last year and has been in custody ever since, where, according to Reporters Without Borders, he was forced to confess under torture.

Humanitarian situation in Yemen

The humanitarian situation in Yemen was discussed in the Committee on Development this week. Yemen is now in the sixth year of civil war and, despite numerous warnings from humanitarian actors, is heading for one of the worst famines ever known. The health system is overburdened and the COVID-19 outbreak is making the situation even worse. The international donor community, including the EU, is falling far short of set funding schemes, with money not getting to where it is needed. One of Donald Trump's latest official acts, putting the Huthi on the US terror list, further complicates aid delivery. The suspicion arises that EU funds only flow quickly and reliably when many people from a region try to flee to Europe. And because almost no one from Yemen makes it to Europe, the issue unfortunately doesn't seem to be a priority for everyone.

Until a solution to the conflict is in sight, every effort must be made to avoid a famine and to support the civilian population as best as possible. Here you can watch the debate in the Development Committee.

Calendar week 03/2021

In the first plenary week of the year, I gave a speech on the situation of refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina and also wrote an overview of how the current situation came about. We also voted against Nord Stream 2 and are working on a global vaccination strategy.

My speech in Parliament

In my speech, I drew attention to the EU's complicity in the untenable conditions for refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina. EU governments and the European Commission must not continue to shrug off the humanitarian disaster at the EU's external borders. We must help those who are experiencing a cold winter on the Bosnian border in terrible, dangerous conditions; we must help those who are experiencing the same situation in the Greek hotspots. Having discussed this issue time and time again in the European Parliament, we now need to see action. We Greens/EFA call for a committee of inquiry to investigate the human rights violations, to put an end to illegal practices and to clarify the involvement of the EU border agency Frontex and national authorities.

Current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

I have written in this text on my homepage an overview of how it is on the serious situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina could come about. The Bosnian authorities share responsibility for this, but it is mainly the fault of the Commission and the Member States. It must be borne in mind that most of the people who are suffering have been in the EU before, and the EU cannot therefore simply shrug off responsibility.

Plenary debate on the global vaccination strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic

There is broad agreement that the common, solidarity-based European approach to vaccine procurement was and is the right one. The development of effective and safe vaccines in less than a year is a major achievement and an important step towards combating the pandemic. The German go-it-alone approach to securing additional vaccine doses has been - rightly – viewed very critically. Another problem is the lack of transparency and disclosure of the contracts concluded between the EU Commission and pharmaceutical companies. Referring to secrecy clauses here undermines the important control function of the European Parliament.

I am also concerned with the question of how to ensure that vaccination campaigns can also start on time in countries of the global south. Relying on the functioning of the COVAX facility to do this is not thinking far enough, in my opinion. Only an additional temporary lifting of patent rights – as called for in the campaign led by South Africa and India – can grant sufficient and cost-effective production of enough vaccine doses for all in a timely manner. Unfortunately, this effort is currently being blocked by the US and the EU. My goal in the coming weeks is to work with my colleagues in the Green Group to take this issue to a higher level and hopefully get the ball rolling. I will publish a more detailed blog entry about it here soon. In the meantime, you are welcome to watch the plenary debate here listen and find here a very good explanation of the idea of suspending patent rights, produced by Doctors Without Borders.

Vote on Nord Stream 2

The EU Parliament joined with a large majority in our demand for a construction stop for Nord Stream 2. The German MEPs in our group are the only ones to vote unanimously against Nord Stream 2.

Many MEPs from the Union and SPD voted in favour of Nord Stream 2, even though their groups in the European Parliament were also against it. This is also a great success for my colleague Sergei Lagondinsky, who negotiated the immediate stop into the parliamentary bill.

Dozens killed in boat accident off Libya

People are still dying at Europe's borders. This week, too, there was another shipwreck off the coast of the town of Zuwara, in north-west Libya. It claimed the lives of 43 people.

Calendar week 02/2021

I have been particularly busy this week with my report on asylum procedures at the EU's external borders, my committees and the global distribution of vaccines. The situation of refugees in Bosnia and Greece is also currently absolutely unacceptable and must be improved quickly.

My report on asylum procedures at the EU's external borders

At the first meeting of the Home Affairs Committee this year, a broad majority my own-initiative report on the implementation of asylum procedures at the EU's external borders adopted. This ability to compromise on the part of Parliament leads me to look forward to good cooperation in future negotiations on the dossiers. of the Asylum and Migration Pact hope.

Schengen and human rights at the EU's external borders

This week marked the start of strategic thinking around the reform of the Schengen rules and the evaluation mechanism. Border controls at the Schengen internal borders are a problem because they should not actually exist. But so are the numerous, systemic, and serious human rights violations at the EU's external borders. I will advocate that any evaluation of Schengen should also include an evaluation of the activities of the Member States at the external borders and that Parliament should exert pressure on the Commission to take action against such serious human rights violations.

Situation in Lebanon and Northern Syria

On Thursday, the Committee on Development discussed, among other things, the humanitarian situation in Syria and Lebanon. The combination of the economic crisis, political instability and the lack of government, the Corona pandemic and the effects of the explosion in Beirut port have led to a worrying situation in Lebanon. Lebanon has hosted the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, and their care is becoming increasingly difficult due to the current situation. The additional aid funds recently announced by the Commission are therefore urgently needed.

The situation of the two million internally displaced persons in northern Syria has also deteriorated further with the onset of winter, and the corona pandemic has not stopped there either. Humanitarian aid is very difficult, as access to the border regions is in part impossible and aid supplies cannot therefore be delivered. Here, too, the EU is called upon to exert pressure so that the aid can reach the people. You can watch the session here.

For a solidary distribution of the vaccine worldwide

Together with other Members, I have co-signed a letter to the Commission and the Council calling for a solidarity-based distribution of vaccines worldwide and, in this context, also pointing out the EU's responsibility towards economically less strong regions. For we can only overcome this pandemic if we combat the virus globally.. You can find the letter on the homepage of my group colleague Reinhard Bütikofer.  

Situation in Greece and Bosnia worsens

The situation in the camps at the Greek external borders is getting worse and worse. This week the new camp on Lesbos was once again flooded by heavy rains. In the middle of the week, a winter storm passed over the island and, with winds of up to 80 km/h, caused individual tents and a whole series of toilet containers to be knocked over. Contrary to the assurances of the Greek authorities and the European Commission, there are no facilities to protect people from the wind or heavy rain. In the camp, which is located on an unprotected headland, there are around 7200 people seeking protection.

In Bosnia, 2000 people are trying not to freeze to death in the snow and cold in the forest. The burnt-down Lipa camp is considered uninhabitable despite new tents – and the municipalities are blocking aid. All attempts by the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to build new camps failed due to the resistance of the municipalities.

Calendar week 51/2020

This week I have been intensively involved with the situation on Lesbos, where the camp was completely under water. The German Presidency, in particular Horst Seehofer, have shown that they have achieved nothing in terms of a common European refugee policy and the ECJ ruled that Hungary's asylum rules violate EU law.

Interview with Die Zeit on Lesbos

On Tuesday I met with Ulrich Ladurner from the time about whether the photos from Lesbos are actually wanted and what Greece and the EU want to achieve with these photos. You can read the whole conversation read here.

Meeting with Human Rights Watch on the situation in Lesbos

I attended a meeting with Human Rights Watch on Monday. It was about a report about the risk of lead poisoning in the new Moria. The location on a former military training ground entails great risks for people's health. It is important to get the people out of this camp and to accommodate them in a humane way and in accordance with EU law.

EU Council of Interior Ministers

The interior ministers of the EU states met on Monday, to discuss the Commission's proposal for a European migration and asylum pact. The German Council Presidency's strategy has failed. It wanted to force a European solution by demanding that the suffering at the external borders only be eliminated by European consensus. Now we continue to have suffering, chaos and violence against those seeking protection, but still no solution. If you want to reach the finish line at some point, you can't always wait for those chaining themselves at the starting point. Especially if you've been waiting for over 5 years. All Horst Seehofer has to show for EU asylum policy, is a progress report without progress. The member states continue to disagree on key points. The German Council Presidency has made no progress towards a common European asylum system. Instead, we are facing another winter of unheated tents and illegal violence by the authorities against those seeking protection. In order to put an end to these undignified conditions, we don't need a new pact, but rather the enforcement of EU law. It needs member states to step forward and show that we won't let protection seekers freeze to death or be put down in Europe because we haven't yet found consensus in warm offices."

ECJ ruling: Hungarian asylum rules violate EU law

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has declared the actions of Viktor Orbán's right-wing nationalist government illegal. There should be no deportations without a case-by-case examination, according to the ruling from Luxembourg. In an interview with the RND I said: „Some EU states have set up a system of disenfranchisement and mistreatment of protection seekers under the guise of border protection. Countries like Greece and Croatia must finally feel the pressure of the EU Commission. If the EU is not indifferent to human rights, then it needs infringement proceedings by the Commission and also a German government that no longer glosses over the chaos at the external borders;

Boundary procedure

This week in Parliament, we finalised an important own-initiative report on the implementation of border procedures in the context of the Asylum Procedures Directive. The text highlights the difficulties that asylum seekers face when they enter a border procedure, where their fundamental and procedural rights are often violated. It is good to see that despite differing political views on asylum and migration, MEPs can respect the EU's core human rights principles and find a compromise by applying an evidence-based approach to their decision-making. In preparation for the upcoming negotiations on the Asylum and Migration Pact, the recently concluded European Parliament implementation reports, including mine on border procedures, will help in formulating our negotiating positions on upholding the fundamental right to asylum.

Calendar week 50/2020

(DE) Mr President, this week, we are all pleased that we have a result in the dispute over the rule of law mechanism, even if we are not entirely satisfied with the compromise. On the other hand, I have a success to report on the AMIF, the financial instrument in the EU through which funds are allocated for asylum, migration and integration.

Agreement on rule of law mechanism

After months of the governments in Poland and Hungary blackmailing the EU because they would not accept a rule of law mechanism, an agreement has now been reached. This is important for the economic recovery after this tough Corona year 2020. The agreement is a last-second compromise that includes a rule of law mechanism that is not perfect but is a start, especially in the fight against corruption. We regret that the EU will have to wait for the ruling of the European Court of Justice before imposing sanctions and that the rule of law mechanism will not apply as early as next year, while violations of the rule of law continue. The European Parliament was united behind a stronger rule of law mechanism, while the Council, led by Germany and Angela Merkel, was opposed. You can find more information on the topic on the homepage of my party friend Ska Keller.

AMIF

Thanks to the compromising mood of the Council and Parliament, this week was the last round of negotiations on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the next budget. AMIF is an important financial instrument because the funds are used to provide concrete assistance to refugees. The Greens have been campaigning for the funds to be allocated directly to regional and local authorities involved in integration, and it is a success for us that this allocation has made it into the final text. We are also pleased that the Member States are obliged to allocate at least 15 % of their national programmes to legal migration and integration and to the implementation of the Common European Asylum System. In this way, countries that are less concerned about hospitality must also play their part if they are to benefit from EU funds. The third victory for us is the 20 % target linked to solidarity. This ensures that the Commission has a vested interest in motivating Member States to commit to resettlement places so that they can meet the target. All in all, we are quite satisfied with the political agreement.

Funds for Afghanistan

This week, the World Bank reported to the Afghanistan delegation in the EP on how Afghanistan is developing. Two weeks earlier, the Geneva Donors' Conference on Afghanistan took place. The Geneva Donors' Conference on Afghanistan was an important event where the international community, including the EU and Member States, came together to pledge financial support to Afghanistan for the next four years.

While the World Bank's assessment is largely positive, the donor countries have raised particular concerns about the stalled peace process, corruption and increasing poverty and violence. Over the next few weeks, we will be looking more closely at where EU funds are going, how they are being used and how the flow of money can be made more transparent. At the Afghanistan conference, pledges of USD 12-13 billion were made for the period 2021-24. The result represents a drop of up to 20 percent from the 15.2 billion pledged four years ago for 2017-20 and is well below UNDP projections for the country's needs. In addition, some countries, including the United States as the largest donor, have not made their pledges for the entire four-year period.

Post-Cotonou Negotiations

This week, the post-Cotonou negotiations were on the agenda: this is the successor agreement to the Cotonou Agreement, which has been in force since 2003, between 79 ACP countries and the EU, which regulated fundamental cooperation in various areas such as the economy and trade, but also development cooperation. After more than two years of negotiations, an agreement was finally reached on 2 December, and on Wednesday an exchange took place with the EU Commissioner for Development Cooperation, Jutta Urpilainen, who was sitting at the negotiating table on behalf of the EU.So far, we do not have a final version of the new agreement from Parliament, which still has to be confirmed by Parliament before it can actually enter into force. In my view, three crucial points will be important: the wording on migration and, in this context, readmission agreements and conditionality, the compromises reached on the subject of sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) and the future parliamentary formulation.

Calendar week 49/2020

Hearing of the head of Frontex in the European Parliament

On Tuesday, Fabrice Leggeri was invited to the European Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs, of which I am also a member. We were expecting some answers to questions about the involvement of his border agency, Frontex, in serious human rights violations. Unfortunately, Mr Leggeri preferred to beat about the bush, deflect and not answer most of our questions. Leggeri only received positive feedback from right-wing MPs, who described his actions as „heroic“. The MEPs of democratic parties were visibly disappointed by the behaviour of the head of Frontex at the hearing. He lied about one of the pushback executions.... My group and I are now calling for a committee of inquiry to be set up in the European Parliament. You can watch the whole hearing here ...look at it. You can find my question if you set 14:37:10 in the timeline.

Interview with RBB-Inforadio on human rights violations at the external borders

People are abandoned at sea, stolen from and abused. And people are hibernating in camps in unheated tents. These illegal and serious human rights violations by the Member States, but also by Frontex, must stop immediately. I talked about that with the RBB-Inforadio.

Letter to CDU chairman Holger Stahlknecht

The MEPs Anna Cavazzini and Ska Keller and I jointly have a European office in Magdeburg, which means that we are also responsible for communicating European values in Saxony-Anhalt. Unfortunately, the CDU chairman Holger Stahlknecht seems to lack political education, otherwise I cannot explain that he wanted to dissolve a democratic government because of the broadcasting fees in order to make common cause with fascists. As a service-oriented member of parliament, I have therefore sent him a Basic Law and I really hope that he will also read it.

How could it get so far that someone was elected chairman of the CDU who would dissolve a democratic government because of broadcasting fees in order to make common cause with fascists? I'm at a loss, first send him a basic law. #Steeljack pic.twitter.com/sTO2xRCT68

— Erik Marquardt (@ErikMarquardt) December 4, 2020

Deputy medical officer accuses AfD city councillor of discrimination

In my constituency of Treptow-Köpenick, the deputy chief medical officer... Denis Hedeler accuses his employer, AfD city councillor Bernd Geschanowski, of discrimination. Denis Hedeler comes from Cuba, is black and married to a man. He has cared for refugees for years and was active for Doctors Without Borders. He now wants to sue because he feels discriminated against on racist grounds. I had a long conversation with him and will continue to follow the case.

Calendar week 48/2020

This week, I have been dealing a lot with money. It is about how the EU will allocate funds in future in the areas of asylum and migration and also in development cooperation. Unfortunately, however, the right-wing populist governments in Poland and Hungary continue to block the future EU budget because they have no desire to abide by the rules of the rule of law.

Frontex involved in human rights violations

Frontex claims to have no information on illegal pushbacks. Internal documents now prove otherwise. It looks like the EU agency is covering up human rights abuses by lying. Next Tuesday the head of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, will be in the EU Parliament and must face our questions. But it would fall short to attack him alone. It is obvious that the violations of the law at the external borders of EU states – including Germany – have been covered up.

The European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

The so-called AMIF is the EU's main financial instrument in the areas of asylum, migration and integration. A major negotiating success this week is that solidarity is retained as an objective of the fund. At present, it is still being discussed how much money from this fund can be used in third countries. I am in favour of these monies being spent within the EU. Unfortunately, it also happens time and again that the fund is misused or that the allocation of funds is not sufficiently controlled. For example, Croatia has received over €108 million from this fund since 2017, which is used to pay for border protection and many border officials. Nevertheless, serious human rights violations occur systematically and regularly at the border.

Right to abortion in Poland

The illegitimate Polish Constitutional Court declared abortions de facto unconstitutional and thus illegal. For us, it is clear that the right to sexual self-determination is non-negotiable. A clear majority of the parliament passed a resolution clearly condemning this action. More on this topic can be found on the Homepage of my party friend Terry Reintke, who is shadow rapporteur for the report on the rule of law in Poland.

Hungary and Poland block EU budget

The governments in Poland and Hungary continue to block the EU budget and the much-needed Corona recovery funds. This is somewhat absurd because the two countries are the largest net recipients in the EU and at the same time very badly affected by the corona pandemic. The right-wing populists in Budapest and Warsaw are upset about a rule of law mechanism that is to be linked to the allocation of funds in future. But Orbán and Morawiecki don't want that because it would interfere with them further eroding the rule of law. You can read more on this topic at the Homepage of my party friend Rasmus Andresen.

Report on the allocation of funds in development cooperation

With a total of 74.4 billion in 2018 the EU and the member states are by far the largest donors in international development cooperation. They account for 57% of the world's funds. The European Parliament draws up a report on the use of the funds and, in my group, I am the person responsible for this report. What is particularly controversial here is the question of whether the issues of development cooperation and migration should be mixed up. My group and I are opposed to tying the allocation of funds to political demands such as the prevention of migration. The money should be allocated according to development policy criteria and not according to which state is prepared to pay money to prevent migration and flight. Actually, we had found a good compromise on this issue in Parliament – even with the conservative EPP. Unfortunately, the EPP torpedoed our work and weakened Parliament's position by voting together with right-wing populist and extreme right-wing parties to tie the money to the prevention of migration and flight in the future as well. Particularly at a time when parties like the CDU and CSU are stressing that they have nothing to do with the AfD, it is a great pity that they seem to prefer working with right-wing populists in Brussels on many issues rather than with democrats.

Calendar week 47/2020

This week I have been working intensively on systematic human rights violations at the EU's external borders and on a report on asylum procedures at the external borders. I also hope that the lawsuit brought by the Land of Berlin against Horst Seehofer will be successful.

The state of Berlin sues the Federal Ministry of the Interior

The state of Berlin is suing the Federal Ministry of the Interior so that Berlin can finally take in refugees. The lawsuit is promising. You can find more info about this in the Press release of the Berlin state government. I also have a Expert opinion on the land survey which proves that Seehofer is not allowed to refuse his consent for the admission so easily.

Serious human rights violations at the Croatian external border

Systematic and brutal violence at the Croatian external EU border has been documented for over three years. So far, the Croatian government denies that these illegal pushbacks are taking place at all. Now Der Spiegel publishes a video that proves the practice beyond doubt. A comprehensive Video analysis is available on Youtube. I have tagesschau.de on the subject gave a short interview and prepared a question to the Commission, which more than two dozen MEPs from four different political groups, Greens, Left, Socialists and Liberals, will table jointly.

My report on asylum procedures at EU external borders

I have the lead adopted for a report on the application of border procedures in the Member States. The report evaluates how border procedures under Article 43 of the Asylum Procedures Directive are implemented in the Member States. We Greens had suggested the report so that Parliament would have an evidence-based basis for the negotiations on the Pact. My report makes it clear that border procedures are highly problematic and therefore recommends that they should not be used. We are now in compromise negotiations with the other groups on a common position. An important scientific basis for this report is this very readable study by the EP's scientific service on the implementation of border procedures in the Member States.

Anti-torture committee raises allegations against Greece

Poor conditions in camps, inhumane treatment, illegal refoulement: The Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee makes strong accusations against Greece. I have commented on the systematic and coordinated pushbacks by the Greek authorities... a parliamentary question submitted to the Commission. The Commission replied that „it is primarily the national authorities who are responsible for the proper transposition and application of EU law“. The Commission is not fulfilling its role as guardian of the Treaties. Moreover, the Commission continues to speak of pushbacks in the subjunctive – as if these were not already sufficient and proven by serious investigative journalists.

Conference on Migration and Flight

On Thursday I was an active participant in a conference in which we discussed the future of European migration and refugee policy. Among the participants were the President of the European Parliament David Maria Sassoli, the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble. In addition, the responsible Commissioner Ylva Johansson and the German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. I spoke there about the clear deficiencies in the implementation of border procedures, about which I also I wrote a report. The mayors of Lampedusa and Mytilini also criticised that the new pact would not bring an end to the mass camps on the islands and at the external borders.

NDICI Trilogy

On Friday, I was at the NDICI trialogue. Trialogue means that Parliament, the Council and the Commission talk and negotiate with each other. NDICI stands for Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument. A great deal of money is at stake here. Specifically around € 71.8 billion for the coming years. My focus in these negotiations is on ensuring that funds for development cooperation are allocated according to development policy criteria. Unfortunately, there has been a tendency for years to link the distribution of funds with migration management. One could also say that states get money for preventing migration and flight. Parliament tends to be on my side on the issues, but the Member States tend not to be. No agreement has been reached here yet.

Calendar week 43/2020

The pandemic situation did not allow this plenary week to take place in Strasbourg, so it took place again, largely digitally, in Brussels.Two of the priorities of our Greens/EFA Group were the Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and Gender justice in foreign and security policy. Other positions and focal points of our Group can be found here.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Agricultural subsidies make up the largest item in the EU budget at almost €387 billion, but CAP reforms are incompatible with the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategyand the Greens/EFA Group called on Parliament to reject the proposal. Despite urgent messages from Luisa Neubauer and Greta Thunberg and various civil society voices, a coalition of liberals, social democrats/socialists and conservatives voted with a two-thirds majority in favour of the reforms, thus initiating a change that is completely out of step with necessary steps to avert climate catastrophe. Thus, 60% of the budget is still barely tied to conditions and only 30% of the direct payment budget is tied to woolly "eco-schemes" instead of formulating clear environmental conditions. 

Moreover, the votes were accompanied by gross procedural blunders, so that many MEPs did not have the relevant voting documents in translation until the morning of the vote. All that remains now is to hope that the European Commission follows through on its promise of the Green Deal and overturns the CAP reforms. 

For a clear and passionate classification I recommend the speech of the Green MP Martin Häusling.

Gender justice in foreign and security policy

Parliament voted in favour of a resolution on gender equality in foreign and security policy. This calls for an intersectional and feminist approach to EU foreign policy. For example, the resolution dictates the goal of filling 50% management positions in the European External Action Service with women, as well as the final ratification of the Istanbul Convention in all EU member states. These goals are based primarily on the under-representation of women in such leading bodies, which leads to a perpetual cycle of violence against women and minorities. 

In this explanatory video Hannah Neumann the background of the resolution and in this Video you'll find her speech on the matter in plenary.