EP priorities (full text below):

• UN climate talks and the EU position (environment committee vote, Tues.)
• Protecting endangered cod in the Baltic (fisheries committee vote, Tues.)
• Limiting airport noise pollution (transport committee vote, Tues.)

Other EU priorities:

• Car industry, CO2 emissions and common sense (EU Commission communication, Thurs.)
• Future EU budget 2014-20: preparing the MFF summit (finance ministers' council - EcoFin - Fri.)

Greens/EFA events:

• Greek crisis - Green solutions (external group meeting, Fri.)
• The food crisis and the role of agroecology (conference, Fri.)

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UN climate talks and the EU position

Tues. 6 Nov. - Environment committee vote

Ahead of this year's UN climate summit in Doha (COP18), the environment committee will adopt a resolution the EU's role. As with the climate talks in general, the EU's position in the negotiations has run to standstill. Despite the EU's 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target of 20% being outdated and lacking any ambition, there seems to be little prospect of any improvement. Moving to a more ambitious target of 30% would give momentum to the talks, as well as being good for the EU economy. Another outstanding issue in the talks, where the EU has also failed to evolve, is the question of surplus emissions allowances under the Kyoto protocol. These should be scrapped.

Protecting endangered cod in the Baltic

Tues. 6 Nov. - Fisheries committee vote

The EP's fisheries committee is set to vote on changes to the fisheries management plan for Baltic cod. While the Baltic cod stock has seen some limited recovery, it is still in a precarious position. The Greens believe stricter quotas still need to be applied - as the previous quotas were set far too high to allow the stocks to recover.

Limiting airport noise pollution

Tues. 6 Nov. - Transport committee vote

EU rules dealing with airports, including noise restrictions, will be voted on by the EP transport committee. The Greens are in favour of much greater transparency in the decision-making process for flight paths and mandatory consultation of local residents but are concerned the Commission's plans could threaten good regional practise for airport noise reduction in favour of more airport capacity. The group is also critical of the failure to align this legislation on 'operational restrictions' with the review of EU rules on 'ambient noise' or noise pollution.

Car industry, CO2 emissions and common sense  

Thurs. 8 Nov. - European Commission communication

The Commission is set to outline its proposals for the future of the car industry. The Greens believe the future of the car industry is in producing more efficient and less environmentally-damaging cars. Unfortunately, all too often, EU-level rules have rewarded industry laggards and incentivised the marketing of bigger, less efficient and more polluting cars. More fuel efficient vehicles, which produce less CO2 emissions, are in the interests of consumers and the environment. To this end, the forthcoming review of the EU's legislation on car emissions should ensure the 2020 fleet limits for cars are strengthened.

Future EU budget 2014-20: preparing the MFF summit

Fri. 9 Nov. - Finance ministers council (EcoFin)

With EU leaders to meet for a summit of the EU's multiannual financial framework for 2014-20 at the end of the month, finance ministers will meet to prepare the ground. The EP set out its red lines for the budget in October. The Greens believe the EU budget should be a key instrument for stimulating economic recovery, with more investment in research, education, green technologies, and the sustainable transformation of our energy sector. The Commission's proposals fail to reflect this ambition and must be increased. It is also high time to introduce a meaningful system of own resources for financing the EU budget to end the damaging annual haggling.  (see latest press release)

The food crisis and the role of agroecology

Fri. 9 Nov. - Public conference, Room JAN 2Q2, European Parliament, Brussels - 9.30-16.30

This conference aims to look at the role of agroecology in addressing the food crisis. (click for more information)

Greek crisis - Green solutions  

Fri. 9 Nov. - Greens/EFA external meeting - Athens, Greece

Ahead of a crucial meeting of EU finance ministers on Greece, the Greens/EFA group will host an external group meeting in Athens, setting out a Green response to the crisis. (click for more information)