Farmers in Germany have been protesting for days against the government's plans to abolish the exemption from vehicle tax and the tax concessions on agricultural diesel. Even though the announced cuts have since been partially reversed by the federal government, Manuela Ripa, MEP for the Ecological Democratic Party, understands the...
The European Commission's lack of a legislative initiative on animal welfare - and specifically on ending the caging of animals - now has consequences: The European Ombudsman has launched an inquiry to investigate failures by the Commission. In 2021, in response to the European Citizens' Initiative End...
Belgium takes over the EU Council Presidency in the new year! Alongside other key priorities, environmental protection is set to play a significant role in the work of the Belgian Council Presidency. Several legislative procedures that are part of the European Green Deal are to be completed by the end of the mandate. Among the key priorities...
Soil degradation in the EU costs billions every year! To be more precise, the EU Commission has estimated these costs at around 50 billion per year! This is huge but not surprising as about two thirds of the soils in Europe are in a poor state...
An eventful and challenging year comes to an end. But looking back, it is clear that our commitment to the protection of species, animals, consumers, the environment and democracy has paid off in 2023! As chief negotiator for detergents and cleaning products, I am committed to healthier, more environmentally friendly and more sustainable products that do not require animal testing. Animal welfare is a...
We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Time to recharge your batteries for 2024! That's when we will be taking up the important ecological issues at European level again, such as the protection of livelihoods, species protection, animal welfare, consumer protection and environmental protection. Until the end of the legislative period before the...
Good news before Christmas: Despite resistance, the EU Commission is sticking to its pesticide reduction strategy! Even if the agricultural industry and countries such as Poland and Hungary would prefer no regulation at all, the protection of health and nature comes first! I support the initiative and am pleased about the steadfastness...
Conservatives and liberals also in favor of EU-Mercosur under Milei: In a plenary session in the European Parliament last week, both conservatives and liberals voted in favor of a quick conclusion of the climate-damaging EU-Mercosur agreement. While the Social Democrats abstained, it was my Greens/EFA group and the Left that clearly rejected the agreement. In view of the...
MEP Manuela Ripa: "We must abolish the principle of unanimity in the Council "At the EU summit in Brussels this week, the European Union took the historic decision to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. As the Hungarian head of government, Orban, spoke out against this, the unanimity principle meant that...
The citizens of Europe have clearly spoken: More than 1.5 million support a fur-free Europe as part of a successful European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)! And what is the EU Commission doing? It simply wants to commission a study that will be published in 2025. So has...