Today we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which is a key instrument in the fight against global species extinction. As co-negotiator of the European Parliament's position, this anniversary is particularly close to my heart. CITES has played a decisive role in ensuring that elephants, tigers and many other...
Today I received a group of visitors from the ÖDP Baden-Württemberg in the European Parliament in Brussels. 🇪🇺 It was a great pleasure for me to report on my work as an MEP and to talk to the group about my priorities in the European Parliament. The exchange was open,...
Yesterday evening I was in Munich for the ceremonial establishment of the Maria Opitz-Döllinger Foundation - the new party-affiliated foundation of the ÖDP. 🌱 43 years after the party was founded, this is a significant step: for more political education, democratic participation and long-term commitment to the common good, the ecological...
Manuela Ripa (ÖDP/EPP, Member of the European Parliament's Education and Culture Committee), Member of the European Parliament for Saarland, comments on today's decision by the Saarland state parliament to ban cell phones in elementary school: "This decision is a long overdue step in the right direction. It would have made even more sense to ban cell phones from secondary...
What is the status of the Mercosur agreement? Will it come into force? One thing is clear: the consequences will not only affect South America, but also us in Europe. In a panel discussion with Prof. Dr. Andrioli and MEP Martin Häusling, I talk about the effects on the climate, environment, agriculture, animal welfare and...
ENVI rapporteur Ripa: "Put a stop to animal factories and unscrupulous profiteers!" Sick, malnourished, mistreated, far too young animals - the illegal pet trade is causing appalling abuses in Europe. The trail of suffering often runs through several countries. In 2023, the EU Commission therefore presented the draft regulation "Welfare of dogs...
The European Parliament has voted by a large majority in favor of the report on combating the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. This is an important step in the fight against sexual violence. The new directive replaces the Framework Decision of 2004 and brings European law into line with...
As a Saarland native living in the border region, I know what it means to be part of a united Europe. Schengen stands for freedom, for open exchange, for the unification of a continent long defined by borders. It makes Europe tangible in everyday life – uncomplicated, close, and self-evident. But this...
Next week it gets serious: the vote on the report on the welfare of dogs and cats is due in Strasbourg. 🐶🐱 As rapporteur for the Environment Committee, I have drafted a strong opinion with clear demands: to effectively combat the illegal puppy trade, to ban torture breeding and...
A recent leak suggests that the LIFE program - the central EU funding instrument for environmental and climate protection - could be merged into the new European Competitiveness Fund in the future. This would also affect the sub-program for nature and biodiversity. Nothing is official yet, but the danger is real: instead of a budget...