The Green fights for Europe

The report assesses the 2009-2014 European Parliament term from a Green perspective, highlighting victories in energy efficiency, data protection, and fisheries, while critiquing the influence of fossil fuel and agro-industrial lobbies. It argues for a more democratic, social, and ecologically sustainable European Union to counter neoliberal austerity and conservative pushback.

• The Greens secured a provision requiring all new buildings in Europe to be "Near Zero Energy" starting in 2021.
• The European Energy Efficiency Directive (EEED) established a framework to reduce primary energy consumption across the EU, requiring Member States to create building registers and renovation action plans.
• The European Parliament rejected the Commission's 2030 Climate-Energy Package proposal in February 2014, calling instead for a 30% renewable target and a binding 40% energy efficiency target.
• The Greens successfully pushed for a new Data Protection regulation that includes fines for non-compliance of up to €100 million or 5% of annual worldwide turnover.
• The European Parliament voted to ban overfishing and phase out the practice of discarding edible fish overboard, with a final vote of 502 in favor and 139 against.
• The Greens played a key role in establishing the Youth Guarantee at the EU level in 2009 to help young people maintain contact with the labor market.
• The European Parliament adopted a Roadmap against homophobia in February 2014, following a study showing that nearly two-thirds of LGBT people in the EU fear walking hand-in-hand in public.
• The ACTA agreement was rejected by the European Parliament following significant pressure from social movements and a petition signed by 2.5 million citizens.

APA

Green European Journal (2014). The Green fights for Europe. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GEJ_Vol8.pdf

Chicago

Green European Journal. The Green fights for Europe. 2014. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GEJ_Vol8.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green European Journal |title=The Green fights for Europe |date=May 2014 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GEJ_Vol8.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greeneuropeanjournal2014green, author = {{Green European Journal}}, title = {{The Green fights for Europe}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GEJ_Vol8.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }