The re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States on 5th November 2024 is a bad day for US citizens; Europe and the world face massive challenges. Unlike last time, the Republicans have won a majority of the votes and are preparing for a radical restructuring of the US government apparatus and a comprehensive government programme.

This time, with a majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives, like-minded right-wing judges on the Supreme Court and Trump in the White House, it will be much easier to put these plans into practice.

In the face of these growing challenges, we, as Greens and pro-European forces commit to the following actions:

1. Support Ukraine’s fight for democracy and sovereignty
   We will continue to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russia’s illegal war of aggression, ensuring that Europe provides not only military and financial assistance but also long-term support for Ukraine’s resilience, economic development, sustainable reconstruction and the rule of law. Where Trump challenges security cooperation, we will continue to build common security, starting with organised European military procurement and defining the next steps towards the pooling of capabilities by member states. The gradual pooling of capabilities by willing Member States under the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) can increase military capacity with less cost and discourage go-it-alone actions.

2. Promote peace and stability in the Middle East
   In light of Trump’s past policies that have destabilized the Middle East, we will work for a balanced and constructive EU foreign policy that promotes peace, supports civil society and democratic movements, and works to resolve conflicts through diplomacy.

3. Combat the far-right and defending democracy
   We will continue to oppose the rise of the far-right in Europe, which benefits from and supports Trump’s nationalist and authoritarian agenda. We will defend democratic institutions, promote transparency, and advocate for reforms that strengthen European unity and solidarity, ensuring that the EU remains a beacon of hope for democracy around the world. We will also work for more effective instruments to protect the rule of law at EU level. For example we advocate for a stricter application of budget conditionality and would like to lower the thresholds for the use of the Art. 7 mechanism.
   We make sure that no EU funds are paid to autocrats. To do this, the EU Commission must use the conditionality regulation, which involves the Council and the EU values conditionality, which it can trigger itself. If member states do not apply EU law, the Commission must sue them and ask the court to impose fines on those who do not apply rulings.

4. Reject protectionism and economic nationalism
   We oppose Trump’s protectionist policies and advocate for fair, rules-based international trade. In the face of Trump's proposals we will continue to work for a European industry that is resilient and much less dependent on authoritarian regimes. A European industrial policy for the climate-neutral transformation of the European industry is key to this.

5. Lead the global fight against climate change
   Trump’s climate denialism has delayed global progress on climate action. Europe must take the lead in the fight against climate change by setting ambitious carbon reduction targets, investing in green technologies, and supporting a just transition for workers and communities. We will also push for global agreements that address the climate crisis equitably and prevent further environmental degradation.

6. Defend the common good against a government takeover by the ultra-rich
   Trump funded his campaign by selling out the government out to Elon Musk and other ultra-rich people. We fight for the many, not the few, by demanding tax cooperation rather than tax competition. We invest in the common goods for all Europeans and fund it with EU taxes on windfall profits, the biggest polluters and a digital tax on big international digital companies.

7. Investing in a green, healthy and socially just future
   We strongly oppose a society where only the wealthy have influence and power is built on division. We want Europe to be a place of equal opportunities and social cohesion. Events such as the Corona pandemic, the Russia´s full-scale invasion in Ukraine and the resulting cost-of-living crisis have created economic insecurity and increased social inequalities. We will invest in affordable housing and reduce rents. We want to use the money from the Emission Trading System for renovations to reduce energy bills and invest in public transport to make mobility more affordable, including outside cities. We want to stop billions of public money being spent on fossil fuel subsidies and invest it instead in the green transition. We will increase EU resources through greater tax justice to work together for a healthier environment for us and future worth living for our children.

8. Standing up to bigotry, hate, and desinformation
   We reject the politics of fear, division, and hate promoted by Trump and the far-right promote. We will advocate for policies that foster tolerance, intercultural dialogue, women´s rights, an inclusive society and respect for diversity. We will continue to work for a world where the right to abortion is a reality and where everyone can be who they are and love who they want to. We will continue to work for a rules-based internet that fights hate and disinformation, not promotes it.

9. Global solidarity and resistance
   We will continue to build global alliances with progressive movements, particularly through the Global Greens network, to resist authoritarianism, support democracy, strive for social justice and promote sustainability. Europe must stand in solidarity with those fighting for human rights, democracy, and climate justice across the globe.

Trump’s re-election is a call to action: The forces of authoritarianism, nationalism, and climate denial are growing, but Europe has the power and responsibility to lead in defense of democracy, human rights, and a sustainable future. We will fight to ensure that Europe remains united, democratic, and resilient in the face of these challenges, offering a hopeful alternative to Trumpism and the far-right across the world.

The European Green Party (EGP) and its member parties are gravely concerned by the ongoing developments in the Middle East as an escalation regarding the situation in Palestine and Israel, that were already discussed in the resolution “The European Greens Stand for a Lasting End to Violence in Israel and Palestine” adopted in the EGP Congress of December 2023. Since the adoption of this position, our concern has increased in the light of the flagrant disregard of the ultranationalist far-right Israeli Government for the ICJ's ruling that Israel must halt its military operations in Rafah and Gaza on the grounds that such actions could lead to conditions conducive to genocide. In addition to this, the escalation of tension in the region has increased and expanded to neighbouring countries. We condemn the attacks of the terrorist group Hezbollah against Israeli civilians in the north of the country, as well as the interference of the Iranian regime that supports this group and their attack in central and Southern Israel. The operations implemented by the IDF in Lebanon that killed civilians, UN staff and medical workers constitute a disproportionate retaliation and are not aligned with international law. The Israeli attacks against the UN peacekeepers are also yet another turning point that should concern all international community and demand swift and clear action to put an end to the violence and work for a peaceful, lasting and fair resolution of the ongoing conflicts.

As European Greens we are united in diversity, and without reservation we consider it essential to take action to stop the crimes that we condemn with this resolution. In line with different views across Europe, some Member Parties of the EGP consider that the Palestinian people is being victim of genocide, and others consider that this statement needs to be ruled by an international court. This diversity does not prevent us from standing united to condemn all crimes and to call for a fair, just and lasting solution that includes the respect for the self-determination of the Palestinian and Jewish peoples and bring about peace and prosperity in the region.

This resolution is borne out of the recognition that the European Union (EU) and the governments of EU member states and other European countries bear a historical responsibility to do everything in their power to stop any genocidal developments in the world and to help work towards peace.

In light of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the European Green Party, through this resolution, adopts the following action-items and calls on the European Union, European nations, the U.S., international institutions, and the international community at large to take decisive, immediate actions to address the ongoing human rights violations and support the cessation of hostilities, including the following:

1. Immediate Ceasefire and Protection of Civilians

   • Demand an immediate end to the siege on Gaza and a permanent ceasefire across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Israel, Lebanon, and the Golan Heights, and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence by any party.

   • Secure the release of hostages held by Hamas;

   • Demand an immediate end to the arbitrary detention of all persons, most of whom are Palestinian, unlawfully held by Israeli authorities;

   • Ensure humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medical supplies, flows continuously to Gaza and other affected areas, prioritising civilian safety.

2. Human Rights and Accountability

   • Condemn all violations of international law, specifically violence against civilians, aid workers, medical staff, and a record number of UN staff, and any acts by Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah that constitute war crimes.

   • Urge the EU to support independent investigations into and prosecutions of these violations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of affiliation.

3. End to Occupation and Settlement Expansion

   • Recognize the unlawful nature of the Israeli occupation and settlements, as per the ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion, and call for the dismantling of Israeli settlements and the unlawful occupation in the OPT, which requires:

     1. The permanent halt of all Israeli military operations and settlements expansion;

     2. The deconstruction of Israel’s wall in and affecting the OPT;

     3. The evacuation of existing settlements, which the ICJ found to be detrimental to the local Palestinian population and a violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

   • Demand that Israel adhere to international resolutions and restore Palestinian lands, ensuring Palestinians’ right to self-determination, decolonisation, and sovereignty.

   • Condemn Israel’s systematic failure to prevent or punish settlers’ physical, psychological and verbal abuse, gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and acts of terrorism against Palestinians in violation of its obligations under Article 46 of Hague Regulations,Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and Articles 6 and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

4. Recognition of Rights and Equality

   • Recognize both Palestinians and Jews have rights to self-determination, which requires equal access to justice, civil rights, and protection from discrimination for all communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals.

   • Recognise that Palestinians’ right to self-determination requires decolonisation and includes their freedom to establish a sovereign Palestinian state.

   • Address the differential treatment under separate legal systems in the West Bank, as it contravenes international law and entrenches systemic inequality.

5. Ending Israel’s Genocide and Apartheid

   • Endorse the findings of international bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council and ICJ, recognizing Israel’s apartheid, in violation of Article 3 of the International Convention of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and call on the international community to prevent furthering or supporting Israel’s apartheid regime.

   • Hold states accountable for their international obligations to prevent and punish acts of apartheid.

   • Recognise that Israel's deliberate violence against Palestinians—including the systematic targeting of civilians, destruction of homes and infrastructure, dispossession of land, deprivation of essential resources like food, water, and medical care, and destruction of cultural heritage—which aims to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian population in the OPT constitutes a genocide, as defined by Article II of the UN Genocide Convention, in violation of Israel’s obligation erga omnes–which it owes to the international community as a whole.

   • Take all measures available to it to ensure accountability for the genocide of Palestinians.

   • Support South Africa's case against Israel at the ICJ and act in ways that align with all relevant international opinions and rulings.

   • Hold Israel accountable for failing to comply with the mandatory provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, including the immediate halt of its military offensive in the OPT.

6. Right of Return and Reparations

   • Ensure the realisation of Palestininans right of return at the earliest practicable date,, per ICJ’s July 2024 advisory opinion, and pay compensation to those choosing not to return, per UN Resolution 194.

   • Demand reparations for Palestinians who have lost land and property as a result of Israel’s occupation and wrongful acts since 1948, per UN Resolution 194 and principles of international law and equity.

7. Environmental Protections

   • Recognize the environmental damage caused by Israel’s military actions in the OPT, including over-extraction of resources, and destruction of Palestinian agricultural lands, which compound the humanitarian crisis.

8. International Solidarity and Anti-Discrimination Efforts

   • Denounce all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism and Islamophobia, and work actively to prevent hate speech and violence globally.

   • Strengthen political education on the conflict, promote intercultural youth exchanges, and increase funding to combat antisemitic and Islamophobic actions.

9. Divestment and Sanctions:

   • Impose economic sanctions on individuals, groups, or entities responsible for human rights abuses or supporting illegal activities, including genocide and settler violence, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

   • Divest from businesses complicit in aiding and abetting Israel’s illegal occupation, genocide, human rights abuses, or other violations of international law.

   • End all arms exports to Israel, as well as the purchase of Israeli weapons.

   • Suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement should Israel continue to violate international law without accountability.

10. International Cooperation and Peaceful Negotiations

    • Call on the international community to support an inclusive peace process that addresses root causes and respects the rights of all communities in the region.

    • Recognise that Israel’s recent military incursions, airstrikes, and cross-border activities infringe upon Lebanon’s territorial integrity, escalate regional tensions, undermine diplomatic efforts, and violate UN Security Council Resolution 1701 as well as Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.

    • Work to de-escalate regional tensions through diplomatic channels, especially those involving Lebanon, Syria, and other neighbouring states.

The European Green Party (EGP) and its member parties are gravely concerned by the ongoing developments in the Middle East and the escalating situation that was already addressed in the resolution “The European Greens Stand for a Lasting End to Violence in Israel and Palestine” adopted at the EGP Congress of December 2023 after October 7th and the subsequent explosion of violence calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Since then, our concern has increased in the light of the ultranationalist far-right Israeli government’s flagrant disregard of the ICJ’s ruling that Israel must halt its military operations in Rafah and Gaza on the grounds that such actions could lead to conditions conducive to genocide. The humanitarian situation has continued to worsen with catastrophic consequences. Meanwhile, Hamas has continued violence and to hold hostages, who must be released immediately and unconditionally.

Over the past year, the escalation has spread across the region. In Lebanon, the Israeli government must immediately cease military strikes, ground operations, and indiscriminate acts against civilians, UN staff and peacekeepers, medical workers and journalists that are not aligned with international law. Hezbollah and other militant groups must enact an immediate cessation of missile and drone strikes and indiscriminate acts against civilians. The escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border must cease so that the huge numbers of internally displaced people on both sides can return home. We condemn Iran’s attacks in April and October 2024 against Israel as well as Iran’s proxy policy in the region.

As European Greens, we are united in diversity and, without reservation, we consider it essential to take action to stop all violence and the crimes that we condemn with this resolution. It is borne out of the recognition that the EU and all European countries bear a historical responsibility to do everything in their power to prevent any genocidal developments in the world and help work towards peace. In line with different views across Europe, some Member Parties of the European Green Party consider the Palestinian people to be the victim of genocide, others consider that this statement needs to be ruled by an international court. This diversity does not prevent us from standing united in condemnation of all crimes and calling for a fair, just and lasting solution that includes the respect for the self-determination of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.

As European Greens, we advocate for a lasting peaceful two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders and in accordance with international law. With the election of Donald Trump in the United States, united and resolute European action to build peace is more urgent than ever.

Therefore, the European Green Party, adopts the following points so that decisive, immediate actions can address the ongoing human rights violations and support the cessation of hostilities:

The European Green Party calls on all parties to the conflict:

• Implement an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages immediately and unconditionally

• work towards a two-state-solution on the basis of the 1967 borders and in accordance with international law

• Abide by international treaties promoting peace and security, including the Geneva Convention and the 1951 Refugee Convention

• Negotiate a just solution for Palestinian refugees; right to return, while respecting the right to self-determination, with appropriate compensation for those who do not return

• Cooperate with all ICC arrest warrants

• Guarantee full human, civil, and political rights for all, regardless of religion or ethnicity. This means that Palestine must provide safeguards for Israelis, Israel must provide safeguards for Palestinians, and both must provide safeguards for other marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community

• Respect and promote a tolerant environment for the free practice of all religious denominations, including the physical integrity of and access to religious buildings and spaces

• Respect the freedom of opinion and expression for parliamentarians, journalists, artists and all other civilians and make sure that people are freely able to exercise these rights in a safe and respectful environment

The EGP calls upon the EU, member states and other European states to:

• Recognize the gravity of the ongoing breaches of international law and take action to prevent further breaches

• Condemn all violations of international law, specifically violence against civilians, aid workers, medical staff, and a record number of UN staff

• Call for accountability regarding the attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon

• Sustain humanitarian aid for Palestine by all means necessary and increase support for UNRWA to end the increasingly dire famine and health conditions affecting Palestinian people, especially and urgently after the Knesset’s vote to ban UNWRA

• Recognize the right of Palestinian and Israeli people to self-determination, while also reaffirming support for a solution that enables durable peace grounded in equality and human rights

• Recognize the state of Palestine as a step towards the two-state-solution and welcome it into the United Nations

• Impose targeted sanctions on Israeli, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian, and any other individuals or entities implicated in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or human right abuses. Such sanctions can include travel bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on financial transactions

• Ensure Israel abides by Article 2 of the EU-Israel association agreement, respecting human rights and democratic principles, and establish a pathway to terminate the agreement if deemed necessary over concerns for human rights and democratic principles

• Except for equipment and assistance related to missile defence, call for comprehensive EU arms embargo on Israel due to the overriding risk that arms will be used to commit serious human rights violations and crimes under international law in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. The EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on arms exports does not allow exports which could contribute to human rights abuses

• Increase funding for political education about the conflict, antisemitism, and anti-Muslim racism, and strengthen youth exchange programmes between Europeans, Israelis, and Palestinians

• Condemn antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes, in public and online

• Condemn the criminalisation and police violence against pro-Palestine protestors in Europe

Furthermore, we call upon the Israeli government to:

• Facilitate humanitarian aid and supplies into Palestine and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian actors

• Reverse its recent ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) whose role is crucial and irreplaceable in alleviating human suffering in Gaza and providing vital services to millions of Palestinian refugees

• End the sea and land blockade on Gaza immediately

• Cease illegal settlements and return land to rightful Palestinian owners in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions 242, 252, and 446

• Address the increase in settler violence and end the use of excessive force by the Israeli military in the West Bank, which have led to killings, injuries, displacement, and increased movement restrictions

• Withdraw its forces to internationally recognized Israeli territory

• Allow Palestinians and Israelis to move freely. Safety controls must not be used as a means of discrimination

• Immediately release all Palestinians arbitrarily detained, particularly minors

• Stop using administrative detention and ensure the right to a fair trial

Finally, we call upon the international community to:

• Do everything in its power to de-escalate the conflict and prevent its further spread and to supportindependent civil society in Israel and Palestine that work on peacebuilding

• Carry out full and independent investigations into all potential violations of international law

• Hold those who break international law accountable and support the work of the International Criminal Court

• Pressure all countries that are directly or indirectly involved, such as Israel, USA, Iran and Qatar to join the ICC

• Enforce warrants issued by the ICC. This must begin with the end to the active blocking of ICC jurisdiction by the UK and US Governments. At the same time, Qatar, which is used as a residence by some Hamas leaders to escape justice, must cooperate with the Court.

Conclusion

The European Green Party stands firm in its commitment to justice, peace, and the protection of human rights. We call for sustainable and long-term solutions to address the root causes of the situation, and we express our solidarity with all victims. The international community must act decisively to end the violence and support a just and lasting resolution.

On 9 October the below notifications have been shared via mail.

1. The EGP Committee proposes to the 39th EGP Congress in Dublin, to terminate the full membership of SMS Zeleni Evrope, Slovenia, in the EGP.

Please find the substantiating dossier for the proposal, including the Fact-Finding Mission report and the EGP Committee recommendation HERE.

This Committee proposal will be presented and discussed in Dublin. On Saturday morning, a session will be held where SMS and the Committee will present their views, with a Q&A. The voting session is on Sunday morning.

NEW:
On 7 December in the voting business session the Conciliation Panel shared their report on the complaint from SMS they received on 25 October.

2. We also received two requests for termination of membership:

• From the full member party LMP – Magyarország Zöld Pártja, find the notification letter from the EGP Committee HERE. The votes have not been allocated.

• From the associate member party (Yesil Sol Parti) DEM party, Turkey, find the notification letter from the EGP Committee HERE.

Pending the vote at Congress, these modifications are reflected in tracked changes in the updated Annex B with the membership list of the EGP.

The application for membership in the European Green Party of Zeleno-Levi Front / Green-Left Front (ZLF), Serbia was shared with you via mail on 23 October, and will be voted at the 39th EGP Congress, Dublin, 6-8 December.

Following the application procedure in the EGP Statutes (Articles 4.7 to 4.13), the EGP Committee held a Fact-Finding Mission and assembled the application file with the provided documentation.
- You can learn more about the candidate party ZLF in their application file HERE.
- The Committee report and recommendation can be found HERE.

At the Congress in Dublin, a plenary session is foreseen on Friday afternoon for the presentation of ZLF, where you will also have the opportunity for Q&A.

By the deadline of 6 November at 12:00 CET (noon), the EGP office received four valid candidacies for the election of three members to the EGP's Amendments Committee (AMC) - for a period of three years - election to be held at the 39th EGP Congress in Dublin, 6-8 December.

Please find the overview of the candidates (listed alphabetically) in the link below.

CANDIDACIES AMC

The presentation of the candidates will take place at the Dublin Congress on Friday 6 December in the afternoon, with opportunity for Q&A.

For your memory, the composition and the role of the AMC is explained in article 7 of the EGP Rule Book (on page 6).

Election procedure

More than 50% of the votes cast is needed:

- If one candidate gains more than 50% of the votes cast in the 1st round, the person is elected.

- Should no candidate gain more than 50% of the 1st round vote, a 2nd round will be run between the 2 highest scoring candidates. The candidate who receives more than 50% of the votes cast in the 2nd round is elected.

By the deadline of 23 October (23:59 CEST), the EGP office received valid candidacies for the election of the next EGP Committee for the people listed below in alphabetical order (on family name); election to be held at the 39th EGP Congress in Dublin, 6-8 December.

You can find the overview in the link below with click-through links to the respective candidacies (motivation, CV and video):

21 candidates!! + 1

The presentation of the candidates will take place at the Dublin Congress on Friday 6 December in the afternoon, with opportunity for Q&A.

In the EGP Statutes you can find the full texts on Committee composition, tasks & responsibilities in Article 6.4.

Election procedure:

• All posts will be voted on separately, in the following order:
  • Two Co-Chairs
  • Secretary General
  • Treasurer
  • Acknowledgement FYEG nominated member
  • Eight (8) further Committee Members

• Gender and diversity balance will have to be observed during the election. Geographical balance is recommended.

• More than 50% of the votes cast:
  • If one candidate gains more than 50% of the votes cast in the 1st round, the person is elected.
  • Should no candidate gain more than 50% of the 1st round vote, a 2nd round will be run between the 2 highest scoring candidates. The candidate who receives more than 50% of the votes cast in the 2nd round is elected.

In 2024, the European Greens ran on a message of courage. Because courage is exactly what our politics is about right now.

The world in 2024 is very different from 2019. The pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and deep democratic and social crises changed the world we live in. More than ever, we need ambitious answers that can meet the challenges of our times.

We fought the European election with our most far-reaching campaign ever, and we have not stopped since. Building up to the elections, we put more energy than ever before into expanding the Green family, seizing the green transition as a chance to build a more just society, and strengthening our alliances with movements and civil society.

The European election results were mixed for the Green family. Breakthroughs in many countries were tempered by major losses in others and rising far-right forces. But, looking beyond the numbers, the foundations for future green victories have been built. These advances are the starting points for the next five years:

• The Green family elected MEPs from more EU countries than ever before. The Greens are now far better represented in southern and eastern Europe, a development that strengthens and enriches us.

• Campaigning on a Green and Social Deal, we put forward our offer of a green transition based on social justice. Making the case that green policies improve lives and protect livelihoods can convince voters.

• While their gains are shocking, the far right is beatable. At the EU level, we exposed its agenda and applied the pressure necessary to keep Meloni’s far right of the majority. In the Nordics, the Netherlands and Italy, we bounced back and showed that Greens and progressives can win.

• We have strong allies across society. We built close ties with civil society, from green and social NGOs to trade unions and green businesses. During the campaign, they recognised our platform’s strength and strongly supported our priorities.

After the elections, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen achieved a majority with our support based on a clear promise to defend the EU European Green Deal and ensure a pro-European, democratic future for the EU. This promise must be upheld.

But the dangers of Conservative and far-right cooperation are growing. Part of the European People’s Party is already working hand in hand with the far right to roll back green and social legislation, gambling with human rights and endangering self-determination. They will enable impunity for authoritarians like Viktor Orbán, normalize Giorgia Meloni’s post-fascist government, and harden inhuman and failed migration policies. It is the same dangerous path that has brought the far right to power in several member states.

As Greens, our role in this mandate is to hold the political forces leading the European institutions to account and fight back against the right-wing drift. By taking responsibility in the election of the Commission president, we have shown ourselves ready to build bridges and compromise to realise our positive agenda.

Against the threat of far-right influence, we are prepared to support an alliance of the democratic centre but if and only if it can also advance our political priorities and deliver for people and planet. Throughout the mandate, we will fight for every opening to make progress on environmental protection, social justice and fundamental rights and democracy. Outside of the institutions, we will be building our movement at every level of power and in every European country.

Over the next five years, the key fights for the European Greens at all levels will be:

• Defending the European Green Deal and backing it with common European and national public investment that strengthens economic prosperity and protects our societies from the climate crisis

• Improving daily lives by strengthening green public services like social housing and public transport and European protections for social rights

• Standing up for fundamental rights and the rule of law wherever they are under threat: in the European Union, at our borders, and anywhere in the world

• Building long-term peace and security by welcoming new members and reforming the EU so it can take decisions effectively and become a credible international actor

Looking at the challenges ahead of us, we will need to fight more than ever for our green future. There is no ignoring the many crises European societies face. Many people are struggling to get by after hard years of the pandemic, energy crisis, and economic downturn. The severity of the climate and environmental crisis is unrelenting. 2024 has been the hottest year on record and this autumn has seen catastrophic flooding right across Europe, with an especially tragic loss of life in the Valencia region.

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, war returned to Europe, threatening freedom and security across the continent. There can be no turning our backs on Ukraine. It is fighting for freedom and its future lies in the European Union. As Greens, we support continued economic and military aid to Ukraine and future EU membership. Our assistance to Ukraine must enable a climate-resilient reconstruction, built on renewable energy, modern infrastructure, and a sustainable and inclusive economy. Our support to Ukraine must ensure its future prosperity and should take the form of grants not loans.

The explosion of violence in the Middle East is a further reminder of the horror of war, the fragility of the international system and the need for the European Union to step up in world politics. After the re-election of Donald Trump, we stand in solidarity with everyone in the United States and globally threatened by his authoritarian agenda. In a world of fear, the European Union must become a beacon of hope and move forward towards more unity, ambition and alliances with other parts of the world.

For everybody who wants an ambitious European Union that answers these challenges and keeps the far right out of power, the European Greens are there to represent them. As a European political party, we will build on our achievements and set out a new vision for the future of our societies and the European project.

This effort will be built together with the many actors who are fighting to make a fair and just green transition a reality and defeat the rise of the far right. We will also strengthen our cooperation with youth movements and continue to invest in our networks connecting Greens at the local level.

As Greens, we believe that the just and fair green transition is our future. A greener society will be a more just society, with expanded public services, affordable energy bills, and healthier surroundings. We represent the conviction that it is not only possible but achievable and desirable. Step by step, a greener, fairer society that protects the rights of all can be built.

As the constructive pro-climate, pro-European democratic force, we are there to advance this green project, for the European Union as at every level of political power.

If we stand united with our partners, a majority for the green transition, social justice, and a united European future is achievable. It is achievable in society, in every member state, and in the European Union as a whole.

Over the next five years, we will not stop fighting for it. The future is green.

Please find below the

EU Election 2024 Campaign Evaluation Report

tabled by the EGP Committee

Amendments:
International Secretaries and nominated Delegates are authorised to submit
amendments via email to info@europeangreens.eu until Tuesday, 26 November (23:59
CET).

Please find below the

Amended draft EGP Activity Plan 2025

as well as the

draft EGP Activity Plan 2025

tabled by the EGP Committee

Amendments:
International Secretaries and nominated Delegates are authorised to submit amendments via email to info@europeangreens.eu until Tuesday, 26 November (23:59 CET).

Please find below the documents related to the

1. EGP Accounts 2023 and Activity Report 2023

• Notes and proposal for adoption EGP Accounts 2023

• 2023 Balance Sheet

• Budget Actual 2023

• EGP 31.12.2023 Independent auditor's report

• EGP Activity Report 2023

tabled by the EGP Committee

2. EGP Finances 2025:

• Notes to the draft Finance documents 2025

• Draft Budget 2025

• Draft Membership Fees 2025 as amended (25 Nov)

• (Draft Membership Fees 2025 (6 Nov))

tabled by the EGP Committee

3. Finance Advisory Board - FAB REPORT 2023 - 2024

In case you have questions, do not hesitate to contact the EGP Treasurer, Ute Michel (ute.michel@europeangreens.eu).

Amendments:
International Secretaries and nominated Delegates are authorised to submit amendments via email to info@europeangreens.eu until Tuesday, 26 November (23:59 CET).

Please find below two documents tabled by the EGP Committee

1. The updated "EGP Membership List - Annex B to the EGP Statutes"

With tracked changes, pending the votes in Dublin on Sunday morning:

- Acknowledgements of two membership (self) terminations requests (Hungary, Turkey)
- Committee proposal membership termination of SMS Zeleni Evrope, Slovenia
- Committee proposal membership application of Zeleno-Levi Front (ZLF), Serbia

and

- It includes the outcome of the 9 June EP elections, the overview of Indirect (member of EGP member) and direct Members of the European Parliament; who are part of the Greens-EFA Group in the European Parliament.

2. Proposal Amendments to the EGP Statutes regarding disciplinary measures

NEW: TBC, pending Congress decision - Power of attorney (proxy)

Amendments: International Secretaries and nominated Delegates are authorised to submit amendments via email to info@europeangreens.eu until Tuesday, 26 November (23:59 CET).

Please find below the

"AMENDED draft Minutes of the Online 38th EGP Congess, 2 December 2023" (pdf)"

as well as the

"draft Minutes of the 7th Extraordinary Extended EGP Congess, Lyon, 2-4 February 2024" (pdf)

tabled by the EGP Committee.

Amendments: International Secretaries and nominated Delegates are authorised to submit amendments via email to info@europeangreens.eu until Tuesday, 26 November (23:59 CET).

How did we come to this point?

The rise of the far-right across Europe is a new manifestation of the continent’s struggle with its colonial and racist legacy and how European society still fails to address these issues. EU Member States, like Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany and France, are reinstating border checks and straying away from the
principle of free movement. The reintroduction of border checks is not just a threat to free movement but increases racial profiling and discrimination in the EU bloc. As noted by PICUM, research in 2021 from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency showed that people from an ethnic minority are disproportionately affected by police stops. A 2014 study showed that 79% of border guards surveyed at airports rated ethnicity as a helpful indicator to identifying people attempting to enter the country in an irregular manner. This is at odds with the European Commission’s commitments under the recent Anti-racism Action Plan (ARAP).

The United Kingdom (until mid-2024), Italy and the Netherlands set up mechanisms to outsource the sheltering of refugees to third countries (respectively Rwanda, Albania and Uganda), all with questionable safety records and possible human rights violations. The Netherlands plans to send its non-national prisoners to Estonia. Police in most European countries still enforce heavier penalties against activists of colour for the same offences as their white peers, with cases of torture and abuse by police being recorded by human rights organisations.

Such policies are a result of the lack of representation of racialised and ethnic-minoritised people in positions of political decision-making, while they continue to suffer from the unequal consequences of economic policies and heightened abuse, motivated by racial hate, both online and in real life. Civic space also continues to shrink, to the detriment of those who defend and advocate anti-racism, racial equity and social justice.

Our work is not over

As Greens, we believe that institutions, including the European Parliament, in combination with grassroots activism, can and do bring about the societal and political change we need. Policies at the European level, created thanks to the push from civil society in combination with the tasks of the elected officials of the
European Green Party member parties and other allies in the European Parliament, have enabled remarkable advances in the previous EU mandate.

The European Green Party’s values are represented by the actions and policy proposals that stand in solidarity with racialised and ethnic-minoritised people throughout Europe. In the past, Green Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have pushed a mandate for the Anti-Discrimination Directive to be
unblocked by the Council. This successfully incorporated countering racism and discrimination by law enforcement and AI in recent legislation, including the revision of the Framework Decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law, and successfully adopted various resolutions on anti-racism and intersectional discrimination.

As the European Green Party, we welcome the efforts of the Green Group in advocating for racial justice and anti-racism internally vis-a-vis European Commissioners, the Parliament and its committees. The Group has recently managed to include the creation of the new anti-racism strategy in Commission President von der Leyen’s commitments ahead of her election into her second cabinet as an ‘urgent action
to protect democracy and equality’, in line with the European Green Party’s 2024 EU manifesto.

This upcoming mandate brings several crucial priorities and key concerns, including those highlighted above, without forgetting the re-establishment and work of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup; renewal of the ARAP and ensuring its proper implementation; the election of the second von der Leyen
Commission and ensuring its accountability; the intensification of AI and evaluation of the AI Act; and the intensification of the climate crisis and thus the exacerbation of climate racism and the rise of climate refugees.

Therefore, as we continue the fight for an anti-racist and racially just Europe that truly is united in diversity and recall our resolution “The EU has a diversity and inclusion problem. It's high time for a change. Let's be that change!” adopted at the 37th EGP Congress in 2023, we, the European Green Party, commit to:

• Continue to push back against right-wing governments and policies which seek to discriminate, dehumanise, and demonise racialised and ethnic-minoritised communities.

• Hold accountable the second von der Leyen Commission in its commitment to racial justice and the renewal of the ARAP, and to further ensure the meaningful and effective implementation of the renewed ARAP.

• Continue advocating for the unblocking of the Anti-Racism Directive by the Council and pushing for its adoption and implementation within the coming mandate.

• Ensure the long-term financial, political, and organisational support of ARDI and to further support its work in the coming mandate.

• Pursue a political and societal climate welcoming migrants and refugees and pushing back against often discriminatory policies, be it foreign or domestic, aimed at racialised and ethnic-minoritised communities and communities of migrant origin. A migrant-first politics seeks to dismantle policies that externalise the EU border regime, discriminate or oppress migrants in visa and asylum processes or at the border, undermine EU law and free movements (i.e. internal border controls and opt-outs), and further entrench Fortress Europe and Frontex. Instead, we advocate for welcoming and humanitarian alternatives that prioritise the rights of migrants and refugees enshrined in nternational law.

• Pursue an equitable and people-centred foreign policy, where countries are treated equally and maximum focus is given on peace and equitable development cooperation. Herein, the three-way test of recourse to military means of conflict prevention and management, as set out in the Charter of the European Greens, is upheld.

• Actively engage in political and societal discussions on climate racism and extractivism and meaningfully incorporate such analysis in our work in parliaments and other institutions, as stressed in the aforementioned diversity and inclusion resolution. This means acknowledging that countries and people in the Global South who contribute the least to the climate crisis are those most affected by its consequences and have their resources taken away by the Global North in the pursuit of innovation and climate adaptation, thereby increasing their risk of suffering under the climate crisis. Within Europe, we acknowledge that racialised and ethnic-minoritised communities are often disproportionately subjected to the consequences of the climate crisis or neglected or discriminated against in climate action.

• Meaningfully address the destructive legacy of European countries in its former colonies and current dominions and territories in the pursuit of transitional and reparatory justice. This includes but is not limited to reparations in the form of formal apologies, debt cancellation, monetary restitution, mancipatory development aid, and the return of cultural artefacts and human remains to the indigenous peoples in their land of origin. At the EU level, we must meaningfully engage with our partners in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the African Union, who have initiated calls for and attempts at dialogue for such reparations vis-a-vis the European Union.

• Advocate for the continuation and expansion of funding for anti-racism organisations at both the local and international level.

• Call for the protection of anti-racism organisations from dis- and malinformation and racial abuse, through the explicit commitment of our institutions to establish channels that denounce such practices and allocate structures to prevent them in all contexts, including in the public institutions themselves.

• Condemn the acts and enabling of corporate media in perpetuating and encouraging racial and sexual abuse against racialised and ethnic-minoritised communities through the dehumanisation and demonisation of such minoritised communities and individuals therefrom. We advocate for
  the establishment of European-wide obligations and standards on media companies regarding non-discriminatory, equitable, and correct representations of minoritised communities.

• Strengthen tools to tackle racism and racial abuse in the digital space, too, through the codification in law and the mandating of the currently optional EU Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online for social media corporations and through the adoption of specialised legislation on cyber-racism amending or supporting the Digital Services Act and the Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia, drawing from the Australian model.

• Meaningfully tackle Islamophobia and anti-Semitism within the European Green Party’s member parties, the European Parliament, and across the wider European society.

• Introduce and meaningfully execute programmes to ensure an inclusive culture and increase and sustain racial diversity in political and organisational positions of power within member parties and the wider Green family, and push for them to be implemented in the European Parliament, echoing the aforementioned diversity and inclusion resolution.

As Greens, we believe in a global trading system that is based on global justice and solidarity, shapes globalization for the better, and puts human wellbeing at its centre while taking into account the biophysical limits of the planet. We believe in reshaping the EU’s trade policy towards sustainable development and stronger human rights protection.

Therefore, we are deeply worried by the negotiations between the EU and the Mercosur countries to conclude an Association Agreement affecting 700 million people and that would be the world’s most ambitious bi-regional agreement. These negotiations to complete the agreement in principle tentatively announced in 2019 hinge notably a Joint Instrument tabled by the European Commission and the counterproposal put forward by the Mercosur.

The expected outcome

Even though the texts discussed since the Joint Instrument and the Mercosur counterproposal (both were leaked) are not public, the final agreement will likely fall short of the EU demands in the Joint Instrument and even fail to meet the level of ambition shown in the EU-New Zealand Agreement, which was hailed as the “gold standard”. Mercosur countries are steadfast in their rejection of sanctions or additional sustainability requirements. The EU-Mercosur agreement will therefore be incompatible with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals. We share the view of Latin Americantrade unions, CSOs and academia who consider that this Agreement will deepen economic asymmetries, locking Mercosur countries into a development path based on agri-food and mineral exports and hindering economic diversification.

On the EU side, the attempts to pursue the trade agreement have already led to a legislative chilling effect. The long overdue animal welfare review was presumably put on the backburner because it would have impaired imports from Mercosur. In the same vein, the President of the European Commission announced a one-year delay to the Deforestation Regulation, two weeks after bilateral meetings with presidents of Mercosur countries who repeated their concerns about this supposed “trade irritant”.

The Agreement was opposed by farmers during their protests over the winter of 2023-2024 for fear of unfair competition from unmanageable flows of imports. Despite words of comfort from the political parties in power ahead of the European election and the recommendations of the recent Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture calling for a “stronger alignment of imports with EU food and farming standards” and a fundamental rethinking of agriculture’s place in EU trade agreements, the EU-Mercosur Agreement has not been adapted accordingly. EU farmers will be exposed to competition from agri-food products that do not comply with higher EU sanitary and phytosanitary standards and use toxic chemicals (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides) banned in the EU. Like farmers’ organisations, we consider that the proposal floated by the Commission to create a new fund to compensate European farmers for any negative impact of the EU-Mercosur agreement is an acknowledgement that the Agreement will indeed harm farmers. Rather than tackling root causes, the Commission only suggests that EU taxpayers foot the bill for the benefit of export sectors.

Since the pandemic and Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, the risks of disruption to EU supply chains have become evident, including the EU’s growing demand for strategic and critical raw materials. Most of the world’s energy transition mineral projects are located either on or near Indigenous peoples’ or peasant lands posing serious risks for human rights-compatible permitting, consultation, and consent. Mercosur countries have huge reserves of lithium, copper and other minerals. But the Agreement does not refer to the UN principle of free, prior and informed consent, or to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, or to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Growing trade in raw materials seriously risks increasing human rights violations, environmental degradation, including water scarcity and pollution, and public health issues. Deforestation, which could rise by as much as 25 per cent due to the Agreement, brings the same concerns.

We also have concerns regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment. The sustainability impact assessment already outlined the “risks to women’s economic independence” and academic research has projected overall negative impacts for women in the labour market.

Towards the finalization of the deal

Over the last months, European Commission negotiators have continued technical discussions with their South American counterparts, aiming to announce a final agreement by the end of 2024. To our knowledge, the conditions for fair competition, including for the farming sector, have not been included among the concrete proposals, or even discussions. The process thus ignores the Strategic Report’s recommendations onagriculture commissioned by the President of the European Commission.

The Greens are alarmed by the possibility that the Commission splits the Association Agreement to facilitate the adoption of the Trade part, which requires a qualified majority voting (contrary to the Political and Cooperation part subject to the unanimity rule). Such a decision would circumvent the opposition of some Member States and bypass Parliamentary oversight, running counter to the 2018 Council Conclusions declaring the Mercosur Agreement as a mixed agreement.

We are also worried about the rebalancing mechanism requested by the Mercosur countries. This demand to be compensated for possible negative externalities of EU autonomous measures would violate the EU’s strategic autonomy and right to regulate. It would set a dangerous precedent for future EU trade agreements. It would also create uncertainty about the future implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which has been fiercely criticized by Mercosur countries.

We support a closer relationshipwith Mercosur partners but based on another narrative and hinging on other modalities. The Greens in the European Parliament commissioned a study on alternative partnerships that put people and planet first and that can definitively turn the page on the “cows for cars” approach to trade.

For all the above-mentioned reasons, the European Green Party:

• states its opposition to the EU-Mercosur Agreement

• calls on member states to withdraw their support to the negotiation mandate given to the Commission

• calls on the European Parliament, the European Council and the Member States to reject this Agreement and refuse its splitting

• calls on its national members to stand with civil society organisations against the Agreement

The European Greens have been spearheading policies to respond to climate challenges while putting people and the planet at the top of its priorities. In the European Parliament, at both national and local levels, EGP members have been proposing measures to mitigate such impacts and to politically address changes in production, distribution and consumption models to achieve more balanced ways of using essential resources, ensuring less impact on nature and human health.

For this reason, Greens all over Europe recognise the need to bring back nature and restore those precious ecosystems which are under threat today. At the same time, they are demanding
political action to reduce pollution, to ensure breathable air, clean water, and toxic-free consumer goods while significantly reducing the risk of contamination from pollutants and chemical contaminants and tackling climate challenges.

Nature Restoration Law

On 17 June 2024, nature protection was the subject of a very important resolution approved by the EU national environment ministers. The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) will contribute to the definition of binding goals for national implementation in order to restore degraded ecosystems, stop the extinction of species and promote healthy ecosystems. The NRL provides important guidelines for restoring the health of fresh-water bodies while also improving biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems with the aim of improving organic carbon stock in cropland soils and promoting high-diversity landscapes.

Despite the urgent need for action, restoring nature has not been consensual, largely because of the difficulty the EU faces in reconciling public interest and environmental conservation with the pressure from and interests of the energy sector, agro-business, super-intensive forestry and agricultural production, the agrochemical sector and, most recently, mining industries.

Need for critical raw materials

The EU’s demand for critical materials – mainly to reduce its dependence on China and to supply the electric vehicle industry – is forcing those European countries with identified lithium deposits to respond to EU pressure to ensure that at least 10% of such critical minerals are extracted in Europe by 2030.

Europe's green transition and digital transformation – associated with an unsustainable model of overconsumption and overexploitation of raw materials – are far removed from plans for the transition to place prevention and precaution at the forefront of productive and technological solutions.

Portuguese and Serbian conflicts

The governments of Portugal and Serbia have seen this as an opportunity for investment, in most cases creating a fast track for licensing and ignoring the precautionary principle concerning the environmental impact of lithium mining, while jeopardising national needs and goals regarding nature protection. In both cases, governments have not gone any further with the projects thanks to strong popular demonstrations and the persistence of civic movements and parties, including Partido Ecologista “Os Verdes” in Portugal, which have put these concerns on the political agenda.

Lithium mining industry, whose exploitation using open-pit models severely and irreversibly impact soils, water quality and availability, resulting in massive deforestation, soil destruction and increased carbon emissions, is far from consensual in these countries.

Governments have opened the way for exploitation to be carried out on productive farmlands, which is the case in Serbia´s Jadar Valley and in the Portuguese region of Barroso.

In Portugal, these projects overlap with ecologically sensitive areas and are close to protected and classified areas, such as Natura 2000 areas or the FAO’s classified agricultural areas, thereby creating extreme impacts on the landscape, the identity of rural regions, on food production and the economic sustainability of communities. Lithium extraction - the aim of which is for use in decarbonization solutions - is absolutely incompatible with regions suffering from severe drought, water scarcity and devastating forest fires, such as Portugal. Therefore, this option is not a solution to climate change in these territories. On the contrary, it is a problem and will soon become a huge burden for future generations, due to the
environmental liabilities it will leave behind.

In Serbia, populations fear that the lithium mine will pollute water sources and endanger public health. After years of public protests, the Serbian government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the EU which is seen as the first step in developing Serbia’s lithium resources.

Extraction and processing of lithium in the Jadar Valley, planned by the Rio Tinto company, could significantly harm the environment, creating a devastating impact on the surrounding areas of farmland, forest groundwater and soil, leading to a loss of biodiversity and the accumulation of large amounts of hazardous waste.

These political options have been guided by subservience towards an economic imposition, conducting the energy transition without social and environmental justice, mainly due to the failure to make exploration sites compatible with areas of lower environmental and socio-economic impact.

We oppose both the EU’s and governments’ hasty granting of licences for lithium extractive projects that reduce environmental criteria while exempting mining companies from a thorough assessment of the environmental and socio-economic impacts in extractive areas.

These regions cannot be sacrificed and made to give up their agricultural livelihoods and, potentially, regional ecosystems. Thus, efforts must be made to protect nature – particularly water resources, fertile soils and biodiversity – as well as the food sovereignty of Member States.

The European Greens parties gathered in Dublin demand further and strengthened actions on processes involving lithium exploration projects:

• transparency and the democratic participation of local populations and communities, NGOs and the scientific community

• governments must embrace the precautionary principle

• guaranteed rigorous environmental impact assessment processes

• safeguarding biodiversity

• stopping projects that jeopardise the contamination of drinking water aquifers and/or access to drinking water in the regions

• respecting integrity, livelihoods and the cultural heritage of rural regions.