24 Written explanations of Theresa GRIFFIN

I voted in favour. Labour MEPs have been pushing for the European Parliament to adopt an unequivocal statement to demonstrate its commitment on fighting climate change. It is an important step in putting climate action at the top of the EU agenda. In declaring the climate emergency, MEPs urged the new European Commission to fully assess the climate and environmental impact of all relevant legislative and budgetary proposals and ensure that they are all fully aligned with the objective of limiting global warming to under 1.5°C, and that they are not contributing to biodiversity loss.

I along with Labour colleagues voted in favour. This resolution was adopted with strong wording about the need for the European Investment Bank to divest from fossil fuels and the need for an EU climate law. A target of 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 was adopted and the deletion of positive language around Carbon Capture and Storage was rejected.

Further action from the European Commission is needed to ensure the remaining seven Member States ratify the Convention. S&D FEMM has highlighted Istanbul Convention ratification from Member States and European Union accession as a key priority of this mandate. I along with S&D colleagues voted in favour of this report.

Relations between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States is governed by the Cotonou Agreement, which will expire in 2020.The negotiations for a new Partnership Agreement between the EU and the ACP States are still ongoing and are expected to take longer than originally foreseen.The European Parliament clearly expressed its position on the future agreement in October 2016 and in June 2018, and is now questioning both the Council and the Commission on whether its resolutions have been taken into account.The texts reiterate the key demands from the European Parliament at this crucial stage of negotiations, namely to reinforce the parliamentary dimension of the future partnership at the ACP level as well as the role of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and to build a multi-actor partnership that would provide a bigger role for civil society. I along with Labour colleagues voted in favour.

Over recent months, Labour and its sister parties have applied pressure to win commitments and concessions from the new College of Commissioners, including:Commitments on a new Green Deal to deliver a just transition to a low-carbon economy – with proposals to cut CO2 emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and to provide a Just Transition Fund to ensure that no—one and no region is left behind as Europe confronts the climate emergency;Promises on new working rights – including proposals to help protect gig economy workers, ensuring that EU working protections keep pace with the changing world of work;Putting equality at the front and centre of EU policymaking – while it is important that we will see a European Commission that is closer to gender balance than ever before, Labour MEPs believe the real test of the new Commission will be on how it delivers on its concrete commitments to bring forward new anti-discrimination legislation and to take action on issues such as pay disparity and gender-based violence.Because the S&D Group secured these commitments, I voted in favour.

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to enable the Union to respond to emergency situations caused by major natural disasters and to express European solidarity with disaster-stricken regions within Europe.The current proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council is not linked to a specific disaster. Rather, it aims at entering into the general budget of the Union for 2020 the amount of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances in a timely and efficient way in the event of a disaster occurring next year.To ensure the timely availability of sufficient budgetary resources in the general budget of the Union for 2020, the fund should be mobilised in the amount of EUR 50 million for the payment of advances. I voted in favour.

The EU Budget for 2020 places a new emphasis on action against climate change and contains measures that will benefit students and young people seeking employment. It continues support for budget headings including Horizon Research programmes which strongly benefit institutions in the UK. I voted in favour.

On the 30th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, children’s rights continue to be violated in many parts of the world, including in EU Member States, and almost 25 million children under 18 are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU. Labour MEPs supported this resolution, which recalls the EU’s commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of every child everywhere, especially the most vulnerable, leaving no one behind, and calls for a new comprehensive strategy to better implement children’s rights.

Along with my S&D colleagues, I voted in favour of lifting European Parliament immunity.

Labour MEPs backed new EU laws on VAT collection that will give authorities the tools to go after the EUR 5 billion (£4.3bn) lost to public services through VAT fraud. The legislation is part of a wider EU action plan on VAT e-commerce, which is set to come into force from as early as January 2021. The package aims to achieve better VAT collection from online sales by simplifying the rules around VAT and by ensuring online marketplaces are part of the fight against tax fraud – they will be required to share information with tax authorities to enable them to tackle tax fraud from online sales.

. ‒ I voted in favour of this request by the Belgian Government to the EGF in relation to Carrefour staff made redundant in Wallonia as a result of globalisation. The redundancies were caused by the major structural changes in world trade patterns and online shopping impacting retail trade. Changing patterns of consumers’ habits and digitalisation also have an impact on retail spending. The funds shall contribute to the costs of a coordinated package of eligible services with the aim of providing assistance for integrating the affected persons into the labour market.

I, along with S&D colleagues, voted against the approval of genetically modified cotton LLCotton25 (ACS-GHØØ1-3). There are concerns about pesticide resistance and effects on biodiversity.

I along with S&D colleagues voted against the approval of 5 new GMO crops. There are concerns about pesticide resistance and effects on biodiversity.

. ‒ Labour MEPs voted against the approval of this new GMO crop as there are concerns about pesticide resistance and effects on biodiversity.

I, along with my Labour and S&D colleagues, voted against the approval of five new GMO crops. There are concerns about pesticide resistance as well as the effects on biodiversity.

Labour MEPs supported this resolution to express concern with the extremely vague, broad and disproportionate provisions in the proposed Polish bill, which would de facto criminalise sexual education in Poland.It would prevent the dissemination of sexuality education to minors and would potentially threaten sex educators, including teachers, healthcare providers, authors, publishers, civil society organisations, journalists and parents or legal guardians with up to three years in prison for teaching about human sexuality, health and intimate life.

I voted for this report with S&D colleagues as part of the EU’s contingency planning to mitigate the worst effects of a no—deal Brexit.

Following the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook, I, along with my S&D colleagues, adopted a joint resolution which calls on the Commission to put forward with urgency a comprehensive legislation that not only guarantees workers’ and consumers’ rights, but also avoids in the future tens of thousands of travellers being left or stranded.

I, along with my S&D colleagues, voted in favour of the 2020 general EU budget.

I and other S&D MEPs abstained on this vote. S&D members acknowledge the fact that the current management of EASO has taken significant steps in improving the institution’s financial irregularities and reputation, and have expressed their support for the new leadership to continue strengthening and further improving EASO governance and functioning.

I voted for this report with S&D colleagues as part of the EU’s contingency planning to mitigate the worst effects of no deal Brexit.

. ‒ I voted in favour of this report that serves as part of the EU’s contingency planning to mitigate the worst effects of a damaging no-deal Brexit. This is a fast-tracked reciprocal measure whereby, if the UK were to leave without a deal but allowed fishing access rights in UK waters to European fishers, this report would allow British fishers to fish in European waters too. It would greatly simplify the paperwork for European and British fishers to fish in each other’s waters and to swap quotas. These contingency measures would end of 31 December 2019.

. ‒ I voted in favour of this. The Commission proposal was designed to enable the UK to continue to pay into the EU budget in 2019 and to provide a legal basis to maintain the eligibility to benefit from EU financing for the UK during the budgetary year 2019 in case of a withdrawal from the EU without an agreement. This is an updated version for the budget year 2020.

. ‒ I voted in favour of this report as part of the EU’s contingency planning to mitigate the worst effects of a damaging no-deal Brexit. If the UK were to leave without a deal, road freight transport and services between the UK and EU would cease to be governed by regulation resulting in loss of access to markets. This report has the objective to lay down temporary measures to govern the carriage of goods by road between the EU and the UK. These measures would end on 31 December 2019.