Declan Ganley, founder of Libertas, the new ”pan-European political movement dedicated to creating a new, democratic, accountable and open European Union” and Daniel Cohn-Bendit  debated on their different views on Europe. 

Watch the debate on: http://www.dcbn.eu/live/od.html

Greens/EFA Group Co-presidents Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Monica Frassoni have written to the other political group presidents and European Commission President Barroso to express concern about the Commission's attempts to force through authorisation of highly-controversial genetically-modified plant varieties in the EU. They reject the Commission's assertion that such action is necessary following a WTO dispute settlement panel decision on the issue.

Commenting today on the Gaza situation in the European parliament, Greens/EFA Group Co-president Daniel Cohn-Bendit said:

"Hopes of peace and security are going up in smoke in Gaza. We are further away from the prospect of peace than ever before. Those who claim that Hamas' rockets justify the war are mistaken. If you start a war, you must know your aim and how to end it. Israel's aim is to improve its security but it is only achieving the opposite. We need to protect Israel from itself and Palestinians from Hamas.

Today, Greens/EFA Co-president Daniel Cohn-Bendit commented on Nicolas Sarkozy's conclusions on the French Presidency of the EU, presented in the European parliament plenary session in Strasbourg:

"The French presidency is a weathervane that faces the right way one moment and a false direction the next. Nicolas Sarkozy was right when he told the European parliament in July last year that unanimity kills democracy, but today he was wrong to try and justify requiring unanimous agreement of member states for the climate package...

Commenting on the Dalai Lama's visit and address to the European Parliament, Greens/EFA Group Co-Presidents Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Monica Frassoni said:  

"The European Parliament has consistently done all in its power to draw attention to issues in Tibet and to support the Dalai Lama's moderate position: genuine autonomy for the region, within the bounds of the Chinese constitution.

EU ministers will meet in Brussels this Thursday, 27 November, to discuss the EU package of telecoms legislation. Guy Bono (PES) and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens/EFA) today called on them to resist a French Presidency "diktat" aimed at withdrawing current proposals with a view to introducing a 'three-strikes-and-out' law. This "graduated response" would ultimately cut users' internet connection on grounds of breaching intellectual property rights (e.g. downloading copyright material), without the need for judicial oversight.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit and the European Greens are very happy about the outcome of the US elections and look forward to the new US-European relationship. "Today marks the end of an era of American cowboys: the second death of John Wayne. Too often there is a hangover after elections, but today there is only sunshine."

On the occasion of the French Presidency of the European Union, the Greens/EFA will hold a two-day public meeting in Montreuil (France) on key issues including European foreign policy, the EU energy/climate package, food security/GMOs and the financial crisis. French Secretaries of State Jouyet and Kosciusko-Morizet will represent the French Presidency during the event.

Watch the debates online: http://greens-efa-service.org/paris2008/