GLOBE Europe & GLOBE EU

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Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment in Europe

GLOBE is active in the European region via two organisations: GLOBE Europe and GLOBE EU.

GLOBE EU is a cross-party Intergroup of Members of the European Parliament with an interest in being closely involved in policy developments in the fields of environment, sustainability and climate change. GLOBE EU provides a platform for the timely discussion of upcoming policy proposals and for co-ordinating political action within the European Parliament. It seeks to facilitate MEPs contacts with Commission officials and stakeholders by organising high-level round table conferences, and by offering support in their political activities. Its current President is Anders Wijkman MEP.

GLOBE Europe started as an offshoot of GLOBE EU in 1994. It is now an organisation in its own right, consisting of a network of 1,500 parliamentarians from the 27 EU member states and from Norway, Iceland, Turkey, FYROM, Moldova and Croatia who work together across party and country lines to enhance sustainable development and support the protection of the environment and biodiversity. GLOBE Europe has also got over 250 contacts in environmental NGOs, ministries, industry, business and scientific institutions. Its current President is Steen Gade, Chairman of the Danish Parliament Committee on the Environment.

 

Our Mission

GLOBE aims to enable its Members to work on environmental legislation in their respective legislatures more effectively, and to facilitate their direct or indirect participation in the European decision making process regarding sustainable development and biodiversity.

We hope that through our support we can assist MEPs in their preparation for debates, by helping them to be more informed, and therefore in a better position to push for improved environmental legislation and to ensure successful implementation.

GLOBE Europe remains politically neutral at all times in this facilitating role.

 

Our Secretariat - the GJSE

Although GLOBE Europe and GLOBE EU are two separate and financially independent entities, they have shared a common support structure since April 2008, which facilitates cooperation in order to enhance the effectivenes of the two GLOBE organizations and agendas.

In this way, the GLOBE Joint Secretariat in Europe (GJSE) acts as a single platform for a single forum of European legislators, where MPs and MEPs can exchange ideas and information, define political strategies and take co-ordinated action on a regular basis.

The Secretariat also functions as the binding, operational and co-ordinating body of the GLOBE Europe network.

The Secretariat’s Director is Nicolas Tavitian. He is assisted by a Deputy Director, an Executive Assistant and one intern. Doeke Eisma, who has been a member of the European Parliament and the Dutch Second and First Chamber of Deputies, acts as our Senior Advisor.

 

What We Do

To achieve our objectives the GJSE carries out two main activities:

  • First, it provides up-to-date information on relevant European decision-making. In a weekly newsletter we summarise the developments in the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Ministers that affect the environment, energy, agriculture and rural development, transport and fisheries. We also convey the views of key civil society actors.
  • Second, it provides a platform for discussion between members and contacts and the European Parliament. National parliamentarians can use GLOBE Europe to get into contact with other National Parliamentarians and MEPs. To facilitate these contacts, GLOBE Europe periodically organises conferences and provide a forum on the internet. We also organise fact-finding visits for national parliamentarians to visit the EU institutions in Brussels.


The Role of National Parliaments in the European Union

The Lisbon Treaty, signed on the 13th December 2007, has given National Parliaments the opportunity to consider whether the subsidiarity principle is properly interpreted by the European Commission, when proposing new pieces of legislation. Had the Treaty been ratified in time by all Member States, it would have entered into force on the 1st of January 2009. However this calendar seems now very unlikely given Ireland’s failure to ratify.

When the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, any national Parliament or any chamber of a national Parliament:

  • Will have eight weeks to send a reasoned opinion stating why it considers that a draft legislative proposal does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity to the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The EU institutions shall take account of these reasoned opinions.
  • If the reasoned opinions on a draft legislative proposal's non-compliance with the principle of subsidiarity represent at least one third of all the votes allocated to the national Parliaments the draft must be reviewed. Each national Parliament shall have two votes (in countries with a bicameral Parliament each of the two chambers shall have one vote). After such review, the Commission or the appropriate institution MAY decide to maintain, amend or withdraw the draft. Reasons must be given for this decision.
  • Under the new ordinary legislative procedure, reasoned opinions on the non-compliance with the principle of subsidiarity should represent at least a simple majority of the votes allocated to the national Parliaments. In that case, the proposal MUST be reviewed. After such review, the Commission or the relevant EU institution may decide to maintain, amend or withdraw the proposal.