# C_2023147EN.01000101.xml

| 27.4.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 147/1 |
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27.4.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 147/1

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3 October 2022VERBATIM REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF 3 OCTOBER 2022

(2023/C 147/01)

Contents

| 1. | Resumption of the session | 3 |
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1.

| 2. | Opening of the sitting | 3 |
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2.

| 3. | Statements by the President | 3 |
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3.

| 4. | Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting | 4 |
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4.

| 5. | Composition of Parliament | 4 |
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5.

| 6. | Composition of committees and delegations | 5 |
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6.

| 7. | Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79) | 5 |
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7.

| 8. | Order of business | 5 |
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8.

| 9. | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control - Serious cross-border threats to health (debate) | 7 |
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9.

| 10. | Momentum for the Ocean: strengthening Ocean Governance and Biodiversity (debate) | 20 |
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10.

| 11. | Striving for a sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture: the way forward (debate) | 28 |
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11.

| 12. | Impact of new technologies on taxation: crypto and blockchain (debate) | 34 |
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12.

| 13. | The EU's actions in the field of freedom of religion or belief worldwide (debate) | 39 |
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13.

| 14. | Management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence (short presentation) | 45 |
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14.

| 15. | Flexible Assistance to Territories (FAST-CARE) (short presentation) | 47 |
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15.

| 16. | One-minute speeches on matters of political importance | 50 |
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16.

| 17. | Approval of the minutes of the sitting and agenda of the next sitting | 56 |
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17.

| 18. | Closure of the sitting | 56 |
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18.

Verbatim report of proceedings of 3 October 2022

PRESIDENZA: ROBERTA METSOLA

President

1.   Resumption of the session

President. – I declare resumed the session of the European Parliament adjourned on Thursday, 15 September 2022.

2.   Opening of the sitting

(The sitting opened at 17.05)

3.   Statements by the President

President. – Dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to make an announcement about the situation in Iran, which continues to remain of concern. The world heard the chants of ‘women, life, liberty’ – three words that have become a rallying cry for all those standing up for equality, dignity and freedom in Iran.

The brutal death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini marked a turning point. Colleagues, it is the daughters of Iran who, despite coming under increasing pressure, are leading the push for change. It is the women who are the change-makers, supported by so many courageous allies and friends.

Today we have Professor Azadeh Kian in the Chamber with us.

(Loud, sustained applause)

Ms Kian, to you and to every girl fighting for her rights in Iran, let me say: you are not alone. This European Parliament stands proudly with everyone demanding change. We are with you. Mahsa Amini will be remembered, just like Hadis, Minu, Ghazaleh, Hanane, Hayedeh, Machsa, Noka and many, many others. For women, for life, for liberty!

(Loud applause)

Last Saturday, the EU ambassador to Nicaragua was forced to leave the country and diplomatic relations with the Netherlands were halted. I condemn the latest unilateral measures by the Nicaraguan regime, only two weeks after this House called for an inclusive national dialogue to ensure a peaceful and democratic solution to the political, social and human rights crisis.

The Ortega-Murillo regime cannot continue to isolate the country from the international community. The European Parliament will always take a firm stand against the chipping-away of democratic structures. Together with like-minded partners, we remain committed towards restoring a rules-based order in the interest of the Nicaraguan people.

Finally, today marks nine years since the shipwreck of Lampedusa, resulting in the tragic loss – as you will recall – of more than 360 lives. 360 dreams shattered, 360 families forever broken. Many of whom where never able to be identified.

They are people, not statistics. Hopes not numbers. We cannot not become de-sensitised to the tragedy. The cruel truth is that the cemetery of the Mediterranean has claimed the lives of thousands more women, children and men since then.

We need to find a way forward on migration, that looks at the issue in a holistic, humane, European way. It is not enough to shrug and point fingers. We promised change nine years ago when 360 people drowned, we reiterated that promise when young Alan Kurdi washed up on our sandy beaches, and yet only a few days ago we saw girls die of dehydration off our coasts. When young girls are dying of thirst in our seas, then it is our failure and a failure of our shared humanity.

We can and we must do better on this. We must find a way forward. For all those who lost their lives, for all the victims of traffickers, for all those mothers waiting for news that will never come. We remember them.

(Applause)

I give the floor specifically on this point to colleague Pietro Bartolo.

Pietro Bartolo (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, nove anni sono passati da quella terribile notte. Da allora, i pianti, le voci, lo strazio e il silenzio dei sopravvissuti mi perseguitano, perché io ero lì, a Lampedusa, a soccorrere i vivi e a contare i morti.

Oggi rendiamo omaggio non solo alle 368 persone che hanno perso la vita di fronte alla mia isola, quella notte, inghiottite dal mare nel loro disperato tentativo di cercare una vita in Europa, ma anche alle altre 22 000 persone che da allora hanno avuto la stessa terribile fine.

Questo è un anniversario che ci riguarda tutti. Possiamo fermare questo massacro solo in un modo: con un cambiamento radicale della politica di immigrazione e accoglienza. Facciamolo insieme, in nome dell'essere umano, e che il 3 ottobre diventi la Giornata europea di tutte le vittime del mare. Grazie Presidente e grazie a tutti voi.

President. –
  Grazie, onorevole Bartolo.

Dear colleagues, as announced in an email last week, let me once again inform you that there is a dedicated crew that will now start to film with a view to updating the panoramic video screens at the Parliamentariums in all our capital cities. Apart from the filming of this opening of the session they will also be filming on Tuesday, tomorrow, from noon until one, during the vote – it's a short voting session so try to be there on time – and then on Wednesday during the key debate from 9 to 10 o'clock in the morning.

Just also to remind and to confirm that there will be no voice recording and the specific content of the debates will not be part of the film, but your attendance would be appreciated.

4.   Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

President. – The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 15 September 2022 are available. Are there any comments?

That not being the case, the minutes are approved.

5.   Composition of Parliament

President. – Following the election of Jessica Stegrud as a Member of the Swedish Parliament, Parliament takes note of the fact that her seat fell vacant on 26 September 2022, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

Following the resignation of Bettina Vollath, Parliament takes note of the fact that her seat will be vacant from 10 October 2022, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

We will inform the national authorities concerned.

The competent authorities of Spain have informed me that Eva Maria Poptcheva has been elected Member of the European Parliament to replace Luis Garicano with effect from 15 September 2022.

The competent authorities of Sweden have informed me that Carina Ohlsson has been elected Member of the European Parliament to replace Jytte Guteland with effect from 26 September 2022.

The competent authorities of Germany have informed me that Matthias Ecke has been elected Member of the European Parliament to replace Constanze Krehl with effect from 3 October 2022.

I would like to welcome these new colleagues and to point out that they sit in Parliament and in its bodies in full enjoyment of their rights provided for by the Rules of Procedure.

6.   Composition of committees and delegations

President. – I have received from the S&D, Renew Europe and ECR groups decisions modifying the nominations to committees and delegations. Those decisions will be listed in the minutes of today's sitting and shall take effect on the date of the announcement.

7.   Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

President. – I would like to inform you that, since the adjournment of Parliament's session on 15 September, I have signed, together with the President of the Council, one act adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure. The title of the act will be published in the minutes of this sitting.

8.   Order of business

President. – We now come to the order of business. The final draft agenda as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 29 September 2022, pursuant to Rule 157, has been distributed.

I would like to inform you that I have received one request for urgent procedure from the TRAN Committee pursuant to Rule 163 on ‘slot utilisation rules at Union airports: temporary relief’. The vote on this request will be taken tomorrow and, if adopted, the vote will be held on Thursday.

Monday

We now move to the changes requested by political groups. For today, Monday, the ECR Group has asked that Council and Commission statements on ‘the protection of children and families: sexual safeguards for minors’ be added as the sixth item in the afternoon, before the short presentations. The debate would be wound up with a resolution, to be voted on Thursday. I give the floor to Ms de la Pisa Carrión to move the request on behalf of the ECR Group.

Margarita de la Pisa Carrión,
  en nombre del Grupo ECR. – Señora presidenta, pedimos la inclusión en la agenda de un debate sin resolución tras las infames declaraciones de la ministra de Igualdad de España, Irene Montero, sobre las relaciones sexuales de niños con mayores de edad basadas en el consentimiento. ¿Consentir? ¿Un niño? ¿De qué estamos hablando?

Necesitamos un debate serio en este Parlamento sobre el respeto a la inocencia de los niños, que hoy, desgraciadamente, está siendo acechada por políticas ideológicas con conceptos que un niño todavía no es capaz de asumir; que le dañan, lesionando el desarrollo normal de su personalidad. Su derecho a conocer la sexualidad a la edad adecuada debe venir de la mano de quienes verdaderamente le conocen, que son sus padres y no quienes le quieren corromper.

Miguel Urbán Crespo,
  en nombre del Grupo The Left. – Señora presidenta, la verdad es que a la extrema derecha que propone este punto le dan absolutamente igual los derechos de la infancia y de la familia. De hecho, su partido votó recientemente en el Parlamento español en contra de que se investigaran justamente los casos de pederastia en el seno de la Iglesia.

Lo único que le interesa a la extrema derecha es seguir extendiendo sus bulos contra las mujeres, el feminismo, el colectivo LGTBI y, también, contra la educación sexual.

Por lo tanto, llamo a votar en contra de esta propuesta para que la extrema derecha deje de utilizar este Parlamento como altavoz de sus odios y de sus mentiras.

(Parliament rejected the ECR Group's request)

Tuesday

President. – For Tuesday, the ECR and S&D groups have asked that a statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the situation in Burkina Faso following the coup d'état be added as the fifth item in the afternoon. The ECR Group has requested that the debate be wound up with a resolution to be voted on in October II. The S&D Group has requested that the item be added to the agenda without a resolution.

Assita Kanko,
  on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, dear colleagues, as you all know, there is a new coup in Burkina Faso and jihadists are taking over – more than 40% of the country for the moment. Russian influence is getting visible and Western interests, like the French Embassy in Ouagadougou, have been under attack. This is not a local issue, but a geopolitical one. Several times I have already drawn the plenary's attention to the jihadist rise in the Sahel region. It is high time for our plenary to deal with this urgent matter and add it urgently to the agenda.

My Group therefore requests to add this item to the agenda as a debate this week, and we are aware of the fact that the plenary agenda is packed. So perhaps October II will be more suited for a resolution, but we need to have the debate urgently now. I hope you will support this.

President. – Thank you, Ms Kanko. Mr Marques, I ask you to move the request on behalf of your Group.

Pedro Marques,
  on behalf of the S&D Group. – Madam President, we are following the situation in Burkina Faso with great concern. It is the second time in a few months that we have a coup d'état that seizes power in Burkina Faso, a country that is already in a very dire situation. So we consider that yes, there should be a debate within this plenary in October I, but it is our understanding that the situation on the ground is changing on a daily basis. The instability will not stop in the next few days, so we do not see it as a priority to have a resolution on this matter either now or in October II.

What we want is a clear debate here and a statement by the High Representative this week so that we send a message to the ground, so that we send a message to Burkina Faso. The High Representative already urged the authorities to stabilise the situation and go back to the negotiations from a few months ago. Let us have the possibility to have this kind of clear statement also by the Parliament in this plenary.

President. – Thank you, Mr Marques. So I'll first put to the vote the request to add the item to the agenda, and then if carried, I will put to the vote the request to wind up the debate with a resolution to be voted in October II.

(Parliament agreed to both requests)

Wednesday

On Wednesday, the S&D and Renew Europe groups have asked that the Commission statement on institutional racism in the EU and the breach of fundamental rights of EU citizens, scheduled as the last item in the afternoon, be replaced by an oral question on the Dutch childcare benefit scandal, institutional racism and algorithms.

Agnes Jongerius,
  on behalf of the S&D Group. – Madam President, I think it should be said that thousands of lives were ruined by the Dutch tax authorities due to institutional racism, known as the ‘child care benefit scandal’. And not even all victims have been accounted for. But at the moment, they estimate that 26, people were hurt and families were destroyed. And it took years to uncover the truth. And now the EPP, with their friends on the right, is again trying to bury this scandal. And I ask for support to keep the original debates about the oral question instead of the newly proposed Commission statement. I think we should shed light on the truth and not try to bury it. And therefore, pursuant to Rule 158, the S&D Group would like to replace the Commission statement ‘Institutional racism in the EU and the breach of fundamental rights of EU citizens’, Wednesday evening - last item, with the oral question on the Dutch child care benefits scandal, institutional racism and algorithms.

(Parliament agreed to the request by the S&D and Renew Europe groups)

President. – With that the agenda is adopted and the order of business is thus established.

9.   European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control - Serious cross-border threats to health (debate)

President. – The next item is the joint debate on:

| — | the report by Joanna Kopcińska, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 establishing a European Centre for disease prevention and control (COM(2020)0726 – C9-0366/2020 – 2020/0320(COD)) (A9-0253/2021), and |
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—

the report by Joanna Kopcińska, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 establishing a European Centre for disease prevention and control (COM(2020)0726 – C9-0366/2020 – 2020/0320(COD)) (A9-0253/2021), and

| — | the report by Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (COM(2020)0727 – C9-0367/2020 – 2020/0322(COD)). |
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—

the report by Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (COM(2020)0727 – C9-0367/2020 – 2020/0322(COD)).

PRZEWODNICTWO: EWA KOPACZ

Wiceprzewodnicząca

Véronique Trillet-Lenoir,
  rapporteure. – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire – chère Stella –, chers collègues – pour ceux d'entre vous qui sont restés –, la crise de la COVID-19 a montré notre extraordinaire fragilité en matière de santé. En 2020, nos systèmes de santé nationaux se sont trouvés dépassés, et cette impuissance les a d'abord poussés vers des réflexes de protection nationale. Nous le disons: plus jamais ça!

Rapidement, les tentations de repli sur soi ont laissé place à la solidarité et à la coordination européennes. Nous devons désormais nous inspirer de cette réaction remarquable mais improvisée dans l'urgence.

Après de longs mois de négociations finalement fructueuses, j'ai la fierté, en tant que rapporteure, de vous présenter ici les points forts que nous avons défendus pour tirer les leçons du passé et pour faire de ce règlement un véritable plan d'urgence sanitaire européen.

Chers collègues, cette notion mérite votre attention ou, au moins, votre respect, merci!

Nous sommes plus forts ensemble, et c'est ensemble que nous devrons nous doter d'une Europe de la santé solidaire, coordonnée, indépendante et durable.

Une Europe de la santé solidaire en luttant contre les inégalités de santé au sein de l'Union – par la coopération entre les États membres –, en renforçant la collaboration avec les pays tiers – surtout les plus démunis – et en consolidant la coopération mondiale – notamment par le traité international sur les pandémies.

Une Europe de la santé coordonnée: coordonnée dans la collecte et le partage des données – qui ont souvent fait défaut –, coordonnée pour préparer toutes les menaces sanitaires – en intégrant le principe de santé globale ainsi que le principe de prévention et d'éducation à la santé dans toutes les politiques européennes –, coordonnée pour mieux préparer et anticiper l'impact d'une crise sanitaire sur les personnes porteuses de maladies chroniques – et je pense en particulier aux nombreuses victimes collatérales chez les patients atteints de cancers –, coordonnée enfin pour lutter contre le fléau de la désinformation – en s'appuyant sur le CDC comme relais d'informations scientifiquement vérifiées.

Une Europe de la santé indépendante en matière de médicaments: nous avons imposé plus de transparence vis-à-vis du Parlement européen et des citoyens dans l'élaboration des contrats d'achat conjoints, nous y avons intégré la notion d'une clause d'exclusivité pour empêcher les négociations parallèles avec l'industrie et pour garantir un accès équitable aux médicaments pour tous les citoyens européens, nous demandons que l'autorité sanitaire ERA ait les moyens de mieux se coordonner avec les instances et nous proposons une évaluation de ces actions pour déterminer si elle doit oui ou non devenir une entité distincte.

Une Europe de la santé durable, enfin, avec la création d'un conseil scientifique indépendant, avec la mise en place de dispositions sur l'absence de conflit d'intérêts des experts, avec la consultation de toutes les autres parties prenantes (organisations non gouvernementales, professionnels de santé...) au même rang que les industriels, avec le renforcement du rôle du Parlement – et donc de la représentation citoyenne – et avec l'implication des autorités régionales – en vue de favoriser la coopération dans les régions transfrontalières.

Ces avancées majeures n'auraient pas été possibles sans la mobilisation de mes très chères corapporteures – une équipe 100 % féminine! Elles ont été tout sauf fictives. Je tiens à les saluer chaleureusement, elles ainsi que leurs équipes, avant de leur laisser la parole.

Joanna Kopcińska,
  Sprawozdawczyni. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Szanowni Państwo! Po niemal dwóch latach prac legislacyjnych nad pakietem Europejskiej Unii Zdrowotnej przystępujemy do zatwierdzenia jej dwóch kluczowych elementów –wzmocnionego mandatu Europejskiego Centrum ds. Zapobiegania i Kontroli Chorób oraz rozporządzenia w sprawie poważnych transgranicznych zagrożeń dla zdrowia. Obie regulacje są komplementarne i mają wspólne cele – przygotować nas jak najlepiej na ewentualne przyszłe kryzysy zdrowotne, zapewniając spójność działań prewencyjnych. Wzmocniony mandat ECDC, którego negocjacje miałam zaszczyt prowadzić w imieniu Parlamentu, jest niezwykle ważnym ogniwem naszego zbiorowego systemu opieki zdrowotnej, wraz z rozporządzeniem w sprawie transgranicznych zagrożeń dla zdrowia, nad którym pracowałam jako sprawozdawca pomocniczy grupy ECR.

Pandemia COVID–19 była ciężkim, ale w pewnym stopniu cennym doświadczeniem dla narodowych systemów opieki zdrowotnej. Była ekstremalną lekcją poświęcenia, solidarności i zaradności. Przede wszystkim kryzys pandemiczny uwidocznił znaczenie szybkiego reagowania na szczeblu lokalnym na pojawianie się ognisk chorobowych i pokazał, jak ważne jest odpowiednie szkolenie personelu medycznego i administracji państw członkowskich przy opracowywaniu krajowego planu działań. Dlatego we wzmocnionym mandacie ECDC specjalną rolę odgrywać będzie grupa zadaniowa Unii Europejskiej ds. Zdrowia przy opracowywaniu, analizowaniu i aktualizowaniu planów gotowości państw członkowskich. Ponadto przekonaliśmy się, jak wielkie znaczenie ma cyfryzacja w zarządzaniu zdrowiem publicznym. Wyrażam nadzieję, że będą tworzone skuteczne platformy cyfrowe do nadzoru epidemiologicznego.

Kolejnym wzmocnieniem systemów nadzoru epidemiologicznego będzie sieć funkcjonalnych unijnych laboratoriów referencyjnych, a także sieci bezpieczeństwa microbiologicznego. Pandemia, a zwłaszcza pierwsze etapy jej przebiegu, kiedy poruszaliśmy się jeszcze w obszarze wielu niewiadomych, ujawniła potrzebę ścisłej koordynacji działań Unii Europejskiej i Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia. Dlatego cieszę się, że wynegocjowany mandat pomoże lepiej dostosować i skoordynować zalecenia i działania Unii Europejskiej z zaleceniami WHO w celu zapewnienia ich spójności i komplementarności.

Jako sprawozdawca Parlamentu dokładałam również starań, aby mandat i ECDC wspierał krajowe działania w dziedzinie ochrony zdrowia publicznego, a nie zastępował ich. Konieczne jest poszanowanie zasady pomocniczości działań na szczeblu Unii Europejskiej w taki sposób, aby Unia wspierała i koordynowała działania państw członkowskich tam, gdzie działania wyłącznie na szczeblu krajowym byłyby nieskuteczne. Uważam, że wynegocjowany tekst dobrze wyraża te proporcje kompetencji, a powierzenie centrum dodatkowych zadań wpisuje się w wymogi naszych czasów. Żadne państwo nie jest w stanie samodzielnie stawić czoła kryzysowi w zakresie zdrowia publicznego o charakterze transgranicznym. Dlatego w pełni popieram proponowane zwiększenie mandatu ECDC do monitorowania zagrożeń epidemicznych w Unii Europejskiej i rekomendowania działań zaradczych w ramach regulacji transgranicznych zagrożeń zdrowia odnośnie kompleksowych ram prawnych działań Unii w zakresie gotowości i wczesnego ostrzegania.

Dziękuję wszystkim posłom kontrsprawozdawcom pracującym przy sprawozdaniu ECDC za znakomitą współpracę i wiele cennych uwag w procesie negocjacji. Proszę Państwa o poparcie mojego sprawozdania. Jednocześnie pragnę pogratulować sprawozdawcy rozporządzenia Transgranicznych Zagrożeń Zdrowia pani Véronique Trillet-Lenoir. Szanowni Państwo, jestem przekonana, że przyświecają nam te same intencje. Chcemy lepszego poziomu zdrowia naszych obywateli, solidniejszych systemów opieki zdrowotnej, a w czasach kryzysu działań spójnych i skutecznych.

Stella Kyriakides,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, first of all, I would like to start by expressing my great appreciation to this House for your support in turning the European health union proposals from ambition into reality. This strong European health union, for many of us, has been a vision that we have shared.

In November 2020, we presented that ambition – a set of proposals to build a strong European health union and to make the European Union better prepared to prevent, to prepare for and to respond to cross-border health threats. In less than two years, we're gathered here for the final steps in the adoption on serious cross-border threats to health and the regulation extending the mandate of the ECDC. Both serve as very important building blocks for our European health union. Both fit neatly together with the other important pieces of legislation for the new European health security framework. Thanks to our joint work, we will extend the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's mandate.

What will this actually mean? A stronger ECDC will be able to issue recommendations to Member States regarding health-threat preparedness. It will be able to host a new network of excellence of EU reference laboratories and to establish an EU health task force for rapid health interventions in the event of a major outbreak. As we have all witnessed, the ECDC has been essential in making sense of and in managing this pandemic. With a stronger focus, we will be better prepared for the future. The new regulation on cross-border threats paves the way for a stronger EU role in preventing, preparing and managing health threats. You have been instrumental in delivering on citizen expectations for more EU in the area of health, something that we also heard consistently in the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Parliament has fought hard to have some key elements included in this package, and I need to extend my thanks especially to the rapporteurs, honourable Members Ms Kopcińska and Ms Trillet-Lenoir, and their whole teams for this. We have worked together tirelessly to get here today. You have each played your part in securing the provisions on joint procurement of medical countermeasures; you supported the inclusion of the one-health approach, and you made sure that prevention featured alongside response and preparedness activities. With your support, we made sure that Member States will have to report on stocks of critical medical countermeasures. They should take account of the Union preparedness plan when updating their national plans. The ECDC is empowered to access those national plans periodically, on top of periodic reporting to Member States. Meanwhile, the EU's Health Security Committee will be reconvened at senior level and will be able to issue recommendations and opinions. With Parliament's new observer status secured, I am pleased to say that this committee is even stronger. I must mention that the Commission does still have some institutional concerns on both texts and will be issuing statements on these accordingly.

In ending, honourable Members, this debate gives me the opportunity to really thank you again for your support to bring this package today and to work towards its adoption. And as we move into the implementation phase, we'll be taking further important steps together to turn this into a reality – because this can only mean better results for our citizens and this is what they rightfully expect from us.

Commission Statement on ‘Serious cross-border threats to health’ – Serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (Regulation) – Trillet-Lenoir report – 2020/0322 (COD), SI(2022) 65/2

The Commission welcomes the overall agreement reached by the co-legislators on the proposal for a Regulation on serious cross-border threats to health. This new Regulation provides for a strong health security framework in the EU and will strengthen EU-level protection, prevention, preparedness and response against cross-border health challenges.

The Commission regrets that the agreed text does not fully align the Regulation with the principle of one Commission and singles out one specific internal Commission service, whereas the Regulation will be implemented by the Commission (including other Commission departments) and other actors. Therefore, the agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the provisions that refer to a specific Commission internal service is without prejudice to any future legislative texts.

Moreover, the Commission also regrets that the co-legislators agreed to include a review clause, which includes an assessment of the need to establish the European Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) as a distinct entity from the Commission. Such an assessment goes beyond the scope of the Regulation and should remain within the Commission's remit as HERA is a Commission service. Moreover, it duplicates the assessment that is to be carried out under the Council Regulation on a framework of measures for ensuring the supply of crisis-relevant medical countermeasures in the event of a public health emergency at Union level.

Commission Statement on ‘Reinforcement of the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’ – Amending Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 establishing a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control – Kopcińska report – 2020/0320 (COD), SI(2021) 334

The Commission welcomes the overall agreement reached by the co-legislators on the proposal for a Regulation on the extension of the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The new Regulation will reinforce the capacity of the Centre to support the EU and its Member States in the prevention and control of communicable disease threats and improve European preparedness for future health challenges.

The Commission regrets that the agreed text does not fully align the Regulation with the principles of the Common Approach on the EU decentralised agencies, as regards the voting regime of the Management Board concerning the rules governing the languages of the Centre. Therefore the agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the language regime of the agency is without prejudice to any future legislative texts. The Commission remains convinced of the benefits of following all aspects of the Common Approach in relation to decentralised agencies.

José Manuel Fernandes,
  relator de parecer da Comissão dos Orçamentos. – Senhora Presidente, Senhora Comissária, Caras e Caros Colegas, é nossa obrigação tudo fazer para proteger a vida dos cidadãos e dar-lhes as melhores condições de saúde. Para isso, é necessária coordenação e partilha. Para isso, é urgente uma união da saúde, uma união da saúde que comprovou a compra conjunta e a investigação para as vacinas e que permitiu vacinas para todos e um preço mais barato.

É necessária esta coordenação também na área da investigação, onde se pode fazer mais, na área do cancro. Sempre defendemos um plano europeu de combate à prevenção e ao tratamento do cancro. Para além disso, os cuidados transfronteiriços são, obviamente, essenciais, tal como a possibilidade de um exame que é feito num país poder ser utilizado noutro país. Isto significa eficiência e significa poupança de recursos.

Para além de tudo aquilo que aqui referi, é necessário um trabalho conjunto para recuperarmos o atraso que tivemos na pandemia. Por exemplo, um país como o meu, Portugal, teve este ano, em relação à média da União Europeia, uma taxa excessiva de mortalidade que ficou muito para além da média da União.

Kim Van Sparrentak,
  rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. – Madam President, dear colleagues. I would like to comment in particular on procurement, which is within the IMCO remit.

I welcome the provisions where our IMCO opinion was improved in a practical way. For example, the EU-exclusive procurement, meaning that countries would not be able to negotiate with different manufacturers in parallel. For this issue, a great compromise was found, which is that only after assessment it is decided if it is an EU-exclusive procurement. And this makes sense, since the EU exclusive procurement would be beneficial regarding counter-measures involving plenty of options on the market, for example with tests, but would not be beneficial for other measures where there might be a shortage, for example with vaccines.

Looking at the final text, although we certainly did not get everything we wanted from the Greens EFA and IMCO side, I still welcome this regulation which will surely contribute to strengthening the Union's coordinated response to public health emergencies.

Радан Кънев,
  от името на групата PPE. – Г-жо Председател, важно е да подкрепим това споразумение между институциите за обща европейска здравна политика, за обща политика срещу заразните заболявания. Тя е единствената възможност едновременно да защитим най-важното си достояние – свободата на движение и единния пазар, но да защитим и гражданите на Съюза от следващи подобни здравни кризи.

Преди всичко одобрените от институциите решения дават възможност научните изводи в медицината да се правят на база на половин милиард население в нашите държави, съчетано с една от най напредналите медицински науки в света. Обработката на тези данни, споделени между всички наши държави, ще даде възможност Европейският съюз да бъде лидер в медицинската наука, което автоматично значи и европейското население да бъде най-добре защитеното от здравни заплахи население в света – така, както трябва да бъде.

От особено значение – и с това приключвам – е да следим настоятелно за може би най-голямото постижение на Парламента в тези междуинституционални преговори с Европейския съвет. И това беше възможността да се работи върху връзката между заразни и хронични заболявания, да се изследват именно на база на тази огромна база научни данни взаимовръзките, които съществуват между тежките хронични заболявания и инфекциозните заболявания, и по този начин да осъществим исторически медицински пробив.

Sara Cerdas,
  em nome do Grupo S&D. – Senhora Presidente, há pouco mais de dois anos e meio, a União Europeia foi assolada pela maior pandemia dos últimos cem anos que atingiu todos no mundo, sem qualquer exceção.

A UE respondeu, na altura, com os instrumentos de então, mas cedo percebemos a necessidade de construirmos uma verdadeira União Europeia para a Saúde. Este regulamento é, assim, o culminar de vários meses de intensas negociações, com os princípios de ‘uma só saúde’ e ‘saúde em todas as políticas’ na sua essência, reconhecendo que a saúde é parte integrante de qualquer sociedade próspera.

Este regulamento contempla: a criação de planos de prevenção, preparação e resposta, a nível nacional e a nível europeu; o reconhecimento de emergência de saúde pública; uma maior articulação e coordenação com as entidades internacionais, como a Organização Mundial da Saúde, pois as crises não conhecem fronteiras; testes de stress e formação aos diversos níveis para os profissionais de saúde; mais transparência; laboratórios de referência e redução da carga administrativa para quem gere a crise; colaborações multissetoriais e uma clara aposta na literacia para a saúde e no combate à desinformação.

Este é, assim, um momento histórico. Temos um mandato mais robusto, pois em crise somos tão mais fortes quanto o nosso elo mais fraco.

Uma palavra final de agradecimento a quem tornou tudo isto possível: à Comissão, às duas Presidências que trabalharam connosco e, em especial, a ti, Véronique, e a toda a equipa de relatores-sombra, por termos conseguido estar à altura do desafio. Por uma União Europeia para a Saúde que não deixe ninguém para trás.

Nicolae Ștefănuță,
  în numele grupului Renew. – Doamna comisară, dragă Véronique, cât să mai fim pacienți de mâna a doua ? Cum e să fii bolnav și să știi, de exemplu, că în Belgia ai avea acces imediat, iar în România nu ai nici măcar un pat liber în spital? Să nu ai seringi, să nu ai săpun sau hârtie igienică! Uneori trebuie să cumperi și medicamentele din spital, să vii cu ele de acasă. Sibienii mei își doresc atât de mult un nou spital încât au făcut deja planuri, studii de fezabilitate, tot. Mai au nevoie doar de bani să îl construiască. Hai să trimitem banii promiși pentru sănătate acolo unde este cea mai mare nevoie.

Am trecut doi ani grei prin pandemie împreună și Europa a știut să fie împreună, iar Centrul European de Prevenire și Control al Bolilor a fost un adevărat scut pentru viață și sănătate. Dar Agenția are nevoie de noi ca să meargă mai departe. Are nevoie de bani, are nevoie de resurse, are nevoie de oameni. Acum este momentul să o ajutăm. Nu mai putem continua ca unii europeni să aibă și alții să nu, unii să trăiască și alții să moară cu zile. Vrem egalitate acum, vrem sănătate europeană acum!

Margrete Auken,
  for Verts/ALE-Gruppen. – Fru Formand! Først tak til et godt samarbejde med et dygtigt forhandlerteam. Vi grønne har især fokuseret på et helhedsorienteret syn på sundhed. Når vores natur og miljø trues, trues vores helbred også. Forringet biodiversitet og tiltagende forurening udgør en generel sundhedsrisiko og øger dertil faren for nye pandemier. Den helhedstænkning er kommet med nu.

Vi havde gerne set større gennemsigtighed, når det gælder fælles indkøb og forhandlinger med medicinalindustrien. Skatteborgerne har ret til at vide, hvordan deres penge bruges.

Vi fik en smule åbenhed i beslutningstagningen i og med, at der deltager parlamentarikere på flere niveauer. Det giver borgerne en chance for at følge med. Hvis regeringerne er alene, er der meget sjældent åbenhed om arbejdet, slet ikke på sammen måde, som vi har i Parlamentet.

Men hvad med global solidaritet? Det er decideret beskæmmende for industrien, der har modtaget milliarder af euro til f.eks. vaccineudviklingen og også fremover vil blive godt polstret fra det offentlige, at de bekæmper en deling af såvel viden som opskrifter på den livsvigtige medicin. Og det lige så beskæmmende, at vores regeringer tager deres og ikke menneskedens parti i denne sag.

Mathilde Androuët,
  au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, il y a une certaine ironie à plaider pour toujours plus d'Union européenne quand, justement, l'Union européenne a prouvé qu'elle était inapte à faire mieux sur certains sujets, et notamment ici celui de la crise de la COVID-19 et de la santé. Ne vous en déplaise, dans le cadre de la crise de la COVID-19, les réponses les plus adaptées, les plus rapides et les plus efficaces ont été des solutions de proximité. Vouloir préempter un sujet qui appartient aux seuls États souverains pour se montrer encore plus maladroit, toujours plus éloigné des patients et surtout moins transparent, comme lors de la crise de la COVID-19 – qui s'est soldée par une commande surdimensionnée de vaccins, négociée dans des conditions auxquelles même les parlementaires européens n'ont pu avoir accès –, relève ainsi de l'hubris.

Vous vous souciez des menaces transfrontalières graves pour la santé: commencez par remettre des frontières – c'est une première prévention – et assurez-vous que l'Union européenne ne passe pas son temps à délocaliser l'industrie pharmaceutique. En effet, comment ne pas s'inquiéter du fait que 80 % des principes actifs de nos médicaments proviennent d'Inde ou de Chine? Laissez les États gérer leur système de santé et faites plutôt de l'Union européenne un outil de renforcement de notre indépendance médicamenteuse et de ces agences des pôles de recherche communs dont le but est de créer, d'avancer ensemble, et non de fliquer les États membres.

Margarita de la Pisa Carrión,
  en nombre del Grupo ECR. – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria Dalli y señora comisaria Kyriakides, queridos colegas, la crisis de la COVID-19 ha estado plagada de errores y de escasa transparencia, tanto en los Estados miembros como en las labores de coordinación ejercidas por la Comisión.

Estas propuestas deben servir para mejorar el acceso a la información y la coordinación para ganar agilidad en la gestión de las crisis. La mejora de los instrumentos sanitarios disponibles no puede suponer, en ningún caso, una excusa para imponer políticas orquestadas desde la Comisión Europea para vaciar paulatinamente de competencias a los Estados miembros.

Coordinar en materia sanitaria no implica imponer unilateralmente medidas desproporcionadas o desechar mecanismos eficaces a nivel nacional. La inminente reforma de la legislación farmacéutica europea demostrará si hemos sido capaces de trabajar de manera conjunta para encontrar el respeto al equilibrio de competencias que beneficie a la salud de los europeos, a la innovación y, a la vez, también, al desarrollo industrial y a la autonomía de los suministros.

Kateřina Konečná,
  za skupinu The Left. – Paní předsedající, vážená paní komisařko, přijetím těchto dvou nařízení dokončujeme práci, která započala s pandemií COVID-19. Ač mám vůči všem třem hlavním dokumentům tvořícím Evropskou zdravotní unii značné výhrady, pevně doufám, že nám jejich včasná a hladká implementace umožní dostatečně se připravit na další pandemii, která bezesporu přijde. Bohužel přijatá legislativa má značné limity, které vychází především z toho, jak málo se věnuje primární právo EU spolupráci mezi členskými státy v oblasti zdravotní péče. V dlouhodobém horizontu tohle musíme změnit. Spolupráce v oblasti veřejného zdraví a péče by si ve Smlouvách zasloužila zásadní předělání. Pokud k tomu nedojde, budeme navždy odsouzeni pouze kosmeticky látat díry, které se neustále objevují.

Já se však v současnosti dívám k snad blížící se revizi v evropské farmaceutické legislativě. Jen ta nám může pomoci tlumit problémy v evropské zdravotní péči a její dostupnosti, které pandemie pouze odkryla. Je na pováženou, že Komise tuto dekády očekávanou revizi stále nepředložila. Moc času v tomto volebním období již totiž nezbývá. Stávající rámec jak obecné farmaceutické legislativy, tak práv duševního vlastnictví či léků na vzácná onemocnění a přeshraniční zdravotní péči již nepostačuje požadavkům doby. Neustále se nám zhoršuje přístup občanů k lékům i zdravotní péči, prohlubují se rozdíly napříč EU a dá se předpokládat, že současný souběh různých krizí tyto problémy pouze akceleruje. Je pět minut po dvanácté, je třeba začít něco dělat především pro občany EU.

Laura Ferrara (NI). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, con la pandemia da COVID-19 gli Stati membri hanno compreso l'importanza di migliorare le risposte comuni alle emergenze sanitarie transfrontaliere. Il rafforzamento della cooperazione a livello europeo consentirà un coordinamento più efficace per prevenire e prepararsi a gestire non solo le malattie infettive, ma anche le differenti minacce per la salute pubblica di origine ambientale, alimentare, biologica e chimica.

Il Centro europeo per la prevenzione e il controllo delle malattie sarà un attore fondamentale per il monitoraggio, l'analisi e la consulenza, sia prima che durante la crisi. La disponibilità di sufficienti forniture di prodotti e servizi sanitari che siano accessibili a tutti deve essere prioritaria nella pianificazione nazionale ed europea, così come ogni sforzo dovrà essere compiuto per ridurre la nostra dipendenza da Stati terzi sui farmaci e dispositivi medici.

Trasparenza e partecipazione devono essere caratterizzate in ogni processo decisionale, così come le negoziazioni con le industrie del settore. Più solida sarà l'Unione europea della salute, più forte sarà la protezione sanitaria dei diritti dei cittadini europei.

Esther de Lange (PPE). – Voorzitter, één minuut is veel te kort om dit hele onderhandelingsresultaat in de spotlights te zetten. Laat mij allereerst Véronique Trillet-Lenoir bedanken en alle leden van ons team. We waren misschien van verschillende politieke fracties, maar we hadden gemeenschappelijke prioriteiten en daar wil ik jullie voor bedanken.

In deze korte tijd wil ik drie dingen doen. Ik wil zeggen waar ik het meest trots op ben. Het meest trots ben ik in dit onderhandelingsresultaat op het feit dat de continuïteit van de zorg, het voorkomen van uitgestelde zorg, verplicht wordt meegenomen in de voorbereidingsplannen van de lidstaten. Je hoeft maar naar de rapporten over te laat gestelde diagnoses van bijvoorbeeld kinderkanker te kijken om te weten waarom dit een prioriteit was van het Europees Parlement.

Ik wil zeggen waar ik het meest van baal. Ik baal het meest van het feit dat geestelijke gezondheid niet verplicht wordt meegenomen in de nationale voorbereidingsplannen. Wij hadden dat als Parlement graag gewild en de Raad werkte daartegen. Volgens mij hoef je maar vanuit Straatsburg te kijken om te weten dat dit in heel Europa meer aandacht behoeft.

Tot slot wat ik het meest vrees. Wat ik het meest vrees is dat de Raad bij een volgende pandemie toch weer terugvalt op die nationale reflex. De Conferentie over de toekomst van Europa heeft laten zien dat de burgers dat niet wensen. Deze wetgeving maakt een Europese aanpak mogelijk. Daarom vraag ik om steun bij de stemming deze week.

Heléne Fritzon (S&D). – Fru talman! Kommissionär! Än är pandemin inte över, men i EU har vi tack vare vaccin förhoppningsvis lagt det värsta bakom oss. I en europeisk hälsounion får vi nu nya verktyg för att hindra att nästa mutation av corona eller ett ännu okänt virus blir en ny pandemi.

Om medlemsstaterna tidigt kan dela data med varandra kan vi nämligen förutspå nästa steg, och vi kan införa lokala restriktioner redan innan viruset nått fram. Hela EU behöver skyddsutrustning, intensivvårdsplatser och testlabb, och om en medlemsstat har fulla testlabb kan en annan medlemsstat hjälpa till.

Det är genom ökad transparens kring gemensam upphandling som vi kan bekämpa desinformation och vaccinmotstånd. Virus och pandemier känner inga gränser, och jag ser verkligen fram emot bättre koordinering för att vi ska kunna bemästra virus och pandemier i framtiden.

Irena Joveva (Renew). – Lepo pozdravljeni kolegice in kolegi, spoštovana komisarka.

Zdravje je temelj vsega. Brez zdravja ni delujočega gospodarstva, šolskih sistemov, socialnega varstva, politike ... ničesar.

Dokler ga imamo, v vsakodnevnem življenju nanj radi pozabimo. Ampak pred dvema letoma smo vsi prejeli jasno opozorilo, ki je pokazalo tudi, kako zelo ranljive so posamezne države pri boju proti krizam takšnih razsežnosti.

Obvladovanje čezmejnih groženj in nevarnosti javnemu zdravju je odvisno od seveda številnih dejavnikov. Prvi je okrepitev mandata Evropskega centra za preprečevanje in obvladovanje bolezni.

Njegovo uspešno delovanje bo odvisno tudi od digitalizacije, zbiranja podatkov in njihove obdelave, pri čemer mora biti zagotovljena tudi ustrezna varnost. Kakovost zdravljenja in dostopnost do zdravil med tem ne smeta biti odvisna od države, iz katere prihajaš.

Zato potrebujemo enotne standarde in njihovo zagotavljanje, morda celo skupno javno naročanje zdravstvenih izdelkov prek agencije EMA. Najpomembnejše je, da imamo vzpostavljen učinkovit zdravstveni sistem, ker nihče od nas ne pozna prihodnosti.

Zdravje pa je, kot rečeno, temelj vsega.

Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE). – Madame la Présidente, je voudrais commencer par féliciter mes collègues pour leur travail sur ces deux dossiers, qui posent le préalable indispensable à un renforcement de la coordination européenne en matière de santé.

Je suis toutefois partagée: pour moi, l'Europe de la santé devrait s'inscrire en ligne droite avec les citoyennes et les citoyens, pour l'Europe. C'est l'Europe sociale qu'ils appellent de leurs vœux.

Pourtant, une fois encore, le Conseil et la Commission ont fait en sorte de limiter la demande du Parlement, qui réclamait plus de transparence et un droit de regard systématique sur l'argent public dépensé.

La transparence ne devrait pas être une bataille mais un processus acté, et je suis agacée par le fait que nos chefs d'États, après maintes requêtes, ne le reconnaissent pas.

Changer l'Europe et la renforcer, c'est avant tout construire une Europe dans laquelle nous avons confiance, et la transparence est essentielle pour cela.

Joachim Kuhs (ID). – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissarin, werte Kollegen! Die in dem Bericht vorgestellten Vorschläge zur Stärkung des Europäischen Zentrums für die Prävention und die Kontrolle von Krankheiten (ECDC) hören sich zuerst mal gut an. Niemand ist dagegen, dass wir besser vorbereitet und gewappnet sind für kommende Pandemien und grenzüberschreitende Gesundheitsbedrohungen. Warum werde ich aber das dumpfe Gefühl nicht los, dass diese nützlichen Gründe für die Stärkung des ECDC nur weitere Schritte sind, um auf dem Weg der lückenlosen Erfassung aller Gesundheitsdaten aller Bürger eine Art grenzenloses Überwachungssystem à la China einzuführen?

Wenn die Generaldirektorin, Frau Gallina, vor zwei Wochen freudestrahlend im Haushaltsausschuss verkündet, sie habe nahezu eine Milliarde COVID-Zertifikate ausgestellt, dann erstirbt mir das Lachen im Hals. Das ist ein Angriff auf die Freiheit unserer Bürger. Das sollten wir nicht weiter unterstützen. Frau Kommissarin, geben Sie diese Aufgabe wieder zurück in die Hände der Mitgliedstaaten!

Antoni Comín i Oliveres (NI). – Madame la Présidente, la pandémie nous a obligés, nous l'Union européenne, à faire un pas en avant dans le domaine des politiques de santé, et nous l'avons fait. C'est le mieux que l'on pouvait faire pour la santé, et ce règlement en est une expression concrète.

Nous nous réjouissons que, à l'issue des derniers trilogues, la version définitive de cette norme intègre certaines des propositions que nous avons émises. Faire en sorte, par exemple, que les autorités régionales participent à l'élaboration des plans de prévention et de préparation aux menaces sanitaires transfrontalières. Des gouvernements comme celui de la Catalogne, dont j'étais conseiller de santé, ont beaucoup à dire à ce sujet.

Mais il y a davantage dans ce règlement que nous célébrons: la vision holistique, par exemple, qui fait que ces plans de préparation tiendront compte de l'impact des menaces épidémiologiques sur la santé mentale et les autres maladies non infectieuses, ou encore l'incorporation des principes fondamentaux ‘One Health’.

La pandémie nous a mieux que jamais fait comprendre le lien entre santé humaine, santé animale et santé environnementale, de même qu'elle nous a fait repenser toutes nos politiques de santé. Comment, dès lors, pourrions-nous mener des politiques de prévention sans reconnaître le rôle central des déterminants sociaux?

Il ne fait aucun doute que l'approbation de ce règlement est une bonne nouvelle pour le droit à la santé des citoyens européens, et nous nous en réjouissons.

Peter Liese (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin! ‘The pandemic is over.’ Das sagte der US-Präsident Joe Biden und fügte hinzu: ‘We still have a problem with COVID.’ Und ich glaube, Joe Biden ist ziemlich nah an einer realistischen Einschätzung der Lage.

Wir sind jetzt in einer viel, viel besseren Situation als 2020 und 2021. Wir haben ein anderes Virus. Wir haben einen hohen Schutz durch einen sehr guten Impfstoff, der auch mithilfe der Europäischen Union hergestellt, entwickelt und zur Verfügung gestellt wurde. Vieles war nicht perfekt, aber wir sollten auch nicht vergessen, dass wir jetzt an einer viel besseren Stelle stehen, auch durch Handeln der Europäischen Union.

Wir können uns auf die anderen Sorgen konzentrieren, die die Menschen umtreiben. Und das müssen wir, weil diese anderen Probleme, zum Beispiel im Energiebereich, groß sind. Die beiden Texte, die jetzt zur Abstimmung vorliegen, sorgen dafür, dass wir beim nächsten Mal, wenn uns so etwas wieder passiert, besser vorbereitet sind. Danke an alle, die mitgeholfen haben, insbesondere für die EVP Esther de Lange und Radan Kanev.

Wenn wir nach China schauen, dann sehen wir, dass da das Problem noch nicht vorbei ist. Also ganz so schlecht hat es Europa nicht gemacht.

Günther Sidl (S&D). – Frau Präsidentin, verehrte Frau Kommissarin! Die Corona-Pandemie hat gezeigt, dass Alleingänge der Nationalstaaten in einer solchen Situation völlig verantwortungslos sind. Sie sind schon in normalen Zeiten nicht sinnvoll, aber bei einer gemeinsamen Krise braucht es mehr Solidarität und Zusammenarbeit. Es hat sich aber auch gezeigt, dass die Europäische Union hier über eindeutig zu wenig Kompetenzen verfügt hat. Die Menschen haben nach Brüssel geblickt, um Antworten und Lösungen zu erhalten, aber Europa hatte zu wenig Handlungsmöglichkeiten, und das müssen wir ändern. Wir werden nun mit den vorliegenden Verordnungen Schritte setzen, die eine bessere Vorbereitung und Reaktion auf künftige Pandemien ermöglichen.

Weiters werden wir in Forschung und Entwicklung investieren, unsere Abhängigkeiten reduzieren und die gemeinsame Beschaffung erleichtern.

Und eines ist mir persönlich ganz, ganz wichtig, und dort müssen wir auch hinkommen, nämlich zu starken öffentlichen Gesundheitssystemen in Europa. Sie sind der zentrale Anker für die Menschen in Krisenzeiten, und dies muss auch verbunden sein mit einem wirklichen Vorsorgedenken im Gesundheitsbereich.

Zgłoszenia z sali

Stelios Kympouropoulos (PPE). – Madame President, as the COVID-19 pandemic evidenced, there is currently a limited legal framework for EU-level coordination into serious cross-border threats to health. We need a common EU-level response to harmonise communication and to show solidarity among Member States.

Presenting these proposals sets a historical and more comprehensive legal basis for the EU to prepare and respond to future crises. In my view, to do so sufficiently, we should guarantee that every EU citizen has equal and easy access to all health-care systems among the Member States, and especially when moving freely from one state to another.

Moreover, as most of the consequences after a serious cross-border health threat have a great impact on mental health, we should invest in protecting our citizens' mental health by outlining a strategic framework that provides for mental wellbeing and support.

Dear Madam Commissioner, let's use the lessons learnt from COVID-19 to embrace EU guidance on preparedness, surveillance and risk assessment and early warning supported by improvement to data collection to better respond to future cross-border health threats.

Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D). – Señora presidenta, quisiera dar las gracias a la señora comisaria, aquí presente, y a los colegas que han trabajado en estas dos normas, que me parecen fundamentales, porque son los dos grandes pilares de la unión sanitaria, un proyecto que arrancó, obviamente, a raíz de la pandemia.

La comisaria ha señalado que hizo la propuesta en noviembre del 2020 y ahí sí que me permito una pequeña crítica: creo que tendría que haberse hecho incluso antes. ‘Bien está lo que bien acaba’, pero ya en abril de ese año socialistas españoles como Javi López, César Luena y yo mismo planteamos a la Comisión la cuestión de la unión sanitaria. El Grupo de Socialistas y Demócratas también hizo la misma propuesta en mayo de 2020.

En cualquier caso, nos encontramos ahora en una situación en la que podemos sacarle a esta unión sanitaria el máximo partido. ¿Por qué? Porque, como se ha dicho, la pandemia del coronavirus virus no está completamente superada y la hipótesis más probable será seguramente tener que realizar campañas de vacunación anuales dirigidas al conjunto de la sociedad europea.

João Pimenta Lopes (The Left). – Senhora Presidente, sejamos claros: do que estamos a falar é de um caminho para o mercado da saúde na União Europeia. Fazer da saúde um negócio, promover a sua privatização, com os prejuízos que os portugueses bem sentem na pele, com a degradação do Serviço Nacional de Saúde e pondo em causa a sua dimensão universal, a qualidade e a garantia do direito à saúde.

Um caminho que a Comissão Europeia já vem trilhando através de constrangimentos orçamentais e das recomendações específicas por país, que impõem cortes na despesa primária do Estado na saúde. Estamos perante um caminho que visa escancarar as portas à liberalização, privatização e concentração no setor da saúde, transferindo, simultaneamente, competências dos Estados para a esfera supranacional.

Perdem os povos, salivam os grandes grupos económicos com as perspetivas de transformar a doença em lucro. A organização dos cuidados de saúde é uma competência nacional e assim deve ser, garantindo serviços públicos de elevada qualidade, gratuitos e universais, com adequados investimentos nas infraestruturas, nas respostas de especialidade e de proximidade, valorizando os profissionais de saúde e as suas condições laborais.

Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, and I think while there is certainly a need to improve and deepen European collaboration in order to prevent, monitor and respond to cross-border health threats, I think COVID, more than anything, has highlighted actually the harmful consequences of neoliberal policy adjusted to the health sector and promoted in the EU.

The commodification of health care is assaulting the principle that health is a fundamental right. And we see in countless states institutional abuse, lack of materials, exorbitant prices and the priority given to profit. And where is this coming from? It's coming from the Commission. We know that many Member States have been directed to slaughter their health budgets in order to balance the books. And we saw those devastating consequences then, in COVID, when people and economies had to be basically shut down, people were locked in nursing homes, nobody could visit them because of the fear of what would happen if there was an outbreak of COVID and the hospitals couldn't cope.

So we need to ensure that health is immune from the loss of the market. Health should be a fundamental right.

Przewodnicząca. –
  (w reakcji na uwagi M. Spyraki wygłoszone przy wyłączonym mikrofonie) Nie mam w wykazie, Pani Poseł, żeby Pani się zgłosiła.

Maria Spyraki (PPE). – Madam President, sorry, the machine said ‘yes’, and you have to behave fairly in this procedure.

Przewodnicząca. – Udzielam Pani głosu, bardzo proszę.

Μαρία Σπυράκη (PPE). – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, κυρία Κυριακίδου, κυρία Επίτροπε, ο κανονισμός για την Ένωση Υγείας, που ψηφίζουμε αύριο, αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό βήμα στη δημιουργία του νομοθετικού πλαισίου, το οποίο θα προχωρήσει σε άμεση εφαρμογή προς τα κράτη μέλη, ώστε κατ' αρχήν να συνεργάζονται στην ανταλλαγή δεδομένων με ασφάλεια και διαλειτουργικότητα και να μετατοπίζουν άμεσα τη στόχευσή τους στην πρόληψη των ασθενειών και των επιδημιών. Η περίοδος της πανδημίας μάς δίδαξε πως κανένα κράτος μέλος, όσο ισχυρό και να είναι, όση ισχυρή οικονομία και να διαθέτει, όσο σύγχρονο και στελεχωμένο σύστημα υγείας και να έχει στη διάθεσή του, δεν μπορεί να αντιμετωπίσει, χωρίς την ευρωπαϊκή συνεργασία και αλληλεγγύη, χωρίς την κοινή δράση, τις κρίσεις μεγάλης κλίμακας.

Η πρόληψη του καρκίνου και η διαρκής φροντίδα των πασχόντων, όπως περιγράφονται στο ευρωπαϊκό σχέδιο που εκπονήσαμε σε συνεργασία με την Επιτροπή, οφείλει πρώτα απ' όλα να εφαρμοστεί με ευλάβεια από τα κράτη μέλη και να αποτελέσει οδηγό για τα επόμενα βήματα. Ταυτόχρονα, η διασυνοριακή πρόσβαση στα καινοτόμα φάρμακα και την ιατρική περίθαλψη υψηλής τεχνολογίας αποτελεί υποχρέωση των κυβερνήσεών μας. Οφείλουμε να δώσουμε στους Ευρωπαίους ίσες ευκαιρίες στην πρόληψη και την περίθαλψη, είτε ζουν στο Καστελόριζο και το Νευροκόπι είτε στο κέντρο των Βρυξελλών και του Παρισιού.

Przewodnicząca. – Bardzo dziękuję, Pani Poseł! Oczywiście udzieliłam Pani głosu, mimo że nie mieliśmy odnotowane, że Pani się zgłosiła.

(Koniec zgłoszeń z sali)

Stella Kyriakides,
  Member of the Commission. – Thank you, Madam President. Honourable Members, thank you for yet another very important debate.

Now, the solutions to this pandemic and other major health threats which challenge us lie, as some of you have already mentioned – MEP Cerdas, MEP Sidl – in collaboration and in solidarity. With the two rapporteurs of these important reports, we have often discussed this. And this is the way we are moving forward as a European Commission: putting forward proposals that are built on this solidarity and collaboration – the Pharmaceutical Strategy, the European Health Data Space, and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. We must continue to take it to the next stage.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us we could and we can do things better and differently. Many of us seem to have forgotten where we were in early 2020. We take it for granted that we would have safe and effective vaccines, that these would be available for all Member States at the same time, no matter how big or small. Member States had access to these vaccines, but 2.4 billion were also exported to the rest of the world. In fact, two thirds of what we produced in the EU was exported to the rest of the world.

This unprecedented health crisis showed the importance of what the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) can do, but also what we needed to improve, and that cross-border threats need a different approach. So it's only right that we've designed a stronger legal framework to enhance EU capacity in the areas of prevention, preparedness, surveillance, risk assessment, early warning and response.

Honourable Members, with these new regulations, we've shown that we can move forward together decisively and faster. And of course, I took note of what MEP Esther de Lange said on the importance of mental health. It remains a very high priority in this Commission, as it should do. You mentioned cancer as well. Two weeks ago, we proposed new screening guidelines with very specific targets for all Member States.

So this is a strong European Health Union we are building together, and this is how we can make this health union work for all its citizens, because they expect and deserve no less.

Véronique Trillet-Lenoir,
  rapporteure. – Madame la Présidente, madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, vous l'avez dit, cette proposition législative ainsi que la révision des mandats de l'EMA et de l'ECDC est une contribution majeure à l'Europe de la santé que nous construisons pas à pas depuis le début de ce mandat.

Je salue une nouvelle fois notre équipe de négociation, chères Esther, Sarah, Margrete, Johanna et Katerina. Nous avons défendu ce règlement au titre bien peu lisible: ‘Menaces transfrontières graves pour la santé’, pour en faire ensemble un véritable plan européen de réponse aux urgences sanitaires.

Avec cet accord, nous répondons aux 74 % de citoyens européens qui souhaitent plus de compétences européennes en matière de santé et de gestion des crises. Cette construction, chère Stella, se poursuivra avec la révision de la législation pharmaceutique par laquelle, nous le voulons et nous le ferons, nous avancerons vers une véritable Europe du médicament.

Mais ces refontes législatives ne sont qu'un début. Notre projet se poursuivra dans le cadre d'une future convention sur la révision des traités européens et nous nous réjouissons que la Commission, que je remercie également pour son soutien pendant ce trilogue, soit de nouveau prête à relever ce défi.

Chers collègues, par votre vote de demain, vous pouvez convaincre les États membres de la pertinence d'une véritable politique européenne de la santé, au-delà des crispations sur les prérogatives nationales qui ont montré toutes leurs limites, voire leurs effets délétères. La santé ne doit plus être perçue comme un coût, mais comme un investissement durable en faveur du bien-être et du mieux vivre des citoyennes et des citoyens européens. Alors, en leur nom, je vous remercie pour votre soutien.

Joanna Kopcińska,
  Sprawozdawczyni. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Szanowni Państwo! Dziękuję za wszystkie uwagi i komentarze, za wspólną, intensywną i rzetelną pracę. Pragnę podziękować także Pani Komisarz Stelli Kyriakides za propozycję rozporządzenia, jaką przedstawiła Komisja w pakiecie Unii Zdrowia. Dziękuję również za pomoc w kwestii zapisów budżetowych agencji. Chcę również wyrazić podziękowanie dla ówczesnej prezydencji słoweńskiej za negocjacje oraz liczne spotkania na poziomie technicznym. Dziękuję także Radzie za postawę otwartości i niezbędnej elastyczności negocjacyjnej. Wreszcie jeszcze raz moim kolegom i koleżankom sprawozdawcom pomocniczym za Państwa postawę merytorycznej i konstruktywnej współpracy.

Jeszcze raz gratuluję sprawozdawcy rozporządzenia Transgranicznych Zagrożeń Zdrowia. Wynegocjowane porozumienie daje szansę na synergię między środkami unijnymi i krajowymi i jednocześnie unika powielania podejmowanych prac. Odnosząc się do Państwa komentarzy, pragnę powiedzieć, że zgadzam się, że można było zrobić więcej. Praktycznie zawsze można zrobić więcej. Niemniej jednak sam Benjamin Franklin powiedział kiedyś, że najlepsi lekarze dają najmniej lekarstw. Dlatego kierując się tą zasadą, również jako lekarz z wykształcenia, starałam się znaleźć odpowiednie rozwiązania dotyczące synergii działań między ECDC, Komisją i państwami, przy jednoczesnym adekwatnym doborze środków do naszych realnych możliwości.

W pracy nad rozporządzeniem o ECDC skupiłam się na kluczowych aspektach dotyczących wzmocnienia gotowości, poprawie sprawozdawczości danych oraz rzetelnej analizie ryzyka, które wszyscy z Państwa również głęboko podzielaliście. Wierzę, że zaproponowane zmiany w istotny sposób rozszerzają mandat agencji, przez co zyskuje ona operacyjność, by lepiej zadbać o bezpieczeństwo Europejczyków.

Przewodnicząca. – Zamykam debatę łączną.

Głosowanie odbędzie się jutro, tj. we wtorek 4 października 2022 r.

Oświadczenia pisemne (art. 171)

Bartosz Arłukowicz (PPE),
  na piśmie. – Szanowna Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Drogie Koleżanki i Koledzy! Cieszę się, że dziś robimy ważny krok w kierunku urzeczywistnienia Europejskiej Unii Zdrowotnej, którą Przewodnicząca Komisji Europejskiej, pani Ursula von der Leyen, zapowiadała na Światowym Szczycie Zdrowia dwa lata temu (25 października 2020 roku).

Budujemy dziś podstawy silniejszej Europejskiej Unii Zdrowotnej, w ramach której 27 państw będzie ze sobą współpracować w celu wykrywania zagrożeń oraz wspólnego przygotowywania się i reagowania na nie. Ale jest jeszcze ważniejsza sprawa, którą mam nadzieję zajmiemy się już wkrótce. Chodzi o wspólne zakupy nie tylko leków czy szczepionek w czasach pandemii lub innych zdarzeń nadzwyczajnych, ale leków w ogóle. Na to czekają pacjenci w całej Europie. Istnieje ogromna dysproporcja w dostępie obywateli UE do terapii chorób rzadkich, skutecznych terapii onkologicznych, itd.

Nie zbudujemy silnej Europejskiej Unii Zdrowotnej bez stanowczych decyzji. Nie możemy oglądać się na koncerny i biznes. W centrum naszej uwagi musi zawsze być pacjent!

Robert Hajšel (S&D),
  písomne. – Chcem dúfať, že týmto rozšírením mandátu pôsobnosti Európskeho centra pre prevenciu a kontrolu chorôb budú Európska únia a jej členské štáty konečne lepšie pripravené na zvládanie možných budúcich zdravotných epidémií a pandémií. Podmienkou ale musí byť zachovanie dostatočných kompetencií na strane štátov v kritických rozhodovacích oblastiach. V prijatej legislatíve ide najmä o zlepšenie koordinácie postupov štátov, prevenciu cezhraničného šírenia chorôb a schopnosť komunikovať potrebné dáta. Ja by som privítal, ak by sme na úrovni EÚ viac koordinovali aj manažovanie neprenosných chorôb, ako sú kardiovaskulárne, onkologické a autoimunitné ochorenia, pri ktorých liečení sú v jednotlivých štátoch obrovské rozdiely v úspešnosti.

Eugen Jurzyca (ECR),
  písomne. – Rozširovanie kompetencií EÚ v zdravotníctve malo začať analýzou dopadov, ako aj analýzou príčin problémov v tomto sektore. Žiaľ, Komisia prichádza s ďalšou centralizáciou a navyšovaním rozpočtu Európskeho centra pre prevenciu a kontrolu chorôb a vytváraním nových inštitúcií bez analýz vplyvov. Aby zdravotnícka únia fungovala, potrebujeme hlbšiu a odbornejšiu debatu o rozdelení kompetencií medzi členskými štátmi a EÚ, ako aj o tom, aké výsledky má nová regulácia priniesť. Podľa mňa by bolo dobrým krokom k európskej zdravotnej únii významne uľahčiť prístup občanov k liečbe hradenej z verejného poistenia aj v iných členských štátoch EÚ.

Alin Mituța (Renew),
  în scris. – Astăzi facem în Parlamentul European câțiva pași importanți spre Uniunea Sănătății. Reforma ECDC și echiparea UE pentru a proteja sănătatea cetățenilor în fața unor viitoare pandemii sunt de bun augur. Dar nu și suficiente. În Conferința privind Viitorul Europei, cetățenii au cerut apăsat o serie de măsuri pentru sprijinul sistemelor de sănătate naționale, care de multe ori nu mai fac față crizelor de sănătate.

Să ne gândim doar la crizele de sănătate accentuate de pandemie - criza problemelor de sănătate mintală sau criza cauzată de lipsa de diagnosticare sau tratament a afecțiunilor oncologice. UE ar trebui să protejeze sănătatea cetățenilor săi proactiv, sprijinind sistemele de sănătate pentru a atinge standarde minime a calității serviciilor medicale.

Mai mult, experiența achizițiilor comune de vaccinuri anti-COVID ar trebui să fie folosită cât mai rapid pentru a preîntâmpina deficiențele din aprovizionarea și accesul la medicamente esențiale. Uniunea Europeană este pe drumul cel bun în domeniul sănătății, dar ar trebui să accelereze pentru a prinde din urmă crizele de sănătate ce încep să-și arate colții. Dar pentru asta ar trebui să primească și un nou ‘motor’, sub forma competențelor partajate în domeniul sănătății și deci modificarea Tratatelor UE.

Sirpa Pietikäinen (PPE),
  kirjallinen. – Arvoisa puhemies, EU ottaa tänään lopullisen ja erittäin tärkeän askeleen unionin yhteisen terveyden edistämisessä ja suojelussa, kun hyväksymme täällä Strasbourgissa neuvottelutuloksen Euroopan tautienehkäisy- ja -valvontakeskuksen ECDC:n vahvistamisesta ja rajat ylittävien vakavien terveysuhkien asetuksesta. Olen jo pitkään peräänkuuluttanut vahvempaa EU:ta terveydessä. Olemme myös terveyden saralla vahvempia yhdessä kuin erikseen, sen osoitti esimerkiksi koronaviruspandemia. Nyt otamme vihdoin käyttöön konkreettisia työkaluja siihen, että jäsenmaat valmistautuisivat ja reagoisivat terveyskriiseihin yhdessä, edulliset ja innovatiiviset lääkintätarvikkeet olisivat kaikkien saatavilla ja maat yhdessä parantaisivat tarttuvien tautien ja sairauksien ennaltaehkäisyä, hoitoa ja valvontaa. Tämä on ehdottomasti askel oikeaan suuntaan. Loistava uutinen on myös se, että asetukseen rajat ylittävistä vakavista terveysuhista on sisällytetty yhteishankintasopimukset lääkkeiden hankkimiseksi yhdessä. Tämän mahdollisuuden turvaaminen jatkossakin on todella tarpeellista yhteistoimintamme kannalta. EU:n on tärkeää toimia yhdessä mahdollisten koronaviruspandemioiden kaltaisten kriisien estämiseksi, mutta kriisitilanteiden lisäksi tarvitsemme enemmän myös normaaliajan yhteistyötä. ECDC:n mandaatin vahvistaminen on ehdottoman tärkeää, jotta Euroopan-laajuinen epidemiologinen seuranta, valvonta sekä varautuminen on yhtenäistä ja koordinoitua. Emme voi antaa COVID-19-katastrofin toistua. Tarvitsemme panostamista perussairauksien hoitoon, terveydenhuollon investointeihin ja henkilökunnan kouluttamiseen. Ei-tarttuvien tautien vastainen työ on yhä tärkeämpää väestön ikääntyessä. Esimerkiksi harvinaissairauksien osalta referenssikeskukset kokoavat alan parasta osaamista samaan paikkaan, ja niiden riittävästä resursoinnista pitäisi huolehtia nykyistä enemmän.

Edina Tóth (NI),
  írásban. – A koronavírus járvány mindenki életét gyökeresen felforgatta, és egy teljesen új világot teremtett, amelyben még inkább szükség van megvalósítható célokra és hatásos egészségügyi programokra. A jövőben az EU-nak gyorsabban kell reagálnia az előre nem látható egészségügyi veszélyekre. Az Európai Betegségvédelmi és Járványügyi Központ fejlesztése utat nyithat az uniós intézmények és a tagállamok még hatékonyabb együttműködése felé, így biztosítva állampolgáraink egészségének védelmét.

Azonban fontosnak tartom megjegyezni, hogy az egészségügy tagállami hatáskör és ennek a jövőben is így is kell maradnia. Egyszer már bebizonyosodott, hogy a nemzetállamok képesek gyorsan és hatékonyan cselekedni és reagálni, az uniós intézmények nem tudják kiváltani a tagállamok egyéni intézkedéseit. Az Uniónak kizárólag az általános célok mentén kell nagyobb erőkifejtést tanúsítania: erősítenie kell a lakosság védelmét a határon átnyúló egészségügyi veszélyekkel szemben, támogatnia kell a gyógyszerek, orvostechnikai eszközök hozzáférhetőségét és megfizethetőségét. Fontos tehát, hogy az európai egészségügyi unió a válságkezelést megkönnyítse, és ne újabb akadályokat gördítsen a tagállamok elé.

10.   Momentum for the Ocean: strengthening Ocean Governance and Biodiversity (debate)

Przewodnicząca. – Kolejnym punktem porządku dziennego jest oświadczenie Komisji w sprawie impulsu do działań na rzecz oceanów: poprawa zarządzania oceanami i różnorodności biologicznej (2022/2836(RSP)).

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, let me thank you for the welcome opportunity to have this discussion today on ocean governance and biodiversity. The ocean is our planet's life-support system. And still, debates like this one are needed to keep the spotlight on the ocean and to reiterate our joint commitment towards better management and protection of our oceans.

Honourable Members, the ocean is not doing well. Insufficient progress has been made over the last years towards a clean, healthy, productive and resilient ocean. And this is our collective responsibility. Solutions exist and they are in our hands. They require bold choices, which need to be made now. And with the largest combined exclusive economic zone in the world, the EU and its Member States have a particular interest in steering this debate and reaffirming their ambition for an improved ocean governance. The role and the support of the European Parliament is crucial in this regard. Today's debate and the resolution that you will adopt later this week therefore come at exactly the right moment. And this year, 2022, is a pivotal year for ocean governance. Milestone events have taken place in 2022, like the one Ocean Summit in Brest or the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. In a few weeks time, the Climate Change COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh will be an opportunity to further strengthen ocean climate change, mitigation and adaptation action. And the biodiversity COP15 in Montreal will aim at an ambitious agreement, including targets to protect land and global oceans by 2030.

Honourable Members, as we have often said, there is no green without blue and under the umbrella of the European Green Deal, this translates in both the international and the EU domestic strands of ocean related policies. With the joint Communication on the EU's International Ocean Governance Agenda of June this year, the EU confirms its commitments under the United Nations 2030 Agenda and ahead of the two decisive COPS later this year. In this context, one of the key priorities we have is to halt and reverse the loss of marine biodiversity. We hope to achieve this by concluding as soon as possible an ambitious UN treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas, including a target of 30% marine protected areas by 2030 and new large-scale marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.

With the High Ambition Coalition, which you have launched, we are at the forefront of the efforts to achieve an ambitious outcome to these negotiations. At the last negotiating round that took place in New York in August, the EU took a leading role and it was instrumental in achieving very good progress, even though, unfortunately, in the end no final agreement could be reached.

Another priority is to protect the seabed by prohibiting deep-sea mining until its effects on the marine environment, biodiversity, human activities have been sufficiently researched, the risks are understood and the technologies and operational practices are able to demonstrate no serious harm to the environment.

Furthermore, we need to ensure sustainable fisheries with a zero tolerance approach against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. In this context, we welcome the multilateral agreement achieved in the World Trade Organization regarding the ban of harmful fisheries subsidies. Yes, it is only the first step, but the EU is fully committed to complementing this agreement as soon as possible with those essential elements not yet agreed. Our fight against climate change and against marine pollution continues as well. This includes decarbonising the maritime sectors and preserving the oceans-blue carbon function, as well as work towards concluding an ambitious, legally-binding global plastic agreement by 2024.

Last but not least, we need to step up efforts to build up ocean knowledge. Based on European programmes such as Copernicus and EMODnet, we want to support the implementation of a UN Decade Collaborative Centre for Ocean Prediction and encourage the establishment of an Intergovernmental Panel for Ocean Sustainability.

Honourable Members, our international efforts to improve ocean governance clearly mirror the ambition of our domestic policies. The ocean, which acts as a significant carbon sink - notably its seabed, is one of our strongest allies when it comes to reaching our climate goals. Let me recall that we proposed a new standard on greenhouse gas intensity of energy used on board ships. We are working with the co-legislators on extending the EU ETS to maritime transport and we are also helping the fishing sector to decarbonise and to become less dependent on fossil fuels. And climate mitigation efforts need to go hand-in-hand with sustained and robust action on adaptation, to make our oceans as resilient as possible. Nature based solutions are at the forefront of our action.

In this context, we have proposed legally-binding EU targets to restore marine ecosystems. Looking at how the ocean can support our decarbonisation efforts, offshoring renewable energy is one of the pillars of the EU's energy transition, but we will need to look beyond offshore wind. The energy from tides and waves are predictable and promise to complement today's technologies for wind and sun. Maritime spatial planning will help us to reconcile decarbonisation objectives, but also nature protection and restoration at sea.

As regards the oceans economic potential, the implementation of our communication on the sustainable blue economy has already brought many positive achievements. The implementation of the Commission's strategic guidelines for aquaculture has been advancing and we will shortly adapt an EU algae initiative which will bring new opportunities for our blue economy. In parallel will continue our joint efforts with Member States and coastal communities to make EU fisheries more sustainable. Important progress has already been made in the Atlantic, clearly showing that the sustainability pays off also economically, but additional efforts will be necessary also in other sea basins. We are fully aware that, first, Brexit and then the COVID pandemic and now the Russian ruthless invasion of Ukraine and its consequences pose enormous challenges to the fishing sector. The EU has reacted quickly, proposing two emergency packages in 2020 and 2022 respectively, to support the fisheries sector in addressing the socio-economic consequences. We now need to further help our fishermen and women to decrease their dependency on fossil fuels and make our fisheries more resilient.

Finally, let me mention research and innovation, which also play a key role to unlock the oceans for potential. Horizon Europe, and in particular the mission to restore the health of our ocean and waters by 2030, can contribute to scaling up solutions and help us to achieve the blue targets of the European Green Deal. And we also need to raise awareness about oceans and increase ocean literacy, in particular of the young generation. Our Ocean Literacy Initiative, the Youth for Ocean Coalition, the Network of European Blue Schools and the EU4Ocean Forum are instrumental in this regard.

Honourable Members, we all know that only healthy oceans can be climate mitigators and provide services for our blue economy. Therefore, it's not a luxury, but it is a necessity to prevent and mitigate the pressures provoking the biodiversity loss in our seas. We are now at a crucial moment in which we have the opportunity to put in place concrete actions to stop biodiversity loss, as well as restoring the marine ecosystems, and sustainable fisheries play a key role in this context, and the recent Commission proposal for a new nature restoration law, as well as the upcoming action plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems, will not only contribute to protecting and restoring our seas, but also to making the fisheries sector in Europe more resilient in the long term. Thank you for your attention and I am looking forward for your comments.

Pernille Weiss,
  for PPE-Gruppen. – Fru Formand! Ocean Governance - altså området for politikker og aktiviteter, der vedrører havet og kystnære områder og de mange marine ressourcer får nu en betænkning her fra Europa-Parlamentet. Det gør den blandt andet, fordi vi i alt for mange år ikke har prioriteret havets biodiversitet og muligheder højt nok. Det må vi ikke blive ved med, fordi det på lang sigt jo handler om klodens overlevelse, og på kort sigt handler det om det Europa, vores børn og børnebørn skal overtage efter os. Men også fordi en stor del af vores økonomiske og økologiske bæredygtighed nemlig afhænger af, hvordan vi behandler havene i og omkring EU. Betænkningen er blevet noget lang, fordi den gentager en hel del af det, vi allerede har sagt, at vi er enige om i forhold til biodiversitet. Men den siger også noget nyt og noget vigtigt, nemlig at vi skal have sat skub i udrulningen af vindenergi – også den flydende del af slagsen. Vi skal selvfølgelig også blive ved med at bore klogt i havbunden, så vi kan få fat i den energi, vi simpelthen ikke kan undvære lige nu. Vi skal også blive ved med at bore klogt i havbunden for at skabe udvikling for CO2 frem for lagring. Flere analyser viser, at det sagtens kan lade sig gøre, uden at det ødelægger de marine økosystemer. Og så skal vi generelt tillægge os en meget mere innovativ tilgang til havets skatte og muligheder. Den blå økonomi med søfart, turisme og endnu ukendte og ikke udbredte grønne teknologier skal have mere fokus, og det får de forhåbentlig med denne betænkning.

Cyrus Engerer,
  on behalf of the S&D Group. – Madam President, there are many legends that come from my island: they say that we are home to Atlantis, the legend of Calypso, and that we stand at the point where the plates of Europe and Africa kiss. And while the legends that we are told by fishermen weaving their nets are fables, the deep and intricate relationship between islands and oceans is not.

In 1967, one of the greatest marine conservationists of our time called for the ocean seabed to be designated as the common heritage of mankind: a concept still sacrosanct in Article 136 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He called for international regulation to prevent the colonisation of our seabed and the monopolisation of resources to the detriment of our planet. That man was Maltese diplomat Arvid Pardo, father of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. And here I am today to reiterate his call, because colleagues, those of us who come from islands have known for all too long that our oceans are just as much a part of us as the land and trees. We depend on the oceans and our homes and livelihoods depend on the seas.

We are constantly reminded that exploitation and pollution will forever affect the global ecosystem that we call home. And today, there is renewed interest from the private sector to look into the commercial exploitation of these minerals. Technological advances and an increase in the long-term demand for minerals, industrialisation and globalisation have led to this strong path. In 1967, when the Maltese delegation brought forward the radical notion that our seabed is imperative to humanity's ecosystem, they were viewed with astonishment and great suspicion. But science has vindicated Arvid Pardo, and time and time again we are here to reiterate that message again today.

The latest smartphone and the next supercomputer made from seabed minerals are not worth the irreversible destruction of our planet. And I hope that this Chamber votes in this way on Thursday.

Catherine Chabaud,
  au nom du groupe Renew. – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, enfin un débat et une résolution sur l'océan! L'Union européenne doit s'appuyer sur sa dimension maritime, engager un pacte bleu au sein du pacte vert, et en faire une force pour porter ses valeurs à travers le monde.

Il y a urgence: tous les phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes que nous connaissons puisent leur énergie du réchauffement en profondeur de l'océan – une conséquence directe du réchauffement climatique, avec l'élévation du niveau de la mer et l'acidification.

Pour continuer à nourrir l'humanité, mais aussi à développer les économies des régions littorales, où se concentrera 80 % de la population mondiale d'ici 2050, nous devons impérativement accélérer sa restauration. C'est une question de survie, notamment pour les régions ultrapériphériques de l'Europe, qui lui assurent sa dimension maritime.

Régénérer cette ‘hydrosphère’ – l'océan, les mers et les rivières –, comme l'appelle la mission Starfish, suppose de faire converger toutes les politiques européennes – biodiversité, climat, énergie, transports, eau, traitement des déchets – et de mieux coordonner la gouvernance.

À mesure que l'on explore l'océan, on découvre toutes ses richesses pour l'humanité: un réservoir aux multiples ressources – énergétiques, génétiques, minérales –, celles-là même qui s'amenuisent sur la Terre.

Mais ne reproduisons pas en mer les erreurs que nous avons faites sur terre. Le mouvement imprimé par les grandes conférences internationales de cette année 2022 poursuit l'objectif de donner un cadre: celui d'un avenir durable avec l'océan, et l'Union européenne et les États membres négocient l'avenir de la planète. Le Parlement doit impérativement s'emparer de ce sujet.

Il n'y a qu'un seul océan: il est notre bien commun, et il y va de notre responsabilité individuelle et collective de le préserver. C'est un instrument pour la paix et pour le multilatéralisme.

Chers collègues, j'appelle l'Union européenne à se tourner résolument vers la mer et à porter ce message, que moi-même, dans un mois, je porterai, Madame la Présidente, en retraversant l'Atlantique en solitaire. Ce sera mon défi, Madame la Commissaire, pour l'océan.

Grace O'Sullivan,
  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, there is great news from Ireland today. As of today, one of the largest living creatures on earth can celebrate a small victory. As of today, the great basking shark has been given protected status in Irish waters. And with this resolution we table in the European Parliament, as of today we make our voices heard that the protection of our ocean is not just a kind gesture to the very place where life began, but an urgent necessity if we are to protect biodiversity, the seas and even our atmosphere.

Our demands are modest, yet they still face opposition from powerful industrial and political interests. We want real marine protected areas for at least 30% of our oceans; an international moratorium on deep-sea mining now; and a total ban on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and the Antarctic. These are real steps we can make in order to save thousands of species – such as the basking shark – from extinction. So support our coastal communities, support ocean life and support this resolution.

France Jamet,
  au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Président, ça a été dit, pêche illégale, piraterie, protection des systèmes marins, l'économie bleue est à la fois l'un des grands défis du XXIe siècle, mais aussi un foyer d'innovation vers une nouvelle économie de la mer.

Face à la montée des tensions sur les océans, la France, deuxième domaine maritime mondial – est-il utile de rappeler ici? – sera en première ligne pour affronter ces crises majeures, notamment dans l'océan Indien et Pacifique, nouveau centre économique du monde de demain.

Certains États, comme l'Inde, ne demandent qu'à coopérer davantage avec nous. Ces coopérations internationales plus étroites dans l'Indo-Pacifique sont nécessaires car les défis sont communs. Avec la France, grâce à la France, l'Europe prendra toute sa part dans cette nouvelle économie.

Anja Hazekamp,
  namens de The Left-Fractie. – Voorzitter, zeeën en oceanen zijn essentieel voor het leven op aarde. Desondanks gebruiken we de oceaan als vuilnisbak, als jachtgebied en als industrieterrein, en boren we de zeebodem kapot op zoek naar gas en olie.

Welke acties onderneemt de Europese Commissie om het wereldwijde beschermingsverdrag voor de internationale wateren zo snel mogelijk met succes aan te passen? Hoever is de Commissie met haar voorstellen om minstens 30 % van de zeeën in Europa en het liefst natuurlijk ook daarbuiten eindelijk echt te gaan beschermen?

Ik wil ook graag aandacht vragen voor de walvissen. Al sinds 1986 is er een wereldwijd verbod op de walvisjacht. Ondanks dit verbod jagen Noorwegen, Japan, de Deense Faeröereilanden – en sinds dit jaar helaas ook weer IJsland – op walvissen. Dat is wreed en onverantwoord. Walvissen (en hun poep) zijn cruciaal voor het ecosysteem en onmisbaar in de strijd tegen klimaatverandering. Het Europees Parlement doet daarom opnieuw een oproep aan Noorwegen, Japan, maar zeker ook aan IJsland en de Faeröereilanden, om de jacht op walvissen en dolfijnen voor eens en voor altijd te stoppen. Is de Commissie bereid om deze oproep te steunen en deze landen, inclusief IJsland, hierop aan te spreken?

Voorts ben ik van mening dat de Europese landbouw- en visserijsubsidies moeten worden afgeschaft.

François-Xavier Bellamy (PPE). – Madame la Présidente, mes chers collègues, enfin nous avons une discussion sur la stratégie de l'Union européenne pour les océans! Et vous l'avez dit, chers collègues: il était temps! L'Union européenne est la première zone économique exclusive du monde et elle doit, aujourd'hui, assumer cette responsabilité: elle est légitime pour agir.

Cette négociation sur le texte que nous discutons ensemble, cette longue négociation, aura permis de faire apparaître entre nous – n'ayons pas peur de l'affronter – des désaccords évidents. Certains voudraient protéger la vie et l'environnement en multipliant les contraintes sur ceux qui travaillent en mer, notamment dans nos pays européens, au point de rendre impossible tout effort humain lié à la mer et à l'océan. Nous avons même entendu certains nous dire que le déclin de la pêche européenne, par exemple, serait une bonne nouvelle.

C'est ne pas comprendre que l'essentiel du défi environnemental, aujourd'hui, ne consiste pas à surréglementer plus encore les activités des professionnels européens – qui, déjà, respectent les normes les plus exigeantes au monde –, mais à faire en sorte que les autres puissances mondiales assument avec nous une responsabilité qui nous est commune.

Il est nécessaire que ce texte réaffirme l'impératif de la lutte contre la pêche illégale dans le monde entier, la nécessité de mettre en œuvre un plan déterminé contre la pollution plastique et celle de faire progresser la recherche sur ce monde encore très largement inconnu qu'est l'océan.

Au fond, nous ne nous sortirons pas du défi environnemental par moins d'efforts et de travail. Nous ne nous en sortirons que par plus de science, plus de recherche, plus d'engagement des hommes pour protéger ce patrimoine qui nous est commun.

Isabel Carvalhais (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, gostaria, nesta breve intervenção, de saudar o empenho de todos os que participam ativamente neste importante trabalho. A saúde dos oceanos e da sua biodiversidade é essencial à vida, já o sabemos, bem como à sustentabilidade a longo prazo dos diferentes setores da economia azul. Desde o contributo para a segurança alimentar de milhões de pessoas, até ao fornecimento de energia renovável e de recursos minerais, passando pela criação de emprego nas comunidades costeiras, os oceanos são fonte de vida e também de imensa riqueza.

Ora, garantir a boa saúde dos oceanos implica também garantir, entre outras medidas, obviamente, que a frota da União Europeia continue a respeitar as medidas de gestão e conservação dos stocks de pesca. É fundamental assegurar a concessão de regras harmonizadas à frota da União Europeia, independentemente da área geográfica onde opere, não podendo ser esquecidas as condições de concorrência equitativa para todas as frotas que operam ao abrigo das convenções internacionais.

Quer isto dizer, para terminar, que deve existir um esforço contínuo também para que as medidas de conservação e gestão, adotadas no âmbito das diferentes convenções regionais, se aproximem o mais possível dos objetivos ambiciosos da política comum das pescas, como forma de alargar a linguagem da sustentabilidade dos oceanos a todas as latitudes.

Pierre Karleskind (Renew). – Madame la Présidente, madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, 2022, c'est vraiment une année dédiée aux océans et donc cette résolution tombe à point. Cela avait commencé à Brest avec le One Océan Summit, ça s'est poursuivi à Lisbonne avec la conférence des Nations unies, on peut parler de Charm el-Cheikh aussi, et puis la COP-15 qui aura lieu au Canada sur la biodiversité, tous ces éléments qui sont réunis pour faire de l'année 2022 une grande année de l'océan.

Et puis 2022 pour l'Europe, c'est l'année européenne de la jeunesse. Je voudrais prendre quelques exemples. 120 ambassadeurs des océans étaient réunis à La Rochelle à l'occasion de la présidence française. Ils ont parlé de l'avenir des formations, d'un Erasmus+ maritime. Je veux parler aussi de cette excellente initiative de la Commission européenne qui date de 2020, Youth for Ocean, dans le cadre de la EU for Ocean Coalition. Eh bien, cette initiative a fleuri et ils étaient à Lisbonne, ces jeunes ambassadeurs de cette initiative, pour parler aux leaders du monde.

Et donc, on le voit, l'Europe donne l'opportunité à ces jeunes de se saisir de la question des océans. Comme 2022 c'est donc une grande année pour l'océan, 2022 c'est l'année européenne de la jeunesse, et je voudrais que cette résolution soit dédiée à ces jeunes. Donnons-leur la clé de nos océans parce que les océans, comme les jeunes, c'est notre avenir, c'est l'avenir de l'Europe.

Caroline Roose (Verts/ALE). – Madame la présidente, les océans sont dans un état d'urgence. Malgré ces mots du Secrétaire général des Nations unies, nous faisons trop peu pour répondre à la crise climatique, à la crise du vivant qui frappe les océans. Pire, une nouvelle menace apparaît, l'exploitation minière des grands fonds marins. L'industrie minière et certains États font pression et souhaitent être les premiers à mettre la main sur des minerais précieux dont regorgent les océans. Pourtant, les scientifiques nous alertent: cette activité entraînera des dommages irréversibles au fonctionnement des écosystèmes marins sur plusieurs générations et aggravera la crise climatique.

La Commission européenne et le Parlement ont pris une position forte contre l'exploitation minière des grands fonds. Un appel à un moratoire a déjà été signé par 250 parlementaires de plus de 50 pays. Les États membres de l'Union européenne doivent se positionner clairement en faveur d'un moratoire sur l'exploitation minière des grands fonds. D'ailleurs, la position du gouvernement français reste ambiguë sur le sujet. Notre responsabilité, c'est de stopper cette course folle pour les océans et pour nos générations futures.

Francisco José Millán Mon (PPE). – Señora presidenta, los océanos desempeñan un papel esencial en nuestro bienestar. Amenazas como la contaminación o la pesca ilegal exigen a todos los Estados una acción concertada. Lamento que la última ronda de negociaciones sobre un tratado de protección de la alta mar concluyese sin acuerdo.

El mar es una gran fuente de riqueza y de empleo, como bien sabemos en España y en Galicia, la primera región pesquera de Europa. La gobernanza de los océanos no se entiende sin una gestión sostenible de la pesca, tanto desde el punto de vista medioambiental como desde el económico y social y también de la seguridad alimentaria.

Por eso es tan decepcionante que la Comisión Europea adoptase recientemente un acto de ejecución que prohíbe la pesca de fondo en ochenta y siete áreas del Atlántico, sin consultas ni datos suficientes. Una medida que afecta gravemente a cuatro países, sobre todo a España.

Señora comisaria, rectificar es de sabios. Una vez más, pido a la Comisión Europea que suspenda la aplicación del veto a la pesca de fondo y revise esta apresurada decisión. Hay que contar con los últimos dictámenes científicos y con una evaluación exhaustiva del impacto socioeconómico.

Tiemo Wölken (S&D). – Frau Präsidentin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Diese Entschließung, über die wir abstimmen, ist von zentraler Bedeutung. Alles Leben kommt aus dem Wasser, und trotzdem schützen wir unsere Meere noch immer viel zu wenig.

Wir haben viel zu wenige Schutzgebiete. Die biologische Diversität, die Vielfalt der Meere, sie wird nicht richtig geschützt. Sie ist noch nicht einmal richtig erforscht. Deswegen müssen wir, gerade als Europäische Union, hier eine noch viel stärkere Rolle einnehmen und endlich Schutzgebiete ausweisen und den Lebensraum Meer schützen.

Das gilt im Übrigen auch für die Ökonomie auf dem Wasser. Wir haben eine starke Schifffahrt. Das ist auch notwendig, damit Menschen zusammenkommen, damit Waren verteilt werden können. Aber Schiffe haben eine jahrzehntelange Lebensdauer. Deswegen müssen wir jetzt damit beginnen – und wir können das hier in der nächsten Woche im Plenum in Straßburg machen –, die Kraftstoffe zu dekarbonisieren. Wir müssen dafür sorgen, dass die Schiffe nicht mehr Dreckschleudern sind, sondern dass sie nachhaltig und sauber unterwegs sind. Damit schützen wir unsere Umwelt, und wir schützen damit tatsächlich dann auch das Klima.

Also: Volle Unterstützung für diese Entschließung mit einem klaren Fokus auf mehr Umwelt- und Klimaschutz und vor allen Dingen auf mehr und bessere Schutzgebiete.

Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Renew). – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, comparto la necesidad de reforzar la gobernanza de los océanos y de proteger la diversidad, pero recuerdo, como ha demostrado la política pesquera común, que conseguirlo obliga a implicar a todos los actores implicados.

No ha sido así con la Decisión mediante la quel la Comisión Europea pretende, el próximo 9 de octubre, clausurar 87 zonas de pesca a los buques europeos. Esta Decisión es arbitraria porque no incluye informes de impacto ambiental, social ni económico y porque no se basa en los mejores informes científicos disponibles.

Por eso no la comprende ni la comparte el sector. Por eso animo a que se retire y revise antes de que el 9 de octubre entre en vigor.

Protejamos el mar, pero contando con todos.

La política pesquera común es un ejemplo de cómo hacerlo. El sector pesquero ha vivido un durísimo ajuste socialmente aceptado y asumido desde la plena conciencia de que solo una pesca sostenible y la protección de la biodiversidad garantizan el futuro del sector.

En línea con esa realidad, hay que reconducir el discurso que suele lanzarse contra el sector pesquero europeo, ejemplar en cuanto al respeto de las disposiciones vigentes y que opera en el marco de las normas y medidas de control más exigentes del mundo.

Acusar a profesionales ejemplares de sobrepesca y de otras irregularidades no es cierto, carece de empatía con las personas que trabajan en durísimas condiciones y afecta a la credibilidad de la política pesquera común y de la Unión en su conjunto.

Zgłoszenia z sali

Gabriel Mato (PPE). – Señora presidenta, hablamos de gestionar los océanos del mundo y sus recursos para que sean saludables y productivos en beneficio de las generaciones actuales y futuras. Nada más loable, pero hay que hacerlo de forma equilibrada.

Observamos cómo la acción de la Comisión en este contexto tiene, a veces, efectos perversos e indeseables, tanto para los operadores de la Unión Europea como para el medio ambiente. Estoy pensando en algo que se ha dicho ya: en la reciente decisión de la Comisión de cerrar ochenta y siete áreas en el Atlántico, donde aparentemente existen —o es probable que existan— ecosistemas marinos vulnerables, pero sin tener en cuenta otros aspectos y llevando a la ruina a miles de familias de pescadores y al amarre de importantes segmentos de la flota europea. Y esto no lo podemos aceptar.

Por otra parte, cuanto más estrictas son las medidas que adopta la Unión Europea para la pesca y la acuicultura, más dependemos de productos importados y más se merma nuestra competitividad frente a terceros países con una gestión y gobernanza deficientes. Hagamos posible la sostenibilidad medioambiental, pero también la socioeconómica. Ese es el reto.

Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE). – Senhora Presidente, Cara Comissária, a vida no nosso planeta começa nos oceanos. É nestes que se encontram ainda as maiores reservas de biodiversidade da Terra. Não teremos sucesso no Pacto Ecológico Europeu, nem na concretização dos Acordos de Paris sem uma estratégia que assegure o futuro dos nossos oceanos.

Cabe-nos encontrar soluções que nos permitam tirar ainda melhor proveito dos benefícios que estes nos oferecem, mas de uma forma sustentável. Se as comunidades que dependem do oceano sentirem as vantagens da sua proteção, os nossos esforços de conservação serão mais eficientes.

Quero, por isso, aplaudir a presente resolução e a abordagem holística e global que propõe, conjugando a proteção e a rentabilização da economia azul. Acrescento que a estratégia para os nossos oceanos deve passar por uma forte aposta na ciência e na investigação científica. Só assim alcançaremos este duplo desígnio: conservar e valorizar.

Sara Cerdas (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, quando discutimos a governança dos oceanos é essencial referirmos as regiões ultraperiféricas. São estas que permitem à União Europeia, no seu conjunto, ter a maior zona marítima do mundo. Portanto, o seu enorme potencial é e deve ser aproveitado ao máximo, seja ao nível da produção das energias renováveis, seja a nível do aproveitamento do potencial de biodiversidade existente nestas regiões, seja na implementação de projetos-piloto, inovadores e sustentáveis, que mudem a forma como a sociedade lida com o meio ambiente.

Não se trata apenas de pedir exceções para ter em conta as suas especificidades, mas também potenciar e fornecer a base regulatória e financeira necessária para que as regiões ultraperiféricas se assumam como líderes da transição climática dentro da própria União Europeia.

Mick Wallace (The Left). – Madam President, it's good that in this resolution we're calling for international measures to end nuclear and military waste in the oceans.

Anywhere you find a foreign military base, you will find high levels of contamination and a marine environment struggling to cope. Look at Guam, look at Hawaii, French Polynesia, the Marshall Islands. The people and the marine ecosystems suffer catastrophically at the hands of the military industrial complex's total carelessness. We let them treat the oceans as if they were privatized, but they are not – the ocean is a global common good. The USA has conducted more nuclear weapons tests than all other nations combined, responsible for unspeakable levels of radiation in the Pacific.

If we fail to stand up to military contamination, then we may forget about EU efforts for ocean protection. We need denuclearization, demilitarization and peace, and a different approach between humans and the sea.

Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, I think it is a good motion on ocean governance and I too am glad to see the reference to military waste and activity, because military activity treating our ocean as a firing range is massively damaging to biodiversity. And just mentioning it isn't enough: we're going to have to do a lot more to tackle it. And of course we cannot ignore the methane explosion in the Baltic Sea as a result of the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline. The UN has said this is the biggest single methane release ever recorded.

We know, of course, that methane is 80 times more powerful than CO2 in heating the atmosphere, and methane leaked rather than burned is even worse and will have a massively lasting impact on the climate. The Nord Stream attacks have released 300 000 metric tonnes of methane. This is catastrophic. It is a climate and environmental crime. When we're looking at protecting the ocean, we need to factor in this sabotage, have it independently investigated and have consequences for the vandals who did it.

(Koniec zgłoszeń z sali)

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, thank you once again for this important debate and also for helping us to raise public awareness about the importance of the ocean. We face a ‘now or never’ moment when it comes to addressing the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Ambitious outcomes of the COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh and the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal are crucial, and the oceans play a key role in both.

Let me say a few words on some of the issues you raised during this debate. We agree that we need to protect the high seas and ensure that future activities in these sensitive areas are solidly based on the science. That's why the EU is working hard to ensure that a strong and ambitious treaty on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction is agreed. We intend to continue to take a lead role in the negotiations, leading to an ambitious, fair and equitable agreement. We will aim to maintain the political momentum through the High Ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction.

The Commission also fully agrees that marine minerals in the area cannot be exploited until the effects of deep-sea mining on the marine environment, biodiversity and human activities have been sufficiently researched, the risks are understood, and technologies and operational practices are able to demonstrate that the environment is not seriously harmed, in line with the precautionary approach and the ecosystem-based approach. This has been clearly confirmed in our international ocean governance agenda.

With regard to the implementing act on vulnerable marine ecosystems, resulting in the closure of some areas for bottom fishing, we have always said that once the new scientific advice was available, we would carefully assess it and consider whether a revision of the implementing act was necessary. I understand that this issue is expected to be discussed in the Fisheries Committee on 10 October, where the Commission will have the opportunity to explain its position in more detail.

We are looking forward to the final resolution, which you will adopt later this week, and to working together with you on setting the course for a sustainable blue planet.

IN THE CHAIR: DITA CHARANZOVÁ

Vice-President

President. – Thank you, Commissioner. The debate is closed. The vote will be held on Thursday.

11.   Striving for a sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture: the way forward (debate)

President. – The next item is the report by Clara Aguilera, on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries, on striving for a sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture: the way forward (2021/2189(INI)) (A9-0215/2022).

Clara Aguilera,
  ponente. – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria Valean, en sustitución de comisario Sinkevicius, señorías: en primer lugar, quiero agradecer la buena colaboración de los ponentes alternativos de todos los grupos políticos, porque a veces no ha sido fácil, pero con este informe hemos llegado a un buen acuerdo, que creo que es equilibrado.

Señorías, a pesar de los avances del sector acuícola y de la financiación de la Unión Europea, nuestro sector de la acuicultura está lejos de alcanzar todo su potencial de crecimiento y de satisfacer la creciente demanda de productos alimentarios marinos.

La Unión importa más del 70 % de los alimentos marinos que consume y tengo que decirles algo, señorías: me gustaría que estos alimentos procedieran de Estados miembros de la Unión Europea, donde aplicamos las normas más elevadas de seguridad alimentaria y de calidad del mundo.

Para conseguir esto, pedimos a los Estados miembros y a la Comisión que aborden de forma decidida los principales problemas a los que se enfrenta el sector, muchas veces discutidos, pero no suficientemente abordados.

Proponemos soluciones tanto a corto como a medio plazo, que incluyan medidas en materia de acuicultura ecológica, pero, de igual manera, sobre otros modelos de acuicultura que son igualmente sostenibles y que deben desempeñar un papel clave en el crecimiento previsto del sector en consonancia con la transición hacia un sistema alimentario más sostenible en Europa.

En primer lugar, quiero destacar la necesidad de contar con un marco jurídico predecible, racionalizado y favorable a las empresas europeas, que tenga en cuenta los tres pilares de la sostenibilidad: el económico, el social y el medioambiental. Esta es la única forma de poder desarrollar el potencial de crecimiento del sector y es esencial para poder ofrecer unos alimentos sostenibles y de calidad, reducir nuestra dependencia de las importaciones de alimentos acuáticos y crear más empleo en la Unión Europea, especialmente en las regiones costeras.

Además, quiero llamar la atención sobre el hecho de que el sector de la acuicultura puede contribuir a ofrecer servicios ecosistémicos a la sociedad, y que la cría de algas, por ejemplo, o de otros productos acuáticos, puede contribuir a la descarbonización de la economía de la Unión Europea y a mitigar la lucha contra el cambio climático.

La acuicultura de agua dulce es muy importante en muchas regiones rurales de Europa. Por tanto, también quiero destacar que, en relación con este aspecto, debiéramos trabajar más sobre la trazabilidad, los modelos de empresa ecológicos y el bienestar de los peces, que son también factores importantes.

Los planes estratégicos nacionales plurianuales deben tener en cuenta los principales obstáculos al desarrollo del potencial del sector y reconocer la necesidad de asignar más espacio a la acuicultura.

La coordinación con las administraciones públicas nacionales, regionales y locales con competencias en el desarrollo de la acuicultura es muy necesaria para racionalizar la legislación nacional y elaborar orientaciones en el marco jurídico que sean de utilidad al sector.

Otro problema sobre el que quiero llamar la atención es disponer de ingredientes alimentarios sostenibles para la acuicultura de la Unión. Este es uno de los elementos claves en el que el sector puede contribuir plenamente a los objetivos del Pacto Verde.

Termino, señorías: son muchos los elementos. Uno de ellos es la situación que están generando los cormoranes. Lo único que les digo yo aquí, en relación con este apartado -y en el informe está bien recogido-, es que es un problema y debemos ser valientes. Debemos acometerlo en el debate y buscar soluciones.

Espero que haya un amplio apoyo en favor del informe.

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, firstly, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Ms Aguilera, as well as the shadow rapporteurs for this very important report, which the Commission welcomes.

Following the Council conclusions of July this year and the opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of last year, your report rounds up the broad support of the major EU institutions and bodies for the Commission's strategic guidelines for a sustainable and competitive EU Aquaculture of May 2021. The Commission fully agrees with your report. Aquaculture needs to have the prominent place it deserves as it is a crucial part of the sustainable blue economy, and it contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal. We have also carefully taken note of the concerns expressed in your report when it comes to the current state of play of aquaculture in Europe. In fact, most of these concerns are actually already addressed in the Commission's strategic guidelines.

I would like to focus on two points that were highlighted in your report, namely access to space for marine aquaculture and administrative procedures. The Commission is now working to establish guiding documents, as both the question of appropriate access and efficient procedures are key enablers for our aquaculture to grow. We agree that further efforts are necessary in both areas, which is why we have prioritised these actions. The Commission is also managing and planning actions in areas you highlighted in your report, such as sustainable feed, animal welfare, and environmental performance, and we propose to use Horizon Europe funding to promote research and innovation for aquaculture.

On the topic of funding, I can confirm that the Commission regularly monitors strategic guidelines for sustainable and competitive aquaculture. These are duly considered in national programmes under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. Similarly, we insist that these guidelines are taken into account for the multiannual national strategies for aquaculture. Member States seem to have taken this strategy on board, for both the funding and strategy programmes, which we very much welcome, as it demonstrates our common vision when it comes to aquaculture.

We also know that the challenge for fisheries and aquaculture coming from increasing cormorant numbers in some areas of the EU is an important concern highlighted in your report. Let me recall that Member States can implement preventive measures to avoid or limit the damage caused by cormorants, including by using the derogations under the Birds Directive, and actions to address conflicts with cormorants can also be funded by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, and this includes prevention and compensation measures. Taking into account the existing instruments and tools, and that we already allow Member States to take preventive measures, the Commission is currently not planning to change the legal protection regime for cormorants. However, we are certainly ready to further support Member States and stakeholders with the existing EU cormorant platform. Furthermore, the mapping of good practices on the management of predators is part of the future guidance document on environmental performance, which the Commission will develop as part of the implementation of our strategic guidelines.

Regarding organic aquaculture, to which you paid special attention in your report, we have encouraged Member States to include an increase in organic aquaculture production in the revision of their national aquaculture strategies and in their programmes under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. This increased support for organic aquaculture by Member States will contribute to meeting the farm to fork strategy targets and, together with the Member States, we are working on identifying specific obstacles to growth of EU organic agriculture, which would also be a response to one of the calls in your report.

Finally, I'm confident that our combined efforts and support for sustainable and competitive aquaculture in the EU will help this important economic sector to realise its potential in the years to come, to the benefit of us all.

François-Xavier Bellamy,
  au nom du groupe PPE. – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, nous avons devant nous un très bon rapport pour soutenir l'aquaculture. Je voudrais remercier en particulier notre collègue Clara Aguilera du travail qu'elle a fait pour coordonner nos travaux. Soutenir l'aquaculture, c'est un engagement qui était attendu par un secteur qui continue de transmettre un héritage, un savoir-faire entretenu depuis des siècles, qui n'a cessé de se réinventer, mais auquel nous devons d'avoir modelé nos paysages, d'avoir équilibré nos écosystèmes. C'est aussi un engagement absolument indispensable pour améliorer la résilience alimentaire des pays européens.

Aujourd'hui, 70 % des produits de la mer ou de l'eau douce sont importés. Et si nous ne voulons pas mettre en danger les poissons sauvages, alors nous devons augmenter notre production en soutenant l'aquaculture. Pour cela, il faut une volonté politique qui tienne dans la durée. Il faut une confiance envers ce secteur et enfin avoir une stratégie globale pour la protection des écosystèmes.

Nous allons beaucoup parler du cormoran, car le cormoran a été protégé avec succès depuis des décennies par l'Union européenne. Mais aujourd'hui, cet oiseau qui n'a pas de prédateurs se porte bien. Il s'est sédentarisé et il met lui-même maintenant en danger des espèces de poissons qui sont susceptibles de disparaître. Il met aussi en danger tout l'équilibre de cette filière.

Nous devons enfin réviser cette protection au titre de la directive Habitats si nous voulons permettre à l'aquaculture de se développer dans la durée. C'est rétablir un écosystème, c'est prendre soin vraiment de notre environnement et de la nature que de mettre sur la table ce débat absolument nécessaire.

Isabel Carvalhais,
  em nome do Grupo S&D. – Senhora Presidente, começo por agradecer o excelente trabalho desenvolvido pela colega Clara Aguilera e pelos colegas relatores-sombra, tanto pela competência e pelo rigor técnico, como pela grande capacidade clara em encontrar os devidos equilíbrios entre os três pilares da sustentabilidade para o setor da aquacultura.

Uma aquacultura competitiva e resiliente é fundamental para alcançarmos os objetivos da autonomia estratégica alimentar da Europa. Em paralelo ao fornecimento de alimentos saudáveis, com elevado valor nutricional e com uma baixa pegada ecológica, este é um setor que, se bem orientado, pode auxiliar enormemente na proteção do ambiente e da biodiversidade, reduzindo a pressão sobre os recursos marinhos e apoiando na restauração eficaz dos stocks de pesca.

Importa, por isso, equacionar a importância de reforçar os apoios no sentido de permitir a este setor, em parceria com a ciência e a inovação tecnológica, o desenvolvimento de soluções que lhe permitam diminuir ainda mais o impacto da produção aquícola sobre o meio ambiente.

Assim se fará o percurso que me parece vital, fundamental, para diminuir a pressão sobre os oceanos, assegurando a autonomia estratégica alimentar das nossas populações.

Martin Hlaváček,
  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, we live in a time of concerns on food security. We want to produce more proteins, more sustainably, and we have climate ambitions. We know that aquaculture is a response to all of that. We've known that for many, many years. We had the first attempt when the previous Czech Presidency was in place in 2009. We have not moved enough.

Why don't we unleash this potential? I think we should be honest to ourselves. This is about resources and it is about consistency in our policies. And we have been failing for it, up until now. And I hope that this would be an incentive that we won't fail again because the opportunities are enormous.

But we should not hide from difficult issues. This is: how do we boost resources for production? How do we sort out placing those products on the market and how do we deal with their labelling? Why, today, can our fish farmers not label those products organic even if they are much cleaner than any other organic product from agriculture? Because we have the wrong approach in legislation.

Why are we not sorting out and hiding from the issue of cormorants? Again, if we pretend it does not exist, the problem won't likely disappear. So please let's act because this has a great potential and we need it as Europe.

Rosa D'Amato,
  a nome del gruppo Verts/ALE. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, un'acquacoltura sostenibile è una acquacoltura che garantisce il rispetto dell'ambiente, della salute umana e della sicurezza alimentare. Lontana quindi dai paradigmi dell'allevamento intensivo.

La sostenibilità passa attraverso la promozione di pratiche a basso impatto, circolari, come l'acquacoltura a bassi livelli trofici, multitrofica e biologica. Un'acquacoltura sostenibile è quella che garantisce che la produzione di mangime non abbia un impatto negativo sulla sicurezza alimentare dei paesi terzi.

Infine, è inaccettabile la richiesta di escludere i cormorani dalla lista delle specie protette dalla direttiva Uccelli. È invece necessario intervenire a livello locale, affinando le soluzioni esistenti per consentire al settore di gestire eventuali problematiche.

Investiamo allora nella ricerca, anche con i soldi del FEAMPA, e nell'assistenza agli operatori del settore, invece di lanciare una caccia alla specie che avrebbe gravissime conseguenze sulla biodiversità.

Ladislav Ilčić,
  u ime kluba ECR. – Poštovana predsjedavajuća, kad govorimo o uzgoju ribe u ribnjacima i uzgajalištima u moru, Europska unija vlastitom proizvodnjom zadovoljava samo 30 posto svojih potreba.

Podržavam ovo izvješće jer ide u smjeru povećanja te proizvodnje i drago mi je da su na Odboru prihvaćeni svi moj amandmani. Na Odboru su se javili i neki zastupnici koji nisu točno znali je li svrha ribnjaka hranjenje ptica kormorana ili stvaranje velikog akvarija u kojem će ribe što duže i što sretnije živjeti i na kraju umrijeti od starosti. Na sreću, ipak smo zaključili da je svrha ribnjaka proizvodnja hrane za ljude. Europske zemlje su se dosad navikle jeftino dobivati ribu, odnosno kupovati ribu od trećih zemalja, no tako je bilo i s energijom i sada ispaštamo zbog te lakomislenosti.

Zato moramo razmišljati o samodostatnosti i jačati domaću proizvodnju hrane.

Anja Hazekamp,
  namens de Fractie The Left. – Voorzitter, visfokkerijen zijn de megastallen van de onderwaterwereld. Net als in megastallen op land worden dieren in visfokkerijen met veel tegelijk opgesloten in te kleine ruimtes. Net als in megastallen op land worden dieren in visfokkerijen zodanig gehouden dat ze hun natuurlijke gedrag niet kunnen vertonen en is hun leven één grote lijdensweg. Net als in megastallen op land leidt het op elkaar proppen van grote hoeveelheden dieren in visfokkerijen tot milieuvervuiling, tot ziektes en tot overmatig antibioticagebruik.

Het fokken van vissen is daarnaast verre van duurzaam. De Afrikaanse kust wordt letterlijk leeggevist om onze visfokkerijen in Europa en elders in de wereld van vismeel te voorzien. Voor het laten opgroeien van één zalm in zo'n visfokkerij zijn 350 uit het wild gevangen vissen nodig.

Een Spaans bedrijf wil komend jaar zelfs de allereerste octopusfokkerij ter wereld openen: een ramp voor dierenwelzijn en een ramp voor het milieu, zo waarschuwen wetenschappers.

Maar ondanks al deze desastreuze effecten voor mens, dier en milieu wordt hier in Straatsburg gepleit voor een sterke groei van het aantal visfokkerijen in Europa.

De Partij voor de Dieren wil voorkomen dat we dezelfde fout maken als in de veehouderij. Daarom zullen wij tegen dit verslag stemmen.

Gabriel Mato (PPE). – Señora presidenta, en primer lugar, mis mejores deseos de una pronta recuperación al comisario Sinkevičius.

Luchar por una acuicultura sostenible y competitiva en la Unión Europea es el camino a seguir. La acuicultura proporciona al consumidor productos sostenibles y de alta calidad. Sin embargo, aunque la acuicultura mantiene una tasa de crecimiento constante en todo el mundo, en la Unión Europea no ha alcanzado todavía todo su potencial. El desarrollo de la acuicultura de la Unión Europea está estancado y tenemos que darle un impulso. A nuestro grupo le preocupa, y mucho.

El Partido Popular lideró un informe sobre acuicultura que proponía noventa y dos acciones, entre otras, la simplificación de los procedimientos administrativos, garantizar la equidad en la interacción con otros sectores, mejorar la competitividad de la acuicultura dentro y fuera de nuestras fronteras, mejorar la información al consumidor, la realización de mejores campañas de promoción y comunicación, apoyar la investigación y la innovación, y garantizar una información adecuada.

Estos son elementos fundamentales y el informe que votaremos mañana insta a la Comisión a trabajar en estrecha colaboración con los Estados miembros para aplicar estas acciones. Hagámoslo así. Los gestos también importan, y fuimos capaces de incluir la acuicultura en el Fondo Europeo Marítimo y de Pesca. Eso también era importante.

Catch-the-eye procedure

Francisco José Millán Mon (PPE). – Señora presidenta, como sabemos, en los últimos años la acuicultura ha crecido de forma espectacular en otras partes del mundo, mientras que la producción europea se estanca.

La acuicultura de la Unión Europea representa menos del 2 % de la producción mundial. La escasa producción europea implica que los Estados de la Unión tienen que importar productos del mar, que no siempre tienen nuestros niveles de calidad. Como recuerda el informe que hoy debatimos, la Unión Europea importa más del 70 % de los alimentos marinos que consume. Un balance inaceptable en un continente tan volcado al mar. Y hay gente en esta casa, en este Parlamento, que sigue empeñada en que esas importaciones aumenten.

Quiero felicitar a la ponente, Clara Aguilera, por un informe que recoge de forma acertada los principales problemas y retos a los que se enfrenta la acuicultura europea, propone soluciones para abordarlos, y apuesta acertadamente por la innovación y el cultivo de nuevas especies en acuicultura. El informe subraya también la necesidad de que los Estados miembros garanticen la seguridad jurídica para las inversiones en el sector.

Y termino: como diputado gallego, me satisface especialmente que el informe destaque como ejemplo de calidad la denominación de origen protegida ‘mejillón de Galicia’.

Caroline Roose (Verts/ALE). – Madame la Présidente, l'aquaculture est souvent présentée comme la solution pour limiter la surpêche tout en maintenant notre consommation de poisson, voire même en l'augmentant. Mais les formes d'aquaculture vraiment durables sont rares.

L'aquaculture n'est pas durable quand, pour nourrir des espèces carnivores, on importe des farines de poisson qui mettent en danger la sécurité alimentaire de plusieurs pays d'Afrique. L'aquaculture n'est pas durable lorsqu'elle menace les pêcheurs et les écosystèmes marins en pleine zone Natura 2000, comme c'est le cas avec la méga-ferme aquacole de Golfe-Juan. Elle n'est pas durable lorsque les animaux y sont entassés par centaines, sans aucune limite de densité, qu'ils sont contraints à des comportements contraires à leur nature.

Elle n'est pas durable lorsqu'elle a recours à des techniques d'abattage sources de souffrance comme l'asphyxie ou le coulis de glace, alors que des alternatives existent. Enfin, l'aquaculture n'est pas durable, elle est cruelle lorsqu'elle prévoit d'élever des poulpes, créatures si sensibles et si intelligentes.

La Commission devrait donc être plus prudente concernant le développement de l'aquaculture et profiter des réglementations à venir pour fixer un cadre protecteur.

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, thank you for the very interesting debate tonight and for the interventions and comments. I would like to say a couple of words to address some of the issues you have raised.

Of course, it is important to use sustainable feed ingredients in EU aquaculture. This is an important aspect of the environmental performance of aquaculture, as mentioned in the Commission's strategic guidelines. These guidelines propose the development of a guidance document on environmental performance that includes the mapping of good practices at government and industry level. It should also cover the use of sustainable feed.

Then, the organic production action plan, which was adopted in 2021, provides for access to further promote the growth of organic aquaculture in the EU. Among these actions, the Commission would identify and address, as appropriate, any specific obstacles to the growth of EU organic aquaculture. The work is ongoing. We are consulting with national experts on these obstacles.

Then, in our strategic guidelines, we recognise that the administrative burden is a major obstacle that still needs to be addressed to attract investment to establish new aquaculture facilities. The guidelines provide concrete recommendations in this area. In addition, as part of the implementation of its strategic guidelines, the Commission will develop a guidance document gathering best practices to serve as a reference for the necessary changes in this respect in Member States.

To conclude, let me also mention that the Commission is now preparing an EU-wide communication campaign on EU aquaculture to promote awareness among consumers. Very recently, we held a joint event with the Committee of the Regions, dedicated to the regional authorities, which are often in charge of licensing and regulating aquaculture in the Member States.

The message is clear: by implementing the Commission's strategic guidelines, we have a unique opportunity to promote the sustainable growth and competitiveness of EU aquaculture and maximise its contribution towards making the European Green Deal a success.

Clara Aguilera,
  ponente. – Señora presidenta, señorías, señora comisaria, me gustaría agradecer a la Comisión su sensibilidad al reconocer aspectos que en estos momentos son obstáculos reales: el acceso al espacio y los procedimientos. Por lo tanto, el trabajo de la Comisión va a contribuir a la mejora de estas cuestiones.

También me gustaría reconocer que las trabas administrativas son un auténtico problema para este sector. Evidentemente, no las trabas de la Comisión, sino las de todos los entes implicados (las instituciones nacionales, regionales y locales).

Por tanto, acojo con satisfacción estos aspectos y esta campaña, que espero que también sea de promoción de los productos acuícolas sostenibles, porque realmente merece la pena.

Querría señalar que, cuando hablamos de que no es suficiente con el Reglamento Europeo de Producción Ecológica, es porque, ahora mismo, con dicho Reglamento, que hemos aprobado y que ha entrado en vigor este año —es muy reciente, evidentemente— solo es posible la certificación como ecológica, en condiciones muy estrictas, de la cría de moluscos. Únicamente. Nada más. No es posible nada más.

¿Por qué es así? Porque el Reglamento Europeo de Producción Ecológica no ha mirado para nada hacia este sector, sino que lo ha ignorado. Se ha tapado los ojos, y, por lo tanto, ahora las normas no son aplicables. Es verdad que es un reglamento nuevo, pero habrá que mejorarlo con el tiempo, por supuesto.

Aquí hemos visto tanto a quien cree que la acuicultura es un elemento de futuro como a quien no lo cree. Y a quien no lo cree tampoco le vamos a pedir muchas aportaciones, porque quiere destruirlo.

Yo quiero que sea competitivo, que sea más sostenible. También en relación con la alimentación y los piensos, evidentemente. Quiero que ese 70 % que ahora compramos en Tailandia y Vietnam se compre en la Unión Europea, porque las normas de Europa no van a ser nunca los de estos terceros países.

Y con los cormoranes, no nos engañemos: está muy bien la Directiva de aves, pero aquí se habla de todo, y todo es mejorable. No hagamos que determinadas normativas sean intocables. Abramos la mente y veamos que aquí hay un problema y que hay que buscar soluciones.

Eso es lo único que le pedimos a la Comisión: soluciones para el problema de los cormoranes.

President. – That concludes the debate. The vote will be held tomorrow.

Written statements (Rule 171)

Carmen Avram (S&D),
  în scris. – Adoptarea raportului privind acvacultura europeană este un pas important în ajutorarea acestui sector strategic. Textul este echilibrat și reflectă situația în care se găsește sectorul și potențialul de dezvoltare al acestuia. Subestimată, acvacultura europeană are un rol cheie în asigurarea securității alimentare a UE. Este nevoie de soluții pe termen mediu și lung, pentru a permite acvaculturii să contribuie la îndeplinirea obiectivelor Pactului verde și pentru a atinge securitatea alimentară a continentului.

Să nu uităm că UE este un mare importator de pește și fructe de mare care vine din zone care nu aplică aceleași standarde de calitate și siguranță alimentară ca Europa. În schimb, acvacultura europeană poate oferi produse de calitate, poate contribui la reducerea dependenței de importurile din țări terțe și este capabilă să creeze mai multe locuri de muncă. Acvacultura este foarte importantă în multe zone din Europa, inclusiv în România, contribuind la revitalizarea zonelor rurale și la menținerea tinerilor în spațiul rural.

Dar să nu uităm problemele cu care se confruntă acvacultorii europeni: slaba finanțare, lipsa forței de muncă și, mai ales, problema cormoranilor, care creează daune ireparabile acestui sector. De aceea, este nevoie de măsuri rapide, concrete și, mai ales, sprijin financiar pentru acest sector.

12.   Impact of new technologies on taxation: crypto and blockchain (debate)

President. – The next item is the report by Lídia Pereira, on behalf of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on the impact of new technologies on taxation: crypto and blockchain (2021/2201(INI)) (A9-0204/2022).

Lídia Pereira,
  Relatora. – Senhora Presidente, a economia europeia está a mudar. Se é verdade que as dificuldades estão mais presentes, não é menos verdade que também estão a surgir oportunidades. Os europeus, sobretudo os mais jovens, procuram hoje alternativas à poupança e ao investimento. Com a emergência de novas tecnologias, também os mercados financeiros encontraram novas soluções, soluções essas cada vez mais descentralizadas, mais acessíveis e mais presentes nas nossas vidas.

Aos decisores políticos não se pede apenas que respondam às crises do imediato. Pede-se, mais do que nunca, que, no quadro complexo, volátil e acelerado em que vivemos, legislem com inteligência e que encontrem soluções com os olhos postos no futuro.

Temos o dever de tornar a lei europeia mais amiga da inovação para que a lei nacional seja também um dínamo de progresso. Esta convicção é particularmente importante quando falamos de fiscalidade. Os impostos são instrumentos fundamentais para uma política de promoção da inovação, da competitividade e do crescimento. Infelizmente, são, muitas vezes, um obstáculo quando se quer encher os cofres do Estado à custa do sacrifício das famílias e das empresas. Como portuguesa conheço bem esse fenómeno, o da carga fiscal sufocante que espartilha a nossa liberdade financeira e sequestra o nosso futuro.

Uma política fiscal pró-inovação, competitiva e virada para o futuro não pode ignorar a emergência de novas tecnologias como a blockchain ou a multiplicação de criptoativos. Para potenciarmos as oportunidades da Europa nesta área, apresentámos estas propostas sobre o impacto das novas tecnologias sobre a fiscalidade. Que propostas são essas?

Em primeiro lugar, a afirmação clara de que a política fiscal é da responsabilidade dos Estados-Membros e que não devemos tributar ativos a qualquer custo para engordar os orçamentos nacionais. Cabe a cada um dos 27 Estados decidir sobre os impostos que cobram. Mas, num mercado interno com concorrência leal e saudável, tem de haver um mínimo de cooperação. No momento em que se decide tributar um ativo, o imposto deve ser justo, claro, transparente, previsível e proporcional.

Em segundo lugar, também as autoridades fiscais nacionais têm de se adaptar aos desafios da digitalização. Queremos um reforço claro dos recursos humanos e materiais, um programa de formação do pessoal a nível europeu e a criação de uma plataforma de partilha de boas práticas entre os países.

Em terceiro lugar, pedimos a coerência entre a lei europeia e a lei nacional e, já agora, entre as leis nacionais. As definições de ‘criptoativo’, por exemplo, ou de ‘evento tributável’ ou de ‘estabelecimento permanente’, têm de ser comuns, sob pena de tratarmos de forma diferente situações que são semelhantes.

Em quarto lugar, queremos que a tecnologia blockchain seja aproveitada em toda a extensão de oportunidades que representa. As características desta tecnologia permitem-nos combater de forma mais célere e mais eficaz a fraude e a evasão fiscais e também podem tornar os procedimentos mais eficientes, reduzindo a burocracia para os cidadãos e os custos de contexto para as empresas.

Finalmente, queremos que a União lidere o diálogo para um instrumento internacional sobre a fiscalidade de criptoativos. Não faz sentido limitarmo-nos a legislar de país para país, uma realidade que não conhece fronteiras. Se a concorrência é saudável, ela também tem que ser justa e leal.

A mudança que estamos a viver na economia e nos mercados financeiros não pode ser travada. Enfrentaremos dificuldades complexas, mas também conheceremos oportunidades desafiantes. Cabe-nos estar à altura do tempo em que somos chamados a decidir e fá-lo-emos com os olhos postos no futuro.

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, thank you. Honourable Members, I want to thank you on behalf of Commissioner Gentiloni for your report on the impact of new technologies (including crypto and blockchain) on taxation. Let me particularly thank the rapporteur, Madam Pereira, for the excellent work and for the opportunity to discuss this very important topic with you.

Let me start with some remarks linked to the challenges of rapid digitalisation in the area of taxation, in particular linked to the growth of crypto-assets. As you underline in your report, these are difficult to classify, value and administer. This poses a challenge to tax administrators seeking to tax them fairly and effectively. They often do this through administrative guidance, but some Member States have dedicated tax rules. Most Member States try to align the tax treatment of crypto-assets with that of comparable assets, while some Member States have a separate regime or rate for these. The EU should facilitate and foster the sharing of best practices among Member States in this area.

Then, a proposal to further revise the Directive on Administrative Cooperation to reflect the new reality of crypto-assets is under preparation. It aims to put crypto-asset service providers in a similar position to providers of traditional financial services. The Directive will also close the loophole for avoiding tax through the use of crypto-assets by ensuring that tax administrations have the information they need to tax these assets according to their tax rules.

Blockchain Technology. Now, your report mentions the role of technology in ensuring tax fairness and compliance. We are convinced of the potential of crypto and blockchain technology to build a new generation of decentralised trans-European systems in the area of taxation, as well as in customs. The Commission's services have been studying blockchain technology since 2017. Two successful proofs of concept with blockchain have been concluded since then. Eight Member States were involved in the last of these two pilots. We are assessing the feasibility of using EBSI as a platform for this new generation of trans-European systems. Yet we are cautious to make sure that such innovative solutions do not fall short of expectations, meet the legal requirements – such as the GDPR – and are fully supportable and maintainable in the long run. All this is being done under the Fiscalis programme.

Finally, the use of new technologies in the fight against tax fraud and evasion in the digital economy calls for capable tax administration staff. To this end, appropriate training and best practice sharing between the European tax administrations can only be beneficial. At their annual EU gathering (the ‘TADEUS’ event), their heads discussed what common projects they foresee in the area of digitalisation.

Honourable Members, let me conclude my introductory remarks here. I am looking forward to hearing your views.

Salvatore De Meo,
  a nome del gruppo PPE. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, siamo tutti d'accordo che l'economia globale sta cambiando e che la sua progressiva digitalizzazione ci pone di fronte a nuove sfide che l'Unione europea e i suoi Stati devono affrontare in modo coeso e coordinato.

I principi dell'attuale quadro fiscale sono progressivamente superati e non garantiscono una tassazione equa, trasparente ed armonizzata sulle attività di criptovalute e di blockchain che, vista la loro esponenziale crescita, rischiano di alterare il mercato interno.

Ringrazio la relatrice per una risoluzione che affronta adeguatamente i vari aspetti, anche se, a mio avviso, nella definizione di un quadro fiscale aggiornato si dovrebbe tener conto anche dell'impatto ambientale della produzione di criptovalute, che per lo svolgimento delle operazioni di controllo e crittografia dei dati richiede importante quantità di energia e quindi emissioni di carbonio. Basti pensare, ad esempio, che la blockchain di Bitcoin consuma in un anno più energia dell'Italia.

Per questo va bene la creazione di un quadro normativo chiaro e trasparente, con una tassazione equa, che tenga conto anche dell'impatto ambientale dell'attività di Blockchain e garantisca la giusta competitività tra aziende, salvaguardando soprattutto quelle più piccole.

Aurore Lalucq,
  au nom du groupe S&D. – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, je crois qu'on ne peut pas faire non plus comme s'il ne s'était rien passé cet été.

Alors on va se rafraîchir la mémoire ensemble. Three Arrow Capital, un fonds spécialisé dans les crypto-actifs, une faillite à 650 millions de dollars, des dettes à hauteur de 3,5 milliards. La plateforme Celsius, qui promettait des rendements à hauteur de 18 % sans aucune garantie des dépôts des utilisateurs, qui se sont fait plumer selon leurs dires, leurs comptes bloqués. Le créateur du Terra, le fameux Stable Coin, qui faisait la fierté de l'écosystème crypto, comme il s'appelle, qui est recherché aussi aujourd'hui par la police, son Stable Coin s'est auto-détruit en 24 h seulement.

Je pourrais aussi vous parler d'arnaques en tout genre, où des créateurs de certains produits financiers partent avec la caisse, de harcèlement téléphonique pour faire acheter à des petites gens des produits auxquels ils ne connaissent rien, de la chute du bitcoin ou de la perte abyssale de valorisation du marché des cryptos dans son ensemble.

C'est ça aujourd'hui le monde des cryptos, un marché qui s'est vendu comme celui des petits contre les grands, des faibles contre les puissants, David contre Goliath, anti-banques, anti-institutions publiques, anti-système, et qui a fait perdre à certaines personnes absolument tout.

Alors, en l'état actuel, quand on entend certains du secteur – je dis certains et je m'excuse auprès des acteurs honnêtes car il y en a, mais il faudrait aussi qu'ils se fassent un peu plus entendre –, le monde des cryptos est à l'alternative économique ce que Trump et Bolsonaro sont à l'alternative politique: un monde de vérité alternative qui prétend défendre les plus faibles alors qu'en réalité il les manipule pour défendre des intérêts privés, celui des plus puissants et des plus forts.

Et en plus, quand les petites gens se font plumer, on se moque d'eux. C'est vraiment d'un courage hallucinant. Alors oui, il faut les réguler. Oui, il faut les taxer, bien sûr, mais surtout pour les faire rentrer dans l'état de droit, tout simplement dans la démocratie.

Et je ne vais même pas parler du fond, je veux juste parler de la forme. Je voudrais remercier ma collègue Lydia Pereira, car on ne partage absolument pas la même vue sur les cryptos, et on a travaillé en responsabilité et en respect et en sens de compromis. Et on est arrivés à un rapport dont on n'a pas à rougir.

Martin Hlaváček,
  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, crypto and blockchain, they could serve us for good or they could serve us for the bad. So the question of today is: are we using their potential to help us to fight tax evasion, fraud, to combat all the tactics of those who want to avoid taxation? And the answer is, no. Why? Because villains are always ahead of legislation. And you have been for some time promising us something, and this is the DAC8, and we've been waiting, and we keep waiting. And until you move, we won't move this problem at all. So please, just stick to what we have promised to each other. Please put it in motion. Otherwise, today, it serves for the villains. I want to reverse it. I want crypto and blockchain to serve for us, to have fair standards and fair taxation in the digital space.

Mikuláš Peksa,
  za skupinu Verts/ALE. – Paní předsedající, řada lidí se nových technologií bojí, bohužel. Je to pro ně důvod snažit se kryptoměny zakazovat, komplikovat jejich využívání nebo se je pokoušet vytlačit z trhu. Taková snaha ovšem vždycky bude velmi nákladná, ať už ve smyslu peněz, administrativní náročnosti nebo narušování soukromí. Já věřím, že máme lepší volbu, protože pokud dokážeme nastavit základní férové podmínky a pravidla ohledně kryptoměn, otevírá se nám velká řada možností. Ty smart kontrakty, které lze díky blockchainu vytvářet, jsou cesta k novému decentralizovanému finančnictví, k tomu finančnímu sektoru, kterému už nemusí dominovat pár velkých bank s obrovskými právními odděleními, ale do kterého dokáže vstoupit parta programátorů sdružených ve startupu.

Transparence blockchainu – fakt, že celý jeho obsah je ukládán nezávisle na mnoha zařízeních najednou otevírá cestu k levnějšímu a efektivnějšímu výběru daní. Pokud díky tomu zabráníme daňovým únikům, může se jednat o krok k férovější společnosti, kde budou platit stejné podmínky pro malé podnikatele i obří nadnárodní firmy. Takže nebojme se nových technologií, pokud mají využití, ukáže se to. Pokud nemají, lidé je přestanou používat.

France Jamet,
  au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, mes chers collègues, les transformations technologiques induites par la chaîne de blocs annoncent purement et simplement la disparition de l'autorité de l'État, garant des contrats individuels et des titres de propriété.

Il faut être bien conscient de ce qui se déroule en ce moment sous nos yeux: des pouvoirs naguère dévolus à l'État sont transférés à des réseaux d'entreprises et de financiers qui agissent en dehors de tout cadre démocratique, et, je dirais même, légal.

La décision de la Banque centrale européenne d'avoir recours aux services d'Amazon, société privée extra-européenne, pour la création de l'euro numérique, illustre parfaitement cette dérive fatale. Nous perdrons notre capacité à protéger nos données et à décider de la direction à faire prendre à ce secteur si sensible dans les années à venir.

Nous avons le devoir de garantir aux citoyens qu'aucune donnée publique ne sera traitée en dehors du cadre de la nation. Nous avons le devoir de faire émerger notre propre voix contre la toute-puissance des monopoles privés.

Enikő Győri (NI). – Tisztelt Elnök asszony, Képviselőtársaim! Az új technológiák két oldalról állítanak kihívás elé minket. Fontos, hogy támogassuk a fejlődést, azonban megfelelően kell kezelnünk az ezekből származó veszélyeket. Így van ez a kriptoeszközök és a blocklánc-technológia esetében is. Fontosnak tartom tehát, hogy átlátható és világos szabályozási keretet alakítsunk ki. Az unió versenyképesség érdekében a pénzügyekben is támogatni kell az innovációt, ugyanakkor a közterhek viseléséből ezek sem maradhatnak ki, ahogy azt nagyon helyesen leszögezi a jelentés. Az adóhatóságok munkája rájuk is ki kell, hogy terjedjen, nem lehetnek az adócsalás és az adóelkerülés eszközei.

A háború miatt romló gazdasági helyzetben, amelyet az uniós szankciók tovább súlyosbítanak, ennek jelentősége még nagyobb. Ehhez hasznos az uniós koordináció, azonban hangsúlyoznom szükséges, hogy itt is tiszteletben kell tartani a tagállami hatásköröket. Bár ezek a technológiák számos kérdést vetnek fel, ezek egyike sem adhat okot arra, hogy az adópolitikával kapcsolatos és a szerződésekben rögzített kompetencia megosztását bárki megkérdőjelezze.

Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI). – Madam President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, in May 2021, there were about 9 000 different cryptocurrencies with a market capitalisation of almost EUR 2 trillion, driven mainly by Bitcoin, the most popular one with a market capitalisation of Bitcoin that was about 850 billion. The simulated potential revenue of taxing capital gains from Bitcoin in 2020 amounts to EUR 900 million, almost 0.3 % of total tax revenue for property taxation in the EU. These numbers make enough clear how much is urgent to act on the taxation of cryptocurrencies.

First, the Commission should assess the ways in which different Member States tax crypto-assets and the different national policies regarding the fight against tax fraud and tax evasion in the field of crypto-assets, underlining best practices and potential loopholes. Then the Member States should consider the specificities of the use of those assets in their national tax reforms to implement more effective systems that guarantee the fair, transparent, proportionate taxation of crypto-assets.

Would that be enough? Of course not. The only real solution always remains a unique fiscal policy at the EU level. How many years will we still have to waste before figuring it out?

Catch-the-eye procedure

Juozas Olekas (S&D). – Iš tikrųjų pirmiausia noriu padėkoti už savalaikiai parengtą pranešimą. Mes, lietuviai, turime tokią gražią patarlę: nebeužtvenksi upės bėgimo. Tai aš manau, kad mes negalime sustabdyti naujų technologijų atėjimo į finansinį sektorių, ir ne apie tai dabar turėtume kalbėti. Mes turėtume kalbėti, kaip sudaryti teisingas žaidimo sąlygas, kad jos nekistų paties proceso metu, bet mes galėtume teisingai apmokestinti tiek kriptoturtą, tiek garantuoti socialines garantijas tiems žmonėms, kurie dirba šioje srityje, ir tiems žmonėms garantuoti, kurie įsitraukia naujai į naujų technologijų naudojimą, nes žinome, kad sudėtingesnėmis ekonominėmis sąlygomis žmonės linkę atsiliepti į tuos pasiūlymus, kurie atrodo finansiškai labai perspektyvūs. Deja, kaip minėjo kolegė, atsirandantys bankrotai, išnykstantys turtai žiauriai sukelia kančias tiems žmonėms, kurie čia dalyvauja. Todėl sveikinu pranešimą ir tikiu, kad mūsų pastangos sudarys sąlygas, kad mes galėtume teisingai apmokestinti ir sudaryti socialiai teisingesnes sąlygas.

Maria Grapini (S&D). – Doamna președintă, doamna comisară, stimați colegi, dezbatem impactul noilor tehnologii asupra impozitării. S-a spus aici, sigur, nu trebuie să fugim de noi soluții, de noi tehnologii. Singura problemă este că pentru a stabili o fiscalitate adecvată în funcție de soluție, trebuie să avem studii făcute și trebuie să le avem înainte de a intra în piață noile soluții tehnologice și noile tehnologii.

Din punctul meu de vedere, dacă am face acum o analiză, am putea vedea că în loc să avem un câștig cu intrarea noilor tehnologii, cu criptomonede, avem, din nefericire, așa cum s-a mai spus și aici, foarte multă evaziune fiscală și foarte mulți cetățeni care și-au pierdut veniturile. Nu s-a stăpânit acest sistem și cred că este bine ca mai întâi să facem regulile în piața internă, pentru că și așa aveam suficientă evaziune în piața internă pe politicile de fiscalitate clasice, nu mai era nevoie să adăugăm.

De aceea cred că odată cu acest raport vom putea să ajungem și la o definiție comună, trebuie să avem sisteme într-adevăr de competență națională, dar sub supraveghere, pentru a nu crea distorsiuni în piață, pentru a nu crea evaziune fiscală și, până la urmă, pentru a avea o coerență și o creștere economică și prin politicile fiscale adecvate.

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

Adina-Ioana Vălean,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members, thank you for the quality of the debate today, which reflects the quality of your report. It is clear that new technologies will impact our tax systems. To ensure that this impact is positive and to achieve tax fairness and tax compliance through these technologies, we need to act in a coordinated manner at EU level. Your report contributes to this effort and I am looking forward to continue our collaboration on this topic with you.

Lídia Pereira,
  Relatora. – Senhora Presidente, o debate político é o campo da divergência. Mas é importante sublinhar que, quando falamos de novas tecnologias e de fiscalidade, há um amplo consenso com afirmações claras como, aliás, podemos ouvir nas intervenções ao longo do debate.

O primeiro consenso é que a fiscalidade tem de ser inteligente, tem que ser amiga da inovação e virada para o futuro.

O segundo consenso é que as novas formas de investimento e de poupança são oportunidades extraordinárias para todos, mas não devem ser janelas de oportunidade para a fraude e para a evasão fiscal.

O terceiro consenso é que as nossas políticas fiscais e as nossas autoridades tributárias têm de se adaptar rapidamente aos desafios da digitalização da economia e da descentralização dos mercados financeiros.

Finalmente, o consenso de que os impostos são nacionais, que a cooperação europeia é essencial e que um acordo internacional é fundamental.

Os tempos que vivemos, como também tive oportunidade de dizer mais cedo, são difíceis e são complexos. Estamos todos a ver as nossas contas a aumentar. As famílias veem a prestação da casa a subir de mês para mês e as empresas estão naturalmente inseguras com o aumento dos juros e a rutura das cadeias de abastecimento.

Portanto, este é o tempo de usar a política fiscal para ajudar as famílias e as empresas a ultrapassar a crise que já estamos a enfrentar e para antecipar os desafios de um futuro em que as novas tecnologias serão uma realidade do dia a dia.

Temos de estar, por isso, à altura do nosso tempo, mas sobretudo à altura do futuro que ambicionamos e que a Europa deve liderar.

President. – That concludes the debate. The vote will be held tomorrow.

Written statements (Rule 171)

Ondřej Kovařík (Renew),
  in writing. – With our economies moving away from the traditional models towards a more digital future, our taxation systems also need to be modernised. Therefore, amending the Directive on administrative cooperation in taxation (DAC 8) and the VAT Directive on tax in the digital area is apt. Thanks to new technologies such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), our tax systems can adapt to the new reality, become more efficient and help improve tax submissions of individuals and companies. Notably SMEs could benefit from the use of DLT and smart contracts as these new technologies would facilitate SMEs' contact with tax authorities and thereby improve compliance with tax rules in the relevant jurisdictions in particular. As economies digitalise, strong cooperation not just on the EU level but also in international fora such as the OECD and G20 will be important to help streamline practices while addressing potential new forms of tax fraud and tax evasion. This report sends a strong signal from the European Parliament to tax authorities, highlighting the need to keep up with developments in the private sector, build on innovation and address the associated risks.

13.   The EU's actions in the field of freedom of religion or belief worldwide (debate)

President. – The next item is the Council and Commission statements on the EU's actions in the field of freedom of religion or belief worldwide (2022/2861(RSP)).

Mikuláš Bek,
  President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, I am pleased to discuss with you the EU sanctions in the field of freedom of religion or belief worldwide.

The EU is committed to respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights in all areas of its external action. The freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right. It affects everyone. All persons have the right to manifest their religion or belief without fear of intimidation, discrimination, violence or attack. Protection must also apply to people who do not profess any religion or belief. The freedom of religion and belief is intimately connected to the realisation of other rights and values, including democracy, the rule of law, respect for human dignity, the principles of equality and solidarity, and respect for international law.

The Council has closely followed both persistent and new challenges facing the realisation of the freedom of religion and belief worldwide. The Council is well aware of the scope of freedom of belief violations that involves persecution, not mere intolerance of hundreds of millions of people around the world. Allow me to mention three recent issues.

First, especially in times of crisis, we often witness the rise of unjustified restrictions to human rights, including on the freedom of religion or belief. The Council recently highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the exercise of fundamental rights, including the freedom of religion or belief. As the Council stressed at the beginning of 2022, any restrictions to human rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic must be strictly necessary, proportionate, temporary in nature, and non-discriminatory.

Second, as we meet today, the international community is assembling at the Human Rights Council's 51st regular session in Geneva. The EU remains a firm supporter of the UN human rights system, including the Human Rights Council. Several of the issues recently highlighted by the EU and its Member States as requiring the Human Rights Council's urgent attention concern also the freedom of religion or belief, notably in respect of the human rights situation in Russia, Afghanistan, China, Eritrea, Myanmar and Nicaragua, among others.

Third, for many people around the world, religion and belief are a source of meaning, community and hope. In contrast, the growing number of violent conflicts across the world undermine the bonds that can support common efforts to address global problems such as climate change, the respect for all human rights, as well as the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Russia's continuing war of aggression against Ukraine has highlighted the need to ensure the protection of religious heritage sites and places of worship, especially when groups of people gathered in these places face threats. UNESCO recently reported that more than 70 religious buildings have been damaged in fighting in Ukraine this year alone.

These are just some of the challenges we face as we continue to work together to further strengthen the freedom of religion and belief worldwide. I trust that the European Parliament and the Council will continue this work together. Thank you very much for your attention.

Helena Dalli,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members, the European Commission is committed to ensuring respect for freedom of thought, conscience and religion. These are fundamental rights protected under Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

The Commission is also committed to fighting discrimination, racism and all forms of intolerance, including when linked to religion, and we make use of all means available under the Treaties to further that aim. EU law tackles different forms and manifestations of racism and intolerance, including hate crime and hate speech based on religion. The Commission is actively respecting these rights, observing these principles and promoting their application, in accordance with its powers and respecting the limits of the powers of the Union as conferred on it in the Treaties (Article 51 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union). The Commission has in past years launched several infringement cases against Member States that have not transposed them into national law. In order to put into effect in the Member States the principle of equal treatment, the Employment Equality Directive lays down a general framework for combating discrimination, including on grounds of religion or belief in the area of employment and occupation. The Commission carefully monitors that it is respected.

The Commission also promotes intercultural dialogue, including inter-religious dialogue, in its support for more inclusive societies for migrants and EU nationals with migrant backgrounds, in line with the action plan on integration and inclusion. In this context, the Commission is committed to protecting all Member States' religious groups from intimidation, discrimination, violence or attack, as well as from persecution within the EU.

On 5 October 2021, the Commission adopted the EU strategy on combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life. With anti-Semitism on the rise in Europe and beyond, the strategy sets out a series of measures articulated around three pillars: to prevent all forms of anti-Semitism; protect and foster Jewish life; and promote research, education and Holocaust remembrance.

Freedom of religion or belief is also an essential feature in our external human rights policy. The line with all our partners across the world is clear. We consistently condemn discrimination, intolerance, violence and persecution against or by any person based on the grounds of religion or belief. We call on all countries to protect the right for everyone to have or not have a religion or belief, to manifest or to change their religion or belief, while condemning the criminalisation of apostasy and the abuse of blasphemy laws. We take a public stance condemning attacks against places of worship and against persecution and discrimination against people of all faiths, as well as non-believers. The EU also strongly condemns violence perpetrated in the name of religion, in particular violence against women or against LGBT persons.

Over the past year, we carried out key actions to promote and protect freedom of religion and beliefs. We raised our concerns in more than one third of the 60 human rights dialogues that we hold with partner countries. We also issue high-level statements and promote interfaith dialogue. We also promote and defend freedom of religion or belief in multilateral fora, where we support the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur and yearly resolutions in the relevant United Nations human rights fora.

The EU has also taken several initiatives to foster freedom of religion and belief at local level, including involving civil society actors, faith-based organisations, humanists, atheists and religious actors. The implementation of the EU guidelines on freedom of religion and belief remains a key priority of the EU's external action. We are also providing concrete support to freedom of religion or belief through the EU's human rights and civil society programmes.

The Commission must act within its competence when addressing violations of freedom of religion or belief, while being mindful that the main responsibility lies with the EU Member States on this matter. But our objective is clear. There is no place for intolerance, intimidation, discrimination, attacks, persecution or violence in the name of religion or belief in the European Union and Member States or in any other partner country.

Jan Olbrycht,
  w imieniu grupy PPE. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Panie Ministrze! Rozmawiamy dzisiaj o jednej z najpoważniejszych kwestii, jednym z podstawowych praw człowieka. I oczywiście przyjmujemy z dużym uznaniem informację o tym, jakie działania podejmuje zarówno Komisja Europejska, jak i Rada. Mamy jednak wrażenie, że w dużej części są to jednak deklaracje, a niekoniecznie konkretne działania. Jako posłowie do Parlamentu Europejskiego wielokrotnie zwracaliśmy się o to, żeby szeroko rozpowszechniać sprawozdania i informować o sprawozdaniach, które są przygotowywane na temat łamania wolności religijnej. Wielokrotnie mówiliśmy o tym, żeby w sprawach bilateralnych strona Unii Europejskiej brała pod uwagę ewentualnie właśnie naruszenia wolności religijnej i żeby to miało swoje odzwierciedlenie w polityce zagranicznej prowadzonej przez służby zewnętrzne.

Od kilku lat czekamy na informacje dotyczące specjalnego wysłannika do spraw wolności religijnej i mamy nadzieję, że w najbliższych dniach dowiemy się nie tylko, kto będzie tym wysłannikiem, ale co stało się, że przez kilka lat nie można było tego wysłannika wyznaczyć. Chciałbym na końcu jeszcze powiedzieć, że jeżeli chcemy być wzorem dla całej Unii Europejskiej i dla całego świata, to powinniśmy również dbać o wolność religijną wewnątrz Unii. Sytuacja w Unii jest coraz bardziej skomplikowana i apeluję również do Komisji, do Rady o to, żeby zwróciły uwagę na temat wolności religijnej na terenie Unii Europejskiej.

Juan Fernando López Aguilar,
  en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señora presidenta, comisaria Dalli, si hay un punto de interés para el grupo que represento, el Grupo Socialista, en este debate sobre la libertad de religión o de creencias a escala mundial y la actuación de la Unión Europea, es precisamente el que nos recuerda que la libertad de religión, de creencias y de pensamiento es un derecho fundamental consagrado en la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea no solo para los ciudadanos europeos sino para todas las personas a las que se aplica el Derecho europeo, y que no existe mejor corolario de la libertad de religión que la libertad de no creer, de no profesar ninguna creencia y, por supuesto, de no estar obligado a confesar al respecto, así como el pluralismo religioso.

Para servir a ese objetivo, el Parlamento Europeo y la Comisión de Libertades, Justicia e Interior han apoyado un Instrumento para la Democracia y los Derechos Humanos que precisamente propicia el diálogo interreligioso y la cooperación con las comunidades religiosas, con el objetivo último, precisamente, de garantizar la separación de los poderes públicos con respeto de ninguna injerencia en el hecho religioso y en la libertad de religión.

Por tanto, apoyamos un fondo europeo, un Instrumento Europeo para los Derechos Humanos, para promover el diálogo interreligioso y la cooperación con las comunidades religiosas y la libertad de religión que tiene como corolario el pluralismo religioso en la Unión Europea.

Vlad-Marius Botoș,
  în numele grupului Renew. – Doamna vicepreședintă, doamna comisară, stimați colegi, libertatea religiilor și a credințelor religioase a fost recunoscută ca un drept esențial al omului. Este important ca Uniunea Europeană să susțină și să lupte pentru acest drept, cu atât mai mult cu cât în ultimii ani vedem încălcări tot mai grave.

Dreptul de a avea o religie vine cu o obligație de a recunoaște și respecta dreptul celorlalți de a nu avea aceleași credințe. Este inadmisibil ca în secolul XXI o tânără să fie omorâtă din motive religioase sau ca femeile să fie din nou și din nou abuzate dacă aparțin unor minorități religioase.

Este inadmisibil ca un scriitor să trăiască sub amenințarea morții pentru că a criticat o anumită religie sau ca un profesor să fie omorât doar pentru că a arătat elevilor niște imagini în care erau personaje religioase. Fie că aceste evenimente se întâmplă în Orient, în Statele Unite sau la noi acasă, în Uniunea Europeană, este important ca noi să utilizăm toate mijloacele care ne stau la dispoziție pentru a apăra dreptul de a avea propriile credințe, care până la urmă țin de intimitatea fiecăruia dintre noi.

Philippe Olivier,
  au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, vous invoquez la liberté religieuse. Je pense qu'il ne viendrait à l'esprit de personne, ici, de contester cette liberté si essentielle à l'homme.

Pour autant, vous vous égarez lorsque, sous prétexte d'une politique inclusive dévoyée, vous faites la promotion du voile islamique – et je dirais même du voile islamiste – dans l'ensemble de votre communication institutionnelle. Des femmes et même des fillettes y apparaissent voilées, comme si on devait les réduire à n'être que des objets de concupiscence masculine. La liberté ne peut servir à promouvoir un symbole d'oppression des femmes, pas plus que la submersion de l'espace public par des démonstrations permanentes, même vestimentaires.

À l'heure où les Iraniennes se dressent pour leur liberté, votre indiscernement va à rebours de l'émancipation des femmes. En France, qui fut dans l'histoire un pays de terribles guerres de religion, nous avons trouvé un juste équilibre entre le libre exercice de la religion et le respect des consciences de tous: cela s'appelle la laïcité. Vous feriez bien de vous en inspirer.

Bert-Jan Ruissen,
  namens de ECR-Fractie. – Voorzitter, mevrouw de commissaris, mijnheer de minister, vanavond heb ik eigenlijk maar één verzoek, en wel aan de commissaris: kom uw belofte na.

Ik heb het hier namelijk zwart op wit: een brief van mevrouw Von der Leyen. Een jaar geleden schreef zij mij – ik zal een kopietje bij u achterlaten –: ‘Geachte afgevaardigde Ruissen, de herbenoeming van de EU-gezant voor godsdienstvrijheid heeft mijn volle aandacht.’

Maar er volgde nog een derde jaar, feitelijk zonder EU-gezant. Dat deze herbenoeming maar uitblijft, is dé reden van dit debat, dat begrijpt u wel. Met uw getreuzel stelt u namelijk niet alleen mij teleur en vele collega's hier in dit huis, u laat er miljoenen onderdrukte gelovigen mee in de kou staan!

Geloofsvervolging is springlevend en neemt zelfs toe: blasfemiewetten in Pakistan, antibekeringswetten in India, heropvoedingskampen in China, moordpartijen in Nigeria. Vandaag de dag ondervinden 360 miljoen christenen in vijftig landen zeer zware tot extreme vormen van vervolging. Dat alles mag u niet onberoerd laten. Ik vraag u: is de EU een gemeenschap van waarden of slechts van woorden?

Mijn oproep is dan ook: benoem die gezant, die regeringen wereldwijd aanspreekt op vrijheid van geloof. Zorg voor voldoende menskracht en budget. Doe wat u belooft!

György Hölvényi (PPE). – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony! Mi a vallásszabadság? Az alapvető emberi jogok egyike, nem pedig vallási kérdés. Az ENSZ emberi jogi szerződései és uniós jogszabályaink is az emberi jogok közé sorolják a szabad vallásgyakorlást.

Az Emberi Jogok Egyetemes Nyilatkozatának 18. cikke alapvető jogként határozza meg a vallás szabad megválasztását és – nagyon fontos – annak gyakorlását is. Az EU-n kívüli vallásszabadáságért felelős különmegbízottal 2019. január 15-én elfogadott jelentésünk is ezen alapvető jog nemzetközi érvényesítéséről szól.

Az uniós döntéshozatal szégyene, hogy a különmegbízottat azóta sem nevezte ki az Európai Bizottság. Mindez rossz üzenetet hordoz, az Európai Unió nem vállal szolidaritást a jogfosztottakkal. Az EU akkor lesz igazán hiteles, ha a poszt mellé érdemi felhatalmazást rendel. A három évvel ezelőtti jelentésünkben világosan és részletesen kifejtettük ezt a Bizottság felé.

Ismétlem: Amíg nem történik meg a kinevezés a megfelelő felhatalmazással, addig az Unió a szenvedők iránti közöny kultúráját terjeszti.

Joachim Kuhs (ID). – Frau Präsidentin, Herr Minister, Frau Kommissarin, werte Kollegen! Wir leben wahrlich in turbulenten Zeiten, und es besteht die Gefahr, dass wir vor lauter Angst vor einem Weltkrieg oder vor einer neuen Pandemie oder vor den Ideologen und Priestern der neuen Klimareligion wirklich wichtige Probleme, insbesondere das Schicksal der Menschen, aus den Augen verlieren, die wegen ihres Glaubens verfolgt werden. Dabei haben Zahl und Schwere der Fälle in den letzten Jahren in allen Erdteilen, besonders in der islamischen Welt, erschreckend zugenommen.

Unsere ID-Fraktion wird daher nächste Woche den Bischof von Nigeria als Vertreter einer stark verfolgten christlichen Gruppe zu Besuch haben.

Wir dürfen diese Probleme nicht ausblenden. Wir dürfen diese verfolgten Menschen nicht vergessen und nicht im Stich lassen. Sonst werden die Tyrannen dieser Welt, da sie auf keinen Widerstand stoßen, ungehindert ihr diabolisches Werk verrichten.

Werte Kommission, liebe Frau Dalli, bleiben Sie in dieser Sache nicht länger untätig und bestellen Sie endlich den Beauftragten für Glaubens- und Religionsfreiheit. Keiner von Ihnen hat bisher dazu etwas gesagt. Das kann doch wohl nicht wahr sein! Bitte tun Sie jetzt endlich etwas! Viele werden es Ihnen danken.

Carlo Fidanza (ECR). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor Ministro, signora Commissaria, da tempo ormai pare che la libertà religiosa sia un tema scomodo, da trattare con riluttanza, rigorosamente a tarda ora e senza mai votare documenti impegnativi. E quando capita di votarli si fa fatica a riconoscere chi siano le vittime e chi siano i carnefici, quasi come se questo diritto umano fondamentale fosse, verrebbe proprio da dire, figlio di un Dio minore.

Siamo inermi quando questa libertà fondamentale viene attaccata nella nostra Europa, dove si può morire sgozzati in una chiesa, come padre Hamel, o schiacciati da un tram mentre si fugge da un'aggressione antisemita, come Jérémie Cohen. Siamo inermi perché il politicamente corretto impedisce di riconoscere che il radicalismo è figlio di politiche migratorie e di integrazione sbagliate.

Ma siamo inermi anche di fronte alla persecuzione quotidiana a cui troppi esseri umani in tutto il mondo sono sottoposti in ragione della loro fede. E siamo inermi perché più dell'80 % di essi sono cristiani, e questo imbarazza chi vorrebbe il cristianesimo confinato nella sfera privata e le nostre radici giudaico-cristiane recise dall'albero della nostra comune identità europea.

Questo relativismo esasperato impedisce da tempo alla Commissione di istituire, anche soltanto per qualche tempo, perché ormai siamo a fine legislatura, l'inviato speciale per la libertà religiosa, una figura che eserciti il soft power dell'Unione europea verso i paesi terzi, affinché questo diritto venga sempre garantito nei confronti di tutte le minoranze perseguitate, magari condizionando alla sua protezione l'erogazione delle ingenti risorse che ogni anno spendiamo in cooperazione e partenariati. La situazione nel mondo è in continuo deterioramento. Non c'è più un solo minuto da perdere.

Peter van Dalen (PPE). – Voorzitter, mevrouw de commissaris, ik kom net uit Pakistan. In Pakistan zitten honderden mensen in een dodencel omdat zij geloven. Ahmadi's, christenen wachten op de doodstraf, beschuldigd van godslastering.

Dat is niet alleen zo in Pakistan. Er zijn talloze landen in deze wereld waar christenen en andere gelovigen worden vervolgd.

De EU heeft de verplichting, vastgelegd in het Verdrag, om op te komen voor de godsdienstvrijheid. Dus heb ik maar één vraag aan u: waar blijft de speciale gezant voor de godsdienstvrijheid? Ik heb met collega's hier in de zaal en zelf de afgelopen jaren misschien wel zes, zeven brieven gestuurd aan mevrouw Von der Leyen, christendemocratische Commissievoorzitter, mijnheer Schinas, christendemocratische commissaris verantwoordelijk voor die gezant. Waar blijft die gezant? Die moet benoemd worden! De man die daar al maanden warm voor loopt, kan vandaag nog beginnen. Dat wil ik van u horen, de benoeming van die gezant, vandaag nog!

Catch-the-eye procedure

Beata Kempa (ECR). – Bardzo dziękuję za tę debatę. Przyłączam się do apelu o powołanie nowego pełnomocnika wysokiego wysłannika do spraw wolności religijnych. To ważne. Prześladowania ze względu na wiarę to ważny i palący problem dzisiejszego świata, ale głównie dotykają one chrześcijan jako najliczniejszej wspólnoty wierzących. Według niezależnych sprawozdań prześladowanie wyznawców Chrystusa w mijającym roku osiągnęło historyczne rekordy. Jeden na siedmiu chrześcijan spotkał się z formą dyskryminacji i prześladowania. Ponad 360 mln wiernych w 76 krajach codziennie musi bać się o swój los tylko ze względu na wiarę, którą wyznają.

Dlatego tak ważne, abyśmy ze strony Unii Europejskiej zweryfikowali klauzule niedyskryminacyjne, bo w tym wypadku muszą one obejmować prawa do swobodnego wyboru i wyznawania religii. I wreszcie w mojej ojczyźnie, Polsce, obywatele w ramach akcji w obronie chrześcijan zebrali ponad 150 tysięcy podpisów poparcia zmiany prawa tak, żeby skutecznie chroniło katolików, kościoły, a także wyznawców innych religii. I z tego miejsca chcę im wszystkim bardzo serdecznie podziękować.

Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, for me, I've been a lifelong campaigner for the separation of church and state. Religion, for me, is very much a private matter and I myself am an atheist. But I absolutely defend the right of every person to practice their religious beliefs, whatever that may be.

I noticed that colleagues are very vocal about the discrimination against Christianity and absolutely there is discrimination against Christians. We only need to see what happened in Syria when the West, in its keenness to overthrow the Assad regime, opened up the borders, allowed ISIS in, and unleashed the gates of hell to the Christians inside Syria.

But the reality is that the biggest persecuted religious group in Europe are Muslims. We see that in racist legislation enacted in numerous of our Member States, conflating Muslims with terrorists, and so on. I think it would be completely remiss to have this debate without mentioning the appalling massacre of Hazara women and young girls in Kabul last week, who just wanted to have an education.

Religion has been used to divide and rule. Everybody's religion should be protected, and all should be equal.

(End of Catch-the-eye procedure)

VORSITZ: EVELYN REGNER

Vizepräsidentin

Helena Dalli,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, Minister, honourable Members, I want to thank you for this useful debate on this sensitive and important topic.

As I said in my earlier statement, we need to be mindful of national competences for protecting freedom of religion or belief. The situation of freedom of religion or belief is alarming in many parts of the world, as we have heard, and is related, in many respects, to conflict situations and unacceptable instances of religious persecution. It is therefore crucial to work together at EU level, with the European Parliament and the Council to address these issues. The role of the Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief is therefore very, very important in this context. The Commission is currently assessing the options regarding the position of Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief, and will shortly take a decision on his or her appointment.

Mikuláš Bek,
  President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members. Commissioner, as I noted at the outset, the freedom of religion or belief concerns us all. Its realisation is closely connected to all other human rights.

The EU's promotion and protection of the freedom of religion or belief can also support the EU's other external action priorities. The engagement of the European Parliament in the field of freedom of religion or belief worldwide is also essential.

Honourable Members, we are approaching the 10th anniversary of the Council's adoption of the EU guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief. The EU guidelines continue to support the EU's action in this field. They are used regularly in context with third countries and with international and civil society organisations. The implementation of the EU guidelines has been followed up regularly by the Council's Working Group on Human Rights.

Today's discussion is part and parcel of the EU guidelines initial call for regular exchanges of views with the European Parliament on their implementation, evaluation and review. We hope that the European Parliament and the Council will continue to work together to further strengthen the EU's role in promoting and protecting the freedom of religion and belief worldwide.

Die Präsidentin. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Schriftliche Erklärungen (Artikel 171)

Alfred Sant (S&D),
  in writing. – As a secular entity, the EU should by example and direct diplomatic action, give witness to its commitment to the freedom of religion and belief worldwide, similar to its commitment to democracy and fundamental human rights. Internally it should guarantee – clearly to all – that its Member States uphold in full this commitment to the free practice of all religions, so long these respect widely accepted norms of behaviour, by disallowing practices like genital mutilation and child marriage. The EU should communicate through political and diplomatic channels that it expects its partners to respect freedom of religion within their territory, not least for EU citizens. For countries that do not show such respect, and indeed create restrictions on the appropriate practice of their religious beliefs and practices by EU citizens resident there, the EU should interdict any initiative by such states meant to promote any religion within the EU. This without in any way, hindering the individual citizens of such states resident in the EU, from practising their religion.

14.   Management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence (short presentation)

Die Präsidentin. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die kurze Darstellung des Berichts von Gabriel Mato über den Vorschlag für eine Verordnung des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates zur Festlegung von Bewirtschaftungs-, Erhaltungs- und Kontrollmaßnahmen für den Zuständigkeitsbereich der Thunfischkommission für den Indischen Ozean (IOTC) und zur Änderung der Verordnungen (EG) Nr. 1936/2001, (EG) Nr. 1984/2003 und (EG) Nr. 520/2007 des Rates [COM(2021)0113 - C9-0095/2021 - 2021/0058(COD)] - Fischereiausschuss (A9-0312/2021)

Gabriel Mato,
  ponente. – Señora presidenta, me gustaría dar las gracias a mis colegas ponentes alternativos, así como a la Presidencia del Consejo y a la Comisión, por el acuerdo que hemos alcanzado sobre la transposición a la legislación de la Unión Europea de las medidas para la gestión del atún adoptadas en la Comisión del Atún del Océano Índico.

Hay una importante flota de la Unión Europea que opera en esta parte del planeta que es campeona mundial en sostenibilidad y que proporciona, además, a los consumidores de la Unión Europea proteínas de pescado nutritivas de alta calidad, que, al mismo tiempo, aporta beneficios socioeconómicos a las empresas de la Unión Europea y a las comunidades costeras, y que contribuye a la economía local y al desarrollo sostenible del sector de la pesca en la zona.

La importancia estratégica de la presencia de la Unión Europea en terceros países es, por lo tanto, múltiple: beneficia a los operadores y consumidores de la Unión Europea así como a la sostenibilidad y a la buena gobernanza de los océanos. La Unión Europea, a través de la Comisión, a la que me gustaría elogiar aquí, es líder en estos foros internacionales.

Cuando se trata de transponer en la Unión Europea las decisiones adoptadas en dichos foros internacionales después de largas negociaciones, el principal problema para mí y para mi Grupo es garantizar que se transpongan lo más fielmente posible con el fin de establecer condiciones de competencia equitativas para todos los operadores que pescan en la misma zona y comercializan sus productos en el mercado de la Unión Europea. Si la Unión Europea impone medidas más estrictas para su flota nacional, esta última pierde competitividad frente a los operadores extranjeros. Garantizar condiciones idénticas para todos, al tiempo que se promueven las normas estrictas en materia de sostenibilidad de la Unión Europea en las organizaciones regionales de ordenación pesquera y en otros foros internacionales, es crucial para nuestros operadores y para mejorar la gobernanza internacional de los océanos.

Otra cuestión que me gustaría mencionar es la necesidad de transponer los acuerdos de estas organizaciones lo más rápidamente posible. Creo que todos estamos comprometidos con esto. Para mí la clave es encontrar el equilibrio adecuado entre la necesidad de ir rápido, pero, al mismo tiempo, hacer que las cosas funcionen bien.

En primer lugar, creo que tenemos que avanzar en la etapa en la que la Comisión elabora su propuesta. A este respecto, la propuesta de la Comisión a veces llega tarde a los colegisladores. Debemos mejorar en este aspecto.

La segunda cuestión en la que necesitamos mejorar es la calidad de la propuesta de la Comisión. A menudo la propuesta va más allá de lo que se decide en las organizaciones regionales de ordenación pesquera. Esto es así, aunque no les guste mucho que se lo recordemos.

Pero, viendo lo que ha sucedido con el Acto de ejecución de la Comisión por el que se clausuran 87 zonas, extralimitándose en sus facultades e incumpliendo la obligación de tener en cuenta los aspectos socioeconómicos, además de los medioambientales, es fácil entender por qué cada día somos más escépticos en otorgar poder a la Comisión.

Por lo tanto, sí a las medidas ambiciosas; sí a la rápida aplicación de los acuerdos internacionales, pero siempre buscando el equilibrio adecuado para garantizar la igualdad de condiciones para todos los operadores y, en todo caso, respetando siempre el papel de cada institución en el proceso de toma de decisiones.

Spontane Wortmeldungen

Caroline Roose (Verts/ALE). – Madame la Présidente, merci à Monsieur Mato, Monsieur le rapporteur. L'océan Indien est dans une situation qui est très préoccupante puisque le thon albacore est au bord de l'effondrement. Il y a dans la région des problèmes de pêche illégale et de sous-déclaration de captures. Il n'y a pas assez d'inspections obligatoires.

Donc, face à cette situation, la Commission européenne proposait une mesure supplémentaire de bon sens: une obligation de pesée des captures lors des transbordements, lorsqu'on transfère le poisson d'un bateau de pêche à l'autre dans les ports afin d'avoir plus de traçabilité.

Mais sous la pression des pêcheurs thoniers industriels, les États membres s'y sont opposés au prétexte que cela créerait des règles de concurrence inéquitable entre les navires européens et les navires de l'océan Indien. C'est une occasion manquée d'agir pour les océans. C'est inquiétant dans un contexte où est négocié le règlement de contrôle des pêches et que des États membres et une partie de ce Parlement demandent des dérogations aberrantes pour les navires thoniers industriels.

(Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen)

Helena Dalli,
  Member of the Commission. – Madam President, I appreciate today's discussion on the Commission proposals regarding the management measures of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and I want to thank the rapporteur and all those involved in the negotiations.

The main purpose of the Commission proposal regarding the IOTC is to implement into EU law the conservation and enforcement measures adopted by this organisation at its annual meeting of May 2021. The transposition of measures by the IOTC is a regular legislative exercise, as the organisation meets every year to update and adopt conservation and management measures related to the stocks it is entrusted to manage.

I believe that, overall, the amendments by the co-legislator improve the text and, at the same time, these amendments are in line with the organisation's conservation and management measures. The adoption of this amended regulation will allow EU vessels to fish in future fishing seasons on the same footing as vessels from other contracting parties of the IOTC, which is a recurrent request from many stakeholders across the EU.

In addition, our proposal included delegated powers to the Commission, in particular, concerning the use of non-entangling and biodegradable fish aggregating devices. Such delegated powers are important in order to ensure a simple and fast transposition into EU law of these technical rules that change every year. However, we regret that the co-legislators missed the opportunity to simplify the overall transposition process and that some of the avenues proposed by the Commission to streamline the process were not supported, despite Parliament's and the Council's early calls on the Commission to further improve the process. The transposition process lasts, on average, 18 months, from the drafting of the proposal by the Commission to its adoption by the co-legislators. This is far too long and we continue to believe that further simplification is necessary.

In this context, I ask for the inclusion of a statement on behalf of the Commission in the minutes of this debate, reflecting our position on this particular point. The Commission will, of course, continue to work together with the European Parliament and the Council on further improvements to the implementation process, and we hope that, in the future, we will be able to agree on a way forward.

What's more, the Commission cannot accept a relaxation of the rules undermining the accuracy of such data, what we call ‘the margins of tolerance’, and some amendments by the co-legislators to the Commission proposal on the revision of fisheries controls are specifically designed for the external EU tuna fleet and would undermine the international credibility of the EU. These amendments are in sharp contrast to the fact that the EU is pushing its partners for more accurate reporting within regional fisheries management organisations like the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission within the framework of international ocean governance and in the context of our zero-tolerance approach towards illegal fishing.

We are, however, confident that we will find common ground in the ongoing trilogue negotiations.

Written Statement by the Commission

The European Parliament and the Council have on several occasions underlined the need to further improve the process of implementation of conservation measures adopted by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), notably in terms of their timely adoption.

Against this background the Commission regrets that its attempt to streamline the implementation process has not been fully retained by the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission will continue to work together with the European Parliament and the Council on further improvements to the implementation process.

Die Präsidentin. – Vielen Dank, Frau Kommissarin! Die Aussprache ist damit geschlossen. Die Abstimmung findet am Dienstag, 4. Oktober 2022, statt.

15.   Flexible Assistance to Territories (FAST-CARE) (short presentation)

Die Präsidentin. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die kurze Darstellung des Berichts von Niklas Nienaß über den Vorschlag für eine Verordnung des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates zur Änderung der Verordnung (EU) Nr. 1303/2013 und der Verordnung (EU) 2021/1060 im Hinblick auf zusätzliche Flexibilität zur Bewältigung der Folgen des militärischen Angriffs durch die Russische Föderation FAST - CARE (Flexible Assistance for Territories – Flexible Unterstützung für Gebiete) [COM(2022)0325 - C9-0218/2022— 2022/0208(COD)] - Ausschuss für regionale Entwicklung (A9-0232/2022)

Niklas Nienaß,
  rapporteur. – Madam President, just before the summer break, the Commission proposed to us yet another emergency measure to tackle the consequences of the terrible war in Ukraine. It is, though, the fifth time within two years to finance an emergency tool out of the funds of EU regional development.

During the pandemic, we agreed upon more support for regions, citizens and the economies, as well as healthcare infrastructure through the Corona Response Investment Initiative, or CRII, then followed up with CRII+. This year we needed urgent help for regions, as regards to the support of refugees fleeing from the Russian aggression in Ukraine. We called it CARE, then another one CARE+. And now we are talking about FAST-CARE.

All these responses have shown that cohesion policy is able to help citizens in the long term but also, if need be, can react swift and in order to mitigate the impact of imminent crisis. However, we must take our responsibility as parliamentarians very serious and check very carefully if an emergency procedure is always justified. It cannot become the new modus operandi for the EU's policy to use emergency procedure over and over again.

Because what's next? What about the daily challenges and future ones, if we do not stick to the strategic goals of our policies and renounce resilience and preparedness? Cohesion policy is of utmost importance for the whole European Union. It is the main investment tool to help us eradicate social and territorial inequalities. Cohesion policy means solidarity within and amongst regions. Cohesion policy is not just a problem solver but a tool for democracy and we need that more than ever. We cannot and should not cut it whenever a crisis arises. Instead, we must find other solutions. The Commission must find different sources of funding.

Tomorrow, we will vote on FAST-CARE – the proposed urgent procedure gave the REGI committee a lot of headaches, to be honest, because of the matters of the principle that I already mentioned. We did take our time to look into the details of the proposal and to evaluate the substance of it. And this is our constitutional duty as co-legislators.

FAST-CARE now allows flexibility in terms of transfer between funds and regions, support for not only Ukrainians but also third-country refugees, allows for more funding money for regions due to 100% subsidies and some more. And the Commission has taken up on our call for direct funding for cities and municipalities that we express as the committee in various reports. Now, 30% of the money for helping with refugees will be spent by local actors. This is a good start, but FAST-CARE also allows for phasing of delayed projects in the current funding period. It is good to save this project and make sure that these resources already spent don't go to waste. But it may include projects like construction of regional airports which are not eligible at all anymore and this is for good reason.

All these measures are needed and, content wise, we support most of this without any hesitation. But all these measures simply mean cuts to the cohesion budget and do jeopardise the idea being behind cohesion policy, because it is a policy that not only has a real impact when it is implemented in a long-term approach by preparatory instruments and strategically considers all regions of Europe.

For emergency measures, fresh money is needed. We can't tackle them only by shifting the existing money from A to B. We need a more flexible MFF and not only a flexibilisation on an existing regulation.

You know, I am a young European, I was involved in the Conference on the Future of Europe process as well as the internal EP process and, of course, I am definitely in favour of modifying EU rules that are clearly outdated. But we exceptionally must take all fashion in one main regard when it comes to EU cohesion policy. We need to move back to the root of it as a strategic investment to secure overall harmonious development for all cities and regions in Europe in the long term.

With emergency measures like FAST-CARE we risk to undermine our common goals, we risk to leave regions behind and we risk European democracies as a whole. Because the political shift in Europe arises, particularly from regions and citizens that do not feel heard and seen, that are left behind. And this is what we contact with a holistic and strategic approach from cohesion policy. And if we should focus on that, we would not even have to invest in most emergency measures because we would support regions in becoming resilient for future challenges, be it a pandemic in healthcare systems, be it an economic crash, or the environmental crisis ahead.

We need commitment from the Member States, we need commitment from the Commission – for the Commission to act in solidarity. So I call for the Commission that if you should propose another emergency measure, I would ask you to provide also a plan on how to solve the issues in the long run, how to fade out from the emergency to regular legislation and how to finance them without dropping out of our future. Thank you very much and I am looking forward for support for this FAST-CARE proposal.

Spontane Wortmeldungen

Tsvetelina Penkova (S&D). – Madam President, my remarks would be more or less in line with what the rapporteur just said. We saw during the COVID pandemic that cohesion funds could be crucial to help our citizens in crisis situations. However, we have to be careful not to turn the cohesion funds into a common pool where everyone could just take out money for various projects.

This is not the case now. The Cohesion's Action for Refugees and the following flexible assistance to territories are very needed instruments because they're the only way we could show real, measurable European solidarity to people fleeing war at the moment. They show this not only with words, but with specific and concrete actions.

It is crucial that this proposal be adopted as soon as possible, because otherwise our local and regional authorities and civil society organisations cannot get the funding quickly enough. In that case we would be risking to jeopardise our help and increase the disparities within the Union.

Vlad-Marius Botoș (Renew). – Frau Präsidentin! Ich will mich bei dem Berichterstatter Herrn Nienaß für die gute Zusammenarbeit bedanken.

Stimați colegi, acum este momentul să utilizăm toate mijloacele posibile pentru a sprijini ucrainenii care au fugit din calea războiului, femeile și copiii ucraineni care trăiesc temporar printre noi. Cetățenii europeni s-au mobilizat într-un mod absolut impresionant. Așa au făcut și românii mei în județele Maramureș, Suceava, în Tulcea. Acestea ne arată că spiritul european este încă la un nivel foarte ridicat, în ciuda propagandei antieuropene susținute în mod clar și continuu de către Putin și Rusia.

Însă nu este suficient efortul individual al oamenilor. Trebuie să găsim resurse, dar și să ne asigurăm că acestea ajung la cei care au nevoie de ele. Trebuie să ajutăm ONG-urile și autoritățile locale care se implică în gestionarea și integrarea refugiaților. În normele de aplicare, în discuțiile cu fiecare stat membru, este important să prioritizați proiectele de integrare și o minimă autonomie financiară a refugiaților, pentru ca aceștia să își poată singuri asigura nevoile minime pentru un trai cât de cât decent și să nu depindă exclusiv de gazda lor sau de autoritățile publice.

(Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen)

Helena Dalli,
  Member of the Commission. – Thank you, Madam President. Honourable Members, since the Russian aggression on Ukraine started, Europe has welcomed an unprecedented number of people – mostly women and children.

We stand united and our response – also thanks to this House – has been firm and unwavering in full solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Beyond the human suffering, the economic costs of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression and weaponising of gas supplies are acutely felt in Europe. Among the measures introduced at Union level and with the indispensable support of this Parliament, cohesion policy has been instrumental in addressing these challenges.

But we hear time and again from all our partners, NGOs, regions and Member States, that the first two CARE packages were welcome, but more must be done. So FAST-CARE responds to these calls. It leverages cohesion funding to the aid of Member States and refugees, ensuring that support reaches those at the forefront of the solidarity effort, NGOs and local authorities. FAST-CARE also tackles the difficulties and delays in cohesion projects, due notably to shortages of supplies and inflated costs of raw material to ensure investments continue and projects do not come to a halt. FAST-CARE aims, first, to provide additional flexibility for projects addressing migratory challenges, second to alleviate the impact of public budgets by an extra EUR 3.5 billion of pre-financing, as well as higher co-financing rates, third to support local authorities and NGOs, making sure at least one-third of resources reach them directly and, fourth, to support projects delayed by implementation difficulties.

While we are introducing significant flexibility, we do not compromise on our core cohesion policy principles and objectives. With these measures in place, Member States and managing authorities will be able to finish major projects under the previous programming framework and move forward to the new programmes to achieve cohesion policy's long-term objectives of reducing disparities and promoting convergence.

This package is crucial, and time is of the essence. I am particularly grateful to this Parliament, the REGI Committee and the rapporteur for once again playing a decisive role in ensuring that Europe provides tangible solutions to the unprecedented challenges of the day.

FAST-CARE is yet another illustration of our Union's capacity for careful consideration and swift action at the service of citizens. These last two years, circumstances have many times required that we adopt new initiatives at maximum speed, and every time we have done this quickly – motivated by our common European values of solidarity. So many thanks to this House, and I commend this legislation to Parliament.

Die Präsidentin. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen. Die Abstimmung findet am Dienstag, 4. Oktober 2022, statt.

Schriftliche Erklärungen (Artikel 171)

Sara Cerdas (S&D),
  por escrito. – O relatório pretende permitir uma maior flexibilidade para fazer face às consequências da agressão militar da Federação da Rússia (Assistência Flexível aos Territórios) FAST - CARE. Esta proposta foi anunciada no plenário de julho e remetida à Comissão de Desenvolvimento Regional, sendo apresentada pela Comissária Elisa Ferreira. A proposta considera o impacto da agressão militar russa e proporciona respostas através de uma série de flexibilidades, que dizem respeito a vários aspetos fundamentais que também afetam as Regiões Ultraperiféricas, como a Madeira e os Açores, como os programas da política de coesão para 2021-2027 que devem reforçar a competitividade das economias locais, através do desenvolvimento do turismo e da produção agrícola ou de respostas para as necessidades básicas dos cidadãos através do financiamento, da habitação, do abastecimento de água, da gestão dos resíduos, das energias renováveis e das infraestruturas de saúde, bem como da formação e da educação. Todo este processo obedeceu a um procedimento simplificado, desde a apresentação da proposta da Comissão Europeia, durando cerca de 3 meses até chegar a votação no plenário do Parlamento Europeu onde o seu relator relembra a urgência para a entrada em vigor deste regulamento e por essa razão recomenda a aprovação pelo Parlamento sem alterações.

Elżbieta Kruk (ECR),
  na piśmie. – Agresja zbrojna Federacji Rosyjskiej na Ukrainę doprowadziła do destabilizacji sytuacji geopolitycznej i gospodarczej Świata. Eskalacja tego konfliktu szczególnie dotkliwie wpływa na środkowe i wschodnie regiony Unii Europejskiej, w tym Polskę, doprowadzając do poważnego kryzysu migracyjnego, załamania łańcuchów dostaw, jak i dramatycznego wzrostu cen oraz kosztów energii.

Sytuacja jest więc nadzwyczajna i wymaga pilnego działania. Dlatego wniosek Komisji w sprawie ‘Elastycznej pomocy dla terytoriów’ (FAST-CARE) należy procedować jak najszybciej, by sprostać tym wyzwaniom w jak największym zakresie i w odpowiedzi na potrzeby poszczególnych państw członkowskich. W związku z tym należy zapewnić większą elastyczność wykorzystywania środków i umożliwić szybsze oraz pełniejsze wsparcie z Funduszy, aby odciążyć budżety krajowe oraz ułatwić realizację działań dotyczących zarówno wyzwań migracyjnych, jak i zakłóceń na rynku w kluczowych sektorach gospodarki.

Kryzys jest daleki od zakończenia i musimy skupić się na jego jak najszybszym zażegnaniu, dla dobra nas wszystkich. Jasne jest, że zmieniająca się sytuacja wymaga dodatkowych, wzmożonych działań.

Rovana Plumb (S&D),
  în scris. – Asistența flexibilă pentru teritorii (FAST – CARE) este un nou pachet legislativ care face posibilă obținerea de finanțare prin intermediul politicii de coeziune a Uniunii Europene, destinat autorităților locale, organizațiilor din societatea civilă și statelor membre care găzduiesc refugiați.

Acest lucru este de o importanță deosebită pentru regiunile care se confruntă cu fluxuri migratorii și, în special, pentru comunitățile UE care se învecinează cu Ucraina. Politica de coeziune este deci instrumentul care ne ajută să abordăm consecințele agresiunii ruse asupra poporului și teritoriului ucrainian. Trebuie să fim flexibili și, în consecință, să adaptăm regulile pentru a ne asigura că banii sunt cheltuiți în mod inteligent și că ajung la cei care au cea mai mare nevoie de ei.

16.   One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Die Präsidentin. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgen die Ausführungen von einer Minute zu Fragen von politischer Bedeutung (Artikel 172 GO).

Daniel Buda (PPE). – Doamna președintă, cu toții privim spre Ucraina, manifestându-ne aprecierile, empatia pentru victimele și suferințele acestui popor. Europa și lumea întreagă îi asigură mai departe întregul suport pentru a face față acestui război. Trebuie să fim conștienți însă de provocările cu care se confruntă statele aflate la granița cu Ucraina din perspectiva tranzitului de cereale.

România înțelege pe deplin importanța acestuia și necesitatea asigurării unei securități alimentare la nivel mondial. Tocmai de aceea am deschis noi puncte de frontieră și am redus la maximum posibil birocrația. Se constată însă un fenomen îngrijorător, respectiv rămânerea unor cantități însemnate de cereale din Ucraina pe teritoriul Uniunii Europene, dar mai ales în țările de la graniță, cum ar fi România, deși aceste cereale ar trebui să ajungă mai ales în țările africane.

Acest lucru generează o concurență profundă, neloială pentru fermierii din întreaga Uniune Europeană, din România, care se văd nevoiți să-și vândă propria producție mult sub prețul de cost. Solidaritatea trebuie să existe, dar asta nu înseamnă că trebuie să ne distrugem fermierii.

Maria Grapini (S&D). – Doamna președintă, doamna comisară, criza energetică se accentuează, iarna bate la ușă. Din punctul meu de vedere și din punctul de vedere al cetățenilor pe care îi reprezint, din România, Comisia Europeană mimează solidaritatea. Și am să vă explic de ce, doamna comisară.

România are doar jumătate din gospodării care utilizează biomasă. Mai puțin de jumătate din gospodării, 44 %, sunt racordate la gaz metan. O treime din locuințele din România sunt racordate direct la gaz metan. Consumul mediu de gaz metan pe locuință este sub media Uniunii Europene. România consumă sub un mega kilowatt pe oră pe locuitor energie electrică. Sunt alte state care consumă de două, de trei ori, de patru ori, de cinci ori. Și vine Comisia cu propunerea să scădem consumul, toate statele membre, cu 5 %.

România, dacă consumă sub un mega kilowatt pe locuitor, dacă mai scade cu 5 %, egal, cum ar scădea și Suedia, care consumă 4 %, ce se întâmplă cu locuitorul, cetățeanul din țara mea? Nu credeți că solidaritatea înseamnă să avem consum egal pentru toți cetățenii din cele 27 de țări? Românii s-au săturat de dublă măsură: nu suntem în Schengen, nu avem vize pentru America și ne puneți să trăim în întuneric și la lumânare.

Irena Joveva (Renew). – Gospa predsednica. Kolegice in kolegi.

Države članice te Unije smo – kolikor vem – enakopravne. In – kolikor vem – so enakopravni tudi vsi naši jeziki. In – kolikor vem – imamo skupen trg. In zato ne vem, zakaj bi nekaterim multinacionalkam, ki so na naših trgih, dopustili, da tega ne upoštevajo.

Pravila, ki veljajo na našem enotnem trgu v fizičnem svetu, morajo veljati tudi v digitalnem. Seveda je pri tem pomembna tudi zakonodaja, to je jasno. A v tem primeru je prav toliko – če ne še bolj – pomembno, tudi zavedanje, da diskriminacije preprosto ne sme biti. Da moramo vsi imeti pravico do izbire, v tem primeru do izbire ogleda filma ali serije s podnapisi ali sinhronizacijo v maternem jeziku.

Noben jezik ni bolj ali manj pomemben, zagotovo pa je materni vsakemu najpomembnejši, meni torej slovenščina. Zato bom storila vse, kar lahko, za to, da se naša večjezičnost začne spoštovati na vseh ravneh, tudi na ravni vseh digitalnih platform.

In ker – kolikor vem – Slovenija ni edina, ki se sooča s to težavo, tukaj drage kolegice in dragi kolegi, računam tudi na vas.

Gianantonio Da Re (ID). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, il 23 settembre la Presidente von der Leyen, riferendosi alle imminenti elezioni italiane, ha dichiarato: ‘Se c'è un governo democratico che vuole lavorare con noi, lavoreremo assieme. Al contrario, se le cose dovessero prendere una direzione difficile, abbiamo gli strumenti per intervenire.’ Presidente von der Leyen, cosa intendeva dire con ‘direzione difficile’? Forse un voto non gradito all'élite dei palazzi europei?

Ebbene, l'Italia è un paese democratico. Il popolo italiano si è espresso liberamente, dando piena fiducia alla coalizione del centrodestra. Per assicurare un futuro all'Europa è indispensabile che la Commissione non interferisca nelle sfere di competenza che non le appartengono. Chiediamo il rispetto per la sovranità popolare, non solo dell'Italia, ma di tutti i paesi europei. Questa ingerenza nella politica italiana è stata grave e vergognosa. Il popolo italiano non è sicuramente ricattabile.

João Pimenta Lopes (The Left). – Senhora Presidente, o Conselho anunciou um conjunto de medidas para dizer que está a conter os preços da energia. São medidas que, sem surpresa, estão muito longe de corresponder ao necessário, que ignoram os efeitos das sanções que agravaram problemas já existentes. São temporárias, de alcance limitado e não tocam nos mercados que a todo o custo é preciso defender. Aos lucros das empresas, tão obscenos que já a Comissão Europeia os vem apelidar de superlucros, propõe-se uma taxa, mínima, risível, migalhas para que uns continuem a acumular riqueza à custa do empobrecimento dos povos.

O que é preciso é intervir na formação de preços, fixar preços máximos na eletricidade, no gás, nos combustíveis, regular o mercado, recuperar o controlo público do setor da energia. Medidas que exigem outras para repor o poder de compra, combater o empobrecimento, aumentar o salário mínimo, aumentar salários e prestações sociais acima da inflação, controlar os preços dos bens essenciais, tributar os lucros de forma séria, substancial, revertendo para o investimento em serviços públicos e na produção nacional.

Aqui ficam, Senhora Comissária, algumas ideias para resolver os problemas concretos com que os povos se confrontam hoje.

Nadine Morano (PPE). – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, je soutiens sans réserve les femmes iraniennes, leur courage, leur héroïsme, celles qui se battent pour se libérer du voile qui est une prison.

Elles risquent leur vie tous les jours, et nous, en Europe, alors que le voile n'est pas un simple vêtement, il est l'instrument politique d'un islam radical qui soumet les femmes, le voile n'est pas conforme à notre mode de vie européen, notre idéal de liberté au principe de l'égalité entre les hommes et les femmes que nous défendons, je ne peux pas accepter ce prosélytisme permanent qui est fait par la Commission européenne à travers ses campagnes de communication à l'endroit de notre jeunesse, cet entrisme islamiste qui gangrène nos institutions.

Je demande à la Commission de diligenter une enquête interne afin de démasquer les responsables qui ont laissé produire de manière répétée une véritable propagande pour le voile.

Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D). – Señora presidenta, es un hecho que la Unión Europea se ha construido a través de sus crisis, uniéndose en su diversidad, y nada lo expresa mejor como la insularidad, las regiones insulares en las que viven nada menos que 20 millones de europeos. Se trata de sesenta regiones insulares, entre las que destacan las regiones ultraperiféricas, que son las únicas que están consagradas por su nombre en el Tratado de Lisboa.

En algunas de ellas, el gran protagonista es el turismo. Este es el caso de Canarias, la región de la que procedo, donde el turismo representa el 33 % de su PIB y más del 36 % del empleo.

Canarias se está reinventando, después de la pandemia y de la guerra de Ucrania, para relanzarse con una Convención Europea de Islas Turísticas que tendrá lugar en el mes de diciembre, apuntando a la Presidencia española del segundo semestre del 2023, con la idea de incorporar economía azul, economía verde, pero, sobre todo, innovación y digitalización para marcar el mensaje de superación y de cooperación público-privada.

Merece enteramente el apoyo de las instituciones europeas y de este Parlamento.

Vlad-Marius Botoș (Renew). – Doamna Președintă, vorbim de gândiri de criză energetică și căutăm soluții pentru a reduce dependența de gazul rusesc. Toate acestea sunt preocupări reale la nivel european. Sunt subiecte pe care le dezbatem în permanență aici. Ei bine, toate acestea sunt subiecte extrem de importante și la nivel local, acolo unde unii dintre colegii noștri primari, consilieri locali, politicieni locali sunt în legătură directă cu cetățenii și le aud zilnic îngrijorările.

Este incredibil însă cum primarii care găsesc soluții inovative, cum este colega mea, Clotilde Armand, primarul din Sectorul 1 București, pentru a crea energie verde, antreprenorii care vin cu metode noi pentru a produce energie regenerabilă la nivel local, se lovesc de micile dispute politice.

Dragi colegi care sunteți atât de vocali aici la nivelul Parlamentului European, convingeți-vă colegii de acasă că binele oamenilor primează, că proiectele care rezolvă soluția energiei și a poluării în același timp trebuie susținute, indiferent de la ce grup sau partid politic vin. Altfel, tot ce facem noi aici este doar demagogie pură.

Gunnar Beck (ID). – Madam President, in Princeton, Ursula von der Leyen blatantly interfered in the Italian elections. She said, ‘if things go in a difficult direction – and I've spoken about Hungary and Poland – we have tools’. Put bluntly, she threatened Italy with Article 7 legal proceedings and the withholding of EU funds. It's not normally my style to use coarse metaphors, but there's a time for figures and another for calling a spade a spade. The unelected, anti-democratic EU Commission, which is violating the EU treaties left, right and centre, is criticising fairly and democratically elected governments as undemocratic. I'm afraid, though, it rather resembles a seasoned prostitute chastising women for pre-marital cohabitation as right old slappers.

Mick Wallace (The Left). – The UN Charter is the foundational treaty of the United Nations, since 1945. When Russia invaded Ukraine, they breached the rules of the UN Charter. It was illegal. Sadly, it has been breached far too often.

I've just read this excellent book by Vijay Prashad and Noam Chomsky: The Withdrawal. It highlights how the UN Charter has been abused. Here are a few quotes from the book:

‘The war in Afghanistan was unprovoked, it was an illegitimate aggression, and it was a severe atrocity.’; ‘40% of civilians killed by airstrikes were children.’; ‘The US had no basis whatsoever for invading Afghanistan.’

The UN Charter was ignored.

The US assassination campaign by drones is the worst territorial campaign in the world so far. It kills people that the US believes pose a threat to the US or to its interests.

The UN Charter is ignored.

In 1991, the US refused to accept Saddam's surrender and bombed everywhere they could. When asked why, President Bush said, ‘We've shown that what we say goes’.

The UN Charter was ignored.

It's long past time that all countries should respect the UN Charter, and the UN or the EU should have nothing to do with those that don't.

Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (PPE). – Madam President, recently, yet another instance of disinformation and slander of Greece's handling of migrants at its borders was proven to be categorically false when NGO Human Rights 360, which represents 38 asylum seekers stranded on the islet in the River Evros, admitted that it had been misled about the facts.

Thus, the assertions of the Greek Government and authorities were true all along – namely that the 38 migrants were stranded on Turkish territory, no person rescued was in need of hospitalisation, and there were no injured, missing or dead children. As in this case, Greece protects our European borders with full respect for international law and our humanitarian duties. By contrast, it is Turkey, which weaponises migrants, exploiting their plight and their suffering.

An apology is owed to Greece by those who slander it, which sadly includes opposition MEPs seeking petty political gains. But we will fight against those who discredit and slander Greece on the international stage because, as they say in my country, ‘a clear sky fears no lightning’, and in Greece the skies are blue and clear.

Lara Wolters (S&D). – Voorzitter, ik maak mij druk over het WK in Qatar. Dan heb ik het niet over de vraag of we dat WK wel of niet moeten boycotten. Dan heb ik het over de vraag hoe we concreet de uitgebuite arbeidsmigranten in Qatar kunnen compenseren.

Ik word heel erg kwaad als ik mensen bezig hoor over die vraag, want op dit moment zie ik vooral dat iedereen naar elkaar wijst. Nationale bonden wijzen naar de FIFA, de FIFA wijst dan naar Qatar, en dan zegt Qatar: ‘O, maar er is al zoveel verbeterd!’, en uiteindelijk gebeurt er voor de slachtoffers en hun families helemaal niks. Ik heb het idee dat we bijna drukker zijn met de schuldvraag op dit moment dan met de slachtoffers zelf.

Zo ingewikkeld is het eigenlijk niet, want Europese bedrijven die een oogje hebben toegeknepen in Qatar, die moeten de portemonnee trekken. En de Europese regeringen? Die moeten Qatar onder druk zetten, ook de Nederlandse regering. Dat moeten ze niet doen vanuit de skybox bij een voetbalwedstrijd. Europese voetbalbonden, die moeten de FIFA onder druk zetten. En niet zo'n beetje ook. En nationale bonden? Die moeten niet vanuit schuld, maar vanuit respect voor de slachtoffers zelf ook een steentje bijdragen.

Ik ben heel erg bang dat de karavaan zo meteen voorbij is getrokken en dat dan de mensen die letterlijk voor ons een feestje hebben gebouwd, nog steeds met lege handen staan!

Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, month after month we gather here, and month after month, the people of Afghanistan suffer and die. They die from hunger, from lack of access to medicine, from earthquakes. They die because they want to send their girls to school! Fifty-three mainly young women slaughtered in Kabul last week and our President couldn't even mention them earlier. Increasingly, they die because they are Hazaras. Hundreds murdered, thousands persecuted – these people are at risk of genocide and yet the world says and does nothing.

And of course, now that the US and its friends have found a new theatre of war in Ukraine to test their weapons and launder their arms profits, Afghans are no longer needed. Discarded with all of the problems of 20 years of an intervention, left at the hands of the Taliban, whom the US created. It is an affront that the Biden administration has spent USD 15.2 billion on military intervention and war in Ukraine while seizing USD 7 billion of Afghan people's money. For God's sake, what have these people done to ensure this endless horror while the world does nothing? It is time to speak up, stand up and demand justice for Afghanistan!

Tomislav Sokol (PPE). – Poštovana predsjedavajuća, studija Europskog parlamenta koja je izrađena na moj prijedlog kao izvjestitelja Kluba EPP-a za direktive o potrošačkim kreditima pokazala je alarmantne rezultate.

Naime, preko 340 milijuna bankovnih računa građana u Europskoj uniji opterećeno je takozvanim minusima, odnosno dopuštenim i pređenim prekoračenjima. U Hrvatskoj, državi iz koje dolazim, pređena prekoračenja odobrena su za gotovo 1 800 000 potrošača. Problem je što su prekoračenja jedan od najskupljih oblika zaduženja i mogu lako dovesti do prezaduženosti građana, posebno ako uzmemo u obzir da kamate na ove financijske proizvode u nekim državama iznose i do 35%. Stoga koristim ovu priliku da pozovem države članice da snažno podrže pregovarački okvir Europskog parlamenta kojim sam osigurao snažniju poziciju potrošača kao slabije ugovorne strane u pravnom odnosu s bankama. Tako banke više neće moći, bez prethodne najave i davanja mogućnosti obročne otplate, zatražiti povrate minusa, niti će moći, bez izričitog pristanka potrošača, povećati limit njihova zaduženja.

Vrijeme je da zaštitimo potrošače od rizičnih kreditnih proizvoda koji se pojavljuju na europskom jedinstvenom tržištu.

Nicolás González Casares (S&D). – Señora presidenta, mientras en el océano Atlántico se cierran numerosas zonas de pesca sin ninguna evidencia científica, y sin tampoco estudios de impacto socioeconómico, vemos como países que tradicionalmente eran autosuficientes en el consumo de pescado tienen que importarlo, lo que, además, es contrario al Pacto Verde.

Mientras restringimos la pesca europea, que es la más sostenible, la que lleva alimento con una baja huella de carbono a los hogares de los europeos, estamos importando cada vez más pescado de terceros países, que no controlamos, y que en muchos casos no pescan del mismo modo que nosotros, sobre la base de la sostenibilidad.

Por lo tanto, reclamamos a la Comisión Europea una verdadera sensibilidad, que no se está teniendo, con la gente que pesca en nuestros mares. Es hora de poner coto a este desequilibrio entre la sostenibilidad medioambiental y la sostenibilidad económica y social que está sufriendo nuestra gente del mar.

Peter Pollák (PPE). – Po pandémii, po vojne na Ukrajine prišla obrovská energetická kríza, ktorá oprávnene vyvoláva beznádej a strach. Práve beznádej a strach je však aj to, čo u ľudí v Európe vyvoláva pokušenie uveriť fašistom. Dnes Európe hrozí nielen ekonomický kolaps, ale aj reálny návrat fašistov k moci, aký tu nebol od druhej svetovej vojny. Podobná situácia, podobná hospodárska kríza tu bola aj pred vojnou. Aj vtedy, aj dnes ľudia začali veriť fašistickému populizmu. Podľahli jednoducho pokušeniu. Dnes fašisti nehajlujú. Tvária sa, že centrom ich záujmu sú obyčajní ľudia. Je to klamstvo. Stále sú to fašisti. V ťažkých časoch žiadam všetky demokratické strany napravo či naľavo, aby nepodľahli pokušeniu ísť do akejkoľvek spolupráce s ľuďmi, ktorí ešte pred pár mesiacmi hajlovali, spochybňovali holokaust či hanobili iné rasy. Prestaňte, prosím, legitimizovať fašistov. Mnohí si počas druhej svetovej vojny mysleli, že na fašistickom zozname smrti nebudú, lebo s nimi začnú spolupracovať. Prestaňte si, prosím, naivne myslieť, že vás sa to netýka.

Cyrus Engerer (S&D). – Kull min ikun fit-tmexxija għandu għażla ekonomika quddiemu li tkun aktar u aktar importanti fi żminijiet ta' sfida bħal dawk illi qegħdin ngħixu fihom illum. Jew it-triq tal-partiti nazzjonalisti tal-awsterità li jpoġġu kwalunkwe piż ġdid bil-qalb fuq il-familji u n-negozji għaliex jemmnu li s-suq isuq, jew inkella t-triq ta' ekonomija progressiva li tinvesti fin-nies, tinvesti fil-familji u tinvesti fin-negozji. U ppermettili, Sinjura President, nitkellem dwar dak li qed jagħmel pajjiżi għaliex l-ekonomija progressiva li tpoġġi n-nies fiċ-ċentru tagħha hi waħda li qiegħda tħalli r-riżultati u ħalliet ir-riżultati matul dawn l-aħħar disa' snin, bl-ikbar rati ta' tkabbir ekonomiku fl-Ewropa u l-inqas rati ta' qgħad fl-istorja tagħna. U rrid inħeġġeġ lil ħaddieħor, inkluż il-Kummissjoni Ewropea, li meta tnaqqas il-piżijiet minn fuq il-familji u n-negozji tkun qiegħda toħloq klima ekonomika li ġġib u tinċentiva aktar tkabbir u aktar saħħa ekonomika. Pajjiż illi, minkejja li ma waqafx jgħin lill-familji u n-negozji sa mill-bidu tal-pandemija u issa matul il-gwerra, xorta għandu l-pjan tiegħu għall-finanzi tal-pajjiż li baqgħu on track skont ir-regoli Ewropej. Għaldaqstant, inħeġġeġ lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea u lil Stati Membri oħrajn sabiex jimxu fuq dan l-eżempju.

Marina Mesure (The Left). – Madame la présidente, chers collègues, ne tournons pas autour du pot. Admettons que le marché de l'énergie est un échec et l'ouverture à la concurrence de ce secteur l'une des pires décisions prises et imposées par l'Union européenne aux États membres.

Ce marché permet, en temps de crise, pour certains énergéticiens, de produire de l'électricité à 40 € le mégawatt pour la revendre tranquillement à 1 000 € le mégawatt, pour des bénéfices maximum des actionnaires, au détriment des millions de personnes qui ne pourront plus payer des factures de chauffage et à qui on demande honteusement de mettre un col roulé s'ils ont froid l'hiver.

Face à un tel scandale, les mesures proposées par la Commission et le Conseil ne sont pas à la hauteur. Ce dont nous avons besoin, c'est récupérer pleinement notre capacité à décider par nous-mêmes dans le domaine énergétique. Nous devons sortir du marché européen de l'énergie au profit d'un pôle public de l'énergie dont l'action sera dictée uniquement par l'intérêt général.

Une gestion publique qui protège les plus précaires, qui planifie selon les besoins, qui utilise les revenus de la production pour déployer le renouvelable, qui défend notre souveraineté énergétique face aux puissances étrangères. L'énergie est un bien commun qui ne doit plus être accaparé par le privé et que nous devons gérer et protéger.

Gabriel Mato (PPE). – Señora presidenta, el lunes entra en vigor un acto de ejecución de la Comisión Europea que es un golpe mortal para el sector pesquero español, un golpe más.

Creo sinceramente que la Comisión se ha extralimitado en sus competencias y tenemos, además, la duda de si, por otra parte, se han tenido en cuenta los informes científicos pertinentes y los más actualizados.

La Comisión dice que sí, que lo hace con los datos que le enviaron y que no le aportaron datos más actualizados. Los Estados miembros, en concreto España, dice que sí, que los aportaron.

En cualquier caso, la situación es muy grave. La Comisión tiene que explicar con datos y fechas si se han hecho los deberes y si se ha cumplido la normativa. También si ha habido algún tipo de negligencia que ha ocasionado que nos encontremos en esta situación.

En todo caso, sea quien sea el responsable, quienes desde luego no son responsables son nuestros pescadores, y por eso hay que dar una solución ya.

Se puede y se debe suspender la aplicación de este acto y hay que hacerlo antes del lunes.

Marc Botenga (The Left). – Voorzitter, vorige week was ik in Antwerpen en ik heb daar werkmannen ontmoet die bij Borealis een nieuwe fabriek bouwden. Ze werden gerekruteerd door een Italiaans bedrijf, IREM.

Dat zijn fiere mensen, bekwame mensen met ervaring en mensen die mee ons land en ons continent opbouwen. Zij kwamen uit Bangladesh, Turkije, Oekraïne. Voor zij naar hier kwamen, werden zij met allerlei valse beloften en soms zelfs met valse contracten verleid via een keten van onderaannemers; dan gingen zij via Hongarije – zonder job, zonder loon – naar Portugal. Ook daar geen werk, geen loon, nauwelijks geld om te eten. Dan in Antwerpen: uitgebuit en afgedreigd. Elf uren per dag, zes dagen per week!

Ja, compleet onvoorstelbaar dat dit binnen de Europese Unie kan, en bepaalde regels binnen de Europese Unie vergemakkelijken dat! Waarom beperken wij bijvoorbeeld het aantal niveaus van onderaanneming niet tot één niveau? Of waarom maken we de hoofdopdrachtgever niet verantwoordelijk voor de lonen en arbeidsomstandigheden? Dat moet nu toch kunnen?

Eugen Tomac (PPE). – Doamna președintă, vreau să aduc în discuție o temă importantă. Evident că în această perioadă ne concentrăm cu toții atenția spre criza ce ține de energie și încercăm să-i ajutăm pe cetățenii europeni. Recent am adoptat Directiva europeană privind instituirea salariului minim european și este un pas important, pentru că trebuie să aliniem salariile la nivel european pe criterii sănătoase, ce țin de performanța economică.

Însă vreau să ridic o altă temă care mi se pare extrem de importantă, mai ales în condițiile în care avem sute de milioane de cetățeni care au nevoie de sprijin și în momente de criză, persoanele vulnerabile trebuiesc ajutate. Cred că este momentul să vorbim despre pensia minimă europeană. Avem milioane de cetățeni care duc o viață extrem de critică, o viață plină de lipsuri, iar noi, la nivel european, trebuie să instituim această pensie minimă europeană. În țara mea avem 5 milioane de pensionari și mulți dintre ei au o pensie de doar 200 de euro și cred că este important ca de pensia minimă europeană să beneficieze și cetățenii europeni care nu locuiesc în Europa, pentru că ei sunt cetățeni ai Uniunii Europene. Avem nevoie de această dezbatere.

Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Paní předsedající, Mariupol, Buča, Irpiň, Izjum – všechno toto jsou názvy ukrajinských měst, kde se prohnal masakr, zvěrstva, kterých se dopouštěly ruská vojska. A já bych se chtěl nyní zaměřit na právní stránku věci, vymoženosti ochrany lidských práv. Mezinárodní právo vypadá, jako by bylo bezzubé. OSN je zablokována, protože právo veta drží členský stát Rady bezpečnosti, přímo stálý člen, Ruská federace. Myslím si, že EU by měla být připravena a začít s našimi partnery připravovat zřízení Mezinárodního trestního tribunálu, který bude tato zvěrstva, k nimž dochází na Ukrajině i na osvobozených územích, vyšetřovat. Musíme být aktivní a musíme ukázat, že mezinárodní právo není bezzubé, že odpovědnost stíhá i toho, kdo chrastí jadernými zbraněmi. To je nejlepší cesta, jak ukázat reálnou ochranu lidských práv.

Die Präsidentin. – Damit ist dieser Tagesordnungspunkt geschlossen.

17.   Approval of the minutes of the sitting and agenda of the next sitting

Die Präsidentin. –
  (Gemäß Artikel 202 Absatz 3 GO wird das Protokoll dieser Sitzung dem Parlament zu Beginn der Nachmittagssitzung des nächsten Sitzungstags zur Genehmigung unterbreitet.) Die nächste Sitzung findet morgen, am 4. Oktober 2022, um 9.00 Uhr statt. Die Tagesordnung wurde veröffentlicht und ist auf der Website des Europäischen Parlaments verfügbar.

18.   Closure of the sitting

(Die Sitzung wird um 21.31 Uhr geschlossen.)

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