kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
this is a very important industry and i agree completely with david martin who has studied the detail of the deal with south korea.
there is no doubt that we export far more clothing to korea than they do to us so there are real opportunities in the market.
it is absolutely right that in thinking about everything we do on trade we need to be mindful of the impact on industries and that is exactly what we do.
i would be more than happy to continue this dialogue and to provide more information about how we approach this because i agree completely with the view that we have to support our industries through this economic recession be mindful of the poverty and deprivation that can occur and give new trading opportunities that will actually help boost those economies and those sectors.
however i agree completely on the question of the value and importance of the industry to the european union and to trade.
i work very closely with commissioner fischer boel when looking at trade agreements to make sure that the agriculture side of our agreements represents a real strength and a real opportunity.
we insist that third countries respect their international obligations notably the world trade organisation sps agreement making sure that when setting requirements they respect international standards or base their requirements on science.
the protection of human rights is of the highest priority in the european union's relations with colombia.
we are well aware of the difficulties confronting trade unionism in colombia and the continued killings of and threats against union leaders and members.
we know this from our information sources from the reports and statements issued by international treaty bodies as well as from my own discussions with bodies such as the european trade union confederation.
serious concerns remain concerning the effective application of the ilo core conventions in the country.
we are consistently urging the government to step up efforts to protect the most vulnerable population groups and to investigate and punish all human rights violations.
recent attacks on human rights defenders and trade unionists have been the subject of dmarches by the eu troika ambassadors in bogot and were also raised during recent high level meetings between european union and colombian officials.
moreover we have recently launched a bilateral human rights dialogue with the colombian government which provides a channel for a more regular and systematic exchange of information and experience in the human rights field and will help inform technical cooperation.
furthermore we are seeking to include additional guarantees in the planned multiparty trade agreement in order to improve implementation of core labour and environmental conventions in colombia as part of the sustainable development chapter.
we are also proposing monitoring by civil society institutions on the implementation of labour laws.
we hope that in this manner the agreement will help to improve the situation for labour rights activists in colombia.
how would you explain this?
mr barroso at the g eight summit the participants debated their commitments to the neighbourhood policy in the mediterranean. you yourself on behalf of the european union have committed eur.
that contradicts the principle of symmetry and equal attention being paid to both neighbourhoods.
surely donors have no right to instruct these new democracies as to which democratic choices they should make?
the recent g eight summit wanted it to be known that it was providing usd forty billion to egypt and tunisia for overthrowing dictatorships and embracing democracy.
it wants these countries to reap the benefits of globalisation' and to engage in investment integration' which means making it easier for g eight countries to make money in these countries and then take the money out again.
however is it not sinister that recipients should be told which economic policies they should choose and which they should discard?
i would not object to recipients of aid being expected to implement and retain democratic institutions and procedures.
however the g eight statement said that it would support countries in the region that move towards not just democracy but also a market economy.
i believe that it is in our interest as europeans european citizens that the member states act together in external matters.
was not this an opportunity missed to talk about corruption and bribery at the g eight especially as one of the members russia is one hundred and fifty fourth out of one hundred and seventy eight and many of our own member states show poorly on the transparency international index?
the only reference that i can find and it was an oblique one was about developing countries.
the commission says implementation of anti corruption instruments is unsatisfactory.
there was no reference at all to how rich countries need to show the political will to tackle the problem of our own backyard and show leadership on this.
the commission yesterday adopted a strong package of reports and measures on fighting the corruption that is costing the eu eur one hundred and twenty billion per annum roughly equivalent to the total eu budget but eight member states score less than five out of ten on the transparency international index.
just look at asia with countries that are not yet democracies;
it is because they were able to open up that they could participate in the global economy and reap some benefits for their peoples.
eight i think it is in our common interest to have not only open societies but open economies. these countries are our neighbours and i think the best way to help them is through trade.
could you explain to me and to my electorate how it is possible to instigate common policy in important areas such as international relations and security without consensus unless we dispense with the democratic rights of member states to project their own aspirations unilaterally?
we are trying to have increased flexibility for intervention in the markets but honestly i think we should now focus on the esm and consider of course options for the future of the eurobonds if the member states are ready to take that additional step.
comprehensive response.
the magnitude of the challenge is unprecedented and it requires some work of convergence.
that is why the commission has been extremely prudent in the way it communicates on that matter because some of these issues are market sensitive.
one other question i have is about cathy ashton.
i note her attendance at commission meetings is very low.
but at the same time let us be honest.
month after month i have warned that you cannot go on buying up vast quantities of your own bad debt. mr barroso do you accept that the finances of the european central bank and its integrity are now in a serious and parlous state?
one of my predecessors was the first to put forward the idea of eurobonds. the reality is that there was no agreement between the member states.
there are two questions here. first of all the european parties are as you know recognised as important entities by the treaty that was ratified unanimously by our member states. so there is a reason to support the european parties because they are in fact european entities recognised as such by our treaty.
i want to confirm that all the ideas put forward by commissioner rehn have my full support and endorsement so i will not repeat what he said.
the reality is that so far member states have not accepted the idea;
namely when we had the crisis with greece the commission proposed some idea of mutualisation of the debt which was rejected by most of the member states in the euro area.
i think that there is now some progress in terms of accepting the idea of considering several options and the commission will of course present several options.
i just wonder whether the reason that we have not been able to reach an equitable and lasting peace is because the international mediation run as it is by international diplomats is based around the idea of multinational states and existing territorial borders.
it does not just prejudice relations between armenia and azerbaijan it is also prejudicing relations between armenia and turkey indeed also with iran with russia and not least with the european union.
it is extraordinary that so many years have passed without this issue being resolved. it is not for want of trying. virtually every international organisation has tried to mediate some sort of settlement.
i am confident that the forthcoming armenian parliamentary elections will be free and fair and it is essential that all eu assistance be provided to this small land locked country.
these conflicts have involved outside parties such as russia and turkey and any escalation or return to hostilities between armenia and azerbaijan would be catastrophic. therefore improved bilateral relations via an association agreement and a dcfta between the eu and both armenia and azerbaijan are much in the european union's interests. it is also to be hoped that this will give the eu more leverage with the minsk group of the osce to find a lasting solution to the nagorno karabakh question.
i did not understand why this was taken out in particular but i would also have thought that anybody sensitive to human rights issues in this house would look at the genocidal destruction of women one hundred million of whom are missing from the population as a result of gender based abortion. surely that is something we are all against.
where is the socialist and liberal voice in this house on this gendercide?
mr president i wish to say that i voted against the second part of amendment ninety three although i normally vote for sexual and reproductive health and have already put an explanation on the record of this parliament regarding where i draw the line between that and sexual and reproductive health and rights including abortion.
are human rights only politically correct human rights or are we against women being destroyed because they are women?
why are people so quiet about this?
just yesterday the british government acted quite rightly to arrest abu qatada who is an alleged terrorist and a man who has actually praised the hijackers of nine eleven after eight years.
that showed contempt for the rule of law.
this report supports that move towards the eu convention on human rights and eu support for it.
nevertheless i have deep concerns about the references the report has made particularly in accusing my member state the uk of adopting an obstructionist attitude concerning the eu's accession to the european convention on human rights.
post nine eleven we have had to look carefully at the processes and mechanisms that we are using.
it seems a little illogical to be holding ourselves up as the global standard when we have not got the detail right in our own institutions.
the uk's main point is that whilst we support the convention we should make sure that we focus on real human rights abuses as opposed to legal loopholes that many are exploiting.
we are still not there. we need to ensure that they really are fit for purpose then we can look to influence human rights policy in the rest of the world.
surely this is the case with kazakhstan where thirty seven oil workers are currently facing show trials for their alleged responsibility in the tragic events in zhanaozen last year.
he was arrested on trumped up charges at the moment that he was going to a press conference to reveal corruption in the general prosecutor's office.
the report recommends that whenever a gross breach of human rights is committed by a partner country with which there is an international agreement such as the partnership and cooperation agreement the eu should take bolder steps including possible temporary suspension of the agreement.
madam president in these times of austerity i think we all have to be sensitive to the social security needs of citizens in many of our countries.
for that reason i could not bring myself to vote against this report so i abstained.
history is important but it should not be something that stands in the way of good relations with our friends in the present.
we are in danger when we look at our relations with armenia of seeing everything through the prism of the unhappy events of the first world war.
they were tangled and tragic happenings.
the past should be disinterred gently and reverently with all the patience of an archaeological dig instead of which we are taking the shovel and we are slamming it through.
madam president the united kingdom has a strong record on the protection of human rights but i want to focus on one aspect of human rights which i think is increasingly coming under threat and that is freedom of religious expression.
we hear of christians being punished by employers for expressing their faith or christian businesses being fined for holding to their christian principles in how they conduct their affairs.
last week lord carey a former archbishop of canterbury said in a written submission to the european court of human rights that christians are being vilified by the british courts and driven underground.
it is my hope that in september when faced with the opportunity to stand up for christian rights in landmark cases before the european court europe's judges will do just that.
many judgments are based on the grounds of equality law and equality seems to protect all minority groups except for christians in what is sometimes a skewed and perverse interpretation of the term.
the report highlights the significant progress that still needs to be made in a number of areas particularly stressing the pressing need to continue to fight corruption.
moreover it emphasises the need for armenia to resolve the conflict and the land disputes that it is involved in so that it can work towards ensuring regional stability.
i sincerely hope that armenia fulfils its pledge to hold free and fair elections for the benefit of all its citizens and that eu armenian relations can develop on a positive path over the coming years.
madam president i voted against this report because i do not believe that the eu should be involved in social security matters. i think it is trespassing on international responsibilities and it seems to be a world away from the trade agreement that the eu is meant to be about.
in britain when you are self employed you do things your own way and it gives people a lot of freedom.
this report may be about technical matters but i am totally against it on principle.
madam president promoting human rights is an essential part of british foreign policy. eu member states must ensure that human rights and international law are respected throughout the world.
this report identifies a number of key challenges.
it condemns prosecution on the basis of religion nationality or membership of a minority or sexual orientation it raises crucial issues related to women such as forced marriages and female genital mutilation and it underlines the importance of supporting a free and fair media as well as standing up for human rights defenders.
yet in a report on some of the world's worst human rights abuses i am shocked at the two countries which the rapporteur has decided to name and shame.
does the report criticise belarus burma cuba perhaps?
no it chooses instead to deplore the attitude of the uk and france on eu accession to the echr.
until the rapporteur gets his priorities straight on which countries are really obstacles to human rights i cannot support this report.
the report is a very technical one but i believe that the outcome of the proposal put forward would be positive. i believe that the updates made to the regulation are worthwhile given the constant changes to member states' national social security legislation and the huge increases in the cross border mobility of our citizens. the report ultimately gives clarification of the rules to those working across various member states including legislation for aircrew members and rules on unemployment benefits for cross border self employed workers. clarification of these rules can only be a good thing for the single market.
it currently recognises the urgent need for this country to make further progress on its respect for human rights the rule of law and freedom of expression in particular in allowing political opponents to voice their opinions of the current government.
despite these reservations the report also recognises that the country has become a strategic partner for the eu in terms of energy supply and looks to build upon this mutually beneficial relationship to enhance the development of relations between the eu and azerbaijan.
madam president liberties as aldous huxley wrote are not given they are taken. he was of course writing in the british political tradition where civic freedoms and political rights are seen as legal entitlements that come from specific moments and specific contracts the great charter the bill of rights or whatever.
they are not seen as imminent inherent or universal.
the problem with that alternative vision is the lack of enforcement mechanisms.
if rights are just assumed to be there for everybody rather than being enforced by elected representatives they can be the finest and noblest principles in the world and without the means to enforce them they are meaningless.
there you see all these fine high minded freedoms and yet as the peoples of those unhappy states realised without democratic accountability it is not worth the paper it is written on.
i will close by quoting benjamin disraeli one of the few times the old adventurer got something spot on when he said to the liberalism they profess i prefer the liberties we enjoy to the rights of man the rights of englishmen.
i take a strong interest in the nagorno karabakh conflict and the fact that the wording following the landsbergis amendment is no longer the same in both reports is i think rather regrettable. i back the calls put forward for the de escalation of tensions and the scaling back of military spending in the region as a whole.
the recommendations put forward by the report in terms of improving the difficult human rights situation in azerbaijan are also commendable.
it is particularly important that an improvement of relations through a dcfta and an association agreement between the eu and azerbaijan are dependent upon an improved human rights record in that country which has a rather bad record in this respect and especially on an improvement in the freedom of expression for political opponents of the government.
madam president the current scheme against the sovereignty of the democratic nation state comes not from armed revolutionaries but from well intentioned liberals.
well here is one consequence that would come from there being no countries there would be no welfare states.
the whole basis of social security is discrimination on the basis of nationality.
there are many more needy people in the world than even the most needy citizens of eu member states.
the only moral justification for not giving the whole of our tax revenues to more desperate populations in poorer parts of the world is that we discriminate on the basis of nationality.
in this report you have the basis of effacing that distinction and thereby doing away with the origin of national states in their recognised form.
similarly it details how unemployment benefits would be distributed to self employed individuals active in several member states.
our aim which is well reflected in the text that we have now agreed is to provide an ambitious forwardlooking framework that offers modern tools for describing skills.
working patterns more and more often mean a change of job or profession working in new ways or taking on new tasks some of which we cannot predict today. people need to be able to easily show and present their skills identify their skills gaps and easily find the right learning opportunities to fill them.
it will include a selfassessment tool that will allow users to identify new skills they may need share the results add them to their cv store the results in europass and map their progress over time by comparing with previous selfassessment results.
many of you might know the europass cv which has had over one hundred million downloads since it was created.
the amendments from you strengthen the commission's proposal for instance by highlighting the need for europass to be fully accessible to people with disabilities or elderly persons.
the right to education training and lifelong learning and the right to active support for employment is enshrined in the pillar.
this is good news for individuals as better matched skills improve their work and life opportunities. however it is also good news for employers they can easily find workers with the skills that they need and it is good news for europe.
we have made progress on the implementation of the new skills agenda for europe.
all these tools to support people's careers and upskilling choices bring an added value to europeans. the new europass text lays the basis for the next step towards closer cooperation and easier communication of skills and qualifications across the labour market education and training sectors.
in doing so we want to make the most of the new technologies to ensure that europass continues to support the needs of those looking for upskilling mobility and career opportunities.
the commission has delivered on all its ten priority actions.
the skills that people have when they leave school should be a solid basis but now more than ever before people need to grow and upskill during their lives and professional careers.
i would like to warmly thank the two rapporteurs mr mann and mr malinov for your very constructive approach to this during the interinstitutional discussions.
the modernised europass can now play its full part in actively supporting these rights.
together we can deliver on our commitment to making the most of people's skills.
unlocking people's talent is the key to competing and succeeding in the global economy.
the new europass will include the electronic skills portfolio which will allow users to create store and share documents and information on their skills and qualifications.
for over a decade europe has helped people to showcase their skills and qualifications across europe.
it would also include skills intelligence which is uptodate information on trends and demands in different sectors countries and professions across europe. this information can help individuals in their career management.
there will be services offering guidance for transnational learning mobility and information on skills and qualifications that could be relevant to the particular needs for third country nationals and that will be especially useful when it comes to integration.
the aim to make europe as more user friendly is an important one as it's making potential users more aware of it.
the member states will work together with different stakeholders to achieve this according to the agreement perhaps the commission's new proposal for a european labour authority can also be helpful in that regard.
our labour markets are as has been said earlier here changing very quickly and the most important skill moving forward will be flexibility.
member states who do not already have education and training systems that allow and support lifelong learning will need to get on that quickly and i'm glad also that the commissioner mentioned the social pillar since this is one of the points on that agenda.
i am convinced that we have ensured that the new common framework will make the europass services more user friendly and will adapt them to the needs and expectations of both the users and the providers while respecting the established national structures and its voluntary basis.
moreover the accessibility of europass for older people and persons with disabilities had to be improved in order to facilitate and encourage their participation in the labour market and in society as a whole.
one of the main objectives for our group was to improve significantly the understanding of learning acquired not only in formal but also in non formal and informal settings and through practical experiences including mobility.