kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
secondly in the absence of proper scientific justification the commission cannot agree with the amendments proposed which would involve extending lower dose limits for the eye lens from workers to the broader public as well as lower dose limits for extremities and skin.
however several issues raised in the amendments cannot be supported by the commission.
the commission's proposal concerning these limits is based on the most recent scientific findings.
these aspects have also been raised and discussed during the negotiations in the council.
and secondly to consolidate the existing set of euratom radiation protection legislation into one single piece of legislation.
there are many activities in our society which involve the use of ionising radiation such as medical diagnosis and cancer treatment various industrial applications energy production and applications in security screening.
firstly we cannot accept the suggestion to change the legal basis from the euratom treaty to the treaty on the functioning of the european union.
for instance this would necessitate identification of the relevant employers and workplaces and the enforcement of an appropriate protection regime.
madam president it is clear that ionising radiation incidental to commercial medical and other day to day activities must be carefully controlled.
i think the utmost protection to ensure the lowest possible risk of negative health effects particularly to workers must be maintained.
on that basis i think it is sensible to revisit this legislation and associated procedures periodically to ensure that they are in keeping with the best scientific evidence available and to consider the experience of implementation in the different member states.
we must also ensure that the procedures and protections are simple and easy to understand and implement.
we need to cut red tape in the area where possible and maintain efficiency in working environments where exposure to ionising radiation could occur.
i think that consolidating a number of pieces of legislation into a single piece of legislation fits the bill in this respect. this is also why i proposed my own amendments on the licensing of those organisations that use these procedures on a regular basis to ensure that they would not need to
i would also like to say that i completely agree with the commissioner on the issue of frequent flyers.
overall i think it is crucial that we achieve best practice and high standards of work and protection to minimise the dangers arising from exposure to these different forms of ionising radiation.
mr lamassoure said that we need to move in to the age of transparency and this is only the start of transparency.
i come from a country ireland which signed with the united states of america a fatca arrangement the second country in the world to do that which is arguably the gold standard of tax exchange information now where effectively the tax authorities give information on an annualised basis.
we now have under chapter thirteen of the oecd beps action plan clear sets of obligations and actions on the part of eu members. we must ensure that we follow those actions up and we must ensure also that where the commission feels that member states are not living up to their obligations under the oecd agenda that they say it clearly.
as others have said the whole question of aggressive tax planning is an issue of public concern for citizens for smes and we have got to respond to that in a way which is appropriate fair and balanced.
we should get to that interpretation;
it is about time that europe did this so that we can put to one side the allegations that are made of smaller member states from time to time by larger member states.
it is not just important in terms of the tax paid it is also crucially important in ensuring that we diminish loopholes and that we try to understand how companies get around the taxation system.
secondly on the question of automatic tax exchange of information.
the oecd agenda is the agenda to follow and i think commissioner moscovici was right earlier when he said the key question now is on implementation'.
mr president this law requiring the automatic exchange of information about where companies make their money is a step towards transparency.
david cameron has a real opportunity this week to demonstrate his commitment to tax transparency as he hosts the uk anti corruption summit.
the eu can and should be a global leader in ambitious actions for tax justice.
but this is a long way short of the full public country by country reporting that we as greens have been calling for.
the leak of the panama papers exposed the extent of the network of tax havens and overseas territories that help wealthy people hide their money.
we need this information to be publicly available and for all multinational companies not just a few of the large ones.
he can put an end to shell companies by requiring british overseas territories to introduce a mandatory public register of beneficial ownership.
over half of the companies listed had been registered in the british virgin islands and when you trace the people or companies behind these shell companies the uk itself ranks fifth for linked companies.
in future tax authorities will be able to see where companies earn money and create value and if they shift profits to avoid paying tax.
this would be a real step towards ending tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions and i support the calls made this week by over three hundred economists for this to happen.
if we can find a system that would not undermine the competitiveness of the european union i again would be very much in favour of more publicity and more transparency. one last point is on the role of the council.
on the threshold i think commission muscovici has explained what is the rationale behind adopting this relatively high threshold.
we broadly support the commission proposal.
the second amendment we propose is to request the commission to report systematically on the results achieved under this directive and to present publicly the aggregate summary of countrybycountry reports.
the first proposal was to lower the threshold required for filing countrybycountry reports from eur seven hundred and fifty million down to eur forty million.
i call on this house to vote in favour of our report.
the purpose of this legislative offensive is to radically reduce the scope for aggressive tax planning tax evasion and tax avoidance and create a level playing field for all businesses in the eu.
we propose however two amendments.
firstly we want the commission to be able to control the process of exchange of information in order to ensure the compliance of multinational companies and of member states with the directive.
i congratulate the commission for this initiative.
first we want to involve the commission to become part of the automatic mandatory exchange of information between member states and this is for two reasons.
the directive proposal provides for the mandatory automatic exchange between national tax authorities of information regarding countrybycountry reports filed in each member state by multinational enterprises involved in cross border business activities. the obligation of filing countrybycountry reports extends to all
secondly there is a state aid dimension to tax exemptions granted by member states and the commission should have access to this information to make sure that no illegal state aid is involved.
citizens in our countries are waiting for a strong signal from this parliament that we are in favour of more transparency fairness and efficiency in tax policies in the european union.
mr president dear members of parliament i would like to thank the shadow rapporteurs for their cooperation in preparing our report and the parliamentary services for technical support.
the other proposal was to make all countrybycountry reports public.
it is therefore essential for the good functioning of the internal market that member states transpose political commitments until beps enters their national legal systems.
both these proposals were rejected in the vote in the econ committee because they would introduce double standards one more demanding for eu companies and the other less demanding for non eu companies.
we think it is timely proportionate and goes in the right direction.
the directive proposal is in line with accepted international standards and specifically with the oecd report on the action plan on base erosion and profit shifting the so called beps report.
in europe we pay ten to fifteen higher taxes than any other region in the world which is of course a problem for us regarding investment in the european economy.
that is why it is so important to stick to international cooperation and international cooperation between national authorities requires that we have international standards and we in europe go beyond that.
small and big companies pay taxes.
not make it more difficult to run companies in europe.
then we are creating problems for honest industries and companies but we are also creating grey zones and loopholes and incentives to make tax avoidance. so commissioner let us stick to international standards and international cooperation then we will get fair taxes in europe.
so we need to fight those who do not.
i do believe it is a step in the right direction although i would have liked you to have gone further to make sure that more companies are required to submit these countrybycountry reports.
i think it is also important that the amendment by the s d shadow rapporteur to ensure that companies submit these reports is fully supported.
in the interest of tax transparencies these reports really need to be made public as well.
i welcome this initiative and hope that his tory colleagues in this house will be consistent with their government and their leader and vote for the first time in favour of countrybycountry reporting to shine more light on a murky world of tax avoidance and evasion.
at the same time we need the council to really pay attention to the opinions of the european parliament on these tax matters.
about the taxation on the level of the group and not just on the level of individual countries.
cbcr should be implemented as soon as possible and the debate on publication will be complicated.
since two thousand and eight thirty five people have been rescued from exploitation in my own constituency of northern ireland;
two thousand and nine however no one has yet been convicted of an offence of human trafficking.
indeed many of the women taken or rescued in northern ireland are from the far east and are there through organised crime gangs who are making huge profits and exploiting these people both for labour and sexual exploitation.
it is a form of modern day slavery a serious crime and a violation of a person's fundamental human rights.
while there are many valuable aspects to this report and i believe that this is an area where there can be considerable cooperation between national police forces indeed the police force of northern ireland has been leading the way in this i abstained in the eventual vote because i firmly believe that the setting of minimum tariffs is a matter for the member state alone.
the commission has been working on proposals for such a package which could include the following an extension of the technical dialogues which began a year ago on energy transport and environment to other areas;
this progress has been in direct response to requests made by the commission in early november and we find it encouraging.
for example the ban on two major independent newspapers has been lifted and they have now even resumed printing and distribution.
after thirteen april should ministers assess that sufficient progress has been made the decision will be made as to whether to confirm the suspension of sanctions.
cooperation with the osce odihr on reforms to electoral legislation;
better operational conditions for ngos and no harassment of civil society; and serious progress on the freedom of assembly.
a further issue for reflection is the potential to open negotiations on visa facilitation and a readmission agreement.
we need to see progress on media freedom including internet freedom and the accreditation of foreign journalists.
helping belarus to adjust to the new economic challenges it is currently facing and extending eligibility for eib and ebrd loans to belarus;
we also need to see easier registration procedures and working conditions for ngos and the lifting of the restrictions on the freedom of ngo activists like for example mr barazenka and we need to see further evidence that peaceful demonstrations can take place freely and without participants fearing arrest.
progress on media freedom;
make. but we the commission stand ready to kick start work and contribute to negotiations as soon as the ministers acknowledge that sufficient progress has been
the areas in which we need to see further and sustained progress are no further political arrests or imprisonments;
should belarus's progress be great enough to warrant this we are indeed ready to reciprocate and i hope that we could then really open up a new chapter
this would comprise the unblocking of the pca and a significant increase in our assistance.
if belarus can make this serious progress then i think it is also essential that we reciprocate with a significant package of measures.
a symbolic increase in the enpi allocation for belarus to back these talks;
however we still need more progress if we are to begin a new era in our relationship and if we are also to confirm the suspension.
clearly i cannot give you a full assessment until after proceedings are complete later this week.
to ensure significant success i invite the honourable members of this parliament to approve the council's position in line with the compromise reached on twenty four october.
remember tomorrow's economy will be digital.
fourth we will meet the need for spectrum in sectors like transport energy the environment earth observation civil protection and the internet of things.
however at this stage it seems probable that the eu's objectives as highlighted in particular in parliament's resolution of last september should broadly be achieved particularly those on the need for more broadband spectrum on protecting galileo and on short range devices.
for instance mobile data usage in europe is almost doubling every year driven by a rocketing smartphone market and increasing demand for online audiovisual content. in that world constraints on spectrum availability are constraints on economic growth as has rightly been said
adopting this programme is a significant step forward.
this programme opens the door for significant achievements in the coming years.
first by two thousand and thirteen we will open the key eight hundred mhz band for next generation wireless communications.
we know the importance of spectrum for the digital world.
third we will guarantee competition in the use of spectrum.
that full assessment will be covered in a staff working paper to be presented to you very soon.
a coherent spectrum programme provides the rails on which that economy will run.
a new issue also arose during the wrc negotiations relating to the possible use of the seven hundred mhz band for wireless broadband based on a proposal by african and arab countries which did not want to wait until two thousand and fifteen to have a discussion on this subject.
fifth we will support member states and enhance eu coordination in international spectrum negotiations.
let me now briefly update you on the ongoing negotiations in geneva.
that is why i think it is also important regarding the next steps to secure the rapid implementation of this legislation but at the same time to prepare for the next steps because we have only seen the beginning of a new development of a second wave of internet revolution.
i think it is fair to say that media and culture will have more opportunities than ever to reach the audience as we see is happening just now.
it is important for us to secure the full capacity to take advantage of all this for media and culture as well as for new services.
with all the opportunities that provides for the european telecoms industry as well as for new services and new jobs and growth.
i am therefore very glad that we have been able to raise our ambitions in this process. thanks to this decision we will free up the eight hundred mhz band from january two thousand and thirteen which will provide european telecoms industries and new services with the capacity which is needed.
it was a common european gsm standard together with european deregulation that paved the way for a dynamic european telecoms industry with new innovations where new technolgies created growth and prosperity.
i want us to lead the process of change and i want us to create the best opportunities in europe regarding competitiveness and the use of telecoms opportunities.
we love our smartphones new devices new apps.
it is important to coordinate activities and a spectrum inventory will help.
to maintain our competitive position our countries must deliver our shared digital vision.
allocating spectrum is one step but customers need to be able to use it.
countries should liberalise the existing three g spectrum for the next generation and allow spectrum to be traded giving access to new entrants.
coordinated spectrum release will boost access allow seamless services across our borders drive competition and innovation and deliver lower prices and higher quality. spectrum is a finite resource often hoarded by public sectors.
releasing spectrum is vital for economic growth.
for that we need long term investment in our infrastructure and that is an even bigger challenge.
but member states must also be able to safeguard local services.
i think it goes beyond bands.
talking about an unlicensed spectrum for wi fi.
it is very important that we all agree on that issue that the role of radio spectrum boosts growth in europe and provides real and tangible benefits for european consumers;
i want to thank all of you for your constructive collaboration and work during the whole procedure.
radio spectrum is scarce but it offers a number of opportunities and it is essential to make europe a global leader in this information society.
this political agreement will pave the way for a development that will allow the eu to take the global lead on broadband speeds mobility coverage and capacity.
it will be a crucial building block in creating a flexible and coordinated european spectrum policy where the exponential growth of mobile data traffic can be met by future reallocations and where inefficient use of spectrum belongs to the past.
it is unfortunate that the european parliament was not able to achieve the extension of the allocations of unlicensed spectrum to allow for greater use of wi fi.
i wish to conclude by confirming that the commission highly appreciates the support parliament gives us to pursue and where possible and appropriate extend and improve our initiatives.
in fact the commission believes that we can only succeed if we all work together in creating the best possible framework conditions within a reasonable timeframe.
yet only a small percentage of smes have the information and financial resources to enlarge their activities beyond the european union. improving the competitiveness of european smes by placing them in a position to successfully enter new markets is therefore essential
the commission has in recent years made a number of proposals to improve the situation.
we also attach great importance to further enhancing information exchange and cross border business cooperation for instance within the enterprise europe network. many of these initiatives are based on existing tools whether at european national or regional level.
we will duly reflect on your positions in our daily work on the implementation of the small business big world' communication.
it is particularly important to apply a holistic perspective and to ensure that individual policy areas come together and create a coherent framework that is conducive to the europe two thousand and twenty targets.
the european union delegation in cairo has close contacts with local civil society organisations and liaises with the united nations high commissioner for refugees' regional representation in cairo. they are very much following the case.
the eu has expressed our concerns as well as our strong belief that the egyptian authorities should take appropriate measures to liberate these people and grant them appropriate protection.
the most serious incidents are reported in the sinai.
in the spring of this year egypt adopted new legislation criminalising human trafficking and also protecting its victims.
the attitude of the eritrean government itself is alarming instead of protecting its citizens it considers them unwanted dissidents. we call for rapid and joint action primarily by egypt and israel to stop the traffickers to dismantle this organised crime network and certainly to strengthen efforts to protect current and future refugees by implementing unhcr provisions and standards.
two thousand and seven the egyptian authorities are making welcome efforts to investigate the information provided by the unhcr.
at the same time egypt should improve the treatment of refugees according to international standards.
diplomatic procedures with the egyptian authorities should be stepped up by the un high commissioner for refugees to eliminate the trafficking networks and prevent people from being smuggled.
this means that during the justified defence of borders no excessive or even lethal force should be used against immigrants or refugees and this advice is something that we might also give ourselves in the eu once in a while.
mr president about two hundred and fifty eritrean migrants are believed to be held hostage in the sinai desert and inhumane treatment and rape are reported while these people await a ransom that needs to be paid to human traffickers for their release. recent events are part of a network smuggling sub saharan migrants through egypt to israel that has been operating in the sinai since.
we welcome too the efforts made by the egyptian government to investigate the allegations and secure the refugees' release but we should also be focusing on why these unfortunate individuals flee in the first place.
the answer is because the regime of eritrean president afewerki is one of the most repressive on the planet.
anyone with a chance of fleeing his dictatorship does so and some are able to build a better life for themselves elsewhere.
i have no compunction about saying so publicly.
the decision to ban mercury button cells is a further step towards reaching the targets of the un minamata convention on banning most uses of mercury by.
the final result is good news for the environment and human health.
the provision on the removability of batteries will help to improve the design of products cutting waste and boosting the opportunities for re use and recycling.
the commission has made it clear that we fully support the outcome as far as the substance is concerned.
they concern the use of the no opinion clause for the adoption of implementing acts;
the mandatory consultation of stakeholders in preparation of delegated acts;
and the publication of a consolidated version of the directive.
and their people in consequence have the right of free movement. it is simply breathtaking that the british government and the labour party none of whose representatives are here can support and support actively bosnia herzegovina joining the eu.
forty three it is yet another very poor eastern european country in line to join the eu.
once the door is open to bosnia there will be a massive outflow of people.
back home the british conservative party claims to be committed to reducing immigration. but as we all know that is an impossibility so long as we remain in the eu and the impossibility is compounded as more countries get eu membership
which are outlined in several council conclusions and also in the draft report.
because of the lack of any meaningful progress resulting from our facilitation process i regrettably had to cancel the third round of the high level dialogue on the accession process.