kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
but keeping this tragic event in mind we must think what sensible steps member states and the commission can take.
it is the responsibility of member states to ensure fire safety regulations and standards are applied by industry and enforced by public authorities.
prevention must be the priority going forward which can only happen through the vigorous enforcement of existing rules relating to the design construction and the maintenance of buildings.
i hope that member states and the commission are able to work with industry and the necessary organisations and representatives to find a solution that makes the grenfell tragedy the last.
local councillor to have spoken in this debate and i deal week in week out with local government repairs and maintenance.
i know from experience that the current regime of contracting out and tendering out maintenance and repairs of council properties like the grenfell tower is an absolute disaster.
they deal on the profit motive instead of human welfare and until we bring council maintenance and repairs back in house you can say everything you like about repairs and everything you like about maintenance but unless it is brought under complete democratic control and accountability then all the goodwill will be for nothing.
these assassinations of journalists of human rights and land rights activists have certainly decreased significantly in number in the past two years.
human rights warrant particular attention for our relationship with the philippines also in the run up to the presidential elections in two thousand and ten and we are already going in this direction.
as far as the peace process in mindanao is concerned the government appears ready to re launch talks and we encourage an early resumption of negotiations between the parties and of course every discreet mediation that might be there.
most unsettling is that the majority of the perpetrators remain at large.
these include monitoring the implementation of international commitments in the field of human rights actions to support the ratification of the rome statute of the icc and electorate education.
what we have in mind is capacity building for the philippine judicial authorities including police and military personnel to help them investigate cases of extrajudicial killings and to prosecute those guilty of murder.
we are currently in the process of reviewing our cooperation with all our partner countries in the framework of the mid term review and there are good reasons to step up our efforts in the area of good governance justice and the rule of law in the philippines.
we have also ongoing projects at local level to promote respect for human rights funded by the eu instrument for democracy and human rights.
it has become a very sensitive political issue and it has eroded confidence in the government. we are about to launch an eu philippines justice assistance mission' under the instrument for stability.
however the philippines has made considerable progress in its international obligations to ensure and to protect human rights ratifying twelve international human rights treaties and abolishing the death penalty largely
but under the current very difficult circumstances it is also important that public employment services provide better job search assistance.
and ensuring that at least forty of the younger generation will have completed a tertiary degree by. two thousand and twenty the commission helps member states to achieve these targets through financial support in particular the european social fund policy coordination and policy guidance at eu level
linking unemployment benefits with the business cycle.
to that end member states will implement measures in order to invest in education and training.
the two thousand and eleven joint employment report which is based on the commission's assessment of the member states' draft national reform programmes calls on them to improve the functioning of the labour market by introducing more employment friendly tax systems and by making work pay ensuring that wages reflect developments in productivity
indeed evidence shows that particular groups and notably those under temporary or precarious contracts have taken a much bigger hit as a result of the crisis.
however the commission has proposed to increase its commitment and payment appropriations by.
the commission has applied a restrictive policy as regards administrative expenditure with a nominal freeze for commission administrative expenditure.
introducing flexible working arrangements to facilitate the further integration of women into the labour market ensuring that pension reforms include a more direct link between later retirement and increased pension entitlements removing incentives for people to retire early and
as regards the two thousand and twelve budget i would like to point out that the draft budget that was adopted by the commission on twenty april is in line with the european council conclusions of twenty four and twenty five march which state that fiscal consolidation efforts must be complemented by growth enhancing structural reforms.
we also need to reduce labour market segmentation.
in line with the commission communication on the budget review and the conclusions of the fifth report on social cohesion the europe two thousand and twenty strategy provides both a clear set of common priorities and the framework for identification of funding priorities post two thousand and thirteen in line with the objectives of smart sustainable and inclusive growth including human capital development.
as you all know the eu headline targets under europe two thousand and twenty include increasing the employment rate to seventy five lifting at least twenty million people out of poverty and social exclusion reducing the proportion of early school leavers to under ten
this is the reason why the commission has invited member states to introduce open ended contracts with a gradual increase of protection rights.
hopefully in a couple of years' time we will all get there.
which will inform us about the potential economic and social impacts of the voluntary corps.
the first stocktaking phase allowed us to identify current gaps needs and conditions for the voluntary corps to make a positive contribution to eu humanitarian assistance.
two thousand and eleven secondly a preparatory action which allows the commission to finance pilot projects aimed at selecting training and deploying a limited number of volunteers in view of the adoption of a legislative proposal. third we will carry out a full impact assessment
the lisbon treaty provides for the setting up of a european voluntary humanitarian aid corps with the objective of establishing a framework for joint contributions from young europeans to the humanitarian aid operations of the union. last year two thousand and ten we reviewed the existing situation of volunteering
the results of these activities will feed into a proposal for a regulation which will be tabled in.
i want to assure you that the commission will continue its efforts to help people affected by this conflict.
we have provided one hundred and fifty seven flights from member states with support from the commission and we have also funded the repatriation of third country nationals through the international organisation for migration.
the eu civil protection mechanism has been activated twice firstly to support member states' consular operations to evacuate our citizens five thousand eight hundred europeans have been evacuated and secondly to facilitate the return home of migrant workers
we are by far the leaders in addressing the needs of people in libya.
inside libya our activities include the evacuation by sea of about two thousand civilians from misrata the provision of food water sanitation and medical supplies in misrata and other areas of libya and provisional
but let me correct just one misunderstanding i think we should be very careful in the european union and not believe that others are doing nothing.
in a very short time from now. inclusion could strengthen the environmental integrity of our climate commitments ensuring that all emissions and removals are covered while enhancing the visibility of efforts by farmers and foresters to increase sinks through sustainable land use management.
pillar one provides income support to farmers who have to respect cross compliance a concept that includes baseline obligations some of which are relevant to climate action.
the two thousand and eight health check reconfirmed climate change as one of the major challenges to be addressed and already measures in relation to forestry for example afforestation can be supported under the rural development policy.
rural development policy in pillar two makes more targeted climate change measures available to member states.
a reformed cap with a greener first pillar introducing non contractual and annual environmental actions that go beyond cross compliance and a second pillar more focused on climate action supported by a professional farm advisory service could be tailored towards helping farmers to manage their land use systems so as to contribute to climate action
the current cap includes instruments that address climate change mainly through the multiple co benefits between agri environmental policies and climate action.
the commission back in october two thousand and nine called for there to be a platform for women to make their voices heard in particular as agents in the fight against climate change.
in this respect in the strategy for equality between women and men two thousand and ten two thousand and fifteen the commission has designated the development of indicators in the area of women and the environment among the priorities of the future work of the european gender equality institute. we also understand that
in particular the consultation of all commission departments allows for consideration of gender equality aspects of all legislative proposals and other initiatives including in relation to climate change.
a report is to be prepared by the european gender equality institute and specific conclusions could be adopted by the council on this issue towards the end of the danish presidency semester.
the european union has for a long time been a promoter of gender equality. in support of this the commission has a well established practice for widespread consultation both within and outside the commission.
in the first half of next year the danish presidency wishes to develop indicators in this field with a particular focus on climate change.
so climate change and women is very much on the agenda.
the commission recognises the serious social impact upon women of climate change as well as the important role of women in combating climate change.
in addition to this the commission is working closely with member states and the eu presidencies for the development of indicators for the follow up at eu level of the twelve areas of concern of the so called beijing platform for action.
where we are today is actually quite impressive because we already have one hundred and four modules that member states have registered with us and we have their commitment that we can mobilise and deliver assistance in a predictable manner as long as they do not
what the council conclusions gave us a mandate to do is to work towards the establishment of european civil protection capacity that is predictable and ready for immediate deployment based on our member states dedicating
the words that made a difference were voluntary commitment from member states'.
i can assure you it would make a big difference because it would allow us to accelerate work on scenario planning what kinds of disasters we have to be prepared for and also on modelisation of the committed member states' assets.
need these modules to fight the same disasters at home.
for that we will do the prudent work and then come to our authorising environment to the council and to parliament for your approval of the approach we are proposing to fill gaps.
having said that it should also be mentioned that some of these investments will come back in for instance saved oil expenditure. in developing the climate and energy package the commission has taken due account of the different circumstances in the member states in terms of economic development wealth and energy mix.
two thousand and eight now they are estimated at eur forty eight billion which represents.
secondly the european commission has assessed in detail the costs and benefits of co two emission reductions on the european economy in the framework of the climate and energy package agreed back in.
firstly with regard to carbon leakage the commission would like to stress that in the latest amendment of the ets directive the european parliament and the council have decided to tackle this issue by allocating a higher share of free allowances for sectors and subsectors deemed to be at a significant risk of carbon leakage.
moreover the risks for carbon leakage have been reduced further since now more than eighty countries amongst which all emerging economies are implementing the pledges they committed to in copenhagen and are implementing their domestic targets.
i must say that the commission has no evidence that companies are moving their production outside the eu due to climate policy.
the commission's analysis published back in may last year confirmed that free allocation is an effective means to address the potential risk of carbon leakage.
for instance it is actually estimated that between two thousand and five and two thousand and nine five hundred and fifty zero new jobs were provided by the renewable energy industry alone.
in addition the climate and energy package contains three specific mechanisms to balance overall costs across member states so that efforts are shared in a fair and equitable
as far as the ceasefire is concerned we have been calling for a ceasefire to allow safe access for humanitarian assistance and of course we very much support the un in this regard.
we are also very concerned that we are now seeing an increase of libyans fleeing the country.
it will have the physical capability to operate on a twenty four seven basis.
european external action service to the point that now eu military staff designate liaison officers as part of our humanitarian operation so we can make sure that we plan and execute together as one.
the national budgets are mainly about social transfers;
the european budget should be the answer right now as we need growth and jobs right now. this is because of the specific nature of the european budget with its focus on investment.
the commission does not implement aid operations itself.
it provides funding to partner organisations the un agencies international ngos the red cross family or partners who have vast experience in carrying out aid operations among the most vulnerable people. our implementing partners have the authority to decide what the most appropriate food assistance needs are
at the same time what i would like to caution against is expanding the intervention of the commission in deciding up front what exactly should be the composition of food assistance in any given circumstance.
and why do we do that?
we do not end up bringing food from europe killing the livelihoods of local farmers and then giving them development assistance and actually bringing even more food because we have been unwise in our approach to food assistance.
i can assure you that globally what europe has done in this respect is seen as the right thing to do and we are applauded by people in developing countries and by our development partners for taking this approach to food assistance.
having said that we also support prepositioning of food in which case canned fish is very appropriate.
i can assure you that we strive to do the right thing.
when it is the right thing we of course encourage it to be done.
you are very welcome to visit our services we are always very happy to interact with the european parliament.
i think that the world saw that climate change is not the only reason why we have increases in food prices but climate change is a threat multiplier.
commissioner as you know the delivery of public goods and security of food supply comes at a very significant cost.
they also need to be in a position to plan ahead.
in this regard and in terms of moving the negotiations on the cap forward when does the commission expect to be in a position to reveal the detailed proposals of the next multi financial framework and the allocation of the cap budget?
however i am not here to discuss what should be agreed among competent members of the commission and the international monetary fund with the participation of the greek authorities.
is that what it is?
we are the people who are funding this and i would like to have an opportunity to meet with somebody from your dg to discuss this because i come from an area where there is an abundance of fish but there is no other type of job.
countries with weaker performances can learn from these experiences.
i think that the european social fund can be used in an innovative way;
basically i think that we agree.
good progress was made on the preamble the objectives and general principles of the agreement.
since the launch of these negotiations in july two thousand and ten talks have been conducted in plenary sessions covering political dialogue and foreign and security policy justice freedom and security issues and economic and sectoral cooperation.
the launch of negotiations is conditional upon georgia making sufficient progress in the implementation of certain key recommendations'.
the main aim of this visit is to reinforce the message of the eu's continuing commitment to georgia and to demonstrate that the political and economic ties between the eu and georgia are being further strengthened.
it is in everyone's interests including those of the eu and georgia to have russia inside the rules based wto system.
provisional agreement was also reached on a number of elements relating to political dialogue and foreign and security policy.
the recommendations of this report will be very helpful in our further negotiations with georgia.
we acknowledge the importance georgia attaches to its european identity.
it is not surprising that security and stability as a result of a peaceful resolution of the existing conflicts over south ossetia and abkhazia are the core issues for georgia.
successful negotiations and conclusion of the agreement will be a major step towards georgia's political association and economic integration with the eu and will bring our relations to a new level.
the sides also advanced on economic and sectoral cooperation nineteen chapters have been provisionally closed out of.
as you know any reference to article forty nine remains controversial among member states and is therefore impossible to offer but what is important for georgia at this stage is to seize a maximum of the many opportunities which political association and economic integration will offer to change relations now in short to create more of europe within georgia.
the eu welcomes and appreciates georgia's acceptance of a compromise.
the eu appreciates all the efforts that georgia has undertaken to address the issues and take the necessary steps to prepare for the negotiations.
we had an intensive and regular exchange with the rapporteurs which i believe has helped in preparing a well structured and balanced report.
rather than being considered a threat to conservation the masai and other pastoralists must be included in plans to protect this fragile land on which they have co existed peacefully and sustainably for millennia.
the masai and other pastoralists see themselves as custodians of the land they inhabit and they play an essential role in conservation and environmental protection.
the masai mara serengeti ecosystem supports the highest concentration of wildlife on earth. it is estimated that masai territories provide habitats for eighty of east africa's wildlife.
tanzania must respect the numerous promises they have made to these people over the years. pastoralists all over the world need protection from land encroachment and so the commission and member states must put pressure on the tanzanian government to make sure it brings forward legally binding laws to protect the rights of the masai not sell off their land to the highest bidder to create a playground for the rich and powerful.
they are ideally placed to be the eyes and ears to protect vulnerable species from poaching and other wildlife crimes.
the eu delegation and member states missions in tanzania have consulted with the representatives of the pastoralist communities and they await the outcome of the investigation launched by district authorities.
as we celebrated women's day last sunday let me conclude by mentioning a special form of land grabbing that is often overlooked.
tanzania has made commitments to improve land governance by signing up to the land transparency initiative launched by the g eight or by participating in the multilateral open government partnership. we support these efforts and advocate for efficient and corruptionfree land administration
and law enforcement.
women in africa are often denied ownership of land and lose it if their husband dies.
it is necessary to ensure that the european union and its member states with the help of its development aid encourage and demand full transparency and good governance on land tenure issues.
we should insist on open accessible land registers so that the public and developing partners also have the right to know what kind of deals are being made at the cost of human rights.
unfortunately we see sometimes in the eu too that indigenous people time and again are denied the principle of free prior and informed consent when it comes to their future.
not only should we strongly condemn such acts we should also make maximal use of all the tools the eu has at its disposal to prevent such measures before they take place and especially the eu development financing which should be fully linked to respect for human rights and cultural and environmental preservation principles.
but to say that this will of itself stimulate the economy is such a basic economic fallacy that i do not really believe the proponents believe it themselves.
you are always taking more out of the economy to create these jobs than they can ever put back into it.
it is the growth that creates the green policies.
if you wanted to say there is a price to be paid for ecological goals we should be prepared to suffer slower growth in order to slow global warming' that is fine and that is a perfectly reasonable argument with good and sincere people on both sides.
it is the exact equivalent of arguing that if the government employed more people that would create more jobs and therefore they would pay more tax and therefore the economy would grow.
the reason it does not work is because of what frdric bastiat calls the theory of seen and unseen costs.
madam president it is deeply disappointing that we are nowhere near achieving the millennium development goals and many member states are failing to provide as little as.
i do believe it is high time that member states stepped up their game.
if the new york summit in september is to come up with an agenda that is both stronger and more effective we need a solid common position in the addis ababa high level conference in july with all the member states speaking on one line to the same tune.
the costs in terms of human lives as in terms of budget will be much lower than what we are faced with when dealing with people fleeing poverty and the wars that poverty creates.
madam president i supported the amendment which asked the commission to consider a legislative framework to encourage the development of new antibiotic drugs.
there is an urgent need to address this problem of over prescription of antibiotics in ireland particularly for the elderly.
all countries have significant problems in regard to antimicrobial resistance including my own country ireland.
dr tony holohan from the department of health has said that urgent and immediate action is needed as we are entering an era when simple infections could again become killer diseases.