kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
on the issue of an international agreement to put an end to the testing of cosmetics on animals worldwide the council would examine attentively any recommendations from the commission to open negotiations regarding such an agreement.
this has been confirmed by the court of justice in the european federation for cosmetic ingredients case in.
any such agreement would obviously have to be compatible with the cosmetics regulation.
two thousand and sixteen in this regard again i am not aware of any major disruption but even if producers were finding it difficult to place products on the european market the european legislator would continue to favour the public interest of animal health over the interest of individual
this leads me to the question of promoting a global ban at the un. as i have just explained in line with its competences under the treaty the council would stand ready to exercise its responsibilities on the international level.
i would like to take the questions you raised one by one insofar as they fall within the sphere of activity and competence of the council.
provided the negotiations lead to a successful outcome the council would then be in a position to conclude such an agreement on behalf of the union.
it is not for the council as a union co legislator to enforce wto rules.
the council does not specifically analyse the global impact of the eu ban on trade flows.
as for any other product it is not for the council as a legislative and policy making institution but for the market surveillance authorities of the member states to check and verify that every product complies with the european rules.
on the issue of ensuring that all cosmetics placed on the eu market have never been tested on animals in a third country as the treaty makes clear this is in the first instance a task for member states. as you the honourable members are aware market surveillance authorities enforce the cosmetics regulation in the same way as they enforce any other union internal market legislation. article four of the cosmetics regulation requires a responsible person within the union to ensure compliance of the products with the regulation and article eleven provides for a product information file for every product to be placed on the eu market irrespective of its place of production.
from the legal side an acceptance of the eu ban by third countries is not specifically necessary in the sense that third countries can regulate their own markets as they see fit.
care and compassion for our fellow creatures is surely the measure of our own humanity.
if you ask people across the world whether they want cosmetics tested on animals you get a resounding no but it still continues because big manufacturers and retailers put profit before compassion and because we politicians have not yet done enough to stop them.
it is time to really end it once and for all across the globe.
mr president honourable members thank you for the opportunity to speak for the council on this important issue. we will follow any developments at international level attentively so we take pride in the positive developments we have reached for the internal market and we will certainly continue working together to defend european interests in all relevant fora while being realistic on what can be expected from third countries.
there is already a first mover advantage for european union producers with regard to production methods but this will be just one of the arguments that would have to be raised once we discuss the possibility of a global ban with our trading partners. thank you for your attention.
as some of you mentioned we can be proud of this because we are the world leader on this issue.
the first one is that the commission will continue to be active in promoting the eu animal testing ban in cosmetics at international level including trade agreements and we will continue of course to support any initiative in that direction at international level. secondly we will remain fully engaged in the development validation and promotion of alternative
it is also visible that during those five years since the ban entered into force our industry still remains number one in the world.
we have also been very active in developing alternatives to animal testing within the eu and again we are promoting the acceptance and uptake outside the eu notably through the oecd.
but i have to say again sadly that not all of our main trading partners have followed us.
we should think about what this means for the treatment of cosmetics imported into the eu. the question is first of all that of enforcement of the ban by the national competent authorities. in practice the main way of checking compliance of individual cosmetics
is the cosmetics products information file.
this has to be kept for every cosmetic marketed within the eu.
but of course it is clear from information that we received from member states that this file is sometimes very incomplete.
secondly the court of justice recently confirmed that cosmetic products containing ingredients tested on animals outside the eu cannot be sold here in the european union.
the animal testing data obtained outside the eu cannot be relied on.
the safety has to be proved using some alternatives but there is of course no guarantee that cosmetics tested on animals outside the eu are not used by our european customers.
one solution could be a global ban.
this is the reason why we will continue to support any initiative at international level to end animal testing in cosmetics.
the commission will continue to promote the eu ban on animal testing in cosmetics through its international activities both at bilateral and multilateral level. we also considered proposing clauses on animal testing for future trade agreements whenever appropriate.
this specifies that technical regulations shall not be more trade restrictive than necessary to fulfil a legitimate objective.
animal life or health is mentioned as such a legitimate objective.
so it has to be said that five years after the eu animal testing ban became fully applicable the time is ripe for global action. we are thinking carefully about how best to do this. a global ban is of course one option but we will consider others and i will keep you informed and involved as our thinking develops.
asian countries are the principal offenders and they all can use their considerable economic might to defy this initiative so how does the european union perceive any action will be effective?
the third element though that i must highlight is that without the appropriate framework to ensure that compliance and record keeping is mandatory companies academia organisations whatever they might be are going to have very little motivation to ensure animal welfare is safeguarded unless of course and i agree with the previous speaker there is an outright ban particularly on companies that outsource their production to other countries.
for instance the proposal for the recast of the brussels iia regulation which was adopted last year on thirty june strengthens the rights of the child.
for instance how many cases of lack of recognition are we talking about?
the commission is aware that the lack of recognition of adoption orders between member states may entail problems both for the parents and especially for the child but we lack updated data on this.
how are member states dealing with such cases?
training for legal practitioners working in the field of cross border adoption is essential in this respect.
further developments within the hague conference can help clarify the depth and extent of the problem and the willingness of member states to deal with it at international level as well as any need for corresponding action at eu level.
the commission is ready to co finance relevant projects proposed by interested member states and stakeholders in line with the current financial framework.
we must ensure that the rights of those who are in particularly difficult situations such as the victims of abduction or children in migration are fully respected and promoted.
currently preliminary work and consultation regarding a possible initiative on the recognition of domestic adoptions are being carried out at international level in the context of the hague conference on private international law.
any initiative on the recognition of adoption orders at eu level therefore needs to be very strongly evidence based.
what are the key aspects invoked when recognition is challenged?
i fully support the call on member states to strengthen mutual trust and administrative cooperation between them on this important matter.
it introduces a new obligation concerning the hearing of children and specific measures to enhance the efficiency of return proceedings in cases of parental abduction.
that is why i am in favour of doing much more in conjunction with the member states for instance in the field of training of judges and professionals. the commission will consider adding this as a new topic amongst other topics where we train judges on
we need common minimum standards to enable member states to exchange good practices without prejudice to national laws on adoption.
adoption procedures will remain a national competence as much as family laws but too many families cannot fully enjoy the freedom of movement of the european union and i support the proposal for a regulation on automatic mutual recognition of cross border adoption orders to ensure that the rights of adopted children are recognised and respected across the eu.
colleagues you know that the humanitarian situation is dramatic in the country and that everything must be done to protect the citizens and aid workers and to respect humanitarian principles.
despite the unprecedented scale of the current crisis the central african republic risks becoming a forgotten crisis and this should not be the case.
the eu will continue to remain actively engaged to assist in close coordination with international partners and the stabilisation of the country in support of the political process.
are affecting the whole life of the country.
over the last weekend alone more than sixty people were killed in the north west of the country.
we will do this jointly with our regional and international partners as well as the appropriate international fora such as the united nations human rights council.
we call on the central african republic's transitional authorities to take concrete measures to restore law and order to protect the civilian population and to comply with the libreville agreements.
we also support the setting up of the african union led peace support operation in the central african republic. we are also assisting the efforts of the central african republic government of national unity under the leadership of prime minister tiangaye notably through an urgent stabilisation programme funded under the instrument for stability.
our thoughts are with the families friends and colleagues of the victims.
two thousand and twelve more than five months after the unconstitutional change of government the central african republic is now moving towards a state of anarchy.
an already desperately destitute population is being pushed to the limit.
we share the concern expressed by the parliament and continue to work through all possible channels to ensure respect for human rights and to fight impunity.
this marks an escalation of the religious and communal tension.
security has become a major problem limiting the ability of aid workers to move around and help the people in need. worse still killing executions torture physical violence including sexual violence extortion illegal taxation pillaging and the destruction of houses and fields
thanks to the european parliament it will not be forgotten.
to remove the climate of impunity the judicial system must make accountable those who have committed human rights violations and war crimes. otherwise there needs to be an international intervention as the international criminal court said last month that the crimes committed in the central african republic may fall under its jurisdiction.
on the future of company law and is in phase with the social business initiative that the commission adopted in october last year.
the report provides a very useful and timely contribution to the review of the legislation on the statute for a european cooperative society.
on twenty three february two thousand and twelve the commission adopted a report on the implementation of this regulation and sent it to the european parliament the council and other institutions.
the commission envisages coming back to the parliament after you have examined the report on the implementation of the regulation and after concluding the consultation of stakeholders on this issue during the two big events.
therefore the commission plans two large conferences in order to consult stakeholders on whether and how to simplify the statute for a european cooperative society one in brussels in april with the participation of commissioners tajani and barnier
and the other in cyprus during their presidency in september.
the text reveals that the complexity of the instrument is one of the main obstacles to the success of the european cooperative regulation.
only twenty four european cooperatives were created as from two thousand and six the date of the application of the regulation.
it is true that cooperative businesses that have stayed faithful to cooperative values and principles have generally been able to resist well the impacts of the financial and economic crisis. the report contributes well to the reflection launched by the commission
as two thousand and twelve is the international year of cooperatives this attention is even more important.
the commission has observed as stated in the report a certain lack of interest in the instrument created by the european cooperative regulation.
to make matters worse indictments that are presented are often supported by something called secret evidence' which makes a transparent judicial process impossible.
the mounting tensions with cyprus are of special concern to this house.
a press release i recently received from the turkish government aimed to explain that the rule of law is not violated in turkey but accepted that there are approximately seventy journalists in prison.
turkey's role in the region is important and could be a great vehicle for more intensive cooperation between turkey and the eu. i hope the commission and high representative will find active support from turkey in their efforts to find a negotiated solution to the middle east conflict and i hope that they will seek closer cooperation with turkey to end the ongoing hell that we see in syria.
a focus on foreign affairs and turkey's important role in the region neither compensates for nor replaces the relevance of making reforms to meet these criteria.
this house the commission and the external action service have assessed the press freedom issue in turkey with great concern.
would the high representative and the commissioner agree that it is time to broaden the scope and assess whether counter terrorism laws are being abused and whether the rule of law is still functioning in line with the copenhagen criteria so that we can move towards the much needed accession of turkey to the eu?
the turkish government asserted that these journalists are in prison on terrorism charges and that those of us who believe press freedom is under pressure are wrong.
the commission has rightfully urged both sides the greek cypriots as well to show restraint.
however eu turkey relations are formally predominantly about domestic affairs and reforms the copenhagen criteria.
madam president as the high representative and commissioner fle are aware turkey's foreign policy is guided by a doctrine called zero problems with neighbours' but unfortunately today turkey is experiencing problems with almost all its neighbouring countries.
similarly it seems that turkey's economy is doing better than all its neighbours with truly remarkable figures. yet economic success cannot replace good governance respect for civil rights and a functioning rule of law.
official charges are not always filed and pre trial detention periods can last years.
chapters. let me remind this house that as far as the accession process is concerned we have only three chapters
countries. most importantly however the european union accession process with turkey has proved a powerful instrument to force reforms in this
i am well aware that the european union and turkey are in a delicate phase in their relations;
two thousand and ten the european union is expecting more and faster reforms in turkey to address urgent issues under fundamental rights and freedoms.
b. this is one more reason why we all need to support the united nations and the secretary general and special representatives.
within the european union in our close neighbourhood and in one of the most troubled regions in the world.
that frustration is unfortunate and largely unnecessary. what we need now is constructive engagement; we do not see any other option. turkey and the european union need each other more
the united nations and the secretary general but in particular the leaders of the two communities have invested enormous effort in making them succeed and it is our responsibility and duty to support these efforts in any way we can. a united cyprus would bring peace stability and security
what is not volatile and never will be is an approach based on threats which violates the united nations charter. but we all also acknowledge that the most important issues right now
i agree with those who made the point that what is really of the utmost importance is to send at this point in time the clear message that as far as the benefits of this hydrocarbon project are concerned they belong to all citizens of cyprus in
to open. three chapters are available to
even though reforms should be accelerated and broadened they nevertheless continue as demonstrated over the summer by significant steps such as the return of confiscated property to the non muslim religious communities or strengthening of civilian
than ever in addressing jointly the challenges
the pace of the accession process is disappointing with no chapter opened since june.
turkey too is frustrated by what it perceives as a lack of commitment from the european union to negotiations. i believe the fresh tensions around the whole drilling issue partly result from this frustration.
there are real benefits to working closely together with turkey in our common neighbouring
the only point was timing. most leaders made a personal commitment to the secretary general of the united nations that they will not be distracted by anything and that all their efforts will be focused on finding a comprehensive settlement
country. turkey today is a more democratic country than it was ten years ago thanks to the european union accession perspective.
we are in this situation partly because we failed to insist on a peace deal prior to cyprus's entry to the union and partly because since entry little progress has been made on a solution for the island and the union has gone cold on turkey's adhesion.
knowing turkey's objections and knowing its offer of twenty four september for a un mediator on hydrocarbon resources aware that drilling will be seen as more than an economic activity and at a time when un negotiations are entering a very delicate phase what cyprus is doing may be defensible legally but it is bound to be inflammatory politically and we should not be surprised at turkey's reaction.
quite apart from the dubious wisdom of drilling for hydrocarbons on a planet whose temperature is increasing far too fast and in countries which have huge resources of renewable energies this is a challenge the european union cannot ignore.
i note the speech of cyprus's new energy minister praxoula antoniadou kyriakou at the energy council last week and i welcome her commitment to the opening of the energy chapter for turkey which cyprus blocked in.
what do we have international laws and un conventions for if they are not respected?
we the eu have to stand up and speak clearly with one voice and under no circumstances can we tolerate any further violation of eu borders.
cyprus has signed and ratified the un convention on the law of the sea just like one hundred and sixty one other countries. therefore the offshore oil and gas drilling in cyprus's own exclusive economic zone and its continental shelf are within the law.
madam president while the governments of the republic of cyprus and turkey are busy with their moves in the eastern mediterranean turkish and greek cypriots are sitting and waiting on the sidelines.
our priority should be to ensure negotiations are carried out successfully to realise the unification of cyprus.
both the republic of cyprus and turkey are responsible for doing their utmost to establish a positive climate for negotiations to make sure a historic window of opportunity will not close down.
the people of cyprus need all parties involved to work together to reach a comprehensive settlement. the people of cyprus greek and turkish who are all european citizens deserve a stable future in the eu. it is about time that the european union works for both of them.
on the law of the sea. let me recall that under international law the european union and its member states only recognise the republic of cyprus on that island.
the european union has also repeatedly underlined the importance of progress in the normalisation of relations between turkey and all european union member states including the republic of cyprus.
i firmly believe that turkey and the european union have much more to gain through integration and dialogue than through tensions especially at a time where the stakes in the region following the arab spring are so high.
the european union is based on number of core principles and values including good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes resorting if necessary to international arbitration.
we are and remain committed to this approach which is the best guarantee for peace and stability.
they decided to enter into an intensive period of negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement.
since then we have all been looking forward to a crucial phase of settlement talks in the autumn and the resolution of an issue that would be to the benefit of all cypriot citizens the european union turkey and the entire region.
this phase is ongoing and i understand the leaders are intensively discussing the substance of several core pending issues.
this is a chance not to be missed under any circumstances. i therefore urge all parties now to focus all energy efforts and minds on the comprehensive settlement.
during this crucial ongoing phase it is essential that all parties concerned exercise restraint and do their utmost to ensure a positive climate that will facilitate successful completion of the process.
let us give the settlement talks the best chance to succeed.
madam president the honourable members will have noticed that i have moved.
position of turkey in the arab world there is much we could spend time discussing. i am particularly of course talking about the issues in regard to the flotilla dispute with israel a situation that is a real source of friction and which spills over into other aspects of foreign policy and relations.
it is of course in our interests to try and seek to calm tension and from my perspective to bind turkey into the delivery of our foreign policy objectives.
i spent time talking with foreign minister davutolu on a whole range of issues but it will surprise no one in this house that the issue that he and i spoke about when we met bilaterally at the united nations was the issue that is before us this evening.
because of the nature of this debate i am now going to hand over to tefan to continue from this side of the house.
it is always good to see you and i welcome your commitment to this house both on an individual and a collective basis. this is of course a very sensitive issue that we are dealing with at a very sensitive time. can i firstly give my support to commissioner fle's statements and calls for restraint from all involved.