kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
the free trade agreement with ecuador is a possibility to support ecuador its economy its development and its efforts in diversifying its economy and giving new possibilities to the people.
however i know that there have been concerns by banana producers in the european union and that is why the amended regulation that we are about to vote on tomorrow is a good legislative tool and i really hope that it can calm some of the concerns that you have expressed here on behalf of them.
it is a tool that will guarantee the stability of the banana market and the longterm sustainability of this sector which is so important for many europeans especially in our outermost regions.
the new regulation will provide more information.
it will regularly be available and imports will be monitored closely. it would be transparent and userfriendly so that everybody can follow what is going on and get a full picture.
you can be assured that the commission and i personally will be fully dedicated to this procedure and we will be informing and engaging with you and the whole parliament on this regularly and we are of course ready to discuss at any moment if you have questions on this.
this is why the nato leadership starting from the secretarygeneral jens stoltenberg has been so supportive of our work towards a stronger europe of defence.
we are currently working to respond to this task and our proposals will be reflected in three documents that will be presented in the european council at the end of this month a joint communication on the follow up to salisbury;
first the clearest progress is probably on military mobility.
let me just highlight some key achievements that are mentioned in this progress report which by the way will also constitute a good basis for our further work looking ahead to the next nato summit in brussels.
all the work we've done inside the european union has always been done hand in hand with strong nato support and with the deepening of the partnership with nato.
the report wishes for a more substantive partnership within the european union and nato'. not only do we share twenty two members we also face similar challenges and we have converging security interests.
the changing atmosphere related to the topic has been felt during the consultation and writing of the present report a fact illustrated by comparing its first draft with the version used for the vote in the committee on foreign affairs.
in regard to those threats and challenges the upsurge in russia's military assertive behaviour and activities political manipulation and cyberattacks as well as direct interference in european countries' internal affairs aiming at undermining their unity are equally concerning to both the eu and nato a reality underlined by the fact that many of the seventy four common activities mentioned above are directly devoted to countering exactly
since crimea in two thousand and fourteen the basis and substance of collaboration between the eu and nato have accelerated and enlarged so that today we speak about no less than seventy four common actions.
such actions. the report is addressing understandably the transatlantic relations and is stressing that the eu's own increased defence and security efforts apart from responding to us previous appeals see for instance the adios' speeches of both defence secretaries gates and panetta are a concrete contribution to burden sharing reinforcing both nato and the security bond with britain after brexit. the eu nato joint declaration and the subsequent implementation actions mark a new and substantive phase of the strategic partnership. in that context the report looks forward to the new joint declaration to be adopted at the approaching brussels nato summit in july. as expected special attention is given to the collaboration between the two organisations in military mobility
the report is based on the premise that the eu and nato both confronted with the same challenges and threats share the same values in their complementary activity devoted to preserving peace and security in a rules based international system.
indeed now that internal and external security are inextricably interlinked putting together the best abilities of the two organisations in providing security in general for the european citizens becomes imperative.
and makes my task easier from this point of view.
that i believe will contribute also to the good preparation of the nato summit for what concerns nato issues. then there might be other issues coming up on the agenda that do not relate to defence and security strictly speaking.
i am thinking of the european commission that is supporting this work for the first time ever with especially the european defence fund and the proposed multiannual financial framework mff but also with the european defence agency which is doing a fantastic job in supporting technically all this work. so thank you for the support.
it has something to do with our work in the permanent structured cooperation.
i believe that including our strong eu nato cooperation we will find ways to have constructive work between the european union and the uk after brexit happens because we share the same security objectives and i believe that in this field we will manage to build strong cooperation in the future.
so if the united kingdom remains inside our union i look forward to cooperation on shaping a better europe.
let us recall that we have a new example of sacrifice.
but if somebody leaves a community it has some impact.
it has been ten years since this regulation has been updated so we feel very strongly that what we do now has to be futureproof and solid and should be able to last for quite a while so what we do now we must do well and make it a robust mechanism that deals with all the loose ends.
mr president i would like to thank the commissioner and my colleagues. on a slightly lighter note i thought it was a pleasure and a bit of a relief to hear that we can actually talk about trade and agree from one side of the house to the other side of the house and even see that trade policies can advance values directly so i note that with a smile.
on the implementation yes of course measures must be feasible and even agile.
unfortunately it is not entirely unanimously shared but at least by a large majority.
commissioner thank you for your very detailed reply to the text that we have worked on together in this house.
in this regard while we fully understand the rationale of a view to propose an end use or catch all clause we think it could lead to the introduction of restrictions going beyond what is necessary and preventing a level playing field for exporters.
regarding the amendment on the definition of brokering services number five it would make the regulation cover a range of activities financial services and insurance related to goods that are outside the union and that would be very difficult to monitor and control.
when controlling exports to prevent eu involvement in executions in third countries we should focus our efforts on countries that have not abolished it and therefore we disagree with amendments thirty three thirty five and thirty seven because there is nothing to show that these countries concerned would have applied the death penalty despite the ratification of the protocol.
i mentioned that some of the proposed measures are without precedent in export control legislation.
it is related to amendment fifteen and that can also be accepted;
furthermore we can accept amendments eighteen on best practices for technical assistance nineteen on guidelines and twenty six on the report published by the commission on the implementation if you can agree that this is not an obligation for the commission.
amendment twenty one referring to the transmission of information to human rights oversight bodies is also acceptable.
we recognise the usefulness of the coordination group and we share the objective behind that amendment. we just need to be very careful to make sure that that article is not at odds with the agreed arrangement for delegated powers in the treaty.
this is acceptable in principle but it could be difficult to enforce so the inclusion of foreign subsidiaries of legal persons incorporated in the eu should of course not go beyond what is compatible with international law. amendments nine and ten on the transport of transiting goods whose export and import is prohibited by the regulation are also acceptable for the commission
it is in fact an anomaly that so many countries still have the death penalty and that so many thousands of people are still waiting in death row all over the world but the fact is that it has actually decreased.
trade can be a leverage to promote around the world european values such as human rights sustainable development fair and ethical trade and the fight against corruption and those values are the pillars of the newly proposed trade strategy by the commission.
as was said we will be discussing some very technical elements but let us not forget that we are talking about highly politicallysensitive issues such as ending the death penalty torture and ill treatment which are key priorities for all the work of the european union.
we support several amendments such as amendment six extending the proposed definition of broker' to cover nationals from member states not resident or established in the union.
but rather than amending the definition we could identify which restrictions on which services need the necessity test and then use of specific drafting to regulate those activities.
we would need to find an appropriate formula to create a forum for consultations between member states stakeholders civil society and the commission.
we can also accept amendment two adding human dignity and then several other more technical amendments that i will not go into now.
of course here companies requesting an export authorisation that submit information to competent authority have a legitimate interest in not giving certain data and making them public so we need to make sure how the text is drafted here.
we just have to make sure that it is formulated in compatibility with wto requirements.
this could present a challenge to the uniformity of the union's trade policy and for this reason the commission had instead proposed the urgency procedure which would help us to deal with most of the cases that could be addressed in a more proportionate manner.
but we are willing to see if those objectives which are basically the same can be reconciled in a formula that we can agree upon.
the countries that are included in the proposal in the authorisation of the annex have ratified the second optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights without reservation so they agreed to abolish the death penalty.
it is vital that we continue to develop values based trade policies as is very much the theme of the new trade policy of the commission.
three the overhaul of the existing eu controls of trade in torture instruments has been long overdue.
the absence of a multilateral export controls regime does complicate this task.
the anti torture regulation combines prohibitions of goods on the one hand with licensing requirements for trade in listed goods on the other hand.
two but it also looks at an authorisation system for multipurpose items that could be misused for torture and executions for example lethal injections.
while we observe that foreign trade transactions are becoming more and more complex we have to look for an effective set of enforcement measures and this should also include the marketing and financial services that do take place and are related to this industry.
the commission proposes to strengthen the controls of torture goods to include certain medical substances and to broaden the scope to include brokering.
as the commission can more flexibly adapt the regulations and the items that are at stake we do ask as a parliament to be duly informed and involved.
finally we look to industry to take its own responsibility to make sure that the eu does not trade broker transfer or otherwise get involved with goods or services that are used for the death penalty or torture.
specific item lists can provide clarity for exporters and importers to make it easier for them to comply.
in this regard it is also key that we seek a more level playing field in europe.
at the same time as we act now our policies and systems should be future proof and flexible so as to be able to adjust to changing technologies or changing realities elsewhere in the world.
i support this kind of approach of necessary and proportionate controls without creating unnecessary burdens for legitimate trade.
we have asked for reporting and exchange of information between member states via a secure encrypted system so that rejected licences and other notifications or important information can be shared and can help states coordinate.
we have also made sure that it is very clear and that there is no doubt about legitimate access to medicines and pharmaceuticals which of course for the eu is an important market and it must not be hindered by measures to curb the abuse of lethal injection.
still we seek coherence of the eu's export controls including military dual use firearms and torture goods lists without subjecting items to duplicate controls and making things more complicated.
i would like to thank the shadow rapporteurs for the collegial cooperation during which we focussed on updates needed to close the loopholes in the current eu regime.
it governs a ban on trade in so called single use torture and execution items and related technical assistance under annex.
in this update we must ensure a correct mix of eu legislative administrative judicial and external measures.
on the implementation and monitoring i think that the coordination group or whatever we call it in the end can have a very important role there.
also the commission has via delegated acts the powers to regularly modify the annex to make sure that it is kept up to date.
i am sure that with such a strong agreement to really have a good regulation updated here we can find a way to overcome the remaining difficulties and find a way to amend them in the right way so that we have a workable and efficient system that is proven for the future and equipped to ensure rapid reaction when a risk arises.
i think now we as parliament have set the right pace and i ask the council and the commission to be constructive partners in the trilogue to achieve better legislation that is coherent with our values.
i welcome this proposal as important and much needed because it is essential to control the export of goods which are used for the death penalty and torture. in order to prevent such degrading treatment from happening it is important to use all available tools that are specifically designed to act as antitorture solutions.
however we must not forget to find a proper balance between the genuine interests of companies and the potential use of certain goods for capital punishment.
moreover we need to come up with a thorough monitoring mechanism in order to prevent the abuse of restrictions imposed on exporters of medical products.
i am really glad that this has been anchored in the new single market act.
this is a living report.
we call on the commission to take tough measures against breaches of internal market legislation to crack down on unfair commercial practices to create a true common european payment area and to remove obstacles especially for e commerce.
actually our entire report is a call for action.
we should not give in to the wind of protectionism that is blowing throughout europe.
from the vikings to venice trade has always been a force of progress economic development and peace. let us keep up our commitment to putting the real economy at the centre of the political agenda.
we are asking member states to implement and enforce existing internal market legislation and competition law goods packages service directives the small business act and to remove the hidden and hideous new restrictions that have been put up in recent years.
but we also want to see concrete results.
our report is about creating more jobs in europe. the time has come to recognise that retailers are drivers of growth. did you know and can you imagine that if you buy a toy in one member state for your child you have to retest it to get additional certification in another member state?
i am very grateful to shadows and colleagues who have made a great contribution in making a cross political commitment to call for an action plan for retail based on a long term and holistic approach.
as she said we have had visits and representations from people in the retail sector whom we had never seen before and who had never engaged with the european parliament before. and yet as she emphasises retailers of all sizes are absolutely at the cutting edge both of the internal market and in delivering for consumers.
that is the first point in many cases where consumer protection has to operate.
we took up an embryo initiative from the commission a working document. the commission had not decided to proceed to any sort of green paper. i now hope that they will take it more seriously.
but at the same time we have to ensure that the consumer the processor the producer and the retailer are all given fair play and particularly that consumers can have confidence that they are getting fair value for money.
this is first and foremost an agreement for the security of the region starting with the security of israel starting with the security of the gulf but also for our own european security because as europeans we were the ones closest to iran of all those sitting at the negotiating table.
it will be difficult it will involve a lot of energy and unity and careful management but i see this as our role.
to find a way forward and reach an agreement did indeed also offer hope for the fact that different global dynamics could be possible if we identify common ground and common interests.
so you would not have expected this agreement to cover other aspects of iranian political institutional life or its relations with the rest of the world or its internal roots.
it was a different level of being proud but it was a very important
our work has not finished with the signing of the agreement. first because we have the implementation phase but also because we have to work on future political developments inside iran and outside iran in the region in which we will need to invest.
well ten plus years' is a relatively long time and the point will be how we use these ten years politically.
it is very important to stress that this is a security agreement also and first of all for the environment the region of iran which is a region that does not enjoy very high levels of security nowadays.
not i guess strictly on the iranian details of the agreement but because of the symbolic and political meaning of that agreement namely that iran is opening up.
it is something new.
around that table we had somehow the international community represented on a clear mandate originating from a security council resolution.
i will come back to that in a moment but i believe that we have somehow invested in the future of the region and in the future of the country too.
this also implies our work on human rights.
that also made me proud.
this is first of all a security deal a security agreement.
what i do know is that the real point is that we can trust the international community.
obviously we have to engage in this direction and you can count on the fact that i will personally do that.
that is why i say that this is an agreement that also restores trust in the international and multilateral approach and we desperately need
first of all because the scope of the agreement itself by its nature was and is still limited even if the word limited' is maybe not appropriate because it is historical in itself but limited to the nuclear programme.
my reading of the political dynamic inside iran is that the current iranian leadership did something that the previous iranian leadership did not do decided not to do which is investing in the possibility for their country to open up
one. i thank you very much for all the support you have shown today but this is just the beginning.
but this is not the only role that we as the european union will have to keep.
a strong role on the implementation face and a strong active role in trying to shape a different kind of regional framework and also in trying to make it clear for the iranian people who were celebrating in the streets
commissioner i cannot see how this secures either the middle east or the rest of the world.
i followed the topic as a journalist at the iaea in vienna from the beginning of two thousand and two or two thousand and three although of course it goes back much further than that the difficulties in bringing all these parties to the table have their roots in the events of one thousand nine hundred and seventy nine the revolution in iran and the mistrust that followed.
now with the negotiations over and the passing of the treaty in the us congress almost assured we have to look ahead.
it is my hope that the nuclear deal was just the beginning.
high representative what thought has been put into confidence building measures across the arabian or indeed the persian gulf between the gulf states and iran where a deep mistrust has been allowed to develop?
i do not think it is fanciful to think of iran in those terms in a number of areas.
that is not unique within the region of course but this house in march two thousand and fourteen called for an euiran human rights dialogue.
on their behalf i very strongly welcome this deal as an important step forward globally as our high representative rightly says of an example towards nuclear nonproliferation.
yes the stars had to align in a wider context but this was the eu acting as the eu for perhaps the first time where we played a significant central role that nobody else could have done in bringing this deal home.
the global community had to find a way to reboot our relationship with iran a country that could and should be a strong ally.
the cold war between saudi arabia and iran is right now having grave consequences in the region.
in yemen iraq syria and elsewhere we are seeing interference by both countries in the internal affairs of their neighbours.
so we very much endorse the praise and recognition that ms mogherini her team and indeed her predecessors do rightly deserve.
so what does the future look like now that we can think about a new relationship?
is it too early to talk of an eu iran trade deal?
if it is perhaps we can start thinking in that direction to encourage them into that dialogue.
we have a lot of experience in bringing mistrusting parties together.
we will criticise the death penalty but when eighty of the executions are drug related and the iranians told us themselves that their policies in combating drugs are failing surely eu cooperation in the fight against drugs can have some real influence. similarly we have a difficult but essential job to engage iran in the fight against isis and in resolving the conflicts within the region thus dealing with the causes of today's migrant crisis not just its symptoms.
finally recognising the important statement of the saudi foreign minister expressing satisfaction with the assurances about the deal the wariness the israelis have expressed to me is this that this is a deal for fifteen years but they ask what about fifteen years and one day? we can find an answer. in europe's cooperation with iran we can seek development which means there will be no going back.
in the last week some would think that the only importance was the reaction inside the us congress but today's debate demonstrates european support for a european deal.
we need to talk about how we can engage iran in the cause of peace.
we now have to make sure it is a deal for development a deal for modernity a deal for peace.
but today america is talking to the russians and the russians are talking to the iranians.
europe's response can and must strengthen reformists within iran.
the deal should also not deter the eu and its member states from criticising iran where necessary.