kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
are a major challenge not just to individuals but also to third level institutions to be able to provide the expertise that is needed to keep up with what is happening in the world.
mr president i welcome the fact that we have finally adopted the resolution on this very important topic.
while we have rightly expressed our support for the popular desire for an open society we should be aware of the complex and yet unsolved problems in egypt and in the middle east.
the situation in egypt could be adequately described as a revolt in waiting for a revolution. a new generation has brought novelty to egypt but social media skills are not enough. egypt is still mired in backwardness anti semitism and extreme practices.
the eu has yet to formulate a proper policy towards the new developments in north africa.
egypt needs our support but we need an egypt ruled by law and human dignity.
our task is just beginning.
and that's why i decided to use my report to focus on two things on transparency and on convergence.
i'm very much looking forward to the discussion.
for example we are calling on the european external action service to actually translate these five hundred pages of numbers and columns into an online searchable database so that public oversight is actually possible.
we even set up an eu mission in the mediterranean to enforce the arms embargo against libya and this very same mission reported a violation of the arms embargo by turkey and the uae yet eu member states still supply turkey the uae and all the other countries breaking this arms embargo with weapons and some of these weapons end up with sarraj others end up with haftar all fuelling the violence.
this is not very clear. and the conflict between france and germany last year over arms exports to saudi arabia clearly showed how easily this can create tensions. but this divergence is also a problem for a common eu foreign and security policy.
and then my dear colleagues from epp there's the arms industry the arms industry that already today complains that all these national regulations make cooperation super difficult that arms export decisions are not reliable and that they cannot do business that way.
and the more we work together in arms production the more this will be a problem the more this will be a problem for democratic control and oversight because if member states produce arms together who actually decides over the exports?
it and at the same time the very same people refuse to even discuss an eu level involvement in democratic oversight and export control and thereby undermine what they want to reach a european defence union and strategic autonomy of the european union.
madam president arms are not like any other export goods because far too often they are used to suppress opposition or to kill civilians.
i want to thank all my shadows for the very fierce and fair debates we had in the negotiations.
and to be frank i totally get their point. and dear colleagues all these examples clearly show that if we want to do joint arms production we need to do joint arms export control as one eu. what i really don't understand is why the commission the member states and parts of this parliament are pushing so much for an internal defence market for joint arms production even putting money into
and that is why it's so important that once a year we discuss eu arms exports in this parliament and that's also why it's so important that we use this report to improve our way to control where arms end up in this world.
we've reached a lot but on this point we didn't reach consensus and that's why i decided to bring it to the parliamentary debate today.
but as proud as we all can be this doesn't solve the main problem and the main problem is that we have one common position on arms export of the eu but we have twenty seven national interpretations twenty seven export systems and an increasing divergence in actual exports of member states.
is it the member state that puts in the most parts?
we were also happy about the good results of the berlin conference earlier this year.
do you need to vouch your rights for democratic control before you can join?
throughout the whole summer thanks to the webinars of the lgbti intergroup and of rainbow rose i listened to many testimonies from polish lgbti people. they feel neglected because of the insufficient eu action but they still have hope and believe in strong eu support.
as the co chair of the lgbti intergroup i am particularly happy that lgbti rights in poland are strongly addressed. the amendments the intergroup proposed and which were adopted by the sd rapporteur and supported by four other groups specifically target the fears and the realities that lgbti persons are experiencing in poland.
therefore the lgbti intergroup asks the commission if it agrees that lgbti free zone declarations risk discriminating against lgbti persons in employment and occupation.
apart from cutting eu funds under the city twinning programmes which we highly welcome the commission's lack of action regarding lgbti free zones is worrying.
last april the court of justice of the european union recognised in the rete lenford case that homophobic statements can constitute discrimination in employment.
this includes hate speech by high political officials and more recently police brutality during the mass arrests of lgbti activists this summer during the polish stonewall'.
will the commission start an infringement procedure based on the eu directive on equal treatment in employment?
what concrete steps will the commission take to protect it especially when it comes to protecting human rights defenders like the authors of the atlas of hate'? we must keep in mind that attacks on the rights of lgbti people are a serious threat to fundamental rights everywhere in our union.
the commission must be able to purchase more quickly and without depending on the will of one member state or another.
the coronavirus has shown us the great need for an effective european disaster response.
in the face of such crisis we have the chance to strengthen the civil protection mechanism through this week's vote.
right now as i speak all over the world and in europe we have forest fires extreme weather and climate events. it is thirty one degrees today on fourteen september in brussels and we saw over thirty degrees all over the arctic circle in march.
take a look at yesterday's figures.
let's prove that we've learned from our lessons.
it's happening now right before your eyes.
we can no longer afford a situation similar to when italy came to this house and we had to show our empty pockets.
the commission must be able to intervene in the case of fires to repatriate essential workers such as my fellow romanian navigators who are stranded in different ports around the world or to help in humanitarian situations such as the one unrolling before our eyes in moria.
the second wave of the pandemic in europe is here.
european citizens are watching us and want to see that we've learned from this crisis that we have gone through it and are going forward.
our group's priority in renew europe is to ensure that the european union has a flexible emergency response system one that is centred on people and livelihoods.
it's very clear that we need an improved european union civil protection mechanism and we need it fast.
two hundred thousand deaths you said it that is the greatest tragedy that europe has suffered since the end of the second world war.
unfortunately the conflict is still there.
in order to be able to move forward and to overcome the political polarisation that has long been hampering progress in georgia.
there are still many areas that need to be improved like consolidating the rule of law the fight against corruption and strengthening human rights and fundamental freedoms.
it is also imperative to guarantee media freedom editorial independence and to take steps to prevent disinformation campaigns.
we have the obligation to not forget this conflict but to continue supporting georgia's independence sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
also the people must be guaranteed freedom of thought and assembly.
it has been twelve years since the beginning of the recent conflict between russia and georgia.
madam president the upcoming parliamentary elections in georgia on thirty one october are a possibility for georgia to demonstrate to its people that it is set and ready to be a stable democratic country. the agreement reached by the political parties earlier this year on electoral reforms is the right step and must be fully implemented
all that is right but at the same time in this context further convergence of arms export policies becomes still more important.
it serves to ensure our capabilities and reduce dependency while the defence industry is also a major source of technological innovation.
on two thousand and nineteen will become available shortly probably in october two months earlier than in previous years and it will bring a lot of precious information about these developments.
and most of the time the three things together.
member states are holding regular exchanges to share information on policies denial of licences and possible measures.
to ensure a thriving defence industry exports are essential but of course the defence industry is different from other industrial sectors and deserves special consideration taking into account its obvious links to national and international security human rights and humanitarian values.
two thousand and eight under the common position on arms export member states assess arms export license applications against a number of criteria established to ensure our strategic interests and also our values.
neither do we want to see the security of our borders or our ambitions in the area of greening be affected.
and this should finance at least the repayment of interest and of the whole next generation eu over the course of the next years.
this reform of the own resources system and the introduction of new own resources is a position long advocated for by the european parliament and it is an achievement of the european parliament and i would like to thank members of the european parliament who over the course of many years have fought for this.
because we have indeed made the historic decision to launch the recovery and resilience facility and the whole next generation eu package.
why do we need to introduce own resources exactly now?
and the introduction of own resources is the only way to pay for the recovery and resilience facility without negatively affecting the eu budget in the future because we do not want to see payments to farmers payments to communes to villages to researchers to erasmus students to be affected in the future.
we did our work.
we support it because the introduction of own resources makes the european union stronger it makes it more capable to provide answers and solutions to the problems of the people because one of the essential tools of the european union to fulfil the expectations of the people is the budget. and own resources into the budget means a more predictable budget which means a robust budget in the longer term capable of financing what the people expect the european union to finance.
this is why we have to act now on own resources and this is why we as the european parliament demand a binding calendar for the introduction of own resources legally binding.
shipping emissions are directly related to global trade and consumption.
in amendment seventy one i also propose to delete the exemption for warships. militaries are massive polluters.
therefore in order to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport in addition to emissions per transport work the eu must promote and pursue a global de growth strategy rather than the new growth strategy proposed in the european green deal.
the us military for example doesn't just destroy the lives of more people and communities than anyone else as julian assange has highlighted they're also one of the biggest polluters on the planet and i see no good reason to exempt any warships.
they sent the king to abu dhabi to hide away from swiss justice and they keep on selling weapons to the saudis.
they not only refused to investigate they participated in the cover up.
if we do not claim it and fight for it it's not going to happen. and that's why i call on all pro european parties in this house and i deliberately include ppe and renew in this one to vote tomorrow for amendment;
and to do it to finish what we started and make sure that the european union can really control where eu arms arms produced inside the eu end up in this world in chaos.
but let's not stop halfway.
nineteen to vote for amendment nineteen that calls on the member states and commission to translate the common position on eu arms export the common position that was reaffirmed by all twenty seven member states one year ago to transfer this common position into eu law.
it takes immediate effect and must be implemented by the member state concerned.
while justice reforms to improve its efficiency are always welcome the manner in which the judiciary in poland might be further reformed should not deepen the existing rule of law concerns.
the commission has received numerous petitions and letters about discriminatory language false accusations and hate speech used in poland.
commissioner reynders sent a letter to the polish authorities regarding the implementation of the interim measures order expressing concerns and asking for clarifications and further information.
this report has been prepared through a transparent process with the engagement of member states based on a common methodology and in an objective manner. a joint effort is needed to address the rule of law matters involving all the european institutions and the commission appreciates the continuous support of the european parliament in that respect. i also welcome the fact that the german presidency has put on the agenda of the general affairs council on twenty
nature. the declarations issued by polish regional or municipal councils vary in their
in addition the commission will maintain and encourage a structured and open dialogue and consultation with civil
this shows that there is a real concern of mutual trust in the judiciary which is very worrying.
it has reminded the polish authorities of the importance of promoting respect for fundamental rights and freedoms social inclusion gender equality and combating discrimination.
so far no legislative proposal is on the table.
a further development is that the disciplinary chamber has been seized by the prosecution services in cases requesting the lifting of the judicial immunity of judges for the purpose of pursuing criminal investigations including in cases which concern the contents of judicial decisions.
we are open to having such a dialogue with the polish authorities in an objective manner and with a mutual aim of solving existing problems.
union. all eu member states and state authorities alike without exception must respect eu values and fundamental rights. as indicated by the honourable members the court of justice of the eu has recently clarified the interpretation of the equal treatment directive with regard to public declarations expressing a discriminatory opinion or intention about the potential recruitment of lgbti persons.
following this order a judge of the disciplinary chamber referred a legal question to the polish constitutional tribunal contesting the constitutionality of treaty provisions on which the order for interim measures is based.
let me start with the new legislation on the judiciary of twenty december two thousand and nineteen which entered into force in february this year. the commission came to the conclusion that this law undermines the judicial independence of polish judges and is incompatible with the primacy of eu law.
in particular it prevents polish courts from directly applying certain provisions of eu law protecting judicial independence and from putting references for preliminary rulings on such questions to the court of justice.
the commission has received the reply from the polish authorities and will soon decide on the next steps in this procedure.
finally let me note that recently the ministry of justice announced that works are under way to prepare a second part of the justice reform.
i would like to underline that the order of the european court of justice is binding.
it is therefore essential also to have an open dialogue with the polish authorities and stakeholders. since the beginning of the mandate the commission has expressed its readiness for dialogue.
the commission strongly condemns any form of discrimination violence and hatred against lgbti people and activists and is committed to fighting any form of discrimination in the eu. it has always made clear that discrimination against lgbti people has no place in the european
the upcoming first annual rule of law report covering all member states which the commission will adopt soon can be a further basis for such dialogue.
the court referred to several factors which have to be taken into consideration in assessing whether such declarations are covered by the directive. the court pointed out that these issues are of a factual
society. eu values and fundamental rights must be respected by member states and state authorities
eu law. should there be a violation the commission as guardian of the eu treaties will make use of its powers. the commission has already on several occasions encouraged the polish authorities to revoke discriminatory resolutions charters and similar statements.
the commission is closely following these developments.
following the expiration of the mandate of the previous first president on twenty five may two thousand and twenty the president of the republic appointed a new first president of the supreme court.
this year. within this framework the commission will continue to provide appropriate funding to foster a conducive and sustainable environment for lgbti civil society organisations.
acquis. it is assessing the precise purpose scope and effects of the declarations at issue in view of a possible violation of
that resolution found that judges appointed at the request of the new national council for the judiciary are not permitted to adjudicate cases and also invalidated all the rulings handed down by members of the disciplinary chamber.
we stand ready to support the polish authorities in combating discrimination including on the basis of sexual orientation.
as made clear by the case law of the european court of justice the binding nature of the orders of the court cannot be questioned on the basis of national laws or rulings of national courts even on the basis of national constitutional provisions.
to conclude i regret to say that the recent developments show that the situation has not improved since the last plenary debate in february. rule of law concerns still persist and let me state clearly that the commission will use all the instruments at its disposal to address them.
we are also fully aware of the fact that more than a hundred regions and municipalities have adopted charters declarations and resolutions several of which regrettably demonstrate the aim to deny fundamental rights and freedoms to lgbti people. i want to stress the following equality for
the commission is currently analysing the reply from poland and the situation on the ground as regards the arrangements put in place to comply with the order.
as you know negotiations are currently ongoing between the parliament the german presidency and the commission.
let me recall that the multiannual financial framework and next generation eu legislation is a package.
seventy years since the schuman declaration a founding moment for our union.
in that sense the commission will continue to carry out its role and duty as an honest broker and stands ready to offer all the necessary assistance.
therefore i believe that it should be possible to agree on a powerful political commitment to own resources as part of the final mff package.
today and in reply to the points you raised in your oral questions i am glad to report that we have made good progress in implementing the different actions we announced and proposed last year.
there is overwhelming evidence that traces of pharmaceuticals in water and soil endanger wildlife such as fish birds and insects and have an adverse impact on the environment.
at the same time we must avoid that there is an undue impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment because this is the other aspect of which the pandemic has reminded us so strongly that our health and wellbeing depends so heavily on a healthy environment.
we will of course continue to address pharmaceuticals in the environment in very concrete actions and the various upcoming deliverables under the european green deal like the chemicals strategy and the zeropollution action plan and also under the upcoming pharmaceutical strategy which my colleague stella kyriakides is preparing for the end of the year. also the farmtofork strategy presented earlier this year includes an important target.
for example additional pharmaceuticals were included for veterinary and medical products and implementing and delegated acts are currently being drafted under the regulation on veterinary medical products. they also aim to promote more prudent use of antimicrobials and implement new rules
in the area of research the ongoing horizon two thousand and twenty programme is cofounding solutionoriented research as illustrated for example by a wideranging study on contaminants of emerging concern pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the water cycle.
in the medicines area we have started working with member states' health ministries for instance to make sure health professionals are aware of environmental impacts and we encourage initiatives taken in some nordic countries to use public procurement as a tool to promote pharmaceuticals that are produced in a green manner.
all these are concrete examples that illustrate the progress we are making to alleviate the impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment.
the issue will remain high on our political agenda and i can reassure you that we will continue to pursue our efforts together with you with member states and with the industry and of course with the professionals to stay on track and make the necessary progress using both legislative and nonlegislative means.
on oral medication.
but an effective reduction of the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment cannot be achieved at eu level without strong engagement also at the level of national health authorities the pharmaceutical industry and health professionals.
for example additional pharmaceuticals were included in the revised watchlist under the water framework directive in august this year.
the european medicines agency is currently working on updated guidelines on environmental risk assessment for human medical products and in the waste sector new guidelines will be developed on collecting schemes for unused medicines.
all eu actions are closely aligned with world health organisation guidance and dialogues are established at political and technical level with manufacturing countries outside the eu offering opportunities to raise concerns regarding the impact associated with the production of pharmaceuticals especially antibiotics.
furthermore in the follow up to the evaluation of the urban waste water treatment directive we are looking at ways to tackle micropollutants including pharmaceuticals which still pass through our waste water treatment plants.
we all agree on this in the light of the ongoing sanitary crisis probably more than ever.
in two thousand and nineteen the commission put forward the european strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment.
we are pleased that the council and parliament have shown support for the approach focusing on the entire life cycle of pharmaceuticals.
nineteen in this struggle the eu supported georgia with assistance worth some eur one hundred million.
these elections are crucial to georgia's democratic path.
we need to support georgia's sovereignty territorial integrity and its european future.