kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
but the czech republic has functioning democratic institutions whose capability of dealing with such problems remains unrestrained. we have conflict of interest legislation in place which has prompted andrej babi to place his media and other companies in a trust fund. these institutions are well placed to assess whether that is sufficient but all of that is just one single case.
i believe the european parliament should be addressing systemic issues in those member states that fail to respect fundamental democratic principles and where independent journalism faces institutional obstacles.
it seems that the czech politicians including president milo zeman have forgotten what brought us into the eu ranks in the first place.
i do not think this is something we should be debating here either but i would understand that many of you would like to understand an increasing ambiguity in eu issues in the czech republic and other eu countries as well their passivity and ever stronger tendency to see the european integration process in purely financial terms.
we need decisions on enforcement.
that will naturally be decided by our own ability to come to agreements on specific problems and challenges so let us first make clear what these problems are and let us start dealing with them.
i want a czech debate on these issues as well as a czech debate on europe. instead of discussing the failure of one czech politician in one single issue however important it might be we should focus on working towards a reform of the eu.
the czechs as well as other eu nations need real leaders to actively shape the debate on a number of issues from brexit and the future european integration to pressing security and other challenges on which we are often slow and weak.
i hope that the czech people will choose truly european leaders in the general election this fall and especially the presidential elections next january.
as regards the czech republic the figures are close to this eu average.
a majority of the respondents do not believe that the national media are free from political or commercial pressure while just over half of the respondents believe that their national media is providing trustworthy information.
these projects monitor risks to media pluralism in all member states as well as threats to and attacks on journalists which are is unfortunately becoming more and more frequent.
and there is no doubt europe needs a strong transparent competitive sustainable free and pluralistic media sector. citizens need to have the possibility to access good quality news and a diverse range of opinions.
within the competences that we have in the commission we are taking a number of actions to strengthen media freedom and pluralism across the
the independence of audiovisual regulatory authorities is crucial to ensure correct and unbiased implementation of the directive so that the digital single market becomes a reality and that is also key for ensuring media freedom and pluralism.
the results are publicly available and show that no member state in the european union is immune from risk when it comes to media pluralism.
one of the instruments that is particularly useful to this end is the eu financed media pluralism monitor it.
this does not appear to be the case in the situation we are discussing here today.
as you know the competences of the commission in the field of media freedom and pluralism are limited.
all member states in the european union have an obligation to ensure that we have independent media a plurality of voices and the freedom to express those voices and sadly europe is not immune from serious problems when it comes to media freedom and pluralism. these remain at risk both online and offline. the commission is aware of the challenges to media freedom and pluralism in various member states and i can assure you that we are closely monitoring the situation all over europe.
aims to identify and highlight risk to media pluralism and over recent years the european university institute has performed the test implementation of this instrument in all member states in an independent manner.
ultimately i think the answer to the current trends and challenges in the media landscapes are more media freedom more pluralism. these have helped us build up our democratic societies in the analogue age and are ever more necessary today in the digital society.
this is the work of all of us and it should be a shared responsibility of the eu institutions working together national policymakers media companies and of course citizens.
eu. for example we have proposed to review the audiovisual media service directive presented in may last year;
this requires regulatory authorities in the field of audiovisual media services to be independent setting down requirements of independence that they have to comply with.
opinions must be free to be expressed voices must be free to be heard.
furthermore we are implementing a variety of independent projects financed by you in the european parliament in the area of media freedom and pluralism.
they also provide media professionals under threat with practical solutions.
a majority fifty eight said that the national media do not provide information free from political or commercial pressure.
in europe of course it is enshrined in the charter of fundamental rights but it is under threat and in these times of alternative facts and fake news it is even more important that all of us stay vigilant in europe and also in the rest of the world because this is a fundamental right that european citizens deserve and should enjoy.
as i have said and you well know the commission has very limited competences in the area of media freedom and pluralism.
we are not planning any new legislation for the moment.
we are focusing on implementing different independent projects to monitor risks to media freedom and pluralism to map violation of media freedom and pluralism and to help journalists under threat.
we are also ensuring the independence of regulators in the proposal to review the audiovisual media service directive that the commission aims to contribute to this important goal.
there is no doubt europe needs a strong transparent competitive free and pluralistic media sector and this is the work of all of us. we need to do our part the different institutions national policy makers media companies journalists and citizens.
that they are simply very capable.
the talented will go forward as they do in this house by the way.
things are moving.
that is wrong.
but i come back to this discrimination is discrimination.
greater child care member states should invest in greater child care.
you only get one life and your professional life has been taken away from you.
two thousand and twenty after one year i.
it is the answer from studies commissioned by businesses such as mckinsey and deutsche bank indicating that there is a positive correlation between the presence of women in senior positions and company performance.
the under exploited pool of well educated women represents real untapped potential for the eu economy especially at a time when human capital is a key factor in terms of our competitiveness and when as a society we are ageing.
the question is can europe afford this?
should it be no should there be insufficient progress with self regulation then the commission will explore policy options for targeted measures to enhance female participation in decision making.
e. in march next year i will see which and how many companies have signed up to the pledge.
i hope the answer will be yes.
so gender diverse boards improve corporate governance and from a micro economic perspective companies that have introduced gender diversity on their boards can also mirror the diversity of their employees and customers.
eu member states might be very different as the rapporteur has said but they face a common challenge the under representation of women in high level decision making in particular in the corporate sector is a reality almost everywhere.
i know too that there are five eu member states which have followed the norwegian example and have introduced binding measures to increase the number of women in business leadership.
i wanted to give self regulation a last chance and i have encouraged companies to develop credible self regulatory initiatives to make significant progress. i have called on the eu's publicly listed companies to sign the women on the board' pledge for europe and voluntarily to increase women's
ms bers to show solidarity with vice president wieland i have never found him discourteous but i take note of your comment. i will perhaps bring it to the bureau and we could look at this issue because i also get criticism when i am very strict with time. my one observation is that yesterday i did not use the gavel during one debate as an experiment and it actually worked very well. but we take note of your comment.
it is unacceptable that people with albinism are hunted and killed just because they are born with another colour. i hope that europe and the world do not close their eyes and look away but react firmly to protect people with albinism and give them a normal life.
on thirteen june we marked international albinism awareness day which was proclaimed by the un general assembly. that was an important step to raise awareness together with the recent appointment of the first ever un independent expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism.
over the past two years malawi has faced a very worrying increase in human rights abuses against people with albinism including children.
comprehensive strategies to eradicate discriminatory practices against persons with albinism are needed including to ensure that they have adequate access to health care social services employment and education.
in line with these international commitments we need to take all possible measures to provide greater protection to persons with albinism at risk and to investigate crimes committed on that basis.
i do not agree.
the european union through our delegation is working and will continue to engage with governments and with the civil society actors in these countries.
some people believe that there is not much we can do to change social behaviour prejudice superstitions.
i see that contradiction and actually see the contradiction of their sitting in this hemicycle that is probably the first contradiction they are living. anyway i would like to thank you for this unanimous work on a very important issue.
this issue does not only relate to malawi as i said but to many parts of africa.
madam president today's resolution particularly focuses on the desperate plight of albinos in malawi but this is a problem that extends far beyond those borders to many other parts of africa.
there is a clear need for educational programs and of course for efforts by the criminal justice authorities to bring those to justice who have carried out acts of violence attacking albinos.
two thousand and fourteen a mixture of folklore and belief systems that openly stigmatizes the condition by association with omens and bad luck versus ideas of the magical healing powers of dismembered limbs has resulted in an extremely dangerous and hostile environment for those poor individuals with albinism.
the associated social stigma has devastating consequences for employment prospects and access to health care as well as often having adverse effects for the social standing of other family members.
the one statistic that remains in my mind is that ninety eight of those with albinism in africa die before the age of forty often from terrible skin cancers but also from acts of violence against albinos which are unfortunately only too common. in malawi alone there have been sixty five recorded violent incidents since.
now quite clearly overseas aid even that given on a conditional basis is shown not to be effective in dealing with the education employment and income issues that might if improved deal with the awful prosecution and persecution of defenceless albinos.
now the european union should look to itself and end its punitive trade barriers against african agricultural products those trade barriers that block much needed national economic development.
only via national economic development do properly funded health and education policies that will lessen the superstition and witchcraft practices have any chance of improving african societies for all citizens not just albinos.
madam president the ni member korwin mikke made a rather bizarre suggestion he said the european union should be destroyed and yet at the same time the union he wants to destroy should buy a piece of land and create a state for albinos.
i have a different proposition when you look at the problem here it is based mainly on superstition.
paragraph six of this oral question requires a thorough response from the commission.
mr president commissioner at a time when we are all struggling with rising unemployment and falling exports i understand the need for access to new markets for european companies and i understand the need and desire to support the commission in its efforts to achieve this.
the colombian government has introduced environmental legislation but as the commission's own sustainable impact assessment has shown the capacity to properly enforce this is lacking.
i will support this fta only when i see those actions coming into force.
our treaties commit us to supporting democracy human rights and environmental protection not just on paper but in practice in everything we do both within the union and through our external relations.
it must spell out the steps that it will take together with the colombian government to safeguard the natural environment before this fta comes into force. we have commitments too that civil society groups will help monitor the fta so we must ensure that those groups are free to speak out and that they represent the peoples
if we are to be a leader in high human and environmental standards throughout the world we must lead with really binding resolutions and with clear and strong actions to safeguard core european values.
all decisions and reports that governments make must be public.
this means that we are not simply pursuing values that we cherish we are pursuing the objectives that our partners identify as priorities. so not only the european union but also colombia and peru for that matter have set the improvement of human and labour rights as a priority on our bilateral cooperation agenda.
but i also want to make very clear that we would do no service to human or labour rights in either country by rejecting this agreement because one of the core objectives of the agreement has been precisely to reinforce these positive developments.
secondly the agreement establishes a transparent predictable and comprehensive mechanism to ensure implementation of core labour and environmental conventions.
the issue in the past has been about implementation of the standards on the physical safety of trade unionists and the legal framework for trade union activity but today it must also be an undisputed fact that the situation has improved enormously.
the us colombia free trade agreement does not contain a human rights clause which is why an action plan is necessary in their
it needs to be matched by appropriate international commitments and so it is.
if we were unilaterally to impose additional binding mechanisms ex post our partners could question the good faith of our negotiating positions.
once it has been set in motion it will follow a fixed set of procedural steps and deadlines.
now i know that some in this house are in favour of establishing some sort of action plan on implementation with colombia as the usa has
the government has also moved to eliminate legal and practical obstacles to freedom of association and collective bargaining for example by reducing the scope for outsourcing and labour intermediation.
this is far more consistent with the objectives and the rationale behind our trade and sustainable development chapters.
we are working to support the right to join and form trade unions also in colombia;
on their own initiative.
the very first article of the text states that respect for democratic principles the rule of law and fundamental human rights is an essential element of the agreement. if a government violates this essential element the european union colombia or peru would be able immediately to suspend the benefits of the agreement to that government's country.
firstly civil society organisations and citizens have an important role in the implementation of the agreement.
for example we have actions promoting the reintegration into society of child soldiers and street children in colombia.
both countries and the european union will have to set up advisory groups of civil society representatives including a balanced representation of economic social and environmental interests. those groups must be regularly consulted by governments about how the agreement is being put into practice and they will also be able to make recommendations
this can be triggered by the european union colombia or peru regardless of whether the country targeted agrees.
i do not see how this could be expressed more clearly or more strongly.
there are now higher levels of prosecution and conviction and police and judicial capacities have been strengthened.
that means that we will be in a position to open arbitration procedures in a much wider range of cases.
it establishes an arbitration system to deal with disagreements on trade and sustainable development.
a group of impartial and independent experts will study the matter to see if the country has lived up to its legal commitments under the agreement.
done. but the situation is not identical.
the legislation regulating strikes has been reformed incorporating important international principles into the national legislation such as making decisions on the legality of strikes the responsibility of the courts.
what this means is that civil society will help us in the commission and you in parliament to oversee the implementation of the provisions on sustainable development in particular but also the rest of the agreement.
the number of trade unions registered nationwide is increasing although more effort is needed to increase their representativeness.
because a trade agreement is also a political instrument and we wanted to have an opportunity to discuss politics and our foreign relations with these countries which soon will be closer to us.
by supporting nations governments and politicians we are sharing the same values as we do.
this is the only known way to make a better and fairer world.
we trust this agreement will help our partner countries on their path to economic growth and development contributing to fighting poverty promoting social cohesion and sustainable development. we strongly believe this agreement will help to improve the general perception here in europe of colombia in particular which has been criticised by persons who still look at it as if it was the same country it used to be in the one thousand nine hundred and ninety s in the last millennium.
it has dramatically changed for the better.
president santos will be remembered for what he is presently doing in colombia be it in the fields of human rights labour activists sustainable development or indigenous peoples' rights.
we also suggest that our partner countries should create a transparent and binding road map possibly with the support of the commission regarding human labour rights and sustainable development.
to conclude a final word to express my deep disappointment at the fact that apparently this parliament did not accept an invitation from the congresses of both colombia and peru to participate in two hearings with an mep delegation from all political groups.
two last remarks firstly to express our highest admiration to both colombia and peru for a notable improvement of the general living standards of their citizens.
in an open and free society civic organisations have the right to be heard but then it is up to the democratically elected governments to make their choices and assume their responsibilities.
a special word for president juan manuel santos who is changing very rapidly a country that lived for decades with an armed conflict violence and impunity corruption and drug trafficking.
the role of civic forums is not to replace governments particularly when they are democratically elected governments as is the case in both countries.
it would be particularly important for colleagues to see the realities through their own eyes.
i hope that it can be more than just the two rapporteurs who will go there.
we also want to see both in peru and colombia the establishment of permanent institutionalised mechanisms that guarantee the role of civil society.
we think this is a good agreement for both the european union and our andean partners and we strongly support it.
but the one and only truth is that colombia has changed.
by being nearer to our partner countries we are helping their citizens.
we europeans must keep on supporting these changes by approaching our friends not by repelling them.
however in deliberating on the draft free trade agreement i ask colleagues to base our assessment not on oft repeated commitments but on actual results in securing convictions for the perpetrators of human rights abuse in colombia in what according to the united nations is a country with an impunity rate of more than.
how does he respond however to the international committee of the red cross which says that last year human rights violations got worse in colombia or to the prosecutor of the international criminal court who says this is one of three countries in the world with the worst levels of international crime? on the proposed action plan i pay tribute to catherine bearder and the amendment she is putting forward i hope we will support it.
we have a lot of possibilities to steer the process;
i realise that much progress has been made in colombia and i think that we need to encourage and reward the effort which has been made.
i did raise this issue and we did pursue this issue.
it had some effect because the attorney general and some of the ministers from colombia came here and tried to make their case.
but i would like the commissioner to take this up directly with the international trade union congress to try to persuade them that there is sufficient cover in this for them to buy into it because the human rights situation is such that a lot of members in this house who would like to see the agreement signed still have
we want to see momentum and protection for people who have the right to organise. so i want to see the situation in colombia advanced;
i want to see a reward for the efforts made; but i also want to see protection for people who are going about their lawful business in organising labour.
i would say manoeuvring in smoke filled rooms but this being brussels i will say smoke free rooms.
it has produced candidates concerning whom i have to say that i have not heard of a single member of this house who thinks we are now about to appoint the twenty seven best qualified men and women in the whole of the european union to the awesome powers concentrated in the hands of the european commission.
it seems to me extraordinary that this continent which exported the idea of representative government and parliamentary democracy which carried the seeds of democracy to far continents where they found fertile soil should now have taken the axe to the ancestral tree here in europe.
mr president our agenda this week and today particularly has been thin meagre and truncated. we all know why.
this is the most exclusive electorate in europe seven hundred and thirty six meps get to decide who will run the continent.
the week has been given over to backroom manoeuvring.
you do not have to be a eurosceptic to find that objectionable.
all of us are diminished by that process.
we have come through this nonsense of the hearings.
not only will they be the executive they will also have the right to initiate law a concentration of power that is extraordinary in any context but all the more so when we bear in mind that they are not directly answerable to the electorate.