kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
secondly i will also propose a regulation on the mutual recognition of civil law protection measures to ensure that any victim who is at risk and who benefits from a protection measure taken against a potential offender in one member state can continue to benefit from such a measure when they move or travel to another member state.
this will address the quality of treatment that victims receive in the aftermath of a crime and during the criminal proceedings.
this is a strategic priority for the commission.
we also intend to introduce a wide range of non legislative measures to ensure that the new legislation works effectively and we will propose a road map on the strengthening of victims' rights to ensure that these rights remain high on the political agenda in the years to come.
secondly do you envisage any circumstances in which domestic courts might lose their jurisdiction in tax matters if whatever decision they take impacts on yields in another member state?
i have to go through a certain order and i am sorry for that. i am sorry for the three of you but i would suggest to you that as commissioner rehn is i know a very sympathetic commissioner i am sure that as he leaves the chamber he will be prepared to talk to the three of you.
that is the only solution i can offer and i know that it is not satisfactory.
mr higgins i was actually about to make a statement before i gave the floor to the commissioner for what will be the last question because believe you me i am as angry as you.
i do not like sitting here in these circumstances having to disappoint a large number of members and having to keep a number of members of the commission waiting.
the people i would like you to target are your group leaders and i say that again loud and clear it is the group leaders who set the agenda and leave us in a situation almost every plenary week where we do no have enough time to deal properly with question time to the commission or indeed when it has taken place to the council.
i have made my views known before.
you have seen what has happened all day with the agenda and it is not satisfactory.
i think that it is wrong that you were put in the position whereby you were forced to cut us back but likewise i do not believe it is all the leaders' fault either because the running of the schedule on the day is for whoever is in the chair.
maybe we could come to an agreement and you with the bureau and with the vice presidents could agree that this section question time is sacrosanct and that that will not be changed.
i will be bringing it up with the group leaders because i am sorry to say that is where the problem lies in the conference of presidents when they set the agenda.
it is a question of too much material being put on the agenda before we get to question time.
there needs to be some sort of line drawn to make sure that this period of time when members can hold the commission or the council to account is honoured.
i have no alternative in the circumstances we find ourselves in tonight. i am very sorry for all the questioners but the best i can do is to get through as many questions as possible and let questioners have their moment.
it is not a position i relish and you will know i think that we are taking steps to move to a new more real form of question time to reflect the new situation we find ourselves in after the entry into force of the lisbon treaty.
the sooner that happens frankly the better but let us now proceed.
but who decided that commissioner emeta could have three questions and commissioner rehn could only have one question?
how did one commissioner get a number of questions and another only one question?
therefore it avoids fraud arrangements that are based on non payment of the vat by the supplier followed by deduction of the vat by the customer who is in possession of a valid invoice.
i have to say that speaking to your staff we are very excited that this could potentially be a package of measures that restores trust and added value for citizens who need help when they are victims of crime. what maggie hughes and many other victims of crime have said to us is that they like the measures that you propose
but that they want to see a concentration of help.
so really this is a plea to you to make this the kind of potentially great proposal that it can be.
the country is sadly a key intermediary for drug shipments between south america mainly the colombian cocaine cartels and europe.
a combination of security building measures involving six hundred regional peacekeeping troops and hard hitting pragmatic negotiations with threats of economic sanctions has reportedly now broken the deadlock and hopefully stabilised the country. i have heard reports recently that the military junta is stepping down and handing power back to a civilian and interim government with the prospect of free and fair elections taking place in the future. this state of affairs if it is true is to be welcomed. the eu should demand that the interim government make significant reform of the political system its top priority.
the regional organisation ecowas must be commended for its robust leadership in responding to this crisis.
only then can the country be ruled by civilians legitimated by free and fair elections.
the country remains one of the poorest in the world ravaged by drug trafficking and its problems directly affect europe through the drug trade.
the un security council also underlined that those responsible for the human rights violations must be held accountable and that any lasting solution to instability in guinea bissau should ensure that those responsible for politically motivated assassinations other serious crimes and breaches of constitutional order are brought to justice.
the eu has already adopted sanctions against six members of the military command and is ready to extend the list to other persons military and political who are de facto governing the country and may be responsible for human rights violations and abuses including arbitrary detentions ill treatment during detention and violent repression of peaceful demonstrations as well as looting and mismanagement of public funds.
we are also concerned about the deteriorating human situation and the constant risk of violence.
in this regard the high representative has encouraged ecowas and the au to bring the concerned partners of the international community together to mobilise coherent political and financial support for the roadmap for return to constitutional order and security sector reform.
we are monitoring the latest political and security related developments in this light.
we stand ready to actively support mediation efforts in the current crisis towards the identification of an inclusive transitional arrangement.
democratic stability in guinea bissau requires the removal of the threat represented by the armed forces and the reform of the security sector remains an urgent necessity.
fighting against impunity combating drug trafficking and the removal of any army grip on power.
moreover we are concerned about the possibility of arrangements that would allow the current leaders of the armed forces to continue to threaten or control the civil powers.
those responsible for anti constitutional behaviour or crimes must be held to account; any agreement must be inclusive and democratic;
the international community needs to stand united.
we renew our call for the immediate release of all illegally detained persons and for the immediate suspension of the military command's prohibition on persons including members of the former government leaving the country.
we already suspended most of our aid last year and the primary condition for its resumption is local agreement to reform the security sector.
the current crisis in guinea bissau clearly reveals once more an attempt by the military to get involved in civilian affairs and gain control of the political affairs of the country.
the eu strongly condemned the military coup in guinea bissau on twelve april. two thousand and twelve we called for the immediate re establishment of the legitimate government and for the completion of the presidential elections in compliance with the law.
the way to a solution is to persuade the military to step aside and to reform the army.
stabilisation of the country must be a priority. effective rule of law improved education and social cohesion will stimulate more investment and growth. that is the path all stakeholders must pursue.
if not the international community must impose sufficient pressure to achieve the necessary changes.
exactly how this is to be done remains unclear and there are still grounds to fear that a compromise may not resolve the underlying issues.
this has to be done in greater synergy with the un the african union the community of portuguese language countries and other international partners in order to ensure that the stabilisation strategy effectively addresses critical issues including the implementation of security sector reform the fight against impunity the fight against drug trafficking and the promotion of social and economic development.
the cohesion policy legislative package for the period two thousand and fourteen two thousand and twenty adopted by the commission on six october will offer a framework to fund a wide variety of investments to tackle demographic change.
investment in entrepreneurship modernisation of social and health sector infrastructures kindergartens and housing as well as support for the economic and social integration of immigrants and minorities.
in order to face the demographic trend to a further aging population the eu has to reduce the differences in terms of health and must contribute to improving access to health services.
the provisions related to the local development approach integrated territorial investment and sustainable urban development will allow further flexibility and additional possibilities for funding to address demographic change at regional and local level.
this report represents a precious contribution for the european commission. as the report acknowledges there are great differences in the demographic trends in europe which some regions are going to experience. therefore a one size fits all' approach will not work. cohesion policy already supports demographic change through actions such as active labour market policies
in this regard the commission has adopted a number of common provisions for the three funds included in the package the european regional development fund the european social fund and the cohesion fund.
regional responses to demographic change should address the challenges through integrated approaches.
demographers calculate that all this unsustainable population growth is down to migration and births to migrants.
mr president demographics of course is a fascinating subject and behind great historical developments and changes there is often an untold demographic story.
there is nothing wrong with some appropriate moderate and sustainable immigration but the uk is adding over one million people to its net population every four to five years.
sixty two four million and on current trends the population will grow to over seventy million by two thousand and thirty and thereafter spiral ever upwards.
we must make sure we are able to address these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities.
we must ensure that we have up to date information on demographic changes within our member states and especially within the different regions in our states.
striving to deal with the humanitarian consequences of natural disasters and conflicts often working in difficult and risky environments.
we have made linking relief to rehabilitation and development a priority for our cooperation with commissioner piebalgs because the best way to build resilience is through development.
let me emphasise that we have taken a very prudent approach to checking the performance of our partners and their projects.
we want our partners to pay close attention to results and to value for money for our taxpayers.
of course in this context we pay particular attention to the un.
finally we are committed to integrating into our work a systematic cost benefit analysis so we can put forward projects and programmes that meet the requirement of achieving the highest possible result for european taxpayers'
secondly we strongly emphasise a results oriented approach in our partnership agreements and we will continue to so.
it is the most tangible example of european integration.
fully joining schengen is not only politically fair but it is also needed from a security point of view because the internal security of one member state is the internal security of all and the security of all our citizens.
finally the setting up of the ads will strengthen the management of the external borders and therefore schengen.
the implementation of the ees will be a particular challenge for croatia given its long land border.
no matter how much work we collectively do in the three institutions in the end we will be judged by our success or failure only on three or four topics. schengen is one of them. for our citizens it is the symbol
for a long time the commission's position is that bulgaria and romania already fulfil the necessary conditions. they were positively assessed between two thousand.
our discussion with the interior ministers last week left me optimistic that there is agreement that this issue must now again be seriously considered.
of the european union itself.
let me start by highlighting the following.
here the european union is willing to provide support.
it would also allow them to implement the entryexit system in the most efficient way without installing it in border sections which would become internal borders after their accession to schengen.
in other areas further improvement is required and we stand by the croatian authorities to continue with the same commitment.
it represents all the rights and benefits of being european as it is closely connected to the freedom of movement and the notion of european citizenship.
for all political groups.
fragmenting or creating a second class schengen with the solutions found in the entry exit system for example is putting the integrity of freedom of movement at risk.
if you do not to reverse the course of action soon i am seriously afraid that schengen as we know it will be a thing of the past and there is no european union without schengen.
on the contrary the commission further proposed the extension of internal border controls beyond the current legal basis this year while admitting that the conditions are not fulfilled.
such political games by the council erode the trust of our citizens in the european project which we are so desperately trying to protect from collapsing. i would also like to welcome croatia as soon as it meets the criteria. have we really forgotten that schengen is one of the greatest achievements of the european integration?
it is quite unacceptable that despite the required conditions being fulfilled the decision on accession has not yet been made.
both of these eu countries have for a long time now fulfilled all the criteria for joining the schengen area but are still being refused access by other member states of this union and for political reasons alone.
today i would like to reach out to romanian and bulgarian citizens and say that you enjoy the same rights and the same values as any other european citizen!
we cannot on the one hand criticise certain member states for not respecting due process and then ignore ourselves the rules that we have set up for accession to the schengen zone!
i am proud that this parliament always fights for the union and for the rights of its citizens.
the schengen area also faces another fundamental challenge namely the discrimination against bulgaria and romania.
all these measures and the hard work that has gone on with all of the issues of privacy and individual liberties that we had to tackle was to safeguard the external border.
schengen is precious all the measures are coming to make it and i echo what the commissioner said together all of us together will make this happen.
i have never heard in all the years that i have been here a stronger case made for anything about the central cause of this european union.
we are doing this and being proactive in this cause not just because we believe it but because we have examined the case for these countries.
this is not just a case for the politics but for understanding what it means for romania and bulgaria to be full members.
then i refer again to the commission and i ask the council on this this has not been a static process.
at the heart of that he said that schengen was precious to the whole idea of the european union.
this is a case not just for justice but for practicality.
let us also be clear about this institution the european parliament for anyone who is in any doubt.
with all of this we can surely ask that today there is an unambiguous and clear demand that two countries have justice and are fully integrated member states of the european union.
in all of these six years we have been strengthening the external border entry exit system external border controls the border agency one of the fastest files ever created in this parliament.
the presidency on seven december was happy to conclude the discussion concluding that we have to continue working hard in the coming months on strengthening the schengen area including via enlargement. as for croatia it is still in the process of being evaluated in the run up to full application of the schengen acquis. the council has already adopted several implementing decisions setting out recommendations to address the deficiencies identified with a view to croatia fulfilling the conditions necessary for the application of the schengen acquis.
this has put the schengen area under heavy pressure but we have not remained idle. many steps have been taken to sustain the full and proper functioning of schengen and many proposals are in the pipeline.
however the decision to fully apply the schengen acquis for the two countries for which we need unanimity is still outstanding.
while progress has been made on a number of files a number of questions remain outstanding with internal border controls in place in six countries in the schengen area. it is therefore necessary for us to further intensify our work to get back to normal operation of schengen including viable alternatives to internal border controls.
and in direct relation to the issue discussed in our debate today ministers also reflected on how we can move forward on the pending full application of the schengen acquis in bulgaria and romania.
ministers took stock of measures already taken such as the entry exit system.
against this background the presidency organised an informal debate between the ministers of the interior at last week's justice and home affairs council on seven and eight december. ministers had a good and constructive debate and even if there are diverging views on some issues there is a general consensus that we must do our utmost to reinstall and strengthen our trust in schengen.
at the justice and home affairs council in october this year ministers had an extensive exchange of views on schengen particularly on the proposed schengen border the borders code amendments in relation to temporary internal border controls.
a small number of issues remain to be evaluated and we are looking forward to receiving the commission's proposal for implementing decisions thereon in the near future.
we looked at measures currently discussed such as the eu travel information and authorisation system the schengen information system proposals and the proposal for amending the schengen borders control.
the improved situation regarding migratory pressures and expected early agreement on a number of the measures currently under discussion could perhaps change the situation.
both countries have fulfilled all the necessary conditions and have made significant efforts to guarantee the security of the eu's external borders.
mr president i think schengen is one of the most fundamental expressions of the european idea the idea to cross borders to overcome borders overcome differences that divide us and to grow together.
every member state has the right but even the obligation to join schengen as soon as it fulfils the criteria for the common membership.
and those conditions those criteria are very clear.
they are crystal clear and the procedures should not be changed in the middle of the process.
precisely because schengen is so important it is such an important right for all european citizens it cannot be withheld from particular member states and from their citizens.
we are very worried about the proposed changes to the justice laws that are currently being discussed and debated in the romanian parliament and eu citizens in romania are expecting europe to do something about it.
i think we absolutely have to do something and i want to thank those people in romania who go out on the street and demonstrate for their rights for democracy and are telling all of us all the time reminding us that democracy is more than going to vote once in a while it is more than having the rule of the majority. it tells us that there is also the responsibility of the majority for all citizens.
we stand with you.
but it is very clear that schengen is also and especially for those people they are european citizens they need to be allowed to travel freely like everyone.
i am also very proud that the european parliament has been very clear on this all the time and now it is time for the council to act and i hope it will do this very soon.
mr president at a time when the schengen area is under considerable strain from mass movement of illegal migration i find it remarkable that a debate on expanding the schengen area has been considered.
for as we all know and yet many choose to deny having no border checks at the internal borders helps to facilitate the free movement of terrorists and the free movement of weapons.
it assists criminal gangs by allowing them to easily transport illegal drugs.
it also plays a significant role in facilitating human trafficking across the eu.
one of the most important of these is to ask that our people can feel safe.
i would ask you to consider this because it is something that is very seriously at risk here and people constantly ask us about safety and governments keeping the people safe.
to enhance the development of capabilities the european council will encourage further development of remotely piloted aircraft systems in the two thousand and twenty two thousand and twenty five framework and more development of air to air refuelling capacity the creation of a next generation
common security and defence is about protecting our families and homes and helping to ensure that we provide for a more stable and secure neighbourhood and world.
hence the member states are ready to address the challenges exposed by the crisis through increased efforts to better balance economic and social objectives.
this also includes avoiding duplication and ensuring complementarity.
banking union is also in the end about protecting our livelihoods from the threat of yet another financial crisis.
a properly functioning emu needs the member states to work together to address in a balanced and coordinated way economic employment and social imbalances which have implications for monetary union as a whole.
it will then be for the european council to decide what kind of signal it wishes to send to the council on the follow up to be given to this file.
finally tackling migration in the mediterranean is concerned with protecting those who risk great danger in the search for a better life.
let me say that this week's european council will be about achieving concrete deliverables.
many of you mentioned ukraine and i am very grateful for this.
as president barroso stated recently in these difficult hours we cannot leave the ukrainian people on their own.
but the report which will be forwarded to the european council will present the outcome of the ecofin discussion.
we owe it to them to ensure that the disaster we witnessed in october is never again repeated.