kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
it will focus on transformative areas for girls and women so as to eliminate all forms of violence or discrimination to give them equal access to natural and economic resources and to empower them socially and politically.
let me stress this the level of ambition and commitment of this new framework have not been affected by its format as a joint staff working document.
shifting the institutional culture including through dedicated leadership in all european union institutions and member states is key to ensuring a more effective delivery of gender sensitive outcomes.
it is a positive step change that will ensure that the commission's services and the european external action service work together effectively coherently and strategically making sure that the fulfilment of girls' and women's rights are a tangible reality.
in conclusion let me reiterate our full commitment to the effective implementation of this new gender framework and to making the necessary changes happen.
addressing the delay in the achievement of gender equality worldwide the european union wants to provide concrete high impact actions and measures supported by more targeted funding gender expertise and strong political leadership in all its external policies
we confirmed this intention in the recent global process of adoption of the new sustainable development goals. this is exactly what the commission's services and the european external action service had in mind when putting forward the new framework for action on gender equality and women's empowerment
it will apply in all our partner countries including in fragile and emergency situations.
i hope that your main concerns have been addressed in the new gender framework for action and that we can continue our dialogue on its implementation.
the commission and the european external action service are eager and fully committed to make this pledge a reality through effective implementation of the new gender framework and in partnership with all the eu institutions the member states partner countries civil society organisations international organisations entrepreneurs and all other interested stakeholders. and of course as the commission we count on this house
but also as a precondition for achieving the post two thousand and fifteen sustainable development goals i believe that the two thousand and seventeen mid term review of the development cooperation instrument presents a good opportunity to assess the impact of dci financed programmes on women and girls and make
combating violence against women tackling pay gaps and ensuring that women can reach equal positions in the working world should be our priorities for the immediate future.
only when these issues are properly addressed by the decision makers and become part of the culture and social values will we be close to achieving a stronger safer and more equal society for all.
i therefore strongly support the call to put in place measures that will strengthen the leadership and participation of women and women's rights organisations in both the public and private spheres.
reallocations if necessary. two of the millennium development goals explicitly address women's rights namely promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women and the improvement of maternal health and they remain unfortunately largely unachieved.
we must make a greater effort towards preventing discrimination against women on the grounds of marriage or maternity and ensuring their effective right to work to be educated and to be free from any kind of oppression.
finally we have got to see this discussion in the context of the wider work on the sustainable development goals signed up to two weeks ago in new york.
our draft resolution called on the commission to produce a new gender action plan as a communication to give a strong political signal about that need for that step change;
if we had had a communication it would have been adopted by the entire college of commissioners it would have sent a strong message to ambassadors in our delegations that this is a policy of the european commission not a staff working document.
we also made that call about the need for communication because we heard rumours which unfortunately turned out to be true that the commission wanted to publish the new gap as a staff working document not as a communication as had previously been intended.
we wanted this debate tonight because we want to see a real commitment from the commission and the member states to a step change on gender equality and women's empowerment in development.
we want it to be part of the human rights dialogue with third countries and we want action on programing on education on violence against women and girls on ending discriminatory practices on equal pay and decent work.
so commissioner what i want to hear from you is about how the plans for funding are going to be put in place and how we are going to do the concrete follow up on this action plan or framework as you are now calling it.
indeed the day after our committee vote the commission published a staff working document on gender.
a message that gender matters and women's empowerment should be higher on the agenda of development policy.
we want to see agenda action taken seriously not just paid lip service to by our institutions.
there was a failure to do that.
goal five is about how to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and there are nine targets.
if we do not count women and girls if we do not know what is happening to them we will not be able to change their lives. the real test of whether our policies work will be whether women and girls in developing countries feel the change.
so it is essential that we keep this is a central point of our strategies in developing countries particularly this year as we come forward with the sustainable development goals.
women must be free of the threat of violence and we must plan for that in our strategies.
but it is a sad biological fact that many pregnancies result from this violence.
the commission has now confirmed to meps that international humanitarian law and or human rights law may justify offering a safe abortion rather than perpetuating what amounts to inhumane treatment.
we believe that investing in girls and women has a transformative impact on growth poverty reduction and achieving the critical millennium development goals.
while welcoming the renewal of the plan i do have some reservations.
i am not comfortable with over emphasis on information and methodology i would much rather see us spending our efforts and indeed our money on actual action.
i firmly believe in the principle of aid effectiveness that is focusing on a results based approach and i support the approach of the uk government as developed in its multilateral aid review which identifies the need to strengthen gender mainstreaming in practice.
this is the most important aspect.
given cambodia's tragic recent past it is particularly concerning to see fundamental values such as democracy the rule of law and freedom of expression all under attack in that country.
we do that because we are a community of values who wish to promote values in that country and i hope they will respect that.
i urge the cambodians to release political prisoners to ensure that political parties and the opposition in particular have space to campaign and operate in advance of the two thousand and eighteen elections in that country in the hope that we can have fair and free elections in cambodia.
instead of seizing an opportunity that is given by the upcoming elections in two thousand and eighteen instead of choosing a path of reconciliation respect for human dignity and basic rights and instead of taking measures to reduce corruption and poverty we observe repressions against the independent media civil society and opposition.
i wish to thank you personally for your fight for pluralism and democracy in cambodia for so many years.
after decades and decades of enormous suffering there is so much to do for enduring peace real reconciliation and better lives in cambodia.
we equally want to pay tribute to the work of naeem sabir jamaldini the coordinator of the human rights commission of pakistan who was murdered on one march.
these have to take place in line with international standards because impunity has to end.
why did the pakistani authorities deny the minister's request for a bullet proof official car as well as his request that he select his own bodyguards that he trusted? by calling for reforms in the inhumane blasphemy laws he was a human rights defender.
we need practical action such as investigations including within the government.
paragraph thirteen about calling on the competent eu institutions to include the issue of religious tolerance in society is vitally important.
so what can we do?
his funeral was last week and i think that is also important.
they have also led to miscarriages of justice and discrimination against religious minorities. while we strongly support pakistan's democratic government and will do what we can to assist it as it seeks to cope with an unprecedented wave of terrorist acts its members should stand up for the principles they subscribe
right; freedom of opinion and expression is intrinsically linked
to. freedom of religion or belief is a universal human
however he refused to be cowed by the islamist fanatics who threatened him with death.
this is one of the many questions we must ask president zardari.
i hope he can answer.
i hope the vice president high representative will press him to set more of an example in opposing the alarming radicalisation of pakistani society.
a man of great courage and principle has lost his life and we as democrats honour his name and salute his life's achievements today in this debate.
mr president i think all of us have been very deeply shocked and appalled by the assassination of minister shahbaz bhatti not least because he is someone known to us in this parliament he has visited here he has met many of us;
but also because this is another highly symbolic killing striking at someone who was looking for reconciliation and work across all minorities in pakistan. we should also add our condolences not only to his family but also to all the families of those who have been killed
in terrorist attacks in pakistan.
our resolution is important in terms of wanting to continue and support the work in terms of tolerance and mutual understanding.
i would like to make the point that we need that in the european union too where certain recent ministerial statements in my view have not helped that.
so we expect leadership in pakistan and in the european union.
i believe the agreement on this package will strengthen our economic surveillance mechanisms at european level. it will make the european union far better placed to prevent the development of unsustainable public debt and deficits and the emergence of harmful macroeconomic imbalances.
let me focus on some specific points i have written a letter to the members of the european council outlining the positions of the commission on what i believe are the most important items on the agenda and i would like to share our positions with you. at the end i will also make some comments regarding greece. this european council will take very important steps towards ensuring
a whole. the issue of greece raises very important issues not just in terms of financial stability but also in terms of social commitment and in terms of the political determination of the european union. last night's vote in the greek parliament allows the government to build consensus in support of the reform package agreed with the european union
our different economies.
approach. i believe we should also be ready to react in a very positive way always on the basis of strict conditionality regarding the necessary reforms for
secondly this financial tax also aims to create appropriate disincentives for overly risky or purely speculative transactions.
is growth. we should never forget that one euro spent on interest rates to pay the debt is one euro that cannot go to the people of greece so it is critically important to reduce debt and to control the deficit so that we can restore confidence in the greek economy in order to promote
although prevention is better than cure we will also be better placed to take action to correct these situations if they do emerge.
good. the second major issue for the european council is migration.
growth. at the same time it is extremely important that the greek people understand that in the face of such difficult circumstances a national consensus is necessary a national consensus and not short sighted partisan
we cannot reap the benefits of the single market on the one hand and ignore reckless economic policy making on the other.
i spoke to parliament in may about the commission's migration package which sets recent and future policy initiatives in a framework that allows the eu and its member states to manage asylum migration and mobility of third country nationals in a secure environment.
i will be looking for clear backing for this approach from the european council so that detailed commission proposals can be finalised and have an opportunity to succeed.
this is as you know the first time we are carrying out this kind of collective exercise at european level.
thirdly to ensure that financial institutions make a fair and substantive contribution to the sharing of the costs of the recent crisis as well as to address concerns about excessive profits. the very high bonuses that are still being paid to bankers bankers who have sometimes been saved thanks to huge amounts of taxpayers'
they are focused measurable and tailored to each country's most pressing challenges.
in fact i think that we will see exactly the opposite through a reinforcement of the european approach to migration and free movement.
policy. i believe we should increase their rate of absorption and accelerate those funds aiming for a significant impact on improving competitiveness and employment. this will be done within the existing
to respond to the economic crisis every sector needs to contribute and none more so than the financial sector.
this will be done both through strengthening the frontex border agency and through an evaluation mechanism whereby national border agencies will work jointly on assessing threats.
i wonder if it would not have been possible to approve it some months
to growth. because let us be absolutely clear there is no alternative to
ago. the economic governance package country specific recommendations and the stability mechanisms this is how europe should seriously draw the lessons from the crisis and act upon them. the commission will do its utmost to maintain this level of steadfast resolve in all matters to be discussed.
this plan. so let us act
we are also exploring the feasibility of a safeguard system which would allow the adoption of decisions at european level to confront possible difficult situations where our common external borders are subject to exceptional pressure or where member states are failing to comply with their obligations to control their borders.
we must not let them
and imf of fiscal measures privatisations and reforms that are necessary in greece's journey back
greek people. the commission is now proposing an exceptional response as a sign to the greek people that there is hope. they are making sacrifices and we know they are making sacrifices but at the end of that road there is hope and solutions are within
the recommendations are based on an extensive analysis by the commission of member states' plans for sustainable growth and job creation married to sound public finances.
money suggest that there are excessive profits in the banking sector and that the banking sector should also contribute to the common public
of course discussions between the commission and the member states on these recommendations have sometimes been very intense but i am pleased that the overall result has maintained the high level of ambition.
status. i will call on the european council to lend its support to the completion of the entirety of the asylum package as quickly as possible within the agreed deadline.
funds. it will be a comprehensive programme of technical assistance focused on growth and jobs but with an emergency character because i repeat greece is living in an emergency situation. i will discuss these issues with the european council what we can do together
aims. firstly to avoid fragmentation of the internal market for financial services because there are an increasing number of uncoordinated national tax measures being put in place.
secondly i expect the heads of state and government to endorse the country specific recommendations that the commission presented on seven june.
this is a way of strengthening the european dimension of the system so that individual member states do not feel pressured into acting unilaterally.
politics. we need a national consensus in greece so that greece can win the confidence of the partners and the markets in terms of the very important reforms that
there is no point in signing off on a brand new economic governance package if the very same week member states question the methodology and independent commission recommendations in the country specific exercise. this new way of policy making is also a strong appeal for collective responsibility because the european union's economic space is so much more than the sum of
migration let us face it is a very emotive issue. but let me state clearly that the commission will not accept any attempts to undermine the schengen principles.
the migration package is completed by proposals for a common efficient and protective asylum system which guarantees asylum seekers equal treatment across the european
my message to the greek people is that if the government acts europe will
the esm combined with the increase of the effective lending capacity of the efsf is a clear demonstration of our commitment to safeguard the stability of the euro area on the basis of sound and sustainable public finances.
down. another item on the upcoming european council agenda is the commission's recommendation that croatia become the twenty eighth member state of the european union hopefully by one july. two thousand and thirteen there is still substantial work to be done but i hope that at the end of the month we can sign off on the remaining chapters in the accession conference. finally a word about greece because i hope member states will also have the occasion to discuss at the highest level this situation which is important not only for a member state of our union but i believe for the stability of the euro area and for the stability of the european union as
that country. the implementation of greece's reform plans calls for exceptional efforts from the
by now we have managed to reduce the outstanding issues to one single major issue and some technicalities.
after the adoption of a general approach by the council in march we got down to business immediately engaging in intense trialogue negotiations with parliament and the commission.
envisaged. these developments bring a new momentum to the european perspective of the western
but let me stress that the good functioning of schengen requires member states to fully implement the rules and thus enhance mutual trust among themselves.
those commitments are a good step towards achieving the objectives of the pact which must now be implemented at the national level.
presidency. as a result of the tremendous efforts made by croatia the commission and the presidency with the essential support of this house for which it deserves immense credit the european council will call for the conclusion of the accession negotiations with croatia by the
eu accession. regarding the southern neighbourhood the european council is expected to endorse the new approach to relations with the eu neighbours which was agreed at monday's foreign affairs
we will inform the president of the european council accordingly thus reporting back to the body which gave us this mission.
the chief predicament of our economies. finally we know too that the issue of greece will be also on the agenda of the european council.
i have been personally involved in fascinating talks with many members of this house. i take this opportunity to thank you all sincerely for this experience. as a parliament friendly presidency we hope that the results which have brought us to the verge of agreement will not be wasted. the financial markets european business and most importantly our fellow european citizens expect us to show responsibility and decide and act against indebtedness
let me now turn to justice and home affairs.
allow me now to turn to the six legislative proposals on economic governance called the six pack' in our common jargon.
however the degree of ambition and precision of these initial commitments is uneven.
system. let me touch upon the free movement of
it also requires an effective and updated monitoring and evaluation
linked. both belong to the most visible and popular achievements of european integration.
the three institutions have done immense work.
the forthcoming european council marks the end of the hungarian presidency.
it brings together in one policy cycle the two arms of economic recovery financial stability that is based on fiscal consolidation reflected in stability and convergence programmes and structural reforms for a smart sustainable socially inclusive and job creating growth.
honourable members will be involved in the implementation of all this and we will work with you in order to make sure that we reform and look at how we can become better in the implementation of the sustainable development chapter.
the ceta texts have been public since september.
i do respect and that is perfectly normal that there are different views on this.
it has not been negotiated in secret.
so it is a good deal.
so that is what these free trade agreements are about. it is good for jobs our ability to sell services to canada and to break into provincial government in canada.
it is good for that and all of this comes without actually selling out in terms of workers' rights or social or environmental protection.
eu postbrexit. fighting international crime and terrorism tackling climate change and ensuring continued space for economic growth and job creation in an era of globalisation and technological change are all issues that cross borders and they can only be tackled by democracies like canada and the eu member states working together. as these changes take effect it is vital that we all pull together to ensure that they work for all our citizens and that we do not allow our economies to drift towards the simple allure of nationalism isolationism and protectionism that can only lead to less prosperity and security for our citizens. it has taken many years to reach today and to conclude these deals but as we are now finally moving in this house to ratify the spa and ceta it is clear that this time and effort has been very well worthwhile.
but anyway if the idea is that we like ceta because canada is nice then we should all be aware that the commission is negotiating on many fronts with many countries. so who are colleagues then willing to reject because they are less nice?
madam president i would like to thank the millions of people all over europe and in canada who have been mobilising around this agreement.
all this we need and all this is not in ceta and therefore the greens efa group is rejecting ceta.
but we need to do it differently. trade needs to be good for workers and employees for consumers for small scale enterprises for society as a whole and not just for the super big companies.
and agreements need to set good standards and especially in these times we need to work together for climate change as this is our last chance to uphold international law because it is being challenged.
but no matter how the vote goes today this is only the beginning of a struggle for fair trade and good cooperation and we are ready for it.
i think we need cooperation with countries especially with nice countries like canada and we need to trade and not just for the maple syrup.