kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
the palestinian leadership or the palestinian factions must assume their responsibilities for the people in gaza.
we are also engaging with egypt in support of their efforts to bring back the palestinian authority to gaza but the latest developments show how fragile this process is.
the legitimate rights of palestinians to self determination in their own state and the legitimate rights of the israelis to live in peace security and recognised borders will only be achieved through a negotiated two state solution.
i know this is an objective we all share and we are looking forward to working with you towards that goal.
from this debate i conclude that it is our common goal to ensure a sustainable solution is found for the situation in gaza with a return to the palestinian authority to resume its full responsibilities on the strip and sustained opening of the crossing points. the european union will continue to support the process in its most effective way with all the instruments
the current economic and financial situation requires decisive policy action and we believe that the european investment bank's activities are a crucial component of the eu's efforts to bring back sustainable growth and employment to europe especially with the eib and the commission partnering in the challenging delivery of the investment plan for europe.
the european union investment plan and the european fund for strategic investments lie at the core of these efforts to catalyse new investments for the eu economy.
these projects are in different sectors research and development healthcare industrial innovation and transport and in different countries spain italy ireland and croatia.
two thousand and thirteen i would also like to mention the innovative instruments such as the trade finance facility and the sme guarantee fund.
the commission understands that eib financing is geographically distributed according to demand from respective member states and the eib's business development considerations.
the commission welcomes the eib objective to publish its new strategy by the paris conference. access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises remains a pressing problem in several member states.
this memorandum fosters a culture of regular exchange of information and the joint identification of co financing opportunities based on each partner's comparative advantage.
in this respect we value the eib's commitment to complying with eu policy initiatives and legislative framework on transparency and public disclosure of information and to following international best practice.
the efsi at the heart of the investment plan should be up and running by september this year.
the eu platform for blending in external cooperation has reviewed and compared the performance of different eu blending mechanisms.
in two thousand and fourteen the commission welcomed the launch of the eib group risk enhancement mandate we also. welcome the eib's contribution to revitalising the european securitisation market and new product developments to promote financial inclusion under the risk capital resources mandate.
the investment plan for europe confirms the eib's central role in helping the eu deliver on the eur three hundred and fifteen billion objective in combination with eu budget resources and national promotional banks.
they serve as examples of investments that the new european fund for strategic investments may support in the near future.
last week i was pleased to hear that the european investment bank announced that it has approved up to eur three hundred million in financing for the first four projects as part of the investment plan for europe in which the eib is the commission's strategic partner.
the commission is glad to see that the eib delivered and indeed exceeded the objectives of the growth and employment facility and that the eib commits to continue its important catalytic role to resolve the current investment and competitiveness challenges in the european union.
it helps us reach sustainable growth improve our economy and make it more competitive more crisis resilient knowledge driven and of course it is a tool for improving infrastructure in europe.
i agree that the best and economically most viable projects have to be supported but on the other hand i think the eib should also focus on investments especially as regards infrastructure in areas and regions that lag behind from this point of view.
taking into account the recent developments in the eastern neighbourhood i think countries in this region should benefit from extra lending within the current mandate of the bank which is of course of geo strategic importance for the union.
you for your attention and your cooperation
efsi the shift of budgetary means from subsidies to guarantees if you so decide it is your decision means that we will be able to address risk dimensions which until now the bank would not have been able to address in that volume.
the investment gap has been there since two thousand and seven but in addition and this should not be overlooked we have had an innovation gap and an education expenditure gap in europe for almost eighteen years.
the eib is the crowding in bank and there are the huge volumes that we get from the capital markets every year and the quality stamp that we put on projects which then leads to confidence among private investors that it makes sense to invest in these projects as well.
we have been addressing the differences in economic development in the member states.
therefore we need to address the questions of competitiveness and this is the basic idea of the juncker plan.
the second point in this context is that we have to make sure that the huge investment and innovation gap in europe is addressed by attracting private funds.
additionality does not mean that each individual project is necessarily higher in risk than the portfolio will be.
so the european council with your support decided in favour of the capital increase and we delivered on that. that turned the bank anti cyclical and we are proud of that achievement.
until then it was clear that according to all decisions taken the bank would have to reduce lending volume after the huge positive impact it had had on the mastering of the first wave of the crisis but then we had to go down again.
the analysis last year was clear.
the portfolio will certainly be considerably higher in that respect so there is no reason to believe that this is going to be business as usual.
these together are leading to a dangerous reduction in the competitiveness of european industry in the globalising economy.
in conclusion you can be sure that we will use the funds provided by the european union and the member states with care and diligence and that we will try to preserve our strong position in the market.
it is not true that we do not do very risky things.
if you look at the four projects is this now really additionality? is this really no more business as usual'?
that is where measures to address the gap in investment need to be encouraged and supported especially in the case of former programme countries or those countries currently in the midst of a programme.
it is crucially important as countries move from being a programme country back into the international lending market having completed structural reform and having got their deficits down that they obtain the support of the european investment bank. i was really delighted to hear from the commission today that there is an increase in lending to programme countries from two thousand and thirteen two thousand and fourteen in the order of.
here is an example showing that we can invest more and lend more to countries who have improved their own position as a result of structural reform and as a result of getting an appalling deficit down.
on maintaining the very strong eib capital position and on selection of eib projects based on their viability added value and impact on economic recovery. these factors you mention and support in the report are of fundamental importance for the bank.
we go to the markets to borrow eur sixty to eighty billion every year by selling eib bonds.
goals. this was a focus of our discussions in washington this month with other multilateral development
learn. every year we finance approximately five hundred operations and some of them have many different projects underneath.
efsi. we are now committed to mobilise eur three hundred and fifteen billion in eu investment over the next three
two thousand and thirteen they are going into last year this year and then into the future.
this decision lies in your hands or now in the hands of the trilogue. let me turn to some important broader issues mentioned in the report.
in july. ahead of the paris unfccc talks in december climate action will also remain a cross cutting concern in our activity both inside and outside
two thousand and thirteen was very important for the bank the first full year of operations following the eur ten billion capital increase in paid in capital approved by the shareholders in.
new targeted initiatives taken recently include the sme initiative' signed with spain which will combine eib eif finance with eu budgetary funds to support more than eur five billion of lending by local financial intermediaries. let me also mention the jobs for youth' pillar one of the two strands of our skills and jobs' programme which aims at stimulating job creation for young people by smes with a specific focus on european regions most impacted by high youth unemployment. as a matter of fact at the informal european
since two thousand and thirteen we have set stringent energy performance standards that effectively close the door on financing unabated coal power plants.
behind. we need to make sure that our financing is contributing to its aims in the best possible
end. we provide for viable and sound projects where it makes a difference.
the eib together with the commission has initiated and enhanced cooperation in four working
two thousand and twelve thanks to this capital injection the eib promised to increase its volume of loan signatures every year over three years by eur twenty billion or nearly forty in comparison to the year before.
in two thousand and thirteen and two thousand and fourteen the eib group that is the eib and the european investment fund together provided some eur fifty billion of new finance for smes supporting over eur one hundred billion of financial investment by more than five hundred zero companies that together employ more than six million people.
groups. these working groups are expected to deliver concrete proposals in time for the june ecofin council.
the deadline for achieving this is december. two thousand and fifteen we have already achieved it today and this shows the multiplier which has been there the multiplier was.
i would also like to highlight the european local energy assistance facility
but i can already announce that we have completed the additional eur sixty billion of lending we promised to deliver at the june two thousand and twelve european council.
unlike a commercial bank our objective is not profit but economic and societal outcomes.
eib. let me remind you that at least one in every four euro of capacity of efsi will be dedicated to smes and midcaps.
diligence compliance good governance and accountability.
word. at least i personally
i appreciate the support you give us and have given us to ensure that the eib the eu bank will continue to deliver benefits for the eu economy and for eu citizens as well as contribute to economic development in our external activities. notably i appreciate your explicit support in the report on the eib as a catalyst for financing sound public and private long term investments;
the second part of the multiplier is the fact that we never finance roughly more than a third of a project so two thirds come from other sources.
the treaty does not provide for this exchange of views but i think it is only proper that the bank given its size and relevance in the global financial landscape and its role within the eu institutional framework comes to the european parliament to explain what it is doing especially with eu budgetary funds where that is applicable.
the bank will continue to assess throughout two thousand and fifteen two thousand and seventeen how it can best contribute to increasing the availability of state of the art training opportunities for young people and increase the competitiveness of smes and midcaps which provide employment or training opportunities to young
bonds. the eib is willing to do more in its external action and will engage with the european external action service the commission member states and other financial institutions on ways to maximise our
and this is not only via eif but also by
as a follow up to our energy policy review last year the bank has also this year concluded a public consultation on its approach to climate
years. providing efsi with an eu guarantee will allow the bank to conduct more operations with a higher risk profile than it does currently but we will maintain our high standards of due diligence.
the capital increase has enabled us to do much more on this.
control. however i am very proud that these few cases of failure rarely result in any losses for european taxpayers.
that brings about the multiplier which we calculated cautiously at eighteen for the capital increase and at fifteen for the juncker plan.
basis. our support for education has been strengthened with the launch in july two thousand and thirteen of the skills and jobs investing for youth' programme which i already mentioned.
the eu. the eib is already the world's leading public financier of climate action projects and has pioneered the market in green
we cannot afford to slip
this is why our lending anchored within the priorities of europe two thousand and twenty has gone in particular to infrastructure that is to strategic infrastructure climate action innovation and skills and above all small and medium sized enterprises which as your report rightly points out are the backbone of europe's economy.
we are continuously in contact with other international financial institutions international organisations and relevant authorities to ensure that we apply best banking practices.
impact. maybe the limiting of our activities outside the european union to ten of the business volume will not be the last
let me start by recapping on what we have achieved since two thousand and thirteen the year under review and look forward into the future even if that is always a risky exercise.
therefore we have calculated on a very sound basis.
with the encouragement of this house we were able in two thousand and eleven to launch the european energy efficiency fund which has already helped mobilise more than eur four hundred million of final investment for a technical assistance budget of just under eur twenty million.
way. we need to lead by example and we are able and ready to
as the eu bank we know that the finance we provide is a means to an
i am pleased to be able to report that last year in two thousand and fourteen eib signatures increased further to eur seventy seven billion eur twenty seven billion more than would have been achieved without the extra capital and substantially higher than the figure in the report for. two thousand and thirteen we are now only a third of the way through two thousand and fifteen
we are conscious that many firms still struggle to get loans at reasonable conditions and therefore we will continue to expand our offering.
goals. for the last six years more than twenty five of our annual lending has contributed to climate action.
on continuing to implement best prudential banking practices;
the eu bank crowds in the private sector in two ways number one on the basis of the capital increase we were able to borrow more from the markets.
action. we aim to have reached and published the conclusions before the paris negotiations underlining europe's strong commitment.
this year we will see the adoption of the united nations sustainable development
more importantly because we rarely support more than a third of a project's total cost this extra lending has helped mobilise at least eur one hundred and eighty billion of additional investments and that is important.
in a few isolated cases projects go wrong sometimes for reasons beyond our
hope so. the successful implementation of the eib capital increase has put the eib in the position to contribute strongly to the investment plan for europe and notably
i do expect eib lending volumes to be above eur seventy billion annually for this year and the two next years thanks to the guarantee in the context of efsi if it comes about.
people. in doing so it strives to complement national measures and the youth employment guarantee programme of the commission.
banks. we are very much looking forward to the financing for development conference
so that clearly shows the added value of the microfinance facility. one other positive aspect was that seventy five of the investment was within the regions.
madam president first of all i would like to start by welcoming the eur. nine three billion spent by the eib to promote skills training and employment opportunities for young people and the launch of your skills and jobs investing in youth initiative.
recently i took the opportunity to visit the microfinance offices in dublin in ireland and i was really pleased to see that microfinance ireland had already supported one zero jobs in its second year in operation and they have targeted a further one zero jobs by the end of this year.
in the context of smes we in alde believe they should be the main target for investment. however i am pleased to see that my suggestion on midcaps is part of the report.
but i also want to mention one particular eib instrument and that is the microfinance facility.
over four hundred and thirty microenterprises with fewer than ten employees have benefited from loans and what is really important is that these enterprises were unable to secure funding elsewhere.
i have a question for mr hayes would it not be easier to fill that hole that was created by institutions like the ecb when they forced us to save non systemic banks and left us with odious debt to the tune of tens of billions of euros?
i think they should invest in the economically most viable projects.
my thought was also that in order to fulfil the mission of the bank and reduce discrepancies in europe including for social cohesion the bank should maybe consider regions in which infrastructure is not yet up to the level of other countries and possibly also social indicators like employment youth unemployment and therefore possibly increased investment in regions which lag behind in those indicators.
the problems that ireland unfortunately went through were as a result of an appalling decision taken by the irish government in terms of a bank guarantee.
it is indeed necessary to strike a new balance between better evaluation and the best possible investment and to steer the economy towards a path of sustainable growth and a job rich recovery.
it is said that the digital single market could add eur four hundred and fifteen billion to the european union economy and it is said that the digital single market will bring hundreds of thousands of jobs.
i do not believe that protection is the right way to deliver.
this shows a lack of confidence in the european industry which is booming especially as netflix and amazon already meet the twenty quota.
a ufc fight in las vegas featuring conor mcgregor for example is that european content?
game of thrones is filmed mostly in europe.
guy in the world.
this is not a single market.
no way they have to sell like at home.
we do not want to start to regulate those parcel delivery prices but we would like to ask for more transparency.
and it is the same for those areas where we still expect the commission to act for example on the platform regulation question especially when it comes to big app stores for those mobile devices which we all use.
they still carve out main areas from the benefits which consumers and also competitors on the european market may have.
it is important that we move on but we are afraid that these proposals are half hearted that it is not principle based for example in the area of geo blocking to allow all of us to benefit from the variety of proposals and offers on the european market without being constrained by a fragmentation of twenty eight different legal systems in this area and
i do not think european culture and entertainment will develop because of quotas.
it is much better to open up the opportunities for global champions emerging in europe than to worry about global champions coming from other parts and competing here.
copyright protected online services such as e books and music but also tv programmes videos and movies should not have been left out of the proposed ban on geo blocking.
every day on which the digital single market is not fulfilling its whole potential european businesses and citizens are losing the opportunity to grow and have more choice.
at the same time we as legislators and european institutions as a whole are losing credibility.
to this end we have to ensure futureproof legislation which we adopt swiftly.
on platforms they are so diverse and different as you said and i am glad the commission has not decided to legislate on something that enriches our lives that fosters innovation and most importantly can be regulated when and if necessary as we have seen in the past through enforcing existing anti trust rules.
i agree with a lot of what you have said but further to what my colleague maria grapini and others said the skills agenda is also important when we are dealing with the digital single market and e skills.
i was wondering if you could maybe make a comment on the importance of e skills in this debate too.
we know where that road leads.
let us pass over the suspicious timing of the grant to dell in ireland that was announced with questionable procedural propriety in the run up to the irish referendum on the european constitution or lisbon treaty.
mr president i have said it many times before and i will no doubt say it again whatever the motives of its founders the european union has long since ceased to be an ideological project and it has become a racket a way of redistributing money from people outside the system to people within it. hence the thing we are talking about today these bungs to selected favoured companies.
let us just make the wider point that we have tried this before as a continent in the one thousand nine hundred and seventy s we went down the road towards propping up uncompetitive industries with disastrous consequences.
it ends in stagnation inflation and ultimately in collective bankruptcy.
firstly protection of all human rights defenders in all forms of their expression online and offline.
as the reality on the ground is very sad i have hopes that this resolution will allow us to be more focused and speak with one voice.
secondly fighting back oppressive laws and systematic practices contributing to the shrinking space for civil society which includes rights to free and impartial media.
the resolution will also reflect developments such as the un security council meeting in december the well supported unga resolution and the new report from the group of experts on accountability.
this is a complex resolution aimed at promoting a universal approach to religion or belief.
i am therefore proud to say that the european union is in the lead on many key debates in the human rights council in the general assembly.
at the same time we continue to focus on the reports by the office of the high commission for the human rights monitoring mission as well as the grave situation in the illegally annexed crimea peninsula.
the european council has stated several times that the situation in syria should be referred to the international criminal court calling on the un security council to take action.
we will co present with japan a strong resolution calling for accountability and extending the mandate of the special rapporteur.
because the situation has massively deteriorated in the country concerned.
the political groups went along with the council's priorities.