kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
the commission stands fully behind the substance of this well balanced agreement which introduces rigid and effective measures whilst being risk proportionate and flexible.
turning to some of the specific issues i would like to highlight the following.
it would have led to a fragmentation of the european union market for medicines.
i am sure members will share my satisfaction that we have paved the way towards a european safety feature to identify and thus authenticate a medicine.
the commission has always supported a european approach in this regard.
on active pharmaceutical ingredients the agreed text strengthens inspections and international cooperation in this field. the commission and the network of european agencies will work more closely with international partners.
only through such cooperation can we achieve a truly effective system of inspection and enforcement. the legislation once adopted will increase the transparency of actors involved in the distribution of medicines.
finally parliament insisted on rules concerning online sales of medicines.
i consider that parliament found a strong pragmatic solution by focusing on issues of transparency.
the argument acknowledges that the rules for pharmacies in the eu vary but in future it will be easier for patients throughout the eu to distinguish legal operators from illegal online pharmacies.
under the employers' sanctions directive everywhere in the eu there are laws to punish those who exploit irregular migrants by employing them on the black market.
in some weeks' time the commission will adopt a communication including its first application report on the return directive.
for the moment we have not made plans to revise the directive.
an evaluation of the transposition of the eu acquis on smuggling is being launched.
especially the most vulnerable.
i believe that the eu's legal and policy framework for addressing trafficking in human beings does take into account the gender dimension of the problem.
so with close monitoring of the correct implementation of the relevant legal instruments the commission can ensure that undocumented women benefit from the guarantees and safeguards provided by eu law.
the full respect of fundamental rights including those of groups like undocumented migrant women has to be ensured in the implementation of all facets of eu immigration policy.
at the same time as we address those gender specific aspects of the human trafficking problem we have to make sure that the perpetrators profiting from human exploitation end up behind bars.
both the two thousand and eleven eu directive on human trafficking and the complementing eu strategy of two thousand and twelve recognise and address the gender dimension of human trafficking.
the first results are expected in autumn two thousand and fourteen and could lead to future clarification or modification of the current provisions.
finally when it comes to trafficking in human beings let me stress that for the eu human trafficking is unacceptable.
the commission is determined to further promote humane and dignified treatment of returnees as well as the systematic use of alternatives to detention.
our current approach is based on monitoring the correct application of the existing rules and we do not have immediate intentions to propose legislative changes.
the directive does not prevent member states from accepting anonymous complaints as called for in the report. in may two thousand and fourteen the commission will present a report on the application of the directive just under three years since the deadline for member states to implement its provisions.
the most important thing is that authors need to be paid for online books.
however the fact that this kind of settlement providing mass digitisation of books cannot be applied to the eu is one of the most illustrative examples of the eu's fragmented copyright laws.
i believe this is a book revolution about to begin and i welcome the commission statement.
europe must seize the opportunity to take the lead and to ensure that the digitisation of books in europe is facilitated but also that the google books settlement takes into consideration european copyright law.
far from destroying our libraries it will help them to be archived and protected and provide our consumers with more choice of how they access books for the education and pleasure. it is an opportunity for authors to expand their market and their audience.
for those like me who like the feel of a page between their fingers this will not replace the need for fabulous bookshops like those in my east midlands constituency.
indeed far from doing away with bookshops the ability to access online books provides us with a whole new way of learning and access to culture.
we should encourage european players into this space as well in different languages and genres.
we have to make a european copyright framework fit for purpose in the twenty first century.
the initiative by google is an inevitable and logical step forward given the advancement of the digital economy with new market drivers and new consumer demands. i believe this kind of private sector innovation should be welcomed as long as it allows space for competition in the future and fair protection.
i believe this is the beginning of a rediscovery of great works and the uncovering of a cultural explosion.
this brings me to your second question.
now. second publishers from eu member states apart from the united kingdom will now no longer participate in a major transformation of the book market.
secondly publishers from countries other than the united states the united kingdom australia and canada will now have to negotiate individually to become part of google books services in the united states.
two thousand and nine first the revised settlement has been significantly narrowed in scope.
all other books are outside the scope of the settlement.
secondly to explore the possibilities for public private partnerships for digitisation;
of it. even though services negotiated under this settlement will only be available to united states users this absence could be detrimental to cultural diversity.
because the european commission favours the digitisation of books in european libraries and beyond and because digitisation of books is a task of herculean proportions where private sector support is needed the commission favours initiatives such as google's book search project as long as they respect intellectual property rights and do not lead to the distortion of competition.
when it comes to the google books settlement the commission has been actively engaged in consultations with european publishers and with google.
now when it comes to the google book search project the commission sees the google initiative as a demonstration that new business models are evolving to provide almost instant access to vast numbers of works to an increasing number of consumers.
first of all the google books project. in essence it is an initiative aimed at providing a tool to find search and buy books for a wide audience of users. for rights holders it may represent an additional channel of trade and so an additional source of revenue. let me add that in europe the google books project is deployed in collaboration with libraries and concerns only public domain books.
consequently only united states united kingdom australian and canadian authors and publishers will in future be represented on the board of the books rights registry the body that administers the terms of the settlement.
the google books project in the united states will receive a major thrust forward with no european publishers any longer a part
he did not get it back so he appealed to the high king.
that is as relevant today as it was one five hundred years ago because copyright and intellectual rights have to be guaranteed.
few people are able to see those books but putting them online will allow the world to study and enjoy their contents.
the digitisation of books such as the google books project has the potential to unlock huge volumes of the world's collective knowledge and cultural heritage.
i regret that only france has contributed seriously so far and that others including ireland have contributed little.
we must cherish public access to our shared european culture and heritage.
europeana makes available online nearly five million items.
in fact we must do all we can to support our own digital library.
its mission is to offer the widest possible public access to cultural collections from across europe.
given that my own country has such a rich and impressive literary history i call on the irish government to participate more fully in the europeana project.
we should support efforts to make books searchable readable and downloadable.
this is especially true for our libraries in europe which store books dating as far back as the seventeenth century.
however the question we must as europeans ask is whether that vast array of knowledge and culture should be monopolised by one private american company.
madam president i welcome the action of the committee on legal affairs in putting this timely question to the commission. the book digitalisation project impacts on several european and member state policy areas such as copyright competition library digitalisation and culture and as such requires both debate and measured consideration. the digitalisation of books has many clear benefits in both cultural and economic terms.
it will give students academics and universities increased access to information and research.
for europe to be at the forefront of a successful knowledge based economy we must move forward with new technologies and stay ahead in the knowledge race.
and the encouragement and promotion of reading and literature is always welcome.
however the digitalisation project must not proceed at the expense of the creative process behind literature and the livelihood of the many stakeholders must not be negatively impacted upon.
it is important to stress that digitalisation must only be accepted when the rights of the stakeholders including authors publishers illustrators graphic designers and literary translators are represented and protected.
given the potential threat of digitalisation to the print book market it is essential to ensure that the rights of holders are fairly remunerated and this is an issue that i raised directly with the commission last october.
in their response i note that the commission has already launched a public consultation and has held hearings to exchange views with stakeholders.
these are just a few examples of the numerous inhuman brutal crimes against women in pakistan.
violence against women is a very alarming situation in the country because it is getting to a very threatening situation in that the violence is getting more brutal day by day.
some of you asked for concrete figures and numbers and i'm happy to share these.
the instability has made it much harder for the international community to respond to the extreme weather events that have hit the country you also mentioned that adding to a very worrying humanitarian situation. the number of internally displaced people is now close to. two five million with almost another million who have fled to neighbouring countries.
but i fully agree with those honourable members who underlined the need to transfer the responsibility for and ownership of security into the hands of the somalis themselves. as long as this has not been completed and this is our aim the focus of our effort and our work it will be superficial somehow.
let me assure you that this money goes directly to projects and that we often visit projects on the ground to check not only that they are real but also that they benefit the local population.
as all the speakers mentioned the situation there is incredibly difficult but i can see that the people of somalia have not lost hope.
in support of somali state building three of our military and civilian missions are currently deployed to somalia.
the commission will continue to use its network of member state experts in electoral matters to identify and promote best practices in this area as it did in april this year. the commission has also launched a study on remote voting solutions. in addition the commission has given funding to several
laws can change and even culture can change. it takes the courage of women and men who are challenging the status quo people who want pakistan to be a better place not just for women and minorities but for all its people.
this is also investing in women and girls' rights and empowering women. but this debate also coincides with a particularly important moment in pakistan's democratic life.
the gsp scheme provides us with an efficient and indispensable tool in this regard as a complement to our diplomatic action and to our development aid. pressure and dialogue can only go handinhand. so our work with the people of pakistan can lead to a country where no person is killed for their love or their faith.
the european commission presented its second biannual gsp report to parliament and the council in january and the report also includes an assessment on pakistan.
human rights defenders are being punished for doing their legitimate work. in april human rights defender germain rukuki was sentenced to thirty two years in prison.
for over two decades these recurring tragedies have blighted the somali nation. the civil war and unchecked terrorist activities as well as corruption and mismanagement have left eighty of the somali population in dire poverty with two million living as refugees.
thirdly how does the eu support the.
three six million people inside burundi who are in need of humanitarian aid?
let me answer specifically two questions that were raised.
i am personally mentoring several very promising young roma politicians and i think that we have to do the same in our political parties to raise this topic and help people with disabilities get onto candidate lists. i think that diversity as i said is very important
we organise this colloquium every year.
their system to enable people to take part in the electoral process.
i will look into the possibility of using the european social fund and some other funding possibilities because i really want this money to serve the best purpose and this is a very important matter.
this is a very open event and i very much hope that this will be the right place where we will discuss the possible sharing of best practices including the possibilities of using digital voting tools and some other concrete measures which the member states could and should introduce into
the equality and human rights commission recently echoed the views of the un and stated that persons with disabilities continue to face an onslaught against their rights in britain and in the north of ireland.
as you know disbursements under the macrofinancial assistance programme are contingent on two things not only the successful implementation of specific economic policy measures laid out in the memorandum of understanding and we consider that these have been implemented but also the fulfilment of political preconditions related to respect for democratic mechanisms the rule of law and human rights.
following the invalidation of the mayoral election the political preconditions have not been fulfilled.
this is one of the main elements of our soft power.
i support the retention of the nonprofit principle in grants in order to avoid misuse of public money. furthermore i am in favour of the limitation of trust funds to external actions and of maintaining the competences of the budgetary authority. the elimination of transfers from structural funds to the european fund for strategic investment efsi is also welcome. i am happy to see such a commitment to simple rules for the efsi and efsi funding which was elaborated
but at the same time as mr coelho said it is important to ensure on sensitive issues such as any proposal for system or data interoperability that parliament is very much involved in any such decision.
it is also important that this regulation provides for the european data protection supervisor to have the power to obtain from the agency access to all information necessary to his work.
the commission will shortly propose setting up yet more it systems for instance an entry exit system for schengen borders and a registered traveller programme.
i am very pleased that the uk will be able to participate in the adoption of this regulation and in the management of the agency to a degree that reflects its participation in sis and in eurodac.
it is meant to develop schengen which itself is under pressure due to the libyan situation. what is the use of a system to allow free movement which has to be partially suspended because of the free movement it encourages?
so under the guise of facilitating the free movement of people we have a resurrection of the stasi.
of course this is intended to lead to eu immigration control.
in the case of the uk many immigrants come from the commonwealth a unique voluntary association including every single one of our former colonies.
well we have our own border controls for that purpose and the eu does not have the right to interfere.
in the specific case we are dealing with national and international human rights organisations have raised serious questions about the fairness of afzal guru's trial.
even his body was not released to them.
the liberals and democrats always strongly oppose the death penalty wherever it is and in whatever circumstances and the european union also takes that view.
we also saw in pakistan that their moratorium was broken last year.
india is the largest democracy in the world as others have pointed out and should be a leader instead of lagging behind in this respect.
nevertheless your group the greens represented by mr tavares wrote a report on the human rights situation in hungary and wants to send to transfer this report to the government of the united states of america.
finally i would like to call on the government of india as a matter of urgency not to approve any execution orders in the future.
we do not need this kind of declaration or this kind of action against certain citizens of the european union.
although the consultation officially ended on one march two thousand and nine comments are still coming in and i can already tell you that the more evidence we gather the more our belief that there is a problem is confirmed.
the green paper on consumer collective redress proposed various ways of tackling this problem.
i believe that substantive rights show their strength only when they are backed by enforcement and effective redress for consumers. more and more often large numbers of consumers lose out as a result of the same or similar illegal practices by a trader and do not receive redress. the commission has been examining the problem that consumers face in obtaining redress for mass claims.
there is consensus about the necessity of further action to achieve effective redress for consumers and thereby restore their confidence in the market.
effective redress will boost consumers' confidence in the internal market and in what europe can do for them.
as you know the coming months will be marked by many institutional changes and this may influence the timing and the delivery of our work on collective redress.
our thinking is developing further in the light of the responses to the green paper consultation.
instead we will follow our european legal cultures and take into account the existing experiences of member states.
in a few weeks' time once we have properly analysed all the responses we will publish the replies together with a statement on the feedback we received and before the summer we will outline the different ways of addressing the problem of mass claims.
at the hands of unfair competitors who profit when consumers are not compensated?
why should consumers give up their legitimate expectations of compensation and why should society put up with the welfare and justice gap?
indeed being consistent does not mean that different policy initiatives have to use the same tools to reach the same goals.
this is the very nature of redress that we are aspiring to.
once the options become clear the european parliament member states and stakeholders will be convinced as i am that not only is there a problem but also that an effective solution must and can be found at european level. why should reputable businesses suffer
this will not simply be a repetition of the four options in the green paper.
i can equally assure you that i remain personally committed to this issue and will continue to work on it until the end of my mandate with the same energy and vigour that i have devoted to it thus far and of course with the kind help and support
let me stress that whatever route we take we will not go down the path of the us experience.
based on the outcome of all the consultations the commission will carefully examine the economic and social impact on stakeholders including the costs and benefits generated by the possible options.
i am confident that we will find a solution that strikes the right balance between improving consumer access to redress and avoiding unfounded claims.
this is particularly important in the harsh reality of today's economic and financial crisis.
consumer organisations favour binding measures for a collective redress judicial scheme in all member states in combination with other options such as the extension of existing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to collective claims.
a preliminary analysis of the replies received indicates that stakeholders recognise the unsatisfactory present situation on collective redress in the member states.
we have commissioned studies discussed the issue with stakeholders conducted surveys and an internet consultation and recently published a green paper to which we have received more than one hundred and seventy responses.
this is why we need to find a solution in the interests of justice and a healthy european economy.
france sweden and poland have reported similar cases and injuries.
there are i believe enough cases like the toxic sofa case with enough compelling evidence to prove that a range of options for collective redress is needed not only to improve access to justice but equally to deter illegal or unfair business practices.
i believe that citizens support european intervention when it is seen to give real help to consumers to tackle real problems.
real help in such cases means giving them the right to take action collectively wherever they buy goods and services.
we received many responses many of which from businesses and consumers highlighted the need for effective access to cross border remedies and redress.
of course in our committee we want consumers to have access to cheap affordable means such as adr but i believe today's debate is first and foremost about identifying practical ways to give real help to our consumers and citizens to ensure they get a fair deal real redress and real remedies.
respecting constitutional constraints yes. avoiding us style class action yes.
ensuring that damages are compensated including all costs incurred by the consumer but at the same time excluding any element of punitive damage yes that is what we have in mind.
the consistency principle does not necessarily rule out that specific situations require specific solutions. each of the two initiatives has a distinct focus. whereas the consumer green paper deals with redress for breaches of consumer protection law the competition white paper is strictly about competition law infringements.
another major difference between the two initiatives is that whereas the consumer green paper only covers redress for consumers the redress mechanism suggested in the competition white paper is designed to benefit both consumers and businesses.
so my challenge is to achieve effective redress for our consumers and thereby restore their confidence in the