kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
two thousand and thirteen this house knows and supports vice president reding's commitment to making rapid progress on the representation of women in top positions in the corporate sector.
they have focussed on the need to offer affordable available and quality care services to remove fiscal disincentives for second earners from the tax benefit system to provide flexible working arrangements and to combat the gender pay gap.
however at the outset of the current economic downturn social inclusion should be taken into account. our commitment is clear to encourage development of the necessary social services within the framework of elaborating policy options and tackling the long term care challenges.
the commission has instruments to help member states design and implement more efficient actions in this area.
the commission has monitored actions taken by the member states in this field and taken stock of progress made but has noted that additional efforts were necessary.
it can ease employment patterns so that women can enter the labour market.
addressing equal treatment for women can be found in our few recent initiatives that underline the importance of a growing and inclusive workforce and a more equal society.
given the insufficient and unequal progress so far the commission is now considering taking an eu level measure.
furthermore we will mark again european equal pay day in.
the employment package also calls on the member states to establish national job plans within their national reform programmes and use them to focus on job creation and to fine tune the use of the structural funds to increase employment opportunities.
two thousand and thirteen the commission has recently launched an initiative which will help to raise the awareness of companies about the business and economic case for gender equality such as the gender pay gap.
according to the sectoral approach of the package the commission will promote white collar green and ict careers in order to attract under represented profiles such as women.
the gender pay gap in the eu is one of these.
first although there is no definite target for female employment rates in the europe two thousand and twenty strategy it says that the seventy five employment rate in the twenty sixty four age group should be achieved through the greater involvement of women.
this report offers a comprehensive but gloomy picture an assessment that the commission shares.
second gender issues were prominent during the european semester of enhanced policy coordination.
the persistence of the gender pay gap women's lower representation in decision making positions and the barriers facing immigrant women are all further issues we have to fight against.
the presence of children too often dampens women's employment prospects significantly.
mr president on behalf of the commission i would like to thank the european parliament and especially the committee on development for this report.
first we need to support effective domestic tax systems and secondly we need to work towards a transparent cooperative and fair international tax environment to help developing countries fight against tax evasion and harmful tax competition.
we need to improve synergies between tax and development policies and assist developing countries in building better tax systems and administrations.
to implement tax information exchange agreements.
your two thousand and ten allocation of eur seven hundred and eight zero has allowed us to fund a series of important activities in order to promote tax governance.
i would like to refer to these challenges.
a lot of work has already been undertaken since the adoption of our communication.
concerning the second matter the commission considers tax evasion and harmful tax competition as major obstacles to domestic resource mobilisation.
i sincerely want to thank parliament for your support and your commitment on these issues.
therefore we are helping developing countries to develop capacities to address these challenges and also promoting better international cooperation in tax matters.
these activities include technical seminars of the african tax administration forum support to the extractive industries transparency initiatives and the financing of a side event at the united nations on domestic resource mobilisation. we will also provide technical assistance
concerning the first matter i can assure you that we are fully committed to supporting successful fiscal transition through increased support for capacity building demand driven regional and international capacity development initiatives and better donor coordination at eu and international levels.
moreover the commission is preparing a communication to assess the feasibility of introducing a country by country reporting requirement into eu legislation.
we had a public consultation which ended last january and now we will continue with an impact assessment on this important issue.
domestic resource mobilisation is central for sustainable growth poverty reduction good governance and the provision of public goods needed to achieve the millennium development goals.
i am pleased to see that mrs eva joly's report highlights and gives added strength to the message of the commission's communication on tax and development.
mr president tax and taxing is an extremely important topic when we talk about development policies.
it is a crucial topic for policy coherence for development because without a proper tax system without proper policies on tax havens we will never be coherent in our development policies and at the moment we are not.
we need to complement the commission communication which has serious shortcomings for example by not addressing problems within the oecd and by not addressing the impact of tax competition on tax revenues.
member states politicians and the public have the power to protect and reduce demand. this report is a good step along the road so thank you emma.
move between the two legal or illegal.
tomorrow is world wildlife day so let's celebrate this year's progress in protecting wildlife against trafficking china's full ban and the near ban in the usa stricter rules in france on hunting trophies and the burning of ivory by the kenyan government.
mr president my thanks go to emma mcclarkin for her well reasoned and clear report with recommendations to protect wildlife in current and future eu trade agreements.
mr president the scale of recent trade flows in illegal wildlife and wildlife products is unprecedented with recent data showing a sharp decline in the number of some species many of them facing extinction.
this presents a serious threat to our environment and may have a permanent consequence on our biodiversity.
we must also concern ourselves with the impact illegal wildlife trade has on the global economy good governance and the wider connections with other criminal activities.
it was with these considerations in mind that i proposed to the committee on international trade inta to draft an own initiative report on the eu common commercial policy in the context of wildlife sustainability because trade policy can and should address wildlife conservation support sustainable development and environmental protection.
my report looks at the challenges we face and gives practical solutions on effective use of the resources available with better implementation of our current policies giving tangible and comprehensive recommendations to the commission on how trade and environmental policies can work together to tackle illegal wildlife trade inside the eu and globally.
however the report strongly recommends that we do not overburden the existing framework with the creation of new rules and mechanisms.
instead the priority should be the implementation of the present framework in the context of the global trade and environmental regimes such as the wto cites the wco the undp and the oecd.
we must also seek further and deeper cooperation with the private sector and non governmental organisations ensuring that all stakeholders involved have a say and contribute to the fight against illegal wildlife trade.
initiatives such as the united for wildlife transport taskforce should be widely promoted as they draw upon the linkages between e commerce transportation and distribution to establish well rounded and integrated approaches addressing both supply and demand as well as focusing on breaking chains to tackle illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products. sharing data and knowledge is imperative and this report stresses that there is still work to do at this level both within the eu and with partner countries.
customs procedures must be assessed and emphasis and resources should be put on strengthening compliance and law enforcement at national and regional levels.
the eu must step up its efforts in the provision of training information and capacity building full customs in developing countries and promote transparency and good governance.
to tackle illegal wildlife crime we must also tackle its enablers.
corruption is one of the main facilitators of this activity.
this report strongly encourages the eu and member states to increase their vigilance to reinforce cross border measures to identify and prevent money laundering associated with wildlife trafficking.
my report supports the inclusion of anti corruption provisions in future trade agreements.
and as part of the eu's ongoing commitment to sustainable development our trade policy must strive for solid and detailed sustainable development chapters in its future trade agreements similar to the one included in the eu vietnam fta.
it is imperative that we lead on the negotiation and implementation of higher standards covering trade in wildlife in the eu and globally.
trade policy is an important tool at our disposal and we must make the best use of it to fight this crime and to protect and promote wildlife and our natural resources. if we do nothing they will be extinct.
finally i would like to thank my adviser alex boyd for his advice and support and colleagues in inta for their support and hard work on this file proving that we are all committed to the fight against illegal wildlife crime and that we want to keep this fight a priority so that future generations to come will enjoy the magnificence
as has been pointed out the scale of illegal wildlife trade and the impact on populations of vulnerable plant and animal species are extremely serious.
concerted international action is needed to prevent the loss of such species due to greed and ill informed behaviour.
we are focusing today on trade related aspects of this fight.
the report refers to the trade for all communication which underlines the importance of a values based trade policy.
i welcome the high degree of consensus that i understand exists between the political groups on the need for action to tackle this appalling phenomenon of illegal wildlife trade an area of economic activity that is clearly contrary to our values.
cites decisions apply to all cites parties and furthermore it has the ability to take action if a party fails to follow the rules. support for the effective implementation of cites is a key feature of our trade policy.
it is one of the international conventions that must be implemented effectively by beneficiaries of trade preferences under the eu's gsp scheme.
commitments on effective implementation of cites are included in the trade and sustainable development chapters of eu free trade agreements and the commission does not hesitate to raise cites issues directly in our dialogues with trade partners as necessary.
today's report also correctly identifies an important role for the private sector in tackling wildlife trafficking including businesses in the aviation and shipping sectors.
the concept of responsible business conduct is one that is strongly supported by the eu and is increasingly reflected in our various trade agreements.
a highvalue illegal trade such as that of illegal wildlife creates the conditions for corruption as has been noted.
as announced in the trade for all communication and referred to in today's report the commission intends to include provisions to address corruption linked to international trade in future trade agreements.
the eu also successfully proposed at the last conference of the parties to cites a resolution which explicitly calls for dedicated action against corruption linked to wildlife trafficking. i can assure you that the report will be considered very carefully by the commission including in the ongoing work on the implementation of the
as many of you have said it is imperative that we take action to tackle the scourge of this trade. so thank you to the rapporteur and thank you to those who participated in this morning's discussion.
furthermore the new commission initiative on the european pillar of social rights encourages us to further reflect on the provision which sets out a right for children to be protected from poverty.
i am referring to the economic crisis and the phenomenon of inherited poverty. therefore the fight against child poverty needs to be tackled in its largest possible scope.
in our actions we should be led by the overarching concept of investing in children.
children are most disproportionately affected by poverty.
however their extent dimension and context differ from one member state to another.
the five main factors are type of household monetary poverty the level of education a migrant background and living conditions.
the causes of child poverty are diverse and often multiple.
it is a very wide ranging issue that must remain on our european agenda. the challenges are common to all member states.
but despite member states' commitment to the europe two thousand and twenty poverty reduction target and despite steps being taken to fulfil this target two further drivers have triggered a general increase in poverty and social exclusion.
they are the age group at the highest risk of poverty or social exclusion.
this is why the actions to be taken at national and local level vary accordingly. the most recent eurostat data from two thousand and fifteen speaks for itself.
let me first state what is selfevident no child deserves to be left behind.
our responses need to be multidimensional.
this means combating exclusion and fighting inequalities in the spirit of the eu charter of fundamental rights.
in this context the council adopted a set of conclusions on an integrated approach for combating poverty and social exclusion including child poverty.
these issues are very much on the agenda in the council and will be discussed tomorrow in the council's youth working party. the council is also looking forward to the launch and implementation of a preparatory action on a child guarantee as announced in the social pillar framework. in this context i would like to thank parliament for its continuous commitment to maintaining the issue of child poverty on the agenda.
child poverty and social exclusion not only have a negative imprint on a child's future but are also a huge waste of potential that our ageing societies cannot afford.
principle eleven of the pillar recalls that children have the right to protection from poverty and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have the right to specific measures to enhance equal opportunities.
the experiences collected throughout the last four years show the areas in which good progress has been made and those where there is still room for improvement.
e. children in institutions children left behind by parents working in another eu country disabled children and children of migrants and refugees.
the commission trusts that parliament will join together with the council in the proclamation of the pillar by the end of this year.
that means that more than a quarter of all children in the eu around twenty five million are growing up in a household which either earns less than sixty of the median income suffers from material deprivation or is a quasi jobless household.
it also recognises that children have the right to affordable early childhood education and care of good quality.
therefore it should provide a useful guidance for further action at local national and eu level in the field.
for the forty of children in some of our member states that live in households at risk of poverty we need to come with effective solutions to foster employment of their parents and to ensure their full participation in society.
the situation is similar throughout europe and indeed is even worse in many places. what are we doing? how can any child in europe be left behind so badly?
it is simply not good enough.
we cannot go on like this and we must ensure real change before we fail an entire generation.
twenty nine per cent of children in my own constituency of the east midlands live under these conditions.
for all the hot air of politicians throughout this continent and all the failed policies we continue to fail our young people.
gdp growth and statistics mean nothing if children have nothing on the dinner table.
all of us here have had the opportunity to reach our potential;
we see it in our development aid policies that those first thousand days of life are critical.
so there's something to be said about the wage level which is not actually allowing families to live and children to be properly cared for.
so when we're looking at the commission's recommendation and the council's buy in we know that they recognised as parliament does;
and yet we look at some of the measures we take and the fundamental rights agency has reported more than once that the link between national child poverty rates the countryspecific recommendations formulated and the measures suggested in the national reform programmes are not always clear.
madam president the commission has already acknowledged that austerity has increased inequalities social injustice and poverty in europe. children are among the most impacted and remain the group at the highest risk of poverty and social exclusion.
we need therefore to have decisive political action so as not to exclude a great part of the next generation.
as a member of the intergroup on children's rights i am proud that my political group is pushing hard for the creation of a child guarantee in line with the investing in children recommendations ensuring that every child in europe at risk of poverty including refugees has access to free healthcare free education free childcare decent housing and adequate nutrition.
children must also play a role in decisionmaking that concerns them and the children's commission on poverty in the uk involves young people investigating peer poverty and making concrete policy recommendations at all levels.
the nuj and the church action on poverty have also worked with young people to produce excellent guidelines which will end the demonisation of the poor by the rightwing media.
madam president let me just recall the conclusions adopted by the council in march reducing child poverty and breaking the cycle of poverty and social exclusion across generations require integrated strategies that combine prevention and support.
these strategies should aim at supporting parents' access to the labour market and enhancing preventive approaches through early intervention and increased support to families.
these are practices that we know have the potential to undermine fairness and the level playing field in our internal market and they increased the burden on the eu taxpayers.
we can only succeed if we act together and thus our dialogue does not stop today.
likewise we encourage member states to involve social partners and civil society in the definition and implementation of major reforms.
the european parliament's active participation in the debate on the annual growth survey is important. i salute the work done by the rapporteurs by the committees and the members involved in the drafting of the reports.
now is the time to implement reforms including those linked to the pillar to strengthen social resilience to support and empower entrepreneurs and workers and other citizens women and men young and old alike wherever they are born so that they can embrace the changes of the twenty first century and no longer have to fear them.
but just watching his cyclical mood swings is not enough;
in order to achieve this we will need to complete banking union both in terms of risk reduction and risk sharing but more fundamentally we need greater clarity about who is in charge of what in the euro area.
what should be the role of markets absorbing shocks? what should be the role of various elements of an enhanced european fiscal capacity?
which of these elements should be automatic which discretionary and which ones tied to nationality and how?
many possible answers to these questions have already been put forward by the commission by this house and by various expert groups.
tomorrow a new german government will be formed.
last year president macron was elected.
the time has come finally to put the necessary elements together and help humpty dumpty climb down that wall safely.
and how do we assure democratic legitimacy and accountability?
we need him to climb down that wall safely.
we also see that the implementation of country specific recommendations has slightly improved as compared with last may.
we engage in discussions with the national authorities and stakeholders at national and at european level including the national parliaments and social partners.
last week the commission issued its assessment of the economic and social challenges for twenty seven member states including the relevant detailed analysis of macroeconomic imbalances.
for this we need investment not just in infrastructure but also in human capital research and innovation and this requires ensuring an investment friendly environment including by tackling corruption and ensuring respect for the rule of law.
the semester is our key instrument to make the principles and rights included in the pillar a reality on the ground. following the proclamation for the first time the principles of the pillar are now embedded in the semester.
the european semester has proven instrumental for the coordination of policies in the union.
also dynamic labour markets and fair working conditions and public support social protection and inclusion.
human beings is indeed what europe is about.
you know that we proclaimed the european pillar of social rights at the social summit a few months ago and this is our joint political commitment by the commission by the european parliament and by the council to move forward with the stronger social europe.
good times should be used to build buffers and reduce high debts.
focus on fairness and inclusiveness.
france and bulgaria were deescalated from excessive imbalances to imbalances.
we deescalated the macroeconomic imbalances procedures for four countries.
the share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion fell to the pre crisis level.
our strategy of investment structural reforms and responsible policies is working.
we need to use the current good times to strengthen our economic foundations improve resilience and support convergence.
we must make sure that today's growth is inclusive and sustainable and that our economies and societies are prepared to harness the opportunities and address the challenges that technology and globalisation bring.
this year's semester takes place amid steady economic expansion. europe is seeing the highest growth rate in a decade investment is picking up employment is at record levels and the unemployment rate is almost where it was before the crisis.
i take from the two reports on the annual growth survey which we are discussing today that we share views on the challenges and where the european union and member states should focus their efforts.
public finances are improving and the banking sector is well capitalised.
still in some member states the legacy of the crisis is visible in the high levels of debt and non performing loans and in the unemployment rates. indeed also the risk of poverty and social exclusion remain high in some countries and eighteen million people are seeking a job.
so was portugal which still needs to address the high levels of public private and external debt.