kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
i was very proud to support the general approach taken by the council last june i am very proud to support the deal we have with the committee on fisheries and i am very proud to be flexible and include a lot of good ideas that were put forward over those months.
i really think that this is an opportunity for us.
every speaker has mentioned the need to end discards.
of course we support that absolutely but we must not forget as diane dodds told us that it was the commission who introduced the plethora of regulations that forced fishermen to discard fish.
that is why an important part of this reform is regionalisation devolving day to day management back to the member states.
i am so glad that maria damanaki since she came here has recognised that micro management from the centre has failed.
we need to ask ourselves why after years of cod recovery plans in the north sea cod stocks are still not significantly improving.
that seems to me to be the missing link in all the commission's work.
we have a chance not only to do something good for fish and for fishermen but also something good for europe because without doubt the common fisheries policy has not been an ornament to this union.
it has been criticised enormously and not least by the commissioner who has herself described it as a failure and you cannot get more blunt than that.
year after year each december ministers have got together and set tacs and quotas for the following year too often ignoring the scientific advice and too often let it be said listening to the fishermen.
now the commission has put forward proposals for change long term management plans for every fishery and i thank the irish fisheries minister for the efforts he is making in freeing the logjam and ensuring that discussions take place between parliament and council to make progress on the dossier.
there are going to be problems in managing mixed fisheries to achieve msy.
we not? because i think that is fundamental for dealing with the whole discard
we need to realise that we need to be flexible open and innovative.
we should support new business models and new solutions in air traffic management integrated ticketing and alternative fuels.
in a time of limited capacity we should also be promoting the importance of our regional airports for example birmingham which is in my constituency.
aviation is also a global business so we have to be open and competitive and we need innovation.
aviation is not free of tax no matter what our green colleagues think.
but whilst we agree with a great deal of the content unfortunately there are three key areas which we cannot support.
worldwide individual countries are contracted directly to icao under the chicago convention and therefore i do not support the removal of the representative from each member state.
we stress that the aviation industry is recognised as a growing sector that has attracted and provided highly skilled and motivated professionals and that in order to continue this trend current employment legislation on working conditions standards and practices including collective bargaining should be maintained.
i shall focus on the content of that and of course the effort he has made to gain support across the groups.
paragraph twenty three makes a reference to easa's role in icao and whilst fully supporting proper recognition of easa as an extremely effective safety agency i should stress that we do not support a single eu voice in this area.
my second point focuses on the social agenda section.
the first is in paragraph seven and the reference to competition issues.
provided they are complying with the terms of their air service agreements and international obligations we are not in a position to interfere.
in my region for example airbus employs four zero people directly and thousands of others in the supply chain but there is a backlog of planes six zero waiting to get certification as a consequence of the delays in easa.
we need this to stay competitive in a global industry and best of all as a budget committee member this need not be at any more cost to the eu budgets.
mr president the future aviation package is a perfect opportunity to revisit the arrangements for the safety agency for aircraft commonly known as easa.
the aerospace manufacturing sector is vital for both our industrial base in the eu and also for innovation particularly in areas like composites.
the industry desperately needs the rules covering the agency to be revisited.
in particular market access should be based on a regulatory framework which promotes eu values and standards enables reciprocal opportunities and prevents distortions.
we will do everything to enable this to happen.
i just came back from the middle east today and i can only confirm that.
an active and comprehensive social dialogue is therefore really essential in this regard.
we must deal with the environmental impact of an everexpanding sector.
within this revision we intend to lay down the basic legal framework for the safe development of all drone operations in europe in proportion to the risk.
we know that further improvements are necessary to make the sector more efficient provide stability to investors encourage new research innovation and technical solutions and ensure safety is maintained to its current high level.
i fully agree that we must maintain leadership in aviation including through a highly educated qualified and experienced workforce.
furthermore it allows for improved capacity and environmental performance less congestion and delays for passengers and reduced costs for the aviation value network.
at the same time the eu has put in place powerful regulatory tools to address co two emissions.
we should not be afraid of that but should engage and play a major role in shaping this new world.
we welcome the highlighting of the importance of implementing the single european sky.
their consequences on employment should be looked at closely.
from an internal market perspective we see that whilst some airlines continue to struggle with problems other airlines are doing quite well.
regarding sesar we now have a coherent project governed by a strong legal framework driven by innovative partnerships and supported by union incentives that is capable of deploying innovative air traffic management concepts in a coordinated manner.
the commission warmly welcomes the support for this approach in parliament's draft resolution and the emphasis put on the aeronautics industry as a major contributor to eu growth and jobs and on innovation as a prerequisite of a competitive and sustainable aviation sector.
in this context i agree with members that it is essential for eu aviation to be well equipped to compete with strong players in the global marketplace. we face new and relentless competition from regions such as asia and the middle east.
ses two is an important enabler for modernisation of air traffic management and also ensures better safety oversight of air navigation services.
the technology is here to serve.
at the same time new businesses and employment models have emerged;
so despite the industry performing well compared to other world regions overall financial performance unfortunately remains mixed.
against this background we have taken a close look at the eu's regulatory environment.
i would like to congratulate parliament on its work on its report on drones. the fourth issue social matters. there are many social matters that need to be addressed to ensure competitive and sustainable growth in aviation.
i welcome the call for measures which can effectively address distortive market behaviour in international aviation which is why the commission is currently considering new measures to address unfair commercial practices from third countries and third country operators.
therefore the upcoming commission initiative on an aviation strategy for europe to be adopted on two december will stand as our contribution to help shape the future of the eu aviation system in a comprehensive holistic manner.
by pursuing an ambitious external aviation policy the eu could greatly contribute to that notably through negotiating comprehensive eu level air transport agreements with key third partners.
fifth improvements and innovation.
i am confident that innovation and technical solutions can contribute to a reduced carbon footprint for aviation.
two thousand and sixteen regarding working conditions in a competitive air transport market pressure to reduce operational costs is high which can have an impact on social matters. the commission through the aviation strategy aims to tackle all these challenges.
the commission supports the objective of ensuring fair competition in the aviation sector and we have different tools in order to do this first by promoting sound principles of competition enforcement in the bilateral air service agreements and second by promoting eu level air service agreements especially with important trading partners that lead to comprehensive agreements and revising the standard fair competition' clause in order to make it more usable in negotiations with third countries while ensuring that the exclusive competence of the
even if subsidies exist we would need to see whether they have a negative impact on eu companies.
sector and an ever stronger single aviation
in this context the most important thing is a very strong social dialogue. i think we established really good conditions for that at the conference on social issues in transport in june.
into. the environment the eu has also put in place powerful regulatory tools such as the emissions trading scheme addressing co two emissions in the eu. a global marketbased mechanism should be pursued to achieve carbon neutral growth from two thousand and twenty as well as the option
training should be given a high priority.
that is what we are really after. let us not forget that the loss of competitiveness in the eu aviation industry is due to a number of reasons from the continued fragmentation of the european air traffic systems and lack of implementation of the single european sky to insufficient infrastructure and also the lack of a level playing field.
field. we therefore continue to urge both parties to take a constructive approach and find a pragmatic solution.
training and skills and safety and security in europe meet the highest standards and they must continue to do so. some skills and competences are not yet widely available and will have to be developed.
it is important to have all the factual and legal elements of the developments on the market to understand the implications of the use of atypical forms of employment in aviation and the implications for the eu aviation policy.
in spite of the big challenges i know that we are going to address it in the best possible way with all stakeholders included.
commission and national competition authorities in applying eu competition rules is fully respected.
let me underline that the existence of subsidies is alleged and not yet proven.
birmingham airport delivers over gbp one billion to the regional economy and nearly gbp two billion to the national economy. it should and could be a lot more.
when we are considering the strategic importance of our airports to the whole economy we need to consider the working conditions of the people who work in them.
we ask questions about the sector rather than asking questions about how the sector fits into the economy and society as a whole. that is why we end up with ridiculous situations like in the uk where we have a review of aviation and decide to build a seventy seventh airport in london when what we actually need is to increase the capacity of regional airports like birmingham.
but i urge you to act on issues such as the single european skies passenger rights and slots.
we need to address them you appreciate that i know to improve competitiveness of european airlines.
we always had the eu to blame for it. certainly we need an aviation package.
clearly we will have to address the burden. we will have to have a look at the internal market and we will have to have an equal level playing field as you have said.
i am looking forward too but i think that the principles should lead to real competitiveness and not just protection and i am sure that we are on the same page on that.
because of the conflict.
one of the countries we spoke about was georgia and it was really refreshing to hear how much progress had been made for a particular group of individuals with no voice children with disabilities both intellectual and physical and young adults but also deeply depressing to learn that those involved believe that they are now set back by ten years
i would just ask because i was involved yesterday that you bear in mind the most vulnerable when we are doing trade agreements and having conversations.
commissioner you mentioned eur forty six million in aid.
the eu should take a stronger position on this case.
we will not waver in our support as was said for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of georgia.
the implementation of the post conflict assistance package is proceeding well and the living conditions of many have already been improved. we are keeping our promises and our very substantial assistance is providing assistance for the resettlement of the idps but also for economic stabilisation and support to georgia's infrastructure.
preparations for the establishment of a new legal framework for our bilateral relations are proceeding quite
we are doing our utmost to help the country take the necessary steps to resolve the difficulties.
in spite of the very good advice from the council of europe's venice commission this law has not yet been amended by georgia and we will continue to urge georgia to make the suggested adjustments.
however if we are to succeed in helping georgia out of its current difficulties georgia must also deliver more in particular in three areas.
the draft negotiation directives include the future establishment of a deep and comprehensive free trade
the government of georgia's efforts to design a state strategy for the regions of abkhazia and south ossetia deserve our support particularly any effort for closer work in favour of its population. however we remain concerned that the law on occupied territories if too strictly implemented may unnecessarily increase frictions with the entities and thus complicate the delivery of assistance. the danger is that it will impede economic relations and
we therefore appreciate the stated georgian policy of strategic patience which increasingly recognises the need to maintain links with the breakaway regions without restrictions in the interest of citizens and of re establishing stability in the region.
georgia's resolve to use the run up to the negotiations to speed up its own preparations is wise and i think it is essential that it tackles the key recommendations very actively.
democracy rule of law respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are the backbone of our relations with all our eastern partners and the georgian president's statement earlier this year announcing a new wave of democratic reforms' and stating that georgia's response to russian aggression will be more democracy more freedom and more progress was very welcome.
this presents a major opportunity for georgia to restore its citizens' trust in the electoral process and one that must be seized since the shortcomings of the electoral system remain a significant potential source of political instability in georgia.
at the same time the isolation of the breakaway regions will not help efforts for conflict resolution.
meanwhile negotiations on the eu georgia visa facilitation and readmission agreements were completed at working level in november and we are now awaiting final approval on both
first georgia should promote further democratic reforms.
the local elections in tbilisi in may will be a test of these commitments and the local elections will be very important as the tbilisi mayor will be for the first time elected by direct suffrage.
i recently signed a joint declaration on a mobility partnership between the european union and georgia which now will be completed.
and we will do all we can through our monitoring mission and mediator role at the geneva talks to work for a normalisation of the situation.
times. we are offering new opportunities that can bring tangible benefits to the country and its citizens but georgia also has to help itself and if it takes good decisions we will then be there to help every step of the way.
in the coming days the commission will also release the first tranche of eur forty six million of macrofinancial assistance in grants to georgia another part of this comprehensive package.
area. we have already presented to georgia key recommendations for steps to be taken before we can judge the country ready to embark on this area of negotiations.
ensure that steps to normalise day to day contacts cannot take place.
first and foremost the implementation of our pledge of assistance of up to eur five hundred million in support of georgia's recovery is being honoured by us.
well. we have swiftly prepared the negotiation directives for an eu georgia association agreement which are now currently under discussion in the council.
last year's conflict has increased tensions within georgia. so disputed elections for instance led to months of street protests.
my third point is that georgia should actively prepare for negotiations for a new eu georgia association agreement in the context of the european and eastern partnership. we are not sparing any effort to support georgia.
the second area where we need georgia to deliver is in demonstrating strategic patience' in the aftermath of the conflict.
sides. these agreements are a milestone in our partnership demonstrating once again the concrete benefits that our closer relationship can bring for the people of georgia.
as you know the european union played a major role in bringing an end to the hostilities and will continue to work for a durable solution.
i can tell mrs lunacek that i myself signed an agreement with the georgians where they absolutely commit themselves to not using one cent of the european union money.
we have to ask them also to do their part.
this also helps because the report has made the facts clear.
it is right as the council president said that the only platform where we really start to go on even slowly is in geneva and so the geneva talks have to go on.
this unfortunately is sometimes quite difficult.
we cannot just ask them to come into the european union if the council is not unanimous on
first of all the war was stopped by the european union and by mr sarkozy. second you are right there is a six point plan which unfortunately has not yet been fully implemented but every time we work with the russians this is on our agenda.
there are other things that have been mentioned.
we do need as i said here the attitude on both sides to go forward which is what i said in my speech if you will recall.
she is a very courageous independent lady and i must say she has made an excellent report.
for instance the two teenagers that are still in detention in south ossetia.
we cannot.
she was then my special representative for the caucasus.
as regards the principle of course we are clear on the principle.
there is territorial integrity and there is sovereignty and this is what we clearly say of georgia.
one. you know we supported this independent report.
i thought that many of you knew what we have been doing for georgia.
let me also speak about the tagliavini report.
we always control our money so normally there should not be a cent of our money going to re arming on the georgian side. i cannot of course control what georgia is doing on other issues but on our money i can be clear.
i myself have visited the idp camps and i have visited the houses that have been restored with our programmes.
the eu's relationship with georgia does raise very far reaching questions about what we are about what the eu is and what we aspire to be.
it could be that this relationship could turn out to be a test case of our commitment to values of solidarity human rights and democracy our proclaimed values. it is clear enough that georgia both the elites and society see the country as belonging to europe. at the same time that country let us admit it is in a precarious situation
as russia the former colonial power has not given up its aspiration to reclaim some kind of overlordship over georgia or indeed over the rest of the southern caucasus.
it is in this sense that there are many people in russia who do not take georgia's status as an independent state seriously and take the view that georgia's return to russia is just a question of time.
this leaves the great majority of people in georgia feeling decidedly insecure.
no country likes to be stripped of its sovereign territory as georgia was.
all this affects the eu hence the significance of the eastern partnership.
georgia sees itself as having a european future not least as a guarantee of its security.
obviously there is also the southern caucasian energy corridor which is a future lifeline for europe's energy supplies.
these would be compelling enough reasons for the european union to take georgia's european aspirations seriously as we obviously do but there is also a final argument which is that if europe neglects these aspirations then our own credibility in the world will come into question and our opponents will be delighted by this demonstration of europe's weakness.
one of the main challenges for the future is the full transposition and coherent implementation of agreed legislation.
voluntary return remains our priority and we agree that more consideration should be given to reintegration measures and the full application of readmission agreements. much has also been accomplished in the area of international security.
the past has shown that we need to respond in a flexible way to new emerging challenges and a multiannual programme would limit us in an unnecessary
we can see a growing consensus on the need to maximise the benefits.
i think this is not necessary.
i agree with you that fighting smuggling and trafficking in human beings is a clear priority.
we need to see where we can step up our efforts to disrupt criminal networks prevent terrorism ensure a safer cyberspace strengthen our security at the borders and increase our resilience to crises and disasters.
at the same time we need to deepen our work to prevent and prosecute corruption and related financial crimes and parliament's support in this context is of course welcome.
the eu will remain confronted with the consequences of instability in many parts of the world and additional efforts will be needed to avoid further tragedies such as the ones we have seen in the mediterranean and elsewhere.
we are ready to strengthen the monitoring and benchmarking of national and local integration policies. preventing and reducing irregular migration is an essential part of a well managed migration policy.
at the same time integration remains a challenge.
the new institutional arrangement introduced by the lisbon treaty and the key role of the european parliament has been of great help.
this would imply better identifying the economic sectors and occupations facing recruitment difficulties or skills shortages promoting the admission of highly skilled workers to europe unleashing migrants' entrepreneurship and facilitating intra eu mobility for third country nationals.
the strategic use of eu funding will enable us to better focus on eu priorities.
in order to be successful we need to pay more attention to the external dimension of our policies.
we need to do more to integrate home affairs issues in overall eu foreign policy allowing for reinforced dialogue in cooperation with third countries.