kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
five we know that many of our domestic economies are growing and about the challenges to harness and to channel that growth where it can be effective but have evidence that jobs as we know them are changing the labour market is changing and the typical permanent pensionable job is no longer there for many.
there is evidence of temporary parttime working on a contract basis flexible labour market and of course with automation robots and globalisation employment as we know it is changing.
it has shown the wideranging nature of the challenges ahead of us.
madam president when we talk about socio economic inequality there are often two simple solutions that are offered you either make the richer poorer or you make the poorer richer and i believe that actually what we should do is focus on pathways out of poverty. one of the most inspiring parts of my job in london is meeting or helping the many local community projects tackling poverty in their local neighbourhoods.
they are often inspired by local people who want to make a difference so it is disappointing that when politicians or commentators talk about poverty they tend to focus on what the state can or cannot do or whether large ngos are effective or not too often neglecting the inspirational local community projects in the hearts of our communities.
though in some ways both the left and the right have failed the poor.
while the left believe in top down government taxing people more to distribute more money to the poor via more public servants more trade unions etc.
we all know of areas where lots of money has been spent over the years and we still see deprivation in those areas.
but many on the right argue that poverty is best tackled by cutting taxes creating more jobs with additional wealth trickling down to the poor but they forget that the welfare state was created since private provision did not reach everyone.
so while state welfare and large ngos do have a role to play last month the ecr group held a global poverty summit which brought together local community projects from across the world to tell their inspiring stories of how they tackled poverty at a grass roots level.
so whether the left call it cooperative socialism or the right call it community conservatism or localist libertarianism i hope that we can all pay more attention and champion the role of grass roots anti poverty projects in all our local communities rather than top down state or top down wealth and i see the left laughing and insulting these very many community projects.
allow me on a personal note to end on that equality.
i realise i am the first non white leader of any political group in this parliament but i'm still shocked by the lack of racial diversity not only in this house but across all eu institutions and if the eu is going to have any credibility on the issues of diversity and equality it needs to get its own house in order.
let us across the political spectrum reach out to young people in all our countries and tell them that whatever your colour your gender your religion your orientation or your background you should not be afraid to put yourself forward for public office.
the eu is often accused of being a rich white man's club.
it is time to take action if the eu really wishes to live up to its motto of united in diversity'.
the most shocking thing concerns young people because we have around one third of young people in europe living in poverty.
and social unfairness. we must reverse this.
it is possible just look at the portuguese case and now we have a powerful solution which is to implement the european social pillar. with this pillar we want first of all to address the situation of children in europe to end child poverty and to address the situation of young people paving the way for better jobs and access to skills making sure that everybody can have a proper decent labour contract and access to social protection.
but how can we deliver all this?
we need to promote an economic policy focusing on investment and jobs for the future. we need to have a fiscal policy providing good public services. we need to have a tax policy addressing added value where it is but most of all we need to make sure that the upcoming
instead we must strengthen the european workforce and step forward with more effective employment and social policy with education with skilling with upskilling and with training systems.
we too have said in our annual growth survey in the euro area council recommendation and in some countryspecific recommendations that promoting wage growth under certain conditions would be a good thing.
as the economic recovery continues in europe it is essential to make sure no one is left behind.
this requires a collective effort first of all at european level but also at national level and at local level.
indeed let us cherish and support grassroots social projects as we do with the european social fund.
we have also to work together with social partners and other stakeholders.
we see this today.
we see refugees being played against pensioners we see greek nurses being played against single mothers in germany.
and i tell you instead of following this divisive rhetoric and these divisive so called proposals we need to present something from european level to show that we are fighting for greater social equality.
the european economy is growing unemployment rates are falling and most economic theorists are telling us the fairytale that people will benefit from growth.
that is at least the normal theory.
how is it possible then in europe that the number of working poor is still growing and growing? i will repeat what our unexpected allies are saying namely that a pay rise would be good for business for jobs for workers and therefore for the european economy
in such conditions the fight against poverty is also an important security issue.
madam president the society that puts equality before freedom ends up with neither. we're here again talking about the european social pillar one of my favourite subjects.
it is more intervention by the state into the lives of individual people and into businesses.
it is the dead hand of the state pressing down upon all of our economies seeking to alter and change things to suit the view of the elite in rooms like this.
what about giving people equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcome?
the poor do not want to be treated like clients of the state;
the poor want to work their way to more prosperity.
the reality is that when you hear the lover of the big state talking about equality what they want to do is take all of our levels of income and bring them closer together and level it down.
the lover of freedom doesn't mind if we're going up as long as we're going up.
everyone's level of wealth and income goes up according to their ability and their talents and their skills and their economic ability within their country.
let's make our people wealthier. let's make the whole peoples of europe wealthier and here's the way we do it.
we free them.
we free them to have free market enterprise.
we free them to express their talents and skills.
we free them to make money and we free the nation states so that each and every nation state can compete according to its ability can make the right environment for its people to trade and make money in and can each and every one of them unleash a real entrepreneurial spirit and allow the poor to get better conditions and more wealth for their families through hard work.
free our people.
free our nations and wealth will come with free enterprise.
i think this would be a solution.
this poorly judged announcement has triggered words of concern and condemnation from around the globe.
how on earth can this decision be a constructive step towards peace?
let us seize the moment to re launch negotiations between israel and palestine for a lasting solution that works for all of the people.
this announcement and the decision to move the us embassy is a counterproductive measure that will damage the chances of peace.
the sheer incompetence coming from the president of the us is unprecedented in my lifetime.
we are here to reaffirm that the two state solution is the only scenario we will ever accept for israel and palestine.
the entire middle east has braced itself for the prospect of social unrest.
we have to join forces.
even if i disagree with him on many things i appreciate the fact that he visited and i think it is useful that we engage first of all with the parties on the way forward.
the european union is well positioned and is credible.
play because of our position;
it is not either or.
it states very clearly it is consistent and all its member states are consistent with it we are not going to move embassies we are not going to recognise jerusalem as the capital of the state of israel until the final status of jerusalem is determined through direct negotiations and we want to see two states where jerusalem is the capital of both.
the risk that i see is that the discourse gets polarised and that the forces that have always worked for peace including in the arab world get isolated and marginalised and that radicals take the leading role.
is this move from the united states a possibility for the european union to play the mediator role alone?
had. this is what makes us powerful in passing the message and i believe that this is going to be key for the continuation of our work.
peace will not happen with the united states working alone on a plan but peace will not happen without the united states being credibly engaged.
can we go forward alone? i want to be very clear i believe that it is not in anyone's interests to see the united states' role discredited. it is in everybody's interest to make sure that we create the appropriate regional international framework that can accompany the restart of talks.
this is not even in nature i have to tell you. the second point what is the priority now?
keep the situation calm in and around jerusalem and not to allow violence or escalation to take root.
this. this should not be done and especially this should not be done when we are discussing the situation in jerusalem.
and by the way it would be a little bit strange to play the mediator role and not talk to one of the parties.
he is the prime minister of israel.
i believe it is first of all an interest that our palestinian and arab friends share that we get to a point where together and this is why we are engaging in the quartet and with others in the region we join forces.
we are very clear on that but we talk to everybody starting with the parties.
no we need to unite and join forces because this is not an easy conflict to solve and we need all the relevant players to be engaged but on a clear political horizon two states jerusalem the capital of both and steps that can be accompanied by this regional international framework to help the parties get there. this is also
fourth building an international and regional framework that can accompany the restart of direct negotiations.
i know that sometimes it is not perceived like this but it is a credible interlocutor and partner for the two parties the regional relevant players and the international community.
second and this goes together with it to support the forces of wisdom in the region and to avoid a vacuum on the political scene which would open the way for radical forces to benefit from this development. this is a specific role that the european union can
any serious plan should be based on what is possible and realistic.
with the israeli military presence and the settlements a viable palestinian state is hardly possible.
i think the recognition of jerusalem as the capital of israel by mr trump could be the first step out of this deadlock.
it can be a reason for division and even war or it can be the most powerful symbol of peace and reconciliation.
we are in contact with what we consider to be a key player at this moment because jordan plays a very special role when it comes to jerusalem.
he is also a very wise man and i believe all of us remember the very wise words he addressed to this very chamber a couple of years ago.
at the same time we believe that israel's security interests are best served by having a stable viable independent palestinian state living in peace and security at the side of the israeli state.
let me conclude by saying that jerusalem is not just a city. jerusalem is the cradle of three faiths.
at the same time we understand israel's security concerns and we want to see them properly addressed.
we are determined to play an even more active role in trying to provide first a political horizon for the two state solution there is no realistic alternative to two states and second to work to create the appropriate international and regional framework to relaunch direct negotiations. so we will keep working.
this is the position of the entire european union and this is what all twenty eight foreign ministers said yesterday morning to prime minister benjamin netanyahu one by one in full unity.
i presented the very same position very openly and very clearly to our palestinian and arab friends.
it is in the darkest hours such as these that the work of peacemakers becomes more difficult yes but more important.
we believe that jerusalem shall be the capital of two states west jerusalem for the state of israel and east jerusalem for the state of palestine.
i also asked president abbas to do all he can to make sure that all demonstrations remain peaceful.
we discussed these arguments with our american interlocutors including a couple of days ago with jared kushner president trump's middle east adviser and our contacts with our american friends will continue in the coming days and weeks.
the possibility to start negotiations.
on friday in brussels i met with my jordanian counterpart and also my friend foreign minister ayman al safadi and with him contacts have continued on a daily basis actually several times a day.
this move risks strengthening radical forces in the region and weakening forces of wisdom and moderation being completely counterproductive.
last week i spoke with president abbas and guaranteed that the european union will continue to work for jerusalem to be the capital of both the state of israel and the state of palestine.
the steps taken by the arab states in these days and in the coming days in the near future will be particularly important to show leadership wisdom restraint and moderation keeping the clearly defined position that we are backing in full consistency with our consolidated position and role.
as a partner and as a friend we have always been clear in our contacts with the united states before and after the decision was taken.
the united states should and could continue to play an important role in that framework.
mr president the voice of the european union has been heard loud and clear in all corners of the word after president trump's announcement on jerusalem.
the israelis and the palestinians also know where we stand and this makes us a credible predictable and indispensable partner for them to restart a meaningful peace process.
i took the opportunity of the visit of prime minister netanyahu the first one for more than twenty years to condemn in the strongest possible terms all attacks against jews everywhere in the world including in europe and all attacks against israeli citizens.
we must first of all engage to prevent any escalation around jerusalem which could have terrible consequences for the region and beyond and we must engage to preserve the objective of two states and recreate the conditions for the peace process to restart the key to restart the engine.
our position is built on the most solid foundations.
we did not hide our disagreements because this is what good friends and partners as we are should always do. we have made it clear that we will continue to respect the international consensus on jerusalem as europeans including on the location of our embassies until the final status of jerusalem is resolved through direct negotiations between the parties.
for us europeans this situation is a call to mobilise with even greater conviction for peace between israel and palestine.
the region and the world count on europe count on the european union to stay engaged with a clear united message and clear determined work and this is exactly what we are doing in the clearest and most united manner.
we believe that the only way to achieve this goal is through direct negotiations between the parties based on the one thousand nine hundred and sixty seven borders and that there is no alternative solution that would be both viable and sustainable meet the aspirations of the two sides and address the legitimate concerns.
i thank the minister for the restraint and the wisdom shown by jordan in this difficult situation including the work done by jordan and others during the league of arab states ministerial meeting in cairo last saturday where the arab peace initiative was recalled as a useful framework to readvance
the us demands to move its embassy to west jerusalem which has been part of the state of israel since its foundation. having said this it would have been preferable if this us decision had been taken as a result of direct negotiations between the parties so it is therefore a correct decision in principle but with adverse timing.
however why is it that the high representative did not denounce another unilateral decision about recognising the palestinian state taken by the swedish socialist government in?
ms mogherini calls the unilateral decision of the us very worrying.
according to the high representative the eu as a whole stands behind the position of not recognising jerusalem as the capital of israel.
two thousand and fourteen why is it that the high representative is expressing deep worries regarding one unilateral move but not another?
madam president the dangerous decision taken by the trump administration illustrates that no matter what the cost they will do whatever it takes to deflect attention from trouble at home.
palestinians have suffered at the hands of israel for decades and now the trump administration is rubbing salt into their wounds.
the us can no longer claim to act as a neutral player in the region but the un and the eu must show leadership and the eu must apply sanctions and end business as usual.
this means an arms embargo on israel and an immediate suspension of the eu israel association agreement until israel upholds human rights and international law.
the irish government needs to recognise the state of palestine immediately especially as a response to the unacceptable action of the trump administration.
on an issue such as this when there are so few people here who are able to speak when there is going to be very few people supporting the idea of jerusalem being the capital of israel i am absolutely appalled that once again a member of this house is denied the access to have a speech on this.
you have just said that mr trump went beyond his competencies as the president of the united states in recognising jerusalem as the capital of israel.
were you one of those who voted in this chamber to recognise palestine as a country which went beyond the competencies of this parliament when it did not have the powers under any treaty to recognise that country or is it simply that you are proabbas and palestine and anti israel?
however at the conference that the commission organised last june which brought together the world's leading scientists ngos and industry it was recognised that we have reached the point where current scientific evidence supports the need for regulatory action.
this year the commission has to propose criteria for the identification of endocrine disruptors which will serve as the reference for the plant protection products and biocides regulations.
we need chemicals to maintain our lifestyle and competitive economy but we also need to make sure they are safe for the future well being of ourselves as well as of our planet.
innovation drives competitiveness and innovation in safer and healthier products substituting the chemicals that can harm our endocrine system for safer chemicals or methods certainly gives a competitive advantage. this is thus an opportunity for industry to contribute to more sustainable production
the stakes are truly high.
in this context there are two reports that are about to be published one by the commission's joint research centre and the other one by the european food safety authority.
they expect that only safe chemicals remain on the market.
the endocrine system is a complex network of glands that produce the hormones that govern growth development metabolism reproduction and even behaviour.
and support many national economies but the unsound management of chemicals challenges the achievement of key development goals and sustainable development for all'.
the situation cannot continue.
your report is also very timely.
professor ke bergman of stockholm university and chief editor of the report said as science continues to advance it is time for both management of endocrine disrupting chemicals and further research on exposure and effects of these chemicals in wildlife and humans'.
one thousand nine hundred and ninety nine we are now in the process of revising it because there has been significant scientific progress over the last fifteen years.
as well as to restoring and increasing public confidence.
it concludes that many synthetic chemicals untested for their disrupting effects on the hormone system could have significant health implications'.
this is thus an opportunity for industry to be competitive in a fast growing market caused by changes which are unavoidable.
alongside increasing knowledge among scientists and public authorities comes the increasing awareness of citizens and increasing distrust in certain chemicals.
the effects on us our children and on future generations mean that the costs of inaction could be considerable and therefore we must take due consideration of the precautionary principle.
our work the revision of the strategy on endocrine disruptors the criteria for their identification and the review under reach will be guided by the available scientific evidence and will aim for consistency among all the pieces of relevant legislation that deal with chemicals.
the subject concerns the health of every citizen in the european union.
citizens are looking to the european authorities for regulatory action.
your report describes clearly that the increased incidence of hormone related disorders and illnesses in people needs to be taken very seriously.
even though we will need more research there are enough tools definitions test guidelines and criteria to identify substances with endocrine disrupting properties today.
this might be a challenge for some parts of the industry but it is a challenge which is without any doubt leading to a healthier and safer future for all of us and also to new innovation opportunities.
but it does conclude that based on current knowledge the answer is that it is likely that no safe threshold can be established. the endocrine society a society of medical professionals specialised in the human endocrine system also says that from a psychological perspective
after the criteria have been developed the testing and information requirements of the relevant legislation will have to be reviewed as to whether they provide for identification of endocrine disrupting properties.
based on the ongoing discussions the who ipcs definition seems to be a good starting point.
this instrument already provides for budget support and could accommodate conditionality.
given that parliament is about to start the revision of the existing financial instruments for the period two thousand and fourteen two thousand and twenty and given the limited size and importance of the mfa instrument we wonder whether it might not be wise to integrate the mfa
we would only need to integrate the mfa elements when blending grants and loans into the eni framework but this should be possible. for greens this would seem to be the most elegant way to signal to our neighbourhood partners that we are still willing to support their balance of payments stability while solving