kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
the report recommends sensible measures relating to consumer transparency and will allow eu citizens to more easily make informed and healthy choices as regards what they consume.
a transitional period of eighteen months would allow distributors and retailers to use up current stocks and adjust to the new tougher guidelines.
the report also reiterates the eu's commitment to maintaining globally recognised labelling standards for fruit juices which will ensure that eu products remain competitive on the global market.
with a phosphate limit being set at. zero five grams per dose this will give the manufacturers the impetus to develop more compact products through innovation in the industry.
instead of pouring money into their coffers we should be investing creating jobs defending public services.
this is a significant amount of european taxpayers' money that is being funnelled into the coffers of these makers of weapons of mass destruction or weapons of individual destruction.
working class people are being asked to take cuts in their jobs cuts to their pay cuts to their public services and here we have the parliament agreeing to a report insisting that the so called defence sector is protected from any cuts.
we should take these major corporations into democratic public ownership and we should redeploy the capital and the workers to socially useful industries.
mr president the european community and the kingdom of morocco agreed a fisheries partnership agreement in may two thousand and six which came into force in february.
two thousand and seven the commission has since conducted negotiations with morocco in order to renew this fpa by a single initial protocol which was expiring and to extend it by one year. a protocol to renew the preceding protocol for the period of two thousand and eleven to two thousand and twelve has been provisionally applied.
as it was a time limited extension to a previous agreement i could support the committee on fisheries recommendation.
mr president the financial crisis means we need to make cuts to public spending even in the area of defence.
we must avoid expensive duplication of nato structures and ensure that the eu has nothing to do with defence.
however in the field of defence as everywhere else i do not believe the answer is more europe'.
i would be very happy to rejoin the wider world when it is the eu as a whole which is isolating itself.
the tragedy is that europe by cutting itself off from the bits of the world that are still growing is not only impoverishing consumers directly but is making itself economically irrelevant.
the purpose of the european union is to have exchange through comparative advantage but in this report we see measures being proposed to protect and stimulate european manufacturers at the expense of those elsewhere. you would have thought with everything going on in the world at the moment that we would be aware of the dangers of repeating the mistakes of the one thousand nine hundred and thirty s and adding to a downturn with protectionism.
the rapporteur sought to allow legislation effectively to catch up with industrial best practice as a majority of marketed laundry detergents are now effectively phosphate free.
zero five grams per dose paving the way for manufacturers to develop more compact and concentrated products to the benefit of our environment.
the central purpose of this report was to reduce the often devastating impact of eutrophication on the eu's rivers lakes and seas. eutrophication effectively chokes water of oxygen by encouraging weeds to grow.
this will not only help consumers to make healthier choices but also improve the added value of european products on the international markets.
the practice of adding sugar to fruit juices will also be prohibited.
this will bring an end to marketing strategies that mislead consumers.
there is also remaining legal uncertainty on this agreement under international law as far as the rights of the people of western sahara are concerned.
from a sustainability point of view the stocks we are accessing are already overfished so not only are we heavily subsidising jobs but we are doing so while exporting ecologically unsustainable fishing practices.
two thousand and twelve
i voted against the report as it is probably the least successful of all the fisheries agreements currently in force.
in the case of laundry detergents industry has led the way with almost all washing powders and liquids already free from phosphates.
we must therefore remain open and flexible until the science catches up with the political will.
the chemicals used in dishwasher detergents are very different to the laundry detergents.
whilst i support this directive i hold concerns on the addition of proposals to include dishwasher detergents.
mr president i believe strongly in free market forces. in order for markets to survive they must develop and advance their products in line with environmental targets.
the environmental and health impacts of the new chemicals that will be needed to replace phosphates in dishwasher detergents are not yet fully assessed.
mr president international pressure and cooperation is an invaluable tool in the fight against global and local terrorism alike.
i can therefore see the benefits of member states working together on counter terrorism measures and the eu has already made significant progress in counter terrorism work such as in the sharing of international banking data and air passenger security.
whilst the report on the eu's counter terrorism policy puts forward some sensible measures to the policy such as a risk based approach that is tailored to each member state and the need to examine the costs and the current allocation of european spending there are still a number of areas that require clarification.
i am not comfortable with permitting the eu institutions to act as the facilitator of intelligence sharing between member states as this should not be an eu competence.
counter terrorism measures need equally to reflect a global not solely eu focus.
the schools even opened on saturday to try to prevent people from coming but nonetheless people courageously came out and protested in their tens and hundreds of thousands because of the depth of anger and opposition at the blatant election rigging.
the announcement by president medvedev of an investigation into election rigging is a very transparent attempt to divert the movement.
a real alternative to the parties of the oligarchs and the nationalist and populist forces is needed.
that means building a mass workers' party to fight for the overthrow of the oligarchs and capitalism and for democratic socialist change.
mr president i have voted in favour of the report on fruit juices and similar products intended for human consumption as it quite rightly incorporates more of the provisions contained in the international codes bringing the eu standards in line with other internationally recognised standards and codes of practice concerning food food production and food safety.
the report's proposed amendments to the existing directive make the necessary clear distinction between fruit juices and drinks that have been produced from concentrate.
there is more clarity in the labelling which is critical for those of us who want to make a choice based on healthy options and want to know when there has been sugar added to the drink.
this is going to lead to greater consumer choice and hopefully over the longer term lead to a healthier population including in my welsh constituency.
mr president the common fisheries policy is being transformed from a european into a global tragedy;
having emptied exhausted and sterilised our seas we now export the same practices to more vulnerable and poorer countries and we have the same basic flaw which is lack of ownership rights which would have incentivised conservation.
there are successful fisheries' conservation schemes around the world in new zealand in norway in iceland in the falkland islands but all of them are based on giving skippers a sense of property so that they treat fisheries as a renewable resource.
we tragically suffer from common ownership which makes it impossible to persuade fishermen to tie up their boats knowing that other nations' vessels are at large in the same seas.
surely having created this ecological catastrophe in our own waters we should now draw back before we inflict it on others.
when they get into trouble what will they then do?
they will seek a bailout from the european globalisation fund because they did not bother to take advantage of global supply chains and compete globally;
mr president the european neighbourhood policy review acknowledges the challenges faced by the eu and crucially takes into account the recent events of the arab spring uprisings.
recently we have seen the overthrow of long standing regimes in egypt tunisia and libya and continuing violence in syria to name a few countries seeking a new democratic structure.
the report sensibly suggests that our approach should be to support further progress towards deep democracy and to support sustainable social and economic development in our neighbouring countries.
it also recognises the need to build effective regional partnerships as this is in the interests of the eu as a whole and best done collectively.
it is for these reasons that i have been able to support this report.
mr president the report on the impact of the financial crisis on the defence sector rightly notes the trend of cuts in the defence budgets of the majority of eu member states.
it also alludes to the possible negative impact that these measures may have on their military capabilities.
however i believe that the report itself makes the wrong proposals to address this issue which is why i have voted against the report.
it suggests that the strategic autonomy of the eu should be enhanced by acquiring more synergy in defence planning measures such as through better coordination of defence planning a laudable objective but one which would require harmonisation of military requirements and significant measures to increase interoperability.
it continues by proposing other measures to pool and share certain capabilities and support structures through eu institutions which i am fundamentally opposed to.
member states' defence policies can of course be more coordinated if they so choose but this should be through choice by national parliaments and not be an eu competence.
mr president as a representative of northern ireland and having lived through a terrorist campaign waged in our province for over thirty years effective counter terrorism strategy remains a priority in my constituency.
sadly there remains a rump within republicanism who still cannot comprehend that their objectives cannot be reached through murder and mayhem.
while it is right that we should prioritise the threat of organisations such as al qa'ida we should not forget the threat posed in individual member states.
i condemn unreservedly the shooting of a young man in londonderry this morning in my constituency.
mr president i believe that the review of the european neighbourhood policy is timely and necessary.
it can become an important tool for the eu to make a difference in our neighbourhood countries.
i welcome therefore the more for more performance based approach which gives greater political and financial support to the countries that undertake reforms. coming from a country which went through such transformation i am sure that this approach is the right one.
i hope that such flexible fast and targeted instruments will be able to effectively support the democratic process in the world;
i stopped trusting what was on the label.
one wonders if the labelling of fruit juice has any resemblance to what is in the product.
the public has a right to know what is in the juice if it is pure is nectar or is made from concentrate;
if it contains added sugar no sugar honey or sweeteners. we need to make it easy for customers to make a healthy choice.
i hope the fruit juice directive will result in a high quality of fruit juice as opposed to sugary drinks.
president barroso has denied knowledge of the cooperation provided by his government in the transfer of prisoners to guantnamo and secret prisons yet no one believes that his military police intelligence and administration would be so incompetent as to allow portuguese air sea and land to be systematically abused by the usa. in order to clarify this will mr barroso make public the notes of the meetings between his diplomatic advisers and ms condoleezza rice while he was prime minister?
president obama also ended the use of enhanced' interrogation techniques by the cia. the us investigators can no longer rely on the legal opinions concerning torture and other interrogation techniques written since.
law. the council has also stated repeatedly that the existence of secret detention facilities where detained persons are kept in a legal vacuum is not in conformity with international humanitarian and human rights law. that remains our view today and we are committed
this is why the council has also warmly welcomed this decision.
the position of this parliament was clearly expressed in your resolution of february.
among many members of this parliament.
the council very much welcomes the recent decision by the us president on this
issue. the transatlantic community has been a community of shared values and must remain one if we are to be able to defend our interests in the global
i think here we can all agree on one point from the outset that the context of today's discussion changed immeasurably. i am also aware that the alleged use of european countries by the cia for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners has been a source of deep concern
i am sure that it is equally warmly welcomed by this parliament.
the european union is committed to the absolute prohibition of torture and of cruel inhumane and degrading treatment.
nine eleven this decision is important.
two thousand and seven i want to underline to you that the council has always reiterated its commitment to combating terrorism effectively using all legal means available because terrorism itself is a threat to a system of values based on the rule of
we cannot forever balance the council's assertion that it is for individual member states to decide with the council's stated desire for a coordinated european position.
but what about those who are released who pose no threat but who have no wish to remain in a country that wrongly imprisoned them?
many of us have criticised america in the past for its failure to work with others.
the united states must prosecute suspects where sound evidence exists and in accordance with the rule of law.
but breaking with the past and reverting to the rule of law take guts and grit so i congratulate the new president. he was right to condemn waterboarding as torture right to call a halt to the flawed military trials at guantnamo bay and right to signal his determination to close the camp completely within a year.
however europe cannot stand back shrug its shoulders and say that these things are for america alone to sort out.
mr president when senator obama became president obama we all heaved a sigh of relief.
yet too often member states from our union were complicit in what the bush administration did.
so the challenge of guantnamo the problem posed by two hundred and forty five suspects floating outwith the justice system is not an issue for america alone.
it is a conundrum we must solve together.
the axis of evil regime change the war on terror european citizens yearn to see those euphemisms consigned to history along with the people who invented them.
if the forty three rd president taught us anything it is this that in the administration of international justice the go it alone' mentality ends in a cul de sac of failure.
i welcome the assurance of the council presidency today that the us has now disowned all the squalid practices that have tarnished its government over recent years including torture in third countries and extraordinary rendition in order to put an end to the axis of illegality.
we lack the open debate and the collective change of will which american democracy allows.
we were right to do so but our help may now be sought and we would be wrong to say no'.
america must free those suspects against whom there is insufficient evidence and defend them if they are likely to face torture at home.
europe has to speak with one voice and play its part in ending this affront to justice.
if asked should not europe offer those few citizens the rights and freedoms that no other country will?
however it was agreed last week that a common political response would be desirable and that the possibility of coordinated european action could be explored further.
in the member states. this process has just begun and the council will return to this issue once some of these issues have been further clarified.
ministers unequivocally welcomed this decision at the last general and external affairs council meeting as you probably know.
the presidency expressed this sentiment through a statement which was issued shortly after president obama signed the executive orders.
i would like to assure you that the presidency will pay great attention to this issue and will keep you fully informed of the outcome of further discussions in the council as well as any other developments.
but even those cleared of charges and deemed to be no risk at all still in my opinion pose a risk.
i stress that the decision to accept inmates must be the sovereign one of the member state. it cannot be forced upon a member state by the eu but neither can it be made in isolation.
member states have shown different degrees of willingness to take former inmates.
therefore i require and we require that such decisions are consulted with other eu members.
how do we strike the right balance between ensuring the security of eu citizens and finding a place to settle former inmates?
can we be asked to take that risk in the eu?
yesterday president obama stated on public television that he cannot be sure whether inmates cleared and released will not pose a security threat.
well i think we can be asked but we must have the right to decide whether that risk is acceptable to us or not.
given the freedom of movement we enjoy in europe especially the border free europe of the schengen zone member states' decisions to allow guantnamo bay inmates to settle in their country has security implications not only for that member state but also for its neighbours.
firstly let me make it clear that i for one am not discussing inmates deemed to be dangerous but unsuitable for trial by the united states and please remember that such a sizeable group still exists.
we have legitimate fears because according to the pentagon sixty one former inmates cleared of all charges and subsequently released are now reported to be engaged in terrorist activities.
i just want to deal with a couple of things.
so i strongly welcome the joint resolution that we have agreed between the groups and across the political spectrum and i really hope we will have a strong vote tomorrow.
thirdly our own self interest in ending a potent symbol that acts as a pretext for terrorist recruitment and radicalisation and lastly the moral responsibility that claudio fava was talking about.
however europe needs to recognise the political reality that the us cannot manage this alone.
there are also other reasons for eu member states to cooperate in closing the prison.
we have expressed a lot of goodwill towards president obama and commitment to transatlantic relations.
assuming the alde group accepts my advice we will neither table nor support any amendments to this resolution.
is to be handled.
embed the national decision.
today that decision has been taken by the new us administration and eu countries are expected to show solidarity by taking over those prisoners.
i would like to stress once more the fact that such allegations have not been supported by evidence either when they were made or since then.
i am happy to see that the report highlights the fact that women are indeed more affected by climate change than men especially when it comes to displacement.
so i would also like to underline that involving women in decision making on climate change is absolutely necessary if we are to find efficient solutions.
women are highly dependent on natural resources particularly in rural areas and play a significant role ensuring food security for their communities.
i remember visiting a flooded community in malawi with care international eighteen months ago and it was the women who were rebuilding that community.
more than fifty of the current refugee and migration flow comprises women and children and many of them are climate refugees.
madam president as a feminist i am very happy about this report because it underlines the gender aspects of climate change and encourages the commission and the member states to take them into account.
women are primary agents of change and effective risk managers.
moreover the commission has been directly involved in shaping the development of a gender action plan under the unfccc.
european union's stance in climate negotiations has been and continues to be that the full and equal participation of women in climate negotiations and in the design of climate action is key.
the commission is aware of the importance of also mainstreaming gender in its internal climate policies.
the eu's new action women and sustainable energy worth eur twenty million will foster women's active role in sustainable energy specifically through actions promoting women's entrepreneurship training and economic empowerment in the sustainable energy sector in developing countries.
this support is critical for the continuation of the work that the unfccc is doing on gender.
at this stage the task force will map existing relevant policies and institutional frameworks that deal with migration.
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are recognised as a cross cutting driver for sustainable development in the new european consensus on development and the eu gender action plan.
and fifth monitoring and reporting all supported by a list of proposed activities such as workshops for policymakers on genderresponsive policies and holding a dialogue with the standing committee on finance on its work to improve gendersensitive access to climate finance.
the eu's global climate change alliance plus flagship initiative supports climate action in different areas including by empowering women and addressing gender issues in the context of climate change and climate induced migration. half of the initiative's partner countries recognise women as a particularly vulnerable group in their nationally determined contributions.
other positive examples include the evergreening africa with trees project the forest law enforcement governance and trade action plan and the switch to green initiative.
it sets out five priority areas first capacity building knowledge sharing and communication.
due consideration of vulnerable groups including women will be part of these discussions.
by supporting the implementation of genderrelated decisions and mandates under the convention this gender action plan seeks to advance women's full equal and meaningful participation and promote genderresponsive climate policy and the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the work
second genderbalanced participation and women's leadership.
we welcome the suggestion made in the resolution to support the development of indicators and collect genderdisaggregated data when planning implementing monitoring and evaluating climate change policies programmes and projects.
of parties.
the eu has politically supported the establishment by cop twenty one of the task force on displacement.
last but not least let me once again welcome this report by the european parliament and congratulate the rapporteur ms engstrm on her work on this important topic of climate change and gender equality.
the global climate change alliance plus is embarking on further gender mainstreaming in its programmes and taking a leadership role for other eu climate funding instruments.