kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
what worried me a lot in the staff survey when we got the results was that the staff engagement index for people who defined themselves as staff with disabilities was lower than the overall average for staff.
the european institutions have a responsibility to lead by example.
be? well many of you said what i believe should be our level of ambition.
while each of these issues on their own may be very legitimate once we go in the direction of creating a quota system on one criterion in an organisation where there is a very strong tendency to think of national quotas i think we would see the merits which has been a very strong factor in our decision making being undermined.
that tells me that the institutions have to do more to engage with them.
i mentioned in the beginning that we do not have accurate data because of restrictions arising from the confidentiality of medical records.
each file is then processed individually to ensure the best possible match between the needs of the candidate and the principles of both proportionality and equal treatment.
i can tell you that we use the staff survey.
for example tests in braille on paper with extra time.
we take very seriously our ability to provide conditions for each and every person in europe who wants to apply for a job in the european union institutions to be able to do so.
she tells us that the staff regulations do not permit action to make sure that disabled people have access to these very well paid jobs.
so you change the staff regulations if you are serious about it.
disabled people have a right to the well paid jobs in your institutions and you are not giving them those jobs. it does not matter why.
however the two approaches can coexist and can complement each other.
it led to the elaboration of new legislation in many states that did not have any previous provisions in this field.
establishing a quota system in the eu institutions could serve as an example and could help pave the way towards a more inclusive employment system.
mr president the integration of disabled people in the labour market represents one of the biggest challenges for social and labour market policies in modern societies.
the recent economic crisis hit disadvantaged people hard and increased their inactivity and unemployment rates.
one of the key issues in play is how to strike a fair balance between the interests of rights holders and those of consumers while respecting data protection rules.
in the mean time the commission will be taking the matter up with the canadian authorities at the highest level.
two thousand and eight the commission's concerns have been put forcefully to the canadian authorities for quite some time now.
the commission is aware of the issues raised in relation to canada's intellectual property rights protection and enforcement.
the fact we will soon start negotiations for a free trade agreement with canada will give us a new opportunity to bring about significant improvement of ipr protection in canada.
it will also call for the revision of canadian copyright law to be initiated as soon as possible and preferably during the parliament's present session.
you will remember that this was a key debating point of the commission creative content online initiative launched by the communication of three january.
particular emphasis is placed on ensuring support for developing countries which have committed to the good governance principles.
this is entirely in line with international consensus on tax information exchange.
secondly in order to enhance the promotion of good governance beyond the european union the communication suggests how to ensure better coherence between eu policies with a view to ensuring that the deepening of economic relations between the european union and its partner jurisdictions would be accompanied by a commitment to good governance principles.
more specifically the commission's proposal on administrative cooperation contains a provision according to which bank secrecy could no longer be invoked to deny a request for information from another member state relating to persons non resident in the requested member state.
will actually go into this sector to energy efficiency and low energy? in the solar thermal area for example they have major projects ready to start construction at the end of two thousand and nine and early;
in the event that any of the projects which have been nominated specifically under the recovery plan are not in a position to draw down the funding by the deadline of thirty june two thousand and ten will you have what i will refer to as a reserve list of projects that are ready to go so that the money
thank you commissioner for a very full reply.
by way of illustration the agreement would swiftly eliminate eur.
after two years of negotiations we now have a comprehensive agreement within reach with the eu's fourth largest trading partner outside europe.
it would offer the most ambitious package yet on intellectual property rights government procurement sustainable development and other rules issues;
the free trade agreement would also present a useful point of reference for other negotiations.
moreover concluding that agreement now would demonstrate the commitment of both sides to open markets as one response to the current economic environment.
at the end of the eighth round of negotiations in march two thousand and nine both sides made important technical progress at their level but a certain number of difficult issues remained unresolved.
two thousand and nine despite intensive discussions it was not possible to bridge gaps on the remaining issues such as duty drawback and rules of origin.
the negotiations on a free trade agreement with korea are the most advanced of the eu's ongoing trade negotiations.
it would provide significant new market access in services of special interest to eu service providers;
the free trade agreement with korea would create new market access in many areas of interest to eu exporters.
while there is already some production in eastern europe there will be a significant volume of new imports. most surveys indicate that these will substitute the sales of japanese cars produced in europe like those produced by the honda plant in my constituency in swindon.
however we do need to be careful about details and timing.
the commission is committed to doing its best to find a positive and lasting solution to this issue and talks are currently being held by senior officials from both sides.
the commission is currently still engaged in negotiations with the united states and we are very optimistic that a mutually acceptable solution can emerge very soon. in the last few weeks we had intensive transatlantic contacts on this issue.
they confirmed their wish to resolve this difficult issue that affects businesses and consumers in both the eu and the us and in order to facilitate the negotiations for a solution commissioner ashton and us trade representative kirk agreed that the imposition of the so called carousel' sanctions by the us on certain eu products would be postponed by a further two weeks beyond the original twenty three april deadline.
the commission's final objectives in these negotiations are to definitively prevent activation of the carousel' sanctions and to have the retaliatory measures currently in place revoked.
sustainable development and in particular environmental and social considerations are important components in our trade policy.
the commission is intensively monitoring protectionist measures put in place by its major trading partners with a view to appropriate action. furthermore the eu has strongly supported the initiative of the world trade organisation to report on trade related developments during the economic and financial crisis.
the eu has consistently argued that an ambitious and balanced doha round outcome is among the most important instruments in preventing trade protectionism and in boosting the economy.
this is also the message put forward by the wto in the recent trade policy review of the eu trade policy which praised the role played by the eu in strengthening the multilateral trading system. the key role the doha round could play in the current crisis was also recognised in the g twenty global plan for recovery and reform issued on two april.
since the beginning of the current crisis more than ever the eu has been committed to multilateralism to transparency and to open markets based on rules that benefit developed and developing countries alike.
finally the eu's commitment to open trade goes hand in hand with its commitment to sustainable development which is an overarching policy objective for the eu including in the context of various trade policy initiatives.
this is witnessed by the inclusion of sustainable development provisions focusing on labour and environmental standards in our bilateral trade agreements.
project as soon as possible.
the operational programme includes the gateway challenge fund' which is based on an integrated sustainable development strategy for cork.
for smaller municipalities the commission negotiates with other national regional and local administrations to ensure their support for the smaller cities.
provides significant support to cities to implement sustainable energy policies and actions.
funding may be used to stimulate energy efficiency and renewable energy production the development of efficient energy management systems and the promotion of clean and sustainable public transport particularly in urban areas.
finally the regional development fund was recently changed to give all member states the possibility to use regional funds for energy efficiency improvements and the integration of renewable energy into existing housing.
i should like to ask about the issue relating to developing countries and how we can ensure that we increase or facilitate trade both with and between developing countries for example via increased trade related assistance.
this is an important component that we should factor in.
the commission is doing everything possible to ensure that this monitoring is strong in every aspect especially on the issue that you raised.
however failure to reach this agreement now looks like it lies more with the member states than with our negotiating partner.
commissioner you have already pointed out in your response that there is a saving in economic terms because of the efficiency in energy but now we need to move on to the next step.
rather than just promoting sustainability and energy efficiency we need to utilise the funds to create new ways of creating energy to make cities even more self sufficient rather than importing fuel or building nuclear power stations as we were saying previously.
i was recently in amsterdam and watched klm dealing with delayed passengers by rebooking them on a self check in.
the staff systematically without asking the passengers declined the compensation and assistance which they were entitled to.
can we have some monitoring by the commission?
can we have some people actually at airports looking at what the airlines do?
i understand your concerns about the situation in the car industry.
from the start of negotiations with korea the commission has invested considerable resources in obtaining a good result for the eu car industry.
first of all each and every country develops its own legislation that decides on the process of how the application should be made.
turkey has been moving away from the european union in particular in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights and by weakening effective checks and balances in their political system.
in that regard i welcome the new commission's ambition to have less red tape and to be more relevant to our treaties;
the annual monitoring report could and should be supplemented by other measures that would allow parliament to be kept regularly and effectively informed.
information on the implementation of eu law in the area of freedom security and justice and other policy areas should be more structured transparent and accessible.
if member states are not respecting the rule of law or are breaching eu law we will not hesitate to launch formal infringement proceedings and take the case to the european court of justice where necessary.
the commission will continue to fully respect its commitments in the framework agreement to provide information concerning infringement procedures to the european parliament.
some of you have expressed concerns about the commission's better regulation agenda in particular the refit programme including an alleged deregulatory effect.
these include the right to be informed about any decision on his or her complaint the right to be heard prior notice before closing a case and a timeframe for a final decision on complaints.
the code of good administrative behaviour and the communication on relations with the complainant offer a number of guarantees that safeguard complainants' rights throughout the entire procedure.
it has a focus on transparency and openness collecting views and suggestions from a wide variety of stakeholders thereby reinforcing the protection of public interest.
this unique and essential role of the commission is an integral and indispensable part of our legal system. in the report members have expressed concern about the handling of complaints before they reach the stage of infringement proceedings and have called for this to be regulated in a european administrative law under article two hundred and ninety eight of the treaty. i would like to stress that the commission views complaints as an invaluable source for carrying out its task as guardian of the treaties.
this is why in addition to the measures that we have adopted this week we will make the correct application of eu asylum law the priority of our actions.
the european union is a union based on law.
it is the basis for our actions.
with the current unprecedented flows of people coming to europe in search of refuge the correct application of our legislation on asylum is vitally important. eu law provides that all those entitled to asylum and protection are received in humane conditions and have their case dealt with efficiently and quickly.
if it is not applied the eu foundation weakens.
the commission highly appreciates parliament's increased interest in implementation issues. i believe our debate today could not have come at a more crucial point for the eu.
the importance of the correct application of eu law cannot have been made clearer than by the current migration crisis.
we have built this body of law together.
it is not enough to merely pass legislation what matters is its application on the ground.
the treaties also give us the possibility to impose financial penalties where judgements of the court are not respected and where directives are not transposed on time and we use those possibilities systematically.
eu law also requires that all those who have no right to stay must be returned to their countries of origin rapidly and efficiently.
against this background i am not convinced that there is a necessity to regulate this matter in a legislative act based on article two hundred and ninety eight of the treaty.
this is why the commission has created a strong framework to protect complainants.
moreover it will also continue its current practice to inform the public at the latest when a letter of formal notice is issued.
in this respect i want to make clear first of all that refit is not about deregulation. rather it aims at making sure that legislation remains effective and fit for purpose.
madam president first of all let me pick up on the last point that was made and let me quote the great greek philosopher socrates about this in the rule of law if it is to work all laws need to be applied.
if you want the rule of law to function and be respected by everyone it should apply equally to everyone in all cases.
the commission then has to start infringement procedures and we do start infringement procedures because i strongly believe that if we do not you undermine the very principle socrates referred to namely the application of all laws to everyone regardless of their position or regardless of the member state.
i insist on this because i believe this commission will need to intensify its operations in making sure that eu law is applied correctly in all member states.
better regulation makes an immediate contribution to the better enforcement of eu law.
by producing legislation of the highest quality and by ensuring that our acquis remains fit for purpose we will also ensure that problems of enforcement are reduced.
to make that clearer in the beginning if you are sure that you are not just looking for a compromise in this house but you are also looking for something that can be applied in a transparent and efficient way you will create fewer problems afterwards. all three institutions involved parliament council and commission
i hope that we will soon conclude a new interinstitutional agreement on better law making which will help us together to produce legislation that will serve the european citizen in the best possible way.
a lot of complaints about red tape are not about the amount of legislation but rather about the quality of legislation which leads to undue administrative burdens.
i did not see much of that in the report but i did see it very much in his presentation.
so let me go into that briefly i strongly believe that economic adjustment programmes do not reduce the capacity of member state authorities to comply with eu law.
on the contrary if you do not observe fiscal discipline over a longer period of time you will fatally undermine the capacity of the state to provide social programmes to ensure the possibility of a welfare state.
it is the triangle of fiscal responsibility structural reform and investment.
you cannot pick and choose. you cannot just say that you will only invest and will disregard fiscal responsibility which is sometimes what people on parts of the left are saying and you cannot just say that it is all about fiscal responsibility and we do not need investment which parts of the right are saying.
in contrast by the way to the irish and portuguese ones which received support from the union budget.
but let me emphasise this are we any better here inside the eu?
madam president it is true that we monitor the application of european law into the national legal order to ensure respect for the rule of law legal certainty and predictability of law.
however effective efficient and timely implementation by member states is not only there to serve legal concepts but more so to ensure those freedoms the enjoyment of which is fundamental to european citizenship.
as citizens of the union we expect to be able to move freely amongst member states and to live work and do business in other member states.
in doing so citizens rightly expect not to get entangled in legislative webs created by either late implementation or inaccurate or incomplete application of european law.
while recognising the commission's efforts in monitoring the application of eu law citizens need to see stronger and less time consuming procedures.
in today's challenges there is for example no time to waste in assuring that member states correctly and timely apply european law on migration as well as that on human trafficking and the environment.
a balance needs to be struck between the policy objectives pursued and the impact on fundamental rights in particular the right to privacy.
trust is also the basis for eu us cooperation in the field of law enforcement.
that applies.
i raised our concerns regarding the impact of verizon and prism on the fundamental rights of eu citizens.
it is a necessity.
any delay in the data protection reform plays into the hands of those who do not share the objective of a high level of data protection. and i say to you meps and to the political groups that the whole world is watching us on this matter.
i asked about the conflict companies can find themselves in when they are faced with competing obligations under us and eu law.
it will impose obligations and responsibilities on processors as well as controllers of data.
a wake up call to advance on our data protection reforms for both the private and the public sector because a strong framework for data protection is neither a constraint nor a luxury.
that is why our proposed reform is an important part of the answer to the problems and to the questions.
i hope that the decisions both in parliament and in the council will be taken swiftly so that the negotiations between the two institutions on data protection can start without delay.
this is why after the ministerial meeting i wrote again together with my colleague cecilia malmstrm to our us counterparts asking for answers in particular on the volume of data collected the scope of the programmes and the judicial oversight for europeans.
only then can the commission assess the programmes with regard to the data protection of eu citizens.
the issue was also discussed by vice president ashton directly with secretary kerry.
and it is clear that for the negotiations on the trade agreements with the eu to succeed there needs to be confidence there needs to be transparency and there needs to be clarity among the negotiating partners.
i believe that we should distinguish between two aspects to the problem.
yesterday the president made a statement to this house in the context of the debate on the european council conclusions.
this of course excludes spying on eu institutions. the second issue related to the rights of eu citizens has already been debated in this house one month ago and i am happy to update you on the latest developments.
revelations claims and counterclaims have been made at a dizzying speed. this debate is a useful opportunity to explain the different strands of the issue and to make sense of what the eu can do to address this situation so as to give an answer to our citizens.
it is a matter of concern because it throws a shadow on the mutual trust which is indispensable in relations between partners and allies.
this is a question of proportionality which has by the way already been clarified in court decisions of the european court of justice.
the commission will then report on the findings of the group to parliament and to the council. at the eu us ministerial meeting i also called once again for the conclusion of the negotiations on an eu us umbrella agreement on data transfer for law enforcement purposes an agreement that would guarantee equal treatment of eu and us citizens when their data is processed for law enforcement purposes.
yesterday attorney general eric holder committed in a letter to me to setting up this expert group and we also spoke on the phone during the night and agreed that the group will have its first meeting already this month and a second one in washington in september.
as many of you said in our last debate in june programmes such as prism and tempora are a wake up call for all of us;
it will guarantee the current high level of data protection in the eu by updating citizens' rights guaranteeing that they know when their privacy has been violated which is not the case today and making sure that when their consent is required this consent is real which is also not the case today. various elements of the reform are of particular relevance.
at the ministerial meeting in dublin on fourteen june we agreed with the us to set up a transatlantic group of experts in order to establish the facts surrounding these programmes.
it will have a broad definition of personal data and will clarify the regime for international transfers.
i asked for clarifications on the differing levels of protection that apply to us and eu citizens.
it will help reverse the trend of falling trust in the way in which data is handled by companies to which it is entrusted.
the debate on prism and similar programmes only reinforces the fact that many expect europe to set a gold standard for data protection.
some explanations for which i am awaiting written confirmation were given but not all questions have been answered so far.
i am personally convinced that only a strong data protection regime can build trust both for citizens and for businesses and contribute to stability and growth in the digital economy.