kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
only one month ago on twelve october the justice and home affairs council had an exchange of views with the director of the fundamental rights agency michael o'flaherty on the priorities in the protection of fundamental rights.
let me assure you that the rule of law including the independence of the judiciary and the balance of powers are at the heart of our concerns and the eu is not alone. our strongest partner is the council of europe which is fully engaged in the promotion protection and development of human rights and the rule of law.
the issues raised go to the heart of our commitment to the union.
it is also worth recalling that the effectiveness of the eu rests on the delicate balance between respecting the sovereignty of its nation states and pooling the sovereignty to make those states stronger together. nevertheless it is clear that all members have to comply with fundamental freedoms democratic standards
having lived myself having had to live myself in the soviet union i find these comparisons utterly inappropriate.
the council will however continue to follow this issue very closely.
this debate of today has once again reminded us that the eu is better at solving problems between its members than within the members. that is what the eu was created for.
and the rule of law.
i speak as the presidency of the council and therefore in the name of all its members.
we want to cooperate with the government and it is in their hands to avoid further action by the commission.
mr president today i express all my support for and friendship towards the people of poland this great nation and strategic neighbour to us across the baltic.
these concerns are based on hard legal facts not politics.
with our resolution we are reaching out to poland.
the strength of our european family is the rule of law. it is about shared values and democracy an independent judiciary freedom of assembly and freedom to demonstrate and women's rights. poland like all of us embraced those values and the family cannot be fully functioning if one of the member states breaches the trust between us.
we call on the government to listen to the voice of its own people and to the independent european institutions to engage in constructive dialogue to reconsider its action and to address the legitimate concerns raised by the european commission and the venice commission.
he wrote a manifesto bringing up demands that he would like to see considered by the pis government in poland.
despite the fact that he wants people to stand up against this government he said remember however that the pis electorate are our mothers brothers neighbours colleagues and friends'.
and also over and over again women's rights and sexual and reproductive rights were mentioned by polish citizens and i wanted to bring this up in the debate.
we know better because we have seen the thousands who took to the streets to protest against the government thousands of very courageous people many courageous women who spoke out against the government and for pluralism for democracy and for civil society. so mr legutko who is not here if you are asking for respect then why do you not respect others? you have no respect for women's rights no respect for lgbti people no respect for people who do not share your religion and no respect for people who do not share your opinion.
we need a real broad mechanism that applies to all the member states and that does not leave it to the member states to judge themselves.
it is about the rule of law.
this is an authoritarian government that does not respect pluralism and does not respect the opinions of others.
i welcome the words of the council but now we need some action.
what i did not hear in his totally irrational seven minute rant was one single word of condemnation of the fascist march and the fascist slogans of last weekend.
well i have to tell you i thought that it should never happen in europe and that it should never happen also in poland;
it is the country that liberated itself from two authoritarianisms from fascism and communism and they did it alone. and at the same time it is also since their entrance into the european union a country that was really at the heart of central and eastern european democracy and moreover
that's not the point.
that is not the
britain will never forget what polish pilots did for us in world war ii and if poland is being dictated to by the eu perhaps you should consider joining britain in brexit would you agree with me madam?
i am also very pro feminist so i do not agree with a lot of the other things that the polish government are doing. but surely it is the right of the polish people to make their own decisions.
these are polish patriots standing up for poland and i salute them.
poland is a country that must be at the very heart of our union but to that end it must respect the rule of law.
in conclusion i look to my polish colleagues colleagues like mr lewandowski and i look to poles demonstrating that the polish nation and the polish government are not one and the same.
yes we still have serious concerns about the proposed law on the national council for the judiciary and about the proposed law on the supreme court.
we must send a message that we will not stand idly by while the very bases of democracy and the rule of law in poland are being undermined.
we cannot allow it to take any further steps backwards.
to me poland will always be the nation of my pope of solidarity who stood up to be counted when it was easier to sit down a land that inspires hope and has symbolised courage in the face of so much adversity.
that is not how it works in our european union.
in a time of free and social media it is absolutely impossible to hide the truth and the true picture of the deplorable developments in poland.
we have eyes and ears. nobody has to inform brussels what is going on we already know.
the rule of law is important because it is our failsafe to protect democracy. it is the basis of everything.
but poland has been let down by those leading it who are weakening the democratic institutions and safeguards in the country and who think that having an electoral majority means they can now do what they like.
poland joining the european union was the crowning moment for the children of that revolution and it proved just how far the nation had come.
its leaders must engage with the commission in a constructive dialogue and must respect the people who are courageous enough to stand up to them.
these must be addressed.
we must insist that the polish authorities respect their moral and legal obligations as an eu member state.
we are calling on the polish government to respect democracy and constitutional rights to ensure the freedom of the media and to defend the independent judiciary.
i have many friends in poland and i stand here today for them.
mr legutko left the debate so much for dialogue. that is exactly what we are criticising the lack of an open dialogue.
at no point to my knowledge have member state citizens been told that the european union is now supreme that member state governments are subservient and that european union dictatorship is now in place.
i would welcome this as full and final proof that european union membership renders democratic national general elections and associated pledges promises and outcomes by the winning party absolutely meaningless.
this morning a veiled and bullying threat to invoke article seven to punish poland was made.
two things the spanish government is respecting its constitution.
mr coburn i do not know how many times this has to be repeated in this parliament. it is not specific policies that we are discussing today it is the breaching of the polish constitution and that is the basis for how we are doing democracy all together.
if the rule of law is not respected in countries then there cannot be a democratic debate.
this is the problem this is why we are standing up. we are not discussing policies here we are discussing what the fundament is of how we discuss.
how many of these could have been protected if there were not open borders across this continent?
unless the eu has a serious rethink on internal and external migration it cannot say in good faith that the eu can better protect children in europe.
how many have been spirited across borders by traffickers and lost to a life of slavery?
the european union preaches solidarity burden sharing and responsibility yet it blindly refuses to acknowledge that its own policies and ideology namely the schengen area facilitate crimes against children.
two thousand and sixteen the challenges identified in our communication and its recommendations are therefore still very relevant and very important.
over the past year the commission and the eu agencies stepped up the work to support member states to reinforce the protection of migrant children.
the next meeting is scheduled to take place in early june this year and we will pass the same messages there too.
we still need to take a big step forward to improve cross border cooperation as well as communication on aspects concerning migrant children.
our financial support should also reach the regional and local authorities which have a key role with respect to integration and social inclusion measures including access to formal inclusive education and nondiscriminatory access to other services.
a number of challenges still need to be addressed following also our recommendations in order to make the policy on the protection of children in migration tangible and consistent.
more generally we need to find the right balance between the effective eu migration management policy and ensuring adequate protection for the most vulnerable. in order to meet these challenges the commission will continue to prioritise the protection needs of migrant children in eu funding.
overall i cannot agree with the opinion that we have done nothing but i also fully admit that we must do much better.
according to the latest data published by the united nations high commissioner for refugees in march this year between january and september two thousand and seventeen twenty five three hundred and seventy nine children arrived in greece italy spain and bulgaria.
the commission and the eu agencies fully support member states in implementing these actions.
it is time to ask what has been achieved by the member states so far in terms of implementing the communication and the recommendations of the commission.
by all means let's have all the necessary security verification procedures in place let's close all the loopholes and let's ensure identification but let's also counter the thinking that leads so many people to believe that these children are somehow so different from our own that we allow them to become scapegoats and cheap electoral punch bags.
do we double down on our values or do we turn our backs?
this issue is the litmus test of the strength of our european way.
it is being put to the test and we have two choices.
many of these children were put in a boat by their parents who knew the risks and who did it anyway because a choice between fire and water and between certainty and some hope is no choice at all.
i am a proud maltese christian democrat. i am also unashamedly a pro life politician probably one of the few but it would be utterly hypocritical of me or of anyone like me to speak out for the unborn but then turn our backs on children fleeing syria starvation or hopelessness just because they were born elsewhere.
the populists would turn and then manipulate the issue to try to get elected.
they need child rights protection officers respect books and access to education.
mr president the situation we are facing with the migrant children is heart breaking and horrifying in equal measure.
that is what we need to do.
we know that the response across the european union in terms of children in the asylum system and children in migration is still very fragmented. there is still much work to be done in terms of joining the dots to give a holistic response and with a focus on durable solutions and that includes children who are undocumented or stateless.
we still do not have all member states having a statelessness procedure that really works.
so progress is slow there is a lack of resources going to the local and regional level certainly from eu money and i think we need to reconsider how we are spending and directing that to really get the increase that we need in training and indeed in a much much better system.
we also need to concentrate on implementing the legislation that we have because that is pretty poorly implemented in many of our member states.
in terms of protection and the basics of life shelter food safety no child in the european union should be having to sell themselves to get any of those things and there are many today who do.
when the legal guardian system works it works really well.
he spoke about the enormous difference to his life that having the support of that legal guardian had made.
i also want to say a last word about family reunion and how poorly that is implemented in our member states.
many of our systems still do not have a real operational basis on which to cooperate across borders to make sure that children are reunited with their families.
migrant children are vulnerable exposed to trafficking abuse and exploitation during the journey and even in europe.
our resolution is a call for action from the member states to do more better and faster to protect children on the move.
they must implement the asylum rules and build capacity providing access to health care and psychological support in particular for girls sexually exploited; accommodation and safe areas;
school to restore a sort of normal life and avoid a lost generation;
registration is crucial to ensure that children enter and remain in the protection system.
it can help authorities find missing children.
children should not be detained just because they are migrants.
in case of crime they should be treated as eu nationals.
children's dignity must be respected when doing medical examinations for age assessment.
when given a real chance to integrate they can become an asset to our societies in europe and education is key for integration and to prevent crime and radicalisation.
it should include learning about our european values and languages and respect for women and the rule of law.
we also need to tackle the root causes of migration.
let's not forget all those kids who didn't make it to europe in the desert in the mediterranean.
it was heart breaking to meet so many children victims of violence.
but these tragic stories are the same that are heard from migrant children whom i met in refugee camps in turkey in greece in hotspots in sicily and even in reception centres in sweden.
as co chair of the intergroup on children's rights i want to pay tribute to all the workers for their commitment to protect children. i will continue to join forces to ensure that europe truly means safety for children.
i call on the european commission to take steps to ensure that the identification of children upon their arrival in the eu occurs as soon as possible.
researchers on the ground tell us that the main problem is not the lack of a strong legislative framework to protect these children.
i was happy to have such an experience;
i think it is quite clear that the problem of children in migration and creating better conditions for them especially security and perspective requires cooperation at all levels starting from the eu institutions through the member states at regional and local level but also civil society organisations.
we all have the obligation to strictly follow the principle of acting in the best interests of the child because this is not only a legal and political obligation;
we will discuss it with the member states in june as i said before.
we are continuing funding programmes.
you would be surprised how flexible the funding is because we try to react to current needs and urgent needs.
i will not go into details because of the time pressure.
by the way it was very urgently recommended by the people working on the ground in the hot spots.
i have to stress here again that the administrative detention of children should only be used in line with eu law exclusively in exceptional circumstances and where strictly necessary.
the terror that they must be feeling is something extraordinary that we should all think about.
the pledges of eu member states are too low but when you think of the separated children i think they should think again.
ngos such as rrc point to the importance also for continued cooperation and support from the commission as the commissioner said to greece and other front line member states to ensure existing shelters and alternative care arrangements remain open and operational that no further funding gaps emerge or delays in funding flows disrupt the provision of care and services for children. children should always be uppermost in our minds.
sixty it is therefore high time that the commission went beyond recommendations and spelled out a sound and reliable mechanism for setting the minimum income in the eu.
in bulgaria more than forty of the population is at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
so it is hypocritical for the commission simply to recommend modifications of the existing minimum income scheme which carries a guaranteed minimum of eur thirty five per month and a differentiated amount of just eur.
four eight million demonstrates that a decisive and urgent policy shift is necessary.
the commission has also been funding the european minimum income network and is elaborating a methodology for developing cross nationally comparable reference budgets in member states.
first of all the commission monitors and assesses member states' progress in implementing the two thousand and eight recommendation including in the area of minimum income within the european semester.
peer reviews mutual learning and exchange of good practices on minimum income schemes took place in the past and will continue.
these recommendations emerge from the assessment of minimum income schemes in the european union through the open method of coordination.
they define poverty thresholds on the basis of a basket of goods and services that are considered necessary to reach an acceptable standard of living within a given country region or city.
this recommendation sets out common principles and practical guidelines for a comprehensive strategy based on three integrated pillars adequate income support inclusive labour markets and access to quality services.
for those of working age these benefits shall include requirements for participation and active support to encourage labour market reintegration.
adequacy of income support is only one aspect of the overall policy design.
this builds on the two thousand and eight commission's recommendation on active inclusion.
the two thousand and thirteen social investment package proposed to develop reference budgets as a way of assessing the adequacy of income support.
well designed income support schemes can contribute to fight poverty and increase labour market participation and adequate income support should be high enough for a decent living and at the same time should not create disincentives to work or create dependency.
they also show the link with the provision of adequate social services and the redistributive role of these services. as such they can act as catalysts for policy debates on the adequacy of income support especially in member states with challenges in the field.
as you know social policies and the designing of the social protection systems are a member state competence and the open method of coordination provides a forum for mutual learning and exchange of good practices on enhancing the effectiveness of social protection systems across the union.
in two thousand and sixteen six member states received country specific recommendations on improving the adequacy and coverage of minimum income or social assistance.
the main objectives of the greek programme are the expansion of employment support schemes the modernisation of social welfare and the roll out of a guaranteed minimum income scheme.
lastly on helping member states providing opportunities to prevent long term dependency on minimum income i can tell you that the commission has been encouraging member states to better integrate social safety nets and activation measures not only to bring the
this will serve as a means of helping member states to design efficient and adequate income support.
this means that the minimum income should not replace welfare programs but should enhance existing approaches and complement existing measures in the labour market and social fields.
a recommendation on the integration of the long term unemployed into the labour market was adopted in two thousand and fifteen you know this. the long term unemployed should benefit from an individualised approach simplified access and more transparent support in particular through job integration agreements and a single point of contact.
in two thousand and seventeen the commission will report on the implementation of the two thousand and eight active inclusion recommendation and this will contain lessons learned and guidance for the future.
on the assessment of minimum income schemes in the eu and promoting benchmarking best practices and providing administrative support to member states and the measures taken regarding minimum income as a follow up to the two thousand and eight recommendation on active inclusion i can tell you the following.
you are creating an eu army you have stolen ireland's taxation policy and now you are taking control of the wage and welfare policy from nation states.
for taslima's sake and in memory of all garment workers who suffer injury or who have died at work i urge the commission to do everything in its power to put people before profit.
after being pronounced dead later that day her employer left her body outside the factory for her family to collect.
taslima's death sparked mass strikes which were met with repression and punitive measures.
paid a pittance forced by grinding poverty and poor education to labour in a sweatshop making clothes for the western fashion market taslima was consistently denied a break when she felt unwell.
we must ask ourselves what price fashion?
i have been to what remains of the rana plaza site met survivors seen the work of the accord the alliance and the sustainability compact there argued with brands and manufacturers about compensation and with the government about how we actually entrench and embed high labour standards.
i think that is something we need to see in general not as a niche and we also need to recognise the important role that price has in this downward pressure on standards.
i think we need to question in fact the model of fast fashion that we have and the price that workers pay for that. the supply chain accountability people have spoken of is absolutely crucial as are empowered workers in free trade unions able to engage in genuine and constructive social dialogue to help move us forward
to something where we have this as a norm not as i say as a niche.
we want to see the commission and the european union actively engaging on the international scene and indeed promoting such things as the un guiding principles which are often unknown in some of the countries with which we have trade relationships.
it is inconceivable that anyone in the efd group would be allowed more than twenty five seconds over time probably less without the microphone being switched off.
i would therefore like to request of the president that the rules of the house are applied even handedly.
let us just remember that you yourself as belgian prime minister did not even know your own national anthem.
really everybody in this chamber is in denial because belgium is a huge embarrassment to them.
it is a model for the entire european union and it is on the verge of breaking up yet none of you can admit it!
what is going on today inside this chamber frankly is beyond satire.
the belgian presidency takes over its six month term and everybody pretends that it is business as usual!