kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
we will ensure that these are the three priorities energy external relations and the economy which are fully integrated and interconnected and focus on the concrete initiative; this is one of them.
that will take place in prague in early may.
therefore the czech presidency will ensure that work continues intensively over the coming months.
although the presidency is well aware of the obstacles that exist on the way toward successful completion of the whole process it will undoubtedly seek to give an effect to these commitments by working on the renewal of discussions on the dda as soon as the conditions allow.
therefore despite the fact that no conclusion was possible by the end of two thousand and eight the council remains fully committed to the multilateral trade system as well as to the conclusion of an ambitious balanced and comprehensive outcome of the wto doha round.
in particular for developing countries due to the development oriented character of this round.
this is even more important given the current economic and financial situation.
moreover in the light of the current political and economic development the european council in mid december last year stated in its conclusions that it endorsed the objective of arriving this year within the wto at an agreement on the modalities leading to the conclusion of the doha
so we are all hoping for that.
but now i have to respond to this question.
i can assure you that the ratification process of the framework convention in the czech republic is in progress.
we all agree they need all the help they can get nicotine replacement therapies etc.
but we must recognise the damage that passive smoking does to those who do not enjoy smoking so please do not feel personally under the spotlight here.
could you guarantee me then that before the end of the czech presidency you will have ratified the framework convention yes or no? it would be extremely important if you could give me guarantees on that.
i am now fighting in my country for the earliest possible ratification of the lisbon treaty.
one is housing and energy efficiency. the second one is nuclear energy but i know this is a sensitive issue for some member states.
i would like to ask the minister if his attention has been drawn to the protectionist elements in the plan for recovery in the united states particularly as put forward by members of the house of representatives and the senate and if he has on behalf of the council communicated the concern of the european union to the american administration about this.
the commission welcomes the agreement reached between the two colegislators on our proposal concerning the recast of the regulation on characteristics for fishing vessels.
for that reason the concerns especially of our coastal communities and their mainly small vessels fishing within quota have to be taken into consideration and
i invite you and parliament to resist these attempts because they would weaken the compromise that you have been able to reach.
instead of referring matters to the individual infrastructure managers which cover only national sections of each corridor.
fifteen priority rules for trains are not something the commission will ever want to decide from brussels. freight traffic is systemically discriminated against today because passenger traffic always has priority even in cases of disturbance.
some have gone as far as saying that with this regulation the commission wants to give priority to freight trains over passenger trains thus threatening the efficient provision of rail passenger services in particular at regional and local level.
the infrastructure managers have the responsibility to predefine capacity.
so it is not a supranational body but it is a tool which speeds up and simplifies in a very transparent and non discriminatory manner the path allocation process.
the commission considers that the compromise obtained during the negotiation is balanced and that the general objectives of the commission's proposals are duly taken into account.
let me emphasise that the one stop shop is a joint body set up or designated by the management board of each corridor its function is that of a coordination tool.
these corridors link the main industrial regions of europe where the most substantive flow of goods originates and terminates along the main international axes.
these include cooperation between rail infrastructure managers reliability of infrastructure capacities allocated to the corridors good coordination between rail infrastructure management and goods terminal management and non discriminatory access to these corridors for all operators.
good quality rail infrastructure across borders is an essential condition for the competitiveness of many rail freight market segments and it is primordial if rail wants to compete with other modes of transport.
notwithstanding the adverse economic cycle we are in there are some clear lessons to be learned how to revitalise the rail freight sector because rail freight transport is primarily international and an indisputable factor in its success is the availability of good quality rail infrastructure at the european level.
this also explains why the commission proposed at the end of two thousand and eight the development of a european rail network for competitive freight based on freight corridors.
the council's position at first reading maintains the basic principle put forward in the commission's original proposal but waters down some of the elements.
the legislative proposal to which your attention is drawn today contains decisive elements which favour this development of high quality rail infrastructure at international level.
now we are at the end of the second reading and the commission would like to reaffirm once again and in the strongest possible terms the political and industrial importance of the subject on which parliament has to decide.
the tran committee has reintroduced at second reading important amendments which strengthen the regulation and they bring back the original commission proposal.
but of course the one stop shop is limited to catalogue or reserve capacity that is the capacity which the infrastructure managers themselves have already decided to set aside for freight trains. corridor managers have also several options as to the way in which the one stop shop should be established.
the one stop shop just sells paths to applicants on the basis of decisions already taken by infrastructure managers on the predefined infrastructure capacity.
it may be a technical body within the corridor management structure or one of the infrastructure managers concerned or the bodies already established by rail net europe.
what the text says is that the infrastructure managers themselves must take the responsibility to define transparent consistent non discriminatory rules for both types of traffic so that freight trains which are on time do not have to be systematically delayed in case of disturbance.
now let me be very frank this is improper it is not the right reading of the proposal and it does not correspond at all to the texts that everybody can read in article fourteen in article.
we are very grateful to parliament in that it has succeeded in reinforcing the role of the one stop shop which had been reduced to a mere mail box in the common position of the council. i know rapporteur that some people want to go back to the common position.
for the railway undertakings and for other applicants which wish to have access to the corridor infrastructure the one stop shop is a considerable simplification of the present very burdensome procedure because the one stop shop will be able to take decisions itself
i think the point made by mr marinescu is important.
we see active participation of all the rail actors.
in the light of this debate let me insist once again on two issues.
the first the one stop shop is not a supranational body but an operational tool to make the path allocation process more efficient.
second this regulation can be implemented in full respect of the need for capacity of other types of transport in particular passenger transport.
the commission thinks it will be very good for europe if this proposal could be voted strongly tomorrow.
the failure of our airlines and our airports to deal with a few centimetres of snow in a few member states caused devastating delay disruption and despair for travellers.
unusual snowfalls and uncommonly low temperatures as predicted in two thousand and nine by the potsdam institute arise from the melting of the arctic ice cap.
i call on parliament's committee on transport and tourism the union's transport commissioner and transport ministers in the council to conduct an inquiry into the disruption to make provisions to prevent its recurrence to ensure that those affected are properly compensated and to study a sharing of the burden of compensation in future between the airline companies and others involved such as airport operators.
mr president i rise to make a statement about the plight of hundreds of thousands of airline passengers in europe in the ten days before christmas and the chaos in the arrangements for transporting them and their baggage to their intended destinations.
this failure means that companies have to produce multiple product formulations to comply with different national laws.
this is unfair and expensive especially as a scientific model for setting maximum amounts is available.
the commission has yet to produce a proposal to harmonise the maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals that can be included in food supplements as required by the directive.
mr president with regard to article eighteen of the universal declaration of human rights and to article ten of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union i was informed that on christmas day a massive abuse of religious freedom took place in the church of st.
three hundred now you understand why.
mr president next week all across the world people will be celebrating the life of scotland's national poet robert burns.
what action can the commission and the council take in their transatlantic dialogues to put scottish haggis back not just on the agenda but also on the menu when it comes to american traditional scottish burns suppers?
the eu is ready to engage with the government of sudan on these issues.
on twenty three october the sudanese court sentenced zine al abidine to a three year suspended sentence and the editor in chief osman mirgani to six months in jail for criminal conspiracy and disruption of the public order.
mirgani was released the following day after a fine for his release was paid.
this includes the strengthening of the democratisation process respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the adoption of genuine political and economic reforms addressing the root causes of conflict.
the union is for example supporting several projects on press freedom as well as civic and human rights education in sudan through the european instrument for democracy and human rights.
as a consequence the newspaper was immediately suspended for two years.
such concerns were highlighted in a statement issued by the european union with like minded partners in december.
civil society organisations are largely inhibited from operating at full capacity with crackdowns on protesters human rights defenders journalists members of the opposition and religious minorities.
the union will continue to call on the government to respect freedom of expression and enable space for civil society.
we need to ensure that not a euro is diverted to fund surveillance and it systems that could assist in repression of journalists and media.
the sudanese intelligence agency has been waging an actual war on freedom of information and expression for years.
i think that the high representative the commission and member states need to step up support to civil society that can help and reform press and printing legislation.
there is no hope for democracy if these basic values continue to be threatened. my main concern is that the eu gives eur one hundred million in aid to sudan on migration.
these journalists are not alone in facing repression.
al abidine in a clear case of political persecution and selective justice has been sentenced to a suspended sentence of five years ostensibly for writing a piece alleging corruption associated with the ruling family of president omar al bashir.
in two thousand and sixteen there were forty four occurrences of confiscated publications affecting twelve different newspapers which gives you an idea of the widespread nature of such repressive practices in sudan.
mr president again we observe the heinous measures which dictatorships are willing to use in order to silence even the slightest criticism legitimate criticism.
by this time we ought to know to what lengths authoritarian regimes are ready to go in order to silence any perceived threats.
as a former journalist i realise the indispensable role of a free press in any state grounded in the rule of law.
the european union must condemn the unjust sentencing of mohamed zine al abidine and osman mirgani and increase the pressure on the sudanese regime.
the president and his companions must cease their actions.
the people of sudan too deserve to live in freedom in security and democracy.
al abidine did what a journalist is supposed to do shed light on those in power but is now being sentenced to five years as one of many critics that are silenced.
we call on the sudanese authorities to review these outrageous charges and to respect all people's rights.
the government should at least adhere to its own commitments under the cotonou agreement but also to the declaration on media freedom in the arab world.
we in the eu should step up our efforts to make sure that people's rights are respected in sudan including the freedom of expression online and offline.
i would suggest that by only focusing on managing migration we are not doing that we are not prioritising respect for human rights.
in fact we may well give people a good excuse to repress and to keep people down.
i think that is the wrong development also from our side.
mr president in a country where widespread violations of human rights have been extensively reported by international organisations such as waging peace the case of mohamed zine al abidine is extremely worrying.
his arrest and imprisonment follows repeated acts of intimidation and harassment conducted by the authorities against journalists.
it is clear that the sudanese government seeks to silence critical voices by means of judicial harassment censorship and confiscation of newspapers.
these unacceptable actions have been taking place in the context of total disregard by mr omar albashir a total disregard for human rights and international law.
he still has not been brought to justice regarding the grave accusations of genocide war crimes and crimes against humanity that were filed against him several years ago.
high representative federica mogherini must also put all her efforts into presenting mr albashir to the international criminal court.
stay. border controls have to be installed on all the external borders of the european union and refugees should be registered.
so when the council meets next week i hope we will see less finger pointing and more of a willingness to act together in the long term interests of all european countries and especially those who are truly eligible for refugee status.
countries that disagree or cannot accept a quota system should be asked what other contributions they could make to help lessen the pressure.
mr president the eu is made up of twenty eight countries not just one or two. eu actions and decisions should therefore be taken in a spirit of consultation not unilaterally declared by one or two leaders who then expect everyone else to follow.
as first vice president timmermans just said no finger pointing but the reprimands and the ad hoc and rash decision making that we are seeing are causing us to lose focus on strengthening our cooperation and vital actions to tackle the roots of the crisis.
it is simply not fair.
much of the commission's proposal is correct improving reception centres speeding up processing and returns tackling human trafficking and looking at how europe can be a force for good in assisting those countries where ninety seven of the refugees are located.
by imposing emergency relocation schemes on countries that are for many reasons opposed we are storing up trouble for any future proposals which offer the best long term solutions.
but i believe that resettling the most vulnerable refugees straight from the camps in their home regions is the most responsible thing all the member states can do.
those member states who believe there is more than one solution are currently accused of being less european than others.
by forcing member states to take migrants bear the costs involved and fundamentally dig germany out of a self created financial social humanitarian and political debacle. not content with inflicting the migrant chaos on its own in some cases beleaguered citizens
germany is using bully boy tactics to force this crisis on to its neighbours.
it is threatening financial penalties on countries that will not cooperate and it has seemingly endorsed a eur seven hundred and eighty million budget.
frontex is not a common border agency it is our people that we take from a number of member states for member states italy greece and so on and they are doing the job while it should be a mandatory system in which all twenty eight member states participate.
and the only way to come out of this debate is not only to talk about this shared responsibility that is one of the elements and we are going to vote on this with parliament but it is to have a broad approach.
to finish i will not hide from you that i felt disappointed and frustrated on monday evening even though progress was
refuge. it is time for each and every one to take their responsibilities.
this action is needed now and the council next week is the opportunity to make an important step forward all together.
there was a willingness of the majority of member states but not all to move forward towards an agreement on relocating another one hundred and twenty zero persons.
all. the only pragmatic and humanitarian response is an ambitious european one and a comprehensive
i can assure you that we will work closely and with all member states to have swift results.
as you know there will be another extraordinary council meeting already next week. we cannot fail on this. it will be a crucial meeting and the commission is ready to provide full support to enable decisions on the files. the objective of the commission is to preserve the unity of europe.
let me start from where we stand.
i would like to underline that the european parliament is participating fully in this process for the framework for the crisis and location mechanism as well as for the list of safe countries of origin.
this house warmly supported this package in its resolution last week.
the commission proposals in this respect were welcome and will be further discussed.
the second implementing package that we presented to you last week serves this goal to respond to the emergency situation in our borders by enhancing both the responsibility and the solidarity aspects.
made. it was not enough it is nothing compared to the magnitude of the crisis.
we also need to be pragmatic and accept that we have to respond together united to this crisis.
these people will not be stopped by any cold sea any fence any
we are in contact with all member states and we are ready to work with them over the coming days so that all member states will go the extra mile to find a european solution.
this is something that we all politicians need to address.
hot spots will be bases to make this approach a success. the first relocation will start immediately but for our proposal to relocate one hundred and twenty zero additional persons from italy greece and hungary we do not have the agreement we wanted.
in the council on monday we made some progress as well.
one. there is no single solution to this crisis. we need to address all issues to fight the root causes to support and cooperate with the neighbouring countries to better protect our borders to fight smugglers with all the means we have to increase the reception capacities in the countries most affected and to ensure solidarity when it comes to finding for them a safe
we need unity today in the european union.
there are people out there suffering in hundreds of thousands on our continent.
the eu does not at this point need unanimity.
what a contrast to see this.
those like angelika niebler who just now said that we should please act together should understand that this is now about the european union and the ability for us to follow the commissioner and his plans and the presidency which is well organised. at three o'clock even parliament realised that it must vote tomorrow because the member states in the minority were not acting. everything is there for us to do but we have not done it because of those member states. we were not born yesterday we know who is blocking this. let us unblock it do something and stop the shame of europe and those who think they know better.
they do not know better.
everyone from all parts of the political spectrum in this chamber should see what these images are saying about the european union.
we. have spent more than one
please! colleagues i have got to ask for order in the
i am being as fair as i possibly can to everybody.
we are debating a very sensitive subject. clearly there are huge divisions in this house.
you have used an expression in your speech. ms le pen has responded.
debate. we are going to have these interruptions.
the failure of the council meeting on migration to provide safe and legal access for refugees fleeing the harrowing impacts of conflicts is absolutely shameful. we need to ensure that all countries do their fair share in resolving this crisis.
ireland as a nation can accept thousands of refugees. we must ensure that these people become part of the fabric of our society and are not discarded in direct provision sites. we must activate the temporary protection directive enhance the syria vulnerable persons relocation scheme and suspend the dublin regulation which forces refugees and asylum seekers to register in the country they land
in. the european focus on keeping them out rather than keeping them safe has resulted in in the drowning of thousands of people in the mediterranean.
mr president those of you who know game of thrones will know the expression winter is coming'.
it is meant quite literally and it is meant metaphorically.
this expression can be applied to the situation the european union is in now vis vis the refugees.
but winter might also be coming metaphorically for the european union if we are incapable of action in the next couple of days and weeks.
applause this issue left unresolved will undoubtedly lead to human suffering for the refugees to political turmoil in our member states to strife between member states and to tensions which europe cannot afford to have.
so we have a strong strong responsibility parliament council and commission to make sure that what we did not achieve last monday in the council will be achieved without delay.
yes it is difficult to have far reaching results within five days of the commission making proposals but we have no time to lose.
i want to salute this parliament and its president for your courageous steps forward in line with the commission proposals.
and so does the commission.
i want to add one more point which to me is very important.
the commission is willing to build bridges between the different positions of member states.
we cannot afford the luxury of accusing one another of not wanting to reach a solution.
we have to have the skill the openness and the willingness to build bridges to help countries come to a common solution which will express solidarity and responsibility.
my plea is also to all of you to please explain to your constituents and to your people back home that our proposals are not just about a distribution key to express solidarity with those states who are really suffering today.