kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
this proposal of course is a backdoor way of giving extra financial support to countries which have been bailed out bailout funds under the efsm will trigger this extra support from the eff and yet more taxpayers' money goes down the drain. so this whole scheme purporting to help fishing with more funds is really an addition to bailouts which are supposed to be loans by way of bond issues with time limits for repayment.
what kind of finance is that?
but fishing managed very well before the cfp was introduced livings were made fish was plentiful.
i think the death blow for many of the fishermen that i represent in northern ireland was the results of the december council meeting which almost certainly will see the end of the white fish fleet in northern ireland.
you will then understand that many of the fishermen that i represent look at the disparity in the way some of these proposals will treat them as opposed to their colleagues who are simply one hundred miles down the road.
it is important that the fund be allowed to contribute to the difficult economic conditions that many countries and communities find themselves in. however i want simply to draw your attention tonight to my constituency of northern ireland.
the fund has been very difficult and burdensome both for the administrator and for the applicant and i would like to see some progress made on this front both for the immediate future and for the longer term post two thousand and fourteen situation.
yet both these fleets suffer from exactly the same problems and the coastal communities suffer in exactly the same ways declining fleets and coastal communities that are experiencing ever greater unemployment and economic difficulty.
it is the only part of the united kingdom to share a land border with another country that finds itself in a financial programme because of ongoing economic difficulties.
earlier today i was talking to a fisherman in my region who has been involved in fishing for some thirty years and now has one of the last seven boats in what was the great fishing port of lowestoft.
my constituency the east of england used to have a large and vibrant fishing industry.
you have been the first to recognise that a lot of mistakes have been made in the past and the trouble is that it is very difficult to overcome some of these mistakes.
in these times of budget restraints it is even more important that the entire european maritime and fisheries fund be geared for supporting sustainability.
fisheries have to be ecologically sustainable in order to be economically and socially sustainable in the long term.
no young person in the european union today wants to invest their future in a business that is not sustainable but is dependent on subsidies;
aid for the modernisation of fishing vessels is rarely in the public interest either and while the idea of paying a ship owner to install a more energy efficient engine which emits less co two may be seductive it is in reality impossible to ensure that the fishing capacity and effort are not increased when an engine becomes more energy efficient.
it must however be limited to measures which reduce the environmental impact of the fishing operations by such means as the conversion of vessels and gear to methods which are more selective or inflict less damage to the sea floor.
so far such social support has been directed too much towards ship owners and too little towards the crew and this imbalance must be redressed through measures such as retraining.
social support measures during the restructuring of the eu fleet will also be critical.
considerable amounts of money from the structural funds used to be awarded to building new vessels and modernising existing ones.
such aid is not consistent with the promotion of sustainable fishing.
the european court of auditors has criticised the scrapping aid for not having contributed to the reduction of fleet capacity.
i think that in this context it is important especially for those countries that have declining areas which are very dependent on fisheries to take the opportunity offered by this amended regulation also to review and update operational programmes and adapt in order to become competitive in the future.
with no fish there can be no fishermen. the future emff must be designed and implemented in order to support the objectives of the cfp especially the sustainable exploitation of marine resources.
public aid should be restricted to investments that are in the public interest.
two thousand and fourteen two thousand and twenty the aim of the guidelines is to promote the development of disadvantaged regions in europe while ensuring that the aid does not lead to distortions of trade and competition in the internal market.
the precise conditions are still being discussed.
over the last forty years a quarter of wildlife species have become threatened with extinction. internationally important peat bogs have been lost wetlands drained for economic generation and forests and their wildlife cut down farmed or burned as humans encroach.
in the eu we have had planned targets and funding for years but the news is not good.
just under ten of our freshwater fishes are now threatened;
life sustaining means that without them food water and air will not and cannot be guaranteed to sustain us all.
and we've tried.
is the money being used effectively?
the birds and habitats directives are conservation's gold standards.
or because the public can't see what is happening?
animals and plants are disappearing across europe.
so where's the transparency?
well financed natura two thousand sites help create jobs building green infrastructure with businesses but again we are not going to meet the two thousand and twenty biodiversity targets and we'll see further deterioration of nature.
where is the money going?
and they really do care about nature.
is it the fact that the funding is going astray or the political will to deliver is missing?
yet even they still miss their targets.
it is a silent crisis.
we need to know.
yet this is where the life sustaining forces are located.
the one thousand nine hundred and ninety two rio summit saw the convention on biological diversity the first time the world came together and demanded action;
mr president nature is in trouble. it is becoming clearer and clearer we are living beyond the sustainable carrying capacity of the planet.
she mentioned pollinators and as i said we will be presenting a dedicated initiative on this.
a lot has been achieved in identifying the natura two thousand sites but i am not satisfied that a lot has been achieved in terms of managing them.
because it is an action plan and unless it is implemented then the whole purpose of coming up with this action plan would be totally meaningless.
urgency. unfortunately i talk about this urgency because i fear that things are happening quicker than we were expecting and i always give the example of the great barrier reef which i mentioned this week
we are not talking environment we are not talking only nature but we are talking about sustainability.
unfortunately when local solutions are not found then the authorities and everyone throws those problems back to brussels. mr gieseke spoke about the wolves again and mr stanislav polk spoke about the gaps between the directives and their implementation.
obviously there are many reasons;
the issue of wolves came out several
i have spoken with a number of agriculture ministers with a number of agricultural organisations and i have to say they do understand the problem and most of them are very willing to be part of the solution and not of the problem.
plan. my reaction to that is imagine how we could achieve them then without the action plan how we could achieve them with the business as usual' approach.
why? because there have been some good examples of local solutions with the participation of all the stakeholders including farmers.
us. it is not just a question of acting but acting with urgency
i say no it is not enough.
level. when we talk about implementation very often we discuss implementation with central government but the implementation is taking place on the ground at local and regional
that is the idea of this action plan because if we were to continue with a business as usual' approach things would have continued to deteriorate even further.
when we talk about the farmers and biodiversity we have to look at the farmers as part of the solution and not always as part of the problem.
most of the reasons we can handle some of the reasons will be a little bit more problematic but we still have to handle them.
sustainability does not start and end with nature it does not start and end with people it does not even start and end with the economy. the idea of sustainability is that one of these sectors does not move forward at the expense of the others.
their problems.
is not to move away from the problem but to find a solution.
however as an ecologist i reject the paragraphs that focus solely on the negative aspects of the reintroduction of predators.
biodiversity is under threat across the continent and this action plan points to where we are currently failing and aims to get us back on track for our two thousand and twenty goals.
while certain preventive measures may be necessary we cannot rule out the introduction of predators as they constitute an important part of the ecological balance of some habitats.
for example the commission will update and actively promote in all eu languages its guidance document on species protection rules which will include clarifications on flexibility within the existing legal framework.
implementation of the action plan is essential in order to make progress on target one of the eu biodiversity strategy to and i quote fully implement the birds and habitats directives'. it will also contribute to achieving other targets in this strategy namely targets two three and four on restoration agriculture forestry and fisheries.
as. regards the current funding framework natura two thousand and wider biodiversity measures can be co financed under several eu policies.
let me turn to the specific questions you have tabled for today's debate. your first question is about the links between the action plan and the two thousand and twenty biodiversity strategy.
the commission plans to evaluate the eu biodiversity strategy and to report on its finding by.
the conclusion was clear there is no essential problem with the legal framework of the habitats and birds directives.
the upcoming initiative to address the decline of pollinators is just one example of the commission's response to the calls made by parliament to achieve the two thousand and twenty targets.
the return of large carnivores especially the wolf to areas where they have been absent for a long time represents a significant challenge especially at local level.
since you also asked about the commission's intentions from two thousand and twenty onwards i can tell you that the nature directives provide a solid and long term legal foundation for eu biodiversity policy.
the action plan envisages a series of measures to help address these challenges.
the third question is about mainstreaming natura two thousand and wider biodiversity measures with other policies especially with the common agricultural policy
in addition action one of the action plan will motivate decision makers to invest in green infrastructure through the provision of deeper guidance and appreciation of the value of ecosystem services. on pollinators the commission intends to launch a dedicated initiative to complement the action plan.
on access to justice as a previous legislative proposal did not prove successful in council the commission adopted in april two thousand and seventeen an interpretative notice presenting and explaining the substantial body of case law of the court of justice on the subject including on the nature directives.
as decisions on the allocation of eu funds under shared management rest primarily with the member states they are not obliged to take up the opportunities for financing natura two thousand from the eu budget.
the action plan includes fifteen concrete actions.
including through improving connectivity of natura two thousand areas by mid.
level. the commission will encourage the full and effective use of the financial resources under the european agricultural rural development fund to support coexistence through rural development measures and in this context support can be provided to farmers for preventive measures aimed at mitigating the risk of damage by large carnivores to livestock farming. lastly in question
the commission will also bring together experts from different member states at bio geographical level to address common challenges. this may also cover large carnivores whose populations are often transboundary.
in the context of action nine under the action plan the impact of the cap on biodiversity will be addressed in a specific evaluation scheduled for the second half
despite the strong positive commitment to addressing the root problems i think that the european commission has failed to propose actions to tackle the drivers of biodiversity loss including agriculture transport and energy.
therefore the commission should provide effective support to national and regional actors in the implementation of nature legislation and the improvement of environmental inspections.
my last remark the eca found that the coordination between responsible authorities and other stakeholders in the member states was not sufficient;
why does the action plan not better highlight the urgency of the need to scale up financial resources?
this action plan is an important step forward as it aims to improve the practical implementation of the nature directives.
firstly the commission must improve coherence with common agricultural policy and make sure that all infrastructure developments are fitted with proper environmental safeguards. financing is also a very important issue.
i feel happy and proud that we have achieved perfect gender balance in the top positions.
europe is not only talking about women it is choosing women.
i believe they are good choices.
speaking about different sensitivities in europe i would also like to mention unity and geographical balance on the continent.
this is because the leaders truly understand the power of unity.
i am fully confident that cooperation with the greens and their presence in the eu decision making bodies will benefit not only the governing coalition but also europe as a whole.
i hope that this choice will inspire many girls and women to fight for their beliefs and passions.
in the end we must respect each other and cooperate with each other because only then can we build trust and change europe for the better.
it took us three days because i wanted to be sure that every member state big or small from every corner of europe was on board when it came to the future leadership of the union.
to some it is parliament that represents genuine european democracy because of its directly elected members while to others it is rather the european council because of the strong democratic legitimacy of the leaders.
it is clear that only when we are united can we counterbalance the most powerful global players.
and actually much more quickly than five years ago.
in particular some prime ministers from the socialist family were making commitments as regards geographical balance in this house.
sometimes we were more and sometimes less successful but eventually we always managed to stay together.
as you know in many countries green symbolises hope and freedom. i have much faith in this symbol.
thank you and good luck again.
this is a very positive change.
and can i thank you president tusk for your patience with our government and national parliament and can i ask you to ask your successor to continue that policy of time and patience and understanding even when it appears our government has no plan.
mr president as one of the large new group of british members of the european parliament both liberal democrat and green and from other parties who do not want to turn our backs on europe
can i tell you mr president that what you heard from that back corner does not represent the views of everyone in the united kingdom.
opinion is shifting in britain otherwise we would not be here and those of us who support europe also need europe's support.
i think it's really bad for democracy and the level of engagement we've had this last time it's going to be very very hard to repeat. my concern is that you know those who are against the rule of law have won. the visegrd four have succeeded in morally bankrupting the entire european council.
to say i'm disappointed with the outcome of the council would be an understatement.
mr president delighted that you're our new president and that's about the only good news.
mr tusk president tusk you know under your watch we have widened the gap with the citizens of europe.
you all signed up to the spitzenkandidat process and you have reined back and i think if this house capitulates with that this would be you know arm twisting and negative forces will take over not just in the uk as they have and you can see the evidence here but elsewhere as well so it's really important that this house sticks with the spitzenkandidat process and rejects the proposals of the council.
and that is just one of many reasons why britain is right to be leaving this place hopefully at halloween.
and may i say that if i needed any convincing at all that the best thing for britain is to leave here as soon as possible it was the way that those elections were conducted yesterday if that is this place's idea of democracy then that is a serious betrayal of every country that is represented here
and it doesn't matter which language you use we are going and we are glad to be going.
forty that's what you do here that's why we're going.
so today i will refrain from making any comment.
and i hope he will not return because essentially the spitzenkandidat process was to conserve the power of the existing political establishment in europe not to open the political space for the people. far from it.
but there is good news i think.
you seem to be determined to continue the same strategy.
the number of people who are openly critical of this strategy is increasing.
this house will of course have the final say and we will have the opportunity to debate this in the weeks ahead.
the commission is ready to keep explaining its recommendation to open talks on the basis of our objective assessment of the progress achieved.
for the european union to continue to lead all member states must now match their deeds to their words when it comes to achieving our commonly agreed two thousand and thirty targets.
it was about our strategic priorities for the next five years and i am pleased to say that there is a lot of common ground between our two institutions.
first the social dimension.
there is still much to do and i am therefore happy that with this plenary session your work is only just the beginning.
this requires willingness to compromise on all sides.
these reforms and efforts are first and foremost for the citizens of the region.
my second point which i believe is equally vital is the question of climate change.
we also need a common deposit guarantee to complete our banking union.
there is still work to be done in order to complete the economic and monetary union.
for this reason we have launched a sustainable finance strategy as a part of the capital markets union in order to channel the flows of private capital more effectively into more sustainable investment.
it the best way to overcome bilateral issues and keep up the reform momentum that is serving the people of the region so well.
i would like to congratulate you not only on my behalf but also on behalf of the president of the european commission and my colleagues in the college and i would like to underline that we are all looking forward to working very closely with all of you. the same applies to all the candidates nominated by the european council including the candidate for president of the european commission
we need to secure its financing and governance.
we are working on concrete actions we can take and i can assure the people of cyprus that we will do what we have to do.
however none of these objectives can be achieved by the european union unless we have the right money to hand at the right time.
the member states put back a decision on accession negotiations for north macedonia and albania until october.
i believe it is the best way to bring stability to the region.
the budgetary instrument for convergence and competitiveness is an important step towards a budget line for the euro.
the commission is now backing up that spirit of solidarity.
it can often take time to find the right balance and the right compromise and it is worth taking the time to get the right people for the right jobs when the future of our union for the next five years is at stake.
further efforts are also needed on the treaty on the european stability mechanism to make it effective and credible and it needs to be integrated into union law over time.
we are following the issues in the east of the country very closely and we will continue to make the full implementation of the minsk agreements the number one priority.
but the june european council was not just about people and personalities.
i would like to emphasise just two points.
we cannot afford to wait until the next crisis before we finally make headway on these crucial issues.
they are about building a society based on fairness and respect of the rule of law.
european banks are now much more secure than before the financial crisis.
honourable members allow me to finish with a few words on some of the other issues we discussed during the last european council.
voters in the european elections called for an effective europe a europe that can act effectively and we know that this can happen only if a budget is concluded on time.
in the meantime it is essential that the two countries and the region as a whole keep up the momentum.
therefore europe must very clearly commit to a path of climate neutrality by two thousand and fifty as proposed by the commission last year and supported by the parliament and recognised by a vast majority of the european council. a clean planet for all is in all our interests not least in our economic interests including the interests of the very small minority of member states that may still need to be brought
i cannot mention cyprus without once again offering my sincere condolences to the family of former president dimitris christofias a man who shared his love for europe and cyprus in the same way as we do.
there is a risk of a decade of low growth and high unemployment and that would put severe strain on our social models and our living standards.
emphasis should be put on education and skills lifelong learning mobility of workers supporting entrepreneurship and self employment but also on fighting exclusion and poverty.
we also need to make sure that our people are equipped with the right skills to succeed in this new economic model.
it was the third ministerial meeting on opel organised by the commission and the first since general motors decided not to sell opel. other than being a facilitator mainly by ensuring that all stakeholders have the same information the commission will continue to ensure that internal market and state aid rules will be respected. this is very important to avoid a ruinous
indeed only after the gm business plan is known and our member states might be willing to provide state aid can the commission assess whether competition rules are being respected.
she has great political skills and has accomplished a great deal since being a commissioner.
her quiet diplomacy rather than an ego on legs' has ensured agreements where others have failed and where it has proved difficult in the past.
can you tell me please honestly if this is the case and how you intend to raise such taxes?
in fact it is becoming an extremely difficult matter.