kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
this includes economic crimes apostasy adultery or even sexual relationships between consenting adults.
still i know some of you believe the eu has not always been as loud as it should be.
in two thousand and fourteen the number went down to twenty two a lot less although still too many.
for this reason we are intensifying our dialogue with the most fervent retentionist countries at all levels.
on a smaller but still significant scale the same happens in saudi arabia and other countries.
partners advancing human dignity and the global moratorium on the death penalty is at the core of our foreign
we can and must be a force for this change.
we also cannot ignore the fact that many death sentences are the products of unfair trials often without appeals guarantee or clemency procedures.
ultimately i believe there is no alternative to engagement with those who do not share our views and values.
we will keep on this double track challenge and engage.
the international human rights law is clear drug crimes do not constitute most serious crimes for which capital punishment may be prescribed.
i am proud to say that thanks to the eu's extensive lobbying and support the moratorium was adopted in december two thousand and fourteen with an unprecedented number of one hundred and seventeen votes in favour and a record number of ninety five co sponsors. the eu can be a beacon for abolitionists worldwide but we need to build partnerships on a global scale to succeed and our success on the moratorium tells us something;
it is then an honour to address this plenary debate only days away from ten october the thirteenth world and europe day against the death penalty.
no state should have a right to decide on the life and death of its citizens.
the end of the death penalty is something that is worth fighting for.
we all believe that and i am quoting a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation'.
however the grim side of the statistics is that still in two thousand and fifteen thousands of people were executed or sentenced to death and thousands of people are on death row worldwide.
bilateral relations are not the only forum for raising this kind of issue.
unfortunately many asian countries still retain the death penalty for those crimes including as a mandatory form of punishment. in iran at least seventy five out of this year's six hundred and sixty executions have been related to drug crimes.
we are not alone in this fight. mr president i would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude for the european parliament's constant and fervent dedication to the abolitionist cause. this is reflected in numerous resolutions and dedicated debates but also in missions in third countries where honourable members do not shy away from raising the issue of executions even with the most difficult interlocutors. we can count on a global network of
ten years ago forty one countries carried out executions.
this is the most effective contribution we can give to the cause of abolition.
furthermore despite explicit international law provisions some countries sentence and even execute minors and mentally disabled persons.
let me be frank condemnation is important but it is often not enough.
ten years ago only fifty nine countries had fully abolished the death penalty.
abolition is embodied in strong rigorous and effective eu guidelines on the matter. the fight against the death penalty features as a top priority in the new action plan on human rights and democracy which we adopted last july.
we are constantly stepping up efforts especially in countries where there is a spike in executions or the reintroduction of capital punishment sometimes after decades of moratorium. our individual human rights country strategies have identified the abolition of the death penalty as a top priority in all retentionist countries.
so we have to be clear on one thing never be afraid to raise the issue of abolition as part of our external action.
the death penalty is still applied for crimes which again fall outside the category of most serious ones.
more than thirty statements were issued and demarches were carried out in many other countries based on the minimum standards defined by international law and the eu guidelines on that penalty. we have been the most vocal advocate of abolition worldwide.
we condemn the continuing extensive use of the death penalty in parts of the world some of which are at our doorstep.
let me assure you that the question of the death penalty is raised with all interlocutors concerned beyond any strategic considerations.
you mentioned it in your presentation.
for example we are conscious that africa represents the biggest concentration of countries which are abolitionist in practice and it could potentially become the next death free continent after europe.
we are currently planning a regional campaign on the asian continent with the aim of animating the public debate on the question of the right to life and human dignity. on an even bigger stage the eu has worked extensively on the united nations general assembly resolution on a moratorium on executions.
that includes in the uk where support for the death penalty for the first time this year is below fifty something i am very pleased to have noted.
i am very pleased that diplomatic relations between the eu and iran are becoming normalised but i am disturbed that we have not seen more public condemnation from the eu of the escalation in the use of the death penalty under president rouhani.
in the past they have often allowed their group to have a free vote on death penalty resolutions or to abstain. i hope that policy will change this week in the face of the continuing massive use of the death penalty by many undemocratic regimes across the world.
lastly i am also disappointed that none of my uk conservative colleagues appear to be here in the chamber for this debate.
mr president as many other speakers have already mentioned this saturday people all over the world will stand up against the death penalty.
so while i welcome the comment from mr schmit tonight that the european council is vocal on the death sentence i would like to say that actions speak louder than words. egypt is ranked seventh for executions and only last week opposed a un motion to prohibit the death penalty.
his crime was to exercise his freedom of expression by attending a protest.
amnesty has deemed him a prisoner of conscience and his imprisonment is in fact in contravention of article two of the euro mediterranean agreement.
mr president like others i welcome the eu's opposition to the death penalty but would agree that we need consistency of approach.
i believe that the eu's human rights interventions can be effective especially when they are made in the context of negotiations that genuinely matter for the countries concerned.
i also agree with others who have made the point that the quality of justice in so many countries that maintain the death penalty leaves much to be desired.
indeed the use of the death penalty can be seen in some of those countries as a political instrument.
let us be clear when we speak of the abolition of the death penalty we are not saying that a crime is to remain unpunished.
we cannot tolerate the imposition of a punishment which is itself a violation of human rights since it attacks the very core of human dignity.
it is good that the european institutions and member states are acting to raise awareness against the death penalty on the day dedicated to this but stronger and ongoing commitment is needed.
we need to strengthen our political and financial support to encourage public debate;
i believe in the principle of democracy and yes if the people of a country wished to bring that in then of course i would have to accept it.
i therefore strongly support the call on the commission to mainstream the campaign to abolish the death penalty in new foreign policy and external relations and to have talks with third countries that are responsible for a significant rise in the number of executions or for restarting executions. the death penalty is the ultimate cruel inhumane and degrading punishment which violates the right to life as enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights and an act of torture
mr president the oral question asks the council to use its power to pressurise those countries that still have the death penalty to abolish it.
if only the council would reply that it is not doing anything because it is none of its business.
the eu has no right to tell civilised countries that they should not execute the worst of their criminals and i mean criminals and not political opponents.
i cannot think of a single reason why british criminals such as the moors murderers the yorkshire ripper and robert black the child murderer should not pay for their crimes with their lives.
if a referendum were held in england tomorrow on the return of the death penalty it is my guess that the british people would vote for it and i certainly would.
we have made very good progress in the deployment of industrial policy agreed in. two thousand and ten we will continue to push harder to establish the appropriate framework conditions to release the creative capacity of european industry.
these are areas where work is already being done.
foreign direct investment is an important part of this.
the commission's policy approach takes the same starting point as parliament's report and we also identify the same areas where action is needed.
the main reasons the eu is still an attractive location for foreign direct investment is our highly educated workforce low foreign direct investment regulations declining regulatory burdens for starting and elaborating a business extensive investor protection laws high quality investment promotion agencies and various support measures often linked to regional policy measures.
in the current economic climate we need to create the necessary conditions to offer our companies and citizens the best possible business environment to produce and to compete in europe. it is true that the rise of emerging economies has intensified competition but it has also created new opportunities for the eu through trade and investment in international value chains.
over the past years the european commission has developed several regulatory dialogues with our major trading partners and we have projects for the exchange of good practice among member states as concerns foreign direct investment promotion.
the eu is the world's leading host of foreign direct investment attracting investments worth eur two hundred and twenty five billion from the rest of the world in two thousand and eleven alone.
two thousand and ten a detailed breakdown by country reveals that the decline in foreign direct investment has been highly uneven across member states.
the main areas currently considered for further action are access to finance improvement of the single market industrial innovation and globalisation challenges for eu industry and small and medium sized enterprises.
as a continuation along these lines the commission is now preparing a communication on industrial policy. the long term goals of our flagship product europe two thousand and twenty remain fully valid.
two thousand and seven this is a unique period.
it is an added bonus giving eu citizens unique rights notably the right to the freedom of movement the right to consular protection and the right to petition parliament and the european ombudsman.
sometimes these are the result of legal loopholes and sometimes the result of a lack of knowledge of how to apply the law.
local authorities particularly where they are responsible for the provision of services such as housing health care and primary and secondary education are often confronted with the day to day problems of the new immigrants.
much has been done to aid integration as well as to help newcomers benefit from the same rights as citizens of their host countries.
the new citizens of the european union embraced the rights granted to them especially the right to free movement. they benefited from the opportunity to be educated abroad and in those countries which opened their labour markets they undertook legal work. the scale of migration however poses many challenges for the host countries. these are challenges for both the central and local authorities.
nevertheless instances of discrimination remain.
the libe committee took a very constructive and practical approach in its work.
parliament's report takes into consideration the commission's fifth report on european citizenship covering the period from one may two thousand and four to thirty june.
the social investment pact will contain enforcement mechanisms to ensure that each nation is meeting its goals and to stimulate economic growth.
enlightened social investment policies make a tangible difference not only in raising employment levels but also in promoting high skilled quality jobs.
social investment policies will help to prepare people for change rather than just trying to repair the damage after the event. i supported the social investment pact which promotes the progressive social jobs and educational targets of the europe two thousand and twenty strategy and i was very pleased to do so.
the motives project promotes the wider social returns of workers involved in training and retraining and the project has developed a tool for measuring the return on social investment or rosi. the social investment approach taken by the ballymun centre is i believe one that should be more widely replicated across europe in the years ahead. fiscal consolidation on its own will not end the crisis and will only work if combined with growth.
i welcome this proposal because it sets out better safety standards such as multi standard anti lock brakes along with tougher emission standards to reduce the environmental impact. this will ensure that these vehicles become safer for their operators and friendlier for the environment and lives will be saved.
at the eu level i welcome the creation of the new cyber security agency based at europol and i call for adequate resources for its child protection team.
though it proves to be an asset for the education sector we can see that the use of the internet involves substantial risk to the privacy dignity safety and even the life of children and teenagers.
they provide social services in areas such as health and education that are beneficial to society.
a stronger social enterprise economy will help accomplish the goals of the single market act as well as the europe two thousand and twenty strategy. they need support that is specifically designed for their benefit.
this support may come from eu supported banking funds and microcredit.
social entrepreneurs are innovators and key players in the social economy and must be protected.
i particularly welcome the proposal for an educational alliance between the family school and civil society in understanding the digital world and developing a responsible digital citizenship while identifying and developing strategies for dealing with the dangers of the internet.
madam president i want to commend the rapporteur for this excellent report which recognises the potential of the internet in the education and socialisation of children on the one hand while at the same time seeking to protect children from the harmful aspects of the internet.
i was happy to support this report.
finally i believe that the schools etwinning programme could play an important part in the development of such an alliance on a transnational basis.
twenty seven of nine to twelve year olds declare themselves to be older than they are when they are online and worryingly fifty of young people say that they find it easier to express themselves online rather than face to face.
we must be clear on who is responsible for control and oversight.
today i would like to refer to two recommendations in the thyssen report that i find particularly relevant recommendation.
we cannot create a help fund for member states without ensuring that this money is spent in a correct efficient and justifiable way. we are talking about substantial amounts of money with many political interests at stake.
the european parliament has proved that it can take this responsibility seriously.
the european people's party has consistently advocated closer economic integration as an answer to the current financial crisis.
they account for two million enterprises ten percent of all european enterprises;
social enterprises are therefore important drivers of sustainable development social innovation and inclusion and indeed the participation of marginalised groups.
it is therefore important to create a favourable climate for social enterprises and it is important that we have the political framework and the financial support necessary for social enterprises to both survive in the current crisis and to thrive.
i believe that they have a major role to play in achieving the social employment and educational targets of the eu two thousand and twenty strategy.
this will be a significant step forward in access to justice for citizens and businesses. the measure will simplify the procedure which allows a claimant who has obtained a judgement from a member state to enforce that judgement in any other member state.
this would be totally to the benefit of our citizens.
madam president this report considers the only genuine economic and monetary union to be a federal one.
we have seen how the stability pact has failed to prevent the implosion of the euro.
we must also resist proposals for the eu budget to be funded from its own resources including a financial transaction tax.
if the eurozone chooses to go ahead with some form of banking union i hope it will ignore the recommendations of this report.
with the ever expanding use of non cash payments through cards there is an increasing need to develop a system that is both consistent and efficient.
we need collaboration at a european level and between public institutions and internet service providers in order to protect minors using the internet.
additional technological options for example the blocking of access by children to harmful content as well as the promotion of self regulation by service providers are also to be welcomed.
that would have had disastrous consequences for the safety and the stability of farm quads.
madam president children with their natural curiosity and superior technological skills are stumbling across or seeking out pornographic material on the internet.
violent and degrading material is easily available and this is having disturbing consequences on our children.
use by children of social networking sites is also making it easier for sexual predators to groom youngsters.
when i worked on legislation on sexual exploitation of children i was pleased to support measures aimed specifically at preventing grooming.
i also supported plans to block access to sites which contained child abuse images.
now usually i am allergic to eu legislation but the internet has no borders.
as such i am able to support most of the suggestions included in this report.
i especially support encouraging internet service providers to promote self regulation including codes of conduct for identifying and deleting illegal content.
isps should also help parents by providing network filters and make it easier for the filters to be employed.
i would like to remind people that privacy and data protection contrary to what i believe mr zuckerberg once said is not a social convention.
it is not something the court invented it is actually in the treaties.
this is very much about the quality of legislation and about enforcement.
i think national governments should also check if their national surveillance laws actually meet the standards set by the court.
it is actually a legal right on a par with the right to free speech the right to life a ban on torture and all the other fundamental rights. it is a legal right mr kirkhope.
we apply different standards to our american friends than we apply to other countries.
we also need to study the implications for other policies and in particular transatlantic data flows.
this is important for our wider relationship with the united states of america our key strategic partner both politically and economically.
i will myself go to washington in midnovember to discuss the issue further with my counterparts there.
twenty nine we want to ensure clear guidance so that we avoid fragmentation in the internal market. there were good first discussions at technical level last week and this will continue in the plenary tomorrow which i will also attend.
last week's ruling in the schrems case reaffirmed the importance of data protection as a fundamental right in the eu including when personal data is transferred to third countries.
our benchmark is the court ruling.
the court has declared the two thousand safe harbour decision invalid and it can no longer serve as a legal basis for transatlantic data transfers.
after my first discussions with secretary of commerce penny pritzker i remain confident that this is possible. i am encouraged by reform steps such as the usa freedom act and the draft judicial redress bill which specifically addresses the situation of eu citizens.
i want to use the opportunity of this discussion today to assure you that my objective remains a renewed and robust arrangement for transatlantic data flows taking into account the requirements set out by our highest court.
i want a more informed debate about this process and i see you as an essential partner in this process.
but we will be clear in our discussions with the us partners we need guarantees that the right to data protection is respected when data is transferred to the us.
the us side also needs to address these requirements in its own legal order and in practice.
the commission respects that ruling and will abide by it as must all stakeholders.
we will immediately resume and step up discussions with the us building on the work done so far.
they are worried about fragmentation and they need guidance as a matter of urgency.
i would therefore ask you too as members of the european parliament to engage with your counterparts in the us congress on this issue and to be a partner in this.
this is an ongoing debate in the us as it is in europe.
the commission is also in dialogue with business on this issue.
i think we all understand the complexity of this matter.
this is exactly what we are doing now.
this is what i wanted to stress at the beginning asking you to help with your counterparts in the united states at your level.
i see three stages.
we europeans value the right to privacy and the right to the protection of our private data as a fundamental right.
i will come back to this.
the negotiations will start tomorrow and on friday on a technical level with our united states partners.
this is where we are now.
the bad thing is that it needs a guy who invests quite a lot of money quite a lot of time and energy for four years of his young life to get justice for five hundred million europeans and everybody on the european market after fifteen years of injustice obviously.
this is very bad news and i think we should not leave it there.
there should be a solution which is solid brought forward by the political leaders here present.
we must not make it more difficult for businesses to operate or more difficult to protect the data of individuals. potentially we have opened the door to a patchwork of decision making across the eu.
we repeatedly find ourselves in a situation where courts are determining policy before we legislate and this has to stop.
we now need to find fast quality and effective solutions for commercial activity in data protection which should not be overshadowed by any discussions relating to the activities of the intelligence community.
this judgment certainly must not affect the need for a positive and forward looking agenda regarding data and trade with the united states and the eu and the us need to keep cool heads.
we need global certification schemes.
in my report i point to some of the dangers to the world that overfishing and illegal fishing in particular poses.