kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
at the same time we know that oda by itself is not sufficient.
this year some one eight hundred migrants have drowned in the mediterranean a twenty fold increase over the same period last year.
power. together we can prevail in providing a more just world for this and future generations.
second addressing the migration challenge; and third building a sustainable world for all.
zero seven of their gross national product to official development assistance including.
waste. your peace and prosperity offer a concrete symbol of what can be achieved even after the greatest devastation.
people. i thank you as well for supporting the ideals and objectives of the united nations and for this opportunity to address
our long term response needs to focus on fostering inclusive governance accountability respect for universal values and dialogue among communities.
i know there are many more such examples across europe and we need even more at this time.
while setting an example for other regions of the world facing similar challenges.
the fundamental responsibility for financing sustainable development lies with governments.
we need to empower young men and women and harness the influence of leaders from the cultural religious and educational spheres.
sdgs. this is a universal people centred and planet friendly agenda.
we must always be mindful of our special responsibility to avoid responses to terrorism and violent extremism that make the problems worse.
we also need to commit to more concerted international tax cooperation as well as to combat tax evasion and illicit financial
paris. there must be a politically credible trajectory for mobilising the agreed usd one hundred billion per year
of the people of europe.
this parliament represents a wide diversity of cultures and traditions bound by a common belief that we are stronger and better
the united nations simply could not do what it does without the support encouragement and engagement of the european union.
the european union is a pillar of international cooperation for peace development and human rights.
third in december in paris governments must make good on their commitment to adopt a universal meaningful climate change agreement at the paris climate conference.
and we need to reflect on what motivates young men and sometimes women to become so alienated and radicalised that they are prepared to inflict harm on others and even end their own lives in the process.
the post war history of europe offers one of history's great examples of cooperation for peace and prosperity.
all countries must transform their economies to end unsustainable consumption and production patterns.
thus we need to support the improvement of effective and fair national tax systems.
by. two thousand and twenty and the green climate fund must be up and running before paris so that it can support small island developing states least developed countries and africa.
agenda particularly for the least developed countries and small island developing states which urgently need continued and increased support.
engine. i urge you to pull the world from ahead and to push the world from behind with your strong engine
today's announcement by the european commission of a proposal for the relocation of forty zero asylum seekers is a step in the right direction.
i commend those countries which have met the target of committing.
we live in a complex and troubled
i thank you for your strong commitment to and leadership in democracy and for the spirit of service you bring to the important job of representing the european
their new lives are not without difficulty but they have found safety and their new home is glad to have extended a helping hand.
we must mobilise financing from a variety of sources both public and private.
they qualify for international protection as refugees. europe has an important role to play and a collective responsibility to act. saving lives should be the top priority.
fund. finance is critical to securing an ambitious agreement in
world. but i believe we also live in a world of possibility and that you are among the guardians of that promise.
the united nations the un high commissioner for refugees and the international organisation for migration will continue to work with european leaders to address the crisis in a way that upholds human rights and international law.
i urge them to spare no effort to reach it as soon as possible.
finally i urge the eu to continue to champion higher ambition in the context of a paris agreement both through strengthening its climate target for two thousand and twenty as well as considering more ambitious targets in the post two thousand.
let us work together to address all of these ills at their roots.
we must work to end the conflicts and development failures that have displaced more people today than at any point since the second world war. we must work together in europe and elsewhere to address the worrisome increase in stigma and discrimination against migrants.
this. i am also asking for the european union's support on designing and delivering a special package for the most vulnerable countries including the small island developing states and least developed countries that addresses their concerns across climate and development.
europe's values and guiding principles must guide the response.
it has the potential to improve the business environment and boost research and development. it needs to define and shape a car industry which remains strong and competitive globally and which also plays a full part in decarbonising energy for sustainable road transport.
it is crucial that national and european levels work together and take action to help car manufacturers be competitive at a global level.
it also needs to be about how to focus support for research and development to help europe's car industry meet the challenge of becoming greener but more competitive at the same time. i am very happy that much of this programme this cars two thousand and twenty action plan fits closely with vince cable's strategy at the uk government level which is called driving success.
in particular the communication on a european alternative fuel strategy and the directive on alternative fuels infrastructures at member state level aim at facilitating the development of the single market for alternative fuels for transport in the whole european union.
we propose legislation only where more predictability was needed for the sector.
smart regulation for instance.
it shows how a well coordinated process can lead to structural changes.
the commission made sure that no additional unnecessary burdens would be created for industry.
this pro action plan has significantly improved coordination between the commission services and stakeholders.
the european commission also attached great importance to the overhaul of the type approval procedures in order to align them to international rules for the purpose of making them more effective and to reduce unnecessary burdens and cost to industry.
the european commission thinks the same and through its action plan it shows its willingness to place the automotive industry back at the very heart of growth. as far as the implementation of the cars action plan for the automotive industry is concerned i am convinced that this is an inspiring example.
we are also working on improving access to finance for smes.
concerning rd and access to finance the european commission presented in two thousand and thirteen a proposal for a european green vehicles initiative to co finance research in the area of energy efficiency and
two thousand and fourteen eu level instruments can hardly be considered adequate without effective parallel structures at national and regional levels and to this end we are working together with industry.
two three billion for the period two thousand and fourteen two thousand and twenty and the eib will represent the main source of financing for smes at european level.
sugar beet is a biennial crop. it is harvested in its first year before it flowers.
if these seed dressings are banned by the eu beet growers will be forced to apply repeated sprays of the insecticide called cypermethrin with all the ground being covered each time. seed dressings on the other hand affect less than one of the ground.
the more they are used the worse this problem becomes.
aphids infect the young plant with this virus and within weeks the leaves all go yellow and yields can be as low as twenty five of what you might reasonably expect.
the green lobby wish to ban these dressings in the interest of bee health.
if they are to be banned a viable alternative must be found and for goodness sake let us look at gm technology which has a solution to this problem.
five years later we find ourselves pushing against an open door as there is widespread agreement about the negative effects of these substances and more and more people including michael gove are coming together to call for a ban.
as noted in this report intensive farming reduces the range of flowering crops for bees to feed on and the heavy load of agricultural chemicals bees are exposed to weakens them making them vulnerable to stresses like wet weather a lack of nectar diseases and parasites. bees are an essential part of our agricultural system but the web of nature is delicate and complicated.
we must promote a farming system that works with and not against nature if we are to give bees a chance.
i think it is also worth noting as well that this parliament voted in very substantial numbers to approve a proposal from the commission in relation to the banning in ecological focus areas of the use of pesticides and this has made a major impact a positive impact in relation to the application of this new rule in my view in two thousand and eighteen in terms
everybody believes that we should do more and perhaps we can do more.
the commission and the member states will now have to consider whether or not to introduce possible amendments to the current restrictions on the use of these pesticides.
i think this is a major step forward for which this house can be proud in terms of the vote that it expressed in.
today's report does not make any reference in terms of a possible ban.
he has certainly indicated very clearly what i believe to be the case in relation to sugar beet and the possible exemptions in relation to the application of neonicotinoids in relation to sugar beet.
the scheme aims to promote healthy eating habits and requires member states to ensure the appropriate involvement of their national authorities responsible for health and nutrition in drawing up the list of products to be provided to schoolchildren.
perhaps many people are not aware of these particular measures which can be exploited to even better potential by member states than they are now through the apicultural programmes.
the main objective of the national apicultural programmes is to improve the conditions for the production and marketing of honey.
the commission is committed to ensuring that honey put on the market complies with eu standards and it is currently analysing how best to do this although the commission is not convinced that new rules on origin labelling for honey could solve the problem.
under the first pillar of the cap thirty of the direct payments are linked to environment friendly farming practices while pillar ii supports agri environment climate measures which also contribute to improving the environment for bees. while the report suggests stronger commission involvement in various research and education projects in the eu
we should also keep in mind the value of the national programmes which are adapted to the needs of specific member states. nevertheless the commission is closely involved in research activities in relation to apiculture including the eu pilot project on breeding and selection program for research in the resistance against the varroa mite.
it is also good that at this time given the lack of leadership coming from the united states on such issues europe is demonstrating that we are still a community of values and that we are prepared to export our values to elsewhere in the world.
while not diminishing the work of others in this i want to pay particular tribute to the work of the sd shadow in this process maria arena who dug in right from the very beginning to make it clear that a voluntary scheme would not be effective and that the only acceptable option for parliament would be a mandatory approach.
as the commissioner herself said and as other speakers have said this part of a process now.
i am convinced we would not be here today if it was not for her determination.
it is good that from now on citizens will know that when they pick up their mobile phones they are not indirectly financing conflict in places like the democratic republic of the congo.
i pay tribute to my colleagues and to colleagues across the chamber who have worked collaboratively on this but crucially also to the millions of citizens who have contacted us and urged us to take action.
what is the response to that that we do nothing that we take no action at all?
we can no longer have a situation where the products we buy and the products we use contain minerals that are sourced from countries that have mined those materials through the use of slavery.
we have a unique opportunity and as the commissioner has outlined the responsibility has been abdicated from other parts of the world that might traditionally have taken a leadership role in this.
it is up to us in this place representing five hundred million citizens to demonstrate the benefit of working cooperatively at a european level to deal with these issues.
this is a hugely beneficial measure.
on the contrary it underlines all the more the importance of european leadership here.
we are fully on track with the eur twenty million development aid package announced in two thousand and fifteen and this will include financial support via the oecd secretariat helping the responsible production of gold peace building and stabilisation in central and west africa.
it will be a support for the international conference for the great lakes region and a dutch led private public european partnership for responsible minerals.
in short this means doing what trade does best not contributing to war and instability but delivering sustainable jobs and real opportunities.
but it has been worth it. today we have a proposal that i hope you will endorse with a big majority tomorrow morning.
and we have responded to your call.
it will contribute to addressing the challenges of conflict linked to natural resources hardship of entire communities and human rights abuses that have for too long accompanied this kind of trade.
millions have been killed millions more injured since the first congo war broke out some twenty years ago but it is certainly not the only example so that is why this regulation takes a global approach.
the global market based trade in raw materials can provide a vital source of a stable income to the people and countries who need it the most but that development needs to be sustainable.
that is good.
unfortunately some of the vibes we are picking up from washington on this matter are not encouraging.
it can mean improving people's lives from conflict and terror to opportunity and hope. it means encouraging the economic growth that helps the poorest regions grow sustainably.
we are also reaching out to other governments to encourage them to source responsibly this month to china and india last month to the united arab emirates and many african countries including burkina faso democratic republic of congo ghana guinea ivory coast nigeria south africa uganda zambia and the african union.
this is what i mean by shaping globalisation.
therefore transparent and responsible supply chains means revenues would not go into the hands of rebel groups but to investment in schools in hospitals supporting a well governed state underpinned by the rule of law.
it will help eu small and medium sized and micro enterprises to understand their due diligence on conflict minerals and picking up on the very important suggestion by this house we will also have the oecd due diligence guidance translated into all the eu official languages.
the united nations the g eight honourable members of this house have called for an integrated approach combining trade development and other policies.
i am convinced that trade must be based on values and the conflict mineral regulation is a key element in that approach.
we need to use all the tools we have.
the most obvious example of the conflict linked to minerals is around the great lakes of africa.
so thank you very much madam president thank you again mr winkler for your leadership on this and thank you for your attention.
we have an ambitious and a workable instrument to eliminate conflict minerals from supply chains.
we do not know yet for certain the approach by the new us administration but this should certainly not alter our results.
it will help assistance and training for those on the ground;
it will help vulnerable women and children affected by the conflict;
so you are absolutely right with that size comes a great responsibility and over the years this house has played an important role to raise awareness about the important issue of trade in conflict minerals.
thanks to your engagement and many people's hard work here very soon players in the mineral supply chain across the world are more aware of their obligations.
the legislation represents a major contribution to a modern trade policy promoting values shaping globalisation and ensuring that economic development is also sustainable. the link between minerals and financing conflicts is not acceptable in the world today;
too many people have suffered.
soon we will have in place an effective and workable eu system to break this cycle;
and this will benefit all those who have suffered including many children and women.
it will benefit those who have seen their lives blighted their futures falling apart because of war and instability linked to illicit trade in minerals.
we will continue to engage with you on the monitoring and implementation of this regulation.
it is not perfect but it is a very important step forward and as was mentioned we also have a lot of accompanying measures in order to make this work.
i believe in a holistic approach to these issues to coin a phrase joined up government' and part of it would be to find alternatives to some of these minerals but also some of these minerals will continue to be demanded here and it is important when europe does trade in these minerals that we do it in a way that is fair to the source countries and does not abuse human rights or other labour conditions.
so i am delighted that tomorrow we will vote on a regulation which will do the opposite and for the first time introduce binding rules on the imports of conflict minerals.
those who deal in the four metals tin tanatalum tungsten and gold will need to check that their supply chain has no links to human rights abuses or armed conflicts.
it should also be noted that although parliament does not have formal powers to initiate legislation this process began with the work of my colleague judith sargentini here in parliament with the commission following up her own initiative report with its own proposal.
parliament refused to accept the commission and council's preference for a voluntary code which is why we now have these important binding rules for the imports of conflict minerals.
we are disappointed that the final deal includes some important loopholes particularly the fact that while parliament's proposal included mandatory due diligence for manufacturers of products such as computers mobile phones or laptops this was watered down during the trilogues so that imported goods using the metals identified will not now be subject to the same binding rules.
but overall we are pleased with these binding rules on conflict minerals.
this sort of restraint on the worst abuses of corporations that are so powerful in the global economy is the sort of action that citizens wish to see and can help to build ongoing support and confidence in the european union.
alone it cannot solve the causes of those conflicts but it will help to fight against exploitation of minerals for the financing of armed groups.
it will also increase international companies' awareness of human rights issues in relation to their activities.
this legislation is an important step forward in the field of corporate social responsibility. it will increase traceability on the supply chain.
this is why the question of a common defence needs to be revisited. that may sound a strange thing coming from someone who represents a neutral country but i have set my views out in a document called beyond neutrality'.
i know that to date we have been doing that and in part meeting it from the neighbourhood instrument which brings me to my third point.
i too suggested a no fly zone as the only way to deter further use of chemical weapons and force assad back to the negotiating table given that a limited surgical strike now is likely to hit mainly empty buildings.
president obama has made it clear that if this latest proposal fails he reserves the right to use the us military to act surgically and appropriately to deter future use of gas against civilians and also of course against troops in conflict everywhere which would bring back the horrors and memories of the first world war. lastly i deplore the cynical use to date by russia and china of the un security council in preventing a politically imposed solution to this terrible crisis.
the ecr group welcomes the newest proposals on the table from president obama to drop the us plan for a very effective military strike in exchange for the handover and destruction of syrian weapons of mass destruction.
this new diplomatic solution raises many challenges not least those of verification and of trust in a totalitarian regime not known for acting in good faith as well as the fact that they may try to conceal some of the chemical weapons stockpile.
do we have a responsibility to protect as the international community has said before or do we not?
recognition of the evidence of the regime's responsibility;
on twenty one august two thousand and thirteen we saw chemical weapons used to kill hundreds of people in syria. this is a war crime a crime against humanity and it runs contrary to all the values of the international community.
it is extremely important that the plight of the refugees is not ignored and that we continue to find not only ways of putting more resources at the disposal of the refugee population but of finding better smarter and quicker ways to provide the resources that are needed especially for the people who are suffering inside the country.
we will continue to work to that end.
the emphasis which has been placed consistently by all that i have spoken to on a political solution and support for what has become known as the geneva ii initiative;
we have to do that by being prepared to work out on the ground how that can happen place by place as well as across the whole nation being able and willing to support the moves to get rid of the chemical weapons and being prepared to work with our international partners in a process that can make the security council do its work but also ensure that we respond to the challenge as well.
in these past weeks we have witnessed yet another round of spiralling violence in the country.
we have seen that there is assessment coming forward that only the regime possesses chemical agents and the means of their delivery in sufficient quantity to have carried out the attack on twenty one august.
we have discussed many times the fact that ultimately there has to be a political solution that can deliver the syrian people from this traumatic experience from the suffering and the ruin of the country and of the people and the total disregard we see so often
whatever your view the reality is that this is a moment to try to pull towards the process that is so necessary to find a political solution.