kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
mr president i have to say i agree with the commissioner and many of my colleagues in saying that last week's indecision in the council was a grave strategic mistake and that the problem now is that the eu's credibility internationally is being damaged. because we profess to be the champions of the rules based international order and yet we have just
thrown doubt on our own rules which we have created for the western balkan enlargement process because the enlargement is based on conditionality on clear objective criteria and assessment.
we can certainly debate how to improve it but we cannot just move the goalposts on a political whim.
the consequences are already being felt today with the political crisis in northern macedonia and the blame game in in albania.
i have to say i sympathise with some of the concerns over the rule of law given the track record of hungary and others but it should not be an excuse to stop enlargement.
and human resources for health is without a doubt one of the main problems we have that will allow citizens to receive and get access to proper healthcare.
if we have remote areas that don't have the proper human resources for health that means our citizens are not getting access to the healthcare they deserve.
don't they recognise the huge suffering that nation has already seen through civil war through isis through bombing and yet here we stand debating turkey which is still on paper a candidate for eu accession.
those who have turned a blind eye can do so no longer and you should look in the mirror when you see what you have enabled.
i'm going to sit back down now and resist the temptation to say i told you so.
mr president allow me to say that this exchange of views was very useful and of course very timely.
i would like to take this opportunity to thank the honourable members for their interventions comments and suggestions.
from this debate i conclude that we all need to continue monitoring closely the developments in iraq and reflect on the country's shift from stabilisation to reconstruction coupled with good governance human rights and prosperity.
i would also like to say that we should use all opportunities in our bilateral and multilateral contacts to re emphasise the urgency of meeting the needs and aspirations of the iraqi people and of addressing the regional challenges affecting the country.
madam president if the global temperature of the earth's surface increases as is predicted this has terrible consequences and one place where the effects of global warming and climate change can be visibly seen is the arctic.
as regards the arctic the responsibility of climate action cannot be in the hands of the arctic countries alone.
many governments and companies are very interested in new navigation routes as well as new fishing and natural resources in the arctic.
developments concerning security energy and the environment affect the security situation in europe and beyond.
if we wish to stick to the paris agreement immediate emission reductions are necessary.
also we must be prepared for the changes resulting in the climate change in the arctic to avoid the rise of tensions.
peace crisis and that in itself is having profound implications on citizens living in the palestinian state and the west bank and also in gaza. so from that perspective the funding should be restored. i would also call on the united states of america to ensure that they also come back to the table and support unrwa.
it is having a profound negative impact that cuts to children attending schools to refugee programmes and this is an appalling indictment on the united states of america on israel itself and if we support those cuts by not increasing the budget then we are complicit in undermining basic human rights in palestine.
mr president when i was a child if someone would say that the americans would come and save us i actually tended to believe it because of american movies.
diplomacy is indeed a powerful tool but only when the person across the table knows you are willing to act. we must show that when it comes to ensuring global stability the eu is not a talking shop but a beacon of hope for those fighting for freedom for their lives.
we must push for a no fly zone in north east syria and call for peace talks to be resumed with the involvement of kurdish representation. we should put an immediate block on european pre accession aid and guarantee humanitarian assistance in the region for those displaced and in harm's way. while some world leaders seek to retreat from their responsibilities in the middle east this is the time for the eu to step forward and also pay special attention to women suffering a lot of abuse over there.
it strengthens those who want to ignite a much larger conflict in the middle east.
we cannot allow the precedents from the annexation of crimea to be repeated in syria today.
this is extremely important and we have to resist it. therefore an arms embargo financial sanctions and the suspension of eu accession talks with turkey is the least we can do immediately and we should do it now.
more broadly we do need to fight for european values in our neighbourhood.
we cannot allow the increasing turkish and russian presence in our vicinity.
this is our vital european strategic interest.
nevertheless it has to be done in the very interest of the country itself whose environment airways and waterways are crumbling under the burden of coal. poland asks for more money and more time.
is it legitimate?
more money and time? yes but only if the government puts forward a detailed credible verifiable and closely monitored roadmap of switching away from coal into renewables.
i understand the same set of countries president macron of france backed by the netherlands and denmark pose probably the next crisis in our relationship with the western balkans.
this crisis may be really dangerous so this decision should be reversed as soon as possible.
madam president the finnish presidency is fully aware of the critical importance of the humanitarian situation and assistance in the mediterranean sea and we are committed to working on a more solid solution in collaboration with all stakeholders.
such an arrangement needs to bring predictability in accordance with the international law of the sea concerning disembarkation and enable efficient asylum and return procedures. it is of utmost importance that we succeed quickly.
however we need a solution that covers all aspects.
let me say it clearly we must save lives.
it is people that we are talking about.
it is individuals that we are talking about.
at the same time we will continue working on reform of the common european asylum system in order to deliver a permanent solution to the situation in the future.
i remain confident that thanks to all our efforts we can make an important step forward towards this goal.
the work continues.
it might be an idea that we actually get the right votes.
enlargement proved to be the best available instrument to assist and to encourage neighbouring countries to pursue democratic reforms to develop market economies to improve the well being of citizens and most importantly to achieve regional cooperation and stability.
via action plans and partnership agreements we are raising tough criteria for our neighbours but somehow we forget to uphold our end of the deal. this is unjustifiable. the candidate countries might not be ready for membership today but we must take a long term perspective.
their luxurious proposals offer only shortterm gains while the eu enlargement perspective is about the highest available quality of life fundamental freedoms and peace.
the most serious infringements include material and systematic instances of noncompliance of payments breaches of procurement procedures misappropriation of eu funds abuse of position in human resources issues breaches of data protection rules harassment and inappropriate behaviour towards staff members.
these wrongdoings are completely unacceptable especially from an agency of such authority.
madam president as already underlined by certain colleagues the loss of life in the mediterranean has been going on for many many years. and yet here we are today and we still do not have an effective and functioning solidarity mechanism on migration.
and it is clear that for some member states the migration problems of the southern states on the periphery of our continent are not a cause for concern.
this should not stop however the work carried out towards ensuring a reliable and permanent approach to search and rescue that should replace the ad hoc solutions that have been used until recently.
given this scenario the joint declaration between four member states only germany france italy and malta following the ministerial meeting in malta is a first step towards setting up a predictable solidarity mechanism. but these are four member states only.
the council should take a leading role in putting forward a fair distribution mechanism for those people who have been rescued at sea an approach that should give paramount importance to the principle of non refoulement but making sure that existing search and rescue rules continue to be respected by all rather than exploited.
ultimately a common eu response involving all member states should be the preferred option.
including as a result of war or conflict. to this end we have to continue building a wider comprehensive strategy aimed at effectively managing migration in all its aspects. in parallel we should continue our efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration and instability
in the countries of origin and transit.
implementing this comprehensive strategy represents a very challenging task which the eu should not address alone.
the only way to achieve results is to continue working in partnership with countries of origin transit and destination with the support of international organisations and hand in hand with civil society organisations sharing responsibilities in a true spirit of international cooperation.
these nice open borders attract people for the most part young men from sub saharan countries who want to have a better life.
european politicians should not argue year after year about relocating people.
if we were to spend as much energy on the well being of europeans as we do on immigration europe as a whole would do so much better.
we should be discussing about how to seal the external borders of europe.
it's hard to imagine that we would leave eu citizens in danger of drowning floating in a rubber dinghy without any help.
yet this is what we do with migrants on a daily basis.
that requires sufficient capacity in the mediterranean sea rapid coordination of the rescue and disembarkation to a place of safety.
as libya is not safe we cannot fund and organise their return to tripoli without violating international law.
this requires all member states to take their responsibility and humanitarian assistance to be supported instead of criminalised.
i urge the commission to base its new arrangements on these principles make it permanent and make it swift.
the decision to start accession talks should be based on objective criteria and the commission is clear that the countries meet them.
france denmark and the netherlands however have acted unreliably by changing the rules in the middle of the game. as a result arbitrary political considerations now affect the people in north macedonian and albania who have pushed so hard for major reforms.
the decision is short sighted as it threatens stability and democracy in the whole region.
the message that the council or should i say macron sends is that it does not want them to meet the criteria irrespective of their efforts.
but let us keep encouraging them and remind them that the eu institutions and most member states are reaching out for the accession process.
the council should show that as well by reviewing the rejection as soon as possible.
erdoan's economy and yes we can bring the criminals to justice.
although ultimately countries should move forward with domestic reforms because of their own necessity one cannot ignore the fact that future prospects of joining the eu have been a driving force for these reforms as well.
i believe the eu should at least open the accession negotiations with both countries to encourage them to continue with domestic reforms to align themselves more with the eu and its policies and to have reliable partners in a variety of global issues.
it is hard to see the eu succeed in a more global arena if it cannot be successful in its immediate neighbourhood.
do you agree that that's the correct analogy?
in fact quite the opposite was the case.
that part of our body of the european body.
but how can we make sure that people can actually exercise their fundamental rights?
today we have way too many unmet needs and unequal experiences in our european member states.
as a medical doctor i can tell you that access to high quality healthcare in my home country hungary is not a fundamental right but rather a privilege. life expectancy is among the lowest in the eu with unbelievably high health inequalities based on the place of residence or social status.
access to care often only depends on the ability to pay instead of needs.
human capital is the core of any well functioning healthcare system let's acknowledge that.
we absolutely have to make sure that doctors and nurses are properly valued as they are the strongest pillars of a healthy society.
guaranteeing high quality health care is a key objective of social protection and should be the priority of member states.
we have to fight to ensure that eu cohesion policy could better serve the health of our citizens.
we need to put pressure on governments to make sure that all citizens can exercise their fundamental right to health care and enjoy good health regardless of their age sex or social status.
in particular i appreciate that he stressed the need for a health in all policies' approach as well as highlighting the eu's commitment to a rightsbased approach.
however these words and commitments should also put be put into action and only by investing in the health rights of all people and ensuring equal access to health care can we make universal health coverage truly universal.
i want to speak about something quite particular.
as the chair of the european parliamentary forum for sexual and reproductive rights i am very concerned that several governments including some european ones opposed sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality in the highlevel meeting outcome document.
in line with its rightsbased approach the eu should continue to stand united to defend the rights of women and girls within the eu and at the global level.
it is clear that there will be no universal health coverage without universal access to sexual and reproductive health and i want to thank commissioner mimica and minister tuppurainen for their commitment in this domain.
it has serious humanitarian military and political repercussions it causes suffering for the local people and it may contribute to a resurgence of islamic terrorism.
i would like to underline what colleagues especially the group coordinators of the epp s d and alde have mentioned this morning.
i would like to inform you that this week in my capacity as chair of the committee on foreign affairs afet i published together with the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of germany france the united kingdom and also the us house of representatives a joint statement on the turkish invasion.
in our letter we consider the abandonment of the syrian kurds to be wrong as the syrian democratic forces massively contributed to the successful yet unfinished fight against daesh in syria.
we deeply regret the decision of the president of the united states to withdraw american troops from north eastern syria and we call upon the european union and the member states to take responsibility and engage in the conflict resolution.
in our draft resolution that will be voted tomorrow we also call for a strong and comprehensive eu reaction to this ongoing crisis.
a final remark i welcome initiatives to establish an internationally controlled security zone in north east syria.
such a zone could stabilise the region and make sure that rebuilding civilian life is possible again.
the most wrong message is that the european union cannot be trusted.
whatever sacrifice and efforts you make you can be betrayed not even for serious interests but for the public opinion polls at this moment in one country.
yes the sun will keep rising in north macedonia and albania but the eu's influence as a global and regional actor will continue to set as a consequence.
while we are waiting for the grand european reforms promised by mr macron others will gladly fill the vacuum created by the decision of the council.
we will not renew europe by disrespecting our own commitments and holding key eu policies as a hostage to nationalistic and egoistic political interests.
mr president as a friend of the western balkans i have no doubt that albania and north macedonia will eventually join the eu.
you have indeed taken important and successful steps so far to become a member and the recent act of sabotage in the council by france denmark and the netherlands is regrettable.
for example both countries have ratified the istanbul convention whilst my own country the uk is dragging its heels and bulgaria prevaricates.
i call on all leaders of the european council to put this back on their agenda and grant agreement for the opening of the accession talks.
the image of the eu will be affected in the whole of the western balkans region and across the eu if we don't demonstrate political integrity and openness.
i am convinced that the future of the western balkans lies in europe and the future of europe lies in unity with the western balkans.
secondly you mentioned christianity.
i tell you this responsibility is part of christianity and i think that what europe has been doing about migration has been totally irresponsible.
it's irresponsible to be sending messages to people in need saying that anybody can come in without limits let them in and then tell them years later sorry you don't have the right to stay now go back.
madam president turkey's offensive against kurds in northern syria has devastated medical facilities civilians and deprived thousands of people of access to clean water.
liberal democrat meps wrote to the uk prime minister to demand we also stop enabling genocide.
the uk has now promised to issue no new export licenses but will not review licenses already granted.
this is a moral halfway house that is not acceptable and donald trump supporting actions in this matter underlines the need for a strong effective europe.
if we give arms to those who commit crimes we are responsible as those who pull the trigger. there has been no real prospect of turkey joining the eu for many years.
mr president i'd like to ask you to go slower because the interpreters are not catching up so those who don't understand german don't know what they are voting about.
the late adoption of the european social fund regulation and also of the mff regulation as well as the delayed signing of the partnership agreements also led to this situation.
the how we spend the money is also important not just the if we spend the money.
so i think that greater challenges lie ahead of the youth employment initiative in the future particularly next year and the years between next year and.
the main reason is that the commission put the money at the disposal of the member states but did not offer the proper means for them to use the money.
the entire financial envelope of the youth employment initiative was frontloaded to two thousand and fourteen and two thousand and fifteen so next year we will have to use the global margin for commitments.
although the youth employment initiative has been in place for more than a year there are still member states that have not yet up to now adopted the operational programmes that allow them to make full use of these funds.
nevertheless due to the condition imposed to submit interim payment applications in which the european union's contribution from the youth employment initiative is at least fifty of the additional pre financing some member states might use the money for projects that do not really bring added value and might opt just to spend the money for purely statistical and mathematical reasons.
by simply rebranding what it means to be an apprentice the government of my own country is simply branding itself as untrustworthy. have i made myself understood?
in britain youth unemployment is rising again with the uk behind both france and germany and below the european average for young people not in employment education or training.
this proposal aims therefore to tackle this deficiency by setting an adequate level of pre financing for the youth employment initiative.
based on the targets set by member states in their operational programmes we expect that with this additional pre financing up to six hundred and fifty zero young people will be able to rapidly receive support.
neither does it affect pre financing payments from other funds or under operational programmes that are not relevant for the initiative.
i would like therefore to ask you to join me in the effort to make this proposal a reality for young people and to ensure that this additional funding can be converted as soon as possible into a concrete job education or training offer
three two billion to be matched with funding from the european social fund is dedicated to actions targeting individual young people who are neither in employment education or training.
employment social affairs skills and labour mobility i have made the fight against youth unemployment my first priority.
as you know the youth employment initiative was established following the urgent call from the european council in february two thousand and thirteen to address the unprecedented levels of youth unemployment in certain regions of the european union most affected by this phenomenon.
this is around one in five of young people in europe. in some member states we are facing youth unemployment rates of around.
seven five million people between fifteen and twenty four years old are not in employment education or training and risk being socially and economically excluded with all the dramatic consequences for themselves and for our society. this is unacceptable.
more than five million young people in europe do not have a job at this moment.
this is why in its work programme for two thousand and fifteen the commission committed to taking initiatives to promote integration and employability in the labour market including measures to support member states in getting young people into work.
this budget line of eur.
the urgency to adopt this proposal is justified by the figures.
i would like to underline again that the pre financing proposal does not impact on the budgetary allocations for the youth employment initiative in two thousand and fifteen or the multiannual financial framework overall.
if europe's leaders were less concerned with making themselves look good and more serious about getting young people into work they would have created a properly funded scheme of at least eur twenty one billion as recommended by the ilo.
the european union's attempt to address these devastating levels of youth unemployment across europe has been marred by a lack of ambition funds and understanding.
as it is the scheme is simply once again paying lip service to our jobless youths.
you only have to look at the employment figures for the mediterranean eurozone members to realise that the eu and its initiatives have led to millions of young people being unable to find work with greece being the prime example with a fifty youth unemployment rate.
while we have to compete with an open door to four hundred and fifty million people to settle claim benefits and crucially for this debate compete for the same jobs it will always be hard for young people to find work.
what we are debating here is the european youth initiative and we have calls for the eu to do this that and the other to end the massive problems facing young people in finding a job.
the eu whatever it does makes things worse.