unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

Even if the war will be over and Russia is out of Ukraine’s borders, we should not end up in a situation where we are so dependent on one supplier and, in this regard, several governments have done very bold steps to replace their Russian imports with alternatives.  Just a week ago, I was in Poland. After tomorrow, I’m going back there because I will open the new pipeline connection that allows Poland to use also energy drawn from Lithuania. Soon they will have a pipeline that connects them with Norway. So they have been prepared for the situation that actually took place last week. About conventional measures, I think that the clearest testimony that I am open for extraordinary measures is the way we encourage Member States and transmission system operators to solve the problem that was there in Ukraine after they started their island test, and they had to be reliant on their own capability until our ENTSO-E decided to synchronise them with Europe. So it was supposed to happen by the end of next year and they did it within 16 days. So this really shows that, in the energy sector, we are doing our utmost to support Ukraine to get rid of this dangerous dependency, and by doing so also taking care of our consumers so that the prices will be as affordable as we can provide.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Dan Nica
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: RO

Mulțumesc pentru precizări, doamna comisar și mă bucur că nu e  Întrebarea mea este: în această iarnă va exista o firmă de electricitate sau de furnizare de gaze în Uniunea Europeană care să poată să vândă cu o rată de profit, să spunem, mai mare de 15 %? Și nu vom mai avea exemplele pe care le-am văzut în această iarnă, în care producătorii de energie sau de gaze au vândut și la prețuri de zece ori mai mari decât prețul lor de cost? Pentru că aceste prețuri le-au plătit firmele dând afară oameni sau oamenii care au trebuit să-și plătească facturile, să nu mai cumpere mâncare sau medicamente. Care este asigurarea pe care ne-o puteți da, doamna comisar?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

We already have to start preparations for the next heating season now and Member States have done so. Injections to underground storage are taking place all across Europe. I am very grateful to the European Parliament that you decided to opt for an extraordinary procedure so that that we could guide Member States in the way that they take up the measures and fill their underground gas storage at least 80% before the next heating season starts. So this actually gives us some safeguard before the next heating season.  Of course we also have to find alternatives. One obvious alternative for the heating season is electrification where we can. Heat pumps are an available technology and we have to promote these alternatives so that households who are really willing to take care of their safety next winter will already think about that during this summer.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Maria da Graça Carvalho
Political group: PPE
Country: Spain
Language: PT

Senhora Presidente, Senhora Comissária, a Europa precisa de reforçar rapidamente as alternativas à importação de gás natural proveniente da Rússia.  Uma possibilidade é intensificar o gás natural liquefeito na entrada da Europa, por exemplo, aproveitando os terminais existentes na Península Ibérica. Mas, para isso, precisamos de reforçar a ligação à interligação dos Pirenéus.  A minha pergunta é: quais são os planos da Comissão para agilizar e ajudar a que este projeto progrida rapidamente?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

So we have mapped the possible alternative routes for each and every Member State which is dependent on Russian gas, and indeed the Iberian Peninsula lacks interconnection to France. So what we have asked our gas system operators ENTSOG, we have asked them to map the possible bottlenecks that prevent us from using existing capacity. Of course, they are also mapping the possible sites for floating LNG terminals in the regions where they are closer to the countries which will lose Russian supply. And we are not mapping only the gas infrastructure. We will prioritise as much renewables where we can replace natural gas with renewables, especially in power generation, we should do so because this helps us to get rid of imports. I am not saying that, well, imports from our reliable partners are a threat to us. But, well, just replacing partially Russian gas with our own production is good for our economy and helps us to keep in mind what we are committed to for 2050 and 2030. And that’s why in this REPowerEU financing plan, there will be not only gas projects but also renewables.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Maria da Graça Carvalho
Political group: PPE
Country: Spain
Language: EN

Thank you very much, Commissioner. I fully agree with you that renewables and energy efficiency are very important alternatives. But mapping is not enough. We need a very concrete roadmap of procedures and funding in order to push forward both renewables, energy efficiency and the interlinks, especially the ones through the Pyrenees. When do you think that you will have these concrete actions to show us?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

In our preparation for next heating season, the possible pipeline project might be too slow. And that’s why we are in a position where we have to coordinate other LNG shipments between the LNG terminals that, until very recently, didn’t work at full capacity. We have to upgrade the production of clean gas this year in Europe, and of course again, where we can produce electricity by avoiding natural gas as a source, we should do so.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Thomas Waitz
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Thank you, Commissioner, for coming here to debate with us. It is more than clear that we have to substitute fossil fuels as much as we can through renewables. But my very concrete question is: are you intending to launch a call to European citizens and companies that can afford it to spare energy, to spare the use of gas, to reduce the consumption of oil for the sake of reducing energy prices for all those in our society who cannot afford to pay the energy bills anymore, and for the sake of reducing the amount of euros that we are sending towards Russia for their warfare on a daily basis? Wouldn’t that be a measurement where we all could stand in solidarity with our people in society that are less wealthy and reduce the financing or indirect financing of war that we’re doing vis—à—vis Russia? Are you intending to launch such a call?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

Actually, the very first weeks of the war I, together with executive director of the International Energy Agency, we presented a ten—step plan how to cut gas consumption. And they also presented another plan, how to cut oil consumption. Now, on energy efficiency, the Commission is elaborating a Union—wide energy savings campaign aimed at strengthening the contribution of energy efficiency and energy savings. Because there are millions of small steps that each and every household can take, and altogether they will bring us huge savings. So we have to communicate it very loud and clearly and call on our citizens to think about that because sometimes all that is necessary is to be aware of the impact of your behaviour. And there are already, as I was mentioning, some good lists what everyone can do, but now we have to also call Member States to strengthen their energy efficiency plans. And we are planning to do that too, because emergency plans have to be aligned with savings.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Thomas Waitz
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Thank you, Commissioner, for sharing these plans with us. I would just urge you to be louder in communicating those. I think it is a very crucial moment, and we can count on the solidarity and the cooperation of our citizens. So please speak out loud on energy savings.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Krzysztof Hetman
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: PL

Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Nie chciałbym się powtarzać. Wszyscy wiemy, że europejską racją stanu jest uniezależnienie się od surowców energetycznych z Rosji. Musimy poszukiwać nowych kierunków importu tych surowców. Musimy rozwijać odnawialne źródła energii.  Ale moje pytanie dotyczy nadwyżki produkcji energii na Ukrainie. W tej chwili m.in. z elektrowni atomowych Ukraina ma dość sporą nadwyżkę produkcji energii. I moje pytanie brzmi: czy Komisja Europejska zamierza zakupić tę energię od Ukrainy? Bo z jednej strony jest to świetny sposób na dywersyfikację zakupu źródeł energii dla państw członkowskich Unii Europejskiej, a z drugiej strony byłaby to doskonała forma wsparcia dla Ukraińców, którzy walczą z putinowską Rosją, która w taki bezwzględny sposób morduje ich obywateli. I to Ukraińcy dzisiaj potrzebują także pieniędzy na tę walkę, a także na funkcjonowanie państwa ukraińskiego.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

Just last week, on Tuesday, we had a ceremony in Warsaw where we accepted the Ukrainian DSO as a member of ENTSO-E, which means that the Ukrainian grid is now interconnected, together with Moldova, with the continental European grid. This is an emergency synchronisation. We have to do our utmost so that we can have a final synchronisation, so that commercial trade will not have any unwanted impact on the stability of our grid. Poland has already introduced a pilot project, so there is a  So, we have to help the Ukrainian DSO so that the final synchronisation can take place as fast as possible. There are some technical issues that we need to deliver on, mainly connected to the nuclear power plants. But I do have a member in my team who has dedicated a significant amount of her time to find a solution for this situation.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Krzysztof Hetman
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: PL

Jeśli Pani Komisarz byłaby uprzejma troszeczkę to rozwinąć, bo nie do końca rozumiem problem związany z tym, że ta energia produkowana na Ukrainie pochodzi z energii atomowej. Tak, Polska już kupuje energię od Ukrainy, ale moje pytanie szło w tym kierunku: Czy Komisja Europejska ma zamiar stworzyć instrument, który będzie kupował tę nadwyżkę energii na Ukrainie bez względu na to, z jakiego ona źródła jest produkowana, dla większej ilości państw członkowskich niż tylko to, co robi Polska dziś?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Nicolás González Casares
Political group: S-D
Country: Netherlands
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, gracias por someterse a este ejercicio, que es la primera vez que lo hacemos y sé que es un desafío.  Y también gracias por las medidas que están tomando. No tendremos autonomía energética en Europa sin disminuir los combustibles fósiles, sin aumentar las energías renovables, sin interconexiones, y tampoco podremos empezar a aumentar esa autonomía estratégica si no pensamos en los problemas que tenemos con los precios, ahora mismo, en el mercado de la electricidad. El reciente informe de la ACER nos acaba de dejar claro que este mercado no fue diseñado para situaciones de emergencia y estamos ante una situación de emergencia.  Por lo tanto, mi pregunta concreta es si piensan abordar reformas del mercado eléctrico en lo que tiene que ver con estas situaciones de emergencia, porque yo creo que es importante. Y, por último, en relación con las interconexiones, yo voy a ser más concreto que la señora Maria da Graça Carvalho. Yo le voy a preguntar claramente si piensan financiar conexiones compatibles con gas o hidrógeno verde en la Península Ibérica.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

Then, on the ACER report, as I was mentioning, we received this final report only last Friday. And ACER was tasked to give us a guidance, how we can avoid unnecessary and unwanted volatility at these extraordinary times. So indeed, they gave us some clear guidance, what we can do in the mid— and long—term. And also extended this to the explanation that in the immediate term, the most useful steps are towards retail market that Member States can take. And we have given two sets of guidance to Member States, what are the measures that are in line already with the existing EU regulation. I do know that, in the May EUCO, the heads of governments will discuss again the situation at the electricity market, and by that time we will come up with our recommendations.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Nicolás González Casares
Political group: S-D
Country: Netherlands
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, quería decir que la comisaria Simson no ha sido muy concreta con las interconexiones de gas. Entiendo que hay que hacer valoraciones, pero en cuanto a las interconexiones eléctricas, que están en menos de un 3 % cuando deberían estar ya casi en un 15 %, no se está cumpliendo con la península ibérica.  Entonces, ¿qué van a hacer con las interconexiones eléctricas? Porque estamos cortados en gas y en electricidad. Por lo tanto, de alguna manera habrá que solucionar esto si queremos integrar de verdad el mercado. Porque si queremos que todos juguemos con las mismas reglas, deberemos tener todos las mismas condiciones.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

Now, I do prioritise electricity interconnections. I do believe that well—interconnected markets can accommodate more renewables and this is beneficial for both sides, not only the ones who do produce lots of renewables, but also the other ones, other market participants who will benefit out of these hours where electricity is really coming with very affordable prices. That’s why I have expressed my strong commitment to the ministers, and I truly hope that the project managers will find a way so that there will be many more electricity interconnections. Right now, the European Commission is financing the SkyBay interconnector, but this is clearly not enough. And we will encourage the counterparts to proceed with additional interconnections.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Georg Mayer
Political group: ID
Country: France
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin! Geschätzte Kommissarin, danke, dass Sie uns heute dieses neue Instrument und Mittel im Haus hier ausprobieren lassen. Meine Frage ist jetzt ganz konkret: Die geltende EU-Mehrwertsteuerrichtlinie erlaubt ja auch den Mitgliedstaaten derzeit schon eine Senkung des Mehrwertsteuersatzes auf 5 %. Sie haben in Ihrer Toolbox vom 21. Oktober die Möglichkeit in den Raum gestellt, dass die Mitgliedstaaten im Rahmen der Energiekrise und der Preisentwicklung dies auch im Zusammenhang mit eben diesen Preisentwicklungen tun können. Meine ganz konkrete Frage an Sie ist nun: Haben Sie Kenntnis davon oder wissen Sie, warum die österreichische Bundesregierung etwa diese Mehrwertsteuersenkung nicht schon längst veranlasst hat?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Kadri Simson
Language: EN

All together, these measures are designed in a way that the final costs for households will not exceed their paying ability. I know that some Member States have opted for a different solution; they have decided that they will provide direct vouchers to the households that are most vulnerable. I visited Austria just a month ago, but unfortunately, in the current moment, there are big challenges ahead of us, and Austria is one of the most dependent member states. The political discussion was more around the future plans and preparedness than the measures that the government has taken already.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Georg Mayer
Political group: ID
Country: France
Language: DE

Frau Kommissarin! Eine zweite Frage, im Zusammenhang zur ersten natürlich. Neben dem Staat, der hier auch immer wieder als Profiteur erhöhter und massiv erhöhter Steuereinnahmen durch die Energiepreise dasteht, gibt es natürlich auch Energieunternehmen, die von den hohen Energiepreisen wahnsinnig profitieren und auch Rekordeinnahmen einfahren. In Österreich etwa ist es die teilverstaatlichte ÖMV, die ihren Gewinn inzwischen verdreifacht hat, und das natürlich zulasten der Bevölkerung.  Die Frage ist nun: Denkt man auch darüber nach, ob es endlich Gewinnobergrenzen zum Beispiel für Energiekonzerne geben sollte?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Pilar del Castillo Vera
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, Europa, a efectos energéticos, se podría representar como un gigante encadenado. Es decir, un actor global con capacidad de competir estratégicamente, pero limitado y lastrado por estar encadenado ante la ausencia de una autonomía estratégica en materia de energía.  Eso es lo que nos ha dejado en claro, entre otros muchos temas, mucho más desgraciados, la guerra en Ucrania.  Hay que actuar en relación con las medidas urgentes, pero hay que actuar en una dirección contraria a la que se había venido tomando, que, en vez de fomentar la independencia estratégica en energía, ha ido fomentando durante largos años la dependencia, que ahora hay que ir resolviendo. Pues bien, en relación al gas, no hay que olvidar que la Comisión, junto con la energía procedente de la energía nuclear, ha considerado al gas como una fuente de energía medioambientalmente sostenible durante el periodo de transición energética. Hay maneras muy concretas de resolver y de iniciar al menos la resolución de la falta de interconexión entre la Península Ibérica y el continente...
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Pilar del Castillo Vera
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: ES

No voy a hacer la segunda pregunta, si no le importa. Renuncio a mis treinta segundos posteriores y quiero concluir esta pregunta: los proyectos de interés común están ahí, es una fórmula para potenciar el desarrollo de las infraestructuras. El Midcat era un proyecto que contaba con todos los avales y, en cambio, la Comisión no lo consideró. La pregunta es: ¿va a incluir la Comisión el proyecto Midcat como proyecto de interés común? Y, si es así, ¿cuándo?
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Heidi Hautala
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Okay, thank you, but I need to say that it is for questions and one minute at a time for the first question and then 30 seconds. You spoke for two and a half, I think. I give the floor to the Commissioner.
Debate: Question Time  Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Robert Roos
Political group: ECR
Country: Spain
Language: NL

Voorzitter, commissaris Simson, dit debat gaat over het strategisch belang van hernieuwbare energie. Hernieuwbare energie is echter de oorzaak van onze volledige afhankelijkheid van Russisch gas. Meer hernieuwbare energie betekent meer afhankelijkheid. Zonne- en windenergie kunnen immers niet worden opgeslagen. Bij gebrek aan zon en wind is een back-upinstallatie die voor honderd procent voor gas bestemd is dus de enige optie. Dit houdt in dat hernieuwbare energie voor onze zelfvoorziening juist een strategisch risico vormt. U stelt voor tegen 2030 veertig procent van onze energie uit hernieuwbare energiebronnen te halen. Ik wil u vragen een einde te maken aan deze irrationele obsessie. Er zijn in de Europese Unie 450 miljoen burgers en ruim 22 miljoen bedrijven die betaalbare en betrouwbare energie nodig hebben en het is onze verantwoordelijkheid daarin te voorzien. Bestaande kerncentrales en fossiele-energiecentrales moeten onmiddellijk worden heropend om de leveringszekerheid te garanderen en er moet vandaag nog worden geïnvesteerd in nieuwe kerncentrales. Ziet de commissaris het risico van hernieuwbare energie ook in en is zij bereid in plaats daarvan in te zetten op meer schone, betrouwbare kernenergie?