unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Anna Bonfrisco
Political group: ID
Country: Belgium
Language: IT

Tutti noi ci siamo impegnati duramente per garantire come il Parlamento, la Casa dei popoli europei, potesse essere un faro della democrazia e dello Stato di diritto ancora più luminoso. Ma, madame Loiseau, il Consiglio dei topi l'abbiamo visto impegnato soprattutto a nascondere il fatto che questo scandalo era diffuso all'interno del gruppo dei Socialisti. Eppure, al posto di chiudere le falle, il testo che si doveva occupare di come difendere le istituzioni dopo il Qatargate è diventato per molti di voi lo strumento per aprire vecchie e nuove polemiche strumentali. Mi riferisco al fatto che avete accusato nuovamente l'Italia, la Lega, Matteo Salvini, per fatti dichiarati inesistenti dalla magistratura di uno Stato membro, uno Stato di diritto e sovrano qual è l'Italia. Un fatto inesistente che, partendo da un'indagine giornalistica, viene montato ad arte da quella stessa sinistra che è sparita dalla relazione del Qatargate. Al posto di comprendere dagli errori, a partire dall'aver escluso quella che Simone Weil chiamava "la natura pluralista della nostra Assemblea", la commissione sulle ingerenze si è voltata dall'altra parte. Avete taciuto persino su ciò che è stato riportato da autorevoli giornalisti sul sistema del finanziamento del Qatar alle moschee in Europa in sede di dibattito in commissione. Nessuno vi ha chiesto di fare ammenda degli errori commessi, vi si chiedeva solo di dare ai cittadini europei un motivo per partire insieme nella storia democratica delle istituzioni europee, ma non ci siete riusciti. Ma non credete che i popoli europei e la storia non vi daranno mai torto.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Well, this was our chance to show the public that we’re serious. This report is supposed to be our main response to that scandal. But I have to say, from The Left’s point of view, while undoubtedly there are some very good elements in the report, overall it’s a disappointment. Most people would be expecting that this report would put the Qatar scandal front and centre. It’s there in the title, after all: transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption. So it’s really weird when you open it and find out that it’s not so much about Qatar and corruption, but more about the usual favourite subjects – Russia, China, security threats, Reds under the beds, and all the usual stuff – where we should be talking about influence such as revolving doors. The report calls for safeguards against interference through revolving doors by high-risk non-EU countries. Why only high risk? Before December, most MEPs wouldn’t have even considered Qatar a high-risk country. If someone is interfering, surely that’s wrong, whoever they may be. Why do we qualify it? We couldn’t get an answer to that in the negotiations. It’s a double standard regarding corruption and interference. In February, we had two resolutions of this Parliament passed, calling for a ban on paid side jobs. Yet in negotiations we couldn’t achieve that. Now, in this report, all we have is stricter rules. What does that look like to people outside here? We’re watering down the commitment that we gave previously. It really isn’t good enough. Now we have an amendment – along with the Socialists and the Greens – to restore that ban. And I’m really appealing to colleagues to support Amendment 23 and restore the ban. We need high standards, not double standards.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Laura Ferrara
Political group: NI
Country: Poland
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, le proposte della commissione speciale ING2 sono il punto di inizio della riforma delle regole interne al Parlamento europeo per assicurare una maggiore trasparenza e integrità del suo operato, garantire il controllo democratico da parte dei cittadini e contrastare la corruzione. Come delegazione del Movimento 5 Stelle abbiamo inteso dare un contributo a questo processo presentando diversi emendamenti; alcuni di questi chiedono l'estensione degli standard di protezione offerti dalla direttiva sui  Altri mirano al rafforzamento del registro per la trasparenza, oppure al rafforzamento delle sanzioni del codice di condotta in caso di violazione prevedendo, nei casi più gravi, anche la perdita dei benefici relativi al mandato, come ad esempio il trattamento pensionistico. Di fondamentale importanza sono poi gli interventi per prevenire e far emergere i conflitti di interessi. Le ingerenze e le diverse forme di corruzione rimangono un fenomeno diffuso, che va contrastato nel modo più intransigente al fine di salvaguardare l'integrità del processo democratico e decisionale.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Sven Simon
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, dear colleagues, Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the quote: ‘Those who would give up liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.’ The same applies to the functioning of this House. Those who disregard the freedom of the mandate, those who aim to severely restrict it in order to have waterproof security against illegitimate influence, will ultimately harm this institution, this Parliament. The resolution before us today has a serious impact on the functioning of the House. Members of Parliament should disclose their assets, and open—source checks will be introduced for employees. All this is suggested against a backdrop of very different political cultures within the EU. The disclosure of assets is common practice in some Member States – in others it constitutes an unthinkable infringement on fundamental rights.  The resolution does not sufficiently take into account these differences. I fear that in practice its proposals will not lead to concrete improvements, but rather to plenty of opportunities for cheap headlines.  What we must always keep in mind and take into account is that, in the Kaili case, a colleague, a network, infringed criminal law intentionally. We will not hinder that with any of the kind of proposals in this resolution.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Raphaël Glucksmann
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, Madame la Vice-présidente, chers collègues, la corruption n’est pas qu’une affaire de sacs de billets remis dans des chambres d’hôtel. La corruption, c’est aussi le conflit d’intérêts. C’est travailler pour un grand groupe pétrolier quand on est député européen. La corruption, c’est aussi vendre son carnet d’adresses de chancelier, de président, de ministre ou d’élu à des intérêts hostiles à nos démocraties sitôt son mandat fini. Et la corruption, ce n’est pas qu’un enjeu éthique ou moral, c’est pour nos démocraties une question de salut public. Alors, chers collègues, les mots d’Altiero Spinelli doivent nous guider plus que jamais. C’est aujourd’hui qu’il faut savoir se débarrasser des vieux fardeaux devenus encombrants. C’est aujourd’hui qu’il faut se débarrasser donc de ces vieux fardeaux que sont les habitudes et le confort, l’insouciance et l’indolence, la cécité et l’impunité. C’est aujourd’hui qu’il nous faut faire preuve de courage, changer de règle et d’état d’esprit, trouver en nous la force d’affronter ces acteurs étrangers qui nous menacent, pénètrent nos institutions, attaquent nos hôpitaux, financent nos partis les plus anti-européens au sein de nos classes politiques, pervertissent nos débats sur les réseaux sociaux et achètent nos anciens dirigeants. Ce débat est le dernier de la commission spéciale sur les ingérences étrangères que j’ai l’honneur de présider. Depuis trois ans, nos travaux ont permis d’identifier et de cartographier les menaces, de dresser un diagnostic des vulnérabilités de l’Union et de formuler des recommandations concrètes pour réarmer nos démocraties. Notre mandat prend fin, mais les ingérences étrangères, elles, ne s’arrêteront pas. C’est pourquoi notre travail ne doit pas disparaître. Nous devons éviter que la lutte contre les ingérences ne se noie dans un de ces trous noirs institutionnels dont nos institutions européennes ont le secret. C’est pourquoi aussi, nous attendons avec impatience, Madame la Vice-présidente, la présentation du paquet de la défense de la démocratie que Mme von der  Leyen a annoncé dans son discours sur l’état de l’Union, un paquet déjà reporté à deux reprises, alors qu’une majorité écrasante de ce Parlement est prête à s’en saisir. Nos citoyens doivent savoir que nous avons tourné la page de l’impuissance, que nous ne laisserons plus les tyrannies étrangères s’essuyer les pieds sur notre souveraineté et que nous saurons contrer leurs chevaux de Troie et leurs idiots utiles chez nous. Enfin, avant de laisser la présidence de la commission, je souhaite remercier toutes celles et tous ceux qui ont contribué à ses travaux et dire une chose simple: la défense de nos démocraties est le combat de ma vie et je le continuerai ici, sans relâche, partout, toujours, avec vous. Cessons d’être des démocrates par inertie ou par confort. Soyons des démocrates de combat.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Abir Al-Sahlani
Political group: Renew
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Madam President, my dream is for Europe to be a real northern star for democracy, a light that shines so brightly for the whole world to see that it is possible to build a Union of democracy that is built on freedoms, that is built on everyone’s equal value. My dream is for Europe to step onto the global stage and finally show that human rights, transparency, democracy, the rule of law matter everywhere, and not only in the EU. I am so proud to represent the people in our House of European democracy, and I know that for us to properly take on the global moral compass, we have to start at home. Yes, that means fighting illiberalism, but also to protect our democracy in action in this House from foreign interference, punish officials and staff when they cross over to the dark side, strong rules on transparency for Members of Parliament and for lobbyists. Let’s not give anyone an excuse to question our commitment, the EU commitment to the rule of law. My dream is a Europe that is an example for the whole world. Now let’s make sure that northern star is shining so brightly for the whole world to see!
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Damian Boeselager
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Slovenia
Language: EN

Madam President, I just want to remind us of what happened exactly six months ago. Six months ago, in a small household in Portugal or in Bulgaria, every child on their phone, on Instagram and so on heard about the European Parliament. That’s really cool. We bridged the communication gap really to everyone! Sadly, what they heard is that we have bags of cash in our pockets, and we have not been able to win back that trust that we lost back then. We have not been able. This report is going in the right direction, but it’s not going to do that either. So, the key question for us has to be: what can we do to win back trust? Especially since in one year we have elections again and, if we don’t win back that trust, people don’t go to vote or they vote for the radical people who say, ‘Oh, they’re all evil anyway. They’re all corrupt.’ For me, the key question is: what can we do? We can show who we meet publicly, because we don’t have anything to hide. We can show how we spend our public funds that are given to us, because we don’t have anything to hide. Let’s be transparent about the way how we work, and then we can maybe win back some of the trust.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner
Political group: ECR
Language: FI

Arvoisa puhemies, ilmaista juustoa on vain rotanloukussa, sanotaan vanhassa venäläisessä sananlaskussa. Venäjä on ohjannut vuodesta 2014 alkaen salaisesti satoja miljoonia euroja ulkomaisille poliittisille puolueille ja ehdokkaille yrittäessään vaikuttaa politiikan sisältöön. Ilmeisesti Venäjä on saavuttanut tavoitteensa.  Tehokas tapa torjua korruptiota politiikassa on tehdä vaalirahoitus täysin läpinäkyväksi. Jos lahjoitukset vaalikassaan ovat arvoltaan yli 150 euroa, tulisi lahjanantajat ilmoittaa nimeltä vaalirahoituksen valvontaviranomaiselle, joka pitää julkista rekisteriä ehdokkaiden vaalirahoituksen tuloista ja menoista. Tällöin median edustajilla olisi mahdollisuus seurata, kenen edunvalvontaa poliitikot ensisijaisesti edustavat päätöksenteossa. Myös vaalikampanjoiden suuruudelle tulisi asettaa kampanjakattoja, jotta houkutus haalia suuria rahavirtoja, ei olisi liian suuri.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Patricia Chagnon
Political group: ID
Country: Italy
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, nous sommes face à un système de corruption avéré au sein des institutions européennes et vous osez nous parler de transparence? Vous dénoncez avec raison les influences du corrupteur présumé qui est le Qatar. Mais pourquoi donc ne pas aller au bout de votre démarche? Mettez en place cette commission d’enquête que nous réclamons. Réclamez aussi des investigations, par exemple sur les fonds européens qui sont alloués par les régions. Qui en sont les bénéficiaires? Qui sont les personnes employées par ces associations? Un autre exemple que j’aimerais citer, quand vous parlez de transparence, c’est votre agence européenne pour l’asile à Malte, que j’ai visitée il y a trois semaines, qui admet qu’elle produit des rapports qui ne seront jamais rendus publics et qui collectionne des données qu’elle ne partage même pas avec les députés européens. De surcroît, elle utilise ses rapports secret-agence pour faire ses recommandations qui doivent être appliquées par des États membres sous peine de sanctions. Non, mais allons, l’hypocrisie dans votre démarche se voit comme le nez au milieu de la figure. Dans une vulgaire pièce de théâtre, cela serait risible. Mais ici, au Parlement européen, la réalité qu’elle cache est véritablement dramatique.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Ivan Vilibor Sinčić
Political group: NI
Country: Czechia
Language: HR

Poštovana predsjedavajuća, direktan povod ovom izvješću o transparentnosti i integritetu je, naravno, situacija s vrećama novca koje su dolazile iz Katara i završile kod zastupnika. Mi u Hrvatskoj i Hrvatskom saboru imamo puno bolje standarde za detekciju i suzbijanje korupcije među zastupnicima nego što su ovdje u Europskom parlamentu. Taj alat se zove imovinska kartica.  Istina, hrvatsko pravosuđe nam je paralizirano, pa nema pravde, ali imovinska kartica nam nije loša. Puno je bolja od ove europske izjave o financijskim interesima, koja je vrlo, vrlo škrta. U imovinskoj kartici morate navesti imovinu svoju i bračnog partnera. Kartica nije samo sredstvo detekcije nečega koruptivnog što se već dogodilo, već je i alat prevencije. Ako kandidat s lošim namjerama zna da će morati napisati što je sve stekao kad se kandidira i bude izabran, naravno, neće se ni kandidirati. Osim za zastupnike, standard vrijedi i za brojne druge dužnosti.  Međutim, bojim se da je ova rasprava uzaludna jer ne vjerujem da u Europskom parlamentu ima iskrene namjere i volje da se stvari naprave kako treba. Sadašnja situacija savršeno odgovara bogatima i moćnima koji žele utjecati na zastupnike i, naravno, korporacijama. Upravo na današnji dan Parlament je većinom glasao za zataškavanje veze von der Leyen i Pfizera, tako da mislim da je rasprava o transparentnosti deplasirana.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Maria Walsh
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

Madam President, our political integrity cannot exist without transparency. Without transparency, integrity and accountability, our ability to lead is questionable. The laws that we can pass can be picked apart, and the laws to protect the human rights of citizens are questioned, and rightly so. We can never be complacent; as policy makers with the trust of our citizens, we are accountable to those we represent. Which is why I, along with many others, were incredibly disappointed after scandals brought our democratic institution into disarray. We must rebuild the trust of our citizens. I welcome the Special Committee’s work on behalf of this House to pinpoint any and all issues. As MEPs, we need to ensure our transparency records are updated and public. As MEPs, we need to ensure our financial records are in compliance with the requirements set by this House. As MEPs, we need to ensure we are not a driver of misinformation or disinformation, especially online. We need to ensure the culture in this House reflects what we broadcast outside of this House. I will continue to demand and defend that transparency, integrity and accountability are at the centre of our European Union for our citizens, most importantly.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Nacho Sánchez Amor
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, gracias al excelente trabajo de Natalie y de Bilčík y al trabajo en general de la Comisión, representada por Raphaël.  Además de las cuestiones internas, el informe dice muchas cosas interesantes en cuanto a la protección de la imagen y de la honorabilidad del Parlamento. Por ejemplo, en materias como la observación electoral, recoge cómo la observación electoral tiene que adaptarse a la injerencia que se produce mucho antes del hecho electoral o el fenómeno de la falsa observación electoral o de la observación electoral oficiosa o no autorizada. Tenemos que proteger el buen nombre del Parlamento también en las operaciones de observación electoral.  Yo creo que el informe recoge muy bien los progresos que se han hecho en esta Cámara y cómo la forma en la que la Cámara ha defendido su buen nombre ha sido finalmente protegida por el propio Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión. También incluye a las ONG: es bueno que las organizaciones que se relacionan con el Parlamento hagan pública su financiación, pero tenemos que tener conciencia de que, en muchos sistemas autoritarios y liberales, si una ONG declara que tiene dinero de la Unión Europea, va a caer bajo las previsiones de la Ley de agentes extranjeros, y el informe que presentamos hoy establece precauciones para que eso tampoco pueda pasar.  A veces nuestra transparencia puede poner en peligro el trabajo de muchos agentes que actúan en países liberales y el informe lo recoge muy bien; agradezco la flexibilidad de los ponentes para establecerlo.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Samira Rafaela
Political group: Renew
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, in this House we are very fierce when it comes to upholding democratic values. In our urgency resolutions, our reports and our debates, we condemn those who undermine democratic principles and the rule of law. We demand the strengthening of democratic values and institutions from our partners in the world and our allies, and we enshrine these values in our treaties and even in our trade agreements. Therefore, we must also demand the same care for the integrity of democracy in our own House.  Currently, undemocratic extremist organisations can just walk in and lobby for the undermining of women’s rights and LGBTIQ rights. These anti—gender movements are using democratic rights to take away the democratic rights of others. And they are doing this while funded by foreign oligarchs and transnational extremist groups.  So in order to protect our democratic institution and the human rights of our citizens, we must reform the rules concerning transparency in this Parliament. We need an independent ethics body with teeth, with ambition and the right to initiate and proactively investigate cases, because the people of Europe trust us to protect them and their fundamental rights, so we should do exactly that.
Debate: Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption
Date: WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2023
Speaker: Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, as our House is currently working on modifications to the Rules of Procedure to fight against corruption and strengthen transparency after Qatargate, I would like us to take inspiration from other bodies and parliaments to come up with stronger rules and to better be able to implement them. When we went on a mission to the UK Parliament last month, I was quite amazed by the strict rules that are implemented there to increase integrity and accountability, especially in such a conservative Parliament. It is not often that we can hold the UK up as a good example these days. But let us take this opportunity to learn from our neighbours and make sure that there is a real role carved out for our independent experts working on the conflict of interest and on harassment as full members in our advisory committees. We must put in place clear strict rules on MEPs’ interests, with sanctions for those who decide not to respect them, as well as making these sanctions public and visible on the web page of the European Parliament.  Finally, since this world is evolving fast and our standards needs to constantly progress, let’s review our rules on a regular basis to see what is working and what is not.