unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Ana Paula Zacarias
Language: EN

It is clear that there are still issues to be settled in terms of the full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement. The Portuguese Presidency has followed the situation in Northern Ireland very closely. We are very concerned with the resurgence of sectarian violence in recent months and fully support the efforts to reach out to stakeholders in all communities. The EU must remain committed to the Good Friday Agreement and to the people of Northern Ireland. Implementation of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is a fundamental step in bringing stability to the EU—UK relationship. This must be a joint endeavour with no room for unilateral actions. I share some of the same concerns that have been raised by the European Parliament and also by the Commission in this regard. The UK’s lack of compliance with the Withdrawal Agreement is indeed not acceptable, but we know that the Commission has taken legal and political steps to bring the UK into full compliance, and we support this Commission’s effort. We also share the analysis of the Commission that retaliation measures available to the EU to react to non—compliance from the UK side become faster and sharper with a Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We can therefore also from our side confirm that the Council is ready to swiftly adopt the Agreement should the European Parliament vote its consent today.  This has been a priority of the Portuguese Presidency. The conclusion of the TCA will give legal certainty to the EU—UK relationship in the interests of citizens and businesses. After the full entry into force of the Agreement, we will have to remain vigilant and united in its implementation. EU unity, including amongst the institutions, has been key to the success of the negotiations. Good cooperation between the institutions will equally be crucial in going forward.  The European Parliament’s role has been important throughout the whole process and its engagement, notably on citizens’ rights, has proved very useful. I trust that the European Parliament will continue engaging in the years to come as a crucial element of the new relationship with the UK. The European Parliament will remain fully informed and involved, in accordance with the EU Treaties.  In the interests of the Union and to build a stable and solid relationship with the UK, a neighbour and an old ally that we value as an important partner, we would welcome the commitment of the European Parliament to the timely entry into force of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement by 1 May 2021.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Manfred Weber
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

The PPE will support the agreement today and the overwhelming majority in the Committee on International Trade-Committee on Foreign Affairs (INTA—AFET) Joint Committee gave us already a clear idea that the content is a good base for the future. I want to thank also Michel Barnier for his great work. He has always delivered, he has always served the European interests, and also in this regard he delivered and he did a good job for us. In London they recognise now, step by step, that Johnson cannot deliver on his promises, but I think we did our job, to do our best. Thank you so much, Michel, and I also want to thank our colleagues in the House, so Guy Verhofstadt, David McAllister, as the leading personalities, but also the rapporteurs and all colleagues who contributed.  Our big concern, and Ursula von der Leyen mentioned this, our worry is now the implementation, the question of trust. When I grew up, UK diplomacy was for me a symbol of credibility, a symbol of a treaty-based approach, an interest-based policy. Today when we see the Northern Ireland Protocol implementation and how Johnson behaves, the message is: ‘I don’t care. I don’t care even about my signature.’ That’s the new Great Britain we have as a partner on our side.  With the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) the Commission will have more power, more tools in the future to push for a proper implementation, and that is needed in the interests of the citizens, of the people of Europe and of Great Britain, as the violence in Northern Ireland shows us. And for us, it’s also a chance, because with the lack of credibility in Great Britain in mind, we, as Europeans, can show you can trust in Europe.  The tasks ahead of us are clear. First of all implementation, and that’s why the scrutiny process is, for us, a key responsibility. We will continue our job and I thank Ursula von der Leyen for her clear commitment in this regard. The second political message is also clear. We have to tell people Brexit is a lose-lose situation. We have a lot of victims – I want to remind you again of the students who cannot benefit any more from the Erasmus programme – so we have a lot of these victims, so it is a lose-lose situation and we have to be clear, the responsibility is in the field of the Brexiteers. It is in the field of Boris Johnson. The violence of Northern Ireland is the Brexiteers’ violence – they are responsible for this. That has to be clear.  And the third task, on the long term. I truly believe that we can re-strengthen the relationships in the future. There will be another future government, there will be another generation in Great Britain who will understand that they cannot answer the global challenges as Europeans without a united Europe. It requires a united Europe. We wait. We will welcome this new generation.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Malik Azmani
Political group: Renew
Country: Netherlands
Language: EN

Political will was efficient on the UK side and there was a lack of integrity, which is the cause of where we find ourselves today. We already see the collateral damage. Who would have thought 10 years ago that we would be in the situation of having to plead for respect for the Good Friday Agreement? It begs the unthinkable question, are some in Westminister determined to drag Northern Ireland back to the time of the Troubles?  Despite recent improvements Renew Europe is not yet convinced about the willingness of the British Government to respect the TCA and the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. The British Government has not proven trustworthy so far. This is why we ask the Commission to pursue the infringement proceedings against the UK with vigour. Despite the serious concerns, my group will vote in favour of the Brexit deal today. Voting this deal down would result in the risk of a no-deal scenario that we have worked so hard to avoid. But this is agreement does not give a blank cheque to the UK nor to the European Commission, and in order for this agreement to work, trust must be regained. Renew Europe wants to see a concrete timetable jointly set up by the UK and the European Commission.  If the British Government does not respect agreed obligations, we will not hesitate to take all necessary action. This includes the restriction of the unprecedented levels of market excess the UK currently enjoys. We can only remain good friends if both parties play fairly. We also need to ensure that the UK pays its fair share of liabilities accumulated over the course of its membership and beyond. Finally Renew Europe welcomes the Commission statement on Parliament’s role in implementation of the agreement, that this commitment must be put into an interinstitutional agreement. The European Parliament must play an active role in the monitoring and implementation of the agreement, and we will not give up this fight. To conclude, it’s important that we keep realising that the EU and the UK both benefit more from good cooperation as neighbours then from managing divergences. Let’s hope better days lie ahead. That is certainly our hope.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Geert Bourgeois
Political group: ECR
Country: Germany
Language: NL

Voorzitter, mevrouw de voorzitter van de Commissie, mevrouw de minister, mijnheer de vicevoorzitter,  Een no-dealscenario wordt gelukkig vermeden op die manier. We hebben in dit akkoord afspraken gemaakt die de basis vormen voor onze toekomstige relatie en die moeten dus ook worden nagekomen.  Op korte termijn moedig ik de Europese Commissie en de Britse regering aan om nu samen snel werk te maken van de overeengekomen douanecontroles en die controles in Noord-Ierland ook zo efficiënt mogelijk te handhaven. En ik ben tevreden, mevrouw de voorzitter, met het engagement dat u ter zake zopas hebt uitgesproken. Niet alleen kan een vlottere douaneafhandeling, maar hopelijk ook afspraken over fytosanitaire controles, mede de lont uit het Noord-Ierse kruitvat halen en de situatie de-escaleren, maar ook het algemene goederenvervoer is erbij gebaat. En met het oog op dat laatste raad ik de Commissie aan om de volgende aanbevelingen over te nemen: - ten eerste een meer doorgedreven digitalisering van de douanecontroles met gedeelde data, - ten tweede gebruikmaken van een systeem van  - voorafgaande inklaring ( - tot slot, de best mogelijke  Maar het vertrek van onze Britse vrienden is niet louter een economisch verlies. Onder het motto “beter een goede buur dan een verre vriend” is het in ons beider belang om de samenwerking voort te zetten en zelfs te versterken. Inderdaad, Michel Barnier, er is meer dat ons bindt dan wat ons verdeelt, en dat niet het minst in domeinen als veiligheid, migratie, grensbeheer, transport, onderzoek en ontwikkeling, buitenlands beleid, de Noordzee, onderwijs. Laat ons ook samenwerken met deze  Laat ons ook lessen trekken uit deze exit. Ik verzet mij tegen elke vorm van gigantisme. Méér Europa is niet altijd de oplossing voor elk probleem, wel het streven naar een betere Europese Unie. De EU moet een uniek, sterk samenwerkingsverband blijven tussen lid- en deelstaten die hun identiteit bewaren, die beslissen wat ze wél en wat ze niet samen doen. De EU mag nooit uitgroeien tot een superstaat boven de hoofden van de Europese volkeren. Dit staat haaks op de basisbeginselen van subsidiariteit en eenheid in verscheidenheid. Ons motto moet zijn: “samenwerken als dat meerwaarde oplevert”, kijken naar gedeelde uitdagingen van de lidstaten, gebaseerd op schaalvoordelen, gebaseerd op toegevoegde waarde, door in te zetten op verdieping van de interne markt, meer handelsverdragen, meer onderzoek en ontwikkeling en betere bescherming van onze grenzen. Laat ons nu naar de toekomst kijken, maar niet zonder eerst een groot woord van dank uit te spreken aan David McAllister, aan de rapporteurs, aan vicevoorzitter Šefčovič voor zijn aanpak en goede dialoog met het Parlement, maar vooral aan Michel Barnier, die op een onnavolgbare manier uitvoering gegeven heeft aan een aartsmoeilijke opdracht. Wat ons betreft wordt hier goedkeuring aan gegeven en zal ook de bijgaande resolutie worden goedgekeurd.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Enikő Győri
Political group: NI
Country: Luxembourg
Language: HU

Tisztelt Elnök úr! Örülök, hogy az Európai Parlament végül észszerű és felelősségteljes döntést hozott, és napirendre tűzte ezt a mai szavazást. A további intézményi erőfitogtatásnak, sárdobálásnak nem volna semmi értelme. A polgárainknak, a vállalatainak stabilitásra van szükségük, ehhez pedig elengedhetetlen, hogy az egyezmény május elsején életbe lépjen. Enélkül a negatív hatások sokkal erősebbek lennének. Persze ettől még meggyőződésem, mindkét fél veszít a britek távozásával, ahogy azt egyébként a lanyhuló kereskedelmi, forgalmi adatok is mutatják január óta.  Mindenkinek meg kell értenie, lezárult egy korszak. A britek nemcsak az EU-ból léptek ki, hanem elhagyták a közös piacot és a vámuniót is, így a személyek szabad áramlása és az akadálymentes kereskedelem megszűnt. Mindez az emberek és a cégek mindennapi életére is jelentős hatással lesz. A megállapodás nem tesz csodát, nem hozza vissza az Egyesült Királyságot az Unióba. A britek távoztak, és ezt a döntésüket tudomásul kell vennünk. Meg kell tanulnunk alkalmazkodni a megváltozott helyzethez. Elsődleges feladatunk polgáraink és vállalataink érdekeinek szem előtt tartása. Így nyomon kell követnünk, hogy a brexit-döntés előtt az Egyesült Királyságban letelepedett uniós polgárok addig élvezett jogai ne sérüljenek a jövőben, illetve a cégekre vonatkozó versenyfeltételek legyenek azonosak a csatorna két partján. Időigényes és költséges ellenőrzések jönnek az áruforgalom során. Arra kérem a Bizottságot, hogy ezt úgy működtesse, hogy a lehető legkevesebb fennakadást okozza. Akkor várhatjuk ezt el a britektől is. Jussunk túl a sérelmeken, csökkentsük ezzel a veszteségeinket.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Pedro Silva Pereira
Political group: S-D
Country: Bulgaria
Language: EN

Madam President, Parliament is here today to write history, giving final consent to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that, from now on, will govern the relationship between the European Union and its former member, the United Kingdom. In doing so, we cannot avoid a certain degree of mixed feelings. On the one hand, while fully respecting the will of the British people, we do regret Brexit because it is a sad page in the political history of Europe and also because it is damaging and damaging for everybody; for the EU, even more for the UK, for our citizens, our economic interests, our common interests in this challenging world. But mixed feelings, because on the other hand we are completely sure that, now that Brexit is a fact of life, to approve this Trade and Cooperation Agreement is the right thing to do for the benefit of our citizens and our interests.  In fact, it would be a mistake to miss the future by looking backwards to the past. The time has come to look ahead and to build a new future—oriented relationship with the UK based on our common values. But we can only give consent to this Agreement because it is a good agreement, and let me warmly thank Michel Barnier and his team for his remarkable work, for always informing this Parliament and also for keeping us united, which is in itself also a remarkable achievement. This Agreement is an important damage control exercise. It avoids the no—deal scenario and it provides for a new framework for open and fair competition in unprecedented terms and also with unprecedented enforcement mechanisms. Looking ahead to this new implementation phase, we very much welcome the recent declaration of the Commission and the work done by Maroš Šefčovič on the role of the European Parliament in the implementation of this Agreement. And finally, as the European Parliament rapporteur for the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, let me make clear that we will continue to fight for citizens’ rights, and we expect from the UK nothing less than full compliance with the commitments under international law. So, we support the infringement procedure initiated by the Commission and we very much hope that the talks going on on this implementation, on finding a roadmap for full implementation, can be successful. So let’s build a new partnership with the UK and let’s begin by ensuring full implementation of the agreements we’ve just signed.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Nathalie Loiseau
Political group: Renew
Country: Poland
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, cher Michel Barnier, cher Maroš Šefčovič, le Brexit a pris effet le 1er janvier. Depuis cette date, on observe jour après jour les conséquences négatives de ce qu’il faut bien appeler une erreur historique.  Le commerce du Royaume-Uni vers l’Union européenne a chuté, alors que les exportations européennes vers Londres se sont maintenues. De plus en plus de travailleurs qualifiés reviennent vers le continent où se trouvent des débouchés. Les étudiants européens désertent les universités britanniques... Tout cela découle du Brexit et doit être assumé par ceux qui l’ont soutenu. De manière plus préoccupante, les tensions ressurgissent en Irlande du Nord où la paix reste fragile, où le rôle de l’Union européenne dans les accords du Vendredi saint a sans doute été sous-estimé et où les difficultés inhérentes au Brexit ont été totalement passées sous silence. Notre responsabilité de parlementaires européens consiste à limiter autant que possible les dégâts du Brexit. C’est ce que nous devons faire aujourd’hui en ratifiant l’accord de coopération et de commerce. Cet accord permet de poursuivre des relations étroites avec nos partenaires britanniques, tout en protégeant les intérêts des Européens. Mais notre responsabilité ne s’arrête pas là: nous devons veiller au respect plein et entier des engagements pris par le gouvernement britannique. Sur l’Irlande du Nord, Boris Johnson tourne autour du pot et feint d’ignorer ce qu’il a signé. Cela ne règle rien, bien au contraire, et la Commission a eu raison de lancer une procédure d’infraction. À l’égard des pêcheurs européens, les autorités britanniques multiplient les tracasseries administratives. Là encore, la Commission doit calmement mais fermement exiger le respect de l’accord et protéger nos pêcheurs. Enfin, chers collègues, parce que l’Europe a signé avec Londres un accord sans précédent, notre contrôle parlementaire doit être lui aussi sans précédent. Notre ratification n’a rien d’un chèque en blanc, ni vis-à-vis de Londres, ni vis-à-vis de la Commission. Ce que nous avons défendu tout au long des négociations, nous veillerons à le faire respecter à tous égards. Dans ce Parlement aussi, le temps de la naïveté est révolu.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Peter Kofod
Political group: ID
Country: Poland
Language: DA

Fru formand! Jeg er på samme tid glad og trist over brexit: glad fordi brexit faktisk gennemføres, men samtidig trist, fordi EU har udviklet sig i en så dårlig retning, at et flertal af briterne betragter det som uattraktivt. Brexit er resultatet af for meget EU. Det er godt, at den beslutning, briterne har truffet, bliver gennemført, og at folkeafstemningens resultat respekteres. Det er godt, at briterne hjemtager magt fra EU, og jeg vil gerne endnu engang ønske briterne varmt tillykke med den aftale, der er indgået. For aftalen er god, og den er lysår bedre end det, eurokrater og føderalister påstod, at man kunne opnå. Jeg ønsker briterne det bedste, og de er stadigvæk vores gode venner, vores naboer og vores allierede.  Men jeg havde håbet, at brexit reelt havde sat gang i selvrefleksion i EU-systemet. At EU-systemet havde spurgt sig selv, hvorfor et flertal af briterne hellere vil leve uden for EU. Det er mildest talt ikke sket. I stedet for at se indad, har man kastet sig ud i et endnu større og mere vidtgående EU-projekt om indvandring og grænser, om vores økonomi med fælles gæld og stor gaveuddeling til Syd- og Østeuropa og om sociale rettigheder og arbejdsmarkedet. Lige præcis det, som mange af os har fået nok af, får vi nu endnu mere af. I det lys må jeg konstatere, at briterne traf det helt rigtige valg, da de stemte sig ud af EU, og at EU i årene fremover vil blive mindre attraktivt for små lande som Danmark, når det i højere grad bliver føderalisterne, der kommer til at svinge pisken. Der vil blive mindre plads til nationale forskelle i det her system.  Jeg så hellere, at EU i højere grad mindede om det samarbejde, som Danmark i sin tid meldte sig ind i, hvor det drejede sig om at handle med hinanden – hvilket jeg betragter, som et stort gode – og skabe et bedre forhold til de naboer, som vi historisk har haft konflikter med. Altså et langt mere begrænset EU, end det vi har i dag, hvor lande som Danmark tvinges til, at være central for uddeling af velfærdsydelser, hvor man bekæmper vores grænsekontrol ved vores nationale grænser, og hvor regningen for at være med er eksploderet. Er der noget at sige til, at briterne ikke ønsker at være en del af det mere? EU har udviklet sig i en hel gal retning over de sidste mange år.  Mere EU vil ikke føre til et lykkeligere Europa, men mere EU vil betyde en større folkelig afmagt, og at de nationale demokratiers evne til at træffe beslutninger, der er tilpasset de enkelte nationer, gradvist bliver udvandet.  Med Storbritannien ude, vil udviklingen i den føderale retning gå endnu hurtigere. Det bekymrer mig meget på Danmarks vegne, men også på resten af de europæiske landes vegne. Jeg ønsker alt godt for Storbritannien uden for EU, og jeg glæder mig til den dag, hvor Danmark kommer til den samme konklusion og melder sig ud af EU. For jeg tror ganske enkelt ikke på, at det her system kan eller vil reddes eller rettes. Det her system vil kun vokse.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Jordi Solé
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Bulgaria
Language: EN

Madam President, now that Brexit has happened, the EU needs to have the strongest possible relationship with the UK. Even if we regret their choice to leave, as we do, and despite the fact that the way to today’s vote has been a long and winding one, we have still a lot of things that keep us close. Therefore, we needed a good post-Brexit deal, and the TCA, despite some shortcomings and concerns – for instance on data protection – overall establishes a positive framework for this new partnership. But let’s be clear: an ambitious zero tariff and zero-quota trade agreement like this can only happen on condition that at the same time there is zero social, environmental, fiscal and regulatory dumping. Therefore we will be extremely attentive to the implementation of the provisions that ensure there is no regression and no divergences over time in social and environmental protection standards. A trustful partnership between the EU and the UK also requires the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol to be implemented in all its dimensions. We are fully committed to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, shielding the peace process and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. Finally, let me underline something that hasn’t been brought to today’s debate yet. Let’s not forget that Brexit went ahead despite some constituent parts of the UK voting against it. And on top of that, the Welsh and Scottish governments have not been sufficiently consulted by London during the TCA negotiations. For our Scottish friends, the TCA might be the lesser evil to keep ties with the EU, but it is also a painful consequence of a decision imposed on them – a decision they did not take. For them, as well as for an increasing number of people in Wales, the best possible relations with the EU is not the TCA. It certainly keeps being full membership in our Union. I hope they soon can rejoin us once they take a democratic choice in favour of independence.