unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Eva Kaili
Political group: S-D
Country: France
Language: EN

Last year was indeed a dense year for competition policy: we saw 1 000 state-aid decisions, 11 cartel decisions, 14 merger cases entering into phase two and EUR 1.7 billion in fines imposed, also delivering the ambition to complement antitrust enforcement with competition policy through the DMA (Digital Markets Act).  What we achieved actually with this report provides a path to the next chapter of the European economy by emphasising the importance of effectively assessing market power in digital ecosystems and calling for an inclusive and future-proof revision of the market definition notice – basically to translate offline to online and modernise our rules to meet the new digital challenges. We also highlighted social protection priorities, for example, on self-employed workers, offline and online again. Furthermore, in this section we suggest and we call on the Commission to conduct a market study also on online advertising technology or the practices that exist, and also to integrate privacy and data protection into the assessment of anti-competitive behaviour.  Parliament pays great attention against potential uneven level playing fields from different state-aid support strategies or tax policies that could be indirectly state aid. And we emphasised the need to consider the socioeconomic impact also of energy prices now.  Finally, the report touches upon the important issues of enforcement, calling for more resources at both national and European level, and also for closer cooperation of authorities and consumers in data protection law to break down the silos that we have identified. It basically builds on our commitment to reach consumer choice, safeguard the internal market and make our economy a fair, competitive and future-proof ecosystem.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Linea Søgaard-Lidell
Political group: Renew
Country: Romania
Language: DA

Vores konkurrenceregler slår fast, at vi kun må give statsstøtte til virksomheder under særlige omstændigheder. For eksempel under pandamiens nedlukninger – der gjorde vi det i stor stil, og der var det nødvendigt for, at vi bevarede arbejdspladser og virksomheder i en ekstraordinært svær situation. Men nu hvor nedlukningerne er ovre, og de fleste restriktioner også er væk, så er det selvfølgelig også tid til at vende tilbage til en mere normal verden, hvor det ikke er statsstøtte, men sund konkurrence, der sikrer udvikling og vækst. Og hvis man nu ikke elsker den sunde konkurrence for det indre markeds skyld, så burde man elske den for den grønne omstillings skyld. Vi står over for en kæmpe omstilling af vores samfund, og der er simpelt hen ikke nok offentlige penge i verden til at få os derhen, hvor vi har brug for at være. Kommissionen selv siger, at vi har brug for 650 milliarder euro om året – udover det vi allerede bruger – så vi kan umuligt bare læne os op af statsstøtte. Her har vi brug for den private kapital. Vi har brug for de private virksomheder og en sund konkurrence mellem dem, som sikrer omstilling og innovation.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Claude Gruffat
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Hungary
Language: FR

Dans ce rapport, en effet, on cherche en vain quelques points pourtant essentiels, quand certains États européens laissent filer vers les paradis fiscaux des milliards d'aides d'État versées à des multinationales dans le cadre de la crise de la COVID. N'est-ce pas une trahison des règles de concurrence face aux PME taxées, elles, sans fin? Et malgré les alertes des écologistes, quand ces mêmes milliards d'aides d'État servent à tenir à bout de bras un modèle énergétique incapable de se passer du bon vouloir de M. Poutine, n'est ce pas contraire à l'esprit des traités européens et à la construction de la souveraineté de l'Union?  Cette semaine, il fait 50 degrés en Inde et au Pakistan. On sait que, demain, c'est le territoire européen qui subira une catastrophe climatique. En fait, cela a même déjà commencé. Rappelons-nous les inondations l'été dernier en Allemagne ou en Belgique. Alors, accepter qu'un seul centime des aides d'État serve encore à investir dans un système basé sur les énergies fossiles, n'est-ce pas un acte en totale opposition avec la raison même de l'existence de l'Union? Est-ce en minorant la compétitivité des solutions renouvelables que l’Union nous protégera et qu'elle protégera nos enfants demain?  On pourrait continuer ainsi à énumérer les renoncements à la carte des États européens complices de la catastrophe climatique, de la pollution et de la prédation fiscale. Alors, je vous le demande solennellement, faites de la politique de la concurrence un vrai levier de la transition. Et pour cela, je vous donne rendez-vous l'an prochain avec un espoir d'optimisme supplémentaire.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Gunnar Beck
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Was aber, wenn der Rest der Welt die Klimarettung nicht mitmacht? Mit einem Anteil an den weltweiten CO2-Emissionen von rund 7 % ist der EU-Einfluss auf das Klima gleich null. Das Ergebnis: Wir zerlegen unsere besten Industrien, in denen wir noch wettbewerbsfähig sind. Die Beschäftigung und die Einkommen sinken, indes die Migration steigt und die Preise explodieren – niemandem zum Nutzen, außer Ihren grünen Finanzjongleuren und Windradbaronen.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Eugen Jurzyca
Political group: ECR
Country: Belgium
Language: SK

Ako príklad môžem uviesť rôzne systémové obmedzenia obchodu so službami, niektoré dotácie do ekonomík členských štátov či daňové výnimky. Ak chceme vybudovať úspešnú Úniu, ak chceme prekonať aj tie súčasné krízy, tak musíme mať odvahu a silu zabojovať aj proti bariéram hospodárskej súťaže, ktoré vyplývajú priamo z pravidiel hry, ktoré sú teda súčasťou systému.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: José Gusmão
Political group: The Left
Country: Finland
Language: PT

A União Europeia não tratou da transição energética quando teve tempo e dinheiro para isso. Pressionou os Estados-Membros, aqueles que podiam ser pressionados, para privatizar todas as empresas públicas de energia. Regulou o mercado da energia de forma a garantir ao cartel da energia lucros de oligopólio.  E, hoje, não faz absolutamente nada para combater esses lucros oportunistas que aproveitam uma guerra para multiplicar a sua faturação e esta é a mesma Comissão que persegue qualquer Estado que prossiga um farrapo de política industrial pública, incluindo aquelas que visam promover a transição energética de que a Comissão Europeia tanto fala e sobre a qual tão pouco faz.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Enikő Győri
Political group: NI
Country: Luxembourg
Language: HU

Tisztelt Elnök úr! Képviselőtársaim! Örülök, és a jelentéstevő munkáját dicséri, hogy még a háborús helyzetben is megállja a helyét a kitárgyalt szöveg. Kifejezetten egyetértek azzal, hogy az uniós versenypolitikának kulcsszerepet kell betöltenie az európai vállalatok versenyképességének megőrzésében, és a munkahelyteremtésben. A koronavírus-járvány drasztikusan mutatott rá, hogy cégeink mennyire törékenyek, számos európai vállalat csődbe ment. Sok külföldi cég ezt kihasználva külföldi támogatások segítségével felvásárolta ezeket. Ezt hagyni súlyos stratégiai hiba. Bár ezt egy ma jóváhagyott jelentés végre orvosolja, további intézkedéseket kell hoznunk, hogy megvédjük a cégeinket és növeljük versenyképességüket. Ehhez innovatív és rugalmas versenyszabályok kellenek, hogy megfelelően támogassuk az európai ipart a stratégiai autonómia elérésében. Törekednünk kell a zöld átállás megkönnyítésére, de ezt a józan ész mentén kell tennünk. És vegyük figyelembe az eltérő tagállami sajátosságokat, és semmiképp ne hozunk olyan döntéseket, amelyek egyes tagállamokat hátrányosabb helyzetbe hoznának. Az újabb Oroszország elleni szankciók elfogadásakor is ezt kellene mérlegelni. Ne ártsunk többet saját magunknak, mint az agresszornak. Az erőnk az egységben van és abban, ha a cégeink versenyképesek. Az EP-képviselőknek ezért kell dolgozni.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Frances Fitzgerald
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, dear Commissioner, from regulatory instruments to State aid, from data to risk, this report presents a comprehensive overview of the state of competition policy in the EU today. The real focus, of course, in the report is about small businesses and jobs, ensuring that they can grow, thrive and be competitive in our globalised economy. This report is backing small business, and rightly so. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economies. In Ireland, small businesses employ over half a million people and indirectly support thousands more jobs on top of that. They are at the heart of our communities. They sustain families. They ensure the indigenous economies can thrive. It has been a tough few years for business and entrepreneurs. COVID-19 caused much hardship. Many were forced to suspend trading. Many closed their doors altogether. But the EU also supported so many to continue and to thrive. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had severe economic impacts, disrupting supply chains and fuelling inflation. The climate emergency, of course, calls on businesses to adapt and to change. I am pleased that this report recognises those challenges and calls on the Commission and Member States to make sure that appropriate supports are in place where needed. It recognises that flexibility is required to keep our business environment competitive and dynamic and to protect jobs. It emphasises, of course, the importance of the digital and green transition process and the kind of supports that will be needed for our businesses to manage that. As a representative from an outward-looking, dynamic and business-friendly city, I will always back small and medium businesses, and I am glad that the EU will continue to do so as well. It is so important that the Commission is there for business when needed. But, of course, we have to recognise the huge innovation that comes from our entrepreneurs. The huge potential for Europe. And we have to try and keep innovation in Europe and support our entrepreneurs and startups.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Marc Angel
Political group: S-D
Country: Luxembourg
Language: EN

Mr President, dear colleagues, as S&D IMCO shadow rapporteur, I will focus on the internal market and consumer protection aspects of this report. Strengthening consumer rights both online and offline, contributing to the Green Deal objectives and sustainability policies, as well as strengthening the internal market by addressing unjustified geoblocking or territorial supply constraints are just some of the good examples in our work. We also find it very progressive that the report addresses the shortcoming in the Internet of Things market and touches upon foreign subsidies. At the same time, I also have to underline that the IMCO Committee correctly pointed out several other important issues in its opinion, such as that competition policies can contribute to the energy union, but this does not mean to facilitate the creation of industrial giants. For us, it was also a key issue to tackle killer acquisitions and to highlight the role of the DMA in this regard, but also to clearly state that merger control should be assessed by the rules of the Merger Regulation. Finally, I also want to underline our suggestion that calls for further strengthening the role of the European Consumer Centres Network. With all respect, I suggest that we should vote for this report and thank the two rapporteurs for their work.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
Political group: Renew
Country: Latvia
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Madame la Vice-présidente, Monsieur le rapporteur, chers collègues, après une pandémie mondiale et en pleine guerre sur notre continent, je veux rappeler quelque chose d’important, qui semble échapper à certains populistes qui souhaiteraient une Europe à la carte, justement. Notre politique de concurrence nous protège et protège bel et bien nos entreprises et nos citoyens. Pendant la crise de la COVID-19, les mesures exceptionnelles mises en place ont permis de sauver des milliers d’emplois et de soutenir financièrement nos entreprises. Avec la guerre et la crise de l’énergie, le nouveau cadre temporaire relatif aux aides d’État permet, encore une fois, d’apporter un soutien massif pour contrer la hausse des prix de l’énergie. Notre politique de concurrence est aussi le moyen d’assurer des conditions équitables sur notre marché unique. Demain, les GAFA ne pourront plus imposer leurs propres règles, en décidant qui entre ou non sur le marché. Demain, des entreprises perfusées aux subventions publiques par certains États tiers ne pourront plus concurrencer de manière déloyale nos entreprises européennes, ni racheter impunément nos fleurons industriels. Notre politique de concurrence sera un outil clé pour accompagner toutes les transitions et c’est dans ce cadre qu’il nous faut pouvoir permettre de bénéficier encore plus des normes européennes qui servent de modèle au monde entier.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Guido Reil
Political group: ID
Country: Belgium
Language: DE

Herr Präsident, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Dieser Bericht begrüßt ausdrücklich Beihilfen für den schnelleren Kohleausstieg. Kohle, das schwarze Gold, die Quelle oder besser gesagt die Wurzeln der EU und die Quelle unseres Wohlstandes, ist für dieses Parlament nur noch schwarzer Dreck und der große Klimakiller. Ich sehe das völlig anders: Wir brauchen sichere Energie. Wir brauchen bezahlbare Energie. Und gerade die Krise jetzt hat doch gezeigt, wie angreifbar wir sind, wie verletzlich wir sind von äußeren Einflüssen, zum Beispiel von russischem Gas, wenn wir gleichzeitig aus der Kohle und aus der Atomkraft aussteigen.  Diesen Wahnsinn dürfen wir nicht weiterbetreiben. Wir brauchen keinen schnelleren Ausstieg. Wir brauchen einen schnellen Ausstieg aus dem Ausstieg. Wir brauchen eine Renaissance von Kohle und von Atomkraft für eine sichere Energie, für eine bezahlbare Energie, für sichere Arbeitsplätze. Das ist wichtig. Und dafür müssen wir einstehen.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Andżelika Anna Możdżanowska
Political group: ECR
Country: Germany
Language: PL

Panie Przewodniczący! Pani Komisarz! Wolna konkurencja jest podstawą rynku. Bez niej rynek europejski nie będzie ani działał, ani rozwijał się. Uczestnicy europejskiego jednolitego rynku wywodzą się z państw o bardzo różnym potencjale, zatem należy szczególnie dbać o równe warunki gry. Teraz, po pandemii, musimy zadbać o stopniowe i proporcjonalne wycofywanie pomocy publicznej, by nie faworyzować podmiotów z bogatszych krajów, w których programy pomocowe były silniejsze. Uważam, że istotnym zagrożeniem dla konkurencji w Europie może być bezkrytyczne faworyzowanie tych gałęzi gospodarki, które odgórnie (i często arbitralnie) zostały uznane za „zielone” – niezależnie od ich faktycznej efektywności ekonomicznej. Takie ideologizowanie ekonomii uważam za bardzo niebezpieczne dla wolnego rynku. Dziękuję sprawozdawcy za ogromną pracę, jaką wykonał. Nacisk na zapewnienie równych warunków działania, stymulowanie innowacji, ochronę konkurencyjności unijnych przedsiębiorstw oraz zapewnienie konsumentom większego wyboru – to dokładnie te kierunki, które zdecydowanie popieram. Równocześnie nie mogę zgodzić się na elementy sprawozdania dotyczące zielonej transformacji – paragrafy 47 i 49, zwłaszcza odniesienia do rezolucji Parlamentu Europejskiego z dnia 20 października 2021 r. w sprawie pomocy państwa na cele związane z klimatem. Jako ECR nie poparliśmy tej rezolucji.  Nie mogę zgodzić się na dyskryminację całych gałęzi tradycyjnej gospodarki związanych z paliwami kopalnymi. Nie wyobrażam sobie zabijania konkurencji w imię eko-ideologii.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Tomislav Sokol
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: HR

Poštovani potpredsjedniče, povjerenice, kolegice i kolege, ispravljanje tržišnih nepravilnosti ključna je uloga politike tržišnog natjecanja. Međutim, svjedoci smo da ista ta politika tržišnog natjecanja nije uspjela spriječiti pojavu digitalnih divova koji zloupotrebljavaju svoj dominantni položaj na jedinstvenom tržištu. Takve platforme redovito uvjetuju poslovanje malim i srednjim poduzetnicima i lišavaju potrošače izbora.  Sankcije koje su zadnjih godina izricane digitalnim divovima bile su nedovoljne i nisu ih odvraćale od kršenja pravila poslovanja na jedinstvenom tržištu. Štoviše, digitalnim bi se divovima više isplatilo plaćati visoke novčane kazne nego se uskladiti s europskim pravilima o tržišnom natjecanju, što je nedopustivo. Tako je primjerice od 2017. Europska komisija u tri navrata izrekla Googleu novčane kazne zbog kršenja pravila Unije o tržišnom natjecanju u ukupnom iznosu od 8,25 milijardi eura.  Problem s dominantnim tržišnim igračima naročito je vidljiv na digitalnom tržištu, što se ogleda u činjenici da od deset tisuća internetskih platformi, koliko ih sudjeluje na digitalnom tržištu EU-a, sedam najvećih ostvaruje čak 69 posto ukupnih prihoda u ovom sektoru. Jasno je da u takvim okolnostima nema prostora za rast i razvoj europskih poduzeća.  Zato je Europski parlament otpočetka snažno podupirao stvaranje novog mehanizma prethodne kontrole koji će omogućiti da digitalno tržište učinimo konkurentnijim i inovativnijim. Novim aktom o digitalnim tržištima štitimo tako potrošače i poduzetnike od samovolje internetskih divova, a visokim novčanim i strogim strukturnim sankcijama osiguravamo njegovu ispravnu provedbu.  Konačno je došlo vrijeme da Europsku uniju i njeno tržište učinimo svjetskim predvodnikom u razvoju digitalnih tehnologija. Stoga pozdravljam izvješće o politici tržišnog natjecanja, a posebno i nedavno postignut dogovor s Vijećem o Aktu o digitalnim tržištima.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Alfred Sant
Political group: S-D
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Mr President, this competition report is an opportunity for some kind of democratic scrutiny of EU action in the competition area. It is essential, however, that the report retains a strong focus on the direct impact EU competition policy has on EU citizens.  Coming from a small island, which is also a Member State of the Union, I believe that state-aid rules should allow margins for proper transport connectivity among the bloc’s insular, peripheral and remote regions. For them, the medium-term future is becoming bleak. The transport connections between these regions and major European transportation hubs remain brittle and subject to disruption. This creates for their citizens and businesses a permanent economic and social disadvantage. Investment attractiveness remains below par. Tourism, a major income earner, becomes more difficult in shoulder and low seasons. General state-aid rules in this context make limited sense. Rather, air and shipping lines serving these regions need to be incentivised – subsidised if you want, so that constant and reliable transport connections are ensured.  For this reason, I would like to request that colleagues support the amendment to this resolution that makes this point. The citizens of insular, peripheral and remote regions need to feel they are not a forgotten part of Europe.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Billy Kelleher
Political group: Renew
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Mr President, competition is the heartbeat of the European single market and competition, I think, showed that we have a dynamic economy that was able to go through the most difficult periods in terms of the financial crisis, the pandemic and now the Ukrainian war. Of course, it also shows that we must have flexibility, Commissioner, in our policies around competition. And certainly the temporary crisis framework and the suspension of the state-aid rules was a significant issue to ensure that Member States could support entities in the countries that were most under pressure.  There are two significant groups that are going to find the challenge in the next number of months and years very difficult. Those are people on low and middle incomes because of the huge inflationary pressures, and also small and medium-sized businesses. So I would urge that when we are unwinding any of the policies around the temporary crisis framework, that we do take into account the vulnerability of many small and medium-sized businesses, bearing in mind they are also the heartbeat of many economies across the European Union.  But I do commend the Commission on what it did over the last number of years in terms of addressing the emergency that small and medium-sized businesses face.
Debate: Competition policy – annual report
Date: WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022
Speaker: Pascal Arimont
Political group: PPE
Country: Belgium
Language: DE

Sehr geehrter Herr Präsident, sehr geehrte Frau Kommissarin Vestager, verehrter Herr Berichterstatter Schwab! Bis 2030 wollen wir 55 % unserer Emissionen reduzieren. 2030 wollen wir sogar klimaneutral sein. Das wird aber nur funktionieren, wenn wir die vielen kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen, die KMU, in diesen Prozess mitnehmen und sie auch unterstützen. Die KMU sind das Rückgrat unserer Wirtschaft. Ohne sie funktioniert in Europa nichts, auch nicht die Energiewende.  Wenn diese Unternehmen in klimafreundliche Energie und Energieeffizienz investieren wollen, müssen wir sie dabei viel stärker auch staatlich unterstützen, genauso wie bei den Produkten und Waren, die sie produzieren. Ohne staatliche Beihilfen wird dieser Übergang, diese epochale Transformation, nicht funktionieren. Zudem müssen wir diejenigen Unternehmen unterstützen, die am stärksten unter den aktuell hohen Energiepreisen leiden.  Deshalb begrüße ich, dass die Kommission die Kritik, auch die hier aus dem Parlament, angenommen und ihren ursprünglichen Leitlinienentwurf für staatliche Klima-, Umweltschutz- und Energiebeihilfen nochmals überarbeitet hat. Mehr Unternehmen aus mehr Sektoren, die stark unter den derzeit hohen Energiekosten leiden, können künftig entlastet werden. Das ist gut und richtig. Aber, liebe Frau Vestager, vielleicht ist Ihre Liste noch zu eng gefasst. Haben Sie einen Blick auf die Realität dieser Unternehmen und erweitern Sie diese Liste der Sektoren dort, wo es notwendig ist oder notwendig sein wird! Wir brauchen hier – und Sie haben es eben in Ihrer Rede gesagt – flexibles Handeln. Klimaschutz muss für jeden erschwinglich bleiben und eine Chance sein und keine Bürde für den Mittelstand. Anders wird es nicht funktionieren. Jedes Unternehmen, das diese Transformation erfolgreich hinkriegt, ist gut für das Klima und sichert Arbeitsplätze in unseren Dörfern und Städten.