unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Human rights and democracy in the world – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Josep Borrell Fontelles
Language: EN

But believe me, today is an important day. We are discussing something that’s very important and there is some criticism and some Members saying ‘words, words, words’, like Mr Glucksmann. Maybe I agree with you that there is a lot of words, but, you know, words also have power and not only the word of power, but the power of words. When you don’t have any of the word power, you have to use words. But not only words, not only words. We do something, we do a lot of things, don’t dismiss what we are doing. Certainly, we have to do more and we have to gather all our efforts and to keep in touch with the private sector. One of these days, soon, we will present a due diligence and we have been pushing for it. We will present a due diligence in order to make our firms, our entrepreneurs that are investing all around the world to defend human rights on practical terms. Because when you put a small boy to work in a mine, you’re tampering with human rights as much as when you do a coup d’état. It is not only political rights, there are also the socio-economic rights that are an integral part of human rights. Be it about COVID-19 pandemic, about anything that’s with media freedom, hate speech, all that counts. And I think that we have a step up diplomacy, strategic communication to implement our human rights plan on defending democracy. This report contributes to this effort, I see that we have to continue joining forces with the United Nations to prepare communication material engaging firms. As far as we don’t engage in the world of business to protect human rights, the socio-economic human rights will be very difficult and that’s why we are working on the due diligence that soon will make an important contribution to the practical, concrete implementation of the fight against people who violate human rights.
Debate: Human rights and democracy in the world – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos
Country: France
Language: ES

Creo que se manifiesta que en este Parlamento hay una mayoría, un consenso, en torno a la importancia de colocar los derechos humanos y los valores en el centro de la acción de nuestra política exterior. Hay una mayoría que apuesta por más Europa, una Europa más fuerte y una Europa de los valores. Creo también que hay un mensaje claro de la parte mayoritaria de este Parlamento: los derechos humanos no tienen ideología. Los derechos humanos son universales y los derechos humanos no son un saco del que uno puede escoger aquello que se adapta a su criterio personal o a su posible instrumentación ideológica. Muchos ciudadanos del mundo nos miran y reconocen en este espacio de la Unión Europea una democracia, una democracia que es capaz de defender los derechos de sus ciudadanos pero los derechos también de los ciudadanos del mundo. Y por eso siguen este debate, siguen las sesiones de la Subcomisión de Derechos Humanos. Por eso buscan este amparo. Y esto significa que efectivamente, tenemos que estar a la altura. Por todo ello, yo creo que hoy podemos decir que nuestros mayores intereses, los intereses de la Unión Europea, están en garantizar el cumplimiento estricto de nuestros valores, tanto a nivel interno, en los Estados miembros, asegurando un principio básico, establecido en los Tratados, de coherencia y credibilidad, como a nivel de nuestra política exterior. Permítanme que acabe el debate sobre este informe recordando a todos aquellos que están sufriendo persecución, que están sufriendo represión, que se están sometiendo a juicios injustos como los de Nicaragua, como a todas las familias que están buscando también justicia por el secuestro de sus hijos, por el asesinato de sus familiares. Todos ellos tienen que saber, también, que con este informe hoy lanzamos el mensaje de que el Parlamento Europeo seguirá estando cerca de ellos.
Debate: Human rights and democracy in the world – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: György Hölvényi
Political group: PPE
Country: Latvia
Language: HU

Kitér a migrációt kiváltó okok kezelésére is, a helyben segítés elvét követve hangsúlyozza az oktatás fejlesztésének, az életlehetőségek javításának fontosságát. Azonban a jelentés nagy része kiegyensúlyozatlan maradt. Az EP balliberális többsége különböző társadalmi csoportokat ideológia nyomásgyakorlásra használ fel. A jelentésben szerepel a gender-ideológiát erőltető Isztambuli Egyezmény ratifikációja, valamint a migráció legális útvonalainak kialakítása. Továbbá emberi jogi kérdésekben az egyhangú tagállami döntéshozatal elvetését támogatja. A baloldal a szexuális és reprodukciós egészség és jogokat erősítené, de az anyák védelmére vonatkozó javaslatot elvetette. Ahogy nem támogatta a gyermekek azon jogának tiszteletben tartásáról szóló módosítót sem, hogy szüleik vallási, filozófiai vagy pedagógiai alapelveivel összhangban nevelkedjenek. A részeredmények ellenére az emberi jogok védelme ideológiai háborúvá alakul át, megfosztva a jelentést eredeti céljától. Ahelyett, hogy az Unió a partnerországainak segítségére lenne az emberi jogok védelmében, ideológiai nyomásgyakorlás eszközeként használja fel azt.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Othmar Karas
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über den Bericht von Katalin Cseh im Namen des Ausschusses für auswärtige Angelegenheiten über eine Empfehlung des Europäischen Parlaments an den Rat und den Vizepräsidenten der Kommission / Hohen Vertreter der Union für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik zu Korruption und Menschenrechten ( Ich erinnere die Mitglieder daran, dass bei allen Aussprachen dieser Tagung weder spontane Wortmeldungen noch blaue Karten akzeptiert werden. Außerdem sind, wie auch bei den letzten Tagungen, Zuschaltungen aus den Verbindungsbüros des Parlaments in den Mitgliedstaaten vorgesehen. Ich weise Sie auch darauf hin, dass Wortmeldungen im Plenarsaal weiterhin vom zentralen Rednerpult aus erfolgen. Ich ersuche Sie daher, die Rednerliste im Blick zu behalten und sich kurz vor Beginn Ihrer Redezeit zum Rednerpult zu begeben.
Debate: Second voting session
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Othmar Karas
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Bevor wir mit der Aussprache fortfahren, eröffne ich nun die zweite heutige Abstimmungsrunde. Wir stimmen über die in der Tagesordnung angegebenen Dossiers ab. Die Abstimmungsrunde ist von 20.00 bis 21.15 Uhr geöffnet. Es kommt das bekannte Abstimmungsverfahren zur Anwendung. Alle Abstimmungen erfolgen namentlich. Ich erkläre die zweite Abstimmungsrunde für eröffnet. Die Ergebnisse der zweiten Abstimmungsrunde werden morgen um 9.00 Uhr bekannt gegeben.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Leopoldo López Gil
Political group: PPE
Country: Ireland
Language: ES

En primer lugar, a nivel interno. Por ello es necesario promover la armonización de reglas a nivel europeo y reforzar los instrumentos que ya tenemos en funcionamiento para combatir la corrupción, promover la cooperación entre la Unión, los Estados miembros y terceros países, especialmente en el ámbito judicial y policial, y permitir el intercambio de información para poder llevar a criminales ante la justicia y resarcir a las víctimas. El ámbito de esta lacra es transversal y universal. La corrupción abarca sobornos, flujos de dinero ilícito, lavado de activos, tráfico de influencias, drogas y un largo etcétera. La injerencia extranjera en procesos democráticos y los asesinatos de periodistas, jueces y miembros de la sociedad civil son las estrategias para el silenciamiento de las denuncias de estos crímenes.  Combatir esta amenaza a nivel internacional no es tarea fácil. El aumento del autoritarismo y la desaparición de las democracias proporcionan un terreno fértil para la extensión de esta actividad ponzoñosa. Es imperativo modificar cuanto antes el actual régimen de sanciones de la Unión Europea, ampliando su ámbito de aplicación para incluir todos los actos de corrupción y crear un nuevo régimen para sancionarlos. Digamos no a la corrupción, enviando un mensaje fuerte al Consejo y al alto representante. Es imprescindible que la votación de mañana sea a favor de este informe.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Raphaël Glucksmann
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: FR

Alexandre Babakov, vice-président de la Douma, est l’un des membres les plus pauvres du Parlement russe, selon les déclarations officielles de patrimoine. Il possède pourtant un appartement luxueux à Paris et un château dans les Yvelines. Dmitri Peskov, porte-parole du Kremlin, collectionne les appartements dans les arrondissements les plus chics de la capitale française. Denis Popov, procureur général de Moscou, multiplie les résidences sur la Costa Brava comme des petits pains. La liste est longue. Alpes, Côte d’Azur, Sardaigne, Marbella, Paris, Berlin… Tous ces grands pourfendeurs de la décadence européenne aiment nos plages et nos pistes de ski. À nous donc de leur montrer qu’on ne peut pas faire la guerre à nos portes et faire mouiller son yacht dans nos ports.  Chers collègues, la lutte contre la corruption est une priorité affichée de notre politique étrangère. Mais cela ne fonctionnera pas tant que nous accueillerons ici l’argent volé là-bas, tant que nos banques offriront l’asile au butin des pillards, tant que les États membres vendront une nationalité européenne au premier oligarque venu, tant que nos dirigeants négocieront leur retraite dorée avec Gazprom ou avec Huawei. Chers collègues, nous exigeons dans ce rapport la cohérence la plus basique. Nous demandons une législation européenne sur la confiscation et la restitution des biens mal acquis. Nous demandons un mécanisme de sanctions ciblées contre les coupables de grande corruption. Nous demandons des règles communes mettant fin à la trahison de ces dirigeants qui, de Schröder à Fillon, se vendent à des intérêts étrangers hostiles. Nous demandons, en un mot, du courage. Voilà ce qui nous rendra puissants.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Petras Auštrevičius
Political group: Renew
Country: Lithuania
Language: EN

The EU needs real Magnitsky sanctions that include corruption as a sanctionable offence. Our democratic allies – the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia – all include corruption under their Magnitsky legislations. The absence of corruption at the EU level is not only restrictive but also means that we lag behind our global partners. By avoiding to punish high—level corruption, thus we become accomplices to human rights crimes. We fail the same people – human rights defenders and democracy activists – who we unconditionally support. Corrupt autocrats repress peaceful protests, illegally imprison people demanding basic freedoms and rights, and despite all of this, are free to use their ill—gotten wealth to maintain their power and enjoy a life of luxury, including real estate, holidays and education of their children in the West. Together with colleagues, we have repeatedly called on the European External Action Service and the Council to put an end to such abuses, and to update the European Union Magnitsky Act to include corruption. We will insist until this done.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Jordi Solé
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Bulgaria
Language: EN

But corruption is a complex and global phenomenon that, in one way or another, affects all countries and therefore requires efforts both at international level and at home. In this regard, the EU needs to be more effective in combating, within its borders, issues like tax evasion, illicit trade, banking secrecy and money laundering, shortcomings in the implementation by Member States of EU anti-corruption regulations, EU—based secrecy jurisdictions and tax havens, and certain financial and legal actors based in the EU. All this emboldens corrupt actors outside the EU and allows the disguising of illicit financial flows into the EU.  Therefore, our report includes a call to recognise the responsibility of certain EU—based individuals and entities as enablers or beneficiaries of corruption abroad and to take action. It is time for the EU to push back against the global threat of kleptocracy, and this also requires acting against complicity happening right before our eyes.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Maximilian Krah
Political group: ID
Country: Greece
Language: DE

Das Wort, das ich aber lese, heißt OLAF, eine europäische Institution, die gegen Sie namentlich ermittelt hat wegen Korruptionsvorwürfen. Diese Art von Doppelmoral ist leider etwas, was die Vorurteile gegen das Haus bestätigt. Und dass der Kollege Glucksmann von der S&D-Fraktion den sozialdemokratischen deutschen Kanzler Schröder namentlich angreift, erlaube ich mir als deutscher Abgeordneter ebenfalls als unverschämt zurückzuweisen. Korruption ist intransparent, und Korruption führt dazu, dass politische Abläufe beeinflusst werden außerhalb des demokratischen Prozederes. Aber warum reden Sie dann nicht von den zahlreichen NGOs und der Möglichkeit, ganz legal diese Demokratie zu beeinflussen? Der Bericht hat leider Schlagseite, und deshalb können wir ihm nicht zustimmen.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Ivan Vilibor Sinčić
Political group: NI
Country: Czechia
Language: HR

Poštovani predsjedavajući, moramo postaviti parametre kako treba, a parametri su takvi da nekoliko velikih fondova kontrolira ogroman, ako ne i sav dio ekonomije, pogotovo zapadne. Drugo, da jedan milijarder ima veću imovinu nego milijarde drugih ljudi. Govorimo o entitetima s neograničenim resursima koji su se još više povećali u ovoj krizi. Došlo je do najvećeg transfera bogatstva. Logično je, dakle i jasno, da se radi o neograničenom korupcijskom potencijalu.  Političari su donosili neznanstvene i nedemokratske odluke, mediji su širili cenzuru i strah, da bi se na kraju ispričavali. Znanost je davala često namjerno pogrešne procjene. Kolika su ugledna sveučilišta izgubila svoj prestiž u ovoj krizi. Svi su oni upregnuti u kočije marketinga. Iskorištena je, nažalost, izvršna vlast za napad na ljudska prava, na rad, na kretanje, na izražavanje, na liječenje i brojna druga.  Tražim da se temeljito istraže veze između Komisije i farmaceutskih kompanija, pogotovo od strane Ombudsmana. Ovakvu sistemsku korupciju moramo sankcionirati, inače je samo pitanje vremena prije nego sve preuzme.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Maria Arena
Political group: S-D
Country: Belgium
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, on l’a dit, la corruption est un problème endémique. On la retrouve sur tous les continents. Elle n’est pas propre à un continent ou à une culture; elle est propre au pouvoir et à la non-transparence. La corruption est un phénomène dévastateur pour la disponibilité, la qualité et l’accessibilité des biens et des services liés aux droits humains, et il y a une étroite corrélation entre la corruption et les violations graves des droits humains.  Pourtant, le régime mondial de sanctions n’a pas inclus la corruption en tant que telle dans les phénomènes de violation grave des droits de l’homme. Je pense qu’il est nécessaire de corriger le tir et d’intégrer la corruption dans ce mécanisme. Je donne un exemple: les États-Unis, en 2020, ont sanctionné un certain M. Dan Gertler, magnat israélien agissant en République démocratique du Congo qui a volé plus de 4 milliards de dollars au peuple congolais par des opérations minières opaques. Quand les États-Unis ont sanctionné M. Gertler, l’Union européenne, ne le sanctionnant pas, lui donnait accès à des opérations qui n’étaient plus possibles aux États-Unis. Ainsi, grâce à ce paradis que représente l’Union européenne pour les corrupteurs, il a pu continuer à voler l’argent du peuple congolais. Des exemples tels que celui-là, il y en a des centaines aujourd’hui dans le monde, que nous acceptons sur le territoire européen. Nous devons en finir avec cela.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Karin Karlsbro
Political group: Renew
Country: Poland
Language: SV

Herr talman! Kommissionär! Kollegor! EU:s medlemsländer måste leva upp till de demokratiska värderingar som de skrivit under. Rättsstatens principer skyddar inte bara individens rättigheter utan är avgörande för att bekämpa korruption och maktmissbruk. EU-kommissionen måste ta i med hårdhandskarna mot länder som Polen och Ungern som bryter konsekvent mot rättsstatens principer och där korruption kan frodas när institutioner försvagas och monteras ner.  Jag har sagt det förut och jag säger det igen. EU är ett samarbete, inte en bankomat, och länder som bryter mot spelreglerna ska straffas hårt. Korruption är ett hot mot demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter. EU måste sopa rent framför egen dörr och hålla rent hus mot dem som vill använda våra friheter, vår ekonomi och våra institutioner för korruption och ekonomisk brottslighet. EU är ingen frizon för korrupta skurkar. De ska träffas av  sanktioner som svider hårt.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Daniel Freund
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Spain
Language: EN

Mr President, too many Europeans think that corruption is something that happens far away, that leaders stealing from their citizens is something that doesn’t happen in the European Union. Too few Europeans, unfortunately, know that we make it possible. European banks launder the money. European accountants develop the shell companies structures to hide the money. European real estate companies help to create safe havens for the stolen assets, and European countries provide the golden visas or sell the passports that allow people to enjoy the stolen proceeds.  But this does not only create devastation in the rest of the world. It actually has a real impact on our citizens because, for example, it inflates real estate prices in pretty much every city on this continent. So this is one of the direct effects that global corruption has on the life of our citizens, and this has to stop. The EU must not be a safe haven for stolen assets. Dirty money should not be allowed and should not be welcome on our continent, and the EU should lead the fight against kleptocracies, wherever they exist.  I think Katalin Cseh has made an excellent list of things that we can do to be better in that fight against kleptocracy, and we should get going right away on putting this into place.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Alessandro Panza
Political group: ID
Country: Italy
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, come purtroppo spesso accade in quest'Aula si usa un tema importante per fare della bassa propaganda. Ritengo che sia fondamentale però analizzare il nesso tra diritti umani e la corruzione, come affrontato nel testo, anche se in alcune parti l'approccio usato è astratto e contaminato da troppa ideologizzazione, ma lo sappiamo. Come ad esempio, a mio avviso, sarebbe interessante e necessario approfondire il tema della corruzione anche nel campo dell'accoglienza dei richiedenti asilo. Episodi di corruzione nella tutela dei diritti umani in questo campo non sono più tollerabili. È risaputo che questo tipo di attività è stata al centro di numerosi fenomeni di illegalità, generando non pochi danni agli enti pubblici e alle persone che realmente necessitano di tutela internazionale. Troppi si sono arricchiti grazie alla corruzione in questo ambito. Temi come questi dovrebbero essere al centro dell'azione del Parlamento. Accantoniamo per un attimo le ideologie e agiamo in modo incisivo e pragmatico contro la corruzione di chi si incensa a protettore dei diritti umani e degli ultimi, ma poi ha come unico interesse pianificare atti di corruzione per arricchirsi.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Isabel Santos
Political group: S-D
Country: Hungary
Language: PT

Senhor Presidente, a corrupção representa uma evidente fonte de violações dos direitos humanos e de ataques à democracia que minam o Estado de Direito e as instituições. Sendo um fenómeno global, o seu combate deve fazer-se presente de forma transversal em todas as políticas da União Europeia. Já aqui foram falados muitos casos de corrupção, espalhados por diversos países com os quais a União Europeia mantém laços. Quero aqui lembrar o caso do Azerbaijão, onde a família Aliyev mantém um regime corrupto e cleptocrático com o beneplácito da União Europeia, através de alguns dos seus comissários, como dois que, recentemente, visitaram o Azerbaijão. Peço ao Senhor Comissário que esclareça que tipo de diálogos foram mantidos entre estes dois comissários e o Sr. Aliyev. Peço que isto seja esclarecido e que se adote, rapidamente, o mecanismo de sanções em matéria de corrupção.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Margaritis Schinas
Language: EN

Our approach is comprehensive, whilst acknowledging that there is no one—size—fits—all approach to dealing with corruption and appropriate solutions must always be context-specific. We, as a union, have an impressive toolbox at our disposal, which we are strengthening further. You, as a House, have your budgetary control powers, the rule of law mechanism, OLAF, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman. We also have the money. For the next seven years, we plan to support work on anti-corruption in all its forms in the vast majority of partner countries across the world, and we are also committing more funds to our human-rights-defender programmes and the civil-society organisations that can be valuable allies in this global effort. The European Union is not a paradise to kleptocrats, as Ms Arena said. The European Union will be hell for kleptocrats, and I take this opportunity to salute the work of the rapporteur because her report matters.
Debate: Corruption and human rights
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Katalin Cseh
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

I believe the two main strengths we have in this report are its pragmatism, but also its complex approach. It is indeed a pragmatic text because I am convinced that the way to pursue a value-based EU foreign policy is not only through big words, but also through practical instruments. For instance, we should never forget that we are a market of 450 million people, and this gives us very concrete tools to promote our values across the globe. We can leverage our trade agreements, our financing programmes and the corporate value chains to promote our human rights and good governance all across the globe.  And the other important message, I believe, is that global problems are interlinked and we have to see them in their complexity. Take just the example of climate action, human rights and anti-corruption. Communities all around the world suffer from polluted air, deforestation, polluted waters, and the very fact that it happens to them is an attack on their rights. But from the Philippines to Colombia, there is always a network of corruption in the background: oligarchs, bribery, organised crime. We need to recognise these links so that we can step up to fight for the environment, and we need our mandatory due-diligence law to make sure that no European companies are complicit in these crimes because the health of our planet also depends on the health of our democracy.  And finally, this Parliament stands with the activists, with the human rights defenders, with the investigative journalists worldwide who are on the forefront of this fight against kleptocracies. Designing programmes to support them by all financial and legal means possible is one of the key priorities of this report.