unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Siegfried Mureşan
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, I would like to welcome back President von der Leyen and President Michel to the European Parliament. Presidents, you both spoke about the protection of European values and about the rule of law. This is very important and it is very good. Let me be very clear. Hate and exclusion have no place in the European Union. Europe means integration. It means diversity. It means protecting all citizens, including all types of minority. At the moment, we tolerate hate and exclusion in the European Union. We can all fall victims. This is exactly why we all together have to protect our European Union. And we as European institutions have a special responsibility because whenever people speak up for the values of the free world, they do that with the flag of the European Union in their hands. They tell us very clearly, ‘we expect you as European institutions to defend European values’. This my first point.  Secondly, on the rule of law, the European Union means that people can travel freely, they can choose where they work, where they live and where they study in the European Union. And this is exactly why we have to make sure that the law applies in every corner of the European Union and that people who respect the law are protected in every corner of the European Union and those who breach the law are sanctioned. This is exactly why the European Union has a special responsibility in protecting the rule of law in every corner of the Union as well as protecting the EU budget. During the coming years, the European Union will spend more money than ever. The more we spend, the more we need to make sure that money really reaches its intended beneficiaries. The more we spend, the bigger our duty to be transparent also is. Transparency is sometimes difficult to achieve, but it is the right thing. This is why we also, as the European Parliament, want to make sure that whenever money is being spent, it’s being spent for the good of the people. People expect to see concrete results. For the Recovery and Resilience Facility, President Michel, President von der Leyen, you mentioned that we provided for a strong goal for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), for the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF), and we also ask for the transparency of all final beneficiaries. The European Commission has to insist to Member States that this happens.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Simona Bonafè
Political group: S-D
Country: Croatia
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, è notizia di ieri che 250 milioni di cittadini europei hanno scaricato il COVID pass, un ottimo inizio per il certificato che dal 1° luglio permette il ritorno alla libera circolazione in sicurezza in tutta Europa.  Al tempo stesso i primi piani nazionali di ripresa e di resilienza sono stati approvati dalla Commissione e presto gli Stati membri potranno avere l'anticipo delle risorse finanziarie di Next Generation EU per mettere in campo misure a sostegno di cittadini e imprese.  Due risultati, il Green pass e Next Generation EU, raggiunti mettendo in primo piano la solidarietà europea, la collaborazione fra Stati membri, dove anche dopo l'ultima riunione del Consiglio continuiamo invece a non vedere né solidarietà europea, né soluzioni comuni sul terreno delle politiche migratorie della gestione delle richieste di asilo.  È davvero singolare che, mentre con la stagione estiva riprendono le tragedie dei naufraghi nel Mediterraneo, le conclusioni del Consiglio scorso non facciano alcun riferimento allo stallo in cui continua a essere lasciata la revisione del regolamento di Dublino, né tanto meno abbiano affrontato con la dovuta urgenza il tema di una gestione coordinata delle operazioni di salvataggio in mare e della ricollocazione obbligatoria dei richiedenti asilo.  Intensificare l'azione esterna dell'Unione con partenariati e cooperazione con i paesi di origine e di transito dei migranti è importante ma non basta. Occorre guardarci in faccia ed essere chiari, non possiamo più continuare a lasciare soli i paesi di primo approdo. Facciamo quindi prevalere i nostri valori, questi non accettano deroghe a leggi vergognose che discriminano la comunità omosessuale, ma fra i nostri valori c'è anche quello di difendere la dignità della persona umana da qualsiasi parte del mondo questa provenga.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Tineke Strik
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Madam President, I’m very happy with all the criticism over the Hungarian developments, which are very concerning. But the EU Council also decided to consolidate the EU Turkey statement with new funding. And only the previous part-session, Parliament adopted the resolution with clear demands on migration deals. We must ensure human rights compliance, which requires impact assessments and independent monitoring, democratic and judicial control, and scrutiny of the use of funds.  The EU Turkey statement doesn’t meet any of these criteria. So how do we monitor the situation of refugees? Is it taken into account that non-Syrian asylum seekers lack access to an asylum procedure? Will the funding of border controls result in a complete closure of the southern-east borders where refugees tried to escape violence?  There are strong indications that forced returns to Syria are being made and that UNHCR doesn’t have access to any removal centre. Let me be clear: we must support the refugees in Turkey. Many of them are in precarious circumstances, and Turkey takes a large share but the conditions on border control and readmission have a human rights impact, and we must ensure that we support human rights that affect them in our external action.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Harald Vilimsky
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin! Meine sehr geehrten Damen und Herren! Wenn ich mir die Themensetzung und auch die Ergebnisse der Ratssitzung vom Juni vor Augen führe, dann erinnert mich das frappant an den berühmten Film der 90er Jahre: „Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier“. Sie kennen vielleicht mehrheitlich den Film mit Bill Murray, in dem eine Person auch in einer Zeitschleife gefangen war und täglich dasselbe erlebt. Und vielen geht es hier wahrscheinlich ähnlich, wo seit vielen Monaten – wenn nicht Jahren – immer wieder dieselben Themen angesprochen werden, aber nicht die entsprechenden Lösungen dazu präsentiert werden. Am 24./25. Juni wurde erneut über die Themen Migration und auch Türkei gesprochen. Und wieder gibt es keine befriedigenden Lösungen dazu. Wir wissen aus den aktuellen Untersuchungen, dass bis zu fünf Millionen Menschen aus Afrika und dem Nahen Osten nach Europa drängen. Wir wissen gleichzeitig, dass zwei Drittel – wenn nicht mehr – hier weder den Status eines Konventionsflüchtlings noch den eines subsidiär Schutzberechtigten haben werden. Und es wird so sein, dass von denen, die hierhergekommen sind und nicht diesen Status haben, die überwiegende Mehrheit – zwei Drittel bis drei Viertel – auch hierbleiben werden. So, keine Lösungen durch die Europäische Union. Das nächste: die Türkei, wo wir wissen, dass die Türkei nicht in die Europäische Union will und hier auch nicht wirklich Raum und Konsens dafür gegeben sind. Trotzdem wird weiterbezahlt. Falsche Themensetzung. Vor diesem Hintergrund bin ich sehr, sehr froh, dass sich jüngst ein Bündnis aus 15 unterschiedlichen Ländern formiert hat: 16 Parteien, die Europa in eine gute Zukunft bringen wollen, die Licht am Ende des Tunnels signalisieren, Europa wegbringen wollen vom Zentralismus wieder hin zu Pluralismus und mehr Demokratie.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Beata Szydło
Political group: ECR
Country: Netherlands
Language: PL

Pani Przewodnicząca! Padło tutaj bardzo dużo wzniosłych, pięknych słów. Mówiła o tym i pani przewodnicząca, i Państwo: o równości, o wartościach, o wzajemnym szacunku. Ale o jakie wartości i o jaki szacunek chodzi? Te wartości i ten szacunek są ważne tylko wtedy, kiedy dotyczą światopoglądu, ideologii lewicowo-liberalnych. Europejczycy o poglądach konserwatywnych według was nie mają prawa głosu. Na jakiej podstawie używacie Państwo tutaj sformułowań „ reżim Orbána”, „brunatna Europa budowana przez konserwatystów”? Co to w ogóle jest? Dlaczego nie ma reakcji? Mówicie o tym, że każdy Europejczyk ma być przez Unię Europejską chroniony, ma mieć takie same prawa, że Unia ma się nim opiekować.  Dopominamy się od bardzo dawna, żeby wreszcie ta Izba i Komisja Europejska powiedziały stop budowie Nord Stream 2, bo to zagraża bezpieczeństwu Europejczyków Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej. I co? I nic – bo tam jest wielki biznes, który wy wspieracie. Hipokryzja i zakłamanie.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Nikolaj Villumsen
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, I say to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, when the European Council criticises Russia for lack of respect of human rights it mentions Alexei Navalny, and we all agree that this is important. When the European Council criticises Belarus for lack of respect of human rights it mentions Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and we all agree that this is important. But when the European Council, in its conclusion, criticises Turkey for the lack of respect of human rights, it does not mention Selahattin Demirtaş, even though there is a clear judgment from the European Court of Human Rights demanding his immediate release. Instead, the European Council have decided to move towards an expansion of the customs union with Turkey. Dear President Charles Michel, why not mention Demirtaş, as you mentioned Navalny and Tikhanovskaya? I do not understand. Are you afraid of President Erdoğan?
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Sabrina Pignedoli
Political group: NI
Country: Romania
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, forse non ci stiamo rendendo conto di quanto grave sia il rischio dei cyberattacchi.  Il Consiglio giustamente colloca questi temi in cima alla propria agenda, ma bisogna intervenire rapidamente in modo unitario, perché sono già all'ordine del giorno episodi criminali come furti di dati e richieste di riscatto e paralisi delle piattaforme.  Assistiamo, inoltre, a un'evoluzione, a un affinamento del tipo di minaccia diretta sempre più contro sistemi informatici complessi, con dati che vanno dal campo sanitario a quello finanziario e amministrativo.  Il prossimo passo sarà il miglioramento dell'attuale quadro normativo europeo. Potrebbe essere utile pensare anche a un'autorità di coordinamento che si occupi di questi aspetti a livello sovranazionale. È importante anche che i singoli paesi intervengano con normative nazionali uniformi che rendano fluido lo scambio di dati. Chiudo con un pensiero, però, al reporter Peter de Vries a cui hanno sparato ad Amsterdam. Mi rivolgo a Lei, Presidente von der Leyen, le mafie sono un problema europeo che come tale deve essere affrontato con una legislazione europea.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Paulo Rangel
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, President of the European Council, President of the Commission, all my solidarity to our Dutch people, to our Dutch colleagues and to all the journalists today. Gostaria de começar por dizer que, para o PPE e para o PSD, a lei húngara que discrimina as pessoas LGBTI é intolerável e, por isso mesmo, pedi hoje palavra no debate que se segue para tomar uma posição que seja diferente da posição tíbia de neutralidade que a Presidência portuguesa do Conselho começou por tomar.  E agora permita-me, a respeito do Conselho desta semana, dizer que é inaceitável a situação que vivemos agora com o certificado digital COVID. Porquê? Porque há, neste momento, países, e eu posso dizer que isso me aconteceu a mim, e vi centenas de cidadãos portugueses a quem isso aconteceu, que, vacinados, com certificado digital, com teste negativo, com declaração de viagem essencial e dispostos a fazer a quarentena se necessário, foram impedidos de entrar nos aviões com direção a Frankfurt ou a Baden- Baden.  Não foi para isto que nós aprovamos o certificado digital. Um cidadão que tem certificado, que tem teste negativo, que tem uma declaração a dizer que é necessária a sua viagem, é impedido de entrar num avião com que argumento? Qual é o Estado-Membro que tem poder ou capacidade para fazer isto depois de termos aprovado o Certificado Digital COVID da UE? É justamente por isso que eu julgo que é fundamental que a Comissão tome uma posição dura para com todos os Estados. Restrições são admissíveis, mas devem ser proporcionais e devem ser uniformes. O critério que os Estados-Membros utilizam deve ser igual para todos os Estados-Membros. Se têm de restringir devido à pandemia devem restringir. Mas se as pessoas têm certificado, teste negativo, e têm um motivo para viajar, não há razão nenhuma para as impedir. Só assim seremos capazes de restaurar o Espaço Schengen.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Pedro Marques
Political group: S-D
Country: Czechia
Language: EN

Madam President, much was said here today regarding respect for the rule of law. There can be no doubt: we are seeing time and time again clear breaches of human rights and the rule of law from the Hungarian Government. These breaches should have led already to full procedures from the institutions, particularly from the Council, through Article 7, and now also through the conditionality mechanism, Madam President of the Commission. The external dimension of the EU was also of much importance in this Council meeting. The presence of the re—elected Secretary—General of the United Nations is of the utmost importance, and it’s a good sign of the EU’s commitment to multilateralism and its institutions. That commitment has to be translated into concrete actions, because the multilateral system has suffered a significant erosion over these last few years. We can certainly blame the actions of the former US administration, but we must acknowledge that the world has changed significantly. It has become more multipolar, bringing new risks, new confrontations into the international arena. We need strong multilateral institutions to cope with this reality. However, they need reforms, and the EU must be on the front line, pushing for those reforms. That requires the EU to overcome its internal difficulties that have blocked our own capacity to present ourselves with clear positions. Only with a strong voice can the EU be a relevant actor on the world stage. The EU needs to step up on our role in the international arena and the world deserves this.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Ernest Urtasun
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Belgium
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señora presidenta de la Comisión, señor presidente del Consejo, quiero empezar mi intervención rindiendo homenaje a Samuel Luis Muñiz, un joven de 24 años apaleado hasta la muerte mientras le gritaban «maricón»; un crimen que ha conmocionado a toda España, a Europa, a la comunidad LGTBI, y un crimen que debe recordarnos que estamos lejos de la igualdad y que debemos protegernos de los discursos del odio. También hemos visto recientemente en Tiflis, en Georgia, lo que ha ocurrido con la marcha del Orgullo Además, porque con este debate sobre la nueva ley húngara nos jugamos algo fundamental, que son los fundamentos de la Casa europea. A algunos autócratas en Europa les encantaría que nuestros derechos fundamentales, los Tratados, fueran algo a la carta, que unos días se cumplen y otros no. Nos jugamos muchísimo con este debate y llegamos un poco tarde. Es el momento de llevar a cabo acciones contundentes, y la Comisión debe tomar y usar todos los poderes que tiene en sus manos para evitar que esto continúe de esta manera.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Mara Bizzotto
Political group: ID
Country: Romania
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, sull'immigrazione clandestina l'Europa ha scandalosamente abbandonato l'Italia.  21 000 immigrati illegali sbarcati in Italia negli ultimi sei mesi. 800 morti nel Mediterraneo. Numeri spaventosi, ma la Commissione e il Consiglio europeo hanno deciso di lasciare completamente sola l'Italia. La cosa più scandalosa è che Bruxelles invece di aiutare il nostro paese ha deciso di regalare altri miliardi di euro alla Turchia del dittatore islamico Erdoğan.  Cari burocrati di Bruxelles, basta con questa ipocrisia. Smettetela di trattare gli italiani da stupidi. In un anno e mezzo sono stati ricollocati soltanto il 2,2 % degli immigrati sbarcati nel nostro paese. Se volete trasformare l'Italia nel campo profughi d'Europa ditelo chiaramente, altro che solidarietà europea.  Il governo italiano deve fare in fretta e deve procedere con il controllo delle frontiere, la chiusura dei porti, l'espulsione degli immigrati illegali. Perché, se aspettiamo l'aiuto dell'Europa, che non ci sarà, nei prossimi mesi l'Italia sarà travolta da un'invasione di clandestini.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Assita Kanko
Political group: ECR
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, I would like to ask the President of the European Council, how is your back? I’m asking because EU relations with Turkey look like self-flagellation, and that must leave painful marks, does it not? This not only hurts you, but teaches others like Lukashenko how to treat us all as the EU: with no respect. Then you may end up calling more people to remind them again that you are the President and that the EU is united. Then we are powerless – because having power is like being a gentleman: one is or one is not. If you have to say that you are, we all know what that means, don’t we? It’s actions that must speak.  Unfortunately, the Turkey chapter in the European Council conclusions mostly appears to be a carbon copy of the previous European Council conclusions, while Erdoğan’s actions are changing.  This needs to change. Let’s accept that this Turkey cannot become a member of the EU and use the third Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) to support Turkey’s civil society instead of funding the accession assistance. Let’s repair our asylum immigration system and let’s continue supporting Syrian refugees, but give the funds directly to them.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Marisa Matias
Political group: The Left
Country: Austria
Language: PT

Senhora Presidente, que não foram seis meses fáceis para a Presidência portuguesa estamos de acordo. Mas os resultados da última reunião com a liderança portuguesa são, no mínimo, frustrantes.  Frustrantes porque, perante a clara violação do Estado de direito por parte do Governo da Hungria e a aprovação de uma lei que discrimina e ataca a comunidade LGBTIQ+, o Governo português decidiu manter a neutralidade - como se pudesse haver neutralidade em matéria de direitos humanos. Frustrantes porque, mais uma vez se continua a marcar passo na decisão fundamental de levantar a patente e combater a COVID-19 à escala global sem criar mais desigualdades e mais diferença. Frustrantes porque, a cada passo que se dá, e um passo bem modesto para uma lei de proteção no asilo se aceita, ao mesmo tempo, continuar a negociar com Erdogan e pagar à Turquia para continuar a deter migrantes e a suspender os seus direitos. Estaremos de acordo também, por isso tudo, que não foi uma boa despedida.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Antoni Comín i Oliveres
Political group: NI
Country: Romania
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, è un grande piacere per me oggi fare questo intervento in italiano.  Nell'ultimo Consiglio il Presidente Michel ha affermato che la non discriminazione delle persone LGBTI è parte del DNA dell'Unione. Nessun paese dunque può pretendere di far parte dell'Unione se non rispetta questo principio. Tuttavia, recentemente l'Ungheria ha approvato una legge omofoba che vieta di parlare di omosessualità nei libri di testo e nei programmi televisivi per minorenni. In Polonia ci sono comuni che si dichiarano liberi da persone LGBTI.  Questa settimana in Spagna la Corte suprema ha vietato agli edifici pubblici di sventolare la bandiera LGBTI. Queste azioni pubbliche incoraggiano i settori più intolleranti della nostra società a intensificare il loro discorso di odio contro la comunità LGBTI, discorso che finisce per legittimare la violenza fisica, minacce, percosse, aggressioni di gruppo e anche omicidi, come nel caso di Samuel, il gay ventiquattrenne brutalmente pestato fino a morire in Galizia solo pochi giorni fa.  Abbiamo bisogno di un'Unione che agisca con forza contro la LGBTI-fobia. Non servono solo parole e discorsi, servono fatti concreti e politiche coraggiose.
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - June
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 JULY 2021
Speaker: Tomas Tobé
Political group: PPE
Country: Estonia
Language: EN

Madam President, the current migration policies do not work, neither for the migrants, the Member States, nor our citizens. As Chair of the Committee on Development and the rapporteur on the Regulation on Asylum and Migration Management, I do share the view of the Council conclusion that mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation with our countries are important to prevent the loss of life, reduce the pressure on the European borders, and to address the root causes of migration. The external dimension of migration needs to be an integrated part of the migration policies, but also in the development aid policies. The European Union is the world’s largest donor of development aid. It gives us financial and political means for a global responsibility to address injustices and inequalities in the world directly with third countries. We can and should do more to help people in the countries of origin and transit, which also gives the necessary assistance to the developing countries. In turn, this will reduce irregular migration to the Union. Debate on the external dimension of migration and asylum, including effective ways to address the root causes, should not be taboo in the European Union. We have to face this and we have to find pragmatic ways to go forward. The Council’s conclusion, I would say, is a first good step and I now welcome that we will have a focus on the external dimension of migration. I really think that Europe can step up our game and try to deliver better.