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: Barry Andrews
Political group: Renew
Country: Ireland
Language: EN

Mr President, just 5% of people polled in Northern Ireland last month trust the British Government to safeguard their interests in the discussions around the Protocol. No event in the history of Northern Ireland has united the people of Northern Ireland more completely than the incompetence of this British Government and now four former Secretaries of State have written to Boris Johnson tacitly accusing him of dishonesty and neglect in his Northern Ireland policy. By contrast, John Hume, former MEP, attempted to internationalise the Northern Ireland situation and especially emphasising the role of the EU, and this is more true now than ever, because the EU stands as co—guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland is in our single market and will be impacted by the laws that we make in this Parliament. So I’m delighted that the resolution makes specific reference to enhance dialogue between the Northern Ireland Assembly and the European Parliament, between Belfast and Brussels, because it is only through structured and continuous dialogue that we will make sure the Northern Ireland voice is heard in this Chamber and the Northern Ireland Protocol serves all communities in Northern Ireland.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Rasmus Andresen
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, today, we are starting a new chapter in our relations with the UK. European programmes are the best way to build a continuously strong relationship. We welcome the continued UK participation in the research programme Horizon and in the Copernicus programme. But Brexit is a particularly harsh blow to the younger generation. The younger generation voted overwhelmingly to remain. They want to build a common European future. It’s a crying shame to exclude British students from the Erasmus programme. Prime Minister Johnson, you lied to the younger generation by saying that Erasmus wasn’t under threat. You took away important experiences from them and to all young Brits and especially our Welsh and Scottish friends, we will not let you down. As soon as majorities change we are ready to welcome you back.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Francisco José Millán Mon
Political group: PPE
Country: Spain
Language: ES

Señor presidente, afortunadamente, tenemos un Acuerdo que aprobar con el Reino Unido, un Acuerdo de Comercio y Cooperación. De no ser así, las consecuencias del  Lamento, ciertamente, que el Acuerdo no contemple un capítulo específico en materia de política exterior y de defensa. No comprendo por qué Londres no ha querido disponer de unos mecanismos institucionales para facilitar la consulta y la coordinación en materia internacional, dados nuestros intereses y valores tan cercanos. En un mundo multipolar, con la emergencia de grandes actores extraeuropeos, la coordinación con nosotros sería muy útil también para el Reino Unido. Finalmente, quiero una vez más referirme a la pesca, un sector fundamental, que, como todos sabemos, ha constituido uno de los puntos más difíciles de las negociaciones. Lamento mucho el recorte del 25 % de las capturas europeas en aguas del Reino Unido, pero ahora lo importante es asegurar que por fin el acuerdo funcione adecuadamente en materia de pesca y superar las dificultades actuales en fijación de TAC y cuotas. Los mecanismos institucionales deben también ponerse en marcha sin más demoras, en particular el Comité Especializado en Pesca. Además, espero que, cuando acabe el llamado período de ajuste de cinco años, el sector pesquero tenga ante sí un horizonte de estabilidad y certidumbre, manteniendo la cooperación y el beneficio mutuo, sin ulteriores recortes. Si este no fuera el caso, la pesca sería un importante motivo de discordia que afectaría al resto del Acuerdo. En primer lugar, al comercio. Que nadie se llame a engaño: la pesca no debe ser moneda de cambio en nuestras relaciones con el Reino Unido. Y termino diciendo que este Parlamento estará muy vigilante sobre el futuro Acuerdo con el Reino Unido respecto de la colonia de Gibraltar.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Alex Agius Saliba
Political group: S-D
Country: Malta
Language: MT

Sur President, il-ftehim tan-negozju u kooperazzjoni mar-Renju Unit huwa riżultat ta’ negozjati intensivi li issa ilhom għaddejjin is-snin.  Huwa ċar li l-ftehim ta’ kummerċ ħieles mhux ser ikun qatt ugwali għal sħubija sħiħa u ma jista’ jwassal qatt għall-istess arranġamenti ekonomiċi ugwali għas-Suq Intern Ewropew.  Madankollu r-Renju Unit għażel li jtemm ir-relazzjoni tiegħu mal-Unjoni Ewropea u jżomm relazzjoni aktar imbiegħda.  Hu għalhekk, li issa rridu naraw kif dawn ir-regoli ser jaħdmu fil-prattika bl-inqas problemi, bl-inqas ostakoli possibbli. Żgur però li ser nesperjenzaw diffikultajiet li ser isiru dejjem aktar evidenti matul ix-xhur u s-snin li ġejjin.  Hu għalhekk, li l-Unjoni Ewropea trid taġixxi b’mod deċiżiv u spedit, sabiex tassigura ruħha li l-Istati Membri, il-ħaddiema, il-konsumaturi tagħna, iċ-ċittadini, l-ambjent, l-industriji ma jiġux impattati b’mod negattiv.  U f’każ li jimmaterjalizzaw irwieħhom dawn id-diffikultajiet, il-Kummissjoni għandha tirreaġixxi b’mod immedjat sabiex tirrimedja dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet. U għaldaqstant nixtieq nistaqsi lill-Kummissjoni; kif qed taħseb li ser tindirizza il-kontinwità fil-provvista u l-iskarsezza tal-mediċini f’dawk l-Istati Membri partikolari, bħall-Istat Membru tiegħi Malta, li ġew affettwati minn Brexit.  X’azzjonijiet immedjati u x’soluzzjonijiet fit-tul ser jiġu implimentati sabiex insolvu dawn il-problemi li qed joħolqu sfidi mhux biss għall-effettività tas-sistemi tas-saħħa tal-Istati Membri tagħna, iżda problemi kbar fl-immedjat hekk kif bħalissa ninsabu f’nofs pandemija.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Morten Løkkegaard
Political group: Renew
Country: Sweden
Language: DA

Hr. Formand! Det bedste man kan sige om den her aftale, det er, at den bliver til. Ellers ser vi nu dagligt, uge for uge, måned for måned, konsekvenserne af brexit: kaos ved grænsen, lastbiler, der må vente i dagevis, vognmænd, der fortæller, at de kører tomme tilbage i tusindvis, fordi varer ellers ville rådne op. Mange har opgivet at køre til UK af samme grund. Skaldyrene rådner i havnene i Skotland. Hardcore brexitfiskere klager deres nød og skælder ud på den britiske regering for at have løjet for dem. Overalt er virksomhederne i kaos, der er bureaukrati, ekstra udgifter, tab i millionklassen. Og så er der jo Nordirland, hvor situationen forværres fra dag til dag, efterhånden som konsekvenserne går op for parterne. Det er desværre igen igen historien om en alt for forventelig tragedie. Jeg vil igen appellere til de kræfter i den britiske regering, der stadig måtte være modtagelige for fornuft: Få nu leveret på den aftale, I selv har accepteret! Også selv om vi alle – også I, erkender jeg – må sige, at det, vi siger ja til, er så meget ringere end det, vi kom fra.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Željana Zovko
Political group: PPE
Language: EN

Mr President, with just a few days before the end of a provisional application we stand for a milestone decision. The adoption of the unprecedented trade agreement between the EU and the UK will mark the end of the Brexit negotiations and provide legal certainty. I warmly thank our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and his team for their hard work during the endless rounds of negotiations, and I thank our European Parliament’s UK coordination group, headed by AFET Chair, David McAllister, in assuring a continued representation of our interests. It is paramount that also after the adoption of the agreement, this close engagement of the European Parliament remains.  We insist on a key role in monitoring and scrutinising the proper implementation of the agreement. Parliament should be involved when important decisions concerning Union actions under the agreement are made. Unfortunately, the agreement is not exhaustive; it lacks content on foreign policy and security cooperation.  As a former student in London, I deeply regret the decision of the UK to leave the Erasmus+ programme. I call on the UK to reconsider its position and rejoin the programme in the future.  Finally, I left London in the year that the Good Friday Agreement entered into force. Personally I know how peace and stability can be fragile if international agreements are not respected. We, in the European Parliament, will be vigilant.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Tanja Fajon
Political group: S-D
Language: SL

Gospod predsednik, brexit je realnost. Žal mi je, da je Združeno kraljestvo zapustilo Evropsko unijo. Junija bo pet let od usodnega referenduma. Zgodovinska napaka, a odločitev Britancev spoštujemo. Izhod je bil vse prej kot gladek. Michel Barnier je opravil izjemno delo, a v vmesnem času smo bili na žalost priča tudi številnim pretresom, ki pa so tudi močno omajali medsebojno zaupanje. Takšna je tudi odločitev, da London za državljane petih držav članic zahteva dražji delovni vizum kot za ostalih 22, med njimi tudi za Slovenijo. To je diskriminatorno. To je ukrep, ki ne prispeva k dobrim medsebojnim odnosom in ga močno obsojam. Pozivam, da London odločitev spremeni, podporo pa pričakujem tako od Komisije kot od ostalih držav. Kolege poslance zato pozivam, da podprete dopolnilo številka 21 k resoluciji. Zadnjih pet let so zaznamovala naporna pogajanja, med nami so nastale številne trgovinske ovire. Zaradi zahtev Londona ne bo ključnih izmenjav podatkov organa pregona v okviru Europola, zapustilo je Združeno kraljestvo Erasmus+ in tako naprej. Na Severnem Irskem smo zaradi brexita priča nasilju, Škotska napoveduje nov referendum. Pozivam premierja Johnsona: ne spodbujajte konfliktov, Britancem pa sporočam: ste del Evrope, zaupanje moramo obnoviti. Vsaka ločitev je boleča, ampak niste sami.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Michal Šimečka
Political group: Renew
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Mr President, I think everybody wants the EU-UK trade to flourish despite all the red tape and bureaucracy created by hard Brexit, but there’s one thing which is more important than trade, and that is of course peace and stability on the island of Ireland.  During the Brexit negotiations the EU has repeatedly placed emphasis on the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement, and to the credit of Michel Barnier and EU negotiators, the Protocol in Ireland and Northern Ireland has actually achieved the crucial goal of avoiding a hard border on the island. But today we’re in a situation where the UK Government refuses to implement the Protocol despite voluntarily signing up to it a year ago. And now the EU is right to demand that, for once, the Brexiteers actually honour what they have promised, and if they don’t then Boris Johnson and their company should be ready to face the consequences of violating international law.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Massimiliano Salini
Political group: PPE
Country: Finland
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, grazie Commissario, la Brexit è una partita che ha stravolto il dibattito di questi anni. Lo ha stravolto perché non eravamo pronti. Nulla di simile era mai accaduto e quindi ci siamo trovati sprovvisti di strumenti non solo tecnici per affrontarla correttamente, ma anche di cultura politica. E perché questo? Perché l'origine di questa sfida è un'origine scorretta: è la cattiva interpretazione di quelle che possono essere le relazioni, appunto, tra un paese che rivendica legittimamente le proprie prerogative e la propria autonomia, ma al contempo che non percepisce, a mio modo di vedere, quanto dentro l'unità con la comunità dei popoli europei potesse meglio essere rappresentata questa peculiarità. Il dibattito ha visto alternarsi le figure più strane, la figura del politico che approfitta dell'esasperazione del particolare. È la figura più deprimente che si è vista in questo dibattito. Fortunatamente abbiamo un accordo. Fortunatamente abbiamo un accordo che rispetta la storia delle relazioni tra l'Unione europea e la Gran Bretagna. Fortunatamente non abbiamo una rottura violenta di ciò che non è mai stato disunito.  Peccato che in questo accordo, come qualche collega ha detto prima di me, non trovi ospitalità uno dei punti centrali che ha storicamente rappresentato la relazione positiva tra Unione europea e Gran Bretagna, cioè quella politica estera, quella politica di difesa, quella capacità di tutelare la culla della cultura occidentale, che ha fatto grande non solo l'Europa ma il mondo e che attraverso la difesa e l'Europa intesa come unità di politica e geopolitica avremmo potuto mettere dentro un accordo che, fortunatamente c'è, che difenderemo e che rende ragione della fatica che facciamo dentro questo luogo per rappresentare tutti i cittadini europei.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Katarina Barley
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, I still remember very well 30 January of last year, the day when we said farewell to our British colleagues in this House. Many tears were shed that day and many tears have followed elsewhere – the tears of British citizens who had to leave their homes in Spain, young people who couldn’t live their dream of studying abroad, and the many at the Northern Irish—Irish border who see violence again in their region. It is the citizens on both sides of the Channel that we should give our special attention to, as we are the people’s House. Many lives are affected by Brexit on both sides of the Channel, especially the many EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU. We owe it to the people – to the UK citizens and to the EU citizens – to do everything to fulfil the promise upon which the European Union once was founded: peace and trustful cooperation. We need to act in good faith, we need to work together on the world stage, and we need to always bear in mind that, while in some fields the UK and the European Union have now become competitors, in the overwhelming majority of arenas, we are still allies. So I say it with a German and a British heart: let’s get it on.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Othmar Karas
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Wir setzen nun unsere gemeinsame Aussprache über das Abkommen über Handel und Zusammenarbeit zwischen der EU und dem Vereinigten Königreich und das Ergebnis der Verhandlungen zwischen der EU und dem Vereinigten Königreich fort.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Charles Goerens
Political group: Renew
Country: Czechia
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, échec. Une réponse à un échec. Je vais quand même le voter, parce que les alternatives à cet accord sont exécrables, au point qu’on ne puisse pas s’imaginer un seul instant ne pas prendre ses responsabilités en la matière. Mais il sera dorénavant plus difficile d’assumer nos responsabilités face à des situations complexes et inquiétantes que nous rencontrons de par le monde. Je pense notamment à la sécurité, je pense au domaine sanitaire, au changement climatique, où nous avons besoin de tous et d’alliés pour faire peser de tout notre poids le point de vue de l’Union européenne dans le monde. Nous avons pour cela besoin d’une lecture commune des grands phénomènes qui secouent notre planète, et j’invite le Royaume-Uni, avec la part de sa population assez forte qui adhère encore à l’idée européenne, à nous appuyer en la matière. Je crois que nous devons le faire dans notre propre intérêt, à moins que nous ne voulions jouer en seconde ligue, ce qui serait fatal. Il est donc question de nous ressaisir, et il est temps de le faire tout de suite.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Deirdre Clune
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, I thank the Commissioner for being with us today. I intend to support this agreement. It brings clarity and it’s important to have an agreement in place and the structures that are needed for citizens and for business operators on all sides to get on with things. It’s absolutely so much better than a no—deal situation. The term peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland has been used by quite a number of speakers this morning and it is really important because without peace you won’t get prosperity, you won’t have investment and you won’t be sending a message to young people that this is a place where you can put down your roots and settle and look forward to a long, happy and contented life. Ireland is really important and the Protocol there on the island of Ireland is so important to protect and I thank all those who are involved in ensuring that we have a resolution that recognises the importance of the island of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, voted on in 1998, was voted by the people of Ireland. It’s not an agreement between two Member States, it’s a referendum of the people, it’s a statement that they want to see a united Ireland and they want to get on and live side by side and it is so important that it is protected and supervised by both governments: the UK and Ireland Government and now by extension the European Union as well. Now, there will be difficulties – I absolutely understand that, we’re experiencing them now – but the most important thing is that we engage in dialogue and I acknowledge, Commissioner, that you are engaging with Mr Frost and that there are issues on the table, but without dialogue we can’t make progress. So, I respect the rights of the UK absolutely to leave. I think we ourselves need to examine why they did leave, who’s right, who’s wrong. I think we’re absolutely right, but we need to explain that as well to our citizens. And the conference on the future of Europe that we’re now embarking on is a very important place, it’s not just a statement, it’s really important that we listen to our citizens from the bottom up and not from the top down.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Manuel Pizarro
Political group: S-D
Language: PT

Senhor Presidente, Senhor Comissário, Senhora Secretária de Estado, apoiamos este acordo. A situação seria muito mais grave se ele não existisse. Mas a sua implementação terá que ser acompanhada de forma muito atenta e firme por parte da União Europeia. Nestes 4 meses já se sentiram dificuldades. As pescas estiveram no centro de muitas das falsidades ligadas ao Brexit e foram um dos pontos mais difíceis de negociar. No acordo há um conjunto de regras aplicáveis de forma progressiva até junho de 2026.  É imperioso garantir que as regras acordadas são cumpridas. Há sinais, aliás, de que isso está a ser dificultado pelo Reino Unido, em particular no que diz respeito à repartição das possibilidades de pesca. As empresas de pesca necessitam de previsibilidade na sua operação. Não podemos estar a chegar a maio sem saber que quantidades podem ser capturadas até final do ano. O preço do pescado não é constante ao longo do ano. Se não houver previsibilidade não poderá haver garantias de estabilidade económica das empresas.  O setor das pescas está a enfrentar a tempestade perfeita entre a incerteza do Brexit e as consequências da pandemia pela COVID-19. Temos também, por isso, a obrigação de garantir que, pelo menos, o que acordámos com o Reino Unido é escrupulosamente cumprido por ambas as partes e eu exorto a Comissão a assegurar que isso acontece em cada momento.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Nicola Beer
Political group: Renew
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Herr Präsident! Mit der Zustimmung zum Abkommen verhindern wir heute endgültig einen harten Brexit. Der Weg hierhin war steinig – viel mehr hätte erreicht werden sollen, müssen. Aber, wieder einmal: Der Klügere gibt nach. Nachgeben, nicht aufgeben! Der aufgeblasenen Backen aus London wird sich das Vertragsverletzungsverfahren annehmen. Denn es kann nicht sein, dass die Regierung Johnson kontinuierlich gegen den Austrittsvertrag verstößt, das Protokoll von Nordirland verletzt. Diese Ratifizierung aber ist der Beginn der zukünftigen Beziehungen zwischen der EU und dem Vereinigten Königreich.  Das Europäische Parlament will den Menschen Rechtssicherheit geben. Weitere Gewalt, insbesondere in Nordirland, muss verhindert werden. Wo Fronten verhärtet sind, wo Gemüter erhitzt sind, sollen Perspektiven der Gemeinsamkeit und der Verbundenheit zwischen den Menschen entstehen, und genau da muss es jetzt weitergehen. Besonders dringlich ist ein Ersatz für Erasmus plus, damit der Austausch von Schülern und Studierenden ohne Hürden lebendig bleibt, für eine gemeinsame weltoffene junge Generation. Unser Parlament wird am Ball bleiben, hoffentlich zusammen mit vielen britischen Kolleginnen und Kollegen, damit ein vereinigtes Europa ein Vereinigtes Königreich als starken Partner hat.
Debate: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - The outcome of EU-UK negotiations
Date: TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 2021
Speaker: Loránt Vincze
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Mr President, Brexit was never going to be a single event, but a process of rebuilding and managing our relationship in a new framework. I also hope that we will strengthen our cooperation in areas not yet covered by the agreement – more ambitious mobility arrangements and stronger cooperation in the area of student exchanges. We must overcome the loss of Erasmus. Youth and education exchanges need a new format and financial support on both sides. We need to create an EU-UK university student mobility scheme. Colleagues, I would like to echo what the President of the Commission said this morning: the commitments printed on paper are only as good as they are put in practice. The signs we have seen so far are not encouraging. This concerns primarily the Northern Ireland Protocol, but also other areas where we have seen the UK already acting against its commitments. In spite of the non-discrimination clause in visa policies, the UK is already applying different fees for seasonal work visas, health and care worker visas, for citizens from Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia. This is not acceptable. It is clear that the reasons for imposing different visa fees are of an artificial and political nature. The inclusion of a stronger non-discrimination clause was a huge success but regrettably, we see that the UK Government is trying to circumvent it at the earliest opportunity. This sets a dangerous precedent. The European Commission will have to use all legal instruments in the agreement to ensure its full implementation, including that of the reciprocity principle in mobility and visa issues. From all signals received so far, it will not be an easy task, and I wish Vice-President Šefčovič all the best on this.