unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Elena Kountoura
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EL

Κυρία Πρόεδρε, κύριοι συνάδελφοι, κάθε χρόνο περισσότερα από 7 000 άτομα πέφτουν θύματα εγκληματικών δικτύων εμπορίας ανθρώπων στην Ευρώπη και η πλειοψηφία των θυμάτων είναι γυναίκες και κορίτσια που διακινούνται για σεξουαλική εκμετάλλευση. Ένα στα τέσσερα καταγεγραμμένα θύματα είναι πολίτες της ίδιας χώρας. Το έγκλημα αυτό αναπτύσσεται όλο και περισσότερο στο διαδίκτυο, και η νέα οδηγία για την καταπολέμηση της εμπορίας ανθρώπων ενισχύει τα δικαιώματα των θυμάτων, ενισχύει τα μέτρα πρόληψης και εξοπλίζει τα κράτη μέλη με το απαραίτητο πλαίσιο για να αντιμετωπίσουν τα εγκληματικά δίκτυα εμπορίας, και να στηρίξουν τα θύματα. Προβλέπει αυστηρότερες ποινές στα ζητήματα του καταναγκαστικού γάμου, παρένθετης κύησης και παράνομης υιοθεσίας. Για πρώτη φορά, έχουμε μέτρα προστασίας για τα παιδιά που βρίσκονται σε ιδρύματα και τους ανθρώπους με αναπηρίες. Υποχρεώνει τις χώρες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να επιβάλλουν κυρώσεις στα άτομα που εν γνώσει τους χρησιμοποιούν υπηρεσίες παρεχόμενες από θύματα εμπορίας ανθρώπων. Τώρα είναι η ευθύνη των κρατών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να την εφαρμόσουν άμεσα.
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, I think that human trafficking is, of course, a grotesque crime, and I think we all share a commitment to fighting it. But like everything else though, that apparent commitment can be abused. And we have seen that in prosecutions of migrants and NGOs for human trafficking, when actually what they’ve been doing is saving lives.  And we have seen it time and again being used to browbeat people into supporting policies that harm sex workers’ rights, for example. Now, thankfully, the more extreme elements of Parliament’s position on this directive are now gone, but the push for the Nordic model is still there however watered down. This model has been criticised by everyone, from the UN to the ILO to Amnesty International and, more importantly, by sex workers themselves. Criminalisation doesn’t reduce demand, but it does succeed in harming women.  Ireland introduced this model seven years ago. It was supposed to be reviewed in 2020. Four years on, that hasn’t happened because if they did, it would be exposed for the failure that it is. So can we just deal with the crime of trafficking as it is and stop using it as a Trojan horse for other questions?
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, unfortunately, the EU’s continued complicity has rendered the aims of this directive meaningless. Time and time again, the EU has fed the poverty, conflict and unemployment, which the EU itself names as the root causes of trafficking.  Within just four months in 2022, the EU countries reported over 80 suspected trafficking cases of Ukrainian refugees. Two years later, Parliament is still refusing calls for an initiative to secure a ceasefire. We cannot continue cheerleading conflicts worldwide, imposing famine conditions on millions of Palestinians and supporting sanctions that increase unemployment while claiming to protect victims of trafficking. And all the warmongering being engaged in by the EU only makes things worse.  The recent migration pact has destroyed individual right to asylum. Because of the policies we implement, children at our borders will be greeted with fingerprinting and increased detention. Yet this directive promises victims a straightforward, child-centred approach to international protection. God help us.
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Sandra Pereira
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: PT

Senhor Presidente, a diretiva que aqui discutimos avança no sentido do combate ao tráfico de seres humanos. Além da exploração sexual, inclui outras situações como a gestão da substituição, o casamento forçado ou a adoção ilegal, cujas práticas engrossam o número de vítimas de tráfico. Valorizamos igualmente a abordagem sobre a situação específica das crianças, bem como das pessoas com deficiência.  Salientamos que é fundamental que os Estados-Membros tenham os recursos adequados, humanos, técnicos e logísticos para que o combate seja efetivo e as vítimas sejam protegidas. Esta proposta contrasta com o recentemente aprovado Pacote de Migração e Asilo que, com a militarização e externalização de fronteiras, pode ter impactos no aumento da imigração clandestina e, logo, no aumento do tráfico de seres humanos.  Urge combater as causas do tráfico de seres humanos, o desemprego, a marginalização e a pobreza e dar prioridade ao reforço dos direitos sociais e laborais, ao emprego com direitos, a serviços públicos de qualidade e ao progresso económico e social.
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

Now we will have a better, more effective European approach. What we have done is raise the bar. But a Member State can put in place stricter rules or higher standards. It is important to say that the list of forms of exploitation in this directive is non-exhaustive. We made sure that Member States are criminalising at least these forms, but they can also have stricter rules.  And this much-needed update of our anti-trafficking rules comes at the right time. The latest statistics show the number of detected victims is increasing. The share of labour exploitation is growing. Forced begging and forced criminality is on the rise in relative terms. But in absolute terms, so is the number of victims of sexual exploitation. What doesn’t change? Most victims are women and girls. And they are mainly trafficked for sexual exploitation. But the number of successful prosecutions is decreasing.  With your vote, we will bring better protection of victims and better prosecution of perpetrators. I would like to thank you for a job well done.
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Malin Björk
Country: Czechia
Language: EN

Moreover, one of the main things is that when we try to prevent we have to address demand reduction. And we can do, you know, as much info and awareness raising towards potential victims as we want. But why should those who abuse and use and those who traffic, why should they go without having the main responsibility? That’s where the responsibility belongs. So that’s why it is so important to say no to those who exploit and those who abuse.  When it comes to labour exploitation, we have to work with, of course, to detect, with trade unions, with people working, you know, going in and seeing in these places, where is the abuse going on? Where can we detect victims and provide rights when it comes to trafficking for sexual exploitation? So who should we address? Of course we should say no to pimps. What kind of Europe is that, where we legalise brothels? And when we say it’s okay to buy and sell women and girls and boys and men, it’s not! And it’s also then goes for those who actually use the buyers, it’s not so difficult. You know, we can be very liberal and Sweden is a very liberal country when it comes to sex. Whoever, whenever, what you want, but don’t pay. That is abuse. It’s harmful and it’s abuse and it feeds trafficking. So just be, you know, as other MEPs have said here, let’s be honest about that, that some people are still backwards, some people are still backwards. They think that that, you know, like that. That’s a normal thing. It’s not a normal thing. It’s the most conservative, Victorian thing that you should sell. And by women and girls, I just don’t adhere to that.  Finally, I will just say what this directive is: it gives rights, rights and rights to victims. And that is the main thing because access to justice, housing and protection, that is what we have achieved.
Debate: Amending Directive //EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Eugenia Rodríguez Palop
Country: Netherlands
Language: ES

Pero no olvidemos que esta Directiva persigue también la explotación laboral, que se practica a veces en los mismísimos salones de las casas o en los negocios propios. Hay internas esclavizadas que han sido literalmente secuestradas, encerradas sin documentación y sin cobrar salario alguno con la idea de que bastaba darles cama y comida como si fueran mascotas. Hablamos también de temporeras que han sufrido trabajos forzosos en el campo y que, en muchos casos, han sido objeto —además— de violencia sexual. Se trata de gente de cuya situación irregular se saca provecho económico y con la que se mercadea como si fuera un despojo. Hay miles de personas sometidas a un permanente círculo de violencia sexual o laboral, deshumanizadas y cosificadas, convertidas en una mercancía segura y perdurable. En fin, está claro que el egoísmo y la codicia alimentan la crueldad, la cultura predatoria y esclavista. Y eso no se frena solo con una ley, por más integral que sea. Hay que dotarse de una sólida arquitectura legislativa. Por eso es tan importante que esta Directiva se contemple en conexión con la Directiva sobre la lucha contra la violencia, con el Convenio de Estambul o con el Convenio 190 de la OIT —por ejemplo—, en los que también hemos trabajado en estos años.  Aunque a veces es difícil, hay que seguir creyendo en la humanidad para salvarla. Y yo confío en que mañana daremos un paso en la dirección correcta. No habría mejor broche para poner fin a esta legislatura. El mundo podría ser un poco mejor a partir de mañana. Gracias otra vez, señora comisaria. Gracias, Malin. Gracias a todas las ponentes alternativas. Espero de verdad que mañana todo empiece de nuevo.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Pina Picierno
Country: Spain
Language: IT

L'ordine del giorno reca le dichiarazioni del Consiglio europeo e della Commissione sulle conclusioni delle recenti riunioni del Consiglio europeo, in particolare su un nuovo accordo europeo sulla competitività e l'agenda strategica dell'UE 2024-2029 (
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Valérie Hayer
Political group: Renew
Country: Czechia
Language: FR

J’accueille favorablement le rapport d’Enrico Letta, qui pose des constats justes. Ces recommandations doivent désormais être suivies de faits. Nous devons faire les pas décisifs qui permettront d’assurer notre compétitivité. Les États-Unis subventionnent massivement leurs industries. La Chine surprotège les siennes et inonde notre marché européen. L’Europe ne peut pas rester spectatrice. Des actes courageux sont nécessaires pour mettre fin à nos dépendances. Depuis plusieurs années, nous tirons la sonnette d’alarme et les crises ont révélé nos vulnérabilités de manière spectaculaire. 80 % de notre production de principes actifs est aujourd’hui assurée en Asie. Résultat: pénurie de paracétamol, d’amoxicilline, d’antibiotiques et d’antidouleurs, même, pour soigner nos bébés ici en Europe. Aujourd’hui, 70 % des puces électroniques sont produites à Taïwan et aux États-Unis, 80 % de nos panneaux solaires en Chine. Résultat: notre développement technologique et notre transition écologique dépendent de la stabilité du reste du monde. Cet état de fait, chers collègues, est sévère. Pourtant, mettre fin à nos dépendances stratégiques n’est pas notre seul chantier. Il nous faut aussi mieux intégrer le marché intérieur et enfin réaliser l’union des marchés de capitaux, en gestation depuis tant d’années. Chers collègues, les Européens disposent de 33 000 milliards d’euros d’épargne privée. Autant de richesses qui pourraient et qui doivent être mobilisées pour nos investissements stratégiques, avec des retours concrets pour les Européens et leur portefeuille: des perspectives, leurs emplois. Madame la Présidente, nous ne pouvons pas laisser un fossé se creuser entre l’Union européenne et ses concurrents internationaux. Le sommet européen de la semaine dernière semble avoir amorcé un sursaut à cet égard et je m’en réjouis. Renew Europe avait déjà alerté depuis longtemps sur le besoin d’assurer notre compétitivité. Je me réjouis que le PPE s’empare enfin du problème, un an après s’être en réalité divisé sur la résolution du Parlement européen sur le sujet. Un an après avoir échoué à mettre en place un outil crucial pour notre compétitivité, le Fonds de souveraineté, pourtant promis par vous, Madame la Présidente. Nous attendrons de la prochaine Commission, quelle que soit sa couleur politique, une approche volontariste pour s’assurer que l’Europe que nous laisserons en 2029 sera elle aussi un des géants de ce monde.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Terry Reintke
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Italy
Language: EN

It is about our place in the world. It is about our independence. It is, indeed, about our security. And this security will only be strong if we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, not to run into dependencies from dictators again. Building Nord Stream 2 was a mistake from the beginning, trusting that Putin would not wage a bloody war against Ukraine and attack our democracies and way of life was a mistake.  We wasted important years for the expansion of renewables, which make Europe strong and free. We are right now facing the hottest days and months on record, which cost lives and which costs our economies. And still, the EPP refuses to do what is needed for our climate, for our economies and for the European Union not to be left behind and leave production, for example, of electric cars to China.  Colleagues, let us not make the same mistakes of the past again. We cannot lose time to make this continent climate neutral, especially while we are also facing times when democracy and freedom are under severe attack. And as it looks, also from within this House – after Russiagate, now there are new suspicions of espionage for China, also from assistants from this Parliament. And it has become absolutely clear, these people on the far right, they are not patriots, they are not serving the interests of the European citizens, but the interests of dictatorships and autocracies. This makes it even more important, colleagues, to build strong, pro-European, constructive majorities in the next European Parliament.  After the European election, we will set a path for the next five years. The beginning of the next legislature will be our moment of truth. Will we steer the European Union in the direction of climate neutrality, of defending democracy and freedom? Or will we follow the same old recipes that risk harming our European economies and global competitiveness? I think you know the answer that I would give to that. So let us fight constructively in this election campaign, but then let us build constructive, pro-European majorities after this election.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Dominik Tarczyński
Political group: ECR
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Madam President, you’re smiling, I’m happy you’re happy, but let’s talk about the facts. Export from China: over EUR 500 billion. Exports from European Union to China: EUR 230 billion. In the same time, Madam President, you are forcing European citizens with the Green Deal when Europe is responsible for 7 % of pollution of the globe, and you want to save Europe with our pockets.  This is madness. And this madness will be stopped after these elections. We’re going to make Europe great again. We’re going to change the numbers. And your laugh will not change the fact that you are going to lose these elections. You know that, and you know that, Madam President. You know why? Because there is no freedoms you mention. We can read in the conclusions that Europe must be safe for European citizens. It’s your fault, Madam President, that it’s not safe. Illegal migration, and your policy, Mr Weber, German policy, ‘Willkommen’, is the reason why Europe is not safe.  Let’s talk about the report about safety in Germany: 6 million crimes raised, the highest rise in the history of Germany, and you want to continue that? This madness about illegal migration will be stopped after these elections, this madness about the Green Deal, Madam President, will be stopped about this madness. And your smiles and good humour will not change the fact that Conservatives will make Europe great again.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Marina Mesure
Political group: The Left
Country: Spain
Language: FR

Votre croyance dogmatique en la concurrence libre et non faussée ont eu raison hier de nos chantiers navals et de notre industrie textile. Aujourd’hui, ils ont raison de notre production de panneaux solaires et de notre production d’éoliennes. Demain, ils auront aussi raison de notre industrie automobile. Donc, ça suffit, la libéralisation des secteurs stratégiques, notamment du secteur énergétique, le fameux marché européen de l’énergie dont vous vous félicitez aujourd’hui, alors que c’est un véritable fiasco pour nos entreprises, les ménages, les artisans, les TPE et les PME, qui font faillite à cause des prix de l’énergie. Ne venez pas ici vous en féliciter, c’est une véritable honte. Je vous propose à la place une solution éprouvée: la planification, le protectionnisme, l’intervention publique, les droits sociaux dans les secteurs stratégiques et, partout en Europe, la réindustrialisation verte. À ce prix, nous en avons besoin pour, toutes et tous, vivre dignement.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Jörg Meuthen
Political group: NI
Country: Spain
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissionspräsidentin – na, die geht gerade wieder mal –, verehrte Kollegen! Die EU wird offenbar wach. Auf dem Ratsgipfel war keine Rede mehr vom  Grund zur reiner Freude ist diese Kurskorrektur indessen nicht. Die Einsicht kommt nämlich zu spät. Europas Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ist nicht erst jetzt plötzlich in Gefahr. Es ist das Ergebnis einer jahrelangen völlig falschen Wirtschaftspolitik des Aushebelns der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der EU. Die Volkswirtschaften in der EU verlieren international immer weiter den Anschluss. Millionen Menschen droht der langfristige Verlust ihres Lebensstandards. Die Notbremse muss deshalb jetzt gezogen werden. Es muss Schluss sein mit Hybris und Hysterie. Wir brauchen nüchterne, pragmatische ökonomische Vernunft. Die bestünde in der Beschränkung auf das Setzen kluger Rahmenbedingungen für die Unternehmen und im Verzicht auf staatliches Steuern aller wirtschaftlichen Abläufe. Weniger Bürokratie, weniger Reglementierung, weniger Abgabenlast. Weniger ist mehr. Aber das kapiert hier scheinbar niemand mehr. So und nur so kann Europa langfristig wieder wettbewerbsfähig werden. Den blumigen Märchenstunden von Frau von der Leyen glaubt niemand mehr, der die wahren Daten kennt.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Tom Berendsen
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: NL

Voorzitter, beste collega’s, we staan hier vandaag om de conclusies van de Raad te bespreken. En ik moet bekennen dat ik hier met een dubbel gevoel sta. Ik lees conclusies van onze regeringsleiders over het versterken van onze concurrentiekracht. Dat klinkt heel mooi en herkenbaar, want daar pleiten we als EVP onder leiding van Manfred Weber al jaren voor. Maar er is genoeg reden om kritisch te zijn voor onze regeringsleiders: De Raad concludeert dat we ruimschoots beschikbare en betaalbare energie willen hebben. Maar ondertussen zijn er landen in de Europese Unie die besluiten hun kerncentrales te sluiten in de grootste energiecrisis van de afgelopen decennia. De Raad concludeert dat we strategische afhankelijkheden willen afbouwen, maar ondertussen zien we landen in de Europese Unie groeiende Chinese invloed in onze havens, in onze kritieke infrastructuur, toestaan. De Raad concludeert dat we onze defensie—industrie willen versterken, maar levert ondertussen onvoldoende om de productie van bijvoorbeeld munitie daadwerkelijk naar het niveau van een oorlogseconomie te krijgen. Dus laten we in plaats van al die prachtige teksten op te schrijven, er nu echt werk van maken. De Europese Unie is de op een na grootste economische macht ter wereld. Nu we stevig worden uitgedaagd door andere grote machtsblokken, moeten we onze positie versterken. En we kunnen dat, als we de handen ineenslaan, als we de keuze maken om samen sterk te staan in de grote onderwerpen en daar ook echt werk van te maken, van oplossingen leveren zoals we dat de afgelopen jaren in Europa ook in moeilijke tijden gedaan hebben. Samenwerken waar dat ons sterker maakt en elkaar de ruimte geven waar nodig.
Debate: Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda -
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Marek Belka
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Madam President, in this discussion, I would like to take up one issue: capital markets union, or more precisely, the lack of it. Our financial system in Europe is ideal for financing traditional industries with full collateral, with long business records. It’s improper to finance start-ups, disruptive technologies – those champions of new technology. As long as we drag our feet with developing, creating a real capital markets union, we’ll have to be satisfied with a long list of commendable but ineffective actions on the part of the European Union that we heard from Ursula von der Leyen. I was impressed, but still we are losing on competitiveness against China and America. Why? Let’s think about it.