unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold
Political group: PPE
Country: Belgium
Language: DE

Herr Präsident! Vielen Dank, Kommissar Hahn, für die heutige Aussprache. Der Transport über die Straße ist noch immer ein Schwerpunkt im Güterverkehr, doch Lkw-Fahrerinnen und Lkw-Fahrer haben oftmals auf europäischen Straßen und Rastplätzen keine sicheren Arbeitsbedingungen. Allein in Deutschland fehlen derzeit laut dem Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung, das wurde bereits angesprochen, circa 40 000 Lkw-Parkplätze. Zur Wahrheit gehört auch, dass zusätzlich alleine in Deutschland nach aktuellen Zahlen sogar 100 000 Lkw-Fahrerinnen und Lkw-Fahrer fehlen, die  Ich verbringe selbst viel Zeit auf der Autobahn. Ich glaube, gerade als Frau möchte man nachts nicht auf Lkw-Parkplätze fahren, und man möchte auch grundsätzlich momentan nicht auf Rastplätze fahren, das gehört auch zur Wahrheit dazu. Das heißt, sowohl Männer als auch besonders Frauen sind von dem Bereich betroffen. Stellplätze gehören im Transportgewerbe zum Arbeitsplatz. Eine andere Wahl gibt es nachts, an Sonn- oder an Feiertagen häufig nicht. Sorgen wir endlich dafür, dass gefährliche und verzweifelte Parkmanöver, nächtliche Übergriffe und unhygienische Zustände der Vergangenheit angehören. Sorgen wir dafür, dass Lkw-Fahrerinnen und Lkw-Fahrer denselben Schutz am Arbeitsplatz genießen können wie andere Berufsgruppen und wie er ihnen rechtlich zusteht.
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Vlad Gheorghe
Political group: Renew
Country: Spain
Language: RO

Domnule președinte, camionagii, tiriști, șoferi, toți cetățeni europeni, disprețuiți sau ignorați în Uniunea Europeană, deși alimentele, medicamentele, toate produsele de care noi avem nevoie sunt livrate de ei! Îi lăsăm pradă hoților în parcări nesigure, îi abandonăm la cozi interminabile în vămi, îi punem să suporte singuri toate dezavantajele muncii lor.  Șoferii pleacă de lângă familii cu zilele și traversează Europa. Sunt puși să descarce mărfurile, dar nu sunt plătiți pentru asta, ba chiar plătesc ei pagubele după ce sunt atacați de hoți. Uneori își pierd chiar viața. Acum doi ani, românul Mihai Spătaru a fost ucis într-o parcare din Franța. În ciuda petiției cu zeci de mii de semnături pe care am transformat-o aici în rezoluție, situația șoferilor europeni s-a schimbat, dar prea puțin.  Este intolerabil să nu ne apărăm cetățenii. Este rușinos că în Uniunea Europeană, meseria îți pune viața în pericol. Este datoria noastră să îmbunătățim acum viața șoferilor de camion.
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Jiří Pospíšil
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: CS

Pane předsedající, ta debata byla velmi zajímavá a ukazuje případ, kdy my na jedné straně přijímáme legislativu, kterou třeba vylepšujeme pracovní podmínky určitých pracovníků, nutnost spát v hotelích, zkracujeme lhůty, po kterou musí řidič kamionu jezdit, ale na druhou stranu neděláme nic potom pro to, aby tato pravidla byla naplnitelná, aby to byla reálná pravidla. A to mně připadá jako velký problém, pane komisaři. A takový obraz a takové případy bohužel poškozují obraz Evropské unie. Přijmeme legislativu, kterou v praxi nelze realizovat. Co si občané a nejen řidiči kamionů potom mohou myslet o Evropské unii? A já tedy moc prosím, ve chvíli, kdy přijmeme legislativu takto ambiciózní ve vztahu k sociálním podmínkám řidičů kamionů, musíme logicky řešit i situaci, jak ji reálně naplnit. To znamená stav parkovišť, stav odpočívadel atd. Asi by to mělo být věcí soukromých investorů, případně členských států, ale když legislativu upravujeme my, je třeba, aby nás i tato druhá stránka zajímala.
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, Commissioner, you said that if we don’t provide good facilities, we’re going to struggle to attract drivers to the industry. And you’re right. At the moment, the average age of lorry drivers in Europe is 47. Young people are not attracted to the industry and one of the main reasons is because the facilities are so poor. I mean, you’ve only to drive around Europe yourself. I mean, apart from France, facilities are so poor across most of Europe. Likewise, I mean the lack of safe space and good facilities is one of the reasons as well why there are so few women involved. In Ireland only 2% of heavy goods vehicles drivers are women. Now, in the last 30 years, we have built an awful lot of motorway in Europe, in Ireland, with the help of EU money. How come they were allowed to build motorways with EU money without putting in proper rest areas? Because they’re almost non-existent in Ireland. It’s crazy. And I’m just wondering, going forward, should people get planning permission to build a motorway without providing the facilities?
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Seán Kelly
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

According to the International Road Transport Union, Europe is lacking 100 000 parking places for truck drivers to take their rest, while most of the existing parking areas for 300 000 trucks are below acceptable standards. As truckers are obliged to take legally mandated risks, we should protect them during these periods. Issues remain with the number of rest stops. So it’s not surprising Europe is facing the most acute driver shortage in history, with over 20 % of the jobs unfilled. If we do not address these conditions quickly, young generations will not enter the sector, and we only have to look at the experience of United Kingdom post-Brexit to understand the havoc this can bring to a country’s economy.
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, I think there’s no doubt about it that there is a massive shortage of truck drivers across the EU, which is having a major impact on the economy as a whole. And, as colleagues have said, one of the key reasons for this is the deterioration in working conditions, which is a significant factor on the recruitment problem that we have with new drivers – a situation fuelled by the drive for profits and the liberalisation taking place in the industry. The result of these problems and policies is a massive fatigue among transport workers, whether it’s a pilot in the cockpit or a lorry driver in the cab, long working hours, long periods away from home and poor rest conditions are contributing factors. Now, in 2021, the ETF stated that 60% of lorry drivers say they regularly have to drive while tired, and a third say they’ve fallen asleep at the wheel. These people are literally taking their lives and the lives of others into their own hands and we have shown ourselves unable to properly regulate. The state of rest areas is alarming. Roads are busier, schedules tighter, but there’s little being done to improve drivers conditions, and we have to do an awful lot more.
Debate: Poor sanitary conditions, low levels of security and lack of parking places in rest areas for truck drivers
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Johannes Hahn
Language: EN

I have already explained how the Commission is aiming to increase the availability of such parking areas through financial support via CEF and through a legal obligation on Member States to build the appropriate infrastructure along the TEN-T network. At least, as a starter, I would say in parallel we need to continue our efforts to support the development of such parking facilities. This is a key aspect on which our services are working in the Commission expert group on safe and secure parking areas. In the following weeks, the Commission will also launch a specific study on the availability and development of EU safe and secure parking areas that take stock of the current state of play. We will also map further needs and should include a list of recommendations to increase the number and quality of safe and secure parking areas. The results of this study will be presented in a report to the European Parliament and the Council by the end of next year.
Debate: European green bonds
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Seán Kelly
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Mr President, green bonds play a vital role in making the objectives of the European Green Deal a reality. Financial markets have the power to address climate challenges by meeting the demand for low-carbon projects. The issuing of green bonds allows for the financing of green projects, while also allowing investors to diversify their portfolios with green investments. I would particularly highlight the role of green finance in enabling the development and innovation of social housing. Public grants and revolving funds are central to the viability of sustainability plans and key in increasing housing affordability. By supporting a strong, regulated green bond market, we also support the EU’s battle against climate change. This is why I voted in favour of this report, as it supports a harmonised standard for European green bonds. This will all streamline the process of investing in green bonds, as well as improve the functioning of the single market.
Debate: European green bonds
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, I voted for this file because the intention is clearly to stop greenwashing and speed up decarbonisation, which we support. But we have to be honest about it. Climate change, social inequality, and the democratic crisis are all linked to an economic system dominated by financial markets. Global financing is causing a lot of the dispossession of rural and urban communities, destroying lands, rivers and homes. But for the EU, big finance is the solution. And as the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, made the point at a meeting in Brussels in the summer, it’s naive to think that a problem caused by capitalism is going to be solved by it. And that’s the problem with these bonds. They’re designed to finance investments that contribute and address climate and environmental problems. But it’s within the framework of taxonomy where there are problems with clearly including gas and nuclear as environmentally sustainable activities and, crucially, entrusting responsibility for supervision to external auditors. It’s not good enough. The planet is burning, but we’re given the keys to the arsonist.
Debate: Scheme of generalised tariff preferences
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Seán Kelly
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Mr President, the EU GSP mechanism removes import duties from products imported into the EU from vulnerable developing markets. This is critical in assisting developing countries and alleviating poverty, while also fostering sustainable development through the promotion of human rights and good governance. Although the current scheme lasts until 31 December, the ordinary legislative procedure has yet to be concluded despite seven rounds of trilogues, leaving beneficiaries uncertain of the scheme’s future. As a former standing rapporteur for the GSP scheme, I supported MEP Hautala’s report as it provides GSP beneficiaries with legal certainty and predictability through recommending the extension of the current scheme while negotiations are underway. That’s the least we can do.
Debate: Urban wastewater treatment
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Seán Kelly
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Mr President, I presume you won’t be calling me again to repeat what I said! But if you do I will. So I am pleased to support MEP Torvalds’ proposal and in particular, I would like to highlight the excellent work done by my colleague Deirdre Clune. The current Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is over 30 years old. Despite its success in reducing pollution from wastewater, I support my colleague’s aim to adapt this directive to new challenges we face today. The revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive will also ensure the consequences of climate change are better addressed. The frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall represent a threat to the efficiency of sanitation systems. I am glad to see that this directive shifts the burden away from Member States and back onto the polluters themselves, as well as recognition of the key role sanitation plays in public health.
Debate: Urban wastewater treatment
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Ivan Vilibor Sinčić
Political group: NI
Country: Czechia
Language: HR

Poštovani predsjedavajući, uzalud brojne direktive kad je provođenje politike zaštite okoliša i voda u praksi katastrofa.  U Hrvatskoj imamo pročistač voda u Sisku, gradu od 40 tisuća stanovnika, koji ima kapacitet 60 tisuća ekvivalentnih stanovnika i sad se još hoće proširiti na 80 tisuća. Projekt je neadekvatan i neće se moći jednoga dana održavati i sanirati. Bit će ekološka katastrofa i bankrotirat će lokalnu zajednicu.  To nije jedini primjer. U Grčkoj imamo Grammaticos, imamo zatim primjer iz Rumunjske gdje su uloženi brojni novci u sustav gospodarenja otpadom. Brojni su projekti promašaji. U dalekom Libanonu uloženo je 100 milijuna eura u sustav gospodarenja otpadom. Nije se dogodilo ništa, projekti su katastrofa. Tamošnje ministarstvo odbija odgovornost.  Naravno, za Hrvatsku sam govorio beskonačno puta u ovome domu. Čak je i Državna revizija na kraju potvrdila da sam bio u pravu. Dakle, dok god ekipa u JASPERS-u i u Komisiji koja potvrđuje ovakve loše projekte ne podnese odgovornost ili dok ih se ne rastjera, direktive su uzaludne.
Debate: Urban wastewater treatment
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, the new level four treatment of wastewater requirement will mean treatment services will have to screen out micro-pollutants for the first time, including pollution from pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. These new requirements will require water services in many Member States to dramatically improve their service provision, none more so than in Ireland. Irish Water operates over 1 000 wastewater treatment plants in Ireland, yet 180 of these plants are still only providing level one treatment.  In Ireland, there are still 32 towns and villages discharging raw sewage untreated into the sea and rivers. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, just 51% of wastewater was treated according to the existing EU standards last year. Water infrastructure in Ireland has suffered from massive underfunding for decades. The cost burden shouldn’t be on households. It should be a human right. The Irish people have emphatically rejected water charges before now. What we do need is adequate public investment in our water infrastructure and the referendum in Ireland to make sure water remains in public ownership.
Debate: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Angel Dzhambazki
Political group: ECR
Country: Germany
Language: BG

Г-н Председател, нашествието в Арцах на азерските войски беше нещо, което трябваше да се очаква. За съжаление, нито в Европейската комисия, нито в Европейския парламент слушаха. Това по съществото си е едно военно престъпление, това по съществото си е повторение на събитията от 1913–1915 г., извършени от Османската империя. Това за целия арменски народ и арменската общност се нарича геноцид. Днес сме свидетели на нещо подобно, на етническо прочистване. Азерските войски извършват етническо прочистване в една чисто арменска исторически област. И това се знае от всеки един. Само че, когато ви предупреждавахме за тези неща, тук колеги си играеха на големи дипломати и си играеха на това да купуват някакви газ, нефт и така нататък от азерския диктатор, който сега откриха, че е диктатор. Това също е доста срамно и доста позорно, защото това беше ясно още в момента, в който се видя как действат азерските войски срещу народа на Арцах, срещу арменците там.  По тази причина гласувах в подкрепа на тази  резолюция и смятам, че всеки един трябва да осъди това незаконно нахлуване.
Debate: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is a humanitarian disaster that we just watched unfold. For over nine months, Azerbaijan blockaded the corridor connecting the region with mainland Armenia. Over 100 000 Karabakh Armenians were cut off from basic goods and services, gas and electricity in a clear effort to ethnically cleanse them from the area. The international community abandoned them – the US, the EU, Russia, everyone. Why? Because of a vested interest in not falling out with Azerbaijan. Israel and Azerbaijan trade weapons and oil. The US partners with them against Iran. President von der Leyen was in Baku in July last year, showing the world that some authoritarian regimes make great business partners. Since Russia cemented an alliance with Azerbaijan two days before the invasion of Ukraine, they have next to nothing to offer in support of their traditional ally, Armenia. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are victims of geopolitical tensions connected to the war in Ukraine. It’s all the more reason why we should try and bring this war to an end and stop further destabilising the region.
Debate: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, two weeks ago, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive into Nagorno-Karabakh, where most of the people are Armenian. Reports of detention, torture, attacks, 100 000 people, two-thirds of the population have now fled in the space of a week. Caravans of desperate people filling the roads, trying to get out. Ghost cities with abandoned pets left to roam the streets. And last week, the Commission announced that they’d support those who ‘decided’ to flee. 100 000 people don’t ‘decide’ to flee overnight at the drop of a hat. It’s not a road trip. It’s ethnic cleansing. And why do we refuse to call it that? Politics as usual. Because Baku spent USD 2.9 billion on caviar diplomacy to buy influence in Brussels in recent years, von der Leyen jetting off to sign a gas deal. Azerbaijan is our most reliable energy supplier in the game against Russia. The products of our arms industry sold to Türkiye end up in the hands of the Azerbaijani military. We might be playing the peacemaker now, but I don’t think the people of Armenia believe us.
Debate: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Jiří Pospíšil
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: CS

Pane předsedající, já jsem podpořil to usnesení. Chování Ázerbájdžánu je naprosto skandálním porušením mezinárodního práva. Útok na Náhorní Karabach. Je třeba zvažovat, jak pomoci Arménii, která bohužel je dnes opuštěná a ta pomoc je minimální, to si přiznejme. Stejně tak je třeba říci, že je třeba odsoudit pozici Ruska, které vytvářelo dojem, že se snaží v daném regionu udržovat mír a zachovat tak určité příměří, byť jaksi v napjaté situaci a v zásadě tyto „ mírové síly“ Ruska neudělaly nic proti té agresi Ázerbájdžánu do Náhorního Karabachu. Smutná situace podpory usnesení, ale bude to chtít ze strany EU nějakou akci a pomoc, a to i humanitární, zbylým Arménům, pokud nějací ještě zbyli v Náhorním Karabachu.
Debate: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Tatjana Ždanoka
Political group: NI
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Mr President, I have supported via roll-call vote some statements of this resolution, in particular the following one: ‘The Parliament calls on the Commission to quickly reconsider the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan in the field of energy in the light of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia in September 2022 and its unjustified use of force against and forced displacement of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. Developing such a strategic partnership is incompatible with the objectives of EU foreign policy.’ But I could not vote for this resolution as a whole since it ‘commends Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his commitment to peace.’ I consider this man a traitor and the main culprit in the tragedy of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Debate: Taking stock of Moldova's path to the EU
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Angel Dzhambazki
Political group: ECR
Country: Germany
Language: BG

Г-н Председател, няма никакво съмнение – пътят към Европейския съюз е цивилизационният избор за Молдова. И това е редно, и така трябва да бъде. Защото в края на краищата и гражданите на Молдова са част от европейската култура, история и цивилизация. Това обаче, което трябва да бъде ясно показано и казано на властите в Молдова, е, че трябва да уважават правата и законните интереси на всички общности на територията на Молдова и да не се опитват да ги раздробяват по някакъв начин административно, да не се опитват по някакъв начин да ги асимилират.  Тук говоря, разбира се, на първо място за българската етническа общност. Там има и хора, които се определят като гагаузи и други общности, които властите в Молдова в момента се опитват да разделят административно, да изнесат от Тараклия, а и да преместят в Комрат и в други населени места административните центрове и административната тежест, което не е европейско и не отговаря на стандартите на Европейския съюз. Европейският съюз, европейските ценности, за които всички тук говорим с уважение понякога, а понякога не толкова, предвиждат всички общности да имат запазени права и законни интереси. Така че властите в Молдова трябва да съблюдават тези на българската общност.
Debate: Taking stock of Moldova's path to the EU
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, the case of Moldova and Georgia has brought into stark relief just how politicised the accession process is. It was clear Georgia was making better progress on alignment with  You are playing political games with these countries and it could ignite further destabilisation in the region. We are not doing this region any favours at the moment.