unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Liudas Mažylis
Political group: PPE
Country: Luxembourg
Language: LT

Pirmininke, komisare, kolegos. Po Sovietų Sąjungos žlugimo Rusija tapo jos teisių perėmėja ir taip jai atiteko trigubas paveldas: vienas didžiausių pasaulyje karinis-pramoninis kompleksas; veto teisė Jungtinių Tautų Saugumo Taryboje, vaidmuo Europos saugumo ir bendradarbiavimo organizacijoje; na, ir pasisavinta teisė vienu metu ir kurstyti lokalius konfliktus, ir vaizduoti save jų mediatoriumi. Svarstome prevencinės diplomatijos siekiamybę, o paklauskime, ko mums, šios kadencijos Europos Parlamentui, pavyko pasiekti iki šiol? Tik nuoširdžiai piktintis. Karabacho konfliktas užprogramuotas dar Stalino, o Jungtinių Tautų stebėtojai pateko į konflikto teritoriją tik po to, kai 2023-iaisiais etniniai armėnai, ten gyvenę šimtmečius, buvo priversti masiškai iš jos bėgti. Kas buvo tas neva mediatorius? Rusija. Padniestrės, Abchazijos, Pietų Osetijos teritorijos
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, this report claims the EU can play a positive role in preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world. The past two decades are a dramatic demonstration of how the EU does precisely the opposite: Kosovo, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine. Just look at the genocide taking place at the moment in Gaza. We haven’t time to go back over all the colonial exploits of European powers and the imperialists, carving up large parts of the world with complete disregard for the ethnic and religious communities on the ground. But European colonialists did lay the ground for the Israeli settler colonial project, and then supported the apartheid state of Israel for over 75 years, while they systematically brutalised and butchered the Palestinians. When the Israeli genocide of Gaza began on 7 October, the EU ran out to their defence. Presidents von der Leyen and Metsola literally flew out there and pledged EU support, no matter what was to come. You say the EU can limit the spread of conflicts. The Council still hasn’t called for a ceasefire. Sadly, the EU is part of the problem.
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, so we’re here today celebrating the EU’s great role in preventive diplomacy. What an absolute joke! When the truth is that the EU has been seriously active not in preventive diplomacy, but in preventing diplomacy. We’ve had two years where the very concept of diplomacy has been smeared as a Russian plot. You’ve pulled out all the stops to smash the slightest chance of dialogue in Ukraine. Where was the preventive diplomacy in 2020 and 2021, when at least France and Germany tried to reduce the tensions with Russia? But the EU flung itself behind the US and NATO belligerence. And it’s the poor people of Ukraine with their smashed state who are living with the consequences of that. Meanwhile, 101 days into the genocide in Gaza and the EU hasn’t even managed to call for a ceasefire, while this report has the audacity to claim that the EU always seeks to reduce the risk of escalation. No, it doesn’t. You’re fooling nobody. It’s time to abandon rampant militarism and stop hurtling down the wrong road of history.
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Fabio Massimo Castaldo
Political group: NI
Country: France
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, abbiamo già perso troppe occasioni per rafforzare il nostro ruolo nella prevenzione e nella risoluzione dei conflitti. Ora è il momento di correre ai ripari! La prima azione da mettere in campo, a mio avviso, è quella dell'istituzione del Corpo di pace civile europeo, un'iniziativa già approvata da quest'Aula nel lontano 1999 su iniziativa del nostro compianto collega Alexander Langer. Poter contare su questo corpo, il quale dovrà essere composto da esperti in materia di prevenzione e risoluzione dei conflitti appartenenti al mondo istituzionale e non, certamente renderebbe la nostra gestione delle crisi più credibile, più coerente, più efficace e più flessibile. Vorrei ringraziare tutti i colleghi della commissione AFET per aver sostenuto i miei emendamenti alla relazione Zovko, con i quali abbiamo chiesto proprio di rilanciare, senza ulteriori tentennamenti, l'istituzione del Corpo civile di pace europeo. Un primo passo è stato compiuto ma probabilmente non basterà. Pertanto, cari colleghi, chiedo il vostro supporto per portare a compimento, entro la fine di questa legislatura, l'iter che ho già avviato con l'Ufficio di Presidenza della commissione AFET per approvare questa risoluzione proprio su questo tema prima della fine del mandato. Agiamo uniti verso il nostro obiettivo comune; impegniamoci tutti insieme per il cambiamento; rendiamo la nostra Unione sempre più protagonista – un attore quindi, non un pezzo o, peggio ancora, una scacchiera all'interno degli equilibri internazionali. Possiamo costruire la pace con serietà se vogliamo dotarci gli strumenti per farlo!
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Nicolas Schmit
Language: EN

The EU was created as a peace project between nations that opposed each other in two bitter world wars. From these painful experiences rose one of the world’s most successful political entities in history, which brought unprecedented stability and prosperity to its members. It should be, by the way, a good lesson for everybody that peace is possible and has good results. But preventive diplomacy is a collaborative effort. And to face today’s challenges, it is more important than ever that we, as the EU, speak with one voice. And to have a weight in international relations, it is the EU that has to be present and has to speak with one voice. This is crucial if we want to enhance meaningful and solid partnerships for successful conflict prevention and resolution globally. That is why your report is very timely and welcome. And I want, in the name of Vice-President Borrell, to thank you very much for it and especially also for your continued support.
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Željana Zovko
Language: EN

First of all, we need to rethink our foreign policy-making and invest more in the prevention of the challenges that we are facing. The European Union must seek to prevent conflict before a crisis emerges or violence erupts. This must be a constant and high priority for all EU diplomatic engagements. it is not only when CNN cameras are around that the main people should come. But we must resolve the conflicts, and as my colleague Nacho said, it is very important to address, to understand cultural and historical background and to have people listened to and to have respect. I remember many years ago the late President Chirac told me – I was ambassador in Paris – the main thing is respect, listening and respecting people. He was one of the key people for signing the Dayton-Paris Peace Accord.  So in order to prevent and to keep peace, we must understand others and we must invest in peace. Because this, as you rightly said, the whole investment in peace and prevention, pays off – but it pays off because history will ask us where we were when this investment and this human effort was made.
Debate: Role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Karol Karski
Political group: ECR
Country: Cyprus
Language: PL

W kontekście szansy, dyplomacja prewencyjna umożliwia wcześniejsze wykrywanie źródeł konfliktów oraz budowanie dialogu między stronnictwami. Poprzez skuteczne negocjacje może zapobiec zaognieniu sytuacji, ograniczając cierpienie ludzkie, a także unikając katastrof humanitarnych. To narzędzie daje możliwość skutecznego interweniowania przed eskalacją sporów.  Jednakże, gdy dyplomacja prewencyjna zawodzi, może być postrzegana jako zmarnowana szansa. Brak porozumienia międzynarodowego, bariery kulturowe czy uprzedzenia polityczne mogą uniemożliwić efektywne rozwiązanie konfliktów, prowadząc do utraty cennego czasu i szansy na pokojowe porozumienie.  W perspektywie długofalowej skuteczna dyplomacja prewencyjna stanowi jednak istotną zmianę na przyszłość. Jeśli państwa zainwestują w budowanie współpracy, wzajemnego zrozumienia i edukację dyplomatyczną, mogą stworzyć fundamenty dla trwałego pokoju. Wzmocniona rola dyplomacji prewencyjnej może przyczynić się do przekształcenia globalnych stosunków, minimalizując ryzyko powstawania nowych zamrożonych konfliktów.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

I also would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Jahr, the coordinators of the PETI Committee and all its members involved for this annual exercise, providing the views of the European Parliament on the issues that it considers noteworthy in the area of good administration for citizens, businesses and associations. As highlighted in the report and resolution, the work of the European Ombudsman is important to improve administrative practices and to promote accountability and full transparency of the EU institutions. This is essential for EU citizens, businesses, associations, but also for the EU administration, because EU administration should always strive to achieve its highest standards in this respect, and even more now this year, where the EU citizens in the 27 Member States will be called to vote for the European elections. The European Commission remains the main addressee of the European Ombudsman’s inquiries and initiatives, with 197 inquiries and initiatives out of 348 launched in 2022, representing 57.1% of the total, a slight decrease compared to the 61.5% in 2021. These figures also reflect the fact that the European Commission is the largest EU institution, which has many interactions with the citizens. Against this backdrop, the European Commission remains fully committed to acting with due respect, due diligence and the highest responsibility towards the citizens’ expectations and demands. Although in some cases there might be disagreements, the fact that it is very rare that an inquiry ends up with the final closing decisions of maladministration is an indication that constant dialogue and mutual understanding can provide tangible and concrete results. Indeed, the European Ombudsman’s solution proposals, suggestions for improvement and recommendations are taken into account and implemented by the Commission whenever feasible.  The report and resolution refers to important issues such as, among others, the interaction between the European Commission and the tobacco industry; the means for ensuring independence and no conflict of interest in advisory and expert groups; the so-called revolving doors phenomenon; the ethical and transparency rules applying to Commissioners; the transparency of the EU environmental decision-making process of negotiations of trade agreements; or the Recovery and Resilience Facility funding issues related to the Common Agricultural Policy, as well as the handling of requests for public access to documents or concerns regarding fundamental and human rights. As usual, the European Commission will duly examine the European Parliament’s resolution in the coming weeks and will reply in detail to all the issues that concerns the Commission, including relevant updates. We remain committed to implementing the highest standards in the European public administration. So, Madam President, I look forward to hearing the views of the honourable Members, and I thank you all for your attention.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Eugen Tomac
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: RO

Transparența ar trebui să reprezinte puntea care leagă instituțiile europene de cetățenii lor, permițându-le europenilor să aibă acces la informații clare și complete despre procesele decizionale, pentru a putea, în cele din urmă, să contribuie activ la modelarea politicilor care îi afectează.  În plus, când procesele administrative sunt deschise și vizibile, se creează un climat de încredere între administrație și cetățeni. Acest lucru duce la o mai bună înțelegere și abordare a nevoilor și preocupările cetățenilor. Mai mult decât atât, atunci când procesele administrative sunt clare, se creează un cadru în care cetățenii pot să-și apere drepturile în mod eficient.  Transparența este, prin urmare, o barieră împotriva abuzurilor de putere și o modalitate de a asigura respectarea principiilor democratice. Cu siguranță că instituțiile Uniunii Europene mai au de lucru la asigurarea unei administrații mai bune, puse în acord cu nevoile tuturor cetățenilor europeni.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Marc Angel
Political group: S-D
Country: Luxembourg
Language: EN

Transparency, accountability, and compliance with fundamental and human rights obligations are essential elements that were investigated by the Ombudsman and her office in 2022. Those values are the core of our Union, and I am glad to see that the Ombudsman’s recommendation helped to improve the functioning of our institutions with tangible results. I particularly welcome the inquiry on the revolving door policies of the Commission and of the European Central Bank, as well as the inquiry on the handling of work-related texts and instant messages. For the Socialists and Democrats Group, it is important that our institutions must follow closely the Ombudsman’s recommendations. At the current stage, more needs to be done to reach an appropriate level of accountability in European public administration. Systemic and significant delays in how the Commission handles requests for public access to document still exist, and this is unacceptable and rightly considered as maladministration. It is unacceptable that citizens and journalists have to wait – sometimes up to 15 months – before the Commission processes their requests. The Council’s refusal to give full public access to documents related to some negotiations is also a worrying sign of widespread structural problems.  The European institutions need to take concrete steps in this regard. Transparency lies at the basis of our citizens’ trust, and today, more than ever, it is essential to demonstrate our ability to keep promises and maintain high accountability. I would also like to thank our Ombudsman for the excellent coordination work she does with the enlarged European Network of Ombudsmen. As a Vice-President, I can tell you that this Bureau has been very active this last month to strengthen our transparency rules and our accountability here in the Parliament. It was good that you mentioned it too. I thank you and your team very much for your good work.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Jana Toom
Political group: Renew
Country: Hungary
Language: EN

So when Madame O’Reilly takes the rare step of asking the EP for formal support to get the European Commission to reduce systemic delays in dealing with requests for public access to documents, I believe we must give this support.  I have personally made requests for access to documents in the past, and I understand how difficult it is to get a clear and complete answer. It is discouraging to see the results of the specific inquiry into the time taken by the Commission to reply to requests. When it comes to asking the Commission to review its initial decision, receiving an answer above the 30 day legal limit has become the norm, not the exception. This makes it clear that we are dealing with the systemic problem in how requests for access to documents are answered. As Parliament, we have to follow up on this issue and make sure that the Commission takes action without delay.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Kosma Złotowski
Political group: ECR
Language: PL

Chciałbym też zwrócić uwagę na przyzwolenie Brukseli dla karygodnego procesu przejmowania władzy przez nowy rząd w Polsce. Ignorowanie konstytucji i ustaw, likwidacja mediów publicznych i, co najbardziej oburzające, uwięzienie z powodów politycznych posłów opozycji Mariusza Kamińskiego i Macieja Wąsika urągają regułom demokracji. Mam nadzieję, że znajdzie Pani odwagę, by zabrać głos w sprawie hipokryzji, podwójnych standardów i skrajnego upolitycznienia europejskich instytucji.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Virginie Joron
Political group: ID
Country: Estonia
Language: FR

Bruxelles, cette administration qui donne des cartons rouges à certains États membres, oublie ses devoirs. Pas de réponse sur les SMS, pas de réponse sur les bénéfices-risques chez les jeunes, pas de réponse sur les stocks de doses ou sur les prix. L’opacité assumée, la suspicion de conflits d’intérêts, l’évitement systématique des responsabilités signale une fuite en avant. Monsieur le rapporteur, bravo pour votre rapport qui ose citer Pfizer. Monsieur Terheş, vos amendements sont excellents. Madame O’Reilly, vous avez enquêté et critiqué avec raison la Commission sur son manque de transparence et de responsabilité. Plus largement, nous l’avons compris, c’est la culture du service et le respect des droits fondamentaux qui sont en cause. Listons chaque année le podium des services les moins transparents de la Commission, comme la direction de la santé qui, après le pantouflage de sa directrice dans un laboratoire américain, après le scandale des contrats de Pfizer, pourquoi la Commission cache-t-elle des documents relatifs à l’espace européen des données de santé, ou les documents promis en audition par Emer Cooke, la directrice de l’Agence européenne du médicament? Quant à votre enquête sur le lobby du tabac et l’OMS, elle est très utile et je vous remercie. Ciblons aussi les lobbies des laboratoires pharmaceutiques et les fondations de Bill Gates. Madame la Médiatrice, encore une fois, merci pour votre travail très précieux et aussi de votre service et je vous souhaite bon courage et surtout mes meilleurs vœux pour cette nouvelle année.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Tatjana Ždanoka
Political group: NI
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, colleagues, Ombudsman, Commissioner, being a longstanding member of the Petitions Committee, I of course have to say that these last two years we have had an excellent work and watched the excellent work of the Ombudsman.  I am speaking is the last of the round of all political groups, and it is very rare in our house that all are united in very, very high appreciation of your work. You are the best Ombudsman of all times – and I’m not speaking very often such words.  Of course, the report by Mr Jahr is very, very implicit, as always, and we can understand just from this report how much was done by the Ombudsman and which problems are the more essential ones. I think they are mentioned just in paragraph 20 and 21 and concern, as many of us have told already, transparency and the qualification of documents, because we know that the problem was how to compare messages.  There it is written in black and white, the position of the Committee. I hope we will vote in plenary the same statement that Regulation 1049 of 2001 covers all work-related texts, including messages, and they must be transparent.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Stanislav Polčák
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: CS

Paní předsedkyně, vážená paní veřejná ochránkyně práv, vážený pane místopředsedo, veřejného ochránce práv považuji v rámci orgánů Evropské unie za velmi důležitý orgán. Evropský veřejný ochránce práv, kterého volí Evropský parlament, je oprávněn přijímat stížnosti prakticky na jakékoliv případy nesprávného úředního postupu orgánů či institucí Evropské unie s výjimkou Soudního dvora v případě výkonu jeho soudních pravomocí. Chtěl bych v této souvislosti, paní veřejná ochránkyně práv, vyzdvihnout několik dílčích oblastí vaší působnosti. Nejprve, pokud jde o aplikaci mechanismu nápravy pro ty, kteří mají potíže s přístupem k dokumentům v držení orgánů Evropské unie. V této oblasti jste podle mého odvedla velký kus práce. Tak například, když vám tři organizace občanské společnosti podali stížnost, že Evropská investiční banka zveřejňuje příliš málo informací o projektech, které financuje, a také je zveřejňuje příliš pozdě, shledala jste nápravná opatření Evropské investiční banky jako nedostatečná a požádala jste také o přísnější kontrolu činností banky. Oceňuji také, že jste v září 2022 z vlastní iniciativy zahájila veřejnou konzultaci za účelem posouzení, zda mají občané přístup k aktuálním informacím souvisejícím se životním prostředím. Cílem bylo zjistit, jak snadno může veřejnost získat dokumenty nebo informace týkající se životního prostředí a jak by se občané mohli více podílet na přípravě a provádění ekologických politik. Během konzultace Váš úřad obdržel 18 odpovědí a v roce 2023 měl přijmout návazná opatření. Předpokládám, že zjištěné informace byly užitečné a že je úřad promítne také do zkvalitnění vlastních postupů v rámci této oblasti.
Debate: Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Cristina Maestre Martín De Almagro
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señorías, señora defensora del pueblo, señor vicepresidente, el papel de la figura del Defensor del Pueblo es crucial para garantizar los derechos de la ciudadanía europea, especialmente en todo lo relacionado con el afianzamiento de las buenas prácticas administrativas. También debe asegurar la ética y la transparencia en la gobernanza de las instituciones. En este informe, los ponentes y también la señora O'Reilly han detallado las principales reclamaciones e investigaciones llevadas a cabo por la Defensora del Pueblo en el año 2022, y que tienen que ver con las carencias o anomalías que pueden quebrar la confianza en las instituciones, los retrasos indebidos o las trabas en el acceso público a los documentos por parte de la Comisión Europea, la falta de transparencia de las interacciones con los  Estos fallos y otros más pueden manchar la reputación de la administración europea e incluso provocar desafección en la ciudadanía hacia el proyecto europeo. Y no nos lo podemos permitir. Por lo tanto, al igual que han hecho mis compañeros, quisiera simplificar y resaltar la brillante labor que ha llevado a cabo durante también este año, felicitarla por su trabajo y seguir animándola a permanecer en esa línea totalmente independiente y decidida a defender los derechos de los ciudadanos europeos. Enhorabuena a los ponentes.