unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Detergents and surfactants
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, the ENVI report improves the Commission’s proposal to bring the regulation more in line with the necessary transition to zero pollution society. However, perhaps the most significant and welcome aspect of the ENVI report is the introduction of a ban on animal testing for detergents. This is an important victory for animal rights, but let’s not forget that in the farm to fork strategy, the Commission also promised that it would propose a revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation by the end of 2023. That never materialised. And in the Commission’s work programme for 2024, only one of the four animal welfare regulations the Commission promised to revise was even included – the one on the transport of animals. The promised proposal to transition to cage-free systems remains completely absent.
Debate: Detergents and surfactants
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Manuela Ripa
Country: Spain
Language: DE

Wir schützen unsere Ökosysteme und unsere aquatische Umwelt und verbessern damit den Wasser- und Gewässerschutz. Wir legen den Grundstein, dass Detergenzien in Zukunft nicht mehr auf Chemikalien basieren sollen, die aus fossilen Brennstoffen hergestellt werden. Der Bericht verhindert unnötige Tierversuche, erspart Tierqual und geht mit der Zeit, indem alternative Testmethoden heranzuziehen sind, die ebenfalls die volle Sicherheit für die Gesundheit bieten. Wir bringen die Detergenzien-Verordnung so weit wie möglich mit anderen einschlägigen Rechtsvorschriften in Einklang wie der bereits verabschiedeten CLP—Verordnung und der Ökodesign-Verordnung. Wir handeln mit diesem Bericht im Einklang mit den Zielen des
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Jan-Christoph Oetjen
Country: France
Language: DE

Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die kurze Darstellung des Berichts von Paolo Borchia im Namen des Ausschusses für Industrie, Forschung und Energie über den Vorschlag für einen Beschluss des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates zur Änderung des Beschlusses (EU) 2017/1324 hinsichtlich der Fortsetzung der Beteiligung der Union an der Partnerschaft für Forschung und Innovation im Mittelmeerraum (PRIMA) im Rahmen von „Horizont Europa“ (
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Paolo Borchia
Country: Romania
Language: IT

L'iniziativa PRIMA è promossa congiuntamente dalla Commissione europea e da 19 Paesi dell'area euro-mediterranea, di cui undici dell'Unione e otto esterni – accogliamo, tra l'altro, con entusiasmo e con favore l'inclusione della Bulgaria tra i Paesi partner – per un partenariato che è di notevole importanza geostrategica per l'Unione nel suo complesso. Affrontando sfide come la scarsità d'acqua, l'insicurezza alimentare nel vicinato meridionale, infatti, intende fungere da strumento di diplomazia scientifica, concentrandosi in particolare sulle cause alla radice dell'emergenza migratoria, il cui impatto si sta sempre più estendendo oltre i confini dei soli Stati meridionali.  Tra il 2018 e il 2022, PRIMA ha finanziato oltre 200 progetti legati alle tematiche di approvvigionamento idrico, agricoltura e sviluppo agroalimentare, per un valore totale di quasi 300 milioni di euro. In meno di sei mesi – e qui veniamo ai punti più interessanti – dall'assegnazione del dossier alla commissione ITRE siamo riusciti a portare a termine l'intera procedura legislativa, in quello che risulta essere un successo significativo; anzi, forse un vero e proprio record dal punto di vista delle tempistiche.  Inoltre, è giusto ricordare come PRIMA svolga un ruolo cruciale nell'affrontare una delle questioni più urgenti nel panorama europeo, ovvero l'emergenza migratoria. Noi, attraverso la ricerca e l'innovazione, puntiamo a combattere direttamente le cause alla radice del fenomeno, in primo luogo promuovendo la gestione delle risorse idriche e lo sviluppo di pratiche agricole innovative, nonché l'innovazione per garantire alle comunità locali la capacità di adattarsi al cambiamento e alle condizioni ambientali. Inoltre, PRIMA intende investire sull'istruzione e sul coinvolgimento dei giovani, creando quindi opportunità a livello di vicinato giacché, se i giovani trovano prospettive vicino a casa, poi saranno meno inclini a cercare soluzioni di altro tipo.  In conclusione, vorrei ringraziare tutti i relatori ombra per il loro contributo, soprattutto per la rapidità che ha consentito all'iter di giungere a conclusione: questo è un ottimo risultato e soprattutto con delle tempistiche veramente importanti.
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Cristian-Silviu Buşoi
Political group: PPE
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Mr President, dear colleagues,  With the heightened relevance due to climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical challenges, the partnership indeed is a very good instrument for fostering science diplomacy. It is important that PRIMA will follow the existing framework, but it is also important that the modifications ask for more efficiency by simplifying the complexity caused by different national funding schemes, streamlining national administrative procedures, reducing time to grant and enhancing accessibility. It is also important that we call for more complementarity between the partnership and other research and innovation projects carried out under Horizon Europe and other Union instruments, and look forward to extended links to climate- and energy-related research and innovation.
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, PRIMA is a Horizon Europe project to sustainably manage water and agri-food systems in the Mediterranean basin. So could we please acknowledge the grotesque irony of Israel being one of its 19 partner countries, when Israel famously, notoriously and systematically deprives Palestinians of water rights and their farmland? It has deliberately subjected Palestinians to chronic water shortages for decades.  So while Israel is a water superpower, thanks to massive investment in technological innovation – no doubt in part funded from the EU by Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe – Palestinians go thirsty. So will the EU funding that Israel gets through this programme be used to implement sustainable system of water rights and create a sustainable agri-food system for all, from the river to the sea? Or will it be used to pad the coffers of an apartheid state to help pay for the ongoing genocide in Gaza? I think we all know the answer.
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Stanislav Polčák
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: CS

Pane předsedající, já vítám tuto iniciativu PRIMA, protože spolupráce v oblasti rozvoje, a zejména zásada dostupných vodních zdrojů, je skutečně klíčová pro naši budoucnost. A jsem také rád, že pracujeme na rozvoji našich partnerství.  Evropská unie musí na této iniciativě participovat samozřejmě dále. Je zde zastoupeno i jedenáct členských zemí Evropské unie a osm nečlenských. A ta témata, která se nedotýkají pouze středomořské oblasti, jsou skutečně velmi důležitá. Voda, sucho, bezpečnost a s tím související migrace, zemědělství, také měnící se klima a adaptace na toto měnící se klima, vzdělávání a uplatnění mladých lidí, to jsou velmi důležité otázky. Takže já tuto iniciativu, jak jsem již jednou řekl, vítám. Přeji hodně zdaru a věřím, že vložené prostředky se Evropské unii v její budoucnosti nepochybně vrátí.
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, PRIMA’s goals to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for sustainable agri-food systems and integrated water provisions in the Mediterranean area are admirable and, in the light of our current climate crisis, required now more than ever. However, the initial phase of PRIMA, started in 2017, has not been without its deficiencies. There has been a particular delay in releasing funds to applicants. In Italy, for example, who supply almost a third of the applicants to PRIMA, there have been substantial payment delays, mainly due to bureaucracy and red tape emanating from the EU side of the project. If the goal of PRIMA is to develop solutions for sustainable agri-food systems, the Commission must ensure that the red tape and bureaucracy that slows down so many initiatives in this place is removed as soon as possible.
Debate: Amending Decision  /: continuation of the Union’s participation in PRIMA under Horizon Europe
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Thierry Breton
Language: EN

PRIMA supports research and innovation solutions to key sustainability challenges in the entire Mediterranean region, such as water availability and sustainable agriculture. This has an important positive impact on increased research and innovation capacities of participating countries – for, of course, job creation in the region, food safety, water resilience and territorial development. The extension of the Partnership that you will vote tomorrow offers the opportunity to further deepen the dialogue with the Mediterranean partners. It puts forward a stable, long-term and sustainable collaboration based on mutual benefit, equal footing, co-ownership, co-decisions and also co-financing. Today’s geopolitical situation makes the cooperation under the PRIMA Framework more important than ever. It is in our best interest to have as many participating countries as possible to further exploit PRIMA’s potential and ensure wide-ranging positive effects in the region. Negotiations of international agreements with southern Mediterranean countries that are not yet associated to Horizon Europe are ongoing. The Commission is particularly pleased that the technical discussions with Jordan have already been finalised. This sets the excellent example for other countries. We are well progressing in talks with Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, but also Algeria. The signature and conclusion of these international agreements will occur only after the amendment of PRIMA basic act is adopted. So the vote of this House on the PRIMA amendment tomorrow is therefore instrumental to progress towards the conclusion of agreements with our future partners, and ensures that researchers from these countries can respond to calls for proposals that are planned to be launched in 2025. So let me thank again the European Parliament and especially rapporteur Paolo Borchia, as well as the shadow rapporteurs and their teams for their excellent work.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Jan-Christoph Oetjen
Country: France
Language: DE

Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die kurze Darstellung des Berichts von Antonius Manders im Namen des Rechtsausschusses über den Vorschlag für eine Richtlinie des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates über den strafrechtlichen Schutz der Umwelt und zur Ersetzung der Richtlinie 2008/99/EG (
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Antonius Manders
Country: Italy
Language: NL

Vaak gaat het over slechts een paar bedrijven die echt misbruik maken en voor geldelijk gewin milieudelicten plegen. Natuurlijk moet er ook sprake zijn van opzet. Als advocaat heb ik een aantal zaken meegemaakt die mij enorm hebben aangesproken, net als een film die ik heb gezien op Netflix, The Dark Waters, over het bedrijf Dupont in de Verenigde Staten, waar een advocaat twintig jaar heeft moeten procederen om civielrechtelijk het gelijk te krijgen voor de slachtoffers van hun handelen. Zelf heb ik een zaak meegemaakt, de firma Wyatt, die met hormonen vervuild suikerwater in de handel bracht, wat weer hergebruikt is voor ijs, limonades en ook voor veevoer. De overheden weigerden gewoon om in te grijpen. Ook de Commissie treft hier blaam, want niemand weet nu hoeveel zwangere vrouwen hiervan slachtoffer zijn geworden. Inmiddels lopen die zaken nog steeds, al ruim twintig jaar. Dat heeft mij gestimuleerd om me honderd procent in te zetten voor een duidelijke wetgeving die zelfs – en dat wordt revolutionair genoemd – op bepaalde vlakken dynamisch is. Dat is zeer uniek voor strafrecht. Er zijn een aantal zaken opgenomen: het belangrijkste hierbij is dat de vervuiler betaalt. Natuurlijk moet ook worden voorzien in het opzetvereiste. Heel belangrijk is het voorzorgbeginsel. Onomkeerbare schade aan de gezondheid van mens en milieu. De ketenaansprakelijkheid: zelfs drugsafval kan op deze manier worden verweten aan de toeleverancier als duidelijk is waarvoor het wordt gebruikt. Grote bosbranden wil ik noemen. Lidstaten kunnen delicten toevoegen. Als ze bijvoorbeeld ecocide in hun wetgeving hebben, kunnen ze deze wetgeving gebruiken om mensen die ecocide plegen te vervolgen. De dynamiek zit hierin dat er elk jaar een update komt voor nieuwe delicten. Dat is goed, want de markt ontwikkelt zich en daar moeten we op voorbereid zijn.  Ook is er een doelboete in opgenomen: lidstaten kunnen bepalen om de boetes die ze opleggen bij milieudelicten te gebruiken voor het herstel van de schade die is veroorzaakt door de handeling. Ook het anoniem kunnen melden van milieudelicten hebben we opgenomen. Een veiligheidsprotocol of een complianceofficer kan een reden voor strafvermindering zijn. De lidstaten worden opgeroepen om specialistische rechters en openbare aanklagers in te voeren, want milieucriminaliteit is vaak heel erg wetenschappelijk en best moeilijk. Last but not least, en dit vind ik belangrijk om te melden, ook met betrekking tot de zaken van Wyatt en The Dark Waters die ik zojuist heb genoemd: zodra deze wetgeving is geïmplementeerd, kunnen de bestuurders en de CEO’s van bedrijven die vanuit winstbejag opzettelijk mensen ziek maken of het milieu vervuilen, persoonlijk strafrechtelijk vervolgd worden. Betekent dat nu dat er meer gevangenissen moeten worden gebouwd? Nee, maar het zal wel betekenen dat er veel preventiever wordt opgetreden in de bedrijven uit angst dat de directeur de gevangenis in moet. Ik hoop dat morgen iedereen voor zal stemmen.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: ES

Señor presidente, señor comisario Breton, el Derecho penal fue competencia exclusiva de los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea hasta que entró en vigor el Tratado de Lisboa, con el espacio de libertad, justicia y seguridad que convirtió a este Parlamento Europeo en legislador penal. Ahora que nos preocupa tanto el medio ambiente —por tantas buenas razones—, ahora que estamos embarcados en la transición verde, ahora que asistimos a la necesidad de desplegar fondos de solidaridad ante incendios forestales provocados, el Derecho penal es parte de la respuesta y, por tanto, esta Directiva refuerza esa capacidad, señalando penas proporcionadas y disuasorias, no solamente para las personas físicas que perpetren ecocidios —dañando el agua, el suelo, los recursos naturales o el medio ambiente—, sino también las personas jurídicas que quedan incorporadas a su responsabilidad penal, pudiendo imponerse penas que van desde el 3 % al 5 % de su volumen de negocio anual o penas que van de catorce a cuarenta años de privación de sus derechos de contratación con la Unión Europea, dependiendo de los Estados miembros. Por tanto, es un paso decisivo en el fortalecimiento del Derecho penal europeo.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Ilana Cicurel
Political group: Renew
Country: Slovakia
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire Breton, chers collègues, feux de forêt, marées noires, déforestation illégale: la criminalité environnementale est l’une des activités criminelles les plus lucratives au monde. Cette criminalité en croissance constante est menée par des acteurs très inventifs, qui ont jusqu’à présent réussi à distancer notre législation. Par l’ampleur des dégâts qu’elle cause et qui dépasse bien souvent les frontières, une réponse européenne s’imposait. C’est chose faite. Avec cette directive, nous étendons la liste des atteintes à l’environnement punies pénalement et demandons que cette liste soit mise à jour en continu pour que l’Europe ne se laisse plus dépasser par les pratiques criminelles. Pour la première fois, nous prévoyons des sanctions harmonisées avec des amendes allant jusqu’à 5 % du chiffre d’affaires mondial pour les multinationales. Pour les atteintes les plus graves, celles que l’on associe à l’écocide, parce qu’elles produisent des effets d’ampleur exceptionnelle, durables, voire irréversibles, les États membres s’engagent à les sanctionner encore plus gravement. L’Europe montre le chemin. C’est désormais à la communauté internationale de prendre ses responsabilités en définissant enfin l’écocide au niveau mondial.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Bert-Jan Ruissen
Political group: ECR
Country: France
Language: NL

Voorzitter, terwijl de EVP in het licht van de verkiezingen de scherpe kantjes van de Green Deal wat probeert af te halen, ligt er nu een verslag voor van een rapporteur van de EVP waarin een deal aan ons wordt voorgelegd waarbij ondernemers met de harde hand van het strafrecht worden gedwongen binnen de kaders van de Green Deal te blijven. Dat heeft iets tegenstrijdigs. In Nederland hangen veehouders bestuursrechtelijke boetes boven het hoofd omdat ze niet over een natuurvergunning beschikken, de zogenaamde PAS-melders. Opent collega Manders met zijn deal nu ook de weg voor strafrechtelijke vervolging van deze veehouders? Ik mag hopen van niet, maar door de uitbreiding van de definitie van milieudelict ben ik er niet helemaal gerust op. Zeker, serieuze milieudelicten, zoals het storten van drugsafval in het bos, moeten hard worden bestraft, helemaal mee eens, maar maken we de scope met deze verordening niet al te breed? Overigens betreur ik het, Voorzitter, dat met deze deal het beginsel dat strafrecht iets is van de lidstaten, dat we dat beginsel met deze verordening, deze richtlijn overboord zetten.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, it’s welcome that the revision of the directive will now include a provision to directly address specific, severe cases of ecosystem destruction, including habitat destruction and illegal logging. I would hope that it will make the worst polluters sit up and pay attention that they might actually be held to account for the destruction of the environment.  Now, the text doesn’t actually say ‘ecocide’. Any such inclusion of this word in the operative part of the directive was blocked by the EPP, but the recitals make it clear that the intention of the directive is to criminalise cases comparable to ecocide.  The next step for the EU now should be to push for the amendment of the Rome Statute of the International Court to add ecocide, as a fifth crime, to the Rome Statute.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Stanislav Polčák
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: CS

Pane předsedající, já tento návrh zprávy vítám, a to z řady důvodů. Myslím si, že je naší povinností zvýšit ochranu životního prostředí, protože každým rokem jsme svědky obrovské ekologické katastrofy v různých členských státech s dopadem, který má přeshraniční charakter. Připomenu deforestaci, požáry, úmyslné znečištění řek, které tečou do mnoha členských států EU. Myslím si, že na to Evropská unie musí reagovat, a tento návrh jde podle mého názoru správným směrem. Chtějí to také naši voliči. Chtějí zvýšit odpovědnost za ta jednání, která se velmi významně byznysově vyplácí. A jsem rád, že reagujeme systémem, kdy předkládáme harmonizované sankce a kdy konstruujeme skutečně ucelený soubor trestněprávní odpovědnosti v environmentální oblasti. Takže chci znovu podotknout, že cílem je zvýšit ochranu životního prostředí, což já vnímám jako zásadní hodnotu.
Debate: Protection of the environment through criminal law
Date: MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Thierry Breton
Language: EN

This directive is an ambitious instrument which will have long-lasting effect on the ground by enhancing the legal framework for effectively tackling environmental crimes. The revised directive includes a comprehensive and up-to-date list of environmental offences that will address the most serious environmental crimes, including transboundary offences. For example, breaches of environmental obligations such as illegal trade and handling of chemicals or mercury, as well as illegal ship recycling, will have to be treated as criminal offences in all EU Member States. Causing particularly serious damages to the environment will be considered as an aggravated offence, leading to higher sanctions. Moreover, the directive defines concrete types and levels of sanctions for natural and legal persons. This is an important step forward compared to the 2008 directive. Similar types and level of penalties for natural and legal persons will apply across the EU and thus enhance the deterrent effect of the text. Specific aggravating circumstances and accessory sanctions and measures will allow for a tailored response to specific crimes. And given that an environmental crime often has a cross-border nature, European coordination as well as cooperation between the competent authorities will be reinforced. Authorities will be required to develop a strategic approach to ensure a strong response to criminal behaviour. The new rules will include provisions strengthening the enforcement chain and relating to support to environmental defenders in criminal proceedings. The new Environmental Crime Directive will send a strong signal beyond the EU, of course. The Council of Europe is currently working on a new convention on the same matter. So let me conclude by once again expressing the Commission’s gratitude to the European Parliament, and in particular, to the rapporteur and his team for the work put into this proposal and the excellent collaboration. The Commission stands ready to deploy all efforts to facilitate the transposition of this new piece of legislation, to ensure it can be swiftly implemented.
Debate: Multiannual financial framework for the years  to  - Establishing the Ukraine Facility - Establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform
Date: TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Marc Angel
Country: Luxembourg
Language: EN

The next item is the joint debate on: – the recommendation by Jan Olbrycht and Margarida Marques, on behalf of the Committee on Budgets, on the draft Council regulation amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 ( – the report by Michael Gahler and Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Ukraine Facility ( – the report by José Manuel Fernandes and Christian Ehler, on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’) and amending Directive 2003/87/EC, Regulations (EU) 2021/1058, (EU) 2021/1056, (EU) 2021/1057, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) 2021/1060, (EU) 2021/523, (EU) 2021/695, (EU) 2021/697 and (EU) 2021/241 (