unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Agnes Jongerius
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: NL

‘We’ve weaponised our drivers, we’ve weaponised our customers. All that was needed to get governments out of the way. Our driving mantra was: do whatever it takes.’ De getuigenis van Uber-klokkenluider en ex-lobbyist Mark MacGann in de Commissie sociale zaken in oktober legde bloot hoe Uber in Europa voet aan de grond probeerde te krijgen door overheden onder druk te zetten en zelfs aan de kant te schuiven. Uber hanteert dubieuze lobbypraktijken om zijn verdienmodel zo lang mogelijk in stand te houden. In zijn getuigenis zei Mark MacGann:  ‘When politicians try to stop us or slow us down, we co-opted democracy itself by leveraging consumers’ political power, putting very public pressures on elected officials to back off, drowning them in millions of riders’ petitions.’ Het bedrijf verkiest winst boven alles, zelfs als het ten koste gaat van hun chauffeurs. Uber kan goedkope prijzen aanbieden, hoge winsten boeken, de markt domineren, omdat het zijn chauffeurs uitbuit en onderbetaalt. In de woorden van MacGann:  ‘The policy team was ordered to talk about “creating economic opportunities”. On no account was the word “jobs” ever to be spoken or written. For the business model to succeed, someone would have to lose for others to succeed. And it turned out that we sold people a lie. Governments, the media, and especially the drivers.’ De lobby van Uber is niet gestopt sinds het vertrek van MacGann. Integendeel, het afgelopen jaar zijn wij overspoeld door lobbyisten die het model van Uber en andere platforms hardnekkig proberen door te duwen. Daarom is mijn oproep: laten we niet alleen kijken naar de inmenging door buitenlandse mogendheden, maar laten we hier in het Europees Parlement ook kijken naar de buitensporige invloed van grote technologiebedrijven. Want niemand heeft belang bij een arbeidsmarkt waarin werknemers niet beschermd worden en waarin werkgevers geen premie afdragen, belasting betalen of het ontslagrecht respecteren. Als we het nu niet voor eens en altijd goed regelen, kan dit arbeidsmarktmodel de hele economie als een olievlek besmetten. Dat moeten we koste wat het kost voorkomen. De Commissie is er klaar voor. Het Parlement is er klaar voor. Dus minister, geen reden meer om te treuzelen. Een laatste quote van MacGann:  ‘When tech companies have disproportionate financial resources to push their message at the expense of far less powerful workers upon whom their model is built, there is something truly undemocratic happening.’
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Karen Melchior
Political group: Renew
Country: Estonia
Language: EN

For the European Parliament, we have been under specific scrutiny since the arrests by Belgian authorities before Christmas. The revelations of the Uber files are shocking and completely unacceptable, purposely flouting existing laws and regulation, obstructing police and regulatory investigations. Most appalling were the reports that potential violence against drivers could be exploited. But also remember that the revelations we are discussing here, they document a period before and during 2017. Our work on the proposal of platform workers began in 2020. Any illegal and illicit behaviour should be sanctioned, both at the EU and Member State level. Uber must ensure that such activity can never be allowed to happen again. As legislators, and national as well as local authorities, we also have a responsibility to be critical of the lobbyists and companies we meet. Innovation and disruption should happen with respect for the society we live in, but without excessive protection of vested interests. We must protect the whistle-blowers who so often reveal information crucial to the public interest at a professional and personal cost to themselves. The EU Whistleblower Directive must be implemented by the Member States that have not yet transposed it. I am proud that my political group led the parliamentary work on platforms in the Brunet Report, which gathered a huge majority for a balanced proposal. Because it is important that we do not throw out the baby with the bathwater here. Uber is one platform, and platforms are not homogenous. We need to create laws for all kinds of sizes of platforms. Digital platforms are important for innovation, both for work and for commerce. We must ensure improvement of working conditions of people performing platform work while making sure that flexible working arrangements and genuine self-employment can continue.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Kim Van Sparrentak
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Uber has been able to roll out its business model by operating illegally, dodging labour law and employing aggressive lobby tactics. It was the plan all along to squeeze drivers for Uber to become profitable. With this scandalous behaviour, Uber has become a market leader in the platform economy, and paved the way for other companies to follow in their exploitative footsteps. Working on the Platform Work Directive, I have been able to witness first—hand how Uber still manages to sway colleagues in this House. Please stop buying the myths that Uber is trying to sell you. Workers can have flexibility while being employed. People with difficulty finding work deserve a real job with rights and fair wages, rather than a gig—work app that follows their every step, including the music they listen to. And freelancers will still be able to find clients through platforms. They will actually enjoy more protection from subordination and intrusive algorithms. When voting on this file, I count on your support for the deal reached in the EMPL Committee on the Platform Work Directive. We give platform workers access to social protection, tackle bogus self—employment, and ensure fairness and transparency when using algorithms in a workplace. Breaking the rules is not innovation. This legislation will be a milestone for the future of work, and we cannot have Uber riding this future again.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Dominique Bilde
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: FR

Uber a fait pression pour contourner nos législations nationales dans le seul but de faire de bonnes affaires, comme l’expliquait Mark MacGann, le lanceur d’alerte à l’origine des Uber Files, devant la commission de l’emploi le 25 octobre dernier. Le mépris des irresponsables politiques est insupportable. Face à ces dirigeants qui mettent nos travailleurs en danger, nous réclamons que la lumière soit faite. Du savon, de la mousse? Non, mais! Surtout le droit de connaître la vérité.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Leila Chaibi
Political group: The Left
Country: Cyprus
Language: FR

Et pourquoi est-il toujours d’actualité? Parce qu’il faut le dire, il bénéficie de la complicité de députés européens, des députés qui sont bizarrement absents aujourd’hui dans ce débat et qui passent leur temps à répéter comme des perroquets les arguments des plateformes, qui font pression sur les équipes de négociation de la directive sur les droits des travailleurs des plateformes. Des députés qui sont prêts à s’enfermer dans des salles, dans ce Parlement européen, pour se faire bourrer le crâne par des plateformes en refusant la présence de travailleurs, voire en les insultant quand ils ont l’audace de s’inviter eux-mêmes. Chers collègues, notre Parlement doit valider sa position sur cette directive. Ce vote va faire tomber les masques et permettre de répondre à une question importante: pour qui roulons-nous? Pour qui roule ce Parlement? Pour les plateformes ou pour les travailleurs? Chers collègues, je compte sur vous. Je compte sur nous. Montrons que ce Parlement européen roule pour les citoyens et les travailleurs et que non, nous ne céderons pas au lobbying d’Uber et des plateformes.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Salvatore De Meo
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, le rivelazioni in merito ad Uber in questo momento storico per le nostre istituzioni impongono al Parlamento un dibattito responsabile, senza sfociare in conclusioni generalizzate e demagogiche.  Il rischio che si corre, infatti, in questi momenti di grande emotività, è quello di arrivare a demonizzare qualcuno, senza rendersi conto che i fatti da cui nasce il dibattito sono riconducibili spesso a pochi soggetti e non possono compromettere la credibilità di un intero sistema, che sembra quasi apparire come privo di ogni regola. Anzi, facciamo attenzione che su questi gravi episodi non ci sia la speculazione di chi ha interesse a delegittimare l'Europa quale soggetto che sta conquistando la centralità sullo scenario geopolitico.  Sicuramente la diffusione della documentazione Uber conferma che sono state adottate tecniche di pressione politica estremamente aggressive e che in alcuni casi hanno superato i limiti dell'etica.  Questa condotta va condannata apertamente, ma è altrettanto giusto precisare che l'attività di lobbying è un'attività politica legittima e i comportamenti illeciti di alcuni non possono infangare un'intera categoria di professionisti che spesso, grazie al loro contributo, ci forniscono punti utili ed importanti per meglio svolgere il nostro compito istituzionale.  L'attività di lobbying è un'attività essenziale all'interno del Parlamento, rappresenta uno strumento di valutazione per comprendere i vari aspetti delle tante questioni che ci vengono sottoposte. Chi è portatore di interessi, nel rispetto delle regole e nella massima trasparenza, non può essere confuso con chi svolge in modo illegale il suo lavoro. I fatti di Uber ci insegnano che c'è bisogno di più trasparenza, anche finanziaria, e questa va richiesta a chi esercita attività di lobbying e che bisogna ampliare un codice di condotta che preveda sanzioni più severe.  Noi deputati possiamo e dobbiamo fare la nostra parte anche a sostegno dell'attuale processo di modifica avviato dalla Presidente Metsola, affinché le nostre attività, già rigorosamente disciplinate, possano essere maggiormente protette da condotte illegali e sleali di taluni soggetti che vanno tenuti lontani da ogni forma di rappresentanza istituzionale. Resta comunque inteso che chi vuole agire nell'illegalità continuerà a farlo a discapito di ogni regola presente o futura.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Elisabetta Gualmini
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, quando abbiamo ascoltato Mark MacGann in commissione Lavoro, ex lobbista di Uber, siamo rimasti scioccati. Se le sue rivelazioni e le indagini verranno confermate, siamo davanti a un sistema pervasivo di lobbying illegale su governi europei e non, con tanto di violazioni di legge, di presunta violenza contro i lavoratori, pressioni di ogni tipo. Infilarsi dentro a Facebook e WhatsApp con account falsi per condizionare i lavoratori, pagare ricerche accondiscendenti: questo è stato fatto.  In questo Parlamento stiamo discutendo molto purtroppo di corruzione, di interferenza di Stati terzi nella nostra democrazia e questo ci fa orrore. Sia chiaro, però, che non ci sono solo i governi autoritari di paesi terzi che vogliono interferire. Ci sono anche le grandi multinazionali, le grandi  Sia chiaro che lobbying non vuol dire corruzione, ci mancherebbe. Illustrare interessi e punti di vista per migliorare le nostre decisioni va benissimo, ma non ci può essere una sproporzione enorme tra grandi interessi concentrati in poche mani e, dall'altra parte, interessi diffusi tra tanti soggetti debolissimi.  Non posso dire di avere delle prove, ma io li ho visti i corridoi pieni di lobbisti nel Parlamento durante il negoziato sui  Primo: difendiamo i lavoratori e chiediamo una corretta classificazione del rapporto di lavoro. Se sei un lavoratore autonomo, oggettivamente, ma va benissimo, ma se sei un falso autonomo e sei schiavizzato dall'algoritmo, sei subordinato e hai diritto alle tutele dei lavoratori subordinati. Ma perché abbiamo il terrore del rapporto di lavoro subordinato? Ma perché abbiamo il terrore di dare tutele minime a chi semplicemente le desidera? Io la voglio capire questa cosa qua.  Secondo: difendiamo i buoni imprenditori perché ce ne sono tante di piattaforme che hanno ottimi contratti con i sindacati. Benissimo, evitiamo la concorrenza sleale rispetto a chi ha falsi lavoratori autonomi.  Terzo: le regole sugli algoritmi. Vogliamo essere condizionati solo dalle macchine? Serve un controllo umano sulle decisioni del rapporto di lavoro. Ma è mai possibile che un ragazzo di 26 anni sia morto in un incidente stradale, sia stato licenziato da un'e-mail dopo essere morto? Ma vergognatevi! Vergognatevi! E allora dobbiamo andare avanti con il nostro lavoro, perché il nostro scopo è molto semplice: aumentare la giustizia sociale. Lo faremo senza condizionamenti e senza interferenze.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Tilly Metz
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, the news on the Uber files broke in the middle of the negotiation on the Platform Workers Directive here in the European Parliament. It was shocking to hear about how Uber broke the law and used aggressive lobbying tactics to delay and block laws on labour and social rights. That’s why it has been particularly concerning to see how many colleagues here in this Parliament have been echoing the voices of Uber. There are also good examples of platform companies who deliver innovative services while ensuring labour rights, but they can’t compete with exploitation. The deal on the Platform Workers Directive agreed with EMPL last December would allow for a level playing field for all the actors. It would also give social rights to 28 million platform workers all over the EU who desperately need it. Don’t be fooled by this multimillion lobbying machine. We need to stand up for workers’ rights and fight against second— or third—class workers’ conditions.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Elena Kountoura
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EL

Κύριε Πρόεδρε, σε πολλές χώρες, οι πρακτικές της Uber για βίαιη και παράνομη επέκταση των δραστηριοτήτων της μέσω αδιαφανών σχέσεων με την εξουσία έβλαψαν τα συμφέροντα των νόμιμων οδηγών ταξί και των επιβατών. Λίγες κυβερνήσεις, όπως η κυβέρνηση του Αλέξη Τσίπρα το 2018 στην Ελλάδα, κατάφεραν να αντισταθούν στις πιέσεις των λόμπι και των συμφερόντων και να βάλουν τέλος στις απαράδεκτες αυτές πρακτικές.  Ωστόσο, ακόμα και σήμερα, η Επιτροπή αρνείται να αναγνωρίσει τους κινδύνους της απορρύθμισης της αγοράς και, στο νέο πλαίσιο αστικής κινητικότητας, ζητά περαιτέρω άνοιγμα της αγοράς με προφανή στόχο τη διείσδυση υπηρεσιών τύπου Uber. Η Επιτροπή, λοιπόν, θα πρέπει, αντί να υπονομεύει τον ρόλο και τα δικαιώματα των νόμιμων οδηγών ταξί, να διερευνήσει πώς μπορεί να προασπίσει τα συμφέροντά τους και τα συμφέροντα των επιβατών απέναντι σε πανίσχυρους τεχνολογικούς κολοσσούς, για παράδειγμα μέσω της ανάπτυξης ευρωπαϊκών δημόσιων εφαρμογών προς όφελος του κλάδου και των επιβατών.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Jiří Pospíšil
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: CS

Pane předsedající, tato rozprava je velmi zajímavá a mně z toho plynou dvě poučení. Kauza Uber: první je to, co tu bylo často zmiňováno, pravidla lobbingu v evropských institucích a obecně v Evropě. Máme zde pravidla, ale tento příklad jasně ukazuje, že úplně nefungují a že princip transparentnosti, který musí být s lobbingem spojen, není vždy naplněn. Je to tedy otázka, nakolik lobbing regulovat tak, abychom zabránili tomu, že lobbista v zásadě vytváří názor zákonodárce nebo je názor zákonodárce nahrazen názorem lobbisty. Na druhou stranu říkám, že lobbing jako takový, pokud je transparentní, regulován, přináší-li informace z nějakého prostředí pro poslance, který se na základě i těchto informacích rozhoduje svobodně, to je důležité říci, tak podle mého názoru zcela zakázán být nemá. Je to způsob, jak si zákonodárce, který má mít vlastní morální integritu, opatřuje informace pro své rozhodnutí. Bavme se tedy o tom, jak regulaci případně upravit. Na druhou stranu, už to zde zaznělo od některého z mých kolegů, bylo by špatné, kdybychom z vaničky vedle vody vylili i dítě a kdybychom tak lobbing jako takový vehnali do šedé zóny a zcela ho vyloučili. Regulace je nutná, ale nemůže to být úplný zákaz, podle mého názoru. Je třeba už také dokončit, a ten příklad to ukazuje, jasnou právní úpravu, která se týká platforem, a konkrétně Uberu. Padla zde celá řada věcí. Padly zde otázky týkající se „zaměstnanců“ nebo řidičů, kteří pracují pro Uber. Jsem pro to, aby jaksi získali určitou právní ochranu. Ale co vidím jako důležité, že tyto platformy narušují rovnost v podnikatelském prostředí. Vnímám ve svém městě, v Praze, jak Uber narušuje taxikářské prostředí. Taxikář jako živnostník musí splnit určité podmínky, zatímco Uber ty podmínky plnit nemusí. A to je také důležité: rovnost podnikatelského prostředí, které platformy nesmí narušovat.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Gabriele Bischoff
Political group: S-D
Country: France
Language: DE

Herr Präsident! Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, viele von uns haben an die Anhörung erinnert, die im Ausschuss dieses Hauses für Beschäftigung und soziale Angelegenheiten stattgefunden hat. Es war wirklich eine Sternstunde des Parlaments, und hin und wieder stockte uns der Atem, wenn wir gehört haben, mit welchen Methoden Uber arbeitet. Und deshalb ist es richtig: Die Whistleblower brauchen unseren besonderen Schutz. Die nehmen Risiken auf sich, weil sie merken, da läuft was falsch in ihrem Unternehmen, um dafür zu sorgen, dass das abgestellt wird. Und eben auch Dank an die Journalisten. Die haben sich durch tausende dieser Files durchgearbeitet. Das ging eigentlich nur in einem Konsortium, um die Öffentlichkeit zu informieren und um sicherzustellen, dass wir Licht in dieses Dunkel bringen und wissen, was da in den Hinterräumen und Hinterzimmern eigentlich stattfindet, wie Uber europäische Regierungen dazu gebracht hat, ihre Märkte zu deregulieren, um sein Geschäftsmodell zu etablieren und auszubauen, und zwar zulasten der Beschäftigten.  Und wenn der Kompromiss zum Verhandlungsmandat bestätigt wird, dann ist das für mich auch ein Beleg, dass dieses Haus, dieses Parlament sich nicht beeindrucken lässt – anders als manche Regierungen – von diesem massiven Lobbying, das direkt oder indirekt stattfindet. Und um was geht es denn hierbei? Hier geht es nicht nur um ein Unternehmen oder um Plattformen. In Wirklichkeit geht es auch darum, dass wir die Wahl haben zwischen guten Arbeitsbedingungen und sozialer Absicherung für alle, die beschäftigt sind und ihre Arbeitskraft anbieten, und der Etablierung neuer Formen von Wildwestkapitalismus, die sich auch immer weiter ausbreiten. Deshalb haben wir die Wahl, wir haben die Abstimmung verschoben. Das gibt vielleicht manchen auch noch mal Zeit, nachzudenken. Wir haben die Wahl, eine Entscheidung zu treffen, ob wir Millionen von Plattformbeschäftigten im Regen stehen lassen oder ob wir sicherstellen, dass sie auch wissen – nicht nur heute –, wie viel Geld sie kriegen, sodass sie ihre Mieten bezahlen können, dass sie planen können und dass sie Zugang haben zum Arbeitsmarkt und guter Beschäftigung.
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Karima Delli
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Hungary
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Madame la Commissaire, mes chers collègues, qu’est-ce qu’il nous faut de plus pour agir? On a des révélations en cascade grâce au Consortium international des journalistes sur les méthodes de voyous d’Uber. On a un lanceur d’alerte, M. Mark MacGann, ancien chef lobbyiste d’Uber, qui a dénoncé les agissements illégaux d’Uber entre 2013 et 2017. En 2017, moi-même, ici, j’ai dénoncé au sein de la commission des transports du Parlement les méthodes frauduleuses d’Uber pour influencer une étude du Parlement. Vous savez ce qu’ils ont fait? Ils se sont fait passer pour des chercheurs indépendants. Ils ont co-écrit l’étude. Résultat: Uber est cité 130 fois dans l’étude, une étude qui portait sur l’économie collaborative dans les transports. Soyons sérieux, cela s’appelle des méthodes de voyous et ce sont les salariés qui trinquent derrière, qui sont sous-payés et sans protection sociale. Alors regardons ce que font nos amis belges: le Parlement bruxellois a ordonné la semaine dernière la constitution d’un comité spécial pour lever le voile sur les réseaux d’influence d’Uber. L’Europe a été touchée en son cœur, une commission d’enquête sera...
Debate: Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Maria Walsh
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

Mr President, political integrity means exercising political power consistently in the public interest. Lobbying has shown us that it can be a force of good when it is being ethically practised, but it can also lead to undue influence to the detriment of public interest and affect public policies when action is taken to benefit one lobbyist group. Transparency is key to ensuring that policymakers, like you and I, do not give preferential treatment to interest groups. Transparency promotes openness, accountability and public trust, and there is an inherent obligation on politicians to share this information with citizens, thus making those in political power accountable to citizens. Today we debate Uber, who themselves have stated that they massaged the facts to earn the trust of drivers, consumers and politicians. This is not acceptable. It is not acceptable to the drivers who work for them and the consumers who use their platform business. In relation to politicians, this only heightens the importance of the Transparency Register, and rules for lobbying are crucial to safeguard the integrity of the public decision—making process. Transparent lobbying is a fundamental component of our democracy. It therefore falls to the Parliament and our Member States to ensure that our European citizens get the truth and all the truth.