unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Inclusion of the right to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Manon Aubry
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, chers collègues, alors que nous proposons d’inscrire le droit à l’avortement dans la charte des droits fondamentaux de l’Union européenne, on voit que la droite réactionnaire redouble d’ingéniosité pour s’y opposer. Je propose donc de remplacer cette partie qui, je cite, «reste une question controversée sur laquelle les sociétés de l’Union ont des points de vue variés» par «le droit à l’avortement est un droit humain et une liberté fondamentale qui doit être protégée des attaques de l’extrême droite et des réactionnaires.» Car non, chers collègues, le droit à l’avortement n’est pas une question de point de vue, c’est un droit humain. Non, le droit à l’avortement n’est pas un sujet de controverse, c’est une liberté fondamentale. Non, le droit à l’avortement ne tue pas, au contraire, il sauve des vies. Et pendant que vous vous y attaquez discrètement ici, au Parlement européen, vous pouvez compter sur nous à Bruxelles, à Paris, à Rome, à Budapest, partout où vous entraverez le droit des femmes, vous nous trouverez sur votre chemin.
Debate: Discharge : EU general budget - Commission
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, Parliament should not approve the discharge for the Commission. Yes, this is a discharge for 2022 accounts. But the outrageous behaviour of the Commission President in 2023, in particular, calls into question all other yearly accounts during her mandate. In October, the Commission projected the Israeli flag on the side of the Commission headquarters. As Israel began its genocidal assault on Gaza, President von der Leyen tweeted a picture of the flag projecting and said ‘the European Union stands with Israel’. A record released in the Irish news site The Ditch showed that the Commission paid the contractor EUR 28 000 plus for the work. The same week, von der Leyen travelled to Tel Aviv to tell the butcher Netanyahu that he had the EU’s unconditional support. She engaged in unauthorised diplomacy on behalf of the EU. She unilaterally participated in war propaganda spectacles for an apartheid, genocidal regime. Her actions are nothing short of a coup. And for all of this, the European taxpayers foot the bill.
Debate: Discharge : EU general budget - Commission
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, I too voted against the discharge for the European Commission on roughly the same grounds.  This is the European Commission whose President spent EUR 28 000 draping the Israeli flag over the Berlaymont Building in Brussels, the Commission President who told Israel that ‘Europe stands with you now and in the days to come’ as the Israeli Defence Forces began its genocidal campaign in Gaza, the Commission President who flew to Israel on 13 October to offer Europe’s unconditional support after it had imposed a starvation siege on Gazan civilians, who gripped Herzog’s hand and told him ‘this is the moment for us all to stand together’, whose words were quoted in the ICJ by Israel as proof of their good intentions.  There are many in Europe who will be remembered as complicit in Israel’s unprecedented crimes, especially the states – Ireland included – who kept selling arms, but nobody embodies European complicity like the genocidal psychopath at the top of the European Commission.
Debate: Discharge : EU general budget - European External Action Service
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, how on earth can you still maintain that UNRWA should be defunded in the middle of a genocide, where famine has been used as a weapon of destruction? There is zero evidence about the Israeli claims. UNRWA is the central agency providing a lifeline of support in Gaza. Israel’s completely unsubstantiated claims about connections with Hamas were a disgusting attempt to both distract from and further compound their genocidal assault on the men, women and children of Gaza.  The refugees of Gaza are reduced to eating animal feed and grasses. Death by starvation is on the rise. Water is contaminated. Thousands of children are suffering and wasting. The conditions orchestrated by Israel have put at risk 50 000 pregnant Palestinian women and 20 000 newborn babies, increasing miscarriages by up to 300 %. And many of the right-wing are still advancing lies in order to ensure the plight of Palestinians worsens even further.  – In bocca al lupo al Toro sabato contro la Juve. Juve è merda, forza Toro.
Debate: Discharge : European Labour Authority
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Clare Daly
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: EN

Mr President, I voted for the discharge for the European Labour Authority because I really think that workers’ rights need to be defended across the Union. We’ve had the EU directive on adequate minimum wages, it’s not perfect, but it did provide us with an opportunity to look at some of the issues around the growing inequality and attacks on workers’ rights. It aims to increase trade union representation, tackle in-work poverty, enhance job security, reduce precarious employment and, critically, tackle the major issue of union-busting, which has been going on unabated in Ireland for 50 years since we joined the EU.  Now, section 16 of the directive specifically recognises union-busting, so why did the Irish Government recently vote down – when they claim to be such great Europeans – a simple piece of legislation tabled by Joan Collins on the Protection of Employees Trade Union Subscription Bill, which would have given workers the statutory right to join a union? Not really radical, just making joining a union easier. If we want to be part of the Union, we should buy into the good bits, not just a bad.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of the part-session and forwarding of texts adopted
Date: THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Rainer Wieland
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Die Protokolle der heutigen und der gestrigen Sitzung werden dem Parlament zu Beginn der nächsten Sitzung zur Genehmigung vorgelegt. Wenn es keine Einwände gibt, werde ich die in der heutigen Sitzung angenommenen Entschließungen den in diesen Entschließungen genannten Personen und Gremien übermitteln.
Debate: Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

In relation to the decisions by the committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, pursuant to Rule 71(1), announced on Wednesday, 10 April, I have received a request for a vote in Parliament by the S&D Group on the decision of the ECON Committee to enter into negotiations on the following file: ‘Union retail investor protection rules’. The vote will be held tomorrow. Concerning the other decisions by the ECON and the LIBE and FEMM committees to enter into negotiations, I received no request for a vote in Parliament by Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold. Therefore, the committees can start the negotiations.
Debate: Delegated acts
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

In relation to the recommendations for decisions tabled by the AGRI Committee to raise no objections to two delegated acts, which were announced on Wednesday, 10 April, objections to the recommendation on the rules on the ratio for the good agricultural and environmental condition standard 1 have been raised by the Greens and The Left groups, and some individual members. Pursuant to Rule 111(6) of the Rules of Procedure, this recommendation will therefore be added to tomorrow’s voting session. As regards the recommendation on some provisions following the EU-New Zealand free trade agreement and the deletion of obsolete provisions as regards the export tariff quota for milk powder, no objections were raised within the 24-hour deadline. Pursuant to Rule 111(6), this recommendation was therefore deemed approved. It is published with the adopted texts.
Debate: Delegated acts
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

I was informed that no objections have been raised within the Conference of Committee Chairs to the recommendation by the LIBE Committee not to oppose a delegated act pursuant to Rule 111(6) of the Rules of Procedure. The recommendation is available on the Plenary webpage. If no objections are raised by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold within 24 hours, the recommendation shall be deemed to have been approved. Otherwise, it will be put to the vote.
Debate: Corrigenda
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

The IMCO and LIBE committees, in joint committee procedure, and the ECON Committee, have transmitted one corrigendum each to texts adopted by Parliament. Pursuant to Rule 241(4), these corrigenda will be deemed approved unless, no later than 24 hours after their announcement, a request is made by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold that they be put to the vote. The corrigenda are available on the Plenary webpage. Their titles will be published in the minutes of this sitting.
Debate: Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

I would like to inform you that, together with the President of the Council, on Wednesday I shall sign 11 acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of this sitting.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Roberta Metsola
Country: Poland
Language: EN

As this is the last sitting of the current parliamentary term, I propose that the provisions of Rule 202 be waived, and that the minutes of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s sittings be approved on Thursday at the end of the voting session. I would also like to inform the House that I have received multiple requests for points of order, so we start with Assita Kanko.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Assita Kanko
Political group: ECR
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, dear colleagues, I would like to wish a happy Passover to all Jews in Europe and around the world. The story of Passover and of its redemption and liberation is especially relevant today, as we cannot forget the hostages still held by Hamas and others. Passover also carries a message of hope and of time spent together as a family. Therefore, once again, a happy and peaceful Passover to all Jews and to everyone who keeps human faith in their heart.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Terry Reintke
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, colleagues, you have probably heard it in the news. We are quite concerned about reports coming from Italy on interference with press freedom. We have seen it in Hungary; we have seen it in other European countries, that very often when there is an authoritarian backlash, journalists are the first targets. So let me be clear. We will stay vigilant and defend journalistic freedom in Europe. And because it cannot be said enough: anti-fascism must not be censored. Anti-fascism is the basis of our democracies, and the brave fight against fascism is the reason why this project of European Union exists today. So I say it proudly: "Siamo tutti antifascisti".
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Hannes Heide
Political group: S-D
Country: Slovakia
Language: EN

Madam President, colleagues, 30 years ago in Rwanda, a genocide was taking place. Within 100 days, starting in April 1994, more than 800 000 Rwandans, members of the Tutsi minority, as well as others who tried to oppose it, were systematically murdered. In total, more than 1 million people lost their lives.  Thirty years later, we in the European Parliament do not forget these victims and wish to express our solidarity with their families and friends who still mourn the loss, as well as with the survivors, and to Rwandan society at large. In commemorating this terrible event, we also wish to reiterate our unwavering commitment to the prevention of genocide and any crime against humanity across the world.  To ensure full accountability, we must continue to ensure that the drivers of genocide such as xenophobia, discrimination and hate speech targeting national, ethnic, racial or religious groups are condemned and fought against. The international community must remain united in this goal. In Rwanda, people commemorate these events under the name Kwibuka, which means ‘to remember’. We do the same today. We remember: never again. We may never forget.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Abir Al-Sahlani
Political group: Renew
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Madam President, thank you. Allow me to give a big thank you to this House and to you personally on behalf of the Swedish people for always standing up for the hostages from Sweden, taken illegally by the Islamic Republic of Iran. And we have now taken also an initiative and I would like to kindly ask you to participate in signing a request and a demand to the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release both Johan Floderus but also all EU citizens who are held illegally and arbitrarily in Iran at the moment, and to demand from Iran to stop its hostage diplomacy. The letter will be outside the plenary room here, and I really kindly ask you to take just a few minutes of your time and sign your name. Side by side, together, we stand for our European citizens, no matter where they are, if they are in the hands of a terrorist regime.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Tineke Strik
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Madam President, dear colleagues, tomorrow we vote on the visa exemption for holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate in Kosovo. It’s presented as a technical proposal by the Commission, but Serbia proved last week that the opposite is true. Vučić prevented hundreds of Kosovars from entering the EU at the Serbia–Croatian borders as an act of retaliation for the country’s Council of Europe membership. It proves again that Serbia does not intend to advance relations with Kosovo, nor does it care about international law. Our votes will be seen and sold as a win by Vučić. So, dear colleagues, let it not become the legacy of this legislator to appease a Kremlin-flirting regime. Let us reject the proposal tomorrow and support the integrity and European integration of Kosovo.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Matjaž Nemec
Political group: S-D
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Madam President, I’m the rapporteur of this dossier. I would like just to suggest not to postpone, because in the future, there will be no new elements to do so. We are talking about 80 000 people who were discriminated since the beginning of this year. We are talking about the Serbs from Kosovo and the decision – it’s fully technical; it’s not political. If we’re going to postpone this decision, we are creating a political issue.
Debate: Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Ana Miranda
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, this day four years ago my mother died. I think every day in sadness of the mothers and children of Gaza. Mothers without children. Children without mothers. President, I want to reiterate my request for a minute of silence for the Palestinians and international victims killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip. It’s the only case which we don’t have any minutes of silence. It’s time, President and Members of the Chamber, to stand against the genocide in Gaza and stand up for a permanent ceasefire.
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Heidi Hautala
Country: Poland
Language: FI

Esityslistalla on seuraavana João Albuquerquen ympäristön, kansanterveyden ja elintarvikkeiden turvallisuuden valiokunnan puolesta laatima mietintö ehdotuksesta Euroopan parlamentin ja neuvoston asetukseksi muovipellettihävikin estämisestä mikromuovisaasteen vähentämiseksi (
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Maria Spyraki
Country: Romania
Language: EN

As the rapporteur on behalf of the ITRE Committee, it is important to highlight that we agree on, first, the non-binding recommendation adopted by the parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, which will be taken into account. Second, the period of six months after entering into force to develop awareness-raising and training on the implementation of the regulation. It is also important to highlight that funds will be available to develop training material. Assistance for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) could take the form of specialised management and staff training, organisational and technical assistance. This provision can also be in the form of financial support and access to finance, including the acquisition of equipment required to achieve compliance. Tomorrow we will vote in favour of a key step towards our commitment to reduce microplastics pollution by 30 % by 2030. It is important to have consistency in our policies. As we examined in the single-use plastic case, we need to reduce the lack of alternatives and performance, as well as the low awareness of our citizens, in order to bring sufficient and highly functional alternatives.
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Deirdre Clune
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: EN

Losses of these plastic pellets, which are the base material for manufacturing plastic products, are the third largest source of unintentional microplastic releases in the EU. According to the European Chemicals Agency, almost 180 000 metric tons of plastic pellets are accidentally or unintentionally released into the environment each year. Microplastic pollution is not only a serious problem for the environment, but also for public health. Once microplastics enter our environment, it is almost impossible to get rid of them.  That’s why I’m supporting this measure – and I’d urge that we all would tomorrow – because it will prevent microplastic spillages in road, rail and maritime transport. It is a practical, realistic proposal that will work, and the new law is particularly timely given the millions of plastic pellets that were washed up on the coast of Spain and Portugal, the north-western Galicia region, in January of this year. The incident has caused major disruption, threatening to endanger wildlife and posing a serious risk to the livelihoods of fishery communities and tourism communities in that area.  So the proposal, which will address the release of plastic pellets into our environment, will apply to European and non-European operators. It will set requirements for best handling practices. Mandatory certification and self-declaration will be measures which will be put in place. Importantly, however, lighter requirements will apply to micro and small operators.  This regulation is expected, as it is been said, to reduce the release by up to 74% of microplastics. It would result in healthier ecosystems, contributing to plastic-free rivers and oceans and, of course, reducing risks to human health. I am a strong believer that prevention is the best solution, and here we have a very practical proposal, and I want to thank the rapporteur and the other shadows for all the work that he did and that we did on this file.
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Mohammed Chahim
Political group: S-D
Country: Denmark
Language: NL

Nu praten we over microplastics, maar we kunnen het net zo goed hebben over pfas of pesticiden. Een giftige cocktail van chemicaliën die op allerlei manieren op ons bord en in de natuur terechtkomen. Afzonderlijk vormen zij al een gevaar, maar ook het stapeleffect is zeer zorgwekkend. Helaas wegen voor sommige partijen in dit Parlement de economische belangen zwaarder dan gezondheidsrisico’s. De lobby van de chemische industrie is in tegenstelling tot die van microplastics wel zichtbaar. Daar heb je geen vergrootglas voor nodig. Voor mij is het glashelder: belangen van de markt mogen nooit boven mens en milieu komen te staan. Met dit voorstel van mijn collega Albuquerque denk ik dat we in de goede richting gaan om zo min mogelijk microplastics en plastic pellets in de natuur te laten terechtkomen.
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Catherine Chabaud
Political group: Renew
Country: Belgium
Language: FR

Il faut bien comprendre une chose: les industriels eux-mêmes tentent depuis des décennies de mettre en place de bonnes pratiques face aux pollutions liées aux pertes de granulés plastiques qu’ils ont eux-mêmes constatées. Toutefois, leurs efforts ne suffisent pas et c’est là que l’on comprend la nécessité de mettre en place des normes – que bon nombre contestent aujourd’hui – et de le faire a minima à l’échelon européen, en espérant, comme je le promeus, qu’un cadre réglementaire voie le jour à l’échelle internationale, soit via le traité contre la pollution plastique, soit via les recommandations de l’Organisation maritime internationale. Je me félicite aussi de l’introduction du transport maritime dans ce texte et de la possibilité pour les États membres d’utiliser les pénalités envisagées pour soutenir des projets de dépollution là où c’est encore possible. Enfin, si vous me le permettez, Madame la Présidente, je profite de cette dernière intervention au Parlement européen pour lancer un appel afin que la prochaine mandature mette en œuvre un véritable pacte bleu, un pacte européen pour l’océan, qui reflète la dimension maritime de l’Union européenne et que nous travaillions à régénérer l’océan, notre bien commun.
Debate: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
Date: MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Ska Keller
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

So urgent action is needed. What we are setting out to do with this legislation is exactly that urgent action. For preventing pallet losses, we don’t need some new invention, we don’t need some crazy new technologies. We need better handling. We need better measures for transport, precautionary measures, a cleaning system in place. And we also need to know who’s responsible for when things go wrong and what they have to do then, because it’s not about harassing small enterprises, it’s about making sure that some people who are making profit with the product are not harming the environment that we all depend on.  This legislation is certainly not the end game in a battle against plastic pollution. But it’s a good start and one start that we have managed to improve also in the committee. I would like to thank the commission for the proposal and also the rapporteur and our shadow rapporteur. Next it’s up for the Council to be ambitious, and I hope that ministers will bring back some resolve from Canada, where they are currently discussing global plastic pollution. And if you want to lead in the world, we should start at home.