unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Frans Timmermans
Language: EN

And we sat together and we agreed that in the next year we would identify precisely, on a scientific basis, what the problem is and how we can solve the problem. And everyone committed to that. And I say this so clearly in this House because science is not an opinion. Someone here said it today. It is not. Signs are facts. You know, that the earth is round is not an opinion, and if we can come to an agreement on the scientific facts, then the political choices are channelled and are not just free for all.  And I think this example from Sweden might be a good example to follow. Let’s get out of the trenches.  Secondly, in reaction to Bas Eickhout; yes, we need to speed up the energy transition and we will come with our REPowerEU proposals to make that happen. And I also say we need... because we don’t have our own oil, we have very little of our own gas, we certainly can’t rely on coal anymore for very long, so the only solution to have our own energy is to have renewable energy.  If the question is, can we be competitive with renewable energy? If we couldn’t, why then are China and the US investing so massively, massively in renewable energy today? Because they know that is where the future is. And I would say, and I say this also to my honourable friend from Silesia, Łukasz Kohut, look, we can only help coal mining regions by offering them a swift and secure transition to a new economy, connecting them. Prolonging their connection to coal is just a waste of their time, an attack on their health and a waste of taxpayers’ money.  This transition should be done and should be done now. There are so many economic opportunities in this. Poland already is the biggest exporter of electric buses in Europe. Polish citizens massively want to install rooftop solar and they’re doing it at lightning speed, no pun intended. So here I believe that this transition should be also defended as not just the right thing to do because of our climate, but also the right thing to do because of our economy.  Which brings me to my final point. All of this is moot if it is not embedded in social policy. It will not happen if people have the feeling that they will be left behind. So the IPCC Report also forces us to look at the issue of redistribution within and between societies, because that’s the only way people will be part of this transition. That’s the only way we will get the support from the population we need.  Because even if the facts are clear, as in this IPCC Report, that we need to speed up things, if people only worry about the end of the month they will not be bothered with the end of the world. So we need to make sure that everything we do is embedded in social fairness. That’s the only way we can do what the IPCC Report says, and that is turn things around.
Debate: Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Rovana Plumb
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: RO

Până la 3,6 miliarde de oameni trăiesc în medii extrem de vulnerabile la schimbările climatice, iar tipurile actuale de dezvoltare nedurabilă cresc expunerea ecosistemelor și a oamenilor la riscurile climatice. Una din trei persoane este expusă la stres termic mortal, un miliard de oameni care locuiesc în zonele costiere vor fi expuși inundațiilor până în 2050. Răspunsurile greșite la problema combaterii schimbărilor climatice pot genera și ele probleme dificile legate de vulnerabilitate, expunere și riscuri care ar putea fi greu de corectat. Criza climatică este inseparabilă de criza biodiversității și de crizele determinate de sărăcia și inegalitatea suferite de miliarde de oameni. Angajamentul politic, îmbunătățirea cadrului instituțional, resursele financiare adecvate împreună cu monitorizarea și evaluarea continuă a măsurilor selectate cu ajutorul celei mai bune cunoașteri științifice disponibile la un moment dat și puse în practică sunt esențiale pentru procesul de adaptare și atingere a rezilienței climatice. În România, este nevoie de un efort pe scară largă pentru elaborarea, operaționalizarea și punerea în practică a măsurilor de adaptare la nivel local. Foarte puține orașe, localități și comunități au planuri de adaptare actualizate.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Nicola Beer
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärung der Kommission zur Dringlichkeit der Annahme der Mindeststeuerrichtlinie ( Es ist weiter freie Sitzplatzwahl, und wir wenden ebenso die Möglichkeit der spontanen Wortmeldungen und der blauen Karten an.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Markus Ferber
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: DE

Wenn ich mir den Berichtsentwurf anschaue – Entschuldigung, wenn ich das mal ganz offen anspreche: Wollen wir, dass wir das, was wir lange gefordert haben, was wir jetzt schon in vielen Entschließungen auch begrüßt haben – nämlich, dass die OECD sich verständigt hat auf einen wirklich globalen Standard –, wollen wir, dass wir den umsetzen, oder wollen wir gleich wieder draufpacken? Wollen wir damit unsere internationale Glaubwürdigkeit gefährden und zukünftige weitere Steuerabkommen damit auch gefährden? Ich halte das schon für äußerst bedenklich, wenn hier dieses Parlament – jedenfalls von dem, was bisher schriftlich vorliegt – der Meinung ist, man kann immer noch draufpacken, draufpacken, draufpacken. Nein, wir sollten das, was die Kommission gesagt hat, jetzt umsetzen und glaubwürdig sein, auch im internationalen Bereich. Aber ich frage mich natürlich auch, Herr Kommissar: Warum musste das in zwei Teilen vorgeschlagen werden? Es ist ja interessant, dass im Rat genau deswegen auch Kritik aufkommt, weil sie sagen: Ja, wir wissen ja noch nicht, was im anderen Teil drinsteht. Es wäre schon richtig gewesen, dass jetzt nicht – damit für Wahlen, die in kurzer Zeit anstehen, ein kurzfristiger Erfolg machbar ist – mal der leichtere Teil vorgeschlagen wird und den schwereren Teil, den schiebt man mal ein bisschen vor sich her. Es wäre schon gut gewesen, wenn die Kommission das gesamte OECD-Paket auf einmal vorgeschlagen hätte, damit wir das insgesamt im Parlament und im Rat seriös beraten können. Deswegen sage ich ganz offen: Diese Debatte ist nicht notwendig. Es wäre besser gewesen, wir hätten heute die Stunde dafür genutzt, an dem Bericht von der Kollegin Lalucq zu arbeiten oder die Kommission aufzufordern, endlich auch den zweiten Teil vorzulegen.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Aurore Lalucq
Political group: S-D
Country: France
Language: FR

Nous avons enfin décidé de siffler la fin de la récré. Cela a commencé, comme cela a été dit, avec l'accord OCDE sur l’imposition minimale des multinationales, signé par plus de 130 pays, accord auquel la Commission – on peut s’en féliciter – a répondu très rapidement avec une directive. Cette directive, nous y travaillons en ce moment même au niveau du Parlement européen, mais comme d'habitude, il y a un blocage sur les questions fiscales, de la part de deux États en particulier, à savoir l'Estonie et la Pologne.  Alors chers gouvernements estonien et polonais, certes, vous avez vos raisons de ne pas aimer cet accord. Nous avons aussi les nôtres! Du côté des socio-démocrates, on aurait aimé un taux plus élevé. Markus Ferber aurait peut-être aussi aimé un autre accord, mais cet accord est le fruit d'un compromis historique. Alors pourquoi nous refuser au niveau européen ce que vous avez accepté de signer au niveau mondial? Et surtout, pourquoi maintenant, dans ce contexte si particulier où nous devons faire montre de responsabilité et de solidarité?
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Gilles Boyer
Political group: Renew
Country: Slovenia
Language: FR

L’Europe doit maintenant prendre ou conserver le leadership en mettant en œuvre rapidement cet accord et la proposition de directive de la Commission, laquelle est fidèle à l’accord de l’OCDE. La présidence française du Conseil est maintenant à l’œuvre pour obtenir cet accord à l’unanimité et avancer rapidement si possible. C’est la raison de ce débat d’aujourd’hui, dans la perspective de la réunion du Conseil Ecofin prévue demain, que vous avez mentionnée, Monsieur le Vice-Président. Dans cette dernière ligne droite des négociations, nous appelons, comme notre collègue Aurore Lalucq, l’ensemble des États membres à faire preuve de cohérence et à se rallier au compromis du Conseil. Il y a une forte attente des citoyens européens pour une grande ambition en matière de lutte contre l’évasion fiscale. Le Parlement européen – cela a été dit aussi – prendra toute sa part pour que l’Europe soit au rendez-vous et pour s’assurer que toutes les multinationales paient un impôt minimum dans chacun des pays où elles ont une activité. C’est une question de justice et d’équité fiscale.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Claude Gruffat
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Hungary
Language: FR

Finissons-en et rétablissons la justice fiscale. Il y a urgence à conclure ce projet de taux minimum d’imposition des multinationales, menacé par le nationalisme. Certes, on a critiqué ce texte: taux trop bas, exemptions trop importantes – d’ailleurs, je partage ces critiques. Les Européens et les Européennes doivent enfin être entendus sur les questions fiscales. Ce texte, qui concerne notre vie de tous les jours, est aujourd’hui entre les mains des ministres des finances. Alors je demande d’envoyer demain un signal positif aux contribuables et aux citoyens : faites payer leur juste part d’impôts aux multinationales.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Michiel Hoogeveen
Political group: ECR
Country: Sweden
Language: NL

Daarnaast ondermijnt bureaucratie het concurrentievermogen. Ook daar blinken we in de EU helaas in uit. Dit voorstel breidt dit nog verder uit. Het voorstel leidt ertoe dat grote bedrijven een extra boekhouding zullen moeten bijhouden. Dat zal vooral advocaten, juristen, boekhouders en consultancykantoren bekoren. Ook de ministeries van Financiën zullen nieuwe bureaucraten moeten aannemen, want deze complexe regels moeten worden geïnterpreteerd. Gezien de bureaucratische reputatie van bepaalde lidstaten een flinke uitdaging. Ten slotte is het een wereldvreemd idee dat landen die hun belasting moeten verhogen, geen andere manier zullen vinden om voordelen toe te kennen aan multinationals. De globale minimumbelasting is een oplossing op zoek naar een probleem. De meeste landen hebben al een manier om ervoor te zorgen dat iedereen netjes zijn belastingen betaalt. Daarnaast is het nog maar de vraag of andere landen zoals de Verenigde Staten deze ooit zullen implementeren. Voorzitter, laten we dit voorstel heroverwegen, want de problemen van belastingen in een digitale en geglobaliseerde wereld gaan wij hier niet mee oplossen.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: José Gusmão
Political group: The Left
Country: Finland
Language: PT

Mas o que nos é prometido é uma tributação sobre as empresas multinacionais que será justa, justamente distribuída e efetiva. E a proposta que temos em cima da mesa não é nenhuma destas coisas.  Não será uma tributação sobre as multinacionais, mas sim uma tributação sobre uma pequena parte das empresas multinacionais. Não será efetiva, porque está cheia de exclusões, deduções e exceções. Não será justa, porque é uma taxa muito mais baixa do que a praticada em grande parte dos países e para grande parte das empresas. E não será justamente distribuída, porque o mundo desenvolvido tratou de guardar para si próprio a fatia de leão da receita deste novo imposto.  Temos, portanto, muita urgência, mas também muito a melhorar nesta proposta.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Clara Ponsatí Obiols
Political group: NI
Country: Slovakia
Language: EN

Madam President, this directive is a step in the right direction, and it is urgent to have multinational companies contribute at least a little bit. But it is also urgent to stop the unfair competition with local SMEs that bear the weight of state regulations and taxes. With war instability, inflation and energy prices going through the roof, SMEs are the weak link of the economy. Multinationals and governments have tools to weather this storm and put themselves always first. This leaves SMEs in no man’s land, often paying the price on fuel stability. For example, the urgent measures of the Spanish Government to lower oil prices demand that companies pay the government subsidy in advance. Easy for the big guys, impossible for the small guys. This directive is good and temptations to water it down must be resisted. But it is ironic that while we approve it, SMEs that keep our economies healthy, play by the rules and ensure our way of life in times of emergency are left out in the cold.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Marek Belka
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Madam President, tomorrow, the EU Ministers of Finance can agree on the minimum effective tax rates of 15% for big multinationals. The deal also introduces another tax payment rule to fix tax havens. We are all agreed upon a basis amongst 137 countries. Then the Commission proposed a reasonable directive. Many thought that on this, in the EU, we will stand strong together and nothing is going to stop us now from approving and implementing this ground—breaking rule. But now some countries, including my own, are hesitant to agree to the French Presidency proposal. I call upon the EU Member States to have an agreement on this document tomorrow. With Putin’s war around the corner, as well as difficulties for our economies caused by the conflict and the pandemics, we need unity as well as fair taxation for a sustainable recovery. This directive gives us that.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Rasmus Andresen
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin! 360 Milliarden Euro Gewinne haben multinationale Konzerne allein 2020 eingefahren. Während viele kleine Betriebe in den letzten Jahren stark gelitten haben, machen Amazon, Daimler oder Bayer enorme Gewinne. Gerade im Einzelhandel oder in der Gastronomie kämpfen nach wie vor viele kleine Betriebe um ihre Existenz. Es ist ungerecht, dass Amazon prozentual immer noch weniger Steuern zahlt als der Buchladen bei uns um die Ecke. Es ist zu einfach für große Konzerne, ihre Gewinne in Steuerschlupflöcher zu schieben. Deshalb brauchen wir einen globalen Steuersatz von mindestens 15 Prozent, und wir brauchen ihn jetzt. Wir Grüne lehnen eine spätere Einführung der Mindeststeuer Ende 2023 und große Ausnahmen für einige Mitgliedstaaten entschieden ab. Wir fordern die Blockiererstaaten Estland und Polen dazu auf, auf dem Treffen der Finanzminister in dieser Woche den Weg für die Mindeststeuer freizumachen.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Fabio Massimo Castaldo
Political group: NI
Country: France
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, signor Commissario, onorevoli colleghi, l'accordo quasi unanime che abbiamo firmato in seno all'OCSE per introdurre una tassa minima sulle multinazionali ha rappresentato un passaggio importante. Ma ci è stato presentato come un momento storico: si tratta invece di un compromesso già nettamente al ribasso, che risolve solo parzialmente il problema di un sistema fiscale internazionale, che è stato programmato per non funzionare. Troppo poche le multinazionali incluse; l'aliquota al 15 %, inferiore perfino alla normale imposizione sui redditi dei lavoratori, è simile, molto simile al regime agevolato di alcuni Paesi europei, che non esito a definire paradisi fiscali di fatto. Certo, col tempo queste soglie potrebbero essere alzate ma non se questo accordo viene blindato con l'intento di precludere qualsiasi potenziale cambiamento. Il testo della direttiva, ancor più nella bozza del Consiglio, non lascia alcun margine di manovra per future modifiche alla tassa minima. Intanto gli Stati Uniti hanno imposto che gli altri Paesi ritirino le tasse digitali nazionali non appena le nuove regole entreranno in vigore e questo può essere accettabile solo se non si blocca una revisione possibile del quadro in futuro. In un mondo afflitto da una pandemia e dalla guerra, finché le multinazionali non pagheranno la loro giusta parte, il prezzo vero lo pagheremo tutti quanti noi.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Niels Fuglsang
Political group: S-D
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, the EU is the world’s biggest loser when it comes to losing money to tax havens. Actually, we lose around EUR 380 billion a year, according to international studies, because multinationals and wealthy individuals are shifting their wealth to tax havens around the globe. But these tax havens are not just distant palm islands as you see in the movies. Actually, three out of four euro are lost in tax evasion to countries inside the European Union.  Some say this is just competition, but is it truly fair competition that a few gigantic companies can choose freely themselves how much they want to pay in tax, because surely it’s not the German or the French or the Danish or the Dutch Parliaments that decide their tax rates. They decided themselves. Imagine how much we could invest in schools, hospitals and green transition. No one is benefiting from this but the tax evaders. This is why we must have a minimum tax level and we should have it now.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Evelyn Regner
Political group: S-D
Country: Netherlands
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin, sehr geehrter Herr Vizepräsident! Es gibt eine extreme Vermögensungleichheit global und in Europa. Die Pandemie, der Krieg in der Ukraine, die hohen Energiepreise, die Klimakrise verschärfen diese Vermögensungleichheit noch mehr. Die OECD sagt es voraus: Ohne rasche globale Einigung werden uns hohe Kosten entstehen, die wieder von der breiten Masse der Beschäftigten getragen werden müssen. Durch die Einführung einer globalen Mindeststeuer für Konzerne von mindestens 15 Prozent – ich betone immer wieder das Wort „mindestens“ – kann diese riesige Ungleichheit gemildert werden, und außerdem können wir Steueroasen trockenlegen. Die generierten Einnahmen entlasten nicht nur, sondern sie sind geeignet, auch die Bildung zu stärken und Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen. Dennoch gilt: Es handelt sich um einen Mindeststeuersatz von 15 Prozent – wie es der Name schon sagt. Unsere Ziele liegen höher. Wir müssen das Maximum aus den OECD-Vorschlägen rausholen, um die Reichen nicht noch reicher und die Armen noch ärmer werden zu lassen.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Antonius Manders
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: NL

Voorzitter, concurrentie op belasting is altijd een verkeerde prikkel. We moeten concurreren op kwaliteit. Dus het is goed dat de Europese Commissie naar voren komt met een minimumbelastingtarief op Europees niveau. Het is goed dat Europese bedrijven die wel belasting betalen zoals dat hoort, op een eerlijke wijze kunnen concurreren met andere bedrijven. We moeten ervoor zorgen dat Europa één is als het gaat om industrie en bedrijven, dat de interne markt als een hefboom kan worden gebruikt in de globale economie en dat Europa daar sterk uitkomt. Wij kunnen belastingtarieven zelfs gebruiken om een gezonde levensstijl te promoten, zoals de Commissie, de Raad en het Parlement hebben gedaan met 0 procent btw op verse groenten en vers fruit. Wij kunnen daar veel verder in gaan, want wij hebben een gezonde bevolking nodig om in een globale economie te kunnen overleven.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Manon Aubry
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, savez-vous combien McKinsey, qui effectue des missions de conseil grassement payées auprès de l’État français, a payé d’impôts en France en dix ans? La réponse est aussi simple que choquante: zéro. Pas un seul centime. Ce scandale d’État illustre de nouveau les pratiques d’évasion fiscale de multinationales sans foi ni loi. Face à ce vol en bande organisée, la présidence française de l’Union européenne ose nous dire que le problème sera réglé avec le taux minimum international à 15 %. Alors, soit notre ministre de l’économie est un menteur, soit il n’a rien compris à la fiscalité internationale, puisqu’en l’état, l’accord, qui est par ailleurs très insuffisant, fera seulement payer quelques miettes d’impôts à McKinsey, le tout aux États-Unis. Alors oui, il y a urgence à agir contre l’évasion fiscale, mais le pire serait de donner l’illusion d’avoir réglé le problème pendant que les McKinsey and co. continuent de nous piller. Au-delà de cet accord au rabais, j’ai envie de dire aux évadés fiscaux: nous saurons récupérer votre argent, et nous vous poursuivrons jusqu’en enfer s’il le faut.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Ernest Urtasun
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Belgium
Language: EN

Madam President, I think that debate was indeed very necessary because tomorrow, probably, the ECOFIN will fail again on delivering on that deal and it is not exactly that the Commission put things very difficult to them. They just copy pasted the international agreement. But in extension to that, we have an extension of the transitional period, now already on the table, some opt outs and not even with that all Member States are happy. So, I think we absolutely need to urge Poland and Estonia to unblock that deal. Imagine how the EU would look after all the efforts made at the international level for that if that deal is delayed here. I think this would be totally unacceptable and I think this is why this Parliament needed to speak today as it did. And finally, Commissioner, a final word on the method and the legal base that we have used. We know unanimity in taxation is a growing problem, more and more. And for that, this Parliament has repeatedly called for the use of Article 116 for taxation matters to overcome that. This episode that will happen tomorrow is again another reason for reflecting on this.
Debate: Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive
Date: MONDAY, 4 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, thanks to globalisation, economic restructuring and pro—business legislation over recent decades, the rise in the share of national income going to the owners of capital in most countries has increased astronomically. And this legislation doesn’t put enough of a dent in it. The proposed minimum, which has been watered down to 15%, is only barely above the abysmal 12.5% that we have in Ireland at the moment. And there’s a fear that it could actually add to the race to the bottom with a 15% global standard, and it’s well below the UN call for somewhere between 20 and 30%. More than ever, we need a fair and effective corporate tax system. Today, there’s no doubt big business has too much influence over politics, it has too much influence over the decision makers. And it would be wonderful if the EU were to tackle that.