unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Paul Tang
Political group: S-D
Country: Spain
Language: EN

Madam President, there’s nothing wrong with the idea of the capital markets union in the sense that it could offer new opportunities and promote efficiency and risk diversification. It’s a pity though if it’s translated into a call for deregulation or cutting red tape, as if that’s the only and real impediment to intra-European investments. Think big. European capital markets require a uniform rulebook and European supervision. Besides, they require that the debt bias is removed from the corporate tax system, and they would be promoted if we had a common withholding tax. Well, this isn’t on the table, is it? As long as it’s not on the table, let’s be realistic and pragmatic on what we can achieve with the capital markets union, and with the European Union, in this.  Besides – and this is the main point I would like to make – don’t compare us to the US. We need the European in the capital market. That means strong protection of retail investors and clear standards for sustainability, both environmental and social. The US is not an example for Europe on this. We need to take the lead ourselves.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ivan Štefanec
Political group: PPE
Country: Netherlands
Language: SK

Pani predsedajúca, vybudovanie kapitálovej únie je dôležité najmä pre malé a stredné podniky, ktoré sú chrbtovou kosťou našej ekonomiky. Z mnohých prieskumov vyplýva, že to, čím najviac trpia, a to najmä v čase krízy, je prístup k finančným zdrojom a nedostatok kapitálu. Oproti veľkým spoločnostiam a konkurencii tak majú veľkú nevýhodu. Ak chceme digitálnu, zelenú a inovatívnu ekonomiku, jedným dychom musíme hovoriť aj o finančnej podpore malých a stredných podnikov. Malá firma si jednoducho nebude môcť dovoliť zakúpiť také vybavenie a služby, aby dokázala držať krok s konkurenciou. Preto dobre nastavené podmienky kapitálovej únie im pomôžu prekonať ťažšie obdobie a ďalej sa rozvíjať. Vybudovanie kapitálovej únie je dôležité aj pre odstránenie európskej komparatívnej nevýhody v porovnaní s americkým kapitálovým trhom. Kapitálová únia je tak dôležitým prvkom pre európsky rast a tvorbu nových pracovných miest.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Seán Kelly
Political group: PPE
Country: Greece
Language: EN

Madam President, the impact the pandemic has had on the European economy has been enormous, with a drop of 12% in GDP reported in the eurozone. The impact of course is global. We have seen similar hits elsewhere. The United Kingdom 20%, the US 9%, my own country 6%, but we are officially back in recession. So in the context of getting the economy back on track, initiatives like the capital markets union are ever more relevant than they were before the pandemic. Putting in place a well functioning capital markets union, as we see in the United States for example, should be considered an important part of our growth strategy for the next decade. It would provide new sources of funding for businesses, reduce the cost of raising capital, increase options for savings across the EU, and make EU financial system more stable, resilient and competitive. The CMU offers enormous potential for our businesses and start-ups, it would make the EU a far more attractive location for innovation and entrepreneurship and help drive jobs to the economy and also of course be very valuable to SMEs. I look forward to Commissioner Dombrovskis and my good friend Mairead McGuinness, who is now taking over his role, making this a reality during this term.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Valdis Dombrovskis
Language: EN

A number of points were raised by Members during this debate on the new market players where we would follow an approach of ‘same activity, same rules’, ensuring a level playing field between existing market players and potential newcomers. We are supportive of the work of the European Central Bank on the initiative of a central bank digital currency and, as you know, the European Central Bank recently published a report in this regard. I heard a number of concerns which were raised in the context of crypto-assets, and we will continue to bring crypto-assets into the regulated sphere, to address the risks properly for financial stability, for consumer protection, for anti-money laundering, and especially crypto-assets like Global stablecoins will require – and that’s what we have proposed – more stringent rules, given their potentially systematic impact. Moving to the capital markets union, over the past five years we have made a lot of progress with our plan to integrate European capital markets into a union. Now we need to go further still. It’s important for our people and our businesses to diversify the funding sources of the European economy and to put European savings to productive use. We know that it’s not going to be easy to go to the next level, but our recovery will be far more robust and lasting if we do. I am glad that the Commission’s approach in these initiatives is closely aligned with your reports. We share the same main objectives, and I am confident that this House will confirm this at the vote: that our two institutions are indeed the strong partners the EU needs in this critical moment. Please rest assured that these reports will remain an important reference point for our work to implement those policies.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ondřej Kovařík
Country: Finland
Language: EN

I would definitely welcome, Executive Vice—President, a number of the commitments that you made in your introductory speech, especially those on putting forward initiatives on digital onboarding. I think this is a very important initiative that we really need to put forward in the European Union, especially in order to strengthen and enhance the single market in this area, and also the further strengthening of the anti-money laundering framework, which you mentioned will take place next year. I think this is also a very important point for this House to discuss. Another issue that was raised – and I think this is also why the urgency is there – is the reaction from our side to initiatives such as Libra, a private stablecoin which has the potential to change drastically the way financial and monetary relations are organised in the economy. So I think this House will be happy to have a debate on this issue, and we also welcome the ECB proposals and the scenarios that were published recently. We’re definitely looking forward to a discussion of the proposals that the Commission has already made on crypto—assets and digital operational resilience. I also see a very good link between enhancing digital financial services and tapping the potential of the capital markets union, as was mentioned by a number of colleagues. Finally, you mentioned, Mr Executive Vice—President, that the future of financial services is digital. I would say that the future of the economy and the future of the European Union is digital, so actually we should make sure that the framework that we have is fit for this purpose.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Isabel Benjumea Benjumea
Country: Spain
Language: ES

Verdaderamente, como decía en mi intervención inicial, después de esta terrible pandemia que estamos todavía sufriendo, viene una terrible crisis social y económica, y no hay mejor política social que la creación de empleo. Quienes crean empleo son los futuros empresarios, esas pequeñas  Por lo tanto, necesitamos que tanto aquellos que están buscando financiación para poner en marcha un negocio, como aquellos que están buscando financiación para poder mantener en marcha su negocio, tengan mejor y mayor acceso a financiación. Y la unión de los mercados de capitales, la capacidad de acceder a los mercados de capital por toda la Unión de una manera accesible, simplificada, sin barreras, sin excesivos impuestos y de una manera que permita a estas empresas acceder a esos fondos, permitirá una forma de financiación que, en estos momentos en los que nos adentramos en una terrible crisis económica, sin duda tiene que ser una realidad. Pero, para que haya esos fondos, necesitamos que entre dinero en los mercados, y para eso son clave los pequeños ahorradores. Los pequeños ahorradores tienen que encontrar atractivos estos mercados de capital y, por lo tanto, hay que hacerlo de una manera segura y de una manera atractiva para ellos, para que tengan una oferta más variada de inversión.  Pero nada de lo que pone en el informe del que he tenido el honor de ser ponente, ni nada de lo que pone en el plan de acción que nos ha presentado la Comisión, que sin duda es un buen plan de acción, tiene sentido si no se ponen encima de la mesa los temas más complicados, que son los temas de insolvencia, los temas de impuestos y los temas de supervisión, y si no se pone sobre la mesa un plan con fechas concretas, con objetivos concretos, y si no se trabaja junto con los Estados miembros y el resto de los actores del sector financiero. Por lo tanto, le pido a la Comisión más ambición para poder hacer que la unión de los mercados de capitales sea una realidad y le pido a sus señorías el apoyo, con su voto, al informe que se votará esta tarde.
Debate: Digital Finance: emerging risks in crypto-assets - regulatory and supervisory challenges in the area of financial services, institutions and markets - Further development of the Capital Markets Union : improving access to capital market finance, in particular by SMEs, and further enabling retail investor participation
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ewa Kopacz
Country: Bulgaria
Language: PL

Zamykam debatę. Głosowanie nad poprawkami odbędzie się w środę 7 października 2020 r. Głosowanie końcowe odbędzie się w czwartek 8 października 2020 r.
Debate: Second voting session
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ewa Kopacz
Country: Bulgaria
Language: PL

Kolejnym punktem porządku dziennego jest druga część głosowania. Będziemy głosować nad punktami podanymi w porządku obrad. Przed rozpoczęciem głosowania chciałabym oddać głos pani poseł Jytte Guteland, która wystąpi zgodnie z art. 59 ust. 4 Regulaminu w sprawie odesłania do komisji właściwej w celu przeprowadzenia negocjacji międzyinstytucjonalnych i w sprawie sprawozdania dotyczącego Europejskiego prawa o klimacie.
Debate: Second voting session
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Jytte Guteland
Language: EN

In line with Article 59(4), subparagraph 4, of the EP Rules of Procedure, I would like to request to refer the matter back to the committee responsible for the interinstitutional negotiations in accordance with Rules 60 and 74. In addition, if the draft legislative act fails to secure a majority, I would ask for it to be referred back to committee for consideration.
Debate: Second voting session
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ewa Kopacz
Country: Bulgaria
Language: PL

Wniosek ten zostanie poddany pod głosowanie po głosowaniu nad wnioskiem Komisji.  Głosowanie będzie otwarte od godz. 17.15 do godz. 18.30. Przyjęto taką samą metodę głosowania jak w poprzednich głosowaniach. Wszystkie głosowania będą imienne, a posłowie będą mogli sprawdzić oddane przez siebie głosy oraz wyniki głosowań w dokumencie, który zostanie opublikowany na stronie internetowej posiedzenia plenarnego.  Ogłaszam otwarcie drugiej części głosowania, można głosować do godz. 18.30. Wyniki drugiej części głosowania zostaną ogłoszone jutro o godz. 8.30. Posiedzenie zostanie zawieszone po zakończeniu drugiej części głosowania o godz. 18.30 i wznowione jutro rano o godz. 8.30. Porządek obrad został opublikowany i jest dostępny na stronie internetowej Parlamentu Europejskiego.
Debate: Announcement of voting results
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Dubravka Šuica
Language: EN

The Commission regrets that the European Parliament has rejected this measure, which is based on the scientific assessment of the European Food Safety Authority. If adopted, the measure would have resulted in an improved level of safety regarding the use of this food additive and better control of the products present on the market, thus allowing a better enforcement by Member States of the legislation. Such decisions by the European Parliament undermine the EU’s well-established science-based approach to food safety.  – Madam President, Honourable Members, the Commission takes note of this resolution objecting to maximum levels of acrylamide, adopted by the European Parliament. It considers that the draft Commission Regulation is in line with the implementing powers conferred on the Commission by Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 aiming to protect public health. The Standing Committee has given a favourable opinion by unanimity on the draft act and the Council has not opposed it. The Commission regrets that the European Parliament has rejected this measure, which protects health and is based on the scientific assessment of the European Food Safety Authority. The levels of acrylamide raise concerns with respect to its carcinogenic effects, including for infants and young children. If adopted, the EU would have become the first region in the world to set legally-binding maximum levels of acrylamide and would have resulted in an improved level of food safety for infants and young children. There are every day foods on the market containing acrylamide above the proposed maximum levels, but in the absence of this Regulation, there will be no basis to remove them from the market. Consequently, children and infants will continue being exposed to levels of acrylamide, which are scientifically considered not safe. The Commission wants to emphasise that additional data are being collected and further consultations are being held with a view to extending the measure to other food categories. As such, this objection to this first step might undermine and delay the ongoing work on setting maximum levels for acrylamide in other relevant food categories. The Commission calls on the European Parliament to follow the European Union’s well-established science-based approach to food safety. Thank you President, thank you Honourable Members. President, Honourable Members. The Commission disagrees with the omission of Article 2(1) TFEU as legal basis of the decision empowering France to negotiate with the United Kingdom. While Article 91 TFEU empowers the Union to adopt acts of transport policy, the legislator is warranted powers to authorise Member States to act in the Union’s stead in an area of exclusive Union competence only under Article 2(1) TFEU. The decision can therefore be adopted only on the basis of both provisions. Thank you President, thank you Honourable Members.
Debate: Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Nicola Beer
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärung der Kommission zur Bekämpfung von Geldwäsche aufgrund der FinCEN-Files ( Ich weise die Kolleginnen und Kollegen nochmals darauf hin, dass bei allen Aussprachen dieser Tagung keine spontanen Wortmeldungen und auch keine blauen Karten akzeptiert werden.
Debate: Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Markus Ferber
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: DE

Ich bedaure es sehr – und ich sage das gleich zu Beginn dieser Debatte –, dass der Rat mal wieder nicht vertreten ist. Denn wo haben wir die Kernprobleme? In den Mitgliedstaaten. In den Mitgliedstaaten, die nicht in der Lage sind, das, was sie hier auf europäischer Ebene beschließen, auch zu Hause in geltendes Recht umzusetzen. Ich bin der Kommission sehr dankbar, die ja jetzt auch mit Vertragsverletzungsverfahren hier gegen Mitgliedstaaten vorgeht. Die Frist zur Umsetzung der 5. Antigeldwäscherichtlinie war der 1. Januar 2020, also in der guten, alten Zeit vor Corona. Man hätte das also alles machen können. Bisher haben erst 17 Mitgliedstaaten eine vollständige Umsetzung gemeldet. Ich hoffe, die Kommission prüft auch, ob die Meldung der Wahrheit entspricht. Der Rest hat nur teilweise umgesetzt, das sind neun, und einer hat es nicht mal für nötig befunden, zu melden, was er getan hat, nämlich Zypern. Das sind die Probleme, mit denen wir es hier in Europa zu tun haben. Problem Nummer zwei – und auch das ist keine Neuigkeit, sondern das haben wir ja schon öfters debattiert: Finanzaufsichtsbehörden sind nicht in der Lage, gegenüber Kriminellen adäquat vorzugehen. Die Aufhängung der Geldwäscheeinheit bei der Europäischen Bankenaufsicht war eine Notlösung, ist eine Notlösung und muss ersetzt werden durch eine dauerhafte Lösung mit einer Behörde, die auch juristische Eingriffsmöglichkeiten hat.  Geldwäsche darf nicht nur eine Ordnungswidrigkeit auf europäischer Ebene sein, sondern muss ein Straftatbestand sein. Dazu müssen wir die rechtlichen Voraussetzungen schaffen. Der europäische Weg muss sein, dass Geldwäsche in Europa keine Chance hat. Für den Rest der Welt können wir nur Beschränkungen machen, aber die sollten dann dem europäischen Beispiel folgen.
Debate: Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Eero Heinäluoma
Political group: S-D
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Suspicious activity reports which were recently leaked concern transactions worth USD 2 000 billion. Banks must fill in one of these reports if they are worried one of their clients might be up to no good. The report is sent to the authorities. Despite these alarms, banks still often execute these transactions. Again, it is thanks to the great work of investigation journalists that this scandal is revealed.  It demonstrates once again that the existing Anti—Money Laundering (AML) system simply does not work. It is a Swiss cheese, full of holes.  For a long time, my group has been calling for a uniform regulatory framework, an AML regulation. Regulatory clarity and certainty is needed for the public sector and for industry. We also need stricter rules around rules on consumer due diligence and beneficial ownership transparency.  Stronger EU supervision is urgently needed too. Whether we need a new EU agency or extending the powers of the European Banking Authority is in a way less important, as long as the job is done far much better than today. Therefore, the supervisor should get enough resources, staff and independence and, of course, more EU supervision will only work provided there is good cooperation with the national competent authorities, as they are on the ground. Supervising can only be done properly provided data around suspicious transactions flow easily cross—border. Therefore, we need a European Union Finance Intelligence Unit. Detecting and supervising suspicious cases is one thing, tackling and sanctioning is something else.  I realise this is a very sensitive field of crime enforcement, and Member States like to keep control. Nonetheless, if we want to be serious in tackling AML, we need more deterring sanctions. Imposing big fines is all well and good, but I have not the impression that it changes fundamentally a culture. Here a stronger role for Europol is really needed.
Debate: Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Ramona Strugariu
Political group: Renew
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Another leak revealed a transaction of USD 31 million between two offshore companies. The first one, with an account at Piraeus Bank, is owned by a person involved in arms trafficking for the Islamic State, and the other, with an account in the state-controlled Bulgarian Development Bank, is owned by a notorious Bulgarian arms dealer.  All of this is happening under the eyes of the financial intelligence units, of the European banking authorities, of the European Central Bank (ECB), of the law—enforcement national authorities. Can I ask how is it possible that we see such impressive amounts of money transferred to safe places through the banking system? Basically, there is zero time to waste, and if we want to efficiently fight money laundering, we need full judicial cooperation in criminal matters; we need an anti-money laundering (AML) regulation, which we have been talking about for a long time; we need full transparency on beneficial ownership, which we have been talking about for a long time; cooperation with national authorities as well, but a truly functioning supervisory body. This is if we really want to fight money laundering. If not, it will never happen.
Debate: Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files
Date: THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020
Speaker: Joachim Kuhs
Political group: ID
Country: Greece
Language: DE

Ich glaube, wir müssen feststellen: Es nützt nichts, nur die Symptome zu bekämpfen. Es nützt nichts, immer nur gegen die Geldwäsche vorzugehen, denn wir müssen das, was dahinterliegt, angehen. Nur so können wir diesen Sumpf, der sich hier auftut, trockenlegen. Wir müssen die kriminellen Machenschaften, die zu diesem schmutzigen Geld führen, bekämpfen. Und erst, wenn wir das geschafft haben, wenn wir der Habgier, die sich hier breitmacht, Schranken setzen, dann können wir auch letztendlich die Geldwäsche erfolgreich bekämpfen. Und dazu wünsche ich Ihnen viel Erfolg und viel Glück!