What Elena spoke about.

The new highly contagious mutation of the virus, combined with the slow vaccination rates and the relaxation of containment measures, is leading us towards a fourth wave that I am afraid will give the free shot to aviation and tourism. Air traffic has decreased by more than two-thirds compared to 2019. Many airlines postpone or cancel itineraries. And there is a risk of permanently losing the bene

Madam President, vocational education and training can enhance gender equality and women's economic independence, ensuring equal access to the opportunities of the green and digital transitions. Therefore, the upcoming European strategy should ensure adequate funding and measurable targets for women's participation and career development. Concrete measures are needed to address gender stereotypes

Madam President, millions of European citizens find it difficult to cope with the constant increase in energy and the cost of living. In Greece, in six out of ten households the income does not reach the end of the month, and three out of ten Greeks are on the verge of poverty. Small and medium-sized enterprises are suffocating, society is impoverished, farmers are fighting for their survival, and

Madam President, Commissioner, protecting minors online is one of the most crucial issues for citizens, and protecting them from the harmful content and addictive practices of platforms cannot be the responsibility of parents alone. Companies must be held accountable for how their algorithms expose children to harmful content and ads, and if they cannot prove that their services are safe, they sho

Mr President, Commissioner, housing is a fundamental social right and a basic condition for a decent life, not a speculative asset or privilege for a few. The Affordable Housing Act is a first step, but it is not enough. You cannot ask local authorities to wait three years before intervening to prove that the crisis has already destroyed the housing market. Nor measure housing pressure with genera

Madam President, Commissioner, this is the seventh year that I am a Member of the European Parliament, and after every summer we are discussing the same phenomena as if it were the first time. Devastating fires, heatwaves and drought have hit Europe hard. They confirmed the ever-increasing consequences of the climate crisis we are experiencing every year and the continued inadequacy of European an

Madam President, after 13 years of stalemate, we are finally upgrading air passenger rights. We are pleased that we have prevented the Council from attempting to weaken their already guaranteed rights. We maintained the current levels of compensation at the limit of three hours’ delay; we strengthened the obligation to inform passengers of their right to compensation and limited the exceptions tha

Madam President, social media puts children's safety and mental health at risk. Platforms use addictive practices and deceptive design patterns that influence children's judgment and behavior, increasing screen time and content consumption. We need to strengthen the protection of citizens in the digital space and adopt a European strategy to protect children online. A stricter application of the D

Madam President, the European Union is facing an era of cyber threats. Today, artificial intelligence systems can in no time detect and exploit software gaps on an unprecedented scale. But Europe is not sufficiently prepared to face this new reality. Public services, critical infrastructure, citizens and democratic institutions are under threat. European cybersecurity remains dependent on third-co

Mr President, almost one in five women in the Union has experienced sexual violence and one in 20 has been raped using violence, while the majority of incidents are not reported out of shame or fear. In many European states, the definition of rape requires proof of violence or resistance. This creates protection gaps and leaves out of legal coverage real cases of rape. It leaves unprotected victim

Madam President, Commissioner, the crime accident in Tempi revealed institutional weaknesses, oversight gaps and massive breaches of European security rules. ERA twice checked the RAS before the Tempi accident, in 2019 and 2022, expressing doubts as to whether it can adequately carry out its supervisory work. At the same time, you are telling us that the ERA cannot suspend safety c

Madam President, Commissioner, it took 12 years for the Council to come up with a position on the revision of air passenger rights. Instead of solving long-standing problems, however, with the stance adopted in the negotiations, it chooses to weaken even already established basic passenger rights. The rules on which passengers rely today are a basis for us, and we are determined to improve them ra

Madam President, Commissioner, the uncontrolled malicious use of artificial intelligence via deepfakes on digital platforms constitutes a serious violation of fundamental rights and a blatant threat to the victims, who are overwhelmingly women and minors. It should never be possible to use artificial intelligence tools to strip women and minors in Member States of the European Union, and it is not