What Eero spoke about.

Madam Commissioner, coming from Finland, fair competition based on merits and playing along the rules is really in our DNA. Unfortunately, we know that not everybody in this planet are according to the same principles when we are looking outside Europe. Therefore, it is really important that the EU competition policy is in your stable pair of hands and you take into account the interests of EU con

Mr President, Europe's competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy depend on sustained investment in research, innovation and clean technologies. We must reinforce Horizon Europe, not cut from it. Europe needs breakthroughs in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, space and defence. We also need reliable access to critical raw materials. Europe cannot build a competiti

Mr President, this package of laws will strengthen Europe's defence capabilities. The European defence market can develop. Oh, that's good. What is particularly important here is that we also allow SMEs to participate in the creation of a European defence market, including for operators in small countries. Our strength is that European know-how will flourish with this legislative reform. It is als

Mr President, I come from a country that has also faced instrumentalised entry. Our great neighbour Russia has on several occasions directed people from far beyond their own borders to come to the borders of Finland. The purpose of these operations has become clear. It is the cause of confusion, the stirring up of internal disputes, and the stirring up of unrest. In Finland, we are pleased that th

Mr President, first of all I would like to thank my fellow Members for their good cooperation. Thank you also to the European Court of Auditors. The budget error rate remains far from the target. For the sixth year in a row, the auditors gave a negative opinion on the use of expenditure. A major problem is that the control of EU funds does not work in the Member States: errors can be found in both

Mr President, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced Europe to look at its own security with new seriousness. The unpredictability of the United States also reminds us that we cannot build our defence on others. We need to build our own, credible ability to defend ourselves. This is a common task for the Union, but specifically for the Member States along the EU's eastern border. Today, the Easte

Mr President, the war in Iran shows how vulnerable we are in the world. Rising energy prices – an increase in oil prices of more than $100 per barrel – are an everyday reality. This should awaken us, not to give up, but to continue the transition towards renewable and clean energies. It will also be a big task for next year. We need to invest in the future of energy networks. Energy needs to move

Mr President, the war in Ukraine has shown in a harsh way how warfare has changed. Drones are no longer the technology of the future; They are today's reality. They affect the battlefield, the security of civilians, the defence capabilities of Europe as a whole. The Union must take this development seriously. We need to quickly strengthen our own expertise, our own ability to fight. Common counter

Mr President, Denmark and Greenland now need the full support of all Europeans, including every Member of the European Parliament. The status and life of Greenland can only be decided by the Greenlands and Denmark itself. The final document of the OSCE meeting in Helsinki, which turned 50 last year, is still valid. It recognised national borders and territorial integrity. The document was signed n

Mr President, this week marks five years since the European Parliament adopted the historic decision on the conditionality mechanism. It was an important decision, as for the first time access to EU funds was tied to the rule of law. Experience in recent years shows that respect for democracy and the rule of law are also not self-evident within the Union. The same goes for today's debate. Unfortun

Mr President, I would like to begin by thanking the Court of Auditors and President Murphy for their important work. With an unprecedented volume of EU funds in circulation, the importance of independent auditing is highlighted. Congratulations on a good annual report that gives us a lot to think about. The 2024 annual report highlights a very serious problem, namely that controls in the Member St

Madam President, a more competitive Europe means investing in the digital and climate transitions and fostering more industrial production in Europe. It means also investing for quality jobs and strategic autonomy. A competitive EU industry also needs a strong focus on research and innovation to develop new technologies and to bring new solutions to the market. More resources for Horizon Europe an

Mr President, the European Union is at the most dangerous time in its history. War is a reality in Europe. Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine continues for the fourth year. Russia's aggressive actions are increasingly spreading across Europe. Our airspace is repeatedly violated. Our flight connections are being disrupted. Drones are a reality, especially on the EU's eastern border. The Commi

Mr President, dear colleagues, with an effective paid tax much below 15 %, digital platforms do not pay their fair share in the European Union, despite the profits being made here. This is totally unacceptable. Try to explain this to your local bakery, entrepreneur or teacher. People and companies who pay much more than the big technical giants. We have tried to tackle this multilaterally. However

Mr President, Europe has learned a great deal from the importance of security and defence. First, Russia rejected the OSCE documents it had signed and all its previous commitments and attacked its neighbours at the border. In violation of international law, Russia announced the annexation of Ukraine's independent and sovereign bordering territories. This was, of course, an attempt to replicate the

Mr President, five years ago, the European and global economy was threatened with a total halt. Corona had hit our societies with a force that had never been seen before. Strong action was needed and the EU Recovery Instrument responded to this need. However, five years after the stimulus decision, we are still in a situation where more than half of the money is unused. The transition to renewable

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, I also would like to thank our rapporteur and the shadows for excellent cooperation in preparing this report. Combating fraud is about protecting the EU budget. Equally much, it is about protecting European citizens and businesses. Through European cooperation, we have managed to combat trade in faulty protection equipment during the pandemic, prevented unsa

Mr President, the lack of a real internal market for financial services equals a tariff of more than 100 %, as calculated by the IMF. This is a tariff we Europeans put on ourselves. It makes the EU citizens remain champions in sticking to savings with low returns. To turn this around, we need three main changes: firstly, CMU, SIU, the name does not matter. What matters are real structural changes.

Mr President, for ITRE, a more competitive Europe means investing in the green digital and climate transition and fostering more industrial production in Europe for quality jobs and strategic autonomy. It means investing in resilient digital and energy infrastructure, green steel chips, ambitious electrification, net-zero solutions, grids, interconnectors and energy storage. A competitive EU indus

Mr President, it is now, if ever, important for Europeans to come together and defend their own values. Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine forces us to invest in security. The response to the new US administration's policy, on the other hand, also requires strengthening Europe's own capabilities. The Commission's White Paper on defence is only the beginning of the necessary conclusions. Defence

Mr President, the new US administration is once again turning to protectionism and the use of trade policy as a political weapon. In these circumstances, it is of particular importance that the EU acts as a defender of free trade and opens up new opportunities for fair trade agreements that recognise environmental and social responsibility. If implemented, the EU-Mercosur agreement would create th

Mr President, Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine is causing great suffering to millions of Ukrainians. At the same time, Russia's actions create a large economic, social and also security bill, especially for the residents of the EU's eastern border and the countries on the eastern border. Today's joint parliamentary debate recognises the development needs of this eastern border and sends a str

Mr President, we want to make Europe more competitive. In addition to economic competitiveness, social competitiveness must be fostered: well-being of societies and people. There is no sustainable competitiveness without natural boundaries and human well-being. The United States is dismantling environmental standards, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change, and is likely to be dise

Madam President, despite the hurray mood in parts of the crypto world since the election of Trump, it's important to look at the facts. I see at least three reasons to remain concerned about this bubble. Firstly, despite all the measures adopted, crypto seems to remain the favourite tool for sanctions evaders and gangsters, including cocaine cartels, North Korean hackers, Iranian and Russian spies