Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European single market still feels like 27 separate islands when our companies try to scale. Europe is not losing competitiveness because we lack innovation, but because our market is too fragmented. Different rules, different forms and procedures, different tax systems. The 28th regime could be a flexible solution. My home country, Lithuania, ha
ENSpeech
Presentation of the Action Plan on Cybersecurity and AI (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the action plan on cybersecurity and AI is a welcome step in supporting our Member States and companies to navigate the digital transition. But regulation alone will not solve our innovation deficit or mitigate the threats we face. In 2024, the United States produced 40 notable AI models, China produced 15, while Europe produced only three. We are heavi
ENSpeech
Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the circularity needed for strategic autonomy will be boosted by introducing targets for recycled materials, circular design, information freely shared in the ecosystem, and mandatory removal of certain parts. This regulation is not only about waste management. It is about competitiveness, innovation and strategic resilience. By ensuring that design
ENSpeech
Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner Dombrovskis, dear colleagues, what are the main goals that we as the European Union want to achieve with this regulation? The first is to save our planet. But to save the planet, we must be an example to other continents, able to strike a global deal. That's why we should save Europe first, save our automotive sector, be globally competitive. Then we can lead oth
ENSpeech
Protecting EU citizens’ data from hybrid threats: the Lithuanian case (topical debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, when hostile actors target a national register, they are not merely stealing data, they are targeting trust in our state institutions. This is why the recent breach of Lithuania's centre of registers is so alarming. More than 600 000 records were unlawfully accessed, including personal identification data, addresses and property information. Among those
ENSpeech
EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the first and perhaps biggest challenge for European cybersecurity is that Europe is falling behind the United States and China in the development of advanced AI technologies. Last year, 5 000 major cyber-incidents were recorded across Europe, and behind this activity we usually see Russia and China. This is not only a technological challenge, b
LTAnswer
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania (debate)
The first thing you really like is the conspiracy theories that are broken from your finger. The second thing, you very much like to wash the essence. And the third thing about the details of the LRT law was the opportunity for the Lithuanian government to talk in the working group. Sadly, they have formed one in which the vast majority are simply clichés of power. Normal discussion is not possibl
LTSpeech
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania (debate)
Mr President, colleagues. ... Because I am more appealing to the Lithuanian government. Welded porridge, the smell of which has reached Europe. It is really a shame that we have to talk about it in this room, but we need to talk about it. Only a truthful and open word can stop an attack on freedom of speech. How else can one call the actions of the government directed towards the politicization an
Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, I share much of the vision outlined by the Commission. I strongly support actions to mitigate hybrid threats, strengthening cyber security measures, enhancing resilience and preparedness. Digital networks must be treated as critical infrastructure. I equally share the European Union's ambition to become a more competitive global player through h
Madam President, dear Commissioner, thank you for your presentation. Dear colleagues, in the digital era and with AI involvement in most aspects of existence, cybersecurity is of utmost importance. Considering the single market of the European Union, we should accept that there will be not separate, individual cybersecurity systems in different Member States, different areas or companies. More and
Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, our market is flooded with millions of parcels sold online, often from third-country sellers entering the EU with minimal checks. Too many of these products are unsafe, non-compliant and impossible to trace when something goes wrong. Consumer rights are meaningless if enforcement stops at the border. Online marketplaces play a central role in this. Their
ENSpeech
Phasing out Russian natural gas imports and improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, this file is of utmost importance as well as urgent. My sincere thanks to the rapporteurs, Ms Vaidere and Mr Niinistö, and the whole team. They were very strong and committed. However, I am sorry but I slightly lack the adequate ambition from the Council and the Commission. To fight back the most brutal regime of the century, you must be united;
ENSpeech
Effective use of the EU trade and industrial policy to tackle China’s export restrictions (debate)
Madam President, colleagues, China is playing hard. For example, Lithuania continues to be brutally blackmailed. Politically motivated sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions on Lithuanian exports remain in place, as do sanctions against two Lithuanian banks. Yes, the EU has managed to defuse recent escalations on rare earths, but you never know. We must use more strictly the instruments already a
ENSpeech
Amending certain financial services and investment support Regulations as regards certain reporting requirements (A10-0166/2025 - Paulius Saudargas) (vote)
Madam President, dear colleagues, I hope that we all do agree that one of the main challenges of the European Union is the administrative burden. So if we want to cut red tape in the financial sector, we have the chance to do it now by adopting this legislation without a delay. The political compromise we reached delivers important progress. The scope has been broadened: not only the three Europea
ENSpeech
Serious threats to aviation and maritime transport from Global Navigation Satellite System interference: urgent need to build resilience against spoofing and jamming (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, dear colleagues, countries bordering Russia have been facing hybrid warfare, including GPS disruptions, for years. A major incident such as the spoofing of the plane carrying Madam President Ursula von der Leyen and you, dear Commissioner, was unfortunately only a matter of time. Russia is developing technologies not only to target specific regi
ENSpeech
Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (A10-0158/2025 - Jens Gieseke, Paulius Saudargas) (vote)
Madam President, dear colleagues, first of all, thank you for the positive outcome. I hope that in the end we will get even more of you on board. But in order to do that, we have to go into interinstitutional negotiations. So, under Rule 60(4), I ask for the referral back to the committee responsible for the institutional negotiations.
ENSpeech
Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, once again, to achieve the two main objectives of this regulation – environmental and the problem of critical raw materials – and also not to put additional pressure on the automotive sector during tough times, we need a balanced approach. Some groups want higher targets for recycled materials and even higher environmental standards, but other groups ar
ENSpeech
Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the End‑of‑life Vehicles Regulation supports circular vehicle design and sustainable waste management. There are two main objectives of this legislation: to reduce the negative impact on the environment and to solve the problem of critical raw materials in Europe. The demand for rare earth elements and other materials is increasing, and Europe l
ENSpeech
Presentation of the Stockpiling Strategies - strengthening response capacities for a changing risk and threat landscape (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the recent years have taught us painful but vital lessons. From the war in Ukraine to the COVID‑19 pandemic. We have seen how fragile supply chains can be when crisis strikes. Solidarity must be backed by preparedness. I congratulate the Commission for responding to these lessons. The Union is putting in place a coordinated approach to securing access t
ENSpeech
Digital Markets, Digital Euro, Digital Identities: economical stimuli or trends toward dystopia (topical debate)
Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the development of digital markets, the introduction of the digital euro and trusted digital identities are the building blocks of a digitally resilient European Union. These initiatives strengthen the single market, empower our businesses to innovate, and give our citizens greater control and security in the digital age. About 63 % of euro area ca
ENSpeech
80 years after the end of World War II - freedom, democracy and security as the heritage of Europe (debate)
Mr President, honourable colleagues, eighty years ago Europe rose from the ashes of the most brutal war in human history. However, in some European countries, the suffering was not over. For Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Ukrainians, Poles and many other nations occupied by the Soviet Union, it was the beginning of the new wave of Stalin's repressions. Imprisonment in gulags, mass deportations
ENSpeech
EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, honourable colleagues, as a consequence of Russia's brutal, unprovoked war against Ukraine, damage to Ukraine's infrastructure is estimated to be around EUR 160 billion. Following the full-scale invasion, its GDP contracted by nearly 30 %. We must help Ukraine achieve a lasting and just peace and ensure that it has access to all the available tools for rebuilding. Bu
ENSpeech
Threats to EU sovereignty through strategic dependencies in communication infrastructure (debate)
Mr President, dear colleagues, it is a textbook reality that when an unfriendly state prepares for military aggression, it begins with disinformation, cyber‑attacks and disruption of communication infrastructure. This strategy has been evident for decades and we have witnessed it when Russia attacked Ukraine. The same tactics to disrupt communication networks are being observed in various parts of
ENSpeech
US AI chip export restrictions: a challenge to European AI development and economic resilience (debate)
Madam President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, by granting some of the EU Member States greater access while restricting others, the US fragments our unified approach to AI development and places certain European countries at a competitive disadvantage, despite all being part of the same economic and regulatory framework. Treating EU Member States differently in AI chip access contradicts the spi
ENSpeech
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: the need for the European Union to contribute to resolving the humanitarian crisis of persons missing in wars and conflicts (debate)
Mr President, 63 000 Ukrainian people, both military and civilians, are listed as missing. Arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances have become routine Russian tactics. Among those reported missing are Ukrainian prisoners of war, who face brutal treatment and are unlawfully prosecuted under false criminal charges. In its treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, Russia is violating the Gene