Speeches

I have received a request from the INTA Committee pursuant to Rule 151(2) to consult the European Economic and Social Committee on trade‑related aspects of the Draghi report. This request for consultation will be deemed to have been approved unless, within 24 hours, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold request that it be put to the vote.

Several committees have decided to enter interinstitutional negotiations ahead of the Council's first reading, pursuant to Rule 73 of the Rules of Procedure. The positions adopted by Parliament at first reading which constitute the mandate for these negotiations are available on the plenary webpage, and their titles will be published in the minutes of the sitting.

The EMPL and ECON committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 72(1). The reports which constitute the mandate for the negotiations are available on the plenary webpage and their titles will be published in the minutes of the sitting. Pursuant to Rule 72(2), Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing by tomorrow, 17 December, at midnight, that the decisions be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in Parliament is made before the deadline expires, the committees may start the negotiations.

I would like to announce that, pursuant to Rule 47(2) of the Rules of Procedure, I have declared admissible a proposal for a Union act repealing the directive on the energy performance of buildings. This proposal is referred to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

Following the appointments of Christophe Hansen, Andrius Kubilius, Roxana Mînzatu and Henna Virkkunen as Members of the European Commission, Parliament takes note of the vacancy of their seats from 1 December 2024 in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. The competent authorities of Finland have notified me of the election of Sirpa Pietikäinen to the European Parliament with effect from 1 December 2024. The competent authorities of Romania have notified me of the election of Andi Cristea to the European Parliament with effect from 2 December 2024. The competent authorities of Luxembourg have notified me of the election of Martine Kemp with effect from 3 December 2024. The competent authorities of Lithuania have notified me of the election of Liudas Mažylis to the European Parliament with effect from 5 December 2024. I wish to welcome our new colleagues and recall that you take your seats in Parliament in full enjoyment of your rights pending the verification of your credentials.

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 28 November are available. Are there any comments? I see that is not the case. Thereby they are approved.

I would like to inform the House that I have received requests for points of order, so I will ask you to indicate the Rule of Procedure that you will quote when presenting your point of order.

I declare resumed the session of the European Parliament adjourned on 28 November 2024. Dear colleagues, can I ask you to take your seats? Let's start this last part-session of 2024. We have some important decisions to take and some important things to say.

We move to the report by Siegfried Mureşan on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 5/2024 of the European Union for the financial year 2024 - adjustment in payment appropriations, update of revenues and other technical updates (see minutes, item 5.5).

We go now to the report by Paolo Cunha on amending the short-stay visas Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as regards Vanuatu (see minutes, item 5.2).

Dear colleagues, we are now going to have, after a very long debate, a round of political speakers in reverse order. Everybody will speak from their seat.

Before moving to the votes on the motions for resolutions and the election of the Commission, we will take a very short break, and then we will have one last round of political group leaders in reverse order, for two minutes each.

Thank you, Ms Serra Sánchez. Does any colleague want to speak against? I don't see that to be the case. I have received an alternative proposal from the S&D Group. Instead of adding another debate, the proposal would be to change the title of the second item on Tuesday afternoon to read as follows: 'Council and Commission statements on continued escalation in the Middle East: the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA's essential role in the region, the need to release all hostages and the recent ICC arrest warrants'. I first start by asking you, Ms Serra Sánchez, do you agree with the proposal of the S&D Group? I see that you don't. So I put the request of The Left Group to the vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) I see that the S&D Group wants to keep its proposal. Then we vote on the S&D proposal to amend the statement as I read out. So I put the proposal by the S&D Group to a vote by raise of hands. (Parliament approved the request) For Tuesday, the ECR Group has requested that Council and Commission statements calling on the Algerian Government to release the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and to end all incommunicado detentions be added in the evening after the Commission statement on the urgent need to tackle the pay gap. The sitting would then be extended to 23:00. I understand that there are two other alternative titles from the Greens Group and the ESN Group. I will read them out. From the Greens Group: 'Council and Commission statements calling on the Algerian Government to investigate the enforced disappearance of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and to end all incommunicado detentions'. From the ESN Group: 'Council and Commission statements on request for the immediate release of Boualem Sansal, famous Franco-Algerian writer detained by Algeria'. I also understand that there is a compromise proposal that we would add on Wednesday evening, after the debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as follows: 'Council and Commission statements on the arrest of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and the call for his immediate and unconditional release and the repression of freedom of speech in Algeria'. I will put this compromise to a vote by roll call. I understand that this was discussed between the groups. (Parliament approved the request) It is adopted, so the sitting will be extended to 23:00. The agenda is therefore adopted. The order of business is thus established.

The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 20 November 2024 pursuant to Rule 163, has been distributed. With the agreement of the political groups, I would like to put to the House the following proposals for changes to the final draft agenda: For Tuesday and Wednesday, two debates will be rescheduled between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. The Commission statement on the outcome of COP29 and challenges for international climate policy, originally scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, will be moved to the third item on Tuesday afternoon. The Commission statement on critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea, originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, will be moved to the third item on Wednesday afternoon. For Wednesday, the following reports are added to the voting session: - Paulo Cunha, Proposal for a regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as regards Vanuatu; - Giuseppe Lupo, Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany and Italy relating to floods occurred in 2024. If there are no objections, these changes are approved. We now move to changes requested by political groups, starting with Monday, today. The Left Group has requested that statements on the obligations of the Union and Member States following the recent issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court against Benjamin Netanyahu, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim and Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity be added as the last item in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended to 23:00. I give the floor first to Isabel Serra Sánchez to move the request on behalf of The Left Group.

I would like to inform you that, together with the President of the Council, I shall, on Wednesday, sign 17 acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, in accordance with Rule 81 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of this sitting. I would like to inform the House that I have received three requests for points of order. I will give the floor to the colleagues in the order in which they applied for such points of order. Please quote the Rule under which you are making the point.

Pursuant to Rule 251(4) of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to inform you that there was no request to put to the vote the two corrigenda announced in plenary on Wednesday 13 November. The corrigenda are therefore deemed to have been approved and are published on the plenary webpage.

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sittings of 13, 14 and 19 November are available. Are there any comments? I see that is not the case. The minutes are approved.