Speeches

The next vote is on the EU-Ecuador Agreement: cooperation between Europol and the Ecuadorian authorities competent for combating serious crime and terrorism (see minutes, item 8.4).

This is a very important report. Thank you to Sven Simon and Bernd Lange for their work. We will hold a signing ceremony with the Commission President at a future part-session.

The first vote is on the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission (see minutes, item 8.1).

In relation to the decision by several committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 72(1), announced at the opening of the session on Monday 9 March 2026, I have received no requests for a vote in Parliament by Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committees may therefore start negotiations.

Good morning, dear colleagues. I have two announcements. Jessika Van Leeuwen and Sander Smit are no longer members of the EPP Group and have joined the ECR Group as of 11 March 2026.

I have one announcement. I would like to recall that on 16 June 2025, the Bureau amended its Decision on rules governing access to and attendance in the Chamber and the conduct of debates. Mobile phones may not be used in the Chamber for the purpose of taking pictures or making audiovisual recordings when this could harm Parliament's dignity and reputation or the principle of mutual request. Pursuant to Rules 10 and 183 of the Rules of Procedure and the above-mentioned Bureau Decision, and after taking into account the observations of the Members concerned, I have decided to impose the following penalties. First, on Alvise Pérez, for recording during a plenary session another Member of the European Parliament without his consent, and subsequently disseminating the video on social media with derogatory comments: the forfeiture of his entitlement to the daily subsistence allowance for a period of 10 days and a temporary suspension from participation in the plenary activities of Parliament for a period of 4 days on which Parliament meets in part-session, without prejudice to his right to vote in plenary and subject to strict compliance with the Members’ standards of conduct. Mr Pérez has been notified of the decision. He lodged an internal appeal with the Bureau under Rule 184. The Bureau, at its meeting of yesterday, confirmed the penalty imposed, without prejudice to the external rights of appeal open to the Member concerned. The penalty is therefore final. Second, on Leila Chaibi, for recording herself and making improper gestures during the formal sitting on the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union, and subsequently disseminating the video on her social media account: the forfeiture of her entitlement to the daily subsistence allowance for a period of 2 days and a temporary suspension from participation in the next two formal sittings during which a head of state or government is invited to address the plenary. Third, on Rima Hassan, for recording during a plenary session a Member of the European Parliament without his consent, and subsequently disseminating the video on her social media account accompanied by a personal comment: a reprimand. Ms Chaibi and Ms Hassan have been notified of the respective decisions. They have not lodged internal appeals with the Bureau under Rule 184. The penalties are therefore final.

So now I put the request to a vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) The agenda remains unchanged. The agenda is adopted and the order of business is thus established. I will now go through the significant number of requests for points of order – fewer than usual, but let's see. Please quote the Rule over which you are rising.

The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 4 March 2026 pursuant to Rule 163, has been distributed. I would like to inform you that I have received two requests for urgent procedure, from the EPP Group and the ENVI Committee, pursuant to Rule 170(6), on the following proposal: Calculation of emission credits for heavy-duty vehicles for the reporting periods of the years 2025 to 2029. The vote on this request will be taken tomorrow. If adopted, the vote will be held on Thursday. We now move to changes requested by political groups. The PfE Group has requested that Council and Commission statements on 'President Zelenskyy's unacceptable threats against Hungary's sovereignty and its Prime Minister: potential implications for Ukraine's demand for accession to the EU' be added after the Commission statement on the energy package. I will give the floor first to Harald Vilimsky to move the request on behalf of the PfE Group.

I would like to inform you that, together with the President of the Council, I shall on Wednesday sign five acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 81. The titles of the acts are the following and they will be published in the minutes of this sitting: − Measuring systems for electric vehicle supply equipment; − Unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain; − European Union designs (codification); − Implementing the bilateral safeguard clauses of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement; − Setting of a Union intermediate climate target for 2040.

The ENVI Committee has transmitted a corrigendum to a text adopted by Parliament. Pursuant to Rule 251(4), this corrigendum will be deemed approved unless, no later than 24 hours after its announcement, a request is made by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold that it be put to the vote. The corrigendum is available on the plenary webpage and its title will be published in the minutes of the sitting.

The EPP, S&D and PfE groups have notified me of decisions relating to changes to appointments within committees and delegations. These decisions will be set out in the minutes of today's sitting and take effect on the date of this announcement.

We move straight to the vote on the joint motion for a resolution, tabled by five groups, on four years of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and European contributions to a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine (see minutes, item 9.1).

The next item is the debate on Parliament's statement on four years of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and European contributions to a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine (2026/2599(RSP)). I would like to inform Members that for this debate there is no catch-the-eye procedure and no blue cards will be accepted. I would also like to welcome all the dignitaries present today, and the 120 members of national parliaments who are with us today in the gallery. Welcome, dear colleagues. Dear Members, today we mark four years since Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. On 24 February 2022, as tanks rolled across European borders and a war descended on our continent, Russia thought they could take Ukraine in days. But Ukrainians proved them wrong. They keep going, refusing to give in, standing defiant in the face of almost unimaginable daily hardships through the depths of gruelling winters, even as drones fall indiscriminately and Russian missiles target women and children. That is why today we honour the bravery of the Ukrainian people. We reaffirm our concrete support, and we recommit our efforts for a real and lasting peace. We will be joined remotely in a few moments by President Zelenskyy once again in this Chamber. When I first met with the President in Kyiv, I promised him that this Parliament would support Ukraine. And four years on – thanks to your efforts, all of us together, dear colleagues – we have not let Ukraine down. Because we know that when we stand together, Ukraine and Europe stand strong. Our actions are not solely based on altruism. We act because we know what is at stake for all of us. And I am proud of what we have done together: whether by supporting Ukrainian society by delivering EUR 200 billion of support to help keep everyday life possible for millions of people; whether it is delivering generators to keep the lights and heating on in hospitals, in schools, in bomb shelters; whether it was supercharging Ukraine's defence capabilities to help those on the front lines and their families at home. And we will keep up stepping on our support. Later today, we will sign into law a EUR 90 billion loan to shore up essential public services and keep Ukraine's defences strong, sending a clear message to every Ukrainian: your security is Europe's security, your freedom is Europe's freedom and your future is in Europe. And we will keep working to make that happen. (Applause) So now we will connect with President Zelenskyy. Dear Volodomyr, the floor is yours.

The final draft agenda as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 12 February 2026, pursuant to Rule 163, has been distributed. I have received no request for changes to the final agenda. Therefore, the agenda is adopted.

Good morning to you all. I have a couple of announcements. First of all, following the appointment of Tom Berendsen to the Dutch Government, Parliament takes note of the vacancy of his seat from 23 February 2026, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Following the appointment of Daniel Caspary as a member of the European Court of Auditors, Parliament takes note of the vacancy of his seat from 1 March 2026, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

The next vote is on the regulation implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027 (see minutes, item 7.1). I have received a request for adjournment of this vote. Pursuant to Rule 206(4), a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold may present a motion calling for a vote to be adjourned.