Speeches

Is there anybody who would like to speak against this request? I don’t see that to be the case, so we will put the request to a vote by roll call. (Parliament approved the request) The title is therefore amended to include the words ‘and the continuing threats against Armenia’ at the end. Also for Tuesday, the S&D Group has requested that the debate on the Council and Commission statements on ‘Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo’, be wound up with a resolution to be voted at the next part-session. I give the floor to Tonino Picula to move the request on behalf of his group.

We now come to the order of business. The final draft agenda as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 28 September pursuant to Rule 157 has been distributed. For tomorrow, Tuesday, the S&D Group has requested that one round of political group speakers follows the statement by the President on the 10-year commemoration since the tragedy in Lampedusa. I give the floor to Mr Bartolo to move the request.

I would also like to inform you that, together with the President of the Council, I shall on Wednesday sign three acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of this sitting. ***

Several committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1). The reports which constitute the mandates for the negotiations are available on the plenary web page, and their titles will be published in the minutes of this sitting. Pursuant to Rule 71(2), Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing by tomorrow, 3 October at midnight, that the decisions be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in Parliament is made before the deadline, the committees may start negotiations.

The Committee on Legal Affairs has informed me that it has received information from the Spanish courts that there is no ongoing investigation concerning Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó. Therefore, on 19 September 2023, the committee concluded that the request to defend his immunity announced in plenary on 14 September 2020 was without foundation. Therefore, the procedure concerning this request for defence of privileges and immunities is closed.

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 14 September are available. Are there any comments? I see that is not the case. The minutes are therefore approved.

Dear colleagues, it is my sad duty to inform you of the death of the President Emeritus of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano on 22 September. For many years a leading figure in Italian political life, Giorgio Napolitano was also a fervent supporter of a strong Italy in Europe, as an authoritative member of this Parliament, where he was also chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. The first President of the Italian Republic elected for two consecutive terms. In his inauguration speech in 2006, President Napolitano recalled inseparable values: repudiation of war and international co-responsibility to ensure peace. This call today is stronger than ever. A man who has put his political passion at the service of Italian and European citizens in complex historical passages with a sense of duty and courage. On behalf of the European Parliament, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to observe a minute's silence in its memory. (Parliament stood and observed a minute's silence)

Good afternoon, dear colleagues. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that tomorrow will mark 10 years since the Lampedusa shipwreck of 2013. In this hemicycle tomorrow before the votes this Parliament will mark the tragic loss of over 360 men, women and children. I would encourage the presence of all colleagues at this solemn moment.

Good morning, can I please ask you to take your seats for this important occasion. I am very pleased this morning to welcome the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to our European Parliament for the annual State of the European Union address. Over the last years we have overcome a financial crisis, a pandemic. We have gone through Brexit and found new ways forward. We have stood up and stood firm against Russia’s illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine. We are addressing the climate emergency, we have disengaged from toxic Russian energy and we have set the foundations for the years to come. The European Union today is stronger and more united than ever before. The world is changing and Europe must adapt and change with it too. We must keep striving to make our Europe a place of equality of opportunity, of access, of prosperity – where everyone can reach their potential. We must keep reforming. We have come a long way, but even so, too many people across our Union are still struggling: too many women still face unfair barriers, too many of our young people still face an uncertain future. We need to keep our people’s concerns at the centre of all our actions. And to underline how we will do that, it is truly my pleasure to introduce the President of the European Commission, to deliver her 2023 State of the European Union address, which for the first time, I am extremely proud to say, will be interpreted in international sign language. Dear Ursula, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Pedro, I have requests from Philippe, from Manu, from Manfred and from David Casa. Would you agree with the proposal that we have this in October so we can go ahead and prepare this properly? Would that be okay? I see an agreement, so we will do this in October and prepare it properly. The agenda is adopted and the order of business is established. (The sitting was briefly suspended)

Thank you very much, Mr Pineda. I will put the request to a vote by show of hands. Who is in favour? Who is against? Who abstains? We will check. I was thinking no roll-calls today, but. The vote is open. The vote is closed. It is adopted, and therefore the agenda will be changed. For Wednesday, the Renew Group has requested ‘Council and Commission statements on aid to the most deprived in the context of rising precariousness in Europe’ to be added as the fifth point in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended to midnight. I have received other alternative proposals from the EPP, The Left and the S&D Group, which I will read out. The EPP proposal is for ‘Council and Commission statements on aid to the most deprived in the context of rising inequalities and the middle-class squeeze in the EU’. The Left proposal is for ‘Council and Commission statements on aid to the most deprived in the context of rising precariousness in Europe and the contribution of the wealthiest’. The S&D proposal is for ‘Council and Commission statements on rising precariousness in Europe, including the rising need for aid to the most deprived’. I give the floor first to Ms Sylvie Brunet to move the request on behalf of the Renew Group.

I was informed that no objections have been raised within the Conference of Committee Chairs to the recommendations by the AGRI Committee not to oppose two delegated acts pursuant to Rule 111(6) of the Rules of Procedure. The recommendations are available on the plenary webpage. If no objections are raised, by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold, within 24 hours, the recommendations shall be deemed to have been approved; otherwise they will put be put to the vote.

The S&D and Renew Europe 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.

On the proposal of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Parliament verifies the credentials of Christophe Clergeau, with effect from 2 June 2023, Thomas Rudner, with effect from 3rd July 2023, and Carlos Coelho, with effect from 7 July 2023.

Following the election of Esteban González Pons and Adriana Maldonado López as members of the Spanish Chamber of Deputies, Parliament takes note of the vacancy of their seats from 17 August 2023, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. The competent authorities of France have notified me of the election of Catherine Amalric to the European Parliament, replacing Véronique Trillet-Lenoir with effect from 10 August 2023. The competent authorities of the Netherlands have notified me of the election of Anja Haga to the European Parliament, replacing Peter van Dalen with respect from 5 September 2023. The competent authorities of Spain have notified me of the election of Ana Collado Jiménez and of Laura Ballarín Cereza to the European Parliament, replacing Esteban González Pons and Adriana Maldonado López, respectively, with effect from 6 September 2023. (Applause) I wish to welcome our new colleagues, and I recall that they take their seats in Parliament and its bodies in full enjoyment of their rights, pending the verification of their credentials.

Ladies and gentlemen, two days ago we heard the tragic news in Morocco, where a devastating earthquake killed thousands and injured many more. The scenes are horrific, with many injured and many homeless people. I wrote to the President of the Moroccan Parliament to express our deepest solidarity and to stress that in the aftermath of this indescribable tragedy, Europe is ready to help. Parliament paid tribute to the victims and their families and to all the Moroccan people at this difficult and tragic time. Colleagues, it is also my sad duty to inform you of the death of our colleague and dear friend Véronique Trillet-Lenoir on 9 August 2023. If Véronique was a woman with know-how, she was also a woman of service and duty. She went through this with the characteristic dignity of a woman who dedicated her life to helping others as a doctor, teacher, member of this European Parliament and pillar of her community. From her academic expertise to her career as an oncologist, Véronique has devoted herself entirely to the health of Europeans. As a member of this assembly, his work to lay the foundations for a European Health Union demonstrates his unwavering commitment. Colleagues, Véronique fought to the end with courage, dignity and an unwavering sense of duty for Europe and for Europeans. His fight is now ours. On behalf of the European Parliament, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Véronique who joined us today in this Chamber. You must all be very proud of her to the French parliamentary delegation and the Renew Group. This assembly mourns her and pays tribute to her legacy. We will remember her. Allow me now to give the floor quickly to Mrs Nathalie Loiseau.

Dear colleagues, good afternoon and welcome to this plenary session. This week, on 16 September, we will mark one year since the murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran. I will reiterate now that the European Parliament proudly stands with those brave, defiant women and men who continue to fight for equality, for dignity and for freedom in Iran. We stand with those who even from prison continue to keep the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement alive: Narges Mohammadi, Bahareh Hedayat, Nasrin Javadi, Golrokh Iraee, Sepideh Gholian and many, many others. We also reiterate our strongest condemnation of the Iranian regime for taking EU and dual nationals hostage, and call namely for the immediate release of EU official Johan Floderus and Professor Ahmad Reza Djalali. Tomorrow, this House will remember and honour the legacy of Mahsa Amini and all those who have paid the ultimate price for liberty. Dear colleagues, dangerous weather conditions have affected large parts of Europe causing widespread damage, devastation and death. Major wildfires and floods have caused severe impacts on Member States such as Spain, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. Greece, particularly, continues to face devastating floods that have already claimed the lives of at least 15 people after many wildfires across the country. The European Union has already provided crucial assistance to the affected countries and regions and we will continue to do whatever is necessary. Tomorrow I will welcome Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where I will reiterate the European Parliament’s solidarity with Greece and its people and where we will continue to discuss EU assistance. Our hearts go out to all those who have had their lives and livelihoods destroyed over the summer, and I underline that our EU institutions will keep supporting those countries that need it.