What Roberta spoke about.

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Sep

2023

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State of the Union (debate)

Thank you to everybody. The debate is now closed. Written statements (Rule 171)

13

Sep

2023

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State of the Union (debate)

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.

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Sep

2023

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Voting time

The next item is the vote. (For the results and other details of the vote: see Minutes)

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Sep

2023

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Order of business

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)

11

Sep

2023

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Order of business

Madame Brunet. I see Pedro Marques. Do you want to take the floor?

11

Sep

2023

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Order of business

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.

11

Sep

2023

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Delegated acts (Rule 111(6))

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.

11

Sep

2023

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Composition of committees and delegations

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.

11

Sep

2023

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Verification of credentials

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.

11

Sep

2023

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Composition of Parliament

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.

11

Sep

2023

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Statements by the President

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.

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Sep

2023

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Statements by the President

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.

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Sep

2023

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Resumption of the sitting

I declare resumed the session of the European Parliament adjourned on Thursday 13 July 2023.

12

Jul

2023

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Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2022 (A9-0212/2023 - Viola von Cramon-Taubadel) (vote)

That concludes the vote. (The sitting was suspended at 13.39)

12

Jul

2023

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COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future (A9-0217/2023 - Dolors Montserrat) (vote)

Dear colleagues, since we are going quite fast – with the focus on the word ‘quite’ – we don’t need to postpone any votes, so we continue straight to the Incir report.

12

Jul

2023

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Voting time

The next item is the vote. (For the results and other details: see minutes)

12

Jul

2023

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Resumption of the sitting

Of course, we always invite the President of the European Council to discuss the European Council but, as you know, there is a NATO summit at the moment in Vilnius, and that is why both the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission are present there.

11

Jul

2023

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Commemorating the 28th anniversary of Srebrenica (statement by the President)

Dear colleagues, today marks the 28th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. A day that will live in infamy. An ethnic cleansing campaign that saw nearly 30 000 people forcibly expelled and the brutal murder of over 8 000 people – mostly Muslim men and boys who had sought safety in the Srebrenica enclave. Atrocities so barbaric that they are almost unspeakable, and yet we must speak. We speak to remember the victims. We speak to warn the world of what has happened so that it may never happen again. The genocide of Srebrenica will forever haunt us. 28 years later, we are witnessing increasing genocide denial, more false narratives and more glorification of war criminals. It is our duty to speak out against it, to remind the world of a truth that cannot be denied. Last weekend, we marked 500 days since Russia launched its full-scale military invasion on independent and sovereign Ukraine. A war that has brought to light the cruelty of Putin’s regime, and the return of war crimes and atrocities to our continent. The European Parliament will never turn a blind eye to war crimes. This is how we ensure that nothing like the Srebrenica genocide ever happens again. So on this solemn day, the European Parliament pays tribute to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide and reiterates its solidarity with all the families of all the victims, many of whom are yet to be identified. Nek im je rahmet dushi i laka zemlja bosanska* _______________ * ‘May they have mercy on their souls and may they have light Bosnian earth’

10

Jul

2023

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Order of business

Does any colleague want to speak against this request? No? Then we vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) The agenda therefore remains unchanged. The agenda is adopted and the order of business is thus established.

10

Jul

2023

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Order of business

Now we move to the changes to the agenda. For Wednesday, the ID Group has requested that a Commission statement on ‘The continuing repression of the democratic opposition in Germany, particularly remarks by the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’ be added as the seventh item in the afternoon, before the debates on breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended to 23.00. I give the floor to Christine Anderson to move the request on behalf of the ID Group.

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Jul

2023

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Composition of committees and delegations

The S&D and The Left 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.

10

Jul

2023

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Request for waiver of immunity

I have also received a request from the competent authorities in Greece for the parliamentary immunity of Georgios Kyrtsos to be waived. This request is referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs.

10

Jul

2023

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Composition of Parliament

Following the resignations of Álvaro Amaro and Peter van Dalen, and on the proposal of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Parliament takes note, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, of the vacancy of their seats from 7 July and 4 September 2023 respectively, and will inform the national authorities concerned thereof. The competent authorities of Germany have notified me of the election of Thomas Rudner to the European Parliament, replacing Ismail Ertug with effect from 3 July 2023. The competent authorities of Portugal have notified me of the election of Carlos Coelho to the European Parliament, replacing Álvaro Amaro with effect from 7 July 2023. I would like to welcome these two colleagues and recall that they take their seats in Parliament and its bodies in full enjoyment of their rights pending the verification of their credentials.

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Jul

2023

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Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 15 June are available. Are there any comments? That does not seem to be the case, therefore the minutes are approved.

14

Jun

2023

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Quality traineeships in the EU (A9-0186/2023 - Monica Semedo) (vote)

–That concludes the vote. (The sitting was suspended at 12.50)