Speeches

Thank you, we will have two separate votes, so first we put to the vote by roll call the request by The Left Group for a debate. (Parliament adopted the request) So there will be a Commission statement on the ‘Need for immediate reform of the internal rules of the Commission to ensure transparency and accountability in light of alleged conflicts of interests’ to be added as the third point in the afternoon. Now we put the request by the Greens/EFA Group for a resolution to the vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) There will be no resolution to wind up the debate. Also for Wednesday, the ECR Group has requested that the title of the Council and Commission statements on ‘Women activism – human rights defenders related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)’ be changed into ‘Women activism, related to sexual and reproductive health, in the context of human rights’. I give the floor to Ms Margarita de la Pisa Carrión to move the request on behalf of the ECR Group.

I will now give the floor to any colleague who would like to speak against Mr Ferber’s proposal. I don’t see that to be the case, so I put the request to the vote by roll—call. (Parliament approved the request) A Commission statement on ‘Failure of the Silicon Valley Bank and the implications for financial stability in Europe’ is added as the second point in the afternoon after the Topical debate. For Wednesday, the Renew Group has requested that we have a Council and Commission statement on ‘Strengthening EU Defence in the context of the war in Ukraine: speeding up production and deliveries to Ukraine of weapons and ammunition’ to be added as the second point in the afternoon after the Topical debate. I give the floor to Ms Nathalie Loiseau to move the request on behalf of the Renew Group.

I would also like to inform you that since the adjournment of Parliament’s session on the 16 February, I have signed, together with the President of the Council, one act adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79 of the Rules of Procedure. I would also like to inform you that, on Wednesday, I shall sign, together with the President of the Council, six acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of this sitting. * ***

I was informed that no objections have been raised within the Conference of Committee Chairs to the recommendation by the ECON Committee not to oppose a delegated act, pursuant to Rule 111(6) of the Rules of Procedure. The recommendation is 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 recommendation shall be deemed to have been approved; otherwise, it will be put to the vote.

The PECH Committee has decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations ahead of Council’s first reading, pursuant to Rule 72 of the Rules of Procedure. The position adopted by Parliament at first reading, which constitutes the mandate for those negotiations, is available on the plenary webpage and its title will be published in the minutes of this sitting.

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements – One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine (2023/2558(RSP)).

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

Dear colleagues, before we start the vote it is my sad duty to inform you of the death yesterday of José María Gil—Robles y Gil—Delgado, who was President of the European Parliament from 1997 to 1999 and who was an eminent Member of this House for 15 years. He served in many capacities during his parliamentary terms and was a rapporteur for a number of institutional reforms. He will be remembered for having ensured that Parliament was directly involved in the negotiations on the Treaty of Amsterdam, including the inclusion of the legal basis for the adoption of the Members’ Statute, thanks to which Parliament became more independent. It was during his presidency that Parliament contributed to the decisions relating to the entry into force of the euro and the start of accession negotiations for ten new Member States. He also led this House during the difficult months preceding the resignation of the European Commission, a crisis from which this institution emerged stronger. This House mourns him and pays tributes to his legacy. I would ask you now, please, to observe a minute of silence in his memory. (The House rose and observed a minute’s silence) *** We now proceed to the vote. I see there is a point of order.

Does anyone wish to speak against? I see that not to be the case, so I put the request to the vote by show of hands. (Parliament rejected the request) The agenda remains unchanged.

We will therefore have a Commission statement on further repression against the people of Belarus, in particular the cases of Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski, to be added as the fifth item on Wednesday afternoon before the oral questions. The statement will be wound up with a resolution, which will be voted on at the March I part-session. The last request for Wednesday is that the Green Group has requested that the resolution on the oral questions on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion be postponed to the March I part-session. I give the floor to Ms Sara Matthieu to move the request on behalf of the Green Group.

I give the floor to any colleague who would like to speak against. I see that not to be the case, so I will put the request to the vote by roll call. (Parliament agreed to the request)

Ms Bischoff, would you agree with the proposal from the ID Group, or the proposal from the EPP Group, or the proposal from the Renew Group? If your answer is ‘no’ then we will vote on the proposal from the S&D Group by roll call. (Parliament rejected the S&D Group’s proposal) So now I ask, Mr Garraud, do you maintain your initial proposal? I see that you do, so we vote on the request of the ID Group by roll call. (Parliament rejected the ID Group’s proposal) So now I ask Mr Lenaers, do you maintain your initial proposal? I see that you do, so we put the request of the EPP Group to a vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the EPP Group’s proposal) So I ask you, Ms in ‘t Veld, do you maintain your initial proposal? I see that you do, so we put the request to a vote. (Parliament agreed to the Renew Group’s proposal) We will therefore have Council and Commission statements on ‘EUCO conclusions: the need for the speedy finalisation of the roadmap’ as the second item on Wednesday afternoon. Still on Wednesday, the ECR Group has requested that a Commission statement on further repression against the people of Belarus, in particular the cases of Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski, be added as the fifth item in the afternoon before the oral questions on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion. The debate would be wound up with a resolution to be voted in March I. I give the floor to Anna Fotyga to move the request.

For Wednesday, the S&D Group has requested that the Council and Commission statements on ‘no EU funding for wars in Europe’ be added as the second item in the afternoon, after the topical debate. I give the floor to Ms Gabriele Bischoff to move the request on behalf of her Group.

I will now give the floor to any colleague who wishes to speak against this proposal. I don’t see that to be the case. I will therefore put the request to the vote by roll call. (Parliament agreed to the request) We therefore have the Commission statement on following up on measures taken by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of the European institutions to be added as the fifth point this afternoon. The statement will be wound up with a resolution and the vote will be on Thursday. The deadlines are as follows: motions for resolutions, Tuesday 14 February at noon; amendments to motions for resolutions, and joint motions for resolutions, Wednesday 15 February at noon; amendment to joint motions for resolutions, Wednesday 15 February at 13:00; split and separate votes Wednesday 15 February at 19:00.

We now come to the order of business. The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 8 February pursuant to the Rule 157, has been distributed. I would like to inform you that I have received a request for urgent procedure from the ENVI Committee, pursuant to Rule 163, on Transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The vote on this request will be taken tomorrow and, if adopted, the vote will be held on Thursday. We now move to changes requested by political groups. For Monday, The Left Group has requested that a Commission statement on following up on measures taken by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of the European institutions be added on Monday, as the fifth point in the afternoon. The debate would be wound up with a resolution to be voted on Thursday, and as a consequence the session would be extended to 11 p.m. I give the floor to Ms Aubry to move the request on behalf of The Left Group.

In relation to the decision by the LIBE Committee to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, pursuant to Rule 71(1), announced at the opening of the session on Wednesday 1 February, I have received no request for a vote in Parliament by Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committee may therefore start the negotiations.

The S&D Group has 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.

I have received a request from the competent authorities in Poland for the parliamentary immunities of Mr Patryk Jaki, Ms Beata Kempa, Ms Beata Mazurek and Mr Tomasz Poręba to be waived. This request is referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs.