Speeches

In relation to the decisions by several committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, pursuant to Rule 71, paragraph 1, announced at the opening of the session on Monday 17 October, I have received no request for a vote in Parliament by Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committees may therefore start the negotiations.

So I put the request of the Left Group to a vote by roll call. I open the vote. I close the vote. And it is rejected. And, therefore, the agenda remains unchanged and the agenda is now adopted.

We’re going to put the request of the ID Group first to a vote by roll call. I open the vote. I close the vote. And it is rejected. I now put the request by the Greens/EFA Group to vote by roll call. Vote is open. I close the vote. And it is adopted. And, therefore, we will have a Commission statement on fighting sexualised violence and violence against women, the importance of the Istanbul Convention and a comprehensive proposal for a directive against gender-based violence. And it is added as the second point on Wednesday afternoon. Then we go to Wednesday. The Left Group has asked that Council and Commission statements on neo-colonial statements of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative at the inauguration of the European Diplomatic Academy be added as the sixth point in the afternoon, after the Commission statement on the Lukashenka regime’s active role in the war against Ukraine. I give the floor to Mr Marc Botenga to move the request on behalf of the Left Group.

Can I ask Mr Weimers whether you, Charlie, would you be OK with the resolution being done at a later plenary so we can vote once ? Or would you insist that the resolution be done this week?

Can I ask: does anybody want to speak against? I see nobody asking for the floor. So I put the request to vote by roll call. Vote is open. Vote is closed. And it’s adopted. Therefore, we will have Council and Commission statements on growing hate crimes against LGBTQ people across Europe in light of the recent homophobic murder in Slovakia to be added as a third point in the afternoon, after the Question Time to the Commission. And then the debate will be wound up with a resolution to be voted on Thursday. The deadlines are as follows: motions for resolutions: Tuesday, 18 October at 10.00. Amendments to the motions for resolutions and joint motions for resolutions: Wednesday, 19 October at 10.00. Amendments to joint motions for resolutions: also Wednesday at 11.00. Splits and separates: Wednesday at 19.00. On Tuesday as well, the ECR Group has asked that the Council and Commission statements on recognising the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism to be added in the afternoon. The debate would be wound up with a resolution to be voted on Thursday. I give the floor to Mr Charlie Weimers to move the request on behalf of the ECR Group.

And now we come to the order of business. The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 12 October pursuant to Rule 157, has been distributed. I would like to inform you that I have received two requests for urgent procedure, from the AFET Committee and from the Council, pursuant to Rule 163 on: specific provisions for the 2014-2020 cooperation programmes following programme implementation disruption and proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions. The vote on these requests will be taken tomorrow and, if adopted, the vote will be held on Thursday. We now move to the changes requested by the political groups on Tuesday. In agreement with the political groups, I would like to inform you that the debate on continued internal border controls in the Schengen area in light of the recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union has been advanced and will be held as a third point in the afternoon after the Question Time to the Commission. And the points on the oral questions on UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and the Council and Commission statements on impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on migration flows to the EU will be taken only by the Commission. Now for today, the Left group has asked that a Commission statement on Frontex’s responsibility for fundamental rights violations at the EU’s external borders in light of the OLAF report be added as a third point this afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended until 23.00. I give the floor to Ms Cornelia Ernst to move the request on behalf of the Left group. Cornelia, you have the floor.

Let me also inform you that the laureate of the Sakharov prize for 2022 will be announced on Wednesday afternoon at the end of the meeting of the Conference of Presidents, between 16.30 and 17.00. The announcement will be preceded by the ringing of the bells and I warmly invite you to be present in the Chamber for this important announcement.

Several committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to the Rule 71(1) of the Rules of Procedure. The reports, which constitute the mandates for the negotiations, are available on the plenary webpage and their titles will be published in the minutes of the sitting.

The S&D, Verts/ALE, ID and ECR 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.

Following the election of Mr Silvio Berlusconi, Ms Mara Bizzotto, Ms Simona Bonafè, Mr Carlo Calenda, Mr Andrea Caroppo, Mr Marco Dreosto, Ms Eleonora Evi, Mr Raffaele Fitto and Mr Antonio Tajani as Members of national Parliaments of Italy, Parliament takes note of the vacancy of their seats from 13 October 2022, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Following the appointment of Mr Lefteris Christoforou as a Member of the European Court of Auditors, Parliament takes note of his vacancy from 2 November 2022, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Since Mr Christoforou is still here, we bid you farewell, Lefteris. I have received from the competent authorities of Austria notice of the election to the European Parliament of Ms Theresa Muigg, replacing Ms Bettina Vollath with effect from 10 October 2020. Ms Muigg, welcome. I have also received from the competent authorities of Sweden notice of election to the European Parliament of Mr Johan Nissinen, replacing Ms Jessica Stegrud with effect from 11 October 2020. I wish to welcome these 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.

Good afternoon, dear colleagues, welcome. Could I ask you to take your seats? Quite a lot of work ahead of us. I will start with a few more announcements from my end before we come to the adoption of the agenda. First of all, today we mark International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. And on a day like today, we are reminded that far too many people still do not have access to food, water, clothing, shelter, education or health care. Far too many people are excluded from society, denied the possibility of a dignified job. Far too many people are not given the opportunities to achieve their potential. Dear colleagues, our Europe has always been a front-liner in the fight against global poverty, but yet a lot still needs to be done. And, sadly, the impact of the pandemic and the direct consequences of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine are pushing millions into poverty, and we must work together to counter this. Today we have the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in the chamber with us, Professor Olivier De Schutter. Thank you for all that you do in strengthening the protection of fundamental rights in Europe and around the world, thank you. Five years ago, Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese investigative journalist, was horrifically assassinated outside her home. They used a car bomb to kill a woman in an attempt to try to silence her to stop her exposing corruption and organised crime. This Parliament has been at the forefront of calls for justice, for respect for the rule of law and for media freedom. And for the last half a decade, we have stood with Daphne’s parents, sisters and children. We have legislated, we have demanded answers and we have scrutinised. Last night, as President of this House, I addressed thousands who gathered in Malta and I promised that this House will channel grief into determination to ensure not only better laws for all, but justice for all those involved in her murder and justice for the stories that Daphne died to bring to light. So from here, I would like to say the European Parliament will always stand on the side of truth-seekers, on the side of democracy, on the side of our values.

The next item is the joint debate on: – the report by Joanna Kopcińska, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 establishing a European Centre for disease prevention and control (COM(2020)0726 – C9-0366/2020 – 2020/0320(COD)) (A9-0253/2021), and – the report by Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (COM(2020)0727 – C9-0367/2020 – 2020/0322(COD)).

– Thank you, Mr Marques. So I’ll first put to the vote the request to add the item to the agenda, and then if carried, I will put to the vote the request to wind up the debate with a resolution to be voted in October II. (Parliament agreed to both requests) Wednesday On Wednesday, the S&D and Renew Europe groups have asked that the Commission statement on institutional racism in the EU and the breach of fundamental rights of EU citizens, scheduled as the last item in the afternoon, be replaced by an oral question on the Dutch childcare benefit scandal, institutional racism and algorithms.

I would like to inform you that, since the adjournment of Parliament’s session on 15 September, I have signed, together with the President of the Council, one act adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. The title of the act will be published in the minutes of this sitting.

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 15 September 2022 are available. Are there any comments? That not being the case, the minutes are approved.

Dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to make an announcement about the situation in Iran, which continues to remain of concern. The world heard the chants of ‘women, life, liberty’ – three words that have become a rallying cry for all those standing up for equality, dignity and freedom in Iran. The brutal death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini marked a turning point. Colleagues, it is the daughters of Iran who, despite coming under increasing pressure, are leading the push for change. It is the women who are the change—makers, supported by so many courageous allies and friends. Today we have Professor Azadeh Kian in the Chamber with us. (Loud, sustained applause) Ms Kian, to you and to every girl fighting for her rights in Iran, let me say: you are not alone. This European Parliament stands proudly with everyone demanding change. We are with you. Mahsa Amini will be remembered, just like Hadis, Minu, Ghazaleh, Hanane, Hayedeh, Machsa, Noka and many, many others. For women, for life, for liberty! (Loud applause) Last Saturday, the EU ambassador to Nicaragua was forced to leave the country and diplomatic relations with the Netherlands were halted. I condemn the latest unilateral measures by the Nicaraguan regime, only two weeks after this House called for an inclusive national dialogue to ensure a peaceful and democratic solution to the political, social and human rights crisis. The Ortega—Murillo regime cannot continue to isolate the country from the international community. The European Parliament will always take a firm stand against the chipping—away of democratic structures. Together with like—minded partners, we remain committed towards restoring a rules-based order in the interest of the Nicaraguan people. Finally, today marks nine years since the shipwreck of Lampedusa, resulting in the tragic loss – as you will recall – of more than 360 lives. 360 dreams shattered, 360 families forever broken. Many of whom where never able to be identified. They are people, not statistics. Hopes not numbers. We cannot not become de—sensitised to the tragedy. The cruel truth is that the cemetery of the Mediterranean has claimed the lives of thousands more women, children and men since then. We need to find a way forward on migration, that looks at the issue in a holistic, humane, European way. It is not enough to shrug and point fingers. We promised change nine years ago when 360 people drowned, we reiterated that promise when young Alan Kurdi washed up on our sandy beaches, and yet only a few days ago we saw girls die of dehydration off our coasts. When young girls are dying of thirst in our seas, then it is our failure and a failure of our shared humanity. We can and we must do better on this. We must find a way forward. For all those who lost their lives, for all the victims of traffickers, for all those mothers waiting for news that will never come. We remember them. (Applause) I give the floor specifically on this point to colleague Pietro Bartolo.