What Roberta spoke about.

6

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2022

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Presentation of the programme of activities of the Czech Presidency (continuation of debate)

Thank you very, very much Prime Minister, and thank you dear colleagues, for this debate. We look forward to your Presidency, as you’ve seen from all the comments by the colleagues. Thank you and good luck. The debate is closed. Written statements (Rule 171)

6

Jul

2022

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Presentation of the programme of activities of the Czech Presidency (continuation of debate)

We now resume our debate on the programme of activities of the Czech Presidency.

6

Jul

2022

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Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71) (action taken)

Before we go to the round of political groups I have one quick announcement in relation to the decisions by the IMCO and ECON Committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1), announced at the opening of the session of 4 July. 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.

5

Jul

2022

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis (debate)

Thank you, Prime Minister, thank you dear colleagues. That concludes the debate. Written statements (Rule 171)

5

Jul

2022

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis (debate)

Dear colleagues, we have with us today the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. καλώς ήρθατε. Prime Minister, thank you for accepting our invitation to address the Parliament and the people of Europe as part of our ‘This is Europe’ debates. Europe is after all a Greek word, and the birth of democracy in Ancient Greece gave an impetus to a creative spirit that produced the architecture, the art and the philosophy that have shaped western civilisation as we know it. No society before the Greeks dared to believe that order and freedom were compatible and with the return of war on our continent and power politics on the global stage, we are reminded of the importance of safeguarding democracy, hand-in-hand with our rules-based order, to preserve freedom over autocracy. In over 40 years of membership, Greece has given the European Union influence and stability in the South-east Mediterranean. And no doubt, Greece’s importance will continue to grow as a new geopolitical reality unfolds. Greece will become an energy hub. Connecting the Greek electricity grid with the Middle East and Africa will soon accommodate imports of lower-cost renewable energy into Europe, and this signals a new age for Greece. This summer will also see Greece exit the Eurogroup’s enhanced surveillance framework, which helped steer Greece’s economy out a crisis which began 12 years ago. It was not easy. This year marks the end of a cycle of restrictions and close monitoring. A new era of sustainable economic growth and prosperity is opening up for Greece and its people. So today, we salute Greece and every Greek citizen for this important milestone achieved. Thank you Prime Minister for being with us to mark this success. Dear Kyriakos, the floor is yours.

4

Jul

2022

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Order of business

President. – The ECR Group has asked that a Commission statement on ‘The political sentencing to 10 years of Jeanine Áñez, former President of Bolivia’, with one round of political group speakers, be added as the second item in the morning, after the Commission statement on ‘Recent heatwaves and drought in the EU’. As a consequence, the sitting would start at 8.30. The debate would be wound up with a resolution, also to be voted on Thursday. I give the floor to Hermann Tertsch to move the request.

4

Jul

2022

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Order of business

Thank you, Ms Tardino. I give the floor to Clare Daly, who has asked to speak on this point.

4

Jul

2022

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Order of business

President. – Also for Tuesday, the ID Group has asked that a Commission statement on ‘The recent unrest in Uzbekistan’ be added as the last item in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended until 23.00. I give the floor to Bernhard Zimniok to move the request on behalf of the ID Group.

4

Jul

2022

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Order of business

Thank you very much Mr Gusmão. Thanks for the information, and of course we are doing everything we can. And I am also involved in making sure that there is a quick resolution to the ongoing discussions, and I am personally committed to that, I can assure you. We come to the requests by the political groups. For Tuesday, the ID Group has asked that Council and Commission statements on ‘Judicial cooperation in Europe in the light of the French court decision blocking extradition of Italian terrorists’ be added as the third item in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended until 23.00. I give the floor to Anna Bonfrisco to move this request.

4

Jul

2022

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Order of business

We now come to the order of business. The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 30 June pursuant to Rule 157, has been distributed. I will just inform you that I have received three requests for urgent procedure, respectively, from the TRAN Committee, the Council and the Commission, pursuant to Rule 163 on the following legislative files: First, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, temporary measures concerning drivers’ documents issued by Ukraine. Second, identification of the violation of Union restrictive measures as crimes under Article 83(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. And third, exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. The vote on these requests will be taken tomorrow. We now move to changes requested by political groups, but I see that there is a point of order with Mr Gusmão.

4

Jul

2022

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Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

I would also like to inform you that since the adjournment of Parliament’s session on 23 June, I have signed, together with the President of the Council, four acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, in accordance with Rule 79 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. I would like also to inform you that on Wednesday I shall sign together with the President of the Council, one act adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of the sitting.

4

Jul

2022

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Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71) (action taken)

In relation to the decision by the PECH Committee to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1) – announced on Wednesday 22 June – I have received no requests for a vote in Parliament, and the committee may therefore start its negotiations.

4

Jul

2022

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Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71)

The IMCO and ECON committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to 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. Pursuant to Rule 71(2) Members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing by tomorrow, Tuesday 5 July at midnight, that the decisions to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decisions to enter into negotiations is made within the aforementioned deadline, the committees may start the negotiations.

4

Jul

2022

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Approval of the minutes of the previous sittings

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sittings of 22 and 23 June are available. Are there any comments? That does not seem to be the case, and therefore the minutes have been approved.

4

Jul

2022

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Statements by the President

So, dear colleagues, we are here today, a day after a horrific shooting in Copenhagen where three people were murdered in a shopping mall after being shot by an armed assailant. I think I speak for everyone here when I say our thoughts are with all the victims, their families and everyone in Copenhagen. Denmark, we are with you. Yesterday, we also saw the terrible news emerge of a mountain glacier collapsing in the Alps in Italy, leaving at least six persons dead, eight injured and twenty missing. Experts have told us that the warming temperature means that the entire glacier is under threat. The horrible tragedy in the Dolomites between the northern Italian regions of Trentino and Veneto has shocked all of us. And I wanted to use this opportunity to offer our deepest condolences and those of the European Parliament to those affected. I would like to ask you, dear colleagues, to join us in having a minute of silence. (The House rose and observed a minute’s silence)

23

Jun

2022

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Candidate status of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia (RC-B9-0331/2022, B9-0331/2022, B9-0332/2022, B9-0333/2022, B9-0334/2022, B9-0335/2022, B9-0336/2022)

The joint resolution is overwhelmingly adopted. (Loud and sustained applause) Congratulations, dear colleagues. I will convey this message of the strongest support this afternoon in a few hours at the European Council.

23

Jun

2022

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Composition of Parliament

Before our session, I have one announcement, dear colleagues, before we go to the votes. Following the resignation of Fernando Barrena Arza, Parliament takes note that, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, his seat will be vacant as from 3 September 2022. Parliament will inform the national authority accordingly.

23

Jun

2022

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Formal sitting - Address by Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia

Thank you very much, President, for that speech.

23

Jun

2022

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Formal sitting - Address by Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia

Dear colleagues, dear President Hichilema, in May 2017, this House adopted a resolution in which we expressed grave concern over your arrest, Mr President, and incarceration on fabricated, politically motivated charges. We insisted on the need to ensure fairness, diligence and transparency during your trial. After the abuse and hardship you suffered, you now address us as the democratically elected President of your country. It is indeed, therefore, a great honour to have you with us today. Zambia is a democratic model in Southern Africa and an example of a mature democracy for the whole African continent. In the current troubled geopolitical context, it is important that democratic forces nourish and further develop cooperation with each other. This applies especially for Africa, where we see the increasing influence of Russia and other malign players. Zambia is a long—term, stable partner of the European Union and plays a key regional role. Our relationship is rooted in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation. It is based on shared values of democracy, respect for the rule of law, human rights and rules-based multilateralism. We are well aware of the serious economic challenges brought on your country by the pandemic and exacerbated by the increased prices of fuel and fertilisers resulting from the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The European Union stands ready to mitigate these consequences through the ‘Global Gateway Africa’ initiative and through reinforced political dialogue. This Parliament fully supports your government in its endeavours to tackle your main challenges and priorities – notably the fight against poverty, encouraging economic recovery, the creation of decent jobs and the promotion of good governance. Dear President, the floor is yours.

22

Jun

2022

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković (debate)

Thank you very much Prime Minister. This debate is now closed and we will move on to the next debate with my colleague Rainer Wieland.

22

Jun

2022

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković (debate)

Prime Minister, I now give you the floor to respond to the questions, the comments, the gifts, the attributions, the books that you have received.

22

Jun

2022

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković (debate)

The next item is the ‘This is Europe’ debate with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković (2022/2709(RSP)). Dear colleagues, we have the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković with us today. Prime Minister, welcome back to the European Parliament. It is a House that you know so well. We know you as a proud pro-European who, as State Secretary for European integration, laid the groundwork for Croatia’s accession to the European Union in 2013, and as a Member of the European Parliament you worked closely with all of us and also our Ukrainian colleagues. Today, it is under your leadership, as Prime Minister of Croatia, that your country has successfully met all the legal criteria for entry into the euro area. Congratulations! At the start of the year, our House celebrated the euro’s 20th anniversary and it is fitting that Croatia will soon become the 20th member of the eurozone. This marks a true defining moment for Croatia and our Union, but in order to remain credible we must also be consistent. Croatia is ready for Schengen. The European Parliament has long recognised that Croatia has met all the necessary requirements to join the Schengen area and we will continue to support that. Croatia’s European story is a success story. It gives hope. It shows results. With a war on our continent, with the decisions that we must take this week, the importance of hope cannot be underestimated. But hope alone will only get us so far. When countries look to Europe, they expect us to keep our promises and they expect tangible progress, because Europe can be more. On that note I thank you, Prime Minister, dear Andrej, for being a staunch supporter of Europe, for your leadership and for your tireless endeavours to maintain a viable EU perspective for the region. Prime Minister, Andrej, the floor is yours.

22

Jun

2022

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Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (A9-0162/2022 - Peter Liese) (vote)

Thank you Mr Liese, especially for thanking the staff. Therefore we vote on referral back to committee. (Parliament agreed to the request for referral back to committee)

22

Jun

2022

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Voting time

So colleagues, thank you for the points that you made. Two weeks ago we took the decision in the plenary to refer the ETS and the CBAM files back to the ENVI Committee. Since 8 June, we – you – have worked hard to unblock the situation and we now have I think the shared responsibility to move forward on these important files and to start interinstitutional negotiations swiftly. And it is exactly for situations such as these that our Rules of Procedure rarely, but necessarily, foresee different options to facilitate votes. And I insist on the word ‘facilitate’. Rule 183(3) gives us the tools that we need in this situation and it is the prerogative, but most of all the duty, of the President to make use of it to ease plenary votes. It is not the first time that amendments jointly tabled by multiple groups have been put to the vote first. So I will give the floor now to a round of political group speakers, as was agreed.

22

Jun

2022

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Votes on requests for urgent procedure (Rule 163)

We now come to the vote on the request for urgent procedure from the AGRI Committee on ‘Exceptional temporary support under EAFRD in response to the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’ (COM(2022)0242 – C9-0185/2022 – 2022/0166(COD)). Before the vote only the mover and one speaker against may be heard, along with the Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible. Is there any Member who would like to speak or shall we go directly to the vote? We shall go directly to the vote. (Parliament agreed to the request for urgent procedure) The vote will be held tomorrow, Thursday 23 June at 11.30. The deadline for tabling amendments is today, Wednesday 22 June at 17.00. The deadline for tabling split and separate votes is today, Wednesday, at 20.00.