Speeches

Dear colleagues, this is a very, very important moment and a significant step. I think this position of this Parliament is clear and sends the strongest of messages of support to the people on the front line in Ukraine. Well done.

I should like to thank you, Commission President, for giving us more time than we originally asked for. I think we did very well – it is 12 years since Question Time last took place in plenary. (Applause) A lot of colleagues asked to take the floor. Can I ask you to still register your questions for the next Question Time with the High Representative, if those questions can be put to him. That concludes Question Time to the Commission. (The sitting was suspended at 16.24)

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on EU protection of children and young people fleeing the war against Ukraine (2022/2618(RSP)). I remind you that we are testing some of the recommendations of the focus group on plenary reform. That means that free seating is applied, with the exception of the first two rows that are allocated to group leaders. That means that you will be able to request catch—the—eye and blue cards via your voting machine after having inserted your voting card. Therefore, I invite you always to bring your voting cards to the Chamber, and instructions have been made available on your desks. Should you wish to register for catch—the—eye, I invite you to do so starting from now and therefore not waiting until the end of the debate. Also following the recommendations of the focus group, the speaking time allocated for key debate for all interventions will be a minimum of two minutes, and this principle applies to the catch—the—eye interventions as well. This also means that Members can speak for a longer amount of time to give the possibility for the speech to be more meaningful. I also remind you that blue cards can be raised for a short intervention and that will allow for a short, proportionate response with a follow—up question. I would also like to remind you that interventions here will continue to be made from the lectern, except for catch—the—eye, blue cards and points of order. I kindly invite you to keep an eye on the speakers’ list and to approach the lectern when your speaking time is imminent.

I would also like to inform you that, together with the President of the Council, I shall on Wednesday, 6 April 2022 sign seven acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure in accordance with Rule 79 of our Rules of Procedure. The titles of the acts will be published in the minutes of the sittings.

– The ECON and LIBE committees have decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1) of the rules. The report, which constitutes the mandate for the negotiations, is available on the plenary web page and its title will be published in the minutes of the sitting. Pursuant to Rule 71(2), Members or political groups reaching at least a medium threshold may request in writing by tomorrow, Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at midnight, that the decision to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made within the deadline, the committees may start negotiations.

Colleagues I would like to welcome you to our voting session. I think we can all say we are pleased to be back in the Chamber after almost two years of hybrid meetings and remote voting. We will be taking important decisions today, on this important day for Europe, and your presence in this regard is crucial. We will now proceed with the vote. (For the results and other details on the vote: see Minutes)

The next item is the debate on the request for urgent procedure on refugees in Europe: CARE (COM(2022)0109 – C9-0057/2022 – 2022/0075(COD)). One month ago today, Putin ordered a criminal invasion into the sovereign and independent country of Ukraine. Millions have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. Almost 6.5 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine and a further 3.5 million – 90% being women and children – have taken the long path away from their homeland into the unknown. This is a humanitarian crisis at the heart of Europe. Our effective support will demonstrate the extent of our solidarity with all the brave Ukrainians fighting for their homeland but also for the values that underpin ours. As we said yesterday, we have to do all we can to help them, and that is why we enact today the first set of extraordinary measures to provide emergency support to people fleeing from war in Ukraine. The increasing number of people forced to abandon their homes and the neighbouring countries receiving them will urgently need more resources. I am proud that the European Union has already done so much by welcoming millions of Ukrainians into our countries, homes and hearts. I want to commend all citizens of the European Union Member States that have responded with European cohesion to all those. During the COVID pandemic we showed that the European Union can swiftly react and adjust to the demanding circumstances. And faced with war on our continent, we have to keep showing it also today. On this debate, I would like to inform Members that it will be with one round of political group speakers. Also I would like to remind you that your speeches will continue to be made from the central lectern, except for catch-the-eye, blue cards and points of order. I also ask you kindly to keep an eye on the speakers’ list and to approach the lectern when your speaking time is imminent.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to this start of a very long series of important debates. I’ll start with a couple of announcements. First of all, the political groups and the non—attached Members have notified me of appointments to the two new special committees, COVI and INGE 2, and to the PEGA Committee of Inquiry. The list of the members appointed to these new committees will be published on Parliament’s website and annexed to the minutes.

Thank you, dear colleagues. Thank you once again, Prime Minister, for being with us. We look forward to having you here quite soon again. That concludes the debate.

The next item is the joint debate on: – European Council and Commission statements on the debriefing on the European Council meeting in Paris of 10 March 2022 (2022/2570(RSP)); – Council and Commission statements on preparation of the European Council meeting of 24-25 March 2022 (2022/2532(RSP)). Let me also inform you that you will be able to request catch-the-eye and blue-card interventions via your voting machine, after you have inserted your voting card. So I would therefore invite you always to bring your voting card to the Hemicycle. Instructions in fact have been made available to you. Should you wish to register for catch-the-eye you should start doing so now. I also want to remind you that interventions in this Chamber will continue to be made from the central rostrum, except for the catch-the-eye, blue cards and points of order, so I kindly invite you to keep an eye on the speakers’ list and to approach the rostrum when your speaking time is imminent.

We will vote on three requests. First of all, on refugees in Europe (CARE). Before the vote, only the mover and one speaker against may be heard, along with the Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible. So I’ll give the floor now to Mr Omarjee, Chair of the REGI Committee, who asked to move the request. I give you the floor for 3 minutes.

I assure you, Ms Anderson, that Prime Minister Trudeau will address this House and exchange with us on the most important topics that we are facing today. (Loud applause)

The JURI, EMPL/FEMM 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, Thursday, 24 March 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.

We will now continue with the debate with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, on the EU’s role in a changing world and the security situation of Europe following the Russian aggression and invasion of Ukraine (2022/2583(RSP)).

The next item on the agenda is the debate with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, on the EU’s role in a changing world and the security situation of Europe following the Russian aggression and invasion of Ukraine (2022/2583(RSP)). Let me start by saying dear Prime Minister, dear Kaja, dear colleagues, the session today is devoted to the one of the most pressing issues – the EU’s changing role in a changing world. Putin’s invasion shattered the peace our generation has known. It has changed everything. And Europe’s response must be proportionate to the serious, real and growing threat to our collective security. So we need to re-assess the European Union’s role in this new world. We need to boost our investment in defence and innovative technologies. This is the time for us to take decisive steps to ensure the security of all Europeans. The time to build a real security and defence Union and reduce our dependencies on the Kremlin. What we have seen so far in terms of European coordination, solidarity and unity is unprecedented and this must be the blueprint of what we do going forward. Our people and our states have welcome more that 1.5 million Ukrainians into our communities, our homes and our hearts. We have matched massive sanctions with practical solidarity in a show of European values. And I know we can go further still and we must all do what we can. We have with us today the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas. Kaja, thank you for accepting our invitation to address the Parliament and the people of Europe as part of our new ‘This is Europe’ debates, where different EU leaders can be present to discuss our common agenda. We are also so pleased to welcome you back among us now as Prime Minister of Estonia, a Member State of the European Union that shares a near-300 km border with Russia. Let me assure you, Prime Minister, that you will find us together in opposing this invasion, in ensuring a clear response to dealing with the Kremlin and in ensuring that democracy prevails. We stand together for Ukraine. We stand together with Ukraine.

Following consultations with the political groups, I wish to put to the House the following proposal for changes to the final draft agenda: The report by our colleague Ms Toom on EU Citizenship Report 2020 is moved to Wednesday afternoon as the last item. Based on the number of amendments received, we would declare that the second voting session is cancelled. Finally, I would like to inform you that the votes are distributed along different voting sessions taking into account the number of amendments tabled and the number of requests for split and separate votes. Please note also that this distribution could be still subject to changes. The relevant information concerning the distribution of votes is available on the website of the European Parliament under the section entitled ‘Priority information and documents’. The agenda is therefore adopted and the order of business is thus established.

The PECH Committee has decided to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1). The report, which constitutes the mandate for the negotiations, is available on the plenary webpage and its title 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 8 March at midnight, that the decision to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made within the deadline I just mentioned, the committee may start the negotiations.

The S&D Group has notified me of decisions relating to changes to appointments within the delegations, and those decisions will be set out in the minutes of today’s sitting and shall take effect on the date of this announcement.

The minutes and the texts adopted at the sitting of 1 March 2022 are available. I take it there are no comments. (The minutes of the previous sitting were approved)

Dear colleagues, we are here again as the shelling of Ukraine continues unabated. The price of Putin’s illegal invasion can be measured in civilian casualties and the upending of the democratic world order. Our outrage grows with every shell that is fired, as does the Ukrainian defiance and our peoples’ solidarity. Our cities and our governments have put European values into practice by welcoming more than a million Ukrainians fleeing the Kremlin’s tanks. People have taken to the streets all around the globe, including in Russia, to condemn Putin’s invasion, to tell the Kremlin aggressors to stop the killing. To demand freedom. To demand that the voices of Ukrainian children are no longer drowned out by the sound of Putin’s bombs. Much of Putin’s propaganda claims that we are somehow anti-Russian. Nothing is further from the truth. We recognise the immense courage it takes to stand up. We know the Russia of Navalny, of Nemtsov, of Magnitsky, of the thousands jailed over the last days. And our message is this: Putin does not equal Russia. Brave citizens of Russia, despite the threat of jail and the brutal crackdown, continue to stand up. They are the peacemakers. Handwritten placards with peace signs and anti-war slogans today are enough to merit people being detained. There are reports of more than 13 000 people in 147 Russian cities being held for speaking against the invasion. Only yesterday, 4 500 people were detained: Russians standing up under the toughest of conditions, showing the world that the true face of Russia does not have to be Putin’s. Those brave people can today face up to 15 years in prison, according to the two laws brought into force in Russia on 4 March, criminalising not only those protesting against the war, but also informing about the war, contrary to the official information given by the Russian authorities. Putin will find that the truth is not easily suppressed, and I want to express our solidarity with all peaceful anti-invasion protesters in Russia and applaud their courage to stand up publicly. So on behalf of the European Parliament, I call on the Russian authorities to free all those unjustly jailed, to allow the freedom of expression. I call on the Russian authorities to stop intimidating protesters and release immediately all those who are detained.