What Vytenis Povilas spoke about.

20 May

2026

EN Speech

High time to deliver on the Single Market, providing certainty and predictability for EU businesses and quality jobs (continuation of debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, you know, this slogan 'One Europe, One Market' is not enough. One market, one health and social justice and one Europe – it is a picture. And we need to think about those three components of our direction. Three components – they are equally valid. You know, I am 75. I was involved in European matters from 1999. I heard about the digital union, the bankin…

19 May

2026

EN Speech

EU–Uzbekistan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (joint debate)

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Mr President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, Central Asia is gaining more strategic role in the world politics. Russia and China are both deepening their presence there. Europe should not leave this region behind. We should actively engage with it. The enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement with Uzbekistan is our answer. Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia, a stat…

19 May

2026

EN Speech

Europe's response to reduced US military deployments in Europe, particularly at its Eastern flank in the light of the latest US decisions (debate)

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Madam President, Vice‑President of the Commission, colleagues, for over 70 years the Transatlantic Alliance was the backbone of global security. The U.S. decision to reduce troop deployment in Europe is regretful and irresponsible. The EU is strong in our soft power globally, but in defence not. However, we cannot outsource our security forever. Europe must now take responsibility for its own defe…

19 May

2026

LT Speech

Question Time with the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - EU’s strategy to address the current crises in the Middle East

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Honourable Kaja Kallas, Honourable President of the sitting. In fact, there would be two simple questions for me. One question: Can you already say that the suspension of the Association Agreement that you have proposed can continue to be moved out of place in the Council? And the second question: Can you really assure us that the European Union will not participate in this so-called ‘formed Peace…

19 May

2026

EN Speech

Presentation of the Fertilisers Action Plan (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, thanks a lot, such a proposed fertiliser plan is a very good one. But of course, we need to discuss not only strategic plans, but also how we can address and react to this crisis because the situation is very unusual. And of course, fertilisers should also be excluded from sanctions, like water, like food. You have no chance to sanction water, to sanction food or to …

19 May

2026

EN Speech

EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, colleagues, it is obvious that the European Union must remain resilient, secure and prepared in the face of rapidly advancing AI technologies. Our democratic institutions, critical infrastructure, healthcare systems and citizens must be protected against new risks and challenges emerging from increasingly sophisticated AI systems. We must strengthen Europe'…

18 May

2026

EN Speech

European solidarity: key to securing medicine access in a shifting geopolitical era (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, Europe has been dragged into a geopolitical reality. It did not choose Trump's unpredictable 'most favoured nation' concept, and tariffs threaten European patients; they threaten the medicines on which millions of European depend. European solidarity in securing access to medicines urgently must be underpinned by a strong and globally competitive pharmaceuti…

18 May

2026

LT Speech

The multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea and ways forward (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues. The Swedes spoke, and we are white, Lithuanians from the Baltic Sea, too. Thank you. Great report, fantastic. Professor Costa Cadiz, Commissioner Costa, you are a professor of biodiversity. Right now we need to get our shoulders together and really go out with a huge project to save the Baltic Sea ecosystem as such! We have to make a huge pilot project, not just a ma…

30 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Women’s entrepreneurship in rural and island areas and outermost regions (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, I am really pleased with the points you have made that you want to strengthen the promotion of female entrepreneurship in rural areas. And in particular, I would like to thank the rapporteur, who is indeed a very topical subject. I would like to remind you, Commissioner, that it would be good to take into account the requirements of the European Social Pillar, the LEADE…

30 Apr

2026

LT Speech

How to secure a sustainable future for the EU livestock sector in light of the need to ensure food security, farmers’ resilience and the challenges posed by animal diseases? (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner, you have recently visited Lithuania. Together we got acquainted with the situation of Lithuanian agriculture, especially with the livestock sector. Indeed, dairy farming and pig farming in Lithuania are going through unspeakably dramatically difficult times and it is clear that we really need to think even about the sectoral points of the individual livestock…

29 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Sudan’s abandoned humanitarian crisis: three years of conflict (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. Indeed, Sudan must be placed much more widely and deeply on the agendas of the Member States, national parliaments and the European Parliament. What is happening there is not being said in any words – I am a doctor, I can say it with courage. We can even call on the citizens of the European Union to make their own contributions, supporting all international h…

29 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Situation in Lebanon: implementation of the ceasefire, support peace efforts and humanitarian access (debate)

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Honourable President of the sitting, Honourable Commissioner. I think that if we put the definition of the aggressor, the definitions of military crimes and aspects of the application of international criminal law on the table now, and try to assess the actions of the Netanyahu government both in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, and also look at the parallels between the aggressive …

29 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Danger of normalising relations with Russia, including its participation in major cultural and sports events (debate)

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Dear President of the meeting, Commissioner. Let us all begin with the very important legacy of Pierre de Coubertin: ‘Oh in sport, you are peace!’ This makes it very clear that both sport and culture are the arena where peace flourishes and where peace calls people, but in no case does the aggressors come there. Putin's aggressive regime has, in fact, sufficiently destroyed all international law. …

28 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Interim report on the proposal for the multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034 (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner, colleagues. We are all fully aware that the budget presented by the European Commission is not sufficient. 1.27 % of the GDP of all countries is the minimum. The minimum that we must defend here in Parliament. Of course, separating debt service, which must not be included in that total budget amount. Obviously, we cannot fail to say that the European Union's …

27 Apr

2026

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Madam President, we have now all seen the very important roadmap on 'One Europe, One Market'. We absolutely need to strengthen the single market and create a resilient, economically secure Europe that is able to respond to new world realities. Increasing our competitiveness is a huge part of it, but we cannot see competitiveness as a narrow sector‑specific issue. We are now working on the Biotech …

27 Apr

2026

LT Speech

Financial literacy and the rise of finfluencers in the context of the savings and investments union (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. First of all, I really want to thank Lídía Pereira. Thank you, very timely and very detailed directions. We definitely need to make an effort to have national education programmes at different levels and for different social groups in all 27 countries, so that these are some minimum common standards that can be applied by the competent authorities in all coun…

26 Mar

2026

LT Speech

Global Gateway – past impacts and future orientation (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner. I believe that everyone will agree that the Global Gateway initiative is a truly enormous example of the implementation of European Union projects. But I would like to point out that it should focus much more on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular on those Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 3, health, etc., educati…

26 Mar

2026

EN Speech

EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

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Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear Valdis, we all know about what we are just speaking. Of course recent United States behaviour and events have only added carelessness and uncertainty. The threat to invade Greenland, coercion against Spain, the Supreme Court ruling declaring the reciprocal tariffs illegal immediately followed by new tariffs, threats towards European legislation and so on. Of c…

25 Mar

2026

EN Speech

Implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and risks to the security of supply of medicines (debate)

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Madam president, Madam Commissioner, colleagues, this debate is a political choice. Let us name it clearly: once again, the conservatives have joined forces with the far-right to amplify an industry narrative before we even have independently verified evidence. That is not responsible law-making; that is political theatre on behalf of industry interests. So this debate is about who should pay for …

25 Mar

2026

EN Speech

European Citizens’ Initiative 'Ban on conversion practices in the European Union' (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, of course, we know very well how dangerous it is. Don't call it conversion therapy. It has nothing to do with therapy – nothing. Only in eight of 27 EU Member States have they implemented nationwide bans on conversion practices. But there is significant variation in what the legislation covers. It is very important to know that even where banned, enforcement varies b…

12 Mar

2026

EN Speech

Prevention and treatment of obesity (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, it is time to recognise obesity as a chronic, relapsing and separate non-communicable disease within the European Union Health Policy Framework and as a gateway disease to many other NCDs. Addressing obesity at the centre of NCDs as an integral part of the European Union cardiovascular health plan will reduce the overall NCD burden and will improve outcomes for peopl…

12 Mar

2026

LT Speech

Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2024 (debate)

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11 Mar

2026

LT Speech

Immunity of International Criminal Court officials and the activation of the EU Blocking Statute to strengthen EU strategic autonomy (debate)

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11 Mar

2026

LT Speech

Multilateral negotiations in view of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, 26 to 29 March 2026 (debate)

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11 Mar

2026

LT Speech

Savings and Investments Union: time to accelerate the process to deepen market integration (debate)

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