Speeches

The next item is the Council and Commission statements - Improving the implementation of cohesion policy through the mid-term review to achieve a robust cohesion policy post-2027 (2025/2648(RSP)).

I would like to thank all the colleagues who took part in the debate. Special thanks go to Commissioner Lahbib for the patience with which she has listened to some excessive tone, which we have stigmatised. The debate is closed.

We have already called on Mr Vannacci and all my fellow Members to maintain, of course, proper and respectful language for the Commissioner and for everyone in this House. His call is appropriate, because the tones were excessive.

Again, I must refer to respectful language, as we have already said – respectful of the Commissioner and also respectful of the colleagues who sit here. You can of course express criticism, but let's be respectful.

Thank you, Mr Miranda. I agree with you and it is right that the debate in this House should always be contained within a civil perimeter that respects everyone. Thank you for your speech.

(IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Europe's support for Ukraine does not only take the form of military assistance, but also has a fundamental extension in sanctions and confiscation of assets. asset Russians. More needs to be done to enforce sanctions in the Member States, to increase legislative instruments to enable decisive action to be taken against the dumping and against money laundering. During these years of war, the Russian economy has found, as we know, new ways of sourcing and circumventing sanctions, including through cryptocurrencies or ghost companies. And we need to find resources, both for the war needs of Ukraine and for social sustenance. And the asset that the European Union has frozen must be made available to these needs immediately. It must be done immediately, before Donald Trump's possible concessions to Putin include a dramatic easing of sanctions.

The debate is closed. The vote will take place at the next part-session. The sitting was suspended for a few minutes and will resume shortly with the votes.

The next item is the report by Siegfried Mureşan and Sven Mikser, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets, on the establishment of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova !COM(2024)0469 – C10-0127/2024 – 2024/0258(COD)) (A10-0006/2025).

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump said tonight: “One day Ukraine could become Russian. You immediately repay us with $500 billion in rare earths for the investments we have made. I believe that these words are the daughters of the worst sovereign mercantilism. And we in this House have a duty to remember that Ukraine's resistance is a struggle for freedom, a struggle for democracy and a struggle for the protection of European territorial integrity. Trump unfortunately treats the people's struggle for freedom as any commercial operation from which to profit. But there's no business to do, President Trump. We must defend the right of a people to freedom and independence. For three years we have counted innocent victims that Russia determines for its pursuit of abject imperialism. Now more than ever, this House has a duty to stand up for democracy, against barbarism, for Ukraine and for Europe.

The next item is the Council and Commission statements - Preparation of the European Council on 19-20 December 2024 (2024/2878(RSP)). Mr Zsigmond may speak on behalf of the Council.

I also want to inform the House that on Thursday the President will sign, together with the President of the Council, 15 acts adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, in accordance with Rule 81 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure. The titles of these acts will be published in the minutes of this sitting.

In relation to the decisions of the EMPL and ECON Committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations under Rule 72(1) of the Rules of Procedure, announced at the opening of the session on Monday 16 December, the President received a request from the PfE and ECR Groups and other individual Members for a vote in plenary reaching at least the average threshold on the EMPL Committee’s decision to enter into negotiations on the following file: Establishment and operation of European Works Councils and effective enforcement of transnational information and consultation rights. The vote will take place tomorrow. As regards the decision of the ECON Committee to open negotiations, the President has not received any request for a vote in plenary from a number of Members or one or more political groups reaching at least the average threshold and the Committee can therefore start negotiations.