Speeches

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. When we started working on the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, we were still in a different reality. And even though we already saw that in the Union they are particularly vulnerable to group poverty, and that there is a phenomenon of in-work poverty, perhaps we have never been so convinced of the need to act as today, in a situation of soaring prices and an energy crisis. From the outset, the aim of the Directive was not to harmonise the mechanism for setting minimum wages in the European Union, but rather to set minimum requirements and promote collective agreements in order to strengthen and protect minimum wages in the Member States, guarantee fair and adequate wages, and contribute to poverty reduction. We all understand and respect the different traditions in the different Member States. The agreement that lies on the table today is a good and balanced proposal. I am pleased that, among other things, the text contains provisions aimed at preventing an excessive administrative burden on businesses. I am convinced that the adoption of the Directive will contribute to better protection of workers' rights and increase the adequacy of wages in the Union.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Friends and colleagues! The social economy comprises a wide range of actors that share one thing: activities for the benefit of local communities and the common good. In addition, the social economy is our ally in delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights. The sector contributes to the creation of quality jobs, the promotion of equal opportunities, a safe and well-adapted working environment as well as social dialogue. This is why it is so important to adopt an action plan for the social economy. In order to support the sector, it is crucial to ensure easier access to funding, including EU funding, so that social economy entities can not only carry out their daily activities, but also innovate socially and face crises more efficiently. It is also important to announce the launch of a single portal dedicated to the social economy, which will allow its actors to access information on support, initiatives and policies. We should also pay particular attention to the promotion of the social economy and put more emphasis on the flow of good practices in creating an appropriate environment for the functioning of the sector, as well as stimulating its development by building its capacity, providing access to advisory services, coaching, training or legal advice.

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioners, I admit that I am speaking today with a unique sense of a true historical event. With the adoption of both the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, the European Union is the first in the world to end the "Wild West" of online giants and embark on a clear and transparent regulatory framework that protects internet users' rights, respects business needs, facilitated economic growth and competitiveness in the Single Market. At the same time, Big Tech is responsible for its actions. From my point of view, I consider the issues related to the fight against disinformation, which is an extremely powerful weapon in the modern world, to be particularly important. I hope that the crisis response mechanism will allow us to better resist fake news and manipulation. Both acts are also, among other things, safer online shopping thanks to better identification of sellers or control of products sold.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, A massive leak of police files showed the brutal face of the Chinese regime. According to the UN, up to half a million men, women and adolescents from the Muslim Uyghur minority may have been sent to mass internment camps. The materials and photos published in the media speak for themselves. The systemic violation of human rights and the ruthless treatment of Uighurs can no longer be denied. We have been taking action in relation to the persecution of the Uighurs for a long time. The European Parliament has already adopted two resolutions on the matter and the European Union has imposed sanctions on regime officials over systemic repression. But as long as China continues to persecute entire communities, we must continue this effort. In relations between the European Union and China, we must set clear, insurmountable borders. The European Union should regularly raise this issue during its human rights dialogue with China and strongly demand the release of detained Uyghurs. There is also a need for a stronger response and pressure on the Chinese authorities on the international stage. We should work closely with the UN and our partners on this issue.

Mr President, thank you very much. Legal immigration can bring huge benefits to the EU. It responds to labour market shortages and demographic challenges. It can contribute to the post-pandemic recovery of the economy and attract intellectual capital to the European Union. Actions on legal immigration also contribute to combating the activities of smugglers and traffickers and enhancing the protection of workers from third countries, preventing their exploitation and protecting their rights. As the current legal arrangements have not fully achieved the objectives of legal immigration, the Commission has therefore announced a review of them. We need an effective harmonised legal framework. The process of legal immigration should be fully transparent and at the same time allow for high standards. We need to ensure easy access to information at every stage of the process. Announcing the creation of an EU Talent Pool is also important. We need tools that will allow better matching of competences to the needs of employers. Talent Partnerships will also be an important element of the European Union's migration policy, integrating skilled workers into the labour market and strengthening cooperation on migration policy with our partners.

If the Commissioner were kind enough to develop this a little bit, because I do not quite understand the problem of the fact that this energy produced in Ukraine comes from nuclear energy. Yes, Poland is already buying energy from Ukraine, but my question went in this direction: Does the European Commission intend to create an instrument that will buy this surplus energy in Ukraine, no matter from what source it is produced, for more Member States than just what Poland is doing today?

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. I wouldn't want to repeat myself. We all know that the European reason for the state is to become independent of energy resources from Russia. We need to look for new directions of importing these raw materials. We need to develop renewable energy sources. But my question is about the surplus of energy production in Ukraine. At the moment, among others from nuclear power plants, Ukraine has quite a large surplus of energy production. And my question is: Does the European Commission intend to purchase this energy from Ukraine? Because, on the one hand, it is a great way to diversify the purchase of energy sources for the Member States of the European Union, and on the other hand, it would be an excellent form of support for Ukrainians who are fighting Putin's Russia, which in such a ruthless way murders their citizens. And it is the Ukrainians who today also need money for this struggle, as well as for the functioning of the Ukrainian state.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Undoubtedly, each of us has been many times in a situation where broken equipment was more profitable to replace with a new one than to repair. Repairs are often expensive and long-lasting, and spare parts are often difficult to access. As a result, Europe ranks third in the list of the largest producers of electrical waste, with more than 12 million tonnes of such waste produced in 2020. Moreover, according to forecasts, by 2030 this amount may still double. Meanwhile, 3/4 of Europeans prefer to repair broken equipment rather than replace it with a new one. An effective right to repair has great potential both from an environmental point of view, by reducing waste, and from an economic point of view, by increasing the competitiveness of businesses and stimulating innovation or creating new jobs. This is also a significant benefit for the consumer, who should have the choice of whether and how to repair broken equipment or replace it with a newer one. However, I would like to stress that a thorough cost-benefit analysis is needed so that the proposed actions are properly balanced and include a number of factors such as the costs of repair and spare parts, adequate access to repair or burdens for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Madam President, I'm sorry. Dear Commissioner, Friends and colleagues! Firstly, I would like to thank the Commissioner very much for all the initiatives that are being taken to support researchers from Ukraine, both those who have fled to Europe and those who have remained there. These are very important and necessary actions. Well done, Commissioner. That's a great job. The Union wants to play a leading role in international research and to stimulate scientific excellence precisely by enabling the collaboration of the best scientists. Such cooperation should be based on reciprocity and equal conditions. Values such as freedom, integrity and autonomy in science also play a key role. The fact that all Member States have, without exception, signed the Bonn Declaration on Freedom of Scientific Research is a clear demonstration of this. Unfortunately, we see today that sometimes these values are undermined. We must ruthlessly defend them. Some steps have already been taken. For example, the Commission has this year provided guidance on how to deal with foreign interference in research organisations, higher education institutions of the European Union. It's a good move. However, extensive efforts should be made to safeguard these values and to ensure mutual and equal cooperation within the European Union's overall international research cooperation.

Mr President, thank you very much. On behalf of the Committee on Regional Development and its chairman, Mr Younous Omarjee, who is not with us today because he is on a mission in Poland, on the Polish-Ukrainian border. He is trying to recognize the needs in this refugee crisis. I would like to express my support for the urgent vote on the proposal as regards the increased pre-financing from the ReactEU resources. A horrific war has been going on in Ukraine for more than a month, caused by Russia's brutal and unjustified aggression. As a result, more than 4 million refugees have arrived in Europe since 24 February, including 2.5 million to Poland, over 600,000 to Romania, almost 400,000 to Moldova and Hungary, and nearly 300,000 to Slovakia. War allows these people to take only the most necessary things, so the needs of these people are huge. From clothing, personal care and food, to shelter, medical care – including psychological care – and job opportunities, to organising education for hundreds of thousands of children. There are really a lot of these needs. I do not think I have to use as many as three minutes to convince my colleagues that individual Member States should be supported as soon as possible in this situation. At the previous session, we also adopted, as a matter of urgency, the so-called CARE Regulation, which allows flexibility in the use of cohesion policy funds to help refugees. I am pleased that the European Commission has come forward with the CARE+ proposal, which will allow for an increase in the amount of pre-financing from ReactEU funds, in particular for Member States facing the largest influx of people fleeing Ukraine. On behalf of the Committee on Regional Development, I therefore call on my fellow Members to strongly support the Commission proposal during this plenary session. Let us show our unity and solidarity in the face of this dramatic situation!

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Putin's aggression against Ukraine has serious and long-term consequences that go far beyond Ukraine itself and even Europe. One of them is the risk of a global food crisis. In this situation, we must have no illusions – our policies must not in any way jeopardise or limit food production, nor put an additional burden on farmers. Current and newly introduced EU agricultural policies need to be urgently assessed for their potential impact on food production and food security. We need a holistic strategy for the European Union to ensure a secure production chain. We also need to use all the instruments at our disposal under the CAP to stabilise markets and support food production in the Union. It is also important to provide more flexibility with regard to the granting of State aid to agriculture. The European Union should also support the World Food Programme and developing countries in building their capacity and resilience. At this difficult time, we need to take a realistic look at the magnitude of the challenges ahead and take decisive action. We can't feed people with empty words.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Nagorno-Karabakh is destroying cemeteries, churches and historical buildings, Armenian cultural and religious heritage – not only senseless acts of vandalism, but above all acts of violence. It's not about buildings, it's about people. After all, cultural heritage is a very important element of the identity of entire communities. Thus, its destruction is an attempt to exclude and annihilate all traces of another culture and identity, which only fuels mutual resentment and hostility. That's the kind of action we're saying no to today. We ask the Azerbaijani authorities to take immediate action to prevent and punish acts of vandalism. The European Union should use the tools at its disposal to put pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities and clearly demand action. It may also be very important to send a mission of independent UNESCO experts to Nagorno-Karabakh. This would make it possible to estimate the scale of the phenomenon and the losses. It's about more than buildings, and even more than their historical or artistic value. It is about respect, tolerance and equality – values that we must defend.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Citizens of the European Union should feel safe in their workplaces. Unfortunately, there are still many accidents in our workplaces. In 2018, there were more than three million of them. That is why it is so important to improve the functioning of the EU OSH regulatory framework and to focus even more on prevention. Inspections, but also training, play an important role in this process. We need to make sure that all employees have access to them and that there are funds for them. Unfortunately, many EU citizens also suffer from occupational diseases. The most serious of these are cancers, which account for more than 50% of all work-related deaths in the European Union. We also need decisive action in this regard. We should increase the ambition of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and prevent occupational diseases more effectively. We need a clear action plan in this regard. It is very important to establish and regularly update occupational exposure limit values for harmful substances. We should not forget about the harmful effects of asbestos. Moreover, we have already worked in Parliament on recommendations to the Commission on this matter. First of all, it is necessary to create a strategy for the registration, removal, as well as proper processing and disposal of asbestos. We need to mobilise funds for this at Union and Member State level. It is also important to ensure the safety of workers who remove asbestos. Finally, speaking today about OSH, we cannot but mention the current trends and changes in the labour market. As a result of the pandemic, many Europeans have switched to remote working. Teleworking has many advantages, but it also involves serious difficulties. The most important are long working hours, work-life imbalances, lack of access to appropriate equipment and working environment conditions. As remote working becomes a new reality, many workers must be confident that they will enjoy the same rights and standards as comparable workers.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. There is no need to convince anyone of the importance of cohesion policy for Europe's regions and cities. However, the availability of these funds now seems even more important than usual. Cohesion policy can make a significant contribution to the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which, like many crises, has exacerbated inequalities in the European Union. Not to mention the next crisis that we are about to face, that is, all the consequences of the shameful Russian aggression against Ukraine. It is therefore worrying that there are significant delays in the adoption of the Partnership Agreements. We have the money, but the money doesn't go to the people. Member States’ administrations therefore appear to be under a significant post-pandemic burden, with a focus on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. This is partly understandable, because as an anti-crisis instrument it is a bit easier and faster to use. Therefore, we must realistically assess the risk of losing part of the funds as a result of delays, as the Commissioner has said. Is there therefore an ongoing dialogue between the Commission and the Member States? If so, what are the most common reasons for delays and how can the Commission support Member States in addressing these difficulties, so as to speed up the process while, of course, not neglecting quality? Losing any funds in the situation we are facing during the crisis we have on the eastern border of the European Union would simply be a disaster.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, thank you very much. The Wagner Group is a military company that has been reported by UN experts to be committing serious human rights violations. In the Central African Republic, their activities are most often directed against human rights defenders, activists, journalists or minorities. Since its creation, the Wagner Group has been militarily involved in activities in many places around the world, including Ukraine, Libya and Syria. The Russian Federation maintains that the Wagner Group is a private entity, but its ties to the Kremlin are obvious and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been subject to EU sanctions. Despite this, and despite the fact that the group commits such serious human rights violations, it continues to be present in the Central African Republic. I believe that the Union must make it clear to all its partners that this is totally unacceptable. We call on the Government of the Central African Republic to sever all ties with the Wagner Group. Our partners must remember that by cooperating with human rights violators and not holding them accountable, they become complicit in their actions. We must resolutely demand justice for those affected, as well as closely monitor the activities of military actors such as the Wagner Group. I also think it is very important for the Commission to use all monitoring tools at its disposal to make sure that European Union funds are under no circumstances used, directly or indirectly, to finance private military companies or any other organisation or project that violates human rights.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, thank you very much. Globally, agile vaccination is one of our priorities in the fight against the pandemic. Only in this way can we effectively defeat COVID-19, which unfortunately mutates very quickly, and only in this way can we secure global supply chains by preventing uncontrolled closures of ports and factories. Increasing the level of vaccination in the world is therefore important both from the point of view of health and the economy. It is fair to say that the European Union has already done a great deal to deliver vaccines to low- and middle-income countries. At the beginning of this year, our contribution to COVAX was doubled to EUR 1 billion. At the same time, however, vaccination rates in low-income countries are still shockingly low, at only around 2%. It is crucial to improve the flow of raw materials necessary for the production of vaccines, as well as to support the expansion of local production capacities. Information campaigns for vaccination and protective measures should also be kept in mind. Finally, there is the question of the effective use of vaccines already produced. It is understandable that every country wants to secure the supply of vaccines to its citizens. However, while so many people are still waiting their turn, we cannot allow vaccines to simply remain in storage or be wasted. COVID-19 is of course our global priority, but we must also not forget about other diseases. AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria have not disappeared and fighting them during COVID-19 has become even more difficult. All programmes to combat these diseases should continue to be supported.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, thank you very much. The fact that today we are finalising the negotiations on the common agricultural policy, which are probably taking too long, is undoubtedly very good news for European farmers. They expected clear guidelines from us on how European agriculture will develop in the coming years. Undoubtedly, in many respects, the new Common Agricultural Policy can give European farmers positive signals about the sustainability of their incomes and production, as well as respond to the challenges of European climate policy. Nevertheless, I would also like to express, Commissioner, my concern about the future of agricultural production, which, according to independent studies, may fall by up to 25% as a result of too far-reaching restrictions, which poses a threat to our food security and will contribute to a significant increase in production costs. I also regret that it has still not been possible to fully equalise direct payments. The fact that the amount of aid does not take into account real production costs or current farming conditions is, in my view, a violation of competition rules and I therefore count, Commissioner, on further action by the Commission on this issue.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. I think everyone in this room is aware that the green transition and the achievement of Europe's climate targets are not possible without critical raw materials. Electric cars will not go without lithium in the batteries that drive them, windmills will not produce energy without generators that drive them, in which there is neodymium or dysprosium. I therefore believe that it is essential to ensure the security and security of supply of these raw materials and thus to allow their sustainable extraction in Europe, based on high environmental standards and proper working conditions. In this context, it is also important to involve local and regional authorities more closely in increasing the extraction and recycling of these raw materials in the European Union. We also need a strategic, comprehensive approach to critical raw materials, i.e. proper assessment of exports and imports, full use of the potential of existing mines or recycling. We also need to ensure adequate research funding to improve the efficiency of the use of critical raw materials and subsequent production processes.

Mr President, thank you very much. Oh, High Commissioner! Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased that this debate is taking place today in the European Parliament. I believe that the European Parliament reacted extremely quickly to the crisis at the external borders of the European Union, in the case of the borders of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. But I would also like other European institutions to show the same reflexes. That is why I believe that a meeting of the European Council should be held very quickly, as a matter of urgency, at which the Heads of Government and the Member States of the European Union should decide on actions to try to end this crisis situation, because press briefings and Twitter activity are no longer enough here, and unfortunately the number of tweets written will not translate into an end to this conflict and this crisis. Moreover, I believe that all the members of the European Union would show great solidarity if they decided to co-finance the construction of dams at the external borders of the European Union. Over a month ago, more than a dozen Member States of the European Union called for this. And above all, the channels for the transfer of migrants must be blocked. And here we need a huge offensive by states, above all the High Representative/Vice-President of the European Commission and the President and President of the European Council.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, On February 1, the military carried out a coup d'état in Myanmar. Since then, there have been mass protests in the country, the participants of which demand the restoration of civilian power. Peaceful protests, however, are aggressively suppressed by the military. The forces that should defend their citizens from aggression have themselves become the aggressor. According to reports by human rights defenders, more than 900 people have already lost their lives there, including about 75 children, and several thousand protesters have been detained. The European Union is firmly on the side of democracy. The outcome of the election must be respected. Therefore, we demand the restoration of power to the government, which has received a mandate from the citizens to exercise it, and the release of the detained representatives of the authorities. The EU should also strongly demand an end to violence and repression against peacefully protesting citizens and the release of those arrested. Military leaders in Myanmar must be aware that human rights violations cannot be committed with impunity and that they are directly responsible for the current situation. Our response to repression, discrimination and violence against religious minorities, including Christians, is also extremely important. Freedom of religion must be guaranteed. The Union should take a firm position on this issue. We need a strong commitment from the Special Envoy of the European Union for the promotion of freedom of religion. Continuous monitoring of the situation is also necessary. I would like Parliament to be kept informed of developments in Myanmar and the situation of religious minorities.

– Mr President, I would like to thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, In May 2018, as part of a package of four legislative proposals establishing a post-2020 cohesion policy framework, the European Commission published a draft regulation on a mechanism to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context. This Regulation provides for the establishment of a voluntary mechanism to remove legal obstacles in border regions, focusing on the land borders of the European Union at NUTS 3 level and covering joint infrastructure projects or services in a cross-border region. That mechanism would make it possible, inter alia, for the law of a neighbouring Member State to be applied in a Member State in a cross-border region where the law of the former would constitute a legal obstacle to the implementation of a joint project. The Committee on Regional Development adopted this document in November 2018, strengthening its voluntary nature and not excluding the use of similar alternative instruments. I would also like to stress that, in its position, Parliament has proposed that the decision to apply the European Cross-Border Mechanism should be taken on a case-by-case basis for each joint project and not, as proposed by the Commission, for the entire cross-border region. In addition, we have also extended the scope of the mechanism to all border regions of the European Union and proposed the creation of national cross-border coordination points. In February 2019, the European Parliament adopted its position at first reading, and in October of the same year, the REGI Committee decided to open interinstitutional negotiations. On the basis of the decision of the Conference of Presidents of 16 October 2019, the European Parliament decided to continue work on this document during the current legislature. That position shall remain in force. On 2 March 2020, the Council Legal Service issued a legal opinion on the proposal, including the choice of the legal basis for the proposal’s compatibility with the Treaties and the choice of the legal instrument and its voluntary nature, which was presented at the Working Party on Structural Actions. Despite preliminary discussions on this legal opinion and the way forward, the Working Party on Structural Actions decided on 10 May that the Council would not pursue work on this proposal. I must admit that this Council decision to actually conclude work on the establishment of a European cross-border mechanism is both sad and incomprehensible for me and for the REGI committee as a whole. The draft Regulation in question was presented as a result of the efforts of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council. In this House, we have often gone through very difficult negotiations, in which finding a compromise was sometimes a small challenge, but also all these negotiations so far had a common denominator, which was mutual readiness for dialogue. I am deeply saddened that, in this case, the Council does not even want to sit down at the negotiating table. The essence of the functioning of the European Union is to discuss and find common solutions acceptable to all parties. In this case, the situation was different and the Council decided to block these negotiations instead of presenting its reasons during the joint negotiations and trying to find a compromise solution. I would therefore like to ask when will the Council unblock the legislative process concerning this mechanism and what was the exact reason for its decision to actually block it? Has the Council taken note of studies and studies clearly indicating the negative consequences of not adopting the proposed Regulation and what is the Council proposing as an alternative to this instrument to address cross-border problems? I believe that the European cross-border mechanism is a solution that will remove unjustified administrative barriers and facilitate the implementation of projects from which people living in cross-border regions will benefit on a real daily basis. The mechanism could be a tangible example of how the European Union works close to the citizen. I would also like to recall that it is estimated that the implementation of the Regulation could help overcome at least 30%, and probably even 50%, of the obstacles to cross-border cooperation identified. The European Parliament remains ready for negotiations and open to various possible solutions. I therefore appeal to the Council: Let's sit down at the negotiating table and talk. I am sure that even if it is not easy, we will finally find together an effective solution that our regions are waiting for.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, During this debate, we talk a lot about the rule of law, about respect for the law, about principles. And this is very important, because this is the foundation of the activities of every Member State and every EU institution. But have we wondered what this case looks like from the point of view of the beneficiaries of this fund, those who are to benefit from the national recovery plans, also in my homeland, Poland. Because they all, without exception: entrepreneurs, farmers, local government officials, employees of the health care system, they are all concerned about the dispute between the government of Prime Minister Morawiecki and the European Commission. They are concerned about the consequences of Prime Minister Morawiecki’s application to the Constitutional Court, which, in my opinion, is completely unfounded. They also ask questions. They ask the question, not only when they will finally get the promised money, but exactly what for. Because, apart from vague statements in the National Recovery Plan, they see absolutely nothing. They don't know what they're doing, they don't know who they're doing. They don't know how much, at what level. They just don't know anything. And now the question arises, which they also ask: Who will decide on the distribution of this money? What will the process of socializing these decisions look like, so that this money actually goes where it is actually needed? Will this money also go to those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Because, as the name suggests, we are to rebuild what is destroyed and ruined. I am glad that we will be investing in priorities and areas that are to bring us added value in a dozen or several decades. But we must not forget about those whose lockdowns deprived not only the opportunity for development, but also the current activity. And that's what people are interested in.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Every year in the European Union there are nearly one million road accidents, in which about 23,000 people lose their lives. Only in my country, Poland, nearly two and a half thousand people lost their lives on the roads last year. Despite significant improvements in recent years, the scale of this phenomenon is still huge and frightening. Therefore, further intensive efforts are needed to improve road safety. Being realistic, I know that we will probably never be able to completely eliminate road accidents. However, we must strive to ensure that accidents, if they happen, do not cause death or serious damage to health. To this end, action is needed, on the one hand, to improve the quality of road infrastructure, which should ensure the safety of road users as much as possible. On the other hand, we need to ensure that vehicles on the road are equipped with technologies that support the driver in safe driving. I am pleased that from May next year additional safety systems – such as intelligent speed assistance or advanced emergency braking – will have to be installed in new vehicles, which I hope will contribute to reducing the number of accidents.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, This is not the first time that the European Parliament has considered the case of Ahmed Mansur, a human rights defender and activist who received the Martin Ennals Prize for Human Rights Defenders in 2015 for his many years of work. In 2017, Ahmed Mansur was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. This judgment was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The allegations against Ahmed Mansur are defamation, public disorder, and incitement and propagation of hatred. However, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) said the arrest of Ahmed Mansur and his sentencing to 10 years in prison may have been in retaliation for his involvement in UN human rights efforts, as well as his criticism of the UAE authorities. We cannot remain indifferent to this fact. The United Arab Emirates is a very important partner of the European Union in the Persian Gulf, which continues its cooperation within the framework of the UN, and has inscribed in its constitution a guarantee of freedom of opinion and freedom of assembly. The UAE authorities have also repeatedly reiterated their readiness to make further progress in the protection of human rights. It is a partner with whom we can and should talk. It is therefore of the utmost importance to conduct a human rights dialogue between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates. We should continue this dialogue and focus in particular on issues such as freedom of expression, the free functioning of independent media and the right to information. In addition, I believe that we should involve the UAE authorities in the debate on this particular case, the case of Ahmed Mansur, and also call on the UAE authorities to reconsider his case and guarantee him a fair trial with the possibility of external observers. We also ask the United Arab Emirates to ensure that Ahmed Mansur is treated in accordance with the fundamental principles of the United Nations on the treatment of prisoners, the so-called Nelson Mandela principles, and in particular that he has access to medical care of the same standard as free persons, access to medicines and the possibility of contacting his family or his defender. It should be stressed that it is very important that the United Arab Emirates respects its international human rights obligations and guarantees freedom of expression, which is also enshrined in the Arab Charter on Human Rights. We should therefore strongly support all reforms carried out by the United Arab Emirates to better protect human rights and citizens' freedoms. At the same time, care should be taken to maintain good relations between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, as such relations allow for more intensive political dialogue, more effective Union interventions on important issues, as well as cooperation and dialogue on key mutual interests in important areas such as security, stability in the Middle East or the fight against terrorism. The European Union should continue to closely monitor and raise the case of Ahmed Mansur in its dialogue with the United Arab Emirates, calling for a reconsideration of his case.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. I have the impression that we are still discussing platform work as a kind of novelty, when in fact it has been with us for a long time and every tenth citizen of the European Union has already had such experience. It should also be expected that its popularity will only grow, as platforms offer many opportunities for business development and are valued by consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown that this rather flexible form of employment has worked well in difficult times and has allowed many workers to retain or find new employment. However, there is still a lack of legal clarity on the status of platform workers, which may pose a threat to their social protection, job security and predictability. I am therefore pleased that the Commission has announced a communication on this issue and that our report and today's debate are coming at the right time. First of all, I believe that platform work is not a uniform concept and currently covers both de facto contractual service providers and the self-employed who wish to remain so. Any new rules must therefore take into account these specificities and ensure adequate flexibility. I therefore support the provisions negotiated in the report. In the event of a dispute between an employee and an employer, the latter will bear the burden of providing evidence as to the employment status. In the second option, retain the status of an employed person for a person who prefers this form of work.