What Ernest spoke about.

13

Sep

2022

ES Speech

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EU response to the increase in energy prices in Europe (debate)

Madam President, the first thing to recognize is that we have a social bomb on the way, with salaries that are being massively depreciated when we adjust them to inflation and with a electricity bill that many citizens will not be able to pay. Intervening in the energy market and windfall profits had been urgent for many months. We're late with it. Despite this, the music that comes to us from wha…

6

Jul

2022

ES Speech

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Taxing windfall profits of energy companies (debate)

Mr President, the high bill for unjustifiable light paid by our citizens has fundamentally two reasons. The main one is our endemic dependence on fossil fuels, which are much more expensive than renewables. And secondly, a shortcoming in our regulatory framework that we urgently need to change. One of the reasons and one of the effects that this poor regulatory framework is causing is that, while …

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 23-24 June 2022 (continuation of debate)

Mr President, President Michel, Commissioner, we welcome that the Council has taken the historic decision and accepted the status of accession candidate for both Ukraine and Moldova, as called for by the European Parliament. The war Russia is waging against Ukraine is one against European integration, and we must stand together. We do regret, however, the lack of progress towards the Western Balka…

5

Jul

2022

ES Speech

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EU initiatives to address the rising cost of living, including the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (debate)

Mr. President, inflation is hitting families hard. Right now, rising basic expenses like food and energy are choking lower incomes. The decisions of the European Central Bank, in addition to trying to curb inflation with an instrument that is not suitable for it, such as raising rates, can worsen the situation and generate a self-inflicted recession. But not everyone is suffering this impact equal…

23

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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National vetoes to undermine the global tax deal (debate)

Mr President, well, the situation is indeed very serious. The deal is about to derail. And it is us Europeans who are about to derail it because of the veto of Hungary. How are we going to explain that to our international partners if that happens? Secondly, I think, Mr Beaune, the way you have tried to overcome the veto has come to a dead end. The logic of accepting the blackmail and doing secret…

7

Jun

2022

ES Speech

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The rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national Recovery Plan (RRF) (debate)

Madam President, Madam President of the Commission, we absolutely do not share the decision to have approved the Polish plan. The rule of law instruments – protecting budgetary instruments from breaches of the rule of law – have been one of the great advances in recent years and that mechanism we have is not to punish Polish citizens. The only one responsible – and this has to be clear – if the mo…

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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Minimum level of taxation for multinational groups (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to start by thanking the rapporteur Aurore Lalucq for an excellent report. Tomorrow, the Parliament will speak. Clearly, we want the minimum level of taxation for multinational groups to be swiftly adopted. I have to say that my group is really puzzled by what is going on in the Council at the moment. That we are not able to agree on that proposal, which…

4

May

2022

EN Speech

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The social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine - reinforcing the EU’s capacity to act (debate)

Mr President, let me first welcome President von der Leyen’s announcement on the ban for Russian oil to be included in the new sanctions package. The support of Ukraine needs to go hand—in—hand also in supporting our citizens most affected from the consequences of war. We are at the doors of possibly the third, once in a lifetime, deep crisis that generations of Europeans will suffer. The cumulati…

6

Apr

2022

ES Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 24-25 March 2022: including the latest developments of the war against Ukraine and the EU sanctions against Russia and their implementation (debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, Madam President of the Commission, the world is becoming increasingly aware of Putin's atrocities in Ukraine. I want my first words to be for the victims of Bucha and their families and relatives. As President Zelensky said yesterday before the Congress of Deputies in Spain, the massacres are too reminiscent of the massacre suffered by the Spaniards in Guer…

4

Apr

2022

EN Speech

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Urgent need to adopt the minimum tax directive (debate)

Madam President, I think that debate was indeed very necessary because tomorrow, probably, the ECOFIN will fail again on delivering on that deal and it is not exactly that the Commission put things very difficult to them. They just copy pasted the international agreement. But in extension to that, we have an extension of the transitional period, now already on the table, some opt outs and not even…

23

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Suisse Secrets - How to implement anti-money laundering standards in third countries (debate)

Mr President, well I think that we’re in front of a new, important scandal and now affecting a Swiss bank. Well, the record of problems of the Swiss financial sector are well known. I know the Commissioner just said that probably under their assessment Switzerland maybe should not be in the AML blacklist yet. Well, one of the problems maybe is how do we do that list and what kind of criteria do we…

23

Mar

2022

FR Speech

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Address by Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Madam President, I welcome the Prime Minister to the European Parliament. Canada has been a close partner and friend of the European Union, and also of Ukraine, for many decades. On behalf of the Green Group, I would like to thank you and the many Canadians who have shown clarity and determination in supporting Ukraine in these dramatic times. As we know, this is not just a war between two countri…

9

Mar

2022

ES Speech

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European Withholding Tax framewor (debate)

Mr President, I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur Pedro Marques and the negotiating team, many of whom are here, for the good cooperation we have had. For the first time, Parliament is going to position itself in favour of ambitious and effective measures such as a minimum rate for withholding interest, royalties and dividends, as well as the need for a common European framework for t…

9

Mar

2022

ES Speech

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European Semester for economic policy coordination: annual sustainable growth survey 2022 – European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the annual sustainable growth strategy survey 2022 (debate)

Madam President, Mr Executive Vice-President, Commissioner, Madam President-in-Office of the Council, thank you for being here. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, and particularly our President Irene Tinagli, for the good shared exercise that has allowed us to have a report with great cross-cutting support and I think the important thing, especia…

8

Mar

2022

ES Speech

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The deterioration of the situation of refugees as a consequence of the Russian aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, Putin's war has already caused two million displaced people and this time we cannot fail refugees as we failed refugees coming from Syria in 2015. The Temporary Protection Directive has been activated. That's good news, but that doesn't mean it's all figured out. First, because relocation is still voluntary and we will need Member States to provide places and accept that there are re…

7

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Citizenship and residence by investment schemes (debate)

Mr President, firstly, I would like to thank Ms Sophia in ’t Veld for the excellent work on that, but I have to say I can’t remember how many times this Parliament has already called for an end to these citizenship and residence by investment scheme programmes, and they continue to be there. We still have Member States which operate on a residence basis, others still operate even on a granting of …

17

Feb

2022

EN Speech

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The death penalty in Iran

Mr President, in 2021, at least 275 people were executed in Iran, including two child offenders and 10 women. In Iran, the death penalty is used as a political tool that not only punishes those who have been sentenced to capital punishment, but also those who advocate for its abolition. It’s the case of Narges Mohammadi, who has recently been sentenced to another eight years in prison, or Nasrin S…

17

Feb

2022

EN Speech

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The recent human rights developments in the Philippines

Mr President, the human rights situation in the Philippines has gravely deteriorated under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. Between 12 000 and 30 000 people, including women and children, have reportedly been killed in the context of his ‘war on drugs’ campaign since 2016. According to prominent NGOs working in the field, this campaign could be considered as a crime against humanity carried out …

14

Feb

2022

ES Speech

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European Central Bank – annual report 2021 (continuation of debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, we are all concerned about the impact that the price increase, and particularly the electricity bill, is having on some of our fellow citizens. But to conclude, from here, that monetary stimuli must be withdrawn and interest rates raised, as conservative groups seem to suggest, is profoundly wrong. As the president has said very well, interest rates cannot handle the…

16

Dec

2021

ES Speech

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MeToo and harassment – the consequences for the EU institutions (debate)

Mr President, sexual harassment at work is an extremely widespread phenomenon, but it also affects this House. I would like to recall that four years ago the women of this Parliament came out to the cry of 'Me Too' to also denounce that they had been victims of sexual and occupational harassment in this House. And what have we done four years later? We still owe them a comprehensive and strong res…

15

Dec

2021

EN Speech

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State of play of the RRF (Recovery and Resilience Facility) (debate)

Madam President, I think that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) process is being developed at a very good rhythm, democratically. It is being deployed extremely efficiently, and we all have to congratulate ourselves on how things are moving forward. I have a couple of things to mention. I think probably the most immediate challenge is going to be absorption and execution in order for the …

25

Nov

2021

ES Speech

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The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention (continuation of debate)

Mr President, one third of European women have experienced some episode of violence throughout their lives. In the case of Spain we have already thirty-seven deaths this year. For some years, since 2003, since they are counted, more than a thousand victims. It is a real plague and today we have risen with the number – take care – of 53 000 women who have police surveillance because they are persec…

10

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Disclosure of income tax information by certain undertakings and branches (debate)

Madam President, this agreement is clearly a step forward. For the first time in Europe we will know from the multinationals how many activities they have in a given Member State in relation to how many taxes they pay, and with this we will know exactly if they are using illusion practices. Of course, we did not manage to have everything we wanted and not having the global disaggregated data is re…

20

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Global Tax Agreements to be endorsed at the G20 Summit in Rome, 30th/31st of October (debate)

Mr President, I think that the agreement reaches an important step forward. Firstly, multilateralism indexation matters demonstrate that it can deliver, and this is very important. And secondly, for the first time, we will be establishing at global level a minimum floor on tax competition, which is, indeed, very good news. But I also have to say that the agreement leaves a bitter taste in some of …

7

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The state law relating to abortion in Texas, USA

Madam President, with this resolution, the European Parliament wants to join the condemnations across the US on the adoption of the SB8 law by the Texas legislator. This law constitutes a strong attack on women’s freedom and sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are fundamental human rights, and violates US women’s constitutional rights by de facto totally banning abortion with no exemp…