Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, the world is meeting again at a summit, this time in the climate and this time in Baku. We do so, moreover, at a time when the data coming in from science is terrifying. We have already reached the degree and a half that we set as a goal of temperature growth on Earth in the Paris Agreements. And not only that, but we have not yet reached the peak of global emissions. And we do so when, in Europe, and especially in the Mediterranean, extreme weather events are multiplying, which we know have always existed, but which today are more intense and more frequent due to climate change. I know there is someone here who needs a lot of explanations, but, if the temperature rises in the Mediterranean, more water evaporates and there is more rain. It's as simple as that, although some deny it. What can we do at this CP? We can bet on climate finance, where we have a chapter to work on and Europe has to lead by example, and we have to bet on continuing to decarbonise, especially with decarbonisation targets, emission reduction targets, and, all this, in a very complex international context, with Trump in the White House, and where Europe should lead by example.

The next vote is on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan (see minutes, item 9.2.).

The first vote is on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia (see minutes, item 9.1.).

The next meeting will take place tomorrow, Thursday 24 October 2024, at 9 a.m. The agenda has been published and is available on the European Parliament's website.

Mr President, Commissioner, today we are talking about the important role of cities and regions in Europe, with two messages. Firstly, the need to involve and work hand in hand with big cities and big European urban centres. Why? Because they have become bastions of tolerance against extremist ideas, because they concentrate and live the great changes that are taking place – also that we legislate here today, such as the green agenda – and because, in addition, today they are demanding help for some of the problems that are shared throughout Europe, such as access to housing. Major European mayors, such as those in Rome or Barcelona, have called for help in recent weeks and we have to respond in this mandate. And, secondly, the role of the regions. Now that this dangerous and toxic idea that we are going to centralize the management of cohesion funds is circulating, we must send a message of absolute rejection, because it is an inefficient and stupid idea: because it breaks the principle of subsidiarity and because, moreover, it would not make it possible to structure, as must be done, the work that the regions, which are the ones who really structure our economy and our society, have to do. So let's work with the regions, let's not turn our backs on them.

The next item is the debate on the basis of the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon (2024/2850(RSP)).

After this announcement by the President, we would move on to the first item on the agenda of today's sitting. These are the Council and Commission statements and the debate on the preparation of the European Council of 17-18 October 2024 (2024/2782(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on six motions for resolutions concerning the serious situation of political prisoners in Belarus (2024/2804(RSP)).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on seven motions for resolutions concerning the deterioration of the situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice (2024/2803(RSP)).

Madam President, Commissioner, first of all, what we want to do as a political group is to share what the European Commission has said today about what is happening in Venezuela. A support that means an unwavering denunciation of the violations and persecutions that are being experienced in the country, in Venezuela, after elections that have given a non-credible and illegitimate result. Call for an end to repression in the country. To demand respect for the will expressed at the polls by the people of Venezuela. Demand the return of democracy to the country and, at the same time, support all the efforts made by the international community, by the European Union, by the region, to find a peaceful solution that means a democratic transition. We know, at the same time, as international bodies - which have also been monitoring these elections on the ground - have told us, that there are clear indicators of an opposition victory. We know all that and, in fact, we share all that. But unfortunately, every time we talk about Venezuela here, part of the European People's Party decides to instrumentalise this issue to divide this House and use it as a battering ram in pursuit of national political interests. There has been talk before about recognition, an issue that is likely to divide this House on Thursday in the vote. But the truth is that the Sánchez government is criticized for not recognizing Edmundo as president-elect. The People's Party, how many governments does it have in Europe? How many foreign ministries do you have in Europe? But if it turns out that they have the same policy - all - as the Government of Spain. All of them. Why this exercise in cynicism that, at bottom, weakens support for Venezuelan democracy? Why? Why, if we agree on the substance, on democracy, the denunciation of repression and the search for ways out for a country that carries enormous suffering behind it, do you come here to seek the support of the extreme right, which believes little in democracy - some of whom you are going to seek to get a majority on Thursday - for something, a diplomatic practice, which no one has shared? Why? The positions are legitimate, but listen: The spurious use of the pain of the Venezuelan people in the name of partisan interests is an embarrassment.

Madam President, the beginning of this European mandate serves to remind and reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine. Remember the war of aggression that is taking place at Europe's doorstep with a gigantic humanitarian catastrophe and the unprecedented challenge that this is posing to European security and stability. To that end, we must reaffirm our commitment to military assistance to Ukraine, which must go hand in hand with strengthening Europe's defence and security capabilities. Not because we choose between military assistance and peace, but because we know that military assistance is the precondition for peace, a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. And all this with a united Europe that faces and uses the financial instrument of the European Peace Facility that Hungary and Orbán are blocking today, that continues with the accession process and that supports the countries that are hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees on European soil today.

Madam President, during this term that we are now ending, we have experienced the most important health crisis that Europe has experienced in a century. We confined the population and our economies hibernated. It was a dramatic situation, but from which we draw some important lessons. First, that the most precious value of our society is the health of our citizens. Second, that the biggest and most important instrument for designing public policies is science. And third, that, probably, the professional group to which we have to recognize, listen and follow the most are the public health professionals. That is exactly what we are going to do today with the new directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, which will set new limits on pollution and combat pollution, which according to the European Environment Agency is the biggest environmental threat to public health and causes 300 000 direct and indirect deaths per year. In Europe, in the last ten years, we have 6,319 deaths of children under one year of age directly related to pollution. This is an ambitious new law, but, at the same time, it is the result of a balanced agreement with the Council, and will allow flexibilities, better monitor and reflect the reality of the entire territory, and will accompany local administrations in its application and implementation. This new law will protect public health and our citizens, because we know that clean air is not just a luxury; This is, above all, a right that we must guarantee with this new directive. For all these reasons, I call on you to give massive support to this directive for clean air.

Madam President, Commissioner, we have had the warmest February in the history of all records, but that has happened to us over the past nine months, breaking records. In fact, over the past year, we've had a temperature rise on Earth of more than 1.5 degrees, which was our goal in the Paris Agreement. Faced with this new reality, with this new climate, we have to be able to assess the impact and especially the risks. That is why we congratulate the European Commission on this study of climate impact and risk management. What to do about this? First, to accelerate mitigation, for which we have the legal architecture approved during this mandate. But not only that, also adaptation. And adaptation policies that mean being prepared for extreme weather events, prepared in water infrastructure in the face of water scarcity, prepared and adapted to our economic activity. And not only that, public services or agriculture. How? With a European law of adaptation and directing the European funds that already exist today, such as the cohesion funds, to adaptation. And that is probably a central issue for the next term here in the European Parliament.

Mr President, Commissioner, today we certainly welcome the fact that we are finally going to modernise our Advanced Framework Agreement between the European Union and Chile, a true success story, after 22 years of a working agreement, mutually beneficial economic relations and close political, institutional links with a strategic ally – Chile – with whom we share a worldview. Today, the European Union is Chile's third trading partner and for us, for the European Union, Chile is a strategic market, especially with regard to raw materials linked to the green transition. This is going to be a pioneering agreement in many ways, because it contains a specific chapter on gender equality that we are particularly proud of in the S&amp Group;D. And not only that, but also legally binding commitments as regards environmental protection, climate change and labour rights; i.e. the Paris Agreement and the conventions of the International Labour Organisation. But our alliance and this modernisation of this important agreement are not just a trade fact, they are a geopolitical fact for the European Union. It points to strategic relations and strengthens them with a key region for us in the future, such as Latin America and the Caribbean. It is the first of these new partnership agreements that should strengthen relations with the region. And we do it, in addition, with a country with which we have a total and consistent compatibility with our positions in the world: the defence of multilateralism, peace, human rights. We are convinced that relations with the country and with the current government will improve with this agreement, which will allow redistribution, prosperity, fight poverty and, undoubtedly, will serve as an example and inspiration for new agreements of an orderly world, with geopolitical objectives, which is what the European Union has today: with progress, shared standards and human rights.

Madam President, the geopolitical context has changed radically in recent years and has meant the end of innocence for Europe and its strategic awakening. A neighborhood with serious conflicts on its doors, an invasion of Ukraine that has broken the European security architecture and, let's be honest, the possibility that Trump will return to the White House and that our dependence on the Atlantic link will affect our security. We need to stop outsourcing our security policy. Over the past few years, we have contributed to strengthening the European defence industry through the Common Procurement Act with EDIRPA, a European Investment Programme, the Ammunition Production Support Regulation and Rapid Deployment Capacity. And, it must be said, a mature response to support for Ukraine on military assistance and an unprecedented sanctions policy. But it is not enough, we need to increase our capabilities and modernise them in defence, greater European cooperation and the true development of European industry to be a credible and autonomous geopolitical actor in the world.

Madam President, Commissioner, over the past four months, there have been more killings of journalists, medical personnel and UN staff in the Gaza Strip than in any conflict to date. The devastation of all infrastructure in the Strip is absolute: 25 000 deaths – 1% of the total population – and access to basic services for the entire civilian population has been cut. And not only that, but hunger is now being used as a weapon of war. Half a million Gazans live in a situation of severe lack of nutrition. Faced with this situation, which is not only unbearable and horrifying, but also blatantly contrary to international law, we call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages and compliance with the precautionary measures imposed by the International Criminal Court – which obviously have to affect the export of weapons to Israel – the use of the Association Agreement as a way to pressure Israel and the actual imposition of a two-state political solution, which is going to be the only viable solution in the region.