Speeches

The next item is the debate on the report by Giuliano Pisapia, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice—President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the situation in Libya (2021/2064(INI)) (A9-0252/2022).

The next item is the debate on the report by Tonino Picula, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the new EU strategy for enlargement (2022/2064(INI)) (A9-0251/2022).

The next item is the debate on the report by Manu Pineda on Promoting regional stability and security in the broader Middle East region (A9—0256/2022).

Madam President, so today, the World Cup in Qatar is proof, actually, of how sports diplomacy can achieve a historical transformation of a country with reforms that inspired the Arab world. I alone said that Qatar is a frontrunner in labour rights, abolishing kafala and reducing minimum wage. Despite the challenges that even European companies are denying to enforce these laws, they committed to a vision by choice, and they opened to the world. Still, some here are calling to discriminate them. They bully them and they accuse everyone that talks to them or engages of corruption. But still, they take their gas. Still, they have their companies profiting billions there. I have been lectured as a Greek and I remind us all that we have thousands of deaths because of our failure for legal ways of migration in Europe. We can promote our values, but we do not have the moral right for lectures to get cheap media attention. And we do not impose our way, we respect them, even without LNG. They are a new generation of intelligent, high—educated people. They helped us to reduce the tension with Turkey. They helped us with Afghanistan to save activists, children, women. They helped us. And they are peace negotiators. They are good neighbours and partners. We can help each other to overcome the shortcomings. They achieved the impossible already.

Madam President, dear colleagues, European businesses and governments every day need to deliver essential services to citizens in a safe and trusted manner. In the face of increased exposure, escalating cyber warfare campaigns fuelled by geopolitical tensions and wars, but also mounting pressure of private and public entities to prevent, deter and respond to such sophisticated threats, NIS2 represents an important breakthrough for our European digital strategy. The cost, indeed, as you said, is going to be unbearable, even astronomical, not just for our economy, but also for our democracy. Geopolitical tensions actually from the war and attempts to compromise our essential services like healthcare, they make the political agreement today, and thanks to the rapporteurs for the work that was achieved and also presented. These are proof of the ambition to set stronger risk and incident management measures, harmonise reporting processes and actually futureproof national strategies to basically include also, by widening the scope, public administration entities. So the NIS2 Directive modernises our rules to secure critical services for society in the economy and provides us with a basis for increased cooperation at all levels actually in the digital transformation. So a major step forward for our resilient digital Europe. Thank you all and thanks to the rapporteurs for the work we achieved.

The next item is the joint debate on: – the report by Billy Kelleher, on behalf of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on digital operational resilience for the financial sector and amending Regulations (EC) No 1060/2009, (EU) No 648/2012, (EU) No 600/2014 and (EU) No 909/2014 (COM(2020)0595 – C9-0304/2020 – 2020/0266(COD)) (A9—0341/2021), and – the report by Mikuláš Peksa, on behalf of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2006/43/EC, 2009/65/EC, 2009/138/EU, 2011/61/EU, EU/2013/36, 2014/65/EU, (EU) 2015/2366 and EU/2016/2341 (COM(2020)0596 – C9-0303/2020 – 2020/0268(COD)) (A9-0340/2021).

Thank you, Mr Durand, for your work. The debate on the corporate sustainability reporting directive is closed. The vote will be held tomorrow.

The next item is the debate on the report by Pascal Durand, on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs, on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (COM(2021)0189 – C9-0147/2021 – 2021/0104(COD)) (A9-0059/2022).

The debate on that important file is closed. It seems we have an alignment between Parliament and the Commission. The vote will be held tomorrow. Written statements (Rule 171)

Next item on the agenda: the Council and Commission statements on: Global food security as follow-up to the G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting (2022/2883(RSP)).

Mr President, Commissioner, I would like to congratulate all the rapporteurs on our cooperation and on the positive outcome of this work. The negotiations were not easy, but we are now voting on new safeguards in the maritime sector, while also taking into account regional specific needs, such as possible exemptions for island regions for which the only viable but also affordable solution – for the time being at least – comes from shipping. It is also extremely important to recognise the need for coordination with the International Maritime Organization, the IMO, even though we can and remain more ambitious. Importantly, the polluter pays principle has also been strengthened. And I will continue in English because I think it’s very important to reject plenary amendments that wish to water down the requirements of the RFNBO sub—targets. In fact, while the 2% minimum use target set for 2030 is a good start, but we could aim even higher for the following years as we are going to have reviews of this regulation and then we can also increase that. There are good examples, like renewable hydrogen from non-biological sources like solar panels, that is expected to play a key strategic role in the decarbonisation of the generally hard-to-decarbonise transport sector.

I have received one motion for a resolution tabled in accordance with Rule 136(1). The debate is closed. The vote will take place tomorrow. (The sitting was suspended at 14.28)

The next item is the debate on the report by Christian Ehler and Marcos Ros Sempere, on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Culture and Education, on the new European Bauhaus (2021/2255(INI)) (A9-0213/2022).