Speeches

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Aurore Lalucq, on behalf of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on the proposal for a Council directive on ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for multinational groups in the Union (COM(2021)0823 – C9-0040/2022 – 2021/0433(CNS)). I would like to reiterate that, with the exception of the first two rows, you can move forward if you take part in this debate now. So you don't have to stay in the back of the room. You have the possibility to give spontaneous speeches and blue cards with your electronic voting card or to register here directly. This brings us to the rapporteur of this report, Mrs Lalucq, you have the floor.

In accordance with Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure, five motions for resolutions were tabled. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Thursday 19 May 2022.

Mr President, Madame la Ministre, Monsieur le Commissaire! Europe continues to move; Finally, an oil embargo is within reach. We are finally leaving our comfort zone in the energy sector. We Europeans must take this step. Only the raised European index finger will not end the Russian war of aggression. According to the previous packages of sanctions, the decisions on arms deliveries, the oil embargo is the overdue geopolitical decision by which Europe lives up to its responsibilities, its weight, its possibilities. European credibility alongside Ukraine against the Russian aggressor has so far been given a new quality that I have sorely missed in recent times. But there is no free credibility. The energy embargo will not pass Europe without a trace. Despite the transitional periods, there are likely to be price shocks for consumers and supply bottlenecks for industry from Portugal to Poland. It really won't be easy. Substitution for Russian oil – yes, but substitution is only available at higher prices. Yes, there will be cuts, but let's face it, let's be prepared to pay this price, because the European Union is able to mitigate the inevitable consequences for consumers, for industry. We must also not forget that there are other regions, other continents that cannot carry these things so easily, that do not have a comfort zone from which they can move out. We also need to keep an eye on them. Nevertheless, we must not waver, we must not give way, above all we must not let ourselves be impressed in any way by Putin's attempts at intimidation. Europe can do it, Europe must do it now, if we do not want to be accused by history at the end of the day of not being able to read the word ‘war’ because of the fine print. We have already taken way too much time with the terms of war and peace. It's the 70's. Day of War; Let's not get used to the horrors. Ukraine has all kinds of support – it is also fighting for our freedom. Let's put Russia in the constraints, and now.

In accordance with Rule 136(5) of the Rules of Procedure, a motion for a resolution has been tabled*. The debate is closed. The vote will take place today, Thursday 7 April 2022. _______________ * See Minutes. Written declarations (Article 171)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the oral question to the Commission on the right to repair by Anna Cavazzini, on behalf of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (O-000010/2022 – B9-0010/22) (2022/2515(RSP)).

Madam President, It is called a ‘crisis’ by Beijing. How descriptive and shattering! With these words Beijing follows Moscow's propaganda regarding Ukraine. The war in Ukraine – it is not a crisis, it is a war. Even a war against civilization. Butsha is a gruesome contemporary history for crimes against humanity. And from Beijing, ladies and gentlemen, we hear nothing. No condemnation, no support for sanctions, no clear stance. Beijing still believes it can sit out Russian atrocities. We need to make it clear: Any Chinese flirtation with Moscow must have consequences. Europe needs to grab China where it hurts, and that's trade. If China wants to continue its foreign trade with us, it must quickly separate itself from false friends. We must also free ourselves not only from dependencies on Russia, but also on China. Only a strong EU vis-à-vis China can avoid fatal centrifugal forces. Because Ukraine, dear colleagues, must not become a blueprint for China's striving for power vis-à-vis Taiwan.

Madam President, We all have the pictures in front of the eyes of girls from Afghanistan with tears in their eyes because they are no longer allowed to go to school. We hear reports that parents sell their children to feed the rest of the family. 95 percent do not have enough to eat, 9 million are at risk of famine, and the shortage of food and the global rise in wheat prices will exacerbate the situation. The people of Afghanistan must not fall behind in the course of the war in Ukraine. UNICEF, WHO, the Red Cross and other organisations must be able to continue their work there with sufficient resources. But it is not enough to ensure the physical survival of the people of Afghanistan. Young Afghans in particular need a decent future perspective, and this includes education and training, equal participation in society, and jobs. But that also includes science. A whole generation of students, teachers, researchers are at risk of being lost because courses of study that are not pleasant are closed because women are not allowed to go to university. That is why we need the support of the European Union for the newly established Afghan online university, which makes studying, research and doctoral studies possible – in exile, but hopefully also in Afghanistan.

Thank you very much, but did I understand you correctly that you think you can do without additional private investment to meet this great challenge? Because I deliberately didn't ask about shopping. Nor did I ask for public money, but I asked how we set the right incentives to support and equip the security and defence industry in Europe. This already means that we order, but the question is yes: Do we really not need private capital? Do we really not need the support of the European Investment Bank to build this up in Europe?

Mr President, Dear High Representative! Thank you for letting us talk to you so directly today. But it is actually to despair that there is talk of resilience and capacity to act in the European Union only because of crises and now even because of war. We have to say that Europe has not done its homework in NATO for a long time, especially in many Member States. I do not take Germany – my home country – as an exception. And the strategic compass could only now be sensibly aligned under this pressure. Now it has to go to implementation. And that is why, with a view to implementing the strategic compass, I ask you what measures are being taken to promote or enable access to private finance for the European security and defence industry. And how can the European Investment Bank be involved in the best possible way?

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Cyrus Engerer, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards the quantity of allowances to be placed in the market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme by 2030 (COM(2021)0571 – C9-0325/2021 – 2021/0202(COD)) (A9-0045/2022).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Commission statement on the urgency of the adoption of the Minimum Tax Directive (2022/2617(RSP)). It is still free to choose a seat, and we also apply the possibility of spontaneous speeches and blue cards.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Commission statement on the Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2022/2574(RSP)). As we are now starting the session, I would like to point out once again that we are trying out some of the recommendations of the Focus Group on Plenary Reform. With the exception of the first two rows, which are reserved for the Group Chairs, there is a free choice of seats. After you have inserted your voting card into the voting device, you can request spontaneous interventions and blue cards via your voting device. Please always carry your voting card with you. Appropriate instructions are laid out on every seat in the Chamber. If you would like to speak spontaneously, I would ask you to do so from now on and not to wait until the end of the debate. I would also like to point out that blue cards can also be held up for a short speech and that a follow-up question is allowed thereafter. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern, with the exception of spontaneous interventions, blue cards and comments on the application of the Rules of Procedure. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time so that we can proceed quickly in the debate and also take as many colleagues as possible into account in the blue cards.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Angelika Tinzig, on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union (recast) (COM(2021)0085 – C9-0085/2021 – 2021/0045(COD)) (A9-0286/2021).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Johan Van Overtveldt, 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 a pilot scheme for market infrastructures based on distributed ledger technology (COM(2020)0594 – C9-0305/2020 – 2020/0267(COD)) (A9-0240/2021).

The ID Group has forwarded decisions to the President on changes to appointments to committees. These decisions will be published in the minutes of today's meeting and will enter into force on the day of this announcement.

In accordance with Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure, seven motions for resolutions were tabled*. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Thursday 24 March 2022. _______________ * See Minutes. Written declarations (Article 171)

Madam President, It was only two weeks ago that we woke up with war, in the middle of Europe. Russia has lifted peace out of joint. Ukraine has been heroically resisting for two weeks, suffering the horrors of war for the civilian population. Europe has proven that it can act quickly and decisively. This is a spark of hope. Putin did not expect this determination. But now it is important, colleagues, to have a long breath, not to backtrack on Putin and to support Ukraine economically, humanitarianly and with arms deliveries in the long term. We need to implement the sanctions we have adopted in a targeted manner, to sharpen them, to close loopholes. We must use all possibilities to end European energy imports from Russia and act decisively together. No more Euros to flow! It is up to us to dry up Putin's war coffers. Europe must assert itself as a bastion of law and freedom. We need to develop our skills quickly and sustainably. Militaryly in full complementarity with NATO, economically with a view to strengthening the resilience of our economy, politically in a common defence of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. We also need unity with China. Beijing must decide whether it wants to be a partner or an opponent of the free world. It is still time for China to become a peacemaker and be on the right side of history.