Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, dear colleagues! First of all, I would like to thank you once again for this debate, in addition to all the work that has been done on the report. In fact, it is a real honour for me to be a co-rapporteur in this area. What somehow stemmed from everything we said was that care is a human right. First the human right of those in need, and then the human right of those who work. The working conditions of those who work – both in formal and informal care – are important for us. And within this, it is necessary to stimulate the process of deinstitutionalization, which, in fact, guarantees the independent life of everyone in a way that is adapted to him, of course. It is now about the inclusion of all, the human rights of all, and that is the difference between this report and the alternative report, which denies the human rights of all. Essentially, care is the foundation of the European way of life. Without this, there is no European way of life, so we need to evaluate the care sector itself in a different way and ensure gender equality and equality. Without women's work, this sector does not work. But it cannot continue to operate in a sustainable way, so it needs to be rescaled. Values – solidarity between generations is needed to lead a more sustainable way of life. Even in terms of resilience and sustainability, it is actually a matter of care. Without dedication to care, and in particular to public good and public investment, care will not be sustainable. And that is why I say that this area is so important, from childcare, which we are already paying attention to, long-term care, caring for those with special needs, to all forms of care that we actually need. Without it, Europe will stand or fall.

Mr. President! I would like to thank my fellow co-rapporteur Sirpa Pietikäinen for her close and constructive cooperation from the first draft report to today's debate, all the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs and all the expert teams and secretariats for their intensive work over the past months. I am proud of its outcome, the comprehensive, in-depth and comprehensive human rights-based report, which I believe will help the Commission to develop a European care strategy and the necessary follow-up. I would particularly like to thank and dedicate this report to those without whom it would not have been. All individuals, especially individuals who take care of our children, parents and grandparents, relatives and friends on a daily basis, need help and support. The field of care naturally concerns each and every one of us. Everyone, at least once in their life, finds himself in the role of the recipient of care, as well as the one who provides this care to others. Care is not only the highest expression of human and intergenerational solidarity, but also the productive sector and connective tissue of our society. The paradox of its indispensability is that its enormous economic and social contribution remains overlooked, while care work is undervalued and often unpaid, and consequently unevenly distributed. The pandemic has finally exposed this paradox and opened the eyes of the public and politicians to the fact that care is a right and a public good that needs public support and investment. We need to correct as soon as possible the big mistake of cuts in this sector during the austerity measures of the financial crisis and the missed opportunity to make investing in public care an obligatory part of the post-pandemic recovery and resilience. Without public investment in quality and integrated public care, accessible to all, from early childhood to late age, it will not be possible to break the vicious circle of dependence on informal carers, among whom women are too prevalent, and the inequalities that deepen as a result. Insufficient and, for many, affordable and universally unattainable services, which are not included in the social security system, force women back to the home fireplace into economic dependence and social exclusion. Creating the conditions for a fully free decision to exercise and guarantee the right to care is therefore at the heart of the report before you. The report calls on the Commission and the Member States to facilitate effective, universal access to quality care tailored to the needs of residents. In this context, the transition from still predominantly institutional to community-based care needs to be accelerated without unduly shifting the additional burden to the families of those in need. For the realisation of the right to care, it is crucial to strengthen the protection of the rights of those performing care work, both formally and informally. Most Member States face labour shortages in the care sector. Above all, in order to retain existing employees and attract new ones, including more men and younger carers, we need to improve working conditions, the coverage of the sector by collective agreements and the public image of care professions. We must protect the rights of the often overlooked mobile and migrant workers and regulate the situation of those working in the personal and household services sector. We must enable all employees, including those in the care sector, to achieve a better work-life balance. Universally accessible early childhood education and care, which my political group is striving for by insisting on the swift implementation and urgent financial reinforcement of European childcare, is key to developing the potential of all children, especially those in the most vulnerable situations. Supply remains a primary concern and competence of Member States. However, joint action at European level is necessary to ensure the same level of protection of rights for everyone in the European Union and to stop the outflow of skilled labour from countries and regions that already lack medical and care staff. Of course, Slovenia is one of them. The challenges of demographic change and an ageing population, as well as the demands of the European green and digital transitions, remain ahead of us. I am convinced that the Commission is awaiting recommendations in the report that take into account the broad context and can complement and reinforce the proposals for strategic measures in the field of care. With this report, the Commission is also getting an ally to shape a European Care Deal, which must further raise the level of ambition and seize the opportunities that a more gender-equal distribution of care responsibilities for individuals, society and the economy has proven to offer.

Madam President, honourable, honourable. Why is the ETS in aviation important, as well as the international CORSIA emissions cap regime? Since 2013 and the lifting of post-pandemic measures, the sector has seen a 30% increase in greenhouse gas emissions compared to others. The European Union simply needs to do more and respect its commitments under international law and its own European Union law. We have a compromise proposal on the revision of the directive on the table, which enjoys broad support from the Committee on the Environment and is an incentive for a just green transition. It is a comprehensive set of measures: widening the geographical scope, speeding up the removal of free allowances, reducing emissions and an additional 35 billion from the ETS to decarbonise the sector. In times of unpredictable energy security, a particular challenge is the sufficient supply and affordability of sustainable aviation fuels to directly decarbonise the sector effectively, so we envisage incentives to develop this market and temporarily cover the price difference to fossil kerosene. A particular problem is the fact that only one third of CO2 emissions. Two thirds of emissions are non-carbon emissions. In this area, the European Parliament has a historic opportunity to take concrete political action after 15 years. As a supporter of multilateralism, I advocate the progressive development of international regimes. However, I expect the European Union and the Member States to engage in active climate diplomacy, both bilaterally and multilaterally, within the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), seeking to strengthen CORSIE provisions, an ambitious long-term global emissions reduction agenda and broad international cooperation. However, the CORSIA decision itself is of a technical nature and I am against its politicisation in the negotiations with the Council. It is, however, about whether the European Union is capable of leading by example in the international community.

Mr. President! Honourable, Honourable. Aviation is already facing the consequences of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. There was a closure of the airspace. We are also looking for alternative and longer routes. All this has led to an increase in aviation costs on the one hand. On the other hand, there has also been an increase in the price of fuel, which, unfortunately, we are again importing from the Russian Federation. The burden of all these costs will be borne by European passengers, employees in the aviation industry and related activities, and, of course, the environment. This will increase CO2 emissions as well as air pollution. That is why the key solution in aviation is, in fact, a green transition or a transition, we must adopt a legislative framework at European level as soon as possible, and provide sufficient financial resources for this, so that we move towards this transition with an appropriate social dimension, which is solidarity and fair, and which will ensure the development of sustainable aviation fuels and carbon-free aviation technology. That is why I will work as a Member and rapporteur.

Mr. President! President-in-Office, thank you for the floor, dear Commissioner, colleagues. Transparency or transparency is a cornerstone of European democracy. This principle gives rise to the right of European citizens to access the documents of the European institutions, which is enshrined both in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In this context, I would particularly like to highlight access to environmental migration. As the European Union has an obligation under international law to do so, as it is a party to the Aarhus Convention. Even in the context of the war in Ukraine, environmental and climate security are now essential elements of human security, which is why strengthening democratisation and transparency in environmental matters is also our contribution to respect for human rights. I therefore strongly support the revision of the regulation on public access, and thus also the recommendation of the European Ombudsman, because this presents us with a possible gap in our democratic order and the rule of law. If ever, here and now it is necessary to fight for our values both internally and externally. If we are with them, we will stand together as the European Union, or we will no longer be.

President-in-Office, thank you for the floor, dear Commissioner, colleagues! I would like to thank my colleague Vind and all those involved for an excellently prepared report. The European Parliament remains a supporter of all workers and insists on a vision of zero work accidents and zero work-related illnesses. Namely, the pandemic has shown us how important key professions are, but at the same time they are undervalued, underpaid and run in poor working conditions. This is especially true for healthcare professionals who cannot work from home. In the area of long-term care alone, 6.3 million of them are women, of whom 81% are women, whose work is underpaid, unpredictable, shifted and carried out with inadequate norms. Large numbers of sick carers show disproportionate exposure to infections, hazardous work environments and substances. Caring for others and helping others is exhausting both psychologically and physically, but it is not taboo that often the distress of the caregivers is passed on to the caregivers. The profession itself is beautiful and fulfilling, as evidenced by surveys, but inadequate working conditions are a key reason for large and sudden departures from the sector, a decrease in the quality of public services and an increase in the need for informal care. As rapporteur for care in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, when drafting the European Care Strategy, I will call on the Commission for an ambitious framework of solutions to improve pay and working conditions in this sector, with particular regard to the gender perspective. This, together with investment in public care services in this area, would be the first and minimum step towards a Europe that provides all generations with accessible, integrated and quality care whenever they need it.

President-in-Office, thank you for the floor. Honourable Commissioner, Honourable Colleagues. It is a fact that economic progress, as well as social progress, is crucially linked to the development of transport infrastructure and connectivity, and that transport poverty threatens the realisation of human rights, since the inaccessibility of goods, public services and social capital means social exclusion, especially for the elderly, people with physical disabilities and people living in rural areas. This is why we need inclusive policies, first and foremost public transport, that ensure accessibility both physically and affordably, as well as time efficiency. In the field of environmental progress, we need an environmentally sustainable and sustainable transport system, which will actually be easier in the field of aviation than in the case of setting prices for motor vehicle emissions. All this makes it necessary for European policy to provide effective safety nets that prevent people's social well-being from becoming collateral damage to shared environmental ambitions and, above all, economic interests.

Dear rapporteur, Honourable Commissioner, Honourable Colleagues. The challenges of the pandemic and the urgency of the transition to a green, digital and more social union are a real test of the resilience of our democracy. That is why this time I do not want to talk so much about the failure to respect the rule of law – as about limiting it – or about the pressures on workers’ association and trade union action, but rather call for a changed view of democracy as a fundamental value of the European Union on which it falls or stands. Social dialogue is at the heart of the European social model. It is at the heart of our democracy and, in fact, our way of life. It can contribute to improving working conditions, to a more decent and fairer pay, as well as to reducing inequalities, including gender-based discrimination. Democracy at work is crucial for a social Europe. It can fix it. It therefore needs to be consolidated and extended to other issues, such as environmental and social sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Social transformation, a better life for people and the success of companies require greater involvement of workers and their representatives in corporate governance. This is neither utopian nor new. This is because we know the different models in the Member States. As well as the different legal frameworks and traditions of employee involvement. Even those who are neglected in the transition from one economic or political system to another. A common European framework for employee participation should bring all this together and establish common basic rules, standards and procedures. Democracy, as we know it, is not only at home in political institutions like this house, but must be lived every day, including at work. I would therefore like to thank the rapporteur, who understands and puts this into practice. Both with this important report and by linking this topic to the topic of the future of work with the debate of the citizens of the European Union at the Conference on the Future of Europe. Thank you.

President-in-Office, Honourable Commissioner, Colleagues, Colleagues! The European Social Security Card presents us with three challenges: ensure the free movement of people, a social union and a digital transformation that protects workers' rights and ensures fair mobility. A common market exists for everyone, but not for people, because the basic competence for social welfare lies with the Member States and their various social security systems, which do not communicate with each other, leading to the violation of workers' rights and unfair competition. It doesn't matter what we call it. Whether we call it the European Social Security Card or the European Social Security Number. But it is important who and how it protects, because in past cases of abuse of posted workers from the Western Balkans via Slovenia, they prove that all mobile workers on the EU market, including those from third countries, would need such a card. However, it demonstrates to us the acceptance of digital COVID certificates from third countries that this can be introduced. This can be done if there is political will.

Mr President. Dear colleagues, Commissioner. I welcome today's debate because it allows us to recognise that civil society and NGOs are an indispensable part of a democratic society. They place at the centre man and social benefit in the broad sense of the word, regardless of national or any other affiliation, and are therefore the key to social solidarity and, of course, social cohesion. My experience both in working within the Slovenian Red Cross and in contact with other non-governmental and humanitarian organisations tells me that these organisations have an exceptional contribution to social well-being, which is however underestimated. The burden they have borne since all these crises that the European Union is facing is enormous. Starting with the 2008 financial crisis, when people's expectations of food being shared were such that these workers, who had voluntarily worked, had to be protected from the fact that the state and the European Union had failed to respond adequately to these challenges. The same is true in the refugee and migrant crisis, or when it was necessary to deal with refugees and migrants, from 2015 onwards, when, in essence, this sector takes over a large part of the care and integration of migrants. Therefore, simply because these philanthropic organisations are closer to local communities, because they are represented in all local communities, they are also able to respond to such matters as the current COVID-19 pandemic. They are sensitive to the needs and hardships of people who would otherwise be ignored by the state or by the institutions, and they are able to recognise those needs and hardships and respond to them in an appropriate way. For this reason, I would like to thank them, both on my own behalf and on behalf of the parliamentary group to which I belong, the Socialists and Democrats, most sincerely for all the work they have done so far and also for all the work they will do in the future. This work justifies that aspect of solidarity, which is part of European values, and essentially also because this crisis and the future crises that lie ahead will have economic, social and environmental consequences. And these organizations know how to respond to it. Of course, the cross-border and global dimension of these challenges must also be taken into account. We have two passages to go: green and digital. And both in a short-term vision that is more or less based on economic growth, and in a long-term vision that tries to go beyond this understanding, they help to preserve the European development model. Without cooperation with these organisations, there is no possibility, that is, without cooperation with these organisations, there is no possibility of properly developing a European development and economic model that will, of course, reach people, both within the European Union itself and worldwide. Civil society, and in particular its humanitarian component, must, however, in this, and this is a very important matter, and we must bear this in mind, it must not become a substitute for the welfare state or for the future socio-ecological state. In no way should this part become a substitute for this country. This is something that both the state and the European institutions must take care of. Nor should it become a substitute for social policies – I will say the part that is an integral part of this sector, and that is unpaid work in the form of volunteering or unpaid care work within households or families. These two must not happen at all. What can and should be understood by this sector, i.e. civil society, is that it is complementary or complementary to what Europe is trying to do for itself and what it is also trying to do around the world. On the one hand, a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that low- and middle-income countries are dependent on European donations and contributions from European humanitarian organisations and civil society organisations, so that their public health, education, gender equality and the realisation of the 2030 Agenda can function in many ways. We certainly do not have a strong European civil society at the moment and we are not exploiting all the potential that this civil society has. Both non-profit organisations and associations and non-governmental organisations are very different, but they operate in a similar way. However, they do not have rules in common, they do not have, in essence or in other words, in each country they meet with other legal rules, with other financial requirements and with other administrative procedures, and if they try to act anywhere else, they must literally repeat the procedures. This in many ways prevents cross-border operations, this fragmentation of rules prevents cross-border operations, and of course the non-recognition of status also prevents the same. As a result, they cannot connect properly to face European challenges as well. So the absence of European rules for non-profit organisations in terms of taxes, in terms of establishment, is certainly contrary to the four freedoms that we know in the European Union. It prevents business transparency and, in fact, prevents the use of all the contribution that could be made to both sustainable development and social well-being. This is also demonstrated by a study by the European Parliamentary Research Service, which identifies a number of areas where this is not the case, such as education, culture, health, social protection, research, humanitarian aid development cooperation, social cohesion, i.e. a number of areas where the potential is not being exploited. That is why I certainly welcome the initiative of the European Parliament, as well as the legislative report being prepared by the Committee on Legal Affairs, basing its work on the past 30 years of experience of failing to regulate this area on the one hand, and on the other hand doing so in dialogue with civil society, which is essential. We cannot regulate the sector without looking only at civil society. Now this debate and this political support for this report, this regulation, should also be an incentive for the European Commission to build a strong European civil society that is a bulwark of democracy and European values everywhere, in all countries, even where we have problems, and that is why this is very important.

Madam President, honourable Colleagues, Colleagues, Minister, Commissioner. The pandemic has had to prove to us all that the economy can serve people. If we want to preserve humanity on this planet, the relationship between the economy and the environment must be the same. Here is the key human right to a healthy environment. A clear recognition of this right in international, European and national law can ensure that the costs of the green transition are not only at the expense of people, in particular the most vulnerable communities and groups and future generations. The European Union and individual Member States have the opportunity for geopolitical positioning and are obliged by their historical heritage to lead by example the process of modifying this right. In this context, international organisations and the soft law they create, such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe, can help build legal awareness, which is key to making legal commitments. However, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is crucial for us and must become an indisputable legal basis for judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU when there is a violation of the human right to a healthy environment.

President-in-Office, thank you for the floor. Dear colleagues, rapporteur, Commissioner. One of the few positive aspects of this crisis was the political decision to put people before the economy. Indicators such as gross domestic product and economic growth are insufficient. Sustainable well-being and socio-ecological progress must be taken into account for the green and digital transitions and for a more social European Union. Concrete reforms of the European Semester, the budgetary criteria and the social aspects of recovery and resilience are therefore necessary, also in line with the Porto commitments. Unfortunately, some of the progress achieved during the German and Portuguese Presidencies of the Council of the European Union will not be reflected in the legislative agreement on the coordination of social security systems and the framework directive on minimum wages during the Slovenian Presidency. Therefore, I must express my regret and apology that agreeing on these important topics for European citizens has become a hostage to the unwise and disrespectful communication of the Slovenian Prime Minister.

President-in-Office, thank you for the floor. Dear Commissioner, colleagues. I would like to thank my colleague Saliba for his in-depth report, which carefully examines petitions in the European Parliament, international recommendations for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, where, in fact, most initiatives of this kind take place. I am also pleased with the large degree of consensus in this area, but we are different on two issues. First of all, on the interpretation of what it means that the European Union, in addition to the Member States, is also a party to the Convention. Secondly, the ambition to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities and thereby build an inclusive society. Without such ambition, discrimination and the employment gap for people with disabilities will increase. We will need to do more to adapt social security systems to the needs of people with disabilities and to ensure their mobility, both within and between countries. Because I think it is quite legitimate to expect that the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2030 – in addition to the EU-wide benefits card and the European Union parking card – will also include the mutual recognition of the status of persons with disabilities between Member States. In any case, the transition from institutional care to independent living for people with disabilities in the community is too slow, and I call on the Commission to prevent the misuse of European funds for deinstitutionalisation contrary to the Convention. We have to start with ourselves first. We must therefore ensure the visibility and accessibility of the petitions mechanism in the European Parliament. We need to do more to help and support the submission of petitions and to introduce the possibility of petitioning also in national sign languages, because, for example, the Slovenian example of writing such a sign language into the Constitution shows the symbolic real meaning. Finally, I must point out that the European Parliament's association with the global movement could also help to achieve this. “We the questions”, which I and my colleagues have also called on the President of the European Parliament to do.

Dear President-in-Office, Dear Commissioner, Colleagues! The President of the Commission gave a good start to today's debate in today's State of the Union address. She focused on young people and the excessive price they had to pay during the pandemic and out of solidarity with the elderly. The fact is that in many countries, unfortunately also in Slovenia, schools remained closed for the longest time and that they were closed first. Therefore, my question to the Commission is what, in addition to the symbolic year, it is thinking of concretely offering children and young people to make up for this wasted time and access to education. Or more specifically: what it plans to do for young people from those working-class families where the risk of poverty and social exclusion has increased during the pandemic. Programmes for young people are a good opportunity, but unfortunately they are not accessible to everyone. Especially not young people from disadvantaged and socially disadvantaged groups. They do not qualify for additional European funds because they or their families do not have enough funds to participate in them at all. Therefore, it is not enough to deal solely with cosmetic corrections to address social consequences and to tailor social aspects to different strategies and funds, but it is necessary to put social equality and social justice at the heart of the recovery and resilience plans. It will not be enough to simply tick on the national plans because they mention the European Pillar of Social Rights or simply mention it in the speech of the President of the Commission, but, in the opinion of the European Parliament and my group, it is imperative that social aspects become a mandatory and measurable part of the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues. Platforms also represent an opportunity for vulnerable groups, their integration into the labour market. These include young people, older people, women, the long-term unemployed and immigrants. Technology does not prevent discrimination. The same applies to the arrangement of work with the help of artificial intelligence. The dark side without regulation is, above all, unfair competition and the over-exploitation of people. In Slovenia, too, people are being forced into self-employment, and even during the pandemic, people remain without health and social insurance, protection at work, an inadequate working environment and the possibility of promotion or training. This is why the report is a good opportunity to help the Commission to include in the directive strong safeguards against the precarisation of work, and this is also a key message from my parliamentary group. Thank you.

Madam President-in-Office, Commissioner, colleagues, colleagues. The masks are finally gone. After nine months of pretending to be a democratic process, the ECR has shown that it is an abuse of demography, an erosion of European values – gender equality, women’s rights, prohibition of discrimination. The committee's report is less ambitious and advanced than the documents of both the Commission and the Council. However, through negotiations, both technical and with the shadow rapporteurs, we have managed to correct this text. Introduce a positive attitude towards the elderly, tie demographic change to the consideration of the whole life cycle and human rights. The links between gender equality and demographic change are important for S&D, and full respect for women's rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, is needed. All of this was certainly not to the liking of the ECR, so today it is making fun of the European Parliament by tabling an alternative resolution that erases gender equality, women, minorities, even young people. It denies more than half of Europe. It is a scary vision of the future of Europe that the radical populist right in Poland has, as well as imitators elsewhere in Europe, including Slovenia. The fact is that the faithful woman wants only to give birth to children and take care of the family. It pardons the elderly and the disabled and strengthens their dependence, and it speaks of the countryside merely as a museum of customs. All of this needs to be said no loud and clear. Europe does not go back to the Middle Ages. The European Parliament is home to European values.