Speeches

Mr President, very quickly, I am going back to economic security and the new instruments so that the Executive Vice-President can go into a little more detail. Indeed, it is not just a desire to target China, it is broader, it is for the European Union, it is not against anyone, but it is for us. Again, whether it is really outward investment, how do you plan to move forward and how do you plan to bring unity to the Member States as well?

Mr President, Mr Executive Vice-President, you have come back from China. I will have several questions. First, on critical raw materials. We voted for our ambition here: Get out of addiction. And in China, you announced that you want to continue discussions on a possible transparency mechanism for supply chains between the EU and China. What can you tell us about this future mechanism? Moreover, in a speech in China, you referred to and described our strategy for our economic security as a "country agnostic". What do you mean by that? And how do you "de-risk" our economy without looking at the countries facing us, especially China? I just saw on social media the publication of the list of critical technologies. This includes quantum computing and artificial intelligence, which is a good thing. But here too, how do you intend to move forward with the presentation of the new instruments? And I am thinking in particular of the control of outgoing investments.

Madam President, Commissioner, they are raising tariffs, they are blocking our imports, they are threatening us, they are banning our exports, they are trying to blackmail us into imposing their own political vision on us. “They” are third states that use means of pressure and therefore assume to use economic coercion to divide us. For too long, third countries have felt free to interfere with the EU’s sovereign and legitimate choices. From now on, they will know that Europe will respond. With this new instrument, the European Union will be able to address threats and respond to: increased tariffs, investment restrictions, restrictions on access to services and public procurement, restrictions on intellectual property rights, restrictions on financial services. Concretely, Europe will be able to discourage, sanction and stop the behaviour of states that choose to ignore the rules. It is the end of a Europe that is under external pressure and it is the embodiment of the end of naive Europe. We have always advocated for dialogue with our partners and we will continue to do so. But in order to be credible, it was essential to have a powerful deterrent against blackmail from third countries. This is what we are doing with this instrument. It is a victory for Europe, it is a victory for European solidarity and unity. It is therefore a victory for all Europeans.

Mr President, in all our Member States and in my country, France, associations are overwhelmed. Donations are lower as demands skyrocket and winter arrives. We live in one of the richest regions in the world, yet millions of our citizens struggle for survival, have trouble accessing hot meals, healthcare. The war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and soaring food prices are exacerbating the difficult end of the month. We cannot be a Union of value if we allow these injustices to continue. The poverty reduction target set at the Porto summit, Commissioner, is the right one, and there is an urgent need for the Commission and, above all, the Council to speed up initiatives. We must act as Europeans for concrete results, use the funds at our disposal and strengthen them, target all forms of poverty – and above all the most extreme ones – and organise a new summit dedicated to them. There will be no reduction in poverty without further measures to counter soaring inflation, solve the housing crisis, tackle financial and ecological debt. Solutions exist, even though we know it won't be easy. I would like to welcome here the commitment of my colleague Sylvie Brunet, who cannot be present and for whom Social and Solidarity Europe is the mother of all battles. So let's live up to it, for everyone.

Mr President, Commissioner, for years we have increased our dependencies, left the supply chains of critical materials to our systemic rivals, and we are paying the price. It was time to react and prioritize procurement with partners with whom we share principles and values. As such, this agreement with the United States finds its place. But US policy is not always a friend of Europe: questioning the WTO framework, IRA protectionist policy, extraterritorial sanctions. It is therefore legitimate and healthy to ask ourselves about the consequences of this agreement. Where is the impact assessment located? How can we ensure that the effects of our Critical Raw Materials Regulation are not undermined by this specific agreement? While we must reduce risks without compromising our relations with our allies, we must do so with our course, that of strategic autonomy, which must remain the pillar of our industrial and trade policy.

Mr President, since 1 August 2023, China has a new framework for its exports of gallium and germanium, essential materials for our defence systems, for the semiconductors of our electric vehicles, for our 5G infrastructure, our LED lighting. Materials of which 80% of our needs are covered by China. Now the Chinese authorities can restrict our supplies of these critical raw materials. It is our laissez-faire that has led us to this situation. It was time for Europe to have a framework for secure and sustainable supplies of critical raw materials, to move away from dependency, to prioritise partnerships with countries that share our values and principles, to ensure that the technological and environmental transition also contributes to fair development. Thus, with this work, we are responding to a double challenge – reducing risks for Europeans and ensuring our strategic autonomy – without turning our backs on our partners, so as not to make our development at the expense of their development. This is the vision we have defended with Nicola Beer, we must be proud of it and we must all be on track.

Mr President, Europe and Latin America have deep ties, and we need to support cooperation between our countries and peoples. We will continue to encourage it, but not at any cost. Almost three years ago, our Parliament was clear: no Mercosur as it stands. This position reveals the profound need for fair and sustainable trade. The need for coherence between all our public, trade, environmental and agricultural policies is imperative. We asked for clarifications on how the agreement would be ratified. We didn't get them. We called for guarantees against deforestation, clear mention of the Paris Agreement, reciprocity, with mirror measures. Our requests were not taken into account. How can an agreement negotiated in this way be acceptable when our interpellations are ignored? Can we go back to our Member States, to the people, to the farmers, and say that this is a good deal? Mr High Representative, we need answers from the Commission.

Mr President, our ambition is clear: win the climate battle, together and in responsibility. We had set the course, including with the EPP, as early as 2019: that of the climate law, our compass to be the first carbon neutral continent. We have a duty to act always together and with responsibility for all those in Europe and around the world who are suffering the consequences of extreme heat, droughts, floods and rising waters. Commissioner, we will only win if we act within a multilateral framework and are consistent. And our external policies must be in line with the Green Deal. And our trade policy must also be greener. Driven by France, the Paris Agreement is becoming an essential clause in our future trade agreements. But we need to go further. This must be the case for all trade agreements with sustainable development chapters that include sanctions for non-compliance. The climate must also not be the adjustment variable of our trade agreements and the EU must continue to act also with the WTO to really achieve our objectives.

Madam President, Commissioner, in 2022, 60 000 people died in Europe due to extreme heat. 60,000 people. An inconceivable number. And even with excessive temperatures, people directly exposed to heatwaves are still at work. Building workers, farmers, garbage collectors, among hundreds of other activities, they always remain committed to the proper functioning of our society. As you said, Commissioner, we are living in a time of rising temperatures, where heat waves are becoming more and more extreme, making work increasingly difficult, especially outside, especially for manual workers, especially those in precarious jobs. Our responsibility remains to ensure that they are all safe, regardless of the weather conditions. And in the face of this unprecedented situation, we need to put in place new rules. We need to adapt working conditions, whether with protective equipment, appropriate infrastructure or even emergency measures. The protection of workers is only the submerged face of the iceberg. The subject remains the protection of the environment. It must go hand in hand with the fight against climate change. It must go hand in hand with our commitment to the Green Deal. It must go hand in hand with our commitment to social justice.

Mr President, a people resists and shows that democracy, the rule of law and human rights must be defended at the risk of their own freedom and life. This people is the people of Hong Kong. It shows us that universal values and democracy are an ideal that must be defended all over the world. Citizens are being hunted down, locked up and repressed. Today we are highlighting Jimmy Lai, but last February there were 50 of them on trial. Who can give an exact figure of all these convictions and repressions? The European Parliament has a duty to support them, because through them it is also us, who we are and what we carry that the Chinese authorities are attacking. It is time to show China that Europe will never remain silent, that Europe will never be intimidated and that Europe must really create the conditions for its autonomy through stronger unity, not to be silent and not to be intimidated. At a time when authoritarianism is asserting itself, let us always show the world, and the people of Hong Kong specifically, that Europe is with them and that we will never abandon them.

Madam President, attracting investment is good, but attracting secure and sustainable investment is much better. Today, the issue is no longer just that of increasing investment, but rather that of controlling and achieving it. As we see third countries using investment to blackmail us, we now need to define our European economic security doctrine. We can no longer accept a stranglehold by some countries on our airports, ports and supply chains. The foreign direct investment screening mechanism needs to be radically reformed, and the instrument targeting foreign investment referred to by the President of the Commission, which must contribute to our economic security by protecting so-called sensitive technologies, must be presented. We need to discuss this together. Commissioner, for the future of Europeans and Europe, we need investments that protect and guarantee the challenge of climate change and strengthen our European autonomy. We're counting on you.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, thank you for your introductory words, but above all for your concluding words, which, I believe, perfectly sum up the ambition shared by the colleagues who remain in this Chamber, and I would like to say to those who have emphasised, in their remarks, the quality of traineeships and not remuneration: one does not go without the other. Regarding my colleague from the Rassemblement national, who gave us a bit of a lunar speech, I would just like to quote what she writes on her website: “This mandate was an opportunity to get involved on crucial issues, especially for European youth.” We very much appreciate the words she had this evening. We have seen this full involvement for the youth. Really, I urge all colleagues to move forward in this direction. This is a key issue: remuneration, quality, inclusiveness. You said so: these are opportunities that we must offer to all, it is absolutely vital. Thank you to all of you who stayed tonight and go to the Chamber to live up to it.

Madam President, Commissioner, first of all, I would like to commend the work of our colleague and rapporteur, Monica Semedo, who cannot be present today. It is a great victory for our political group and for the European Parliament. Ladies and gentlemen, last weekend, here in Strasbourg, as part of the EYE festival, young people were in our seats in this Chamber. I was very proud to welcome a Breton delegation to remind them, as well as all of you, that the European Union is and will be with and for young people. It is up to us to always act in this direction; Let’s act together for equality! We've all been interns. We know that a traineeship is a stepping stone to employment, opportunities that can change a life. Without a quality internship, how to offer opportunities to young people? How to give them all the keys in a constantly changing world? The figures are however there, edifying: In the EU, only around 40% of trainees are remunerated. Less than half of them receive sufficient remuneration to cover their costs. As we see, traineeships remain out of reach for many students, while they are crucial for their future careers, indispensable for entering the labour market and essential for completing their training. The need for clear guidelines and standards for traineeships across the EU is imperative, as the current framework for trainees increases social inequalities. The current framework does not sufficiently support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. We need to act together to harmonise European traineeships. The same opportunities, the same opportunities for all young people. That is why we call on the European Commission to act, updating the 2014 recommendations. Since 2014, in fact, so much has happened! The lives of young people have been shaken up: Brexit with diminished future prospects for all young people on the continent, the COVID-19 pandemic, the long lockdown period and very high inflation, which particularly affects young people. It is time to have an ambitious European framework, a framework that allows everyone to be paid and protected properly, a framework that gives meaning to difficult everyday life and complicated professional integration. Let's act together for young people and for the future! All institutions combined, we must rectify the situation. I ask, and you too, ladies and gentlemen, the European Commission to act. In the European Parliament, we cannot be alone in this battle. The Commission needs to adopt the most ambitious vision possible, with binding legal instruments to ensure effective implementation. We are waiting for a proposal as soon as possible. Youth is our future, but it is above all our present. I deeply believe in it and I keep telling it to all the young people I meet. These words cannot be words thrown into the air, and this sentence has no political colour. We really need to deliver on all of these commitments. Here, not all have supported these ambitions since the start of the negotiations. The National Assembly votes against these proposals; The EPP sometimes seeks to dilute ambitions. For those who have doubts, it is, I remind you, essential to promote quality internships, as an opportunity for all the youngest. In a year's time, ladies and gentlemen, the European elections will be held. In 2019, they had already sent us a message: it is time to respond and it is time that we live up to all these ambitions.

Mr President, every day more and more we write history. The path to a social Europe, a just Europe that guarantees rights to all its citizens without any distinction. This green Europe that engages all its citizens in the climate transition. This reactive Europe that protects all its citizens from the COVID pandemic or the illegal aggression of Ukraine. Minimum wage, pay transparency and protection of platform workers become tangible realities thanks to our action and determination. And conversely, every day more and more, on TV sets, far-right populists tell you stories. They are the champions of purchasing power. But here, where we can change things, where we make laws, they reject every text, every advance we get for social protection and convergence. They will not hesitate to vote against this resolution again tomorrow. Hypocrisy, imposture, scams, it is time to denounce them. To vote is to write history. So let’s continue to chart the history of social Europe together.

Mr President, China remains an authoritarian regime, an enemy of democracy, in Taiwan or Hong Kong. China remains a systemic rival, an opponent of European unity. In recent years, we have offered the Communist Party of China control over almost all supply chains. It is time to get out of our dependencies, to produce more and better in Europe, to ensure our safe and sustainable access to critical raw materials, to protect our strategic infrastructure. It is time to defend our European interests, to fight against economic coercion, to control the effect of Chinese subsidies. Our legislative arsenal must be used and completed. It is time to realize our ability to decide for ourselves. Let us give ourselves the means to oppose Xi with a democratic strategy that is truly European, truly credible, truly effective.

Mr. Speaker, in our battle to achieve carbon neutrality, no one will be left behind. In our battle to achieve carbon neutrality, no territory and no outermost region will be forgotten. In our battle, it is the green transition and social justice. The establishment of the Social Climate Fund is proof of this. Today, our message to Europeans is clear: We will support the most modest, our craftsmen, our very small businesses. Europe will be there. Energy voucher, refurbishment bonus, support for the purchase of electric vehicles, financial support for sustainable public transport, this is specifically what the Social Climate Fund will finance. Some here claim to be advocates of purchasing power at national level, but they will not hesitate to vote against this European fund. We will not forget that they are the end-of-month gravediggers. We will not forget that they are the gravediggers of the climate. We will continue our battle for ecological transition and social justice.

Mr President, 13% is the gender pay gap across the European Union. This figure, it symbolizes all the disparities, the chopped quarries, the difficult daily lives. And the European Union will put an end to this anachronistic difference. We owe this result to the negotiating teams – Kira, Samira, thank you, and congratulations! –, and more particularly to Sylvie Brunet, who cannot be present today. I want to take his fight – our fight – to the Chamber. A fight for equal pay, because pay differences are no longer acceptable – and we will be able to change that. This is a fight for emancipation, because it is also about financial independence – and we will guarantee that. A fight for inclusion, because at a time when women’s rights are shrinking in the European Union, with this directive, we will ensure that companies also take all their responsibilities to build this fight for equality between women and men.

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, in the face of concerns about unemployment during the COVID crisis, we have set up the SURE common instrument to guarantee a common salary for everyone. In the face of the energy crisis linked to the war in Ukraine and in order to achieve our carbon neutrality objectives, we are creating the Social Climate Fund. In response to demands to support European competitiveness, we are pushing for more flexibility on state aid. But let us not stop there, because shocks follow one another and our fellow citizens suffer the consequences, especially the most vulnerable. The European Commission has outlined a reform of the Stability and Growth Pact. It is imperative that this goes hand in hand with an ambitious reform of the European Semester. The indicators for monitoring and coordinating our policies must evolve. Evolve to enable the European Union to respond to increasingly strong and severe crises. Evolve for action rooted in social progress and the fight against climate change. To evolve, in fact, for a fairer Europe that responds to the aspirations and concerns of all our fellow citizens.

Madam President, Mr President, Commissioners, it takes courage to support the Ukrainian people unconditionally, as Lithuania has always done. It takes courage to open its borders by welcoming and protecting opponents of Lukashenko's dictatorial regime. It takes courage to stand up to a belligerent Russian neighbour with expansionist threats. It takes courage to stand up to Chinese authoritarianism. It takes courage to never turn your back on your allies. Your country has had this courage, your people have embodied it. Your country has shown us what some people do not want and still do not want to see: that national sovereignty is reinforced by European solidarity. Your country demonstrates what some people reject: that greater European unity is synonymous with protecting our values and our citizens. Yes, the European Union must always remain united. That is why, as you mentioned, a strong, reactive, effective anti-coercion instrument that cannot be blocked by a Member State is imperative. Yes, it is necessary to be able to react, to be able to protect ourselves when third countries seek to limit our freedom. Mr President, your country and Lithuanians show that acting as Europeans is the only way to defend democracy, to respond to today's challenges, to build our strategic autonomy. In the face of the pandemic, we acted as Europeans: the joint purchase of vaccines, the transfer of patients between Member States, the adoption of the recovery plan. In the face of Ukraine’s illegal and unjustified aggression, we are acting as Europeans: sanctions, macro-financial assistance, arms supply. In the face of the energy crisis, we continue to act as Europeans: creation of new supply lines, reinvestment in new green energy, creation of a social climate fund. Faced with the sirens of division, we must continue to act as Europeans: Let us strengthen the dialogue between our societies, let us strengthen the dialogue between our States, let us strengthen the dialogue with third States. Let us continue to act as sovereign and united Europeans. Because to get out of critical dependencies, to feed our fellow citizens, to meet the challenge of the climate transition, to leave no one behind, we must dialogue, progress, but above all act together. In Parliament, we are ready to do so. It is up to us to follow this path. The path your people are taking to ensure that these actions do not go unanswered and that we collectively live up to the concerns and aspirations of all Europeans. And allow me also, Mr President, to say, while my colleague Nicolas Bay has already left the Chamber and has not said a word for your country, that the French will never be on the lines defended by the Rassemblement national and all the extremes.

Madam President, Commissioner, Ombudsman, ladies and gentlemen, 2021 will remain a year marked by the continuation of the global Covid pandemic, but also the year of the end of this shock thanks to vaccination. Madam Ombudsman, throughout this turbulent year, you and the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs have continued to emphasise a fundamental principle, that of transparency. The joint purchase of vaccines has enabled us to protect Europeans. The lack of transparency, fuelled on some benches in this Chamber, will, on the other hand, have contributed to fuelling all conspiracy theories, undermining our efforts and, more seriously, an end to the crisis. This situation shows that we can only commit ourselves to exemplary transparency in order to strengthen, or even restore, the confidence of all our citizens in all areas. Your 2021 annual report also covers revolving doors and how the Commission conducts its trade policy. You say, and many of us also say, that our trade agreements, beyond being instruments to protect our ambitions, beyond being levers for the defence of our interests, must be the subject of real public debate. It's very important. Madam Ombudsman, in 2021, more than 20 000 citizens approached you, your services, and you guided them. You have helped to give credibility to the European Union. You have enabled it to move towards a Europe that is more transparent, fairer and closer to its citizens. And, like my colleagues, my group will continue to do so as well.

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, tensions with China have caused him to fear, as the Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown us: Enemies of Europe have control over access to the strategic raw materials we need. To deal with our dependencies, you offer us a plan: European extraction, European processing, recovery. Efforts that must be sustainable and in line with the Green Deal. European industries must be helped to see the light of day, to be structured and to develop in the face of unfair competition from companies supported by often authoritarian states. Commissioner, these are points you mentioned, and as we know, we will also have to face the societal challenges of extracting raw materials in Europe. We must ensure that the implementation of this strategy takes into account territorial realities and environmental requirements. Global demand for strategic raw materials will increase fivefold by 2050. We know that European resources will not be enough – as you said – and the Commission intends to multiply the agreements. Agreements that also squeak, because they sometimes put our companies, which respect our principles and laws, in competition with states with opposing considerations. But because all these questions raise questions, we must continue to move forward through effective work, negotiation work that must involve all stakeholders, and more transparent consultation work. Commissioner, with this debate we need to protect much more than our economy: it is our autonomy that we must assert and realise.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, while the European Union and its Member States are key players in international development aid, as we work hand in hand with our partners, our action is under attack, competing with other allies, but above all challenged by states such as China and its hegemonic project of the New Silk Roads, which are trying to weaken us and the states they claim to help. These attacks on who we are, our ambitions, those of our partners, are at the root of the European Union’s new approach to the Global Gateway: recall that our values and those of our partners are at the centre of our action, encourage investment in quality infrastructure, but above all work for a safer, fairer, greener world for all. But the results are not there. While we are talking about substantial sums, EUR 300 billion, but also insufficient, we must ensure that the necessary investments give flesh to more concrete projects, such as the strengthening of vaccine production and manufacturing capacities, the optical fibres that will link North Africa to Europe, a transbaltic electricity corridor ... A lot is going on, but it is not enough. This is not visible. Commissioner, let us not stay halfway. Let's look further and really meet the needs shared with our partners.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, once again we are measuring the courage of a people in the face of a totalitarian regime. For several weeks, the Chinese government has seen its youth and people rise up against its zero COVID-19 policy. Let us not be mistaken: through it, they turn against the dictatorial regime. To this, the party responded by closing public spaces: closure of neighbourhoods, removal of road signs or electronic tracing. Lock up for better rule, always. However, their courage bears fruit. For more than a month, the government announced a relaxation of its anti-COVID-19 policy and the suspension of travel. However, these ads are misleading. Europe must stand firm and stand with the Chinese demonstrating for their most basic rights and their quest for freedom. This debate must also push us to be firmer, in the face of this systemic rival, in our trade policy, and to work for greater autonomy in our supply chains. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for all European leaders to take a unanimous stand in favour of the Chinese.

Mr President, Mr High Representative, ladies and gentlemen, China remains a systemic rival. A rival in its governance model, with the systematic repression of human rights. A rival that does not strongly condemn Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine. A rival in its actions around the world, where it uses opaque support systems to take control of strategic facilities and raw materials. A rival that threatens Taiwan's sovereignty, a partner democracy where we will go with several colleagues. A rival who represses democracy in Hong Kong and decimates the Uyghur minority. A rival in its approach to European unity and in dividing us and buying major industrial parts of our economies. Mr High Representative, as the European Union completes its anti-coercion instrument, let us remind all European leaders that they must not give in to China’s advances, but act to guarantee our independence and sovereignty.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, Italy, Spain, Poland, but also the Netherlands and France: The leaders of my political family have understood, and they must be joined by the other Member States. On all the benches in this Chamber, let us take responsibility: demand a coordinated exit from the Energy Charter Treaty. Companies investing in fossil fuels can claim billions from our Member States, while we make the responsible choice of climate neutrality. The conference to endorse modernisation is approaching, and we see, bitterly, that the old dispute settlement system, to which Parliament is fiercely opposed, continues to exist. There is always a long-term incompatibility with the Paris Agreement. There is still this clause, and the Parliament voted in favour of a withdrawal if the conditions were not met. And, clearly, the account is not there. Do we want a blocked situation where, in the absence of a majority in the Council and Parliament, the Commission does not have a fall-back solution? Do we want to stay stuck in an anachronistic treatise? No, no! And it's about our credibility! Europe is credible when it advocates coherence, and coherence, between our commitments in the Paris Agreement and the constraints of modernised or unmodernised treaties, there are none. So let us act as Europeans, as on all other fronts, and let us all come out of this treaty together.