Speeches

Colleagues, despite the efforts that have been made to promote equality and the rights of women and girls, around the world, these rights are being affected, threatened, violated and gender equality is increasingly being removed. According to the UN, the equality we have been fighting for all these years will be achieved at best "in 300 years". For this reason, we should step up our efforts and demands for the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. We must put the European Parliament's demands at the centre: ensuring equal opportunities in education, the labour market, with equal access to economic and financial services and equal participation of women at all levels of decision-making; addressing the multiple systemic causes of women’s poverty worldwide and integrating more financial instruments; empowering women and girls through education, training, lifelong learning, which is crucial to combat gender stereotypes and inequalities leading to poverty; strengthening public structures, services and mechanisms, including health services, quality and affordable public education and public transport; ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Madam President, Commissioner, the crime accident in Tempi revealed institutional weaknesses, oversight gaps and massive breaches of European security rules. ERA twice checked the RAS before the Tempi accident, in 2019 and 2022, expressing doubts as to whether it can adequately carry out its supervisory work. At the same time, you are telling us that the ERA cannot suspend safety certificates it has issued unless requested to do so by the controlled RAS. So the trains continue to run unsafe, the ball of responsibilities shifts, and no one takes responsibility and the safety deficit. The key question remains: Who guarantees the safety of European citizens on European railways? Trains continue to run unsafely. 6 months ago you told us in plenary that you would present the revision of the ERA Regulation to strengthen its role in the implementation of EU law. But that is not enough, Commissioner. A revision of the Railway Safety Directive is necessary to create a European intervention mechanism on the recommendation of ERA when railway safety is at stake in a Member State.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Europe's Beating Cancer Plan has been in place for five years, and we have invested over EUR 2.7 billion in prevention, early diagnosis, detection and treatment. But despite progress, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the European Union. We must therefore set ambitious targets for adequate funding in the new Multiannual Financial Framework and ensure that we tackle all inequalities with better coordination, common and quality standards and monitoring mechanisms across Member States. Significantly strengthen cooperation and funding in childhood cancer research. Ensure universal and free access for all women to preventive controls in all Member States. Strengthen public structures, mobile units and digital tools to reduce barriers to access, and finally ensure the right to be forgotten for a life in dignity, without discrimination for all cancer survivors.

Madam President, Commissioner, it took 12 years for the Council to come up with a position on the revision of air passenger rights. Instead of solving long-standing problems, however, with the stance adopted in the negotiations, it chooses to weaken even already established basic passenger rights. The rules on which passengers rely today are a basis for us, and we are determined to improve them rather than reduce them. We will therefore not accept any reduction of existing rights. It doesn't make sense for passengers to pay extra for parents to sit with their children. No regression from the three-hour delay limit and existing levels of compensation, which are a pillar of effective passenger protection, and no regression from the request for the free transport of small hand luggage and personal belongings. Passengers pay for a service contract. Where this is not respected, they should have the right to fair and timely compensation, automatically and without hassle. The Council's position should be improved. Otherwise, there will be no agreement.

Madam President, Commissioner, the uncontrolled malicious use of artificial intelligence via deepfakes on digital platforms constitutes a serious violation of fundamental rights and a blatant threat to the victims, who are overwhelmingly women and minors. It should never be possible to use artificial intelligence tools to strip women and minors in Member States of the European Union, and it is not possible to allow companies to make profits by insulting human dignity. So you have to tell us why no formal sanctions procedure has been launched so far against these platforms that are in breach of European law. What exactly are you waiting for? If there is a legislative gap, immediately propose a revision of the Artificial Intelligence Act and the Digital Services Act and tighten the existing legislative framework to prohibit the use of such AI systems and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Mr President, Commissioner, three out of four Europeans are now buying their products online. Unfortunately, despite the strict European framework set by the Digital Services Act (DSA), illegal and dangerous products continue to be placed on the European market. It is shocking that online platforms sell child-like sex dolls on the European market. This is a blatant failure of the control system and the enforcement of European legislation. Immediate measures must be taken to ensure the full protection and safety of consumers. The Commission should launch an investigation into how these illegal products have circumvented the control mechanisms. Further strengthen control and oversight mechanisms, as customs and supervisory authorities are unable to manage this huge volume of orders. Better cooperation between Member States to exchange data and best practices, and finally severe sanctions for those who violate European legislation to ensure that we do not have such phenomena again.

Madam President, the new gender equality strategy comes at a very critical juncture. To have a meaningful impact on the daily lives of millions of women, it should contain ambitious policies and new legislative initiatives with concrete commitments, timelines, monitoring indicators, accountability and sufficient resources. There is a need for the Union budget to clearly reflect the fundamental objective of equality, and for the gender dimension to be incorporated into all European policies and funds. Gender-based violence is not a social phenomenon, it is a crime. It should be explicitly included in the Eurocrimes referred to in Article 83 of the Treaty. We need to invest more in educating young people and preventing violence and discrimination. Take more action to ensure women's universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and promote women's equality and empowerment at work, equal pay, equal opportunities and equal representation and participation in politics.

Madam President, violence against women violates fundamental rights, human rights: the rights to dignity, self-determination, freedom, autonomy and even the right to life. The exploitation of motherhood is due to inadequate policies that exacerbate poverty and inequalities, sustain gender discrimination and deprive women of the right to choose. Exploitation is experienced by women, mothers and workers, when the system itself does not ensure them fair leave, adequate care structures, equal pay and flexible working conditions, when they are deprived of effective access to safe abortion or contraception. Support for single parents and children remains incomplete. To support motherhood, European states must fully and immediately implement in their national laws and policies their obligations under the binding legal framework of the Istanbul Convention, the European Directive on violence against women and girls and domestic violence, as well as the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. There is no need for new discussions, but for laws to be implemented by means of acts...