Speeches

The new highly contagious mutation of the virus, combined with the slow vaccination rates and the relaxation of containment measures, is leading us towards a fourth wave that I am afraid will give the free shot to aviation and tourism. Air traffic has decreased by more than two-thirds compared to 2019. Many airlines postpone or cancel itineraries. And there is a risk of permanently losing the benefits that we had secured in the years before the pandemic to enhance connectivity for the benefit of peripheral countries and remote and island regions, for which I personally worked as Minister of Tourism of Greece in 2015-2019, having secured the introduction of many new direct flights. For Greece and many other countries and regions of Europe, air transport is vital, and especially direct flights are the key to strong tourism growth. It is therefore essential to support air connectivity especially for regions that are far from Europe's economic and population centres. The EU and Member States must be prepared to intervene with new measures in case of a new wave. However, public support should not be unconditional: it must be accompanied by commitments to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the sector.

Mr President, almost one in five women in the Union has experienced sexual violence and one in 20 has been raped using violence, while the majority of incidents are not reported out of shame or fear. In many European states, the definition of rape requires proof of violence or resistance. This creates protection gaps and leaves out of legal coverage real cases of rape. It leaves unprotected victims who have been administered chemicals with the aim of weakening their resistance or losing consciousness. It leaves unprotected victims, because the perpetrator is in a position of power and these due to fear are paralyzed, frozen, unable to resist. Sex without consent is rape. Silence is not consent. Fear and the absence of resistance are not consent. Consent must be clear, free, explicit and revocable. Only "yes" means "yes."

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.

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...

Madam President, we commemorate World Elderly Day in Europe by recalling that justice between generations is judged where it is most difficult: in the periphery, remote areas and islands. Today, elderly residents of several Greek islands are forced to travel to a larger island or the mainland for medical care, specialized examinations, spending their pension on tickets and accommodation, and waiting months for re-examination. They experience transport exclusion, digital exclusion, energy poverty. They have a higher cost of living and higher prices for food, medicines and fuel because of higher transport costs. They live in social isolation. Their children are gone, neighbors are dwindling, public services are closing, and their options for entertainment and creative activity are scarce. A European strategy and support plan for our senior citizens is urgently needed, with particular attention to islands and remote areas, guaranteeing: access to optimal health and care services, affordable travel, safe and affordable housing, while strengthening the resilience of housing to the effects of the climate crisis. The age dimension should be clearly integrated into the allocation of European funds for regional development and cohesion, with a focus on quality of life and active ageing. It is a European responsibility to ensure that every one of our fellow citizens has a safe, autonomous and dignified life.

Mr President, Commissioner, Europe is the fastest warming continent on the planet. This summer, the hottest in history, has shown that the climate crisis is getting stronger. In my own country, Greece, the high temperatures of recent years are creating unbearable conditions for citizens, especially the most vulnerable. We need increased European funding to strengthen the resilience of homes in the face of the climate crisis, with massive renovations of buildings for energy upgrading and better insulation, as well as investments in affordable housing. The Commission should include this priority in the upcoming European Affordable Housing Plan with binding resilience standards. Good housing conditions are essential for the physical and mental health of citizens. Access to resilient housing is a public health issue and the housing crisis makes this situation even more dangerous. Cohesion policy must strengthen the resilience of communities and families, especially in regions exposed to extreme weather events.

Madam President, the European Union can overcome the multiple crises of recent years through more cohesion and convergence. This is also the aim of the Structural Funds which have helped it to build. Cohesion policy is the most crucial European tool for reducing inequalities. But the Commission's proposal for the new multiannual financial framework does not respond to the real needs of the regions, nor does it sufficiently strengthen the tools that will enable us to reduce these disparities. We must ensure that in the new multiannual financial framework, the Just Transition Fund continues with an increased budget – and unfortunately the Commission has not included it in its proposal – because it makes a crucial contribution to the climate neutrality objective in terms of social fairness and plays a crucial role in training, retraining and retraining workers, boosting employment and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Commissioner, in response to the housing crisis that disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, cohesion policy plays a key role and their needs must be placed at its core. Investments in public social housing should also be exempted from budgetary constraints. Finally, I am very proud that in our report we highlighted the particular challenges of European islands, calling for specific support with enhanced funding for targeted housing policies, so that islands can achieve substantial development and their inhabitants can remain in their place. Thank you very much.

Madam President, my country, Greece, as well as other European countries in the South and the Mediterranean, are experiencing the effects of the climate crisis once again. The heatwave threatens human lives. The fires again burn thousands of acres of agricultural and forest land, destroy homes and property and leave many times injured and victims. Unfortunately, many Member States are proving inadequate in tackling these extreme weather events. The European Union must immediately take more initiatives to prevent and tackle them. Unfortunately, the European Civil Protection Mechanism and the European Solidarity Fund are not enough. We need a strong and effective European Civil Protection Mechanism, substantially reinforced by the new Multiannual Financial Framework, to provide adequate and timely support to affected Member States, to immediately enable the necessary investments in critical infrastructure, modern technological equipment and, finally, to ensure adequate staffing, both in terms of prevention and immediate response.

Madam President, my country, Greece, as well as other European countries in the South and the Mediterranean, are experiencing the effects of the climate crisis once again. The heatwave threatens human lives. The fires again burn thousands of acres of agricultural and forest land, destroy homes and property and leave many times injured and victims. Unfortunately, many Member States are proving inadequate in tackling these extreme weather events. The European Union must immediately take more initiatives to prevent and tackle them. Unfortunately, the European Civil Protection Mechanism and the European Solidarity Fund are not enough. We need a strong and effective European Civil Protection Mechanism, substantially reinforced by the new Multiannual Financial Framework, to provide adequate and timely support to affected Member States, to immediately enable the necessary investments in critical infrastructure, modern technological equipment and, finally, to ensure adequate staffing, both in terms of prevention and immediate response.

Madam President, we have waited twelve years for the Council's position on the revision of air passenger rights. But instead of solving the problems of time, the Council is weakening even the already established passenger rights with its positions. Minister, by increasing the delay to four hours for compensation, you are depriving the majority of passengers who suffer enormous hardship of the right to compensation. Moreover, instead of protecting passengers from the unacceptable practices of some airlines that continue to impose additional charges for hand luggage, the text you adopted legitimises them. When paying for a service and not receiving it, passengers should be entitled to automatic and timely compensation and the burden of proof should be on the companies. A revision of the existing legislation is necessary, but this must not be done at the expense of basic passenger rights. Otherwise, we will not be able to support it.

Mr President, Commissioner, public transport is a crucial pillar for drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transport and achieving our central goal of a climate-neutral Europe. But it is essential to ensure that travel is safe, accessible, sustainable, modern and affordable for all, especially the most vulnerable citizens. New financing tools for reliable, accessible and safe public transport, minimum European quality of service standards, affordable access for all citizens to urban transport and multimodal transport solutions are urgently needed. Increased incentives are needed for citizens – and above all professional drivers – to replace polluting vehicles with clean means of transport. There must therefore be a clear commitment that in the new multiannual financial framework resources for public transport will be reinforced to ensure sufficient investment for the modernisation of infrastructure, digitalisation but also for the substantial improvement of working conditions in the transport sector.

Mr President, sweeping accuracy and profiteering have been uncontrollably hitting European citizens for the third year in a row. In my own country, Greece, according to Eurostat, 27% of citizens are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Two out of three people say they barely make a month. Food prices rise every year by up to 10%. The purchasing power of Greeks is in the last positions of Europe. It has up to three times more expensive products than the other Member States, but with wages up to three times lower. Harmonised pricing practices by oligopolies lead to market cartelisation, resulting in Greek products being sold cheaper in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and elsewhere. Commissioner, these distortions cannot be solved by letters. I urge you to take immediate horizontal measures against accuracy, strengthen oversight and control mechanisms and impose severe penalties where harmonised pricing practices exist. Finally, tax the excess profits of profiteering on food and take measures to support vulnerable groups.

Madam President, Commissioner, cohesion policy is a crucial vehicle for reducing inequalities exacerbated by the multiple crises of recent years. The social, economic and territorial convergence of the European Union is a key priority and this must also be reflected in practice. We must ensure that in the next multiannual financial framework cohesion policy funding is significantly reinforced, and that sufficient additional resources are provided for the needs we are experiencing, so that in the coming years we can achieve sustainable and fair growth without leaving anyone behind. We must reject cutting cohesion funds and transferring them to the defence sector. Such proposals run counter to the fundamental objective of cohesion and the objective of convergence. Finally, the decentralised nature of cohesion policy must be fully preserved. A place-based approach is essential. Regional and local authorities have a better understanding of the urgent needs of communities, and must remain at the core of the design and implementation of cohesion policy.

Mr President, international law stipulates that all children must have the same rights without discrimination. In practice, however, when a family moves from one European Member State to another, it can face the unacceptable reality of the non-recognition of parenthood established in another Member State. This legal uncertainty creates serious obstacles to the daily lives of thousands of families, from access to healthcare and education, to issues of residence and inheritance rights. The Parenthood Regulation is a necessary step to ensure that, if you are a parent in a European Member State, you must be recognised as a parent in all countries of the Union, and that every child in the European Union has their rights recognised and protected, regardless of their place of residence and the type of their family. The Council must immediately adopt the regulation in order to put an end to this unacceptable discrimination against millions of children in Europe. Thank you very much.