Speeches

Pursuant to Rule 251(4) of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to inform you that there was no request to put to the vote the two corrigenda announced in plenary on Monday, 20 October. The corrigenda are therefore deemed to have been approved and are published on the web page.

What better time for some announcements? First of all, in relation to the recommendation for a decision tabled by the REGI Committee to raise no objection to a delegated act announced on Monday, 20 October, no objections were raised within the 24-hour deadline. Pursuant to Rule 104(6), this recommendation has therefore been deemed approved. It is published with the adopted text.

The debate is closed. As we are waiting for Commissioner Dombrovskis for the next item on the agenda, we will have a few minutes' break. The Commission is supposed to be in here in one minute. He probably expected more catch-the-eyes, so I invite you to have more catch-the-eyes next time. We're not going to suspend the sitting because he should be here any second.

I have only three requests, but, Mr Mularczyk, you already spoke on the speakers list. So I'll not give you the word, because this is something which we don't do. So then I have Mr Tynkkynen, and please try to attend the debate more when you ask for catch-the-eye. This one you were most of the time outside.

The next item is the statement by the Council and the Commission: "Criminal intimidation of investigative journalists in the European Union: attempted attack on Sigfrid Ranucci’ (2025/2944(RSP)). For the Commission, I would like to start with Commissioner Kos. Unfortunately, the Council decided not to take part in this debate, which I find regrettable. So please, Commissioner, please.

Thank you, Commissioner, and indeed we look forward to have a much closer and detailed exchanges with the Commission, because this is indeed very important. The debate is closed.

The next item is the report by Mr Beleris from the Committee on Petitions in 2024 (A10-0170/2025) and I would ask my colleague Mr Beleris to open this debate.

To wind up the debate, I have received three motions for resolutions tabled in accordance with Rule 142(5). The debate is closed. The vote will be held today.

The first item on our agenda today is the oral question to the Commission: Statement of Principles for a Gender-Equal Society. And at the beginning of this debate, I would like to ask my colleague Vesiligai (O-000024/2025 - B10-0009/25) (2025/2780(RSP).

Negotiations have thus begun. The President received from the Council her positions at first reading, as well as the reasons for their adoption and the Commission’s positions and opinions. The full titles of the six files will be published in the minutes of today's sitting. The three-month period available to Parliament for adopting its positions starts tomorrow, 10 October. And the first item on our agenda today is the oral question to the Commission: Statement of Principles for a Gender-Equal Society. At the beginning of this debate, I would like to ask my colleague Vesiligai.

(Lukas Sieper held up a blue card in paper form) Mr Sieper, if you want a blue card, you should push the button. (Lukas Sieper responded off mic) Yes, I can understand, but that's why we have the electronic system. I like that you are trying to play with the rules of procedure. Your diligent study of the rules is highly appreciated, but I would really like to ask you to use the electronic system. That's why we use the taxpayers' money to install it. You did it, okay.

And the next item is the statement by the Council and the Commission - Enforcing EU digital rules: Protecting European Sovereignty. And I would like to start by asking Minister Bjerre (2025/2871(RSP)) for the Council.

Madam President, Mr Executive Vice-President, it's finally time for the Commission and – let's be honest, colleagues – also us to step up and stop this favourite game of Member States' governments: blaming Brussels, or, in this case, Strasbourg. Because, honestly, it is they who are putting obstacles in the way of a single market. European regulation is setting up the same rules across the one market, but then come Member States' governments who put extra provisions on their own, down to really silly things like having different colours for waste separation between the Member States. Now imagine what it means for a scale-up in clean tech, from Slovakia, in the construction business, having to go for certification of their product in every single Member State – and in Germany, of course, in every single Bundesland. What we are putting in front of us is more than what Trump is doing to us: more than 40 % de facto tariffs on goods and more than 120 % de facto tariffs on services. Let's not kid ourselves. Let's finally get a single market.

Mr President, thousands of lives every year. That's what this is all about. Thousands of lives lost. The climate crisis is turning into a climate catastrophe, and besides the need to address the causes, we also need to be able to address the consequences. Mitigation and adaptation. What stands in the center is our own housing, our own cities and villages. And what is important is that adaptation, that is, to be able to survive those extremes at all, so that the elderly do not die in such quantities, is at the same time part of the solution. Our housing, energy efficiency or, humanly speaking, thermal insulation is not only about using less energy in winter, but also about protecting you from extreme heat in summer. We need to promote energy efficiency, we need to support home renovations and we need to green our cities. To be able to cope with these extremes.

The next item is the Council and Commission statements on the implementation of the EU-US trade agreement and the perspective of wider EU trade agreements (2025/2853(RSP)).

Thank you very much! I heard the speech in the German original because I understand German. But it's easier for me to speak in English. Yes, we will look at it, but also I have to respect the freedom of speech – it's a really fine balance. Thank you for raising the historical consequences, the context that might have broken the Rules of Procedure. Please submit it in writing.

The last item on the agenda is the one-minute speeches under Rule 179 of the Rules of Procedure. Let me remind you that these one-minute speeches are made from your chair.