Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, as the High Representative, Mr Borrell, said, health is no longer just a matter for pharmacists and doctors, it is also a geopolitical problem. The pandemic has placed global health high on the multilateral political agenda. It has highlighted serious inequalities in vaccine distribution and the need for more effective disease surveillance worldwide and much stronger international cooperation mechanisms. So the strategy we are debating today must change the rules for the European Union to be a leader in global health and to act much more decisively. The threats of the future can be chemical or biological, or they can be silent pandemics such as antimicrobial resistance, and in order to prevent and combat them, we must act with a global approach, that of the One Health concept. We also need more European presence in the governance structures of a much stronger and more effective World Health Organization. And finally, we need resources: If we want a truly transformative global strategy, innovative financial instruments will have to be explored in collaboration with the European Investment Bank or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Madam President, Commissioner, today we are voting on one of the most important rules of this parliamentary term: the ban on combustion vehicles from 2035, with all that this entails for our cities, but also for industry, a strategic industry that encompasses not only large companies, but small producers, and that has made Europe a world leader. That is why, for me, three points of what we are voting on today are fundamental. First, we need to give security to the sector so that it can direct its investments towards electrification. You do not have to change the rules of the game every five years, nor put more obstacles or more sticks on the wheels. I am referring, for example, to Euro 7. Second, this ambition is not understood if we do not guarantee recharging points. We need mandatory targets per country and we cannot reduce our ambition in AFIR. Thirdly, this whole process has to be done hand in hand with the industry and, therefore, it was very important to me that this regulation includes a review clause in 2027, where available technologies, annual progress and implementation are evaluated, and thus ensure, together with the sector, that it is feasible to reach 2035.

Madam President, Commissioner, today Europe sets its sights and ambitions on space. And we do so with an ambitious plan to deploy our own constellation of satellites. A project that will have, in security and connectivity, its two master pillars. It is about securing our sovereignty also in space to ensure that we do not depend on the infrastructure of third countries, as has happened to us in the invasion of Ukraine. With this constellation we will be able to give uninterrupted and secure access to telecommunications services and thus protect our critical infrastructures. We will also have our own eyes where necessary in times of crisis, whether natural disasters, diplomatic missions or military strategies. But, in addition, this program will allow access to broadband throughout Europe, avoiding that rural areas or those more remote are disconnected. Depopulation policies cannot be understood without a stable internet connection, via satellite, like the one we are proposing today. And finally, this will be an exemplary constellation in terms of spatial and environmental sustainability. It only remains for me, dear Christophe, to thank you for your exceptional work in making this constellation possible.

Madam President, High Representative, dear rapporteurs, as rapporteur for the opinion drawn up by the Committee on Gender Equality on the common security and defence policy, I have to say that it is disappointing that none of the proposals we have made in our committee have been included in this report. Equality between men and women is certainly one of the great priorities of this House, but we must lead by example and, unfortunately, in the area of security and defence, much remains to be done. We must take a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and exploitation, either on the staff of our cooperation missions or among the local population we are targeting. We have an ethical and moral obligation to carry out the necessary audits to ensure that those responsible for these inhumane acts are held accountable and, although it is an uncomfortable reality, we must root out these problems. As legislators, we can no longer look the other way.

Mr President, Commissioner, we are at a very difficult time for Europe: high commodity energy prices, fierce competition from the U.S. and China, and an increasingly serious threat of deindustrialization. In this context, the responsible management of our waste is not just an environmental and public health issue. Encouraging their reuse and creating a market for recycling within our borders and not exporting the problem to third countries is a necessity for the European Union, which also depends so much on the raw materials of other countries. Waste is a tremendously valuable resource, with great economic and industrial potential if we learn to use it intelligently. I am thinking, for example, of iron scrap, so necessary to produce the green steel of the future. The regulation we are debating today is essential to reduce our dependence and make our production more sustainable and now a circular model. But I also believe that we must go further and, therefore, I believe that we must ensure, with effective controls and very clear criteria, that during all stages of waste management, we do not turn our backs on our standards with mass shipments to third countries.

Madam President, Commissioner Timmermans, accelerating the deployment of renewables is a matter of survival in the European Union. And removing bottlenecks and streamlining administrative procedures in permitting should be a priority. The REPowerEU plan is the answer. Today, a solar project can take up to four years to approve; one wind, up to ten. This is unacceptable in the current crisis. But beware, this cannot be done at any price. Simplification: Yes, but respecting environmental standards and, of course, without turning our backs on local authorities who now see how renewable macro-projects are decided without their participation. Priority areas should be identified and land with no environmental value and degraded soils in industrial facilities should be exploited. REPowerEU should also be the mechanism to modernise installations that will become obsolete, to incentivise self-consumption and also to resolutely support biomethane as local renewable energy, which brings jobs and industry to our rural areas.

Madam President, Commissioner, business confidence has plummeted and a third of the largest companies in Europe are planning to halt or reduce their production because of high energy prices. Moving towards a single energy market is now more necessary than ever. And for this we need two things: market reform and interconnections. Market interventions are undesirable, but it is more undesirable to leave citizens homeless and businesses stranded. Today the price signals are being lost and, in addition, we have the immense challenge of creating an electricity grid that absorbs all the renewable power that we will install in the next decade. Let's be brave to change what doesn't work. Regarding interconnections, we are late, behind the objectives we had and, in addition, it seems that we have not learned. We have just left MidCat and now we are replacing it with a much more expensive project that will not allow us to transport gas or renewable hydrogen until 2030, which does not serve us for the current crisis. Commissioner, the task ahead of us is enormous. It is urgent to take action. Let's get to work, because our citizens and our businesses can't wait any longer.

Madam President, Commissioner, today's adoption of REPowerEU by this House is great news; This is because it demonstrates our ability to react and puts concrete funds on the table to achieve two priority objectives: decarbonize our energy mix and cut ties with a criminal government such as the Russian one. We propose in five years what we planned to do in fifteen, but we cannot stay in the applause. No European at home will understand our satisfaction if they do not know if they will be able to heat their homes this winter. That is why we have fought so hard for REPowerEU to also support the most vulnerable households and SMEs, but we also need to think about the long term and anticipate the problems, because we know that the solution is to invest massively in renewables. But how to achieve a true energy union if we do not invest in interconnections? Is our network ready to support the increase in renewable power that we will live in this decade? How to avoid dependence on China when demand for raw materials such as lithium skyrockets? Addressing these questions now, Commissioner, will allow us not to have to put any more patches in the future.

Mr President, space is a sector of the future for Europe and for our industry. This resolution, together with legislation on secure connectivity, is a before and after for European space policy. More than 7,000 satellites and more than a million debris orbit the Earth and their number is constantly increasing. More than 30,000 additional satellites are expected to be launched in the coming years, with an increasing risk of collision. Space traffic management is therefore essential to ensure the safety of space infrastructure and operations, as well as sustainability. We need to strengthen our existing surveillance and monitoring capacities to preserve the strategic autonomy and competitiveness of European industry, while fostering international cooperation. We therefore call on the Commission to propose binding legislation by 2024 to manage space traffic and facilitate the governance of the sector. It's not science fiction. The space economy is a reality with tremendous potential. The security and defence dimension of space is, as the war in Ukraine has taught us, a priority for Europe. To bet, therefore, on a strong and viable European space sector is to bet on the European industry of tomorrow, on the security of our societies and on the development of a scientific ecosystem of excellence.

Commissioner, depopulation is a problem that affects the whole of Europe, but especially countries such as Spain, where three out of four municipalities lose inhabitants. And I am referring not only to small rural municipalities, but also to medium-sized cities. That is why it was so important to me that the definition of depopulated area be included in the ERDF Funds Regulation, because that allows these areas to have a comprehensive action plan with which to revitalize them and attract employment. And to create jobs, one of the measures now accepted by the Commission is essential, which consists of allowing differentiated taxation, tax benefits to companies that are established in these areas. And I am talking, for example, about bonuses for workers. However, we see that Member States are not using this measure. In the case of Spain we have been waiting for ten months and I would like to know your opinion. And my second question concerns the Just Transition Fund, which is very important to prevent depopulation. We also see that some Member States have not yet submitted their Just Transition Plan. We are now in danger of losing an annuity. I would also like to know if this is so, if we can lose an annuity of these funds and what we need to do about it.

Madam President, first of all, to say that I find it outrageous that an escapee from Spanish justice speaks like this, in this Parliament, about Spain. And yes, Commissioner, I believe that we can be very proud of cohesion policy and that if we have learned anything it is that, in order to be useful, it must be flexible and find that balance between preserving its long-term approach to reducing disparities between regions and responding to unforeseen situations and crises, as we did with REACT-EU during COVID-19, as we did with Ukrainian refugees and as we must do now with inflation and the price of energy. That is why, Commissioner, I believe that there is an urgent need for a mechanism to support SMEs and families. And my other point is simplification. Because bureaucracy and the lack of qualified staff are leading to worrying situations, such as Spain, where we have yet to implement part of the funds for the period 2014–2020. We have not yet delivered the 2021-2027 operational plans and we may lose a Just Transition Fund annuity because we have an overflowing administration trying to manage Next Generation EU funds. Therefore, if we talk about the future, we must talk about simplification, modernization and establishing synergies so that the funds complement each other and do not overlap, as is happening now.

Madam President, Commissioner, we are facing a particularly harsh winter, and we citizens need certainty. Certainty that, no matter what happens, there will be no power outages in our homes or at jobs. And certainty that energy prices will not continue to run rampant. And we can't wait any longer. We need the Commission to propose a social shield now, and I am talking about direct aid, as was done during COVID-19, to help mitigate the meteoric increase in invoices and avoid the closure of companies. We also need to put forward courageous reforms, such as those in the electricity market, and there the 27 of us must work together urgently, but without blunders. And I say this because in Spain the gas cap has triggered our imports of Russian gas and now we are the consumers who are paying the compensation to the gas companies in our bills. And finally, we need interconnection infrastructures that today can be used for gas but that tomorrow must be used for green hydrogen. And European projects must be paid for with European funds. Commissioner, time is running out against us and we need courageous action now.

Madam President, dear Vice-President Vestager, colleagues, we run the risk that European values will be replaced globally, our companies will be marginalised and our living standards will be drastically reduced. These, as you know, are not my words, but those contained in the report that we adopted today after months of work in the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence. Fighting for the technological leadership of the European Union is not an option. Not only because our competitiveness depends on it, but because we cannot run the risk that others who do not share our values will end up imposing the rules on us. Europe is brave and setting global standards for artificial intelligence: Reliable ethics, at the service of citizens and focused on our democratic values. We will have the challenge of not over-regulating, avoiding duplication and a system of governance that avoids a fragmented market with 27 different interpretations. Our businesses, especially small ones, need a single market, without bureaucracy, that allows them to innovate and grow in Europe. That said, the report we are adopting today is more than a wake-up call. It is a roadmap with clear proposals that must accompany legislation if we are to compete for leadership. I am talking, for example, about the creation of a stock exchange similar to the Nasdaq, which helps our digital companies to be able to finance themselves quickly with European capital. I am talking about increasing public and private investments to reach at least EUR 20 billion per year. I am talking about investing in training to reduce the shortage of qualified personnel, but also so that workers know how to integrate technology into their day-to-day lives and free them from repetitive jobs that machines can do. Above all, I am talking about a European interoperable data space that frees us from foreign dependencies. There is an urgent need to make up for lost time to ensure that the enormous advances in artificial intelligence benefit society as a whole. And today we take a big step.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, as Vice-President of the Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula of the European Parliament, I am today presenting an urgent resolution to condemn the systematic violation of human rights that is taking place in North Korea. The past few months have been especially dramatic for North Koreans, and reports of abuse, beatings and unjustified detentions are on the rise. The European Union must be strong and uncompromising towards the Kim Jong-un regime, and that is why this resolution demands that the international community hold accountable those responsible for this barbarism. As democratic representatives of the citizens of the European Union, we can no longer look the other way: we cannot ignore the fact that the North Korean regime is repressing political freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression and the press with extreme violence; we cannot ignore the very high levels of malnutrition and medical neglect suffered by the population for years; we cannot ignore the extreme violence and slavery in the country's prisons and re-education camps; We cannot ignore their constant military and nuclear provocations and intimidations, and we cannot ignore the suffering of women and girls in North Korea, a country where state officials not only fail to protect their people, but perpetuate gender-based violence, sexual abuse and inequality. Tomorrow, by voting on this resolution, we will demonstrate that this Parliament looks at this reality head on, that we condemn it in the most absolute terms and that we demand an immediate end to these heartbreaking violations of human rights.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, if we talk about innovation, Europe needs more than ever to open up to the world, exchange knowledge and cooperate with those nations that can broaden our scientific, humanistic and technological horizon. The text we are debating today establishes the strategy of cooperation with other nations, partners and allies with whom we must advance in all kinds of knowledge, but paying special attention to the great challenges: green transition, digitalisation and health. We also made clear the need to strengthen ties with Ukraine's academic sector and scientists. Horizon Europe funds should serve to create common projects with our neighbouring country in the coming years. Another major priority is the protection of academic freedom. Europe must build its future around critical thinking and, therefore, we cannot tolerate freedom in educational institutions being jeopardised or called into question. Finally, I want to highlight three keys of the text that I think are fundamental: explicit promotion of gender equality in R&D teams, cooperation with our Mediterranean partners on hydrogen and R&D collaboration in semiconductors, an essential axis of our digital sovereignty.

. – Madam President, we meet again at a time that defines European history. The terrible invasion of Ukraine, with millions of women and children fleeing the country, forces us to react, to move fast, and puts our solidarity to the test again. I am glad to see that Europe will not disappoint. Congratulations, Commissioner, because if Europe is to be useful, it has to be flexible, and today, with cohesion policy, we are showing that. This initiative, which we are adopting today, CARE, will enable the European regions to finance all the expenditure arising from the humanitarian crisis. We're talking about education, field hospitals, shelters... In short, we talk about integration. But this initiative, as it stands today, is not enough. First, more funding is needed for border regions. Two million refugees have arrived in Poland alone. Secondly, we must review the deadlines we are giving to the regions in order to be able to justify the expenditure: I hope it is not necessary, but everything seems to indicate that this crisis will continue beyond the summer. And, third, we must also support those who are suffering the most from the collateral damage of this invasion. We're already seeing it: SMEs and families are unable to cope with the unstoppable rise in fuel and energy prices. A dramatic situation that is a new blow to the countryside, to the carriers and to the industry. That funds reach businesses and families will be key for society to endure the onslaught of the war economy. The brave Ukrainians and the countries hosting them need us and standing with them will be a test of solidarity and strength for the whole European Union.

Madam President, Commissioner, the European Union has set out to be a benchmark in the battery industry. A key piece in our fight for strategic autonomy. In 2030 we want 30 million electric vehicles to circulate on our roads and these figures imply an exponential increase in strategic materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, on which Europe is poor and on which we depend completely on imports. In 2020 alone we will need 18 times more lithium or 5 times more cobalt. Therefore, if we want to ensure our strategic autonomy, we need to incentivise and develop an industry in Europe that uses the principles of circularity as the main lever. And for this we need a regulatory framework, new rules of the game that guarantee the regulation and legal certainty of the entire value chain. And this is what today's proposal proposes. We comprehensively regulate the entire product lifecycle, from design to end-of-life, to make batteries more sustainable and competitive. I think this is an ambitious proposal. Requirements on the content of recycled material of batteries are introduced, more ambitious collection measures; We regulate the second life of electric vehicle batteries, the millions of batteries we will have so that they can have other uses, and a battery passport is implemented that reflects their carbon footprint so that their environmental impact is also transparent. Of course, environmental sustainability must go hand in hand with the social dimension. The elimination of worker abuse and the use of child labour in mines must be ensured. Thank you, sheriff. I believe that with this legislation today we are taking a big step forward. We are ambitious and give a strong signal in Europe to accelerate our energy independence.

Mr President, Commissioner, we in Europe can no longer accept our dependence on Russian gas as inevitable. After the historical escalation of the last few days, it is urgent to prevent the continued use of gas as a political weapon. Commissioner, we need concrete measures to alleviate the electricity bill of homes and businesses that are now paying an unaffordable record price. We ask you for a proposal to temporarily modify the energy pricing system. In times of war, extraordinary measures are needed to put an end to Putin's blackmail. And, in addition, we have to address another of our great weaknesses: lack of energy interconnections. In that sense, I believe that Spain can and should play a key role in this crisis. Today I sent a letter to the Government of my country to recover the Midcat project on interconnection with France. We have a great capacity for regasification and a direct connection with Africa; Not betting decisively on this would be irresponsible for the whole of Europe.

Madam President, Commissioner, the Cohesion Funds were created to build a fairer Europe. We cannot let the bureaucracy turn this magnificent tool into a problem. The COVID crisis has already caused us to change our view of cohesion policy and we were able to adapt funds to the urgent needs of the pandemic. Now we need to adapt to a new crisis. The war is going to affect us tremendously. We are facing unprecedented increases in energy prices, supply problems and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees we need to help. The Commission's idea of supporting the refugee crisis with the remnants of the previous period is an appropriate but clearly insufficient idea, Commissioner. We need to present a new emergency instrument for Ukraine that will support refugees and also European businesses and families most affected by the crisis. I would like to know your position on this. Don't you think that, as we did during COVID, now is the time for us to support the regions most affected by the crisis in Ukraine with the funds of the new period? On the other hand, and as you well know, there is another matter that concerns me. Last November, the Director-General of the Commission's DG for Regional and Urban Policy identified Spain as the most backward country in the entire European Union in the development of cohesion policy for the new period. The warning was useless. We still have not presented even a draft of the Association Agreement and, with the low economic growth we have, this situation is very serious and we risk losing an annuity of funds. We're not the only country. I would like to know what the Commission is going to do: is it going to be more flexible with deadlines or is it going to condemn Member States that are late to lose an annuity? I would also like to ask you what the Commission can do to provide technical support so that States are not overrun administratively.

Madam President, today I would like to address all those people who struggle with cancer every day, and their families, who support them and suffer as their own the ravages of this disease. Today's message is clear: This Parliament is going to stand up for you. Because the report that is adopted today is not a declaration of intent, it is a project with concrete measures to pool resources in research and to be able to deal, for example, with rare cancers, pediatric cancers or those that are more difficult to cure. It is a plan for Member States to invest in prevention, screening and better care. A direct support to health systems, to our professionals. And inequalities have no place here, only the highest quality care regardless of borders: that a patient from Poland, Romania, France or Spain has the same opportunities to overcome the disease. To all of you, I say that the fight against cancer will continue to be a top priority for this Parliament. Let there be no doubt in your mind. Thank you very much, dear Véronique, for your involvement.

Madam President, Commissioner, rapporteur, how many citizens did the messenger RNA technique sound to two years ago? Or who knew who Biotech was a few months before the pandemic? The importance of the pharmaceutical sector and biotechnological innovation is out of the question. Its success in recent months has gone hand in hand with ours, and the development in record time of a vaccine, which has freed us from the worst of the pandemic, has not been the result of chance: It has been years of research away from the spotlight, close collaboration and public-private investment, and the work of some of the world's best researchers on vaccine ingredients. In this House we have discussed talent, innovation and technology on numerous occasions. Today, with this pharmaceutical strategy, we take another step to protect the companies and researchers that have given the face and recover the competitiveness of a strategic industry of which Europe was once a leader, because, today, we are far from being autonomous in the pharmaceutical field: only 60% of the medicines we consume are produced in the European Union and 80% of the active ingredients come from China and India. To regain this leadership, we need, first of all, to provide the industry with sufficient legal certainty to encourage it to invest the time and enormous resources needed to develop new medicines. And protecting innovative SMEs is critical because, after all, for many years their only asset has been intellectual property. We must also focus on the technologies of the future, nanotechnology, gene therapy, artificial intelligence and creating a European health data space that reflects the excellence of our health systems. My second point leads me to drugs that are not profitable, such as pediatrics or those that treat diseases such as ALS. From Europe, we do not forget those who suffer from these diseases, and this is where we must solve the market failures, bet on a system of incentives that works and, above all, support research with public investment. Let's use recovery plans, cohesion funds and innovation programmes like Horizon Europe. Of course, we have to put the citizen at the centre of this whole debate. Two-speed Europe must be avoided at all costs. A very illustrative example: a patient today, in northern Europe, takes on average between 100 and 200 days to have access to a new medicine; the same patient in Eastern Europe would take between 600 and 1000 days. We have to tackle this problem because, in the health field, these disparities cost lives. Finally, this strategy must serve to learn from the mistakes of the past, to make sure that we are prepared to face future crises, and now is the time for the Commission to present an early warning mechanism to avoid shortages of medicines and to bet on administrative solutions that have proven useful, such as rapid approvals or the joint purchase of critical materials. Let us continue to show that the European Union provides solutions. Dear colleagues, Europe is the continent with the highest life expectancy, a great achievement that says a lot about our health and pharmaceutical systems. It is essential to ensure the sustainability of this system and that the next health crisis finds us with the duties done. This is the best favor we can do for future generations.