Speeches

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, this year too, in this report, Parliament will once again express its opposition to the aberrant practice of the rented uterus. Yet, with a small adjective a huge naivety is accomplished, condemning only the commercial one. Those who know this business well know that altruistic surrogacy, including reimbursement of clinical expenses, lawyers and intermediaries, is in fact only a commercial that is ashamed of being called altruistic. There is no rented uterus that does not involve the reproduction market. Instead, we try to support the adoption system, because wishing to become parents is beautiful, but it cannot be achieved at the expense of the dignity of women and children. For this reason I invite you to condemn every kind of rented, commercial and altruistic uterus, accepting the proposal that we have put forward as an ID group. There is no altruism when a newborn is torn from the womb that raised it and the woman's body is reduced to a means to an end.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the WHO is warning of a surge in cases of respiratory infections while Europe is experiencing a worrying shortage of antibiotics and other essential medicines. We are too dependent on countries like China and India, which account for as much as 66% of our active ingredient imports. Dependence on other countries in strategic sectors such as gas from Russia has already shown that in the end it is always the citizens who pay. So it is good to talk about these topics because they are vital, but it is necessary to keep the goal clear: make us as independent as possible in the pharmaceutical sector. We need to be ready. Let's look at what's happening in China: 60 000 people have died since the beginning of December, according to government estimates. A number that is scary and that we do not know how reliable it is, given the lack of transparency. Health is a common good of all Europeans. Serious efforts are needed to stimulate and support the production of the entire supply chain of the drug in our countries, from the active ingredient to the final product. It affects the health and lives of many citizens.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, remembering all patients with diabetes is an obligation for this House. A disease with a growing incidence worldwide, especially for type 2 diabetes, for which it is necessary to act by preventing risk factors such as overweight, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, socio-economic inequalities and poor nutrition. A silent epidemic that, in 2021 alone, caused over one million deaths in Europe, ranking it as the fourth leading cause of death in the European Union. Well then programs like EU4Health, but it is not enough. As a doctor, the first step is always prevention: actively identify those at risk, promoting correct lifestyles, healthy nutrition and physical activity, with information and screening plans to intervene as soon as possible. Half of diabetics and prediabetics do not even know they are diabetic and unfortunately, when the disease becomes evident, the symptoms are macroscopic, the damage is already done and there is a risk of a complicated and disabling end of life, with enormous personal, family, social and health costs. In the fight against diabetes, ladies and gentlemen, this Parliament must respond 'present'.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the death of Mahsa Amini at the age of 22 from a strand of hair outside the veil is an unacceptable horror. That veil that mortifies and kills, a symbol of submission, but recently promoted by the EU as an emblem of integration. As Oriana Fallaci said, there are women in the world who still live behind the thick fog of a veil, the fog that envelops the Iranian regime, responsible for 76 protesters killed and thousands of arrests in the last two weeks alone. Among them an Italian, Alessia Piperno. I therefore urge the Foreign Ministry and you, Commissioner Borrell, to use every means to ensure that Alessia and the other Europeans in prison return home as soon as possible. Mahsa Amini and all the other Mahsa victims of the Iranian regime must not be forgotten. That is why, President, I would like to join the initiative of the Italian Political Refugees Association and light a candle so as not to leave the courageous rebellion of Iranian women alone.

Surely there is a need to keep nuclear energy, because otherwise it will be impossible that it does not increase the energy cost. What other solutions do we have? If nuclear power and gas fail, what other solutions do we have? What do you propose? How do you propose to do it? For a period, for a transition, this is necessary, because citizens and businesses will not move forward, citizens have the most expensive bills. Can you answer differently? It is necessary.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, removing clean gas and nuclear from the taxonomy means increasing the cost of bills for households and businesses. The equation is very simple: In a time of energy crisis and economic recession, we cannot afford to continue to follow the ideology of green at all costs. We have been saying this for a long time, but the European Commission has finally noticed it too. The green transition must be managed by ensuring social and economic sustainability. We need to help our companies, which are in front of competitor Without the same energy constraints, we must ensure that the social cost of the transition does not come at the expense of workers and households. Of course, the environmental objectives are shared, but they must be achieved by ensuring stable energy sources for the Member States. Colleagues, in the face of these strategic choices we carefully evaluate which direction we want to take. Safeguarding the environment also means listening to and preserving families and businesses, accompanying them towards a just transition to renewables. (The speaker agreed to answer a blue card)

Of course, they are equally important. Excuse me, what does equality mean? I mentioned Article 10(2). What does equality mean? What do you mean? Equality is also an important article, of course.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the left today claims the right to interfere in a hypothetical decision by the US Supreme Court to re-evaluate abortion. This Chamber has no authority over abortion, which remains the exclusive competence of the Member States, let alone a sovereign state that is not even part of the European Union. Abortion is not a human right. Human rights are very different: the right to life, individual freedom, religious freedom, not abortion. The attack on conscientious objection is also intolerable. You may forget that Article 10(2) of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights recognises conscientious objection according to national laws. The EU should seek to eliminate the need for abortion, as advocated by the 1994 Cairo Programme of Action. Let's try to understand the reasons that lead women to abort. What does the EU do to help a troubled mother or family avoid abortion? To truly protect women is to create the conditions for them to choose for life. (The speaker agreed to answer a blue card)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are debating yet another act of political self-harm on the part of the European Union. And this is Fit for 55%, a package that will lead to an increase in taxes and bills in order to chase the usual green idol at all costs, as if European families were not already facing a crisis never seen before, between the economic consequences of the pandemic and the devastating effects of war. Of course, the environment must be protected and the ecological transition must be supported, but we cannot afford to destroy the entrepreneurial fabric in this regard. I ask you: How many businesses are going bankrupt and how many families will lose their jobs? Let us look, for example, at the automotive sector, which is already in deep crisis. How do you think we can say goodbye to the combustion engine by 2035 without the flexibility mechanisms that thousands of companies are asking of us? We also look at the Social Climate Fund, waved by the European Commission as the panacea of all evils. It is good to envisage a transition fund, a pity that will only start from 2025 and that, with the current cost of energy, businesses and households risk not getting there by 2025. Not to mention the favor we'll do our competitor like China, ready to increase emissions while we decide to hurt ourselves. That's enough! We are on the side of families and businesses and we will not be complicit in this latest attack. green of the European Union.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, five million refugees from Ukraine to the European Union, 90% of whom are women and children. People fleeing war, in need of health care, work, education for children, housing and protection. Today, Ukrainian women expect real support from this Parliament without incurring ideological rhetoric. Unfortunately, in the text, a fundamental word such as motherhood, a sign of life and hope, is mentioned only once in this resolution; sexual and reproductive rights and abortion 22 times. All vulnerable people must be protected. Let us say it clearly, although it contains positive elements, this text risks exploiting the situation to pursue ideological ends and to beat back once again those countries that do not bow to the mainstream of Brussels. On the contrary, we should be grateful to all the countries that are helping, including the border countries for the immense work of welcoming and protecting women and children. Refugee women are particularly at risk, I think of trafficking and the prostitution market, of which Ukraine was already a destination, I think of the abuses, violence and hidden violence in Ukraine, let's not forget the rented womb. Surrogate mothers, therefore exploited women who receive pressure not to take refuge in the European Union because they would risk legal obstacles in the delivery of the creatures they carry in their wombs. Our amendments condemn surrogacy and call for humanitarian corridors to evacuate mothers and children who are victims of this practice, orphans and disabled people who are still in Ukraine. We also ask for more protections for minors, also checking on arrival by those who are accompanied. In any case, victims of trafficking must be avoided. Colleagues, refugee women are crucial. Let us not succumb to ideological exploitation. Let us work together so that every woman and every girl can be restored their dignity.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, every minute in Ukraine a child becomes a refugee: This was the warning issued by UNICEF a few days ago. How many of them, in just over a month, have seen their lives turned upside down, forced to grow quickly because of the horrors of war, locked up underground with the roar of bombs, which is taking away their dreams and their hopes? Half of those who have left the country are minors, about 2 million children traveling in search of a better future. Dealing with them must be a priority for the European Union: in this exodus many risk ending up in the trafficking market. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure, during the entry phase, a system of identification and registration of children, especially for those who arrive unaccompanied by their parents, to verify with whom they are traveling. There is a need to identify their specific needs and, if necessary, to include them in specialized communities. There are also disabled and orphaned children who are still in the middle of the conflict; There are so many surrogacy babies, kept in clinic bunkers waiting, like parcels, for their buyers to come and pick them up. Tragedy in tragedy. All these little ones need humanitarian corridors so that they can reach the European Union safely. These and more are the points of our resolution. It would have been an important signal for this Chamber to involve all political groups, to provide a unequivocal response to the drama of these children. Colleagues, there must be no political flags on children: Now is the time for us to join forces to give these children a future. And, as Gandhi said, if we want to teach true peace in this world and if we want to wage a war against war, we should start with children.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, the thought goes to the women in Ukraine who are suffering from war, women refugees, forced to flee under bombardment with their children, forced to suffer abuse, rape and torture, as also denounced by UNICEF. Mothers who are courageous, in the hope of a better future. Strong women fighting for peace. I think of Maria, among the many Ukrainian women who have seen their city destroyed and the killing of civilians, children and the elderly, Kira Rudik, a Ukrainian parliamentarian who takes up arms to defend her country, or Mia, the first child born under Russian bombs in Kiev in a metro station thanks to the courage of her mother. Oriana Fallaci, the first Italian woman to go to the front as a special correspondent, wrote: Almost nothing like war, and nothing like an unjust war, shatters the dignity of man. Colleagues, let us never forget these women, as well as those still suffering under the Taliban yoke in Afghanistan. Even in Europe the situation is worrying, the latest Eurobarometer survey on women gives a hard image to accept: three out of four women in the EU and eight out of ten in Italy experience an increase in violence in the last two years, greater difficulty in reconciling family and profession, too often having to give up one to devote themselves to the other. Women more concerned but who do not stop showing courage and tenacity, altruistic, who in the investigation ask this hemicycle to deal primarily with the fight against trafficking and sexual exploitation. And here I remember the drama of the rented uterus, which still claims too many victims in the world. Never before is it indispensable to thank women and give them hope in deeds and not just in words. As John Paul II said: "Thanks to you, woman, for the very fact that you are a woman! With the perception that is proper to your femininity, you enrich the understanding of the world and contribute to the full truth of human relationships.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, today we are talking about democracy and human rights. The right of the child, from birth, is "to be registered immediately, to know his parents and to be raised by them". These are the words of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which also adds an obligation for States to take measures to prevent trafficking in children, for any purpose and in any form. I think these words are clear: the phenomenon of surrogacy cannot in any way be covered by respect for human rights. But today this Chamber would like to take a step back. In 2015, in fact, the European Parliament condemned surrogacy as compromising the dignity of women, while today we would like to condemn only the commercial one. Colleagues, there is no altruistic surrogate motherhood, there is no rented uterus that does not involve the reproduction market, with lawyers, clinics and intermediaries. There is no true altruism when a newborn is torn from the womb that has kept it and raised it for nine months and the woman's body is reduced to a means to an end. That is why I call on you to condemn every kind of rented womb, accepting the proposal that we have put forward as the ID group, so that this Parliament finally takes a clear position in the face of the slavery of the third millennium.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the fight against cancer is a difficult challenge to face, with courage and determination. As a doctor I have always struggled to raise awareness of prevention, and this can be done by providing higher quality care, guaranteeing access to essential medicines and opening up to new technologies. However, clarity is needed on certain points and, in particular, on alcohol consumption. The European Commission also talks about reducing harmful alcohol consumption as a key priority in Europe's plan to beat cancer, and I believe it is right to determine which habits and foods are harmful to health. But moderate use and harmful use of alcohol, therefore abuse, are not the same thing. This should emerge from the text, otherwise a very important economy and culture for our country is in serious danger. The Mediterranean diet is a precious treasure that is part of our lifestyle and provides us with a rich and healthy diet, including responsible consumption of wine. Colleagues, to say that there is no moderate level of alcohol consumption compromises, without scientific evidence, the made in Italy and many other EU countries that produce excellence in the wine sector. Therefore, we promote a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating habits, and unite once and for all in the fight against cancer.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, we women are the engine of change, we are the ones who govern society, who carry on the family and, very often, we find ourselves having to divide between work and caring for the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, if we look at the latest official Eurostat data on femicides in Europe, in 2019 four women were killed a day, one woman every six hours, and one in three women has suffered at least once physical or sexual violence since the age of 15. We can only imagine how these numbers have worsened with the pandemic, with the complaints that have swooped up during the phases of lockdown. In my own country, Italy, we have had 57 victims of femicide since the beginning of 2021. So we have a duty to denounce every attack against a woman whether she is physical, psychological, economic or online. Above all, we cannot forget the violence of which there is less talk. I am thinking, for example, of the drama of the rented womb, on which we have not been able to take a clear position in this legislature. A violence that is based on the exploitation of myriads of women, forced to sell their bodies for hunger, becoming mere tools to fulfill the selfishness of those who want to buy a child. This is the new slavery of the third millennium! Colleagues, during this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, let us not limit ourselves to the often ephemeral words, but let us make a serious commitment together, to act promptly for the real needs of European women. Women can really be the engine of restart. I want to conclude today by recalling the words of Oriana Fallaci: “Being a woman is fascinating. It is an adventure that requires such courage, a challenge that never bores.”

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the work that has led the new pharmaceutical strategy for Europe to the vote in plenary has been intense and I would like to thank the rapporteur, Dolors Montserrat, for her great and fruitful spirit of collaboration. The text we have arrived at represents something more than a simple step forward for our health: is a 360-degree intervention, which brings the attention and protection of the patient back to the center. We will be able to ensure accessible medicines, tackle AMR as a serious threat to public health, address unmet medical needs, such as the revision of the Orphan Medicinal Products Regulation, foster the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the European pharmaceutical sector, as well as the production of high-quality, safe and effective medicines, such as generics and biosimilars. As a doctor I am satisfied that these objectives of fundamental importance have been achieved, also thanks to our contribution. One example is an increased focus on women, too often underrepresented in biomedical and health data. Today, for the first time, they will be fully included in the research, diagnosis, treatment and impact assessment of drugs and therapies. Perhaps we could have done more in favor of home therapy. In fact, I continue to believe that home care can play a fundamental role for many patients, such as those suffering from long-term illnesses, as well as with a view to reducing the economic burden in the health sector. The pandemic has clearly shown us that the European Union was not prepared for such a health crisis. However, this experience is teaching us that behind every great difficulty there is always a great opportunity to be able to seize. Today we have an important piece before us to build a better pharmaceutical strategy for the health of all our citizens. Let's not miss this opportunity!

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the Nazi and Communist regimes have committed mass murder, genocide and deportation, causing unprecedented loss of life and freedom over the course of the twentieth century. This was mentioned in the resolution on European remembrance at the beginning of the parliamentary term. We are still convinced of this and we condemn all totalitarianism. Violence must always be condemned, everything, from that of the troublemakers who invaded the CGIL in Rome to that of the black bloc or social centers. That is why we oppose the instrumental use with which the left throws false alarms to divide and mystify. According to Europol, Italy last year had no episodes of far-right terrorism, while 23 were violent attacks by far-left and anarchist groups, and in 2018 we were the European country most affected by far-left attacks. As Leonardo Sciascia said, the most beautiful example of a fascist that can be encountered today is that of the self-styled anti-fascist solely dedicated to giving the fascist to those who are not fascists.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, we too are convinced that protecting women from violence is crucial, so it is inconceivable that the left should use such a sensitive issue to carry on their ideological battles, which have nothing to do with protecting women. Let's be clear: Today, the aim is to introduce discrimination based on gender identity as a minimum standard in national criminal codes. So if I say that every child needs a mom and dad, am I discriminating? If I believe that the rented uterus is an aberrant practice, should I be indicted? The mechanism is clear, it is the same that is being used in Italy with the Zan ddl: amend the Criminal Code to include discrimination based on gender identity. Given that in some countries, such as my own, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets to defend their freedoms; Given that feminists, liberals and even some members of the LGBT community have said they do not agree, then must we descend from Brussels a beautiful norm to make gender identity a European crime? We're not here! Stop using violence against women or the disabled as levers to try to gag those who do not think like you! While the Italian Parliament, legitimately, is accompanying the Zan ddl to the exit, from Brussels you impose the same contents, it is absurd! We are even trying to use education as a tool to impose an ideology on the new generations. I am sorry to disappoint you, but in Lazio, where I come from, we have already blocked guidelines for schools that had the same objective. Colleagues, if we want to speak seriously about violence against women and discrimination, we are at the forefront, but if the only intention is to impose ideological dictates that are not counted on our support.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, 26 countries have already adopted the COVID-19 certificate and more than 200 million European citizens can resume travelling in peace. After the initial disastrous delays, vaccination campaigns have picked up pace, with tourism and trade breathing again. However, it is worrying that, while in England we are preparing to host an event such as the final of the European Championship, Germany has reintroduced controls and limitations, preventing the entry of some travelers and then taking a step back only yesterday. These sudden changes are not a reassuring sign. The decisions taken for fear of the Delta variant risk undermining the trust of all those who have chosen Europe as a holiday destination at the expense of millions of entrepreneurs and workers. What is the Commission doing to prevent the efforts made and the negotiations of these months from being frustrated? Of course, the attention must remain high, but the increase in vaccinated people and the arrival of heat reduce the contagiousness of the Delta variant, which however has much milder symptoms. Colleagues, citizens need certainty and the Covid certificate must represent a watershed to leave safely. Let's not go back. The forecasts show an increase in tourist movements compared to 2020, especially in the Mediterranean countries. Let's not miss another summer season. Vaccines, testing, sequencing, tracking and no further restrictions on freedom are needed against the new variants. We have the necessary weapons at our disposal to definitively defeat the virus, let's use them.