What Virginijus spoke about.

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, Moldova is at a historic crossroads, choosing between embracing democratic values and European integration, or remaining under the influence of external interference and restrictive governance. With the presidential elections and a referendum on EU integration approaching, we must recognise the gravity of the moment. Moldova is not just another cou…

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry, potential plant closures and the need to enhance competitiveness and maintain jobs in Europe (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European automotive industry is at a defining moment, as some manufacturers are warning of potential plant closures and job losses due to unfair competition and high production costs, and there are also calls to roll back CO2 regulations. But stepping back on our climate goals is not the solution. We hear the concerns of workers, and we stan…

19

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, we have all witnessed the devastating floods across Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic and Poland, as well as the severe forest fires in Portugal. These are clear signs of the climate instability that is no longer distant; it's already here affecting us now. Climate change is intensifying. Droughts, extreme weather event…

17

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States (debate)

Mr President, soon it will be 1000 days. This very November, we shall mark 1000 days of rape, looting and murder, deliberate bombings of children's hospitals and maternity wards, and cynical breaking of all possible international agreements and charters. All that is called Russian imperialism. All that taking place on European soil, and how exactly we will greet the millions of victims with this t…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Gradual roll-out of Eudamed, information obligation in case of interruption of supply and the transitional provisions for certain in vitro diagnostic medical devices (C9-0010/2024) (vote)

– Madam President, I promise I’ll be short. But I have to read it. President, honourable Members, the Commission will continue supporting the implementation of the Regulation 2017/745 on Medical Devices and Regulation 2017/746 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices, with a view to reaching the objectives set by the co-legislators at the time of their adoption. At the same time, recognising that ch…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) (debate)

– Mr President, dear Members of the Parliament, thank you for your interventions. Let me reiterate once more the importance of the Net Zero Industry Act. With this file we have set the bar high. We are sending a powerful signal for the EU to boost its clean tech manufacturing competitiveness via our benchmarks, with the ambitious permitting and access to market provisions, and by using, in a smart…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) (debate)

– Mr President, honourable Members, dear rapporteur Mr Ehler, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the European Commission I am delighted to take part in this plenary debate on the Net Zero Industry Act. You are about to adopt a piece of legislation that is simply crucial. It’s going to spur the EU towards a decarbonised and resilient energy system, building on a competitive domestic supply of net-z…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (debate)

– Madam President, honourable Members, thank you for your contribution. I’ve taken good notes of your valuable comments. And I hope even if some of you are not going to be in the Parliament, you’re still going to be as passionately advocating for the expansion, for the enlargement of the Union, not only to the Commission, but also across the Member States, because the willingness of 27 is also ext…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (debate)

– Madam President, honourable Members, I want to thank you for having added a debate on the Commission’s communication on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews. This represents our contribution to the ongoing discussions that should lead to the endorsement by EU leaders of a roadmap for future work on enlargement and reforms by the summer. This is also the first stepping stone towards the ref…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Interinstitutional Body for Ethical Standards (debate)

– Madam President, dear Members of the Parliament, thank you very much. This debate has shown the importance of the issue, and has shown how seriously this House takes its own mandate and the issue of the ethical conduct of Members representing European citizens. I have attentively listened to those advocating for and those opposing the establishment of the interinstitutional ethics body. I want t…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Interinstitutional Body for Ethical Standards (debate)

– Madam President, honourable Members, for all of us, upholding integrity and independence within all European institutions is crucial for maintaining public trust and impartial decision-making. Based on extensive work and contacts with the other institutions, the Commission tabled in June 2023 a proposal for a joint agreement between the institutions to establish an interinstitutional ethics body…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Advance passenger information: enhancing and facilitating external border controls - Advance passenger information: prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime (joint debate - Advance passenger information)

– Mr President, honourable Members, I thank you for your contribution this evening. Let me reiterate that this is a good compromise that improves the current situation significantly. The new regulation on advanced passenger information will facilitate the work of border guards and police officers, and will make travelling smoother for passengers. The Court of Justice has set strict data protection…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Advance passenger information: enhancing and facilitating external border controls - Advance passenger information: prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime (joint debate - Advance passenger information)

– Mr President, honourable Members, also on behalf of the Commissioner Johansson, whom I’m replacing today, I want to thank rapporteurs for their excellent work on the two proposals on advanced passenger information. These new measures will make our Union safer and our borders smarter – objectives that most of us share with conviction. Air carriers will have to collect and transfer API data in a u…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The anti-LGBTIQ bill passed by the Ghanaian parliament with implications for human rights, freedom of expression and democratic principles (debate)

– Mr President, our debate today illustrates the EU’s commitment to defending human rights as universal values. Ghana has shown a strong commitment to shared interests in a rules-based multilateral order, notably in the context of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to values dear to the EU, such as the abolition of the death penalty – an important milestone in Ghana’s support for human rights.…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The anti-LGBTIQ bill passed by the Ghanaian parliament with implications for human rights, freedom of expression and democratic principles (debate)

– Mr President, honourable Members, Ghana is a solid democracy, an anchor of regional stability, and has a strong record in terms of protecting human rights throughout its laws and through its practice. Significant steps have been taken in this area. See, for example, Ghana’s decision of last year to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty. However, challenges remain, notably in the area o…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The new security law in Hong Kong and the cases of Andy Li and Joseph John

– Mr President, before I begin my speech, let me applaud Members of the Parliament – Reinhard Bütikofer, Mr Castaldo for their constant fight for the human rights and being the champions of defending what is the base of our Union. Thank you very much for that. President, honourable Members, the EU has repeatedly expressed its grave concerns about the national security law that Beijing imposed on H…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The proposed repeal of the law banning female genital mutilation in The Gambia

– Mr President, honourable Members, following nearly two decades of dictatorship, The Gambia has presented a positive story since it returned to democracy in 2017. It has demonstrated a commitment to defending human rights and multilateralism, with the UN at its core. It has voted in solidarity with Ukraine. It has been at the forefront of many human rights battles, including the Rohingyas in Myan…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Azerbaijan, notably the repression of civil society and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and Ilhamiz Guliyev

– Mr President, the rule of law and human rights are at the core of the EU’s relations with Azerbaijan, and it will continue to be an important part of our dialogue. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about the intensification of persecution against civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan, which we see as an attempt to intimidate and silence dissenting voices and suppress freedom of …

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Recent attempts to deny dictatorships and the risk of Europe returning to totalitarianism (debate)

– Mr President, when confronting totalitarianism, we must combine vigilance with mindfulness. The rejection of the totalitarianism in our past and the evils that it led to inspire our Union and the values which bind us. So we must recall these truths of history to brace ourselves for the challenges of the present and future. As politicians preparing for elections, we need to embody our values and …

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Recent attempts to deny dictatorships and the risk of Europe returning to totalitarianism (debate)

– Mr President, honourable Members, the values set out in the EU treaties are neither theoretical nor optional. They are the essential condition upon which our democratic and pluralist societies are founded. The EU was built on the ashes of World War Two, and it was designed also to counter totalitarian tendencies. According to Hannah Arendt, the features of a totalitarian regime include a governm…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The attack on climate and nature: far right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future (topical debate)

– Mr President, honourable Members, thank you very much for this debate, which is very timely ahead of the European elections. Let me use this opportunity and address at least some of the more concrete issues you raised during this debate. First of all, as regards Ms Bentele, Mr Canfin, Mr Liese, you all said, and it is absolutely true, that the most of the Green Deal legislation was approved in t…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The attack on climate and nature: far right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future (topical debate)

– Mr President, State Secretary, honourable Members, the European Green Deal was originally designed as a growth and innovation strategy from the start and it continues to be an essential driver for securing lasting prosperity. We remain committed to our climate and environmental objectives, because becoming more resource-efficient and energy-independent makes Europe stronger in the face of geopol…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Packaging and packaging waste (A9-0319/2023 - Frédérique Ries) (vote)

– Madam President, honourable Members, let me begin by sincerely thanking everyone involved and in particular the lead rapporteur, Ms Ries, with her shadow rapporteurs, as well as the rapporteurs in the three associated committees. The text of the new packaging and packaging waste regulations represents a balanced package of measures. This outcome of negotiations will contribute significantly to r…

12

Mar

2024

EN Speech

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Industrial Emissions Directive (A9-0216/2023 - Radan Kanev) (vote)

– Madam President, honourable Members, the Commission is acutely sensitive to the importance of this law for livestock farming communities. So, the revision represents a major simplification and burden reduction opportunities for farmers. Only the 30% of the largest industrial-scale pig and poultry farms would be in the scope of the revised directive, with the 70% smaller pig and poultry farms, al…

27

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Protection of journalists and human rights defenders from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings (A9-0223/2023 - Tiemo Wölken) (vote)

– Mr President, Members of the Parliament, the Commission takes note of the rules on international jurisdiction and applicable law the European Parliament proposed in its mandate for the negotiations on the proposal for a directive on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings. The Commission agrees on the importance of rules on jur…