Speeches

The next item on the agenda is the Council and Commission statements on the electoral law, the investigative committee and the rule of law in Poland(2023/2747(RSP)). I should like to inform Members that there will be only one round of political group speakers, and therefore there is no catch—the—eye procedure and no blue—cards will be accepted.

The next item is the joint debate on: – the report by Birgit Sippel, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on the appointment of legal representatives for the purpose of gathering evidence in criminal proceedings (COM(2018)0226 – C8-0154/2018 – 2018/0107(COD)) (A9—0257/2020); – the report by Birgit Sippel, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Production and Preservation Orders for electronic evidence in criminal matters (COM(2018)0225 – C8-0155/2018 – 2018/0108(COD)) (A9-0256/2020).

The next item is the Commission statement on marking the World Day against Child Labour (2023/2745(RSP)). This is an important day, and we really must enable children to have a fulfilling childhood of education and play, and not work. And therefore I think we owe it to the thousands of children in the world who are still in forced labour.

The next sitting will be tomorrow, Thursday 1 June starting at 9.00. The agenda has been published and is available on the European Parliament website.

Thank you very much. I would like to thank all the interpreters for their great work today, the team assisting me here tonight and our ushers. That concludes this item.

That concludes the debate. I have received one motion for a resolution1 to wind up this debate. The vote will be held tomorrow. Written statements (Rule 171) _______________ 1 See minutes.

The next item is the debate on the oral questions to the Council and the Commission on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union, tabled by Dragoş Pîslaru, Agnes Jongerius, Stelios Kympouropoulos, Abir Al-Sahlani, Rosa D'Amato, Elżbieta Rafalska, Eugenia Rodríguez Palop, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (O-000019/2023 - B9-0020/23) (O-000020/2023 - B9-0021/23) (2023/2536(RSP)).

Mr President, the European Pillar of Social Rights, a real shield to avoid the reversal of social progress, will not become a reality with a declaration of principle. Therefore, it’s good that we have the action plan of Commissioner Schmit, which is being implemented. But we also need a social progress protocol integrated in our EU Treaties, as requested by Europeans during the Conference on the Future of Europe. It is time to deliver more. The Pillar of Social Rights will not be implemented properly without sufficient social investment. Social investments need to be excluded from the excessive deficit calculations. Skills also need a more solid foundation. Workers cannot benefit from skilling opportunities if they do not have a decent minimum income that allows them to live in dignity while upskilling and reskilling. Poverty will not magically disappear. We cannot only blame the geopolitical situation, inflation and the increase of the interest rates. My political choice as a member of the Group of Socialists and Democrats is to make social progress a reality for all, and not only with the aim to leave no one behind, but to ensure that we first focus on those who have already been left behind. And for all these reasons, the Porto Social Forum needs to make a difference for millions of Europeans facing poverty on a daily basis.

Colleague, there is a blue card from Beata Mazurek. Do you accept it? Oh, sorry. The rules have changed. It’s the same political party, so according to the rules, since you are coming from the same political group as Mr Bielan it’s not allowed to have a blue card. Sorry. I forgot to inform you about this in the beginning.

Dear colleague, it was interesting to see that passion you have to defend your excellent report. The debate is now closed, the vote will be held tomorrow. Written statements (Rule 171)

The next item is the report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/942 (COM(2021)0805 - C9—0467/2021 - 2021/0423(COD)) (A9-0162/2023).

The minutes of this sitting will be submitted to Parliament for its approval at the beginning of the next sitting. If there are no objections, I shall forward forthwith the resolutions adopted at today’s sitting to the persons and bodies named in the resolutions.

I think human rights are important subjects, and it’s international law, but anyway, thank you for your interventions, dear colleagues. That concludes the explanations of vote.