What Marc spoke about.

20

Jan

2022

EN Speech

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Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the European Union (continuation of debate)

Madam President, let me recall, in this year of 2022, the European Year of Youth, that sexuality and relationship education in school is an international human right for children and adolescents. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children and young people have the right to receive comprehensive, scientifically accurate and age—appropriate sexual health educatio…

16

Dec

2021

EN Speech

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Barriers to the free movement of goods (debate)

Mr President, unilateral national measures taken in response to the COVID—19 pandemic often hindered the free movement of goods and seriously affected especially small Member States, relying more on a proper functioning internal market. This is especially when we are talking about medicines and medical devices, for instance. But I also want to profit from this debate to recall that we should not f…

14

Dec

2021

FR Speech

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European framework for employees' participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in the face of the environmental and digital transition that our businesses and workers are facing, a new path must be opened to make this transition inclusive. This includes more democracy and transparency at work. Indeed, giving employees a voice will guarantee better support towards a just transition that will leave no one behind. That is why we…

25

Nov

2021

FR Speech

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The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention (continuation of debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, this is a scandal! Today, six Member States – Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Czechia – have still not ratified the Istanbul Convention, which protects women, girls and the LGBTI community. In addition, the Polish government is threatening to withdraw. This is why ratification by the European Union remains blocked in the Council. Refusing this life-sa…

18

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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Employment and social policies of the euro area 2021 (debate)

Madam President, I have been in constant contact with young people for 15 days in the context of the European Youth Event and the Conference on the Future of Europe. One and the same observation: young people do not feel sufficiently taken into account in Europe. Precarity at work, difficulty in accessing affordable and decent housing, and so on. Europe needs to be more responsive to them. And yet…

4

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The protection of persons with disabilities through petitions: lessons learnt (debate)

Mr President, in January 2011, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) came into force here in the European Union, but Member States, but also a little bit the European Union, have failed to fully promote, protect and assure equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities. Efforts must be made, and I am very co…

13

Sep

2021

EN Speech

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Fair working conditions, rights and social protection for platform workers - New forms of employment linked to digital development (debate)

Madam President, in the European Union too many workers are living in poverty and they suffer because of social exclusion. Work, platform work included, must become the tool again for all to combat poverty. Today this is not yet the case. The growing digital economy has great potential for job creation, but these jobs must be quality jobs instead of precarious jobs. New forms of work must become a…

7

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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Breaches of EU law and of the rights of LGBTIQ citizens in Hungary as a result of the adopted legal changes in the Hungarian Parliament - The outcome of 22 June hearings under Article 7(1) of the TEU regarding Poland and Hungary (debate)

Mr President, conflating homosexuality and transidentity with paedophilia is yet another episode of the Hungarian Government looking desperately for election topics to distract from corruption. It is yet another attack on fundamental rights, and as the EU, we have the tools to protect our values. But what is missing is the political will in the Council to use them. Signing statements at Council is…