Speeches

I would like to draw the attention of everybody, although we spoke about scarves and veils and other things, in our règlement it's forbidden to come with Palestine keychains or any other symbols that you might have. It's not about Palestine: it would be the same with any other country. So please take them off before you take the floor.

Thank you for your remark. I draw your attention to the fact that I have seen it. They will receive the floor if they take it away. This is the policy that we are taking.

Thank you very much for your intervention. And if I may say, it is extremely difficult to hear and understand what people say if you are all screaming at the same time. So please, I refer to the règlement. You all have to follow it, and I please ask you to have a dignified debate. This is what we do in this House.

Thank you, your time is up. Please, everybody, we just started this debate. I know it's very sensitive. I know that everybody is on edge. But if we start like this we're never going to have a good debate. So please let your colleagues speak, even if you disagree with them, and let me chair. I understand there is a point of order.

The next item is the debate on Council and Commission statements on 'The EU's response to the Israeli Government's plan to seize the Gaza Strip, ensuring effective humanitarian support and the liberation of hostages' (2025/2715(RSP)).

The first item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the European Steel and Metals Action Plan (2025/2633(RSP)). I would like to remind you that we continue with the test of the new format for this debate, so there will be no speaker list. After the first round of speakers on behalf of the groups, Members who received speaking time from the political groups or non-attached secretariat will be called to speak and will be reminded of their allotted speaking time. Please keep an eye on the screen in the Chamber where the current speaker and the next three speakers will be displayed. When your name appears as upcoming speaker, I would like you to prepare and make your way to the rostrum. The normal rules regarding blue cards and the catch-the-eye procedure will apply during the debate.

In relation to the decisions by the LIBE, AGRI and TRAN Committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, pursuant to Rule 72(1), announced at the opening of the session on Monday 31 March, the President has received separate requests for a vote in Parliament by the PfE, ECR, Left and ESN groups, reaching at least the medium threshold, on the decision of the LIBE Committee to enter into negotiations on the following file: Establishing an EU talent pool. The President has also received a request for a vote in Parliament by the PfE Group, reaching at least the medium threshold, on the decision of the AGRI Committee to enter into negotiations on the following file: Granting equivalence with EU requirements to Moldova and Ukraine as regards field inspections and production of seed. The votes will be held tomorrow. Concerning the other decisions to enter into negotiations, the President has received no request for a vote in Parliament by Members or political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committees may therefore start negotiations.

Madam President, High Representative, in 2024 democracy and human rights fell further in the world. As you said, Madam rapporteur, our Union is founded on values – Article 2, which also guides its external relations, Article 21 – and this Parliament also contributes to this: through its political work, of course – some 60 texts in one year – through the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and its many instruments, or through the Sakharov Prize and its initiatives, which have been helping human rights defenders since the year they were set up. So when I hear some colleagues say, for example, that freedom of expression is also the freedom to deceive, the freedom to scam, or that elections are free when they have been clearly manipulated – and what to say about the last two days, when we hear envi that some people are above the law – well, I have to tell you, that is a serious warning for all democrats. The report put to the vote embodies the values and ideals that our Parliament has always held. It is supposed to be the record of the past year, but it has also, certainly, become a compass for years to come.

The agenda for the next sitting, which is tomorrow, Tuesday 1 April at 9.00, has been published and is available on the European Parliament website.

That would be the last speaker for the one‑minute speeches for this plenary sitting. Thank you, Commissioner Roswall, for having stayed until the end and taken the floor on each occasion you were given.

The next item is the one-minute speeches under Rule 179. I'd like to inform you that, for the one-minute speeches, you are invited to take the floor from your seat.

The next item is the short presentation of the report by Dimitris Tsiodras, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 401/2009, (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals (COM(2023)0783 - C9-0447/2023 - 2023/0455(COD)) (A10-0020/2025)

The next item is the short presentation of the report by Dimitris Tsiodras, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency (COM(2023)0781 - C9-0448/2023 - 2023/0454(COD)) (A10-0019/2025)

The next item is the short presentation of the report by Dimitris Tsiodras, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency (COM(2023)0781 - C9-0448/2023 - 2023/0454(COD)) (A10-0019/2025)

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on the presentation of the proposal on a new common approach on returns (2025/2567(RSP)).