Speeches

Dear colleagues! I know that it is an exciting moment for everyone – for the first time, after 26 months, a vote here in Strasbourg. I can still ask you to sit down, but it's not up to me. I can ask you to sit down. So, the most important request, because some people are no longer used to it: You should have your voting card with you. You'll see right away that we still have a little time, so you can get the voting card, even though I'm already calling the votes. But we have three points related to speaking time. (Vote results and other details of the vote: see Minutes.)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Markéta Gregorová, on behalf of the Committee on International Trade, on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council providing macro-financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova (COM(2022)0004 – C9-0007/2022 – 2021/0438(COD)) (A9-0043/2022). I would like to draw your attention to the fact that you can use your voting device to request spontaneous interventions and use blue cards after you have introduced your voting card. I therefore ask you to always bring your voting card with you. Instructions are available in the Chamber. If you would like to register for a spontaneous intervention, I would ask you to do so from now on and not to wait for the end of the debate. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern. However, this does not apply to spontaneous interventions, blue cards and interventions on the Rules of Procedure. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time. Here again the request that you, because we have problems with the microphone system today, try not to touch the microphone, because otherwise this is very unpleasant, especially for the interpreters.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on ‘Suisse Secrets’ – How to introduce anti-money laundering standards in third countries (2022/2572(RSP)). I would like to draw your attention to the fact that you can use your voting device to request spontaneous interventions and use blue cards after you have introduced your voting card. I therefore ask you to always bring your voting card with you. Instructions are available in the Chamber. If you would like to register for a spontaneous intervention, I would ask you to do so from now on and not to wait for the end of the debate. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern. However, this does not apply to spontaneous interventions, blue cards and interventions on the Rules of Procedure. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time. Ladies and gentlemen, I have known this announcement almost by heart since the pandemic. There is another hint: If you are speaking from the front of the lectern, please make sure that you do not touch the microphone, otherwise we will have a very loud tone, which can also be very painful for the interpreters.

The minutes of the meetings from 7 to 10 March will be submitted to Parliament for approval at the beginning of the next meeting. If there are no objections, I will forward the resolutions adopted at these meetings to the persons and bodies referred to in these resolutions.

We now come to the results of today's second round of voting. (The President read the results of the second voting session.)* _______________ * See Minutes.

The debate is closed. We have had this serious issue recently. We are finishing a difficult week. We now have two years and a month of pandemic. Two years and a month ago, we were here for the last time. Now we're back here. Next week we will be able to welcome visitors again for the first time. And now, after two years and a month, after the pandemic, comes this terrible news that affects and oppresses us all. After Brexit, after the pandemic and this attack on an independent country on our continent, we are reminded for the third time in a short time that we can achieve much more quickly and better on this continent together. Let's stay together, let's hold together, let's become more aware, develop awareness of what we have. It's precious, it's more fragile, it's more fleeting than we sometimes think. In any case, it is less self-evident than some believe. Let us think of those who are fighting for freedom, peace and democracy these days and who are finding out that all this is just not self-evident. The meeting resumed at 4 p.m. with the announcement of the results of the votes. (The meeting adjourned at 15.38)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Commission statement on a systematic EU approach to chronic kidney disease (2022/2579(RSP)). I remind Members that there are no spontaneous interventions in all debates at this part-session and that blue cards are not accepted. In addition, as in the previous part-sessions, connections from Parliament's liaison offices in the Member States are foreseen. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time.

We now come to today's second round of voting. The dossiers on which we are voting can be found on the agenda. The voting session will be open from 1.45 p.m. to 3 p.m. The voting procedure is the same as in the previous voting rounds. All votes are roll call votes. I declare the second voting session open. You can vote until 3 p.m. The results of the second voting session will be announced at 4 p.m. Discussions resumed at 3 p.m. with the Commission statement on a systematic EU approach to chronic kidney disease. (The meeting adjourned at 13.51)

The Renew Group has sent the President a decision to change appointments to a committee. This decision will be published in the minutes of today's meeting and will enter into force on the day of this announcement.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on seven motions for resolutions on the death penalty in Iran (2022/2541(RSP))1. __________ 1 See the minutes.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on six motions for resolutions on current human rights developments in the Philippines (2022/2540(RSP))1. I remind Members that all debates at this part-session do not accept spontaneous interventions or blue cards. In addition, as in the previous part-sessions, access from Parliament's liaison offices in the Member States is foreseen. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time. ____________ 1 See the minutes.

The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on – the report by David McAllister, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy – Annual Report 2021 (A9-0354/2021); and – Report by Nathalie Loiseau, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy – Annual Report 2021 (2021/2183(INI)) (A9-0358/2021). I remind Members that all debates at this part-session do not accept spontaneous interventions or blue cards. In addition, as in the previous part-sessions, access from Parliament's liaison offices in the Member States is foreseen. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern. I would therefore ask you to keep an eye on the list of speakers and to go to the lectern shortly before the start of your speaking time.

Before I get to the next item on the agenda, I have an announcement. In accordance with Rule 241(4) of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to inform you that no request for a vote has been made on the ITRE Committee's corrigendum, which was announced to the plenary yesterday at the opening of the meeting. The correction is therefore deemed to have been accepted.

The minutes of the meetings from 17 to 20 January will be submitted to Parliament for approval at the beginning of the next meeting. If there are no objections, I will forward the resolutions adopted at these meetings to the persons and bodies referred to in these resolutions. Ladies and gentlemen, in so far as I have not yet done so, I wish everyone a happy new year afterwards, in which hopefully more meetings will then be possible than in the previous year. I congratulate all those who have received a new responsibility or for whom the old responsibility has been renewed and wish you a happy hand. And I would like to thank the services who have also supported us during this week of meetings in a difficult time, so that our work was possible. I wish everyone a good way home and a healthy return in the next week of the meeting.