Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, more than one in five people in the European Union is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Behind this figure, there are individuals who are suffering. This reality is unbearable. In view of this, it is crucial to be able to rely on robust minimum income schemes. It is a social justice measure. The Council adopted its recommendation on the subject. It is a non-binding instrument for Member States. Commissioner, I call on you to present a directive on minimum income. This directive must be able to ensure the adequate level of minimum income in each country so that everyone can live in dignity. It must also coordinate our approaches to strengthen return-to-employment policies. It is our responsibility as elected representatives to achieve a fairer Europe, which promotes the emancipatory dimension of work everywhere, but always accompanies those who need it most.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, volunteering saves lives. It supports and protects millions of Europeans on a daily basis. I want to salute here the dedication of these women and men who look after our society, strengthen the social bond and solidarity. I am thinking in particular of firefighters, civil protection and, of course, all the volunteers in Europe. These commitments are necessary to provide first aid, but also – and this is becoming increasingly important today – to address climate change. However, interpretations of the Working Time Directive undermine the status of these volunteers, particularly firefighters. In this regard, I welcome the commitment of several of my colleagues – in particular Sylvie Brunet – who are working for a better recognition of their status in Parliament. In order to improve prevention across Europe, we need to foster exchanges between volunteers across borders, as well as their training in the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism and the European Solidarity Corps, for example. Together, let us give back to these volunteers the respects of their unwavering dedication to our security.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are unfortunately not recent. Rivalries between the two countries have basically never ceased. The time has come for the European Union, in view of its shared history with Africa – especially in the current context, where Russia and China want to exert ever greater influence – to recall our values of democracy and humanism and our ideals of peace. Of course, it is not Nelson Mandela who wants to, who put an end to the fratricidal and ethnic conflict in Burundi, with the Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. However, the European Union should take the initiative to bring all the protagonists back to the negotiating table with the aim of building a lasting peace together, taking initiatives such as local reconciliation and truth committees, under the watchful eye of African and European observers, in all regions of these war-affected territories, in order to resume a dialogue that has now broken down. The primary reason for the European Union is the desire to preserve peace. Let's be these peace scouts.

Mr President, Commissioner, the Global Gateway initiative is a major step forward for the European Union's influence vis-à-vis our competitors China and Russia. €300 billion in announced investments for environment, education, health, access to water, digital; this is the hoped-for and necessary solution to strengthen our links with our partners. However, Commissioner, progress has been slow. Since 2021, the announcements of billions of euros have raised fantastic hopes, the promise of harmonious developments, of reducing poverty. Only, the announcements are no longer sufficient, we must act. The accumulation of climatic hazards, droughts, crop losses and cyclones has become too frequent to postpone action. The release of funding for education and mobility, for both pupils and teachers, is both essential and urgent. Admittedly, the deployment of these funds was launched at the last EU-Africa Summit last February, but after the intentions, there is room for immediate action, with specific programmes, regular calls for tenders, evaluable deadlines and therefore actual achievements. Commissioner, I ask you solemnly and with great hope to commit these funds so that the word of the European Union is listened to and respected.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, a year for young people was a necessity. The question now arises of the continuity of our action for our young people. This year highlighted how our youth have resources and ideas. Teacher yesterday, I saw him every day. As a Member of Parliament today, I would like to encourage their initiative and creativity more. Stepping up our responses to improve inclusion, education for all, tackling precariousness and addressing mental health issues is our priority. We need to train our young people better everywhere and continue to make Europe a place of knowledge. European Child and Youth Guarantees need to be more visible and more aggressively communicated. We need to foster mobility for our young people, especially those in our outermost regions, to explore the world, other territories, other cultures and other languages. Erasmus+ is the most relevant scheme. Bringing citizenship to life so that in 2024 our young people vote overwhelmingly in the European elections and become permanently involved in European democracy. This is my roadmap for the legacy of this Year of Youth so that every young person without distinction has the place they deserve in our society.

Mr President, Commissioner Schmit, in the face of the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the rising cost of living, it is more necessary than ever to coordinate our employment and social policies. Our proposed guidelines and the European Semester cycle combine good economic governance with a fairer, more sustainable recovery that accompanies the green and digital transitions. They set a course for achieving the EU’s three headline targets for 2030 on jobs, skills and poverty reduction. Continued reforms and sound investments by Member States will be key to supporting job creation and strengthening social justice. We have a duty to support future generations through the effective implementation of the European Child Guarantee. We have an obligation to modernise our labour markets to make them more resilient and inclusive. We need to ensure quality training, investment in skills and lifelong learning. In the current context of heightened uncertainty, support measures for vulnerable households are needed. I solemnly call on the Council to heed Parliament’s demands to ensure inclusive, protective and forward-looking employment and social policies that leave no citizen behind.

Madam President, Commissioner, today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Only one day, while every day 1.3 billion people live in extreme poverty, almost half of whom are children and young people. No continent is safe. Not even Europe, especially the French outermost regions: 33% of Martinicans, 77% of Mahorais live below the poverty line. I tell you clearly that we need to strengthen the European Union's goal of social justice and make every day a day of fighting poverty. Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon: it affects health, nutrition, strikes from childhood and continues with old housing and lack of access to basic necessities. Poverty must be combated in all its forms. Education has a place of choice, because education promotes equal opportunities. It is a powerful tool for reducing social inequalities. The European Union must play its full part in international solidarity to guarantee human dignity.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, part of the population of the European Union and of the French overseas territories has distinguished itself by its hostility to vaccination. Even today, some of our citizens have not received their first dose, by choice. The COVID-19 pandemic we are experiencing is therefore not just a health issue, it is a mistrust of our health institutions. Thus, the issue of disinformation, particularly prevalent on social networks, has led to dramatic situations. It is therefore time to take the right measure of this problem, with the implementation of a truly effective European awareness-raising campaign. Commissioner, could the Commission propose a strategy of informed choice for the citizen in order to combat disinformation in an optimal way, which too often still rhymes with non-vaccination?

Mr President, Commissioner, Haiti has for too long been confronted with many scourges, both climatic and health. In addition to COVID, there has been a recent surge in cholera. Added to this is insecurity and corruption, which are the proven markers of a deliquescent democracy. The European Union is supporting Haiti, in particular with the European Development Fund, to reduce these scourges. Yet the population remains subject to the insecurity and violence that dictate the lives of millions of frightened, destitute and now hopeless people. The moral and material bankruptcy of Haitian institutions, plagued by corruption and gang control, prevents any exercise of democracy. It is therefore time to take stock of how European funds are used. Commissioner, what do you envisage to give the European Union the means to continue an effective humanitarian action for the benefit of the population and so that Haiti becomes once again the pearl of the Caribbean?