Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we will only have a developed, prosperous and sovereign Europe if we put science and innovation at the heart of our common project. The Choose Europe for Science initiative is a crucial step in this direction. For the first time, researchers will have not only robust and direct funding from the European Union, but also the guarantee of extended contracts by the institutions and the necessary continuity of scientific career. Moreover, with the co-financing requirement that this initiative imposes, we must ensure that all institutions based in regions with fewer resources can actually participate without leaving anyone behind. But we need to dream bigger. We need to ensure that this initiative positions the European Union as a global leader in science and innovation, offering an open, well-funded, cohesive research environment with strong links to the business sector. It is very important that this happens.

Mr President, Commissioner, we are facing a great challenge when we talk about the definition of the next multiannual financial framework. While, on the one hand, it is essential to safeguard the European Union's traditional policies, such as cohesion policy or the common agricultural policy, they should continue to be properly and autonomously financed in order to guarantee balance, autonomy and territorial competitiveness in all regions of our Union. On the other hand, it is essential to secure funding for new priorities such as competitiveness and innovation, crisis preparedness and response or security and defence. To achieve these objectives, it is time to define new own resources so that the budget increase is not made at the expense of more taxes for European taxpayers. In conclusion, we need to redefine the post-2027 multiannual financial framework so that no one is left behind – neither the European Union nor its citizens. Congratulations to the rapporteurs.

Madam President, Commissioner, I welcome the presentation of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, which enshrines a key approach to strengthening the Union's ability to anticipate, anticipate and face crises. Prepared citizens are the first resource of a resilient society. Promoting risk literacy and ensuring early warning and warning systems are the responsibilities of the various levels of governance. In particular, I would highlight public-private cooperation and civil-military cooperation, two pillars that are inseparable in an era marked by hybrid threats, prolonged instability, moving towards the creation of a genuine European civil defence mechanism. The European Union must assume a coordinating role in pan-European areas, but it is imperative that Member States and local authorities shoulder their responsibilities. Civil protection is truly a everyone's task for everyone.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, with this cultural compass from the European Commission, I believe that Europe is finally realising that culture is not a luxury accessible only to a few elites, but a real engine of competitiveness. The cultural and creative sector accounts for 4.2% of the European Union’s GDP and employs 3.7% of the workforce. But its impact goes far beyond the numbers. Culture is a pillar of our cohesion and security. At a time when disinformation is a growing threat to the stability of our democracies, culture offers an essential defence, forming a critical public and able to distinguish between facts and manipulation. However, we must not forget the geopolitical context in which we operate. In turbulent times, culture is also an instrument of foreign policy. By projecting our values in the world, we strengthen our position as Europeans. And if we want a more competitive, more cohesive and safer European Union, we need a real cultural strategy that goes from Creative Europe to Erasmus+, with no one left behind. We have to level up in the European cultural sector and the cultural compass is just that. Without culture, there is no real European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the guidelines for the 2026 budget reflect a clear vision for the future of the European Union. Including culture and education in the guidelines is a crucial step, reaffirming their essential role in building a stronger, more connected, knowledgeable and better prepared Europe for the global challenges ahead. Protecting and strengthening programmes such as Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps are key steps in promoting inclusion, skills training and strengthening our common identity. These programmes play a crucial role not only in the development of our young people, but also in society as a whole. It is therefore vital to ensure that the 2026 budget secures the necessary resources so that we can face future challenges with confidence, with strength, but above all with unity.

Mr President, Commissioner, the recent mission of the Committee on Security and Defence to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which I was privileged to join, has revealed an unavoidable truth: the country is at a dangerous crossroads, with high internal challenges and unacceptable external pressures threatening its stability. The destabilising forces, fuelled by nationalist and separatist narratives, are driven by powers seeking to push Bosnia and Herzegovina off its European path. Faced with this reality, the European Union cannot hesitate. We need dialogue and we need to strengthen our political and economic presence and support structural reforms to ensure that the country quickly converges with the requirements of the European Union and does not back down in its accession process. Bosnia's history is intrinsically linked to the security of the Balkans, which in turn is linked to the security of our Europe. Let's not close our eyes.

Madam President, Commissioner, Europe clearly faces a major challenge. I am talking about skills shortages and the mismatch between training and the labour market. To overcome this obstacle, we need a genuine skills union, in which education and vocational training are drivers of growth, innovation and also social cohesion. Vocational training is key to continuous learning, preparing individuals for the labour market. In Portugal, 74% of vocational students already participate in work-based learning, but more needs to be done. But this challenge cannot only be faced by the Member States, we need a European strategy for vocational education and training, including the European vocational education diploma, which aligns training with the needs of the labour market and facilitates the mobility of young people and workers. Let us therefore bet on talent and let us bet above all, but always above all, on the future of Europe.

(start of intervention with microphone off) ... tends not to see the true extent of the problem. The left in Portugal sees that China is arming itself, sees that Russia has already armed itself, but wants Europe to continue to bury its head in the sand. What we say is 'no', we want to have minimal deterrence to defend the European people of the 27 Member States. We do not want to make a weapon to the teeth, as it is said in good Portuguese, we want to have a minimal deterrence capacity so as not to be invaded, as was Ukraine, unjustly, by Putin.

Mr President, Commissioner, Europe's security is finally no longer a secondary issue. The White Paper on the future of European defence is a good – it is an excellent – foundation on which we will build a true European Defence Union. Our priorities are clear: a comprehensive approach to European security, significantly increase defence investment and develop a credible, autonomous and sovereign defence industry. The Commission presented the ReArm Europe plan to initially mobilise €800 billion. We support these measures, but demand binding and immediate commitments with responsibilities assigned to all Member States. Diplomacy without deterrence is a full exercise of weakness. It is time to honor the historical responsibility entrusted to us, and history will be written on the basis of our action or our inaction.

Madam President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, the conclusions of the extraordinary Council represent the recognition of a European strategy which, for decades, has developed a weak and contradictory security model, a Europe that is geopolitically relevant, but without the necessary instruments of power to influence its own neighbourhood. We're running now to make up for lost time. Security is not just another public policy, but the existential condition of all public policies. The time of war is also distinct from the time of bureaucracy in Brussels. As Europe deliberates, the front lines move, defence industrial capabilities change, and vulnerabilities deepen. With the ReArm Europe plan, it is undeniable that a new window of opportunity opens up for Europe. It's really time to change.

Madam President, Commissioner, water is a source of life! And I ask: what is the European strategy for water management? The goal is that we can ensure that future generations have access to water for consumption and also for the various economic activities, particularly agriculture. Southern Europe, and particularly Portugal, currently suffers from high water scarcity. In our case, the regions of Alentejo and Algarve are the most affected. Portugal presented yesterday the National Strategy for Water Management, which is called "Water that unites", which foresees to solve the shortage of water, both for human consumption and for other uses. An investment of more than €5 billion is planned. I therefore hope that the European Union will show solidarity, that it will assume its responsibilities and that it will help the Member States. Water is life in the territories, water is social cohesion, water is economy, water is security. Yes, I am talking about water and the water that unites us in the European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, the agreement with Mercosur is a fair agreement, a balanced agreement and a good agreement from a geopolitical, economic and social point of view. There is no doubt that for industry it is a good agreement and that we must include guarantees from the point of view of the agricultural sector. Additional guarantees are provided for in this latest version of the agreement, which include: gradual stages of implementation, quotas, maximums and safeguards, in particular for beef, subsidies and financial support for any farmers affected, protection for more than 350 European products, conditioning the entry of products from Mercosur that do not comply with environmental and health rules, and compliance with the Paris Agreement and the fight against illegal deforestation. Excellent work done by the European Commission. It's taken us 20 years to get here. Stop lying, stop and let's speed up and sign this deal.

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, the European Union is currently facing one of the most critical moments in its history. It is at a turning point, where the capacity for reinvention will determine whether the European Union will be a protagonist or a mere spectator. The Competitiveness Compass thus appears to be an important, ambitious and framing document, but it needs to be operationalised. I believe that the InvestEU programme should be at the heart of the operationalisation of European competitiveness. Each euro invested through InvestEU generates up to EUR 15 in additional investment, and InvestEU acts as a financial instrument of economic sovereignty capable of creating a genuine Europe-wide development strategy. Thus, the Compass for Competitiveness represents a first step. It now takes political courage from both the European institutions and the Member States to take action.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we have unfortunately counted three years of war in Ukraine this February as a result of the illegal occupation that Russia unilaterally decided to carry out. Thousands killed and wounded, millions displaced, billions of euros of damage, generations lost and a people shattered. What did the Ukrainian people do to suffer in this way? That's the question. They simply want to be members of the European Union and members of NATO, they want to enter the first world division of countries that cultivate the values of peace, human rights and the rule of law. They just want to have a better life. There are no just wars, but this is really the height of injustice. From the first minute, the European Union provided support to the Ukrainian people and government. The war against Ukraine is also a war against the European Union, so we will continue to support the Ukrainian people and Ukraine until it is a free country.

Mr President, security and defence have finally become priorities of our Union. Security and defence, after food and water, are at the bottom of the pyramid of human needs. Without security and defense there are no social rights. And investment in defence is not just an expense, it has a multiplier effect on the economy, as well as job creation, scientific research and social development. Strengthening defence can and should be financed without sacrificing the European social model, for example through European RRP-type loans with greater involvement of the European Investment Bank, as well as greater fiscal freedom for Member States. Diplomacy is only effective when it is backed by a credible defence capability. Countries that do not have military means of their own become dependent on the goodwill of others. Therefore, the European Commission cannot wait until 2028 to act, because that would be to lose another three years and give our opponents a competitive advantage.

Mr President, Commissioner, desertification is a growing challenge facing the European Union, especially in the southern Member States and particularly those close to the Mediterranean. Lack of water, soil depletion and climate change are now a harsh reality in some parts of the Union and, in addition, we are also witnessing the depopulation of some inland regions due to a lack of attractiveness and competitiveness. Portugal faces these two problems cumulatively. The regions of Alentejo and Algarve show a brutal lack of water, both for agriculture and human consumption. And regions close to the border with Spain suffer from depopulation. As a result of these two situations, we are witnessing migration flows from the hinterland to the coast, from rural areas to urban areas, which are real problems. That is why I believe that the next multiannual financial framework must respond to desertification and depopulation and thus solve the problem of territorial cohesion that we face in our Union.

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, I believe that the hour of fiery speeches is over. We need to get to work. We need to make it happen. Yes, defence is a primary responsibility of the Member States. And yes, as MEPs, we have a responsibility to be an active voice in justifying the Union's increased investment in defence, whether we are in the north, the centre or the south of Europe. But the European Union also has a crucial role: Be the engine of change. This means joint purchases of military equipment, ensuring effective coordination and standardisation of equipment. It means having the courage and vision to realize the cluster European defence industries, thus ensuring their single market or even moving forward with the defence bonds. There's no time to waste. Let us make European defence a real priority for all of us.

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, by operating ghost fleets through shell companies, Russia has created a new model of proxy warfare that threatens Europe and the world. It is not only in the Baltic, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean that they also walk. While we are here, these ships map in detail the location, state and possible vulnerabilities of our submarine infrastructure, both telecommunications and energy, mostly not for immediate sabotage, but to enable further attacks. Our tolerance of this hostile behaviour must end. I therefore propose that the European Union, in close coordination with NATO, should create a task force to make every effort to sanction and dismantle these fleets and thus ensure the safety of our critical underwater infrastructure.

Madam President, Commissioner, history is history only because of the collective memory that we all perpetuate, whether in words, deeds or images. At the same time, deliberate acts of historical revision are Russia's only option when it wants to paint the invasion of Ukraine as justifiable. Russia uses disinformation and historical bias to rewrite the past, justify the present, but above all to manipulate the future. They want to turn victims into culprits and justify the invasion of Ukraine as a historical inevitability. But the truth is only one and it is very clear: Ukraine is a sovereign nation. Your people have chosen freedom, they have chosen Europe and they have chosen, above all, democracy. It is up to us to expose the lies and defend the historical truth. The war against Ukraine is also a war against the truth and the values that underpin Europe. Sophia de Mello Breyner, a Portuguese poet, said: We see, hear and read. We cannot ignore it.

Madam President, Commissioner, without drinking water we have no life. The last century was a time to secure and bring drinking water to the homes of European citizens. It was a great battle, but it's not over yet. Climate change, the pollution of aquifers and the destruction of infrastructure are jeopardising the water supply in some latitudes of the Union. Southern Europe, in particular Portugal, in the Algarve and Alentejo area, as well as southern Spain, already experience great difficulties not only in having water for agriculture, but also water for human consumption. Water that 30 years ago was 30 meters high, today is 300 meters deep. This means that it is ten times further away and of worse quality. The European Union, in collaboration with the affected Member States, must make water scarcity its top priority.

Madam President, Commissioner, since time immemorial there have always been natural disasters. However, climate change has increased the occurrence of these disasters, leading, unfortunately, to thousands of deaths, millions affected and trillions of euros of damage. In addition, the disorder of the territory with man-made construction in places of risk, has clearly aggravated the situation. The Draghi and Niinistö reports made it very clear that we must focus on prevention. The RESTORE Fund provides excellent help to all those affected by floods, floods and forest fires, particularly in Portugal and Spain. The budget for 2025 already foresees EUR 3 billion to address situations where RESTORE enters. That is why we must invest everything in prevention, because recovery always costs much more in euros and especially in human lives. This is the path that the Union and the Member States must take.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, 35 years ago the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrined the fundamental right to quality education. However, according to last year’s European Commission report on monitoring education, only two EU countries – Cyprus and Croatia – were not short of teachers. This is a real barrier to access to education and the full development of our children. Fortunately, Portugal is now making progress in solving this problem, significantly reducing the number of students without a teacher this year. But as long as there is a student without a teacher, we cannot lower our arms. And it is also imperative to improve working conditions in teaching and make it more attractive to future generations of teachers. Because education is the greatest social elevator, we will never give up fighting for the rights of our children.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, decades of underinvestment in security and defence in the European Union have left us completely vulnerable. The Niinistö report stresses the urgency of a response capacity that integrates both the military and civilian sectors. The proposal to strengthen the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which I fully support, is an essential step in this direction, as we have seen in relation to the recent disasters that have occurred in Europe. Between fires in Portugal, floods in central Europe and now in Valencia, no citizen has been immune. In the next Multiannual Financial Framework, this should be a financial instrument that, across the board, is put at the service of this cause. Security is a public good and it is the main function of the state, it is our greatest responsibility towards all citizens of the European Union.