Speeches

Mr President, thank you so much for the input from this debate on the European Semester process. Just a few remarks on some important topics which are reflected in the European Semester process, but are also present in our citizens' everyday lives. We are looking at topics such as energy prices, housing, but also their security, skills and how we prepare them for the transformations of our economy and budget, how we invest in Europe. For all these topics – and you have mentioned different views on them – for all these topics, the European Semester process is extremely relevant and has a direct impact on what the EU does to support Member States to support its citizens. Obviously, monitoring the situation of the housing prices, the affordability, the accessibility of housing is quite central to the monitoring processes of the European Semester, and there is an outcome. The outcome is the affordable housing plan that we have adopted, following up to which we are deploying all the tools that are meant to support Member States to respond to this important challenge. Looking at the evolution of energy prices, of inflation driven by energy prices, we monitor them through the Semester and we are, again, acting at European level. We have approved the affordable energy action plan. We are continuing to work on these topics and it is absolutely relevant that through the Semester, we are able to assess the vulnerabilities, the risks of the European Union and able then to act to strengthen our economies together. As important it is to mention that we need to be coherent in our efforts for our common security and our common defence, and the European Semester allows for Member States to deviate from fiscal rules so that by activating the defence escape clause, they can invest jointly in a common concept of security providing for procuring for military equipment. That is, as was mentioned here, inside the common cohesive European vision and approach. We invest in people. We have presented the first human capital recommendation in this European Semester, which is exactly about helping the European Union invest coherently across industries, across value chains, in the skills that people need so that we are able to empower them and make them able to benefit from the opportunities of new transformations in industry, but also protected from the restructuring or the vulnerability of the same industries. Obviously, it is important to note that the European Semester is quite linked with the budget's elaboration. This Semester is particularly linked to the next multiannual financial framework. So obviously, the way that we shape the next European budget is closely linked with what we monitor, with what we collect, with what we do through our coordination mechanism in the European Semester. Every debate on this topic remains relevant and important. It is a technical tool, but with tremendous direct impact in Europeans' lives. Thank you for your input and those will obviously be taken into account in our work at the European Commission.

Madam President, honourable Members, I would like to thank the two rapporteurs for their reports, which provide a valuable contribution in view of the European Semester priorities for 2026. This cycle was launched in a context marked by increased global uncertainties and by multiple economic, social and security challenges. Our competitiveness and our sustainable prosperity are fundamentally challenged by economic and social divides as well as by pressures from technological change, demographic shifts and shifting global landscapes, and by the accelerating impacts of climate change. A lack of innovation and low productivity growth risk to undermine our long-term growth potential and our social welfare state. And in this overall context, enhancing Europe's competitiveness and resilience must remain a key priority. I very much welcome the clear message from this Parliament that investing in people's skills, promoting quality jobs, ensuring social fairness and affordable, accessible and sustainable housing are central to the resilience and competitiveness of our economies and of our societies. The Parliament has been a strong partner for the European Commission to progress in this direction, and it is also thanks to your strong engagement that we now have an economic governance framework that places economic and social objectives on an equal footing. The European Semester will remain the central mechanism for coordinating the implementation of policies at national and regional levels. Many of the policy levers to regain competitiveness and improve our prosperity rest within our Member States and our regions. For instance, Member States and the regions have an important role to play in taking action to improve the business environment and reduce bottlenecks for the efficient allocation of savings. Also, policies to strengthen education and training are key. The social convergence framework is by now an integral part of the European Semester. It is a key tool to deliver on the principles and objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and this requires ambitious reforms and ambitious investments that should be put in place by Member States. Despite the remarkable resilience of the EU labour market, in fact the strong job gains in recent years have only been matched by a muted or limited reduction in poverty risks, including for those that are in employment. Moreover, skills and labour shortages in key sectors remain sizeable and continue to pose bottlenecks for productivity and fair, green and digital transitions. And for the first time this year, the Commission has proposed a new recommendation on human capital, as announced also in the Union of Skills last year, focusing on skills gaps in strategic sectors and making better use of skills intelligence. Turning now to fiscal policy: sound public finances remain the foundation of a sustainable and stable economy. We have already made a good start with the implementation of the new fiscal framework – we now need to keep up this focus and enhance the efficiency and quality of public spending and of revenues. This is especially important given the immense demands on public finances in the context of fiscal sustainability risks in many of our Member States. In particular, Member States should make effective use of the temporary flexibility within the fiscal rules for defence spending. Honourable Members, the draft report rightly focuses on the issue of delivery. What ultimately matters most is that our policy recommendations are eventually implemented on the ground, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the cohesion policy have already had a positive impact on boosting the implementation of crucial reforms and investments. We need to continue on the same track. This is what we do with the Commission's proposal for the next multiannual financial framework. And in this context, we will step up our efforts further to improve the engagement with and ownership of recommendations in the context of the European Semester. Let me conclude by stressing that continued dialogue with the European Parliament remains an essential part of the macroeconomic policy coordination under the European Semester.

Mr President, thank you for the debate. What is clear, of course, is that we need to work to design a targeted and balanced policy response to all the challenges linked to subcontracting that you've mentioned. Our aim in the Commission is – I've said it and I repeat it – twofold. First of all, to protect the workers who are deprived of their rights in subcontracting chains. At the same time, to recognise the added value of subcontracting as a legitimate business model. Here, listening to you, I must acknowledge that I had two concepts in mind. Subcontracting chains that do their job and subcontracting chains that are designed to abuse, to exploit, to get cheap labour. And these are two separate concepts, I must say. Your report that will be voted on tomorrow is a very good document – it identifies challenges that are in place that were debated today. What are the risky sectors? What is the scope to be covered? What mechanisms, solutions can be used? I mention again here joint and several liability, direct liability, and who is responsible. This is very important. You also underlined in the debate the need and the importance to leave enough flexibility to companies. You stressed also the role, too, of enforcement and labour inspections, national-level, cross-border. We will take into consideration the inputs that you've offered, and of course the vote tomorrow, in the two initiatives that I've mentioned. First, the fair labour mobility package, and then the Quality Jobs Act. In doing so – I'll mention it again – I do not believe that it is acceptable that we have a labour market with more speeds – workers of first class or second class. It's dignity that we need to offer to our citizens and our workers. It's the promise of social rights in a dignified Europe, and together we can achieve this. Thank you again for the report, the topics and the debate.

Madam President, honourable Members, let me express my gratitude to the rapporteur – Johan – and to the shadows for this report, which is very timely for the Commission. On 4 December last year, I presented the Quality Jobs Roadmap and on the same day we launched the first-phase consultation for a Quality Jobs Act. At the same time, we launched our preparatory work for our fair labour mobility package, which will come this year. In all these documents, subcontracting is presented as a key priority. Subcontracting, I will tell you, is a legitimate business model. I think that it is very important for small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe. Through subcontracting, companies can have access to specialised expertise. They can quickly adapt so they can meet changing business needs and they can stay competitive. But, at the same time, as was stressed by Enrico Letta in his report, subcontracting can also lead to abusive practices and to poor compliance with employment rules, as was mentioned here, such as failing to pay wages or social security contributions or to ensure, and this is even worse, the safety of the workers in their workplace. This, in turn, can create unfair competition and lower the quality of jobs. This happens particularly in high-risk sectors, as we call them – we could mention construction, logistics, the food industry, but these are just examples. Therefore we are now exploring how the European Union should act to tackle such practices that lead to exploitation and to abuse of workers. This does not mean hindering our businesses' freedom to conduct their business. It means ensuring fair competition and, above all, it means protecting workers' rights. Let me draw your attention, in particular, to the existing legislation in the European Union on labour mobility and, notably, on posting. The posting rules already include a mandatory direct subcontracting liability in the construction sector, and evidence shows us that a majority of Member States put in place direct liability – some extended it to the full subcontracting chain and extended it beyond construction to all sectors where posted workers are concerned. The European Commission is also currently working with the European Labour Authority to be able to facilitate the stronger implementation and enforcement of the applicable posting rules. The question now is: what more can and should be done? In the first-phase consultation for the Quality Jobs Act, we indicated that, especially in sectors where data show that the risk of fraudulent practices is considerable, further action could exist. I will name some of this: assessing how liability schemes can be applied at national level – direct liability, joint and several liability, etc.; looking at strengthening enforcement efforts, including via our European Labour Authority; enhancing transparency in national systems like, for example, by using pre-qualification or certification systems or national registers, without imposing additional burden; or exploring how social dialogue could contribute to the respect of existing rights. Your report today, which will be voted on tomorrow, indeed provides the European Commission with important further orientation for our work. Let me again mention labour mobility. As I said at the beginning, there is a specific cross-border dimension to the challenges that are linked to subcontracting, which is also linked to less transparency and more difficult enforcement, especially when it comes to labour intermediation and the presence of third-country nationals. The fair labour mobility package intends to look into such challenges, as I have mentioned. Finally, as your report reiterates, a number of demands regarding subcontracting can be addressed also in public procurement. Thus, I would recall that the upcoming revision of the Public Procurement Directives is underway and can address this. The impact assessment that we are working on will carefully analyse the issues that have been raised. Of course, I am looking forward to hearing your views, to exchange with you, to the result of the vote tomorrow – as I have mentioned, this is extremely important for the Commission's further work on this very important topic. Again, I cannot fail to mention that I think it's our duty to make sure that labour mobility and labour in general, when connected with our European Union and the single market, shows its light face – the lights of positive opportunity – and not its dark face. This is what should drive our work forward.

Madam President, thank you for a very rich and intense debate. I thank you, João, for the report, for the proposals. I thank everybody who contributed. Of course, it is no easy task to take on the battle against poverty and exclusion, but I think it is a task that we must all embrace, and to do so with all the energy and all the belief that our citizens need it and deserve it. We cannot speak of democracy, of security, of safety, of prosperity while you accept that 100 million Europeans are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, out of which many children. I want you also to know that I appreciate the strong calls for the reinforced Child Guarantee. And as I've said, it will be a central part of our of our anti-poverty strategy. And of course, it's an important part of the MFF discussions and debates. But I will emphasise again and again, as I mentioned in the education debate, intervening into this area, fighting poverty is systemic. It is going beyond what we invest with the European Social Fund Plus or our social budget in Member States. It is a holistic approach, and it is a holistic vision that we need to embrace and to tackle through all policies, from health care to fiscal policies. It is a mix and this needs to be evermore important tackling poverty as we are looking at our society facing technological AI transformations, transformations that help us for the better, but that also must empower our citizens. So with this in mind, I hope that we will work together so that the anti-poverty strategy is strong, it delivers, and that we are able to achieve our 2030 targets, and especially to pave the way for our 2050 ambitious objective of eradicating poverty in Europe. As ambitious and as complex as this dream might be.

Madam President, honourable members, thank you. As you know, this year we will adopt the European Union's first ever anti-poverty strategy. And this should send a clear signal that, in 2026, we cannot accept that around 93 million people, that is 20 % of the EU population, are at risk of poverty, are at risk of social exclusion. And that 1 million people experienced the most severe form of poverty, namely homelessness. We want to send a strong message that nobody should feel forgotten. On the contrary, we want to stand by and support people that are facing hardships. At a crucial time in their lives when the cost of living has become a huge concern, and when many cannot afford basic goods and services. An EU strategy to tackle poverty can only be a collective endeavour, starting by its design. We have consulted very broadly Member States, civil society, businesses, social partners, people experiencing poverty, including children. And we have collected a broad array of evidence and recommendations on a good way forward. The Parliament's INI report is obviously an extremely valuable contribution and I'm very grateful for it. I'm very glad to see that our findings converge to those of this House. And I would highlight five elements which I think are quite important. First, taking a fundamental rights approach also means recognising that poverty is multidimensional. Addressing poverty is not only about income, but it is also, as I was saying earlier, about access to housing, employment, education, health, child care, long-term care, energy, transport and other services or food. There are also other barriers to moving out of poverty, like health issues, like disability and many times like stigma. And therefore, it is essential to take a person-centred approach to make sure that different policies can really help and not to contribute to worsening poverty or its drivers. A second element: we need to address poverty throughout the life cycle of a person. Looking at children, at youth and working age population and at old age, and try to focus on the specific needs of the different stages in life. And one area of focus will be the strengthening of the European Child Guarantee, as was asked in this House many, many times. Taking such a lifecycle approach is also a key element to intergenerational fairness, and the strategy will look into the territorial angle and the gender dimension of poverty. And this is quite important. Thirdly, I want to mention that our ambition is to combine a strong, supportive approach with a strong preventive approach, meaning supporting both those in poverty today and at the same time making sure that we create mechanisms to prevent that others are falling into poverty tomorrow, in particular in the context of rising cost of living, and also by focusing and investing on children and in our youth. Fourth element, we will not address poverty with just social policy alone. Even in this House and in many contexts, we debate amongst ourselves the social policy promoters. But if we want to address its root causes, we must take a systemic approach and address poverty in all relevant policy areas, ranging from energy, transport and agriculture to digital, financial or fiscal or even justice policies. A fifth element I want to mention is, of course, what I always say, that we need to work always together: public and private actors, civil society and social partners at EU level, at national level, regional and Communities. This also means that it means that we need to hear the voices of those that experience poverty firsthand, and we need to recognise the value of their expertise in improving these policies. And this, for me, is quite important in delivering this anti-poverty strategy very soon. I thank you for your contributions. I'm looking forward to hearing your views and to working together to deliver on our efficient anti-poverty strategy in Europe.

Madam President, I say to the Members, thank you for the very diverse contributions that you offered today – a lot of challenges, some common to our European Union, some more local. What is clear – and I want to emphasise that – is that the European Union, in the context of our enhanced cooperation, in the context of the support we give to Member States in education, is one of the most important investors in education in our Member States. EUR 135.5 billion is the total amount that the European Union is investing only in the current MFF 2021-2027 in education. Here, of course, I include Erasmus, which many of you mentioned, but I also include a part of the European Social Fund+, a part of the European Regional Development Fund, which finances educational infrastructure and a large part indeed of the recovery and resilience NextGenerationEU package that went and invested into our education infrastructure. So, we start from a strong platform for investment, but we need to do more – because it was said here that we see that the results of our children in standardised tests concerning basic skills – those that equip them for a world that is more and more disruptive, for a society that is online, offline, more and more exposing them to vulnerabilities – these basic skills are decreasing. So, as I mentioned, and I count on this House, on Parliament, we need to enhance our political commitment with Member States towards improving basic skills, towards improving skills portability, the working conditions of teachers, just to name a few, and the inclusiveness of our education. But it is also important that the negotiations for the next MFF will be focused on education and – as I mention to ministers of finance, to prime ministers that I meet – education is key for our preparedness, for our competitiveness and for our resilience. The skills of the young and of the adult alike are absolutely essential for our social fibre and for our shared future, and this is, I think, something that unites all of us political families and institutions in the European Union. I do count on your support, as we will go through the next initiatives that I've mentioned today: the education package, the skills portability initiative. Working together, I think we can improve a lot of the issues that were today raised here.

Madam President, honourable Members, we know that education is the great equaliser of opportunity. But this is only true if every child and every learner in Europe and beyond has access to high quality, inclusive education, no matter their origin, no matter their gender and no matter their background. In Europe, we can be proud of our education and training systems. Yet pride must go hand in hand with honesty. We must recognise where inequalities persist and where change is needed. In a world that is shaped by new technologies and artificial intelligence, how we learn, how we adapt, and how we think critically will be just as important as what we learn. That journey starts with building strong foundations like literacy, mathematics, science, digital skills, citizenship, education. Reversing the decline in basic skills is at the heart of the Union of skills policy that we proposed last year. Last year as well, we adopted the action plan for basic skills and this autumn in 2026 as part of a bigger education package, we will go further with a basic skill support scheme for schools to support children and young people who are struggling to keep up. Teachers are also central to every learner's success, and they deserve our full support and our full attention. And yet, too many are overworked, undervalued, and sometimes leaving this beautiful profession. A quarter of Europe's teachers are more than 55 years old, and they will retire in the next decade, while not enough young teachers are stepping up to replace them. And without motivated, well-equipped teachers, there is no education system and there can be no equal opportunities for all. And that is why, and this is very important, I will also present as part of the education package, the EU agenda for teachers and trainers. We must also strengthen vocational education and training, making it more attractive, more innovative and more inclusive, in line with the Herning Declaration that was adopted in September last year during the Danish presidency of the Council, and this will be the goal of the European VET strategy that I will also present this summer. European action must work in synergy with national strategies. That is equally important. With the Commission's proposal for a Council recommendation on human capital, we put stronger emphasis on education inside the European Semester. This is an important process that is of particular relevance in view of the next budget, and how the funds will be allocated in the next MFF. And education needs to be central. EU funding can be a powerful catalyst for reform, and our proposal to increase the funding of Erasmus+ by 50 % is a clear signal of our ambition. But this is clearly not enough. We need much more investment in education. It is about public funding with the national regional partnership plans. But it is also, I would say, about mobilising private funding. And on this, let me stress the key importance and opportunity that we have with the newly proposed European Competitiveness Fund, that is to support innovative education and training and to bring in private investment as well. Finally, I will also mention our global gateway, through which we continue to support access to quality education beyond the borders of Europe worldwide. Of course, inequalities in education do not start in the classroom and they cannot be solved there by themselves. Too often, an equal access to health care, housing and social support translates into unequal learning opportunities. A child who is unwell, who changes home frequently, or who lacks a safe place to study, starts each school day with a clear disadvantage. If we are serious about equal opportunities in education, we must look beyond schools and work across sectors, across policies, bringing together education, health, housing, employment and social services, just to name a few. Only a systemic approach can ensure that every learner has a fair chance to succeed. Honourable Members, today, more than ever, investing in education is a strategic investment in our competitiveness, in the resilience of our societies and democracies, and in our shared European future, a future that is grounded in our common values. I invite you, of course, to continue to work together to make education truly live up to its promise that it is the great equaliser for every learner everywhere.

Madam President, honourable Members, the debate today shows the importance of our ongoing efforts to promote the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. Let us be very clear. The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill treatment. It is an affront to human dignity. Proponents of the death penalty often base their argument on deterrence. However, studies consistently show that states with capital punishment do not have lower crime rates than those without. The death penalty also makes miscarriages of justice irreversible and any reformation and social rehabilitation impossible. I want to stress that even if the current trend in some countries is alarming and requires a firm stance from the European Union, there has been significant progress in the abolition of the death penalty in the last decades. Two thirds of all states are today abolitionists in law or practice. This positive trend is also reflected in the growing support for the biennial resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, in the UN General Assembly. Last time, in December 2024, the resolution was adopted for the first time with a two-thirds majority of all UN states voting in favour. We will continue to call on those few remaining states that still carry out death sentences to introduce a legal moratorium as a first step towards full abolition. We also see the upcoming World Congress against the Death Penalty, to be held in Paris at the end of June this year, as an important opportunity to engage with civil society and states from around the world. I assure you that the European Union will continue to work towards the abolition of the death penalty in the countries that still retain it.

Madam President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, abolition of the death penalty is a long-standing priority for the European Union. Our position on it couldn't be any clearer: we object to its use in all cases and in all circumstances – no exceptions. Regrettably, 2024 was a record year in executions, and the preliminary data concerning last year, 2025, indicates that executions have significantly increased further in some countries. The significant increase in the global number of recorded executions in 2024 – that is +32 % – was mainly attributable to three countries in the Middle East: Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran accounted for 64 % of them. Having said this, we should note that it is estimated that executions and death sentences in China remained in the thousands last and previous years, although the figures remain a state secret, as they do also in North Korea and Vietnam. In 2024, over 40 % of all recorded executions were related to drug offences, in clear violation of international law. The information we received at the beginning of the year indicates that around 1 200 persons were executed for drug-related crimes in 2025. This would represent an over 90 % increase an drug-related executions as compared to 2024. Hence, I want to stress that it is not only of concern that the number of executions is further rising, but also that capital punishment is increasingly being applied to offences that do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes under international law, understood as crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing. Furthermore, the effect of the death penalty is often discriminatory, with disproportionate impact on racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, foreign nationals, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Many facing the death penalty are executed following unfair trials after having been subjected to torture and other forms of ill treatment. In the hands of authoritarian governments, the death penalty can become a political tool to instil fear, to repress opposition and quash the exercise of fundamental freedoms. Honourable Members, the death penalty has no place in the 21st century. Our fight against it should continue. The EU guidelines on the death penalty remain the anchor of our external action. The EU continues to raise this issue with all states that still retain capital punishment in law and and/or in practice. We use our political and human rights dialogues, as well as démarches and other bilateral meetings, to raise concerns in relation to fair trial standards, due process guarantees, discriminatory application and other minimum standards under international law. Other tools include trial observation, support to human rights defenders, public statements, and engagements in multilateral contexts, such as the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council. One of our most important achievements is the increased cooperation with civil society on the ground. In July 2024, the EU initiated a framework partnership to support the new Global Consortium for Death Penalty Abolition, composed of 25 abolitionist organisations operating in 40 target countries. This cooperation has been instrumental in empowering civil society to more effectively advocate for abolition in the target countries and coordinate action at regional and international levels. This is crucial as civil society continues to lead efforts against the death penalty worldwide.

Madam President, Members, I thank you for quite a lively debate. I attend many debates and this was lively, important, but polarised on certain issues, and it should not be. Somebody said that there is no Europe without social Europe – this is what the Commission believes and this is what I believe. I greatly appreciate your questions and the level of ambition that you want to set for all the topics that are important for our social rights. I won't respond to each and every one of you, but I will say this: the European Pillar of Social Rights delivers. Go and speak with the people about how they perceive Europe and they will say that they know that the Minimum Wage Directive – in some countries where it has already been implemented – has helped them have a higher income. This is quite important. Turning to Romania, Ms Grapini asked about child poverty. The European Child Guarantee in Romania has an allocation currently at about EUR 7 billion out of our European Social Fund Plus. But that is not important; what is important is that while, yes, one out of three children is at risk of poverty and exclusion, the story that must come from this Parliament and from this European Union is that 200 000 Romanian children were lifted out of risk of poverty and exclusion in 2024 with the help of the European Social Fund Plus. We must share the story that from almost 40 % children in in risk of exclusion, we are now at 33 %. Because if we do not give hope that what has been implemented already – while not enough – has delivered, then we don't have the fuel to continue to deliver on our social ambitions. So it is extremely important that when we say we will have a strong European anti-poverty strategy, a fair labour mobility package with legal initiatives to strengthen the European Labour Authority and to have a fair treatment for workers, that when we say we have a Quality Jobs Act to deal with AI challenges, but also subcontracting, people will believe that we mean it because we have already proven that our words become realities in people's lives. Together – Commission, Parliament, Council, governments – we have a tremendous duty for this pillar of social rights to remain extremely ambitious in a very complicated context. I invite you to support us to continue to set the bar high, but also to continue to share, with credibility, the success story of European social policies thus far and the European Pillar of Social rights and the first action plan thus far, and to help us fill in the gaps. Thank you so much for your commitment and I think throughout 2026, beyond this action plan, with all the initiatives that will be put forward, we will be able to go in front of the citizens with very concrete initiatives that follow up on what has already been provided.

Mr President, honourable Members, I would like to thank this House for the oral question that you adopted in December on the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. It gives an important opportunity to us to take stock of where we are so far in the mandate and what is yet to come. A large number of policies, measures, legislation and guidance have been agreed since the Pillar Action Plan was adopted in March 2021, so the tools and instructions manual are ready. But now we have to be vigilant in making sure that the fair, inclusive and resilient social Europe that we want and that we need continues to be actually built. The 2021 Action Plan shows results, progress has been recorded. However, we need to do more, we need to do better and we need to do faster in some areas. Therefore, the full implementation of the 2021 Action Plan remains an imperative. Some people might believe that the commitments made five years ago to strengthen labour rights and social protections in the European Union are no longer a priority with global developments and the associated, more pressing matters always on our doorstep. But I believe that the opposite must be true. If we want to increase our resilience and our competitiveness – and I've said it numerous times – Europe needs to embrace even more tightly the values of equality, fairness and opportunity on which it was built. Last year, the Commission carried out a review of the 2021 Action Plan to understand what has worked well, whether there are gaps and where future possibilities and priorities should lie. We are currently analysing the results and finalising this review. While the impacts on the ground of the action plan are unfolding, the feedback we received confirmed the importance and the relevance of our pillar. Meanwhile, we have adopted during this mandate a number of of key initiatives: in December, we adopted the Quality Jobs Roadmap, giving a clear message that every job in Europe must be a quality job. That is how we attract talent, that is how we reduce in-work poverty and that is how we strengthen Europe's competitiveness. This includes ensuring that people furthest from the labour market can be brought back in, helping address both social cohesion and labour shortages. The Union of skills that we presented earlier in March 2025 will help us turn the tide so that young people and those of other ages are better trained and prepared for what lies ahead. In December, we also launched the first phase of consultation of social partners on a forthcoming quality jobs act, which covers many of the areas that you mentioned in the oral question. This year, 2026, we will adopt the first-ever EU anti-poverty strategy, a Council recommendation on fighting housing exclusion and a strengthened European Child Guarantee. The anti-poverty strategy will have a strong, person-centred life cycle and preventive approach, also in view of the increased cost of living pressures. We will also present this year a fair labour mobility package with a legislative proposal for a European social security pass, a legislative proposal to strengthen the European Labour Authority, and a skills portability initiative that is meant to remove barriers to worker mobility. When it comes to funding, under the proposal for the next MFF, we have, for the first time, a system that will be put in place to ensure that systematic and transparent monitoring of the contribution from the EU budget towards social objectives is performed, and this is a major step forward – and you know of the proposal concerning the minimum 14 % social investment commitment for all national plans. We will present the results of the review of the 2021 Action Plan in July. Future actions will be defined on the basis of a thorough analysis of implementation but also, importantly, in view of the gaps and the new needs that have been identified. The new actions will complement and strengthen ongoing and planned initiatives, thus contributing to supporting the EU's competitiveness but, more importantly, its resilience and preparedness at societal level. Honourable Members, I count on your continued support. I am looking forward during this debate to hearing your ideas, your contributions on how to make these instruments as effective as possible in the current context in Europe.

Mr President, thank you for the very valuable debate, for your contributions. It is important to reiterate that drones and drone defence are a top priority of the Commission, and clearly also of the Parliament. On my side – because my portfolio is connected with the work on our own defence industry – it's important to note that designing a defence industry that extracts value from our European talents, from our students' education, from our STEM education, the skills creating jobs, high-quality jobs related to this field, is extremely important. Because in the end, we want an industry that is not fragmented, that is efficient, that is able to scale – although that is dependent, of course, on the professionals, on the talent, on those that work in this topic. So, I invite you, of course, to support this report with your vote later today, and all other related topics that have been raised in the debate today can be replied by my colleagues from the Commission.

Mr President, honourable Members, I thank Mr Pozņaks and the shadows for this important report and urgent call to action. Drone and counter drone capacities are top Commission priorities. As the Commission and the HR/VP presented in the defence white paper already nine months ago, and in the defence readiness roadmap in October. The drone danger threatens all of Europe. It is part of the toolbox of hybrid warfare, and we've seen drone incursions and airspace violations in Poland, in the Baltic Sea and also in Romania, the country that I know best. And we've seen drone disrupting airports all over Europe. Drones threatening our critical infrastructure and the EU's internal security. Russia and other malicious actors use drones to challenge our safety, our security and our supply chains, and to test our defence readiness. They impact directly our citizens, for example, through spreading fear and through airport closures. And equally, our economic actors, including critical entities. We must develop cutting edge-capacity capacities to detect, to track, to identify and to neutralise incoming drones. And we must use drones to deter and to defend. Learn from Ukraine, where drones halt the Russian advance on land and force the Russian navy into its ports. Efficient drone defence needs integration and cooperation on radar surveillance, on command and control. In short, EU added value. That's why already last October, we proposed flagship defence projects. Complementing the work of the European capability coalitions, flagships will be led by Member States with the support of the Commission and of the HR/VP. The European drone defence Initiative to develop multi-layered, technologically advanced and interoperable counter drone capabilities. And at the Helsinki summit in December, Member States took steps forward on the Eastern Flank Watch flagship project to guard the eastern border on land, in the air and at sea. Member states included drone and drone defence in their SAFE loan proposals, and EUR 1 billion from the European Defence Fund is being used for drone and counter drone prototypes. The European Defence Industry programme offers new money to de-risk investment and should be mobilised also in support of drone production. Moreover, EDIP will include measures to protect supply lines for crucial company components. We strengthen supply lines also through the Chips Act, through STEP and through the Critical Raw Materials Act. Drones, counter drone systems and other defence technology is evolving at an unprecedented speed. The battlefield is changing and so must our defence industry. The EU Defence Innovation Scheme and the European Innovation Council, as well as the European Defence Hub for EU defence innovation, will continue supporting new defence actors, so that we can develop drone and counter drone technologies through the producer-developer-operator model. Furthermore, we set up the Tech Alliance: Talented SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups that connect with Member States. The first industry roundtable meeting was in November on drone defence. Also, we presented our European defence industry transformation roadmap to do more than build a better drone or a better tank to build a better defence industry, a fully connected ecosystem linking innovators and industry to soldiers in the field. We must speed up. That is true. Our new pilot programme, AGILE, aims to cut development down from 6 to 12 months. We are learning from Ukraine. We have the most dynamic defence industry in Europe. In the Brave Tech EU initiative, sharing knowledge and linking EU to Ukrainian companies and through the drone alliance that we are setting up with Ukraine. Also last week we proposed EUR 90 billion in loans for Ukraine, and I thank Parliament for triggering the urgent procedure so that we can quickly get this to support Ukraine. Drones and their ecosystems offer opportunities not only for our defence but also internal security, including border protection. In the face of recent incidents from drones against the security of critical infrastructures, there is a need to enhance the coordination, the ambition and the visibility of our actions through a comprehensive approach. The Commission will soon come forward with an action plan, which will cover the multidimensional aspects of drone and counter drone capacity. Its objective will be to enhance the EU's preparedness to prevent impactful incidents, to better detect malicious activities, and to deploy the right capacities so that we can respond faster to the threats. And drones also offer massive opportunities for our economies and for our societies. We already have one of the best legal frameworks for civil drones in the world. Last summer, 54 Members of Parliament asked us to make Europe a lead market on drones, and now we can make that happen because of dual use. What's good for civil drones will also be good for our defence. So let's work together so Europe can lead on drone industry and on drone defence for our benefits and for our protection.

Madam President, honourable Members, Jimmy Lai has now been detained for more than five years. Most of this time, he was held in solitary confinement. In December, the Hong Kong High Court convicted him on national security grounds, and he now faces a lengthy prison sentence and will likely spend the rest of his life in jail. The trial against Jimmy Lai was politically motivated. He was prosecuted for his support for freedom of expression and for democracy in Hong Kong. The independent newspaper that he founded, Apple Daily, was forced to shut down in 2021, and six former journalists from Apple Daily were charged. This is a striking example of the clampdown on the free and independent press in Hong Kong. It demonstrates the dramatic decline of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong since June 2020, when Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong. Since then, hundreds of opposition politicians, journalists and civil society activists have been arrested. Most independent media outlets were forced to close and many civil society organisations had to disband. A free and independent media is vital for resilient societies and ensuring government accountability. Criminalising speech and political dissent breaches Hong Kong's international commitments and its own Basic Law. The prosecution of Jimmy Lai further undermines confidence in the rule of law, a cornerstone of Hong Kong's attractiveness and success as an international business hub. The European Union, through its office in Hong Kong and Member States' representations on the ground, has closely followed national security trials and regularly attended the court hearings. The EU has repeatedly raised its concerns in public and in meetings with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. Today, the European Union reiterates its call for Jimmy Lai's immediate and unconditional release. The European Union will continue to call on China and Hong Kong to adhere to the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong's Basic Law, to respect international commitments, and to preserve the 'one country, two systems' principle.

Madam President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, we share your concern regarding the case of Mr Joseph Figueira Martin, a European citizen currently detained in the Central African Republic. Since the outset of this case, in May 2024, the High Representative and the European External Action Service have been closely monitoring developments in coordination with the Belgian and Portuguese authorities. While the European External Action Service and the EU delegation support coordination and information-sharing, they do not provide direct consular services themselves. That remains within the competence of the Member States. Belgium and Portugal have been granted access to Mr Figueira Martin and are providing him with regular consular assistance. Both in Bangui and in Brussels, on every possible occasion and at all possible levels, we have consistently stressed to the Central African authorities the imperative that Mr Figueira Martin's rights are fully respected. We have also underlined the importance of ensuring that his conditions of detention meet international standards, in line with the Central African Republic's obligations under international law – including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Convention Against Torture – with a view to achieving his liberation, and we will continue to do so. More broadly, the European Union remains deeply concerned by the human rights environment in the Central African Republic, particularly in areas where the Wagner Group has been active. The EU has repeatedly condemned the actions of this group and its affiliates, which have been associated with serious human rights abuses and violations of the international humanitarian law. The Wagner Group has been listed under the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, along with key individuals and entities operating in the Central African Republic. The European External Action Service and the EU delegation in Bangui, in coordination with Belgium and with Portugal, will continue to follow with great attention the developments of Mr Joseph Figueira Martin's legal case, but also of his health. We hope for a positive outcome, to which we stand ready to contribute within the remit of our competencies, and we extend our sympathy and support to his family.

Madam President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, on 30 November, the Honduran people went in high numbers and in a peaceful manner to cast their votes, reaffirming their commitment to democracy. On 24 December, following a long and protracted process, the Honduran National Electoral Council proclaimed Mr Nasry Asfura as the next President of Honduras. The EU congratulated him on his election. This election saw an unprecedented number of international and national observers in the country, including an EU electoral observation mission led by MEP Francisco Assis as Chief Observer. The will of the Honduran people is clear and there is no doubt about that. Nevertheless, the EU recognises that both the pre- and post-electoral periods have been very challenging. The independence of electoral institutions has been questioned and the vote count was very slow, opening the door to unsubstantiated allegations of fraud. Some political actors have refused to accept defeat, fuelling disinformation and tension. Honourable Members: international partners, civil society and independent media have systematically highlighted the crucial role of international observation, including our own. Through our electoral observation missions and continuous public diplomacy and private outreach, the EU has contributed to safeguard Honduras' democratic space. In this regard, special recognition is due to the EU observers led by Chief Observer Assis. This EU EOM has shown once again the importance of electoral observation as a key EU instrument in supporting electoral governance and democracy. In a world where democratic values are contested, this example encourages us to ensure the continued investment of the EU in election observation. We reiterate the importance of credible and transparent elections free of interference. As inauguration day for President Asfura approaches, the EU has voiced its concerns regarding political violence against parliamentarians and recent statements by the incumbent president and the President of Congress calling for a recount of the general elections. Our position is clear: we call on all political actors to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power. In the coming days, we will remain extremely vigilant, closely monitoring developments through our delegation in Honduras, EU Member State embassies and in close coordination with like-minded partners, including Latin American countries. The EU looks forward to working with Nasry Asfura and his future administration. We recognise that Honduras continues to face serious human rights challenges, including in the protection of human rights defenders. Addressing these concerns will be a key priority and an important area of engagement with the new administration.

Mr President, Members, I enjoyed listening to you. I wish you tomorrow a vote that is clear. Make no mistake that the vote that you are giving tomorrow is extremely important. It's a topic for which the world is looking towards Europe – a Europe that wants to become an AI continent, but the Europe that is the home of the European pillar of social rights. So these two need to go hand in hand. The Commission is clearly engaged to support more innovation, more productivity, and that is very relevant when we bring AI and algorithmic management in the workplace. But at the same time, it is Europe's way that must be continued in the sense that we have a European social model and that we need to make sure that there is trust to be able not only to take more AI resources into the workplace, but to diffuse it in a way that protects and empowers workers. Because – and this is my personal belief, of course – AI is able to empower humanity, but that can only happen in a trusted environment. Our work is not one to create burden, it is not one to create irrelevant rules; it's work that creates trust and that helps us diffuse AI to the benefit of both our economies and, of course, to the benefit of the workers and of the people. With this in mind, we will be watching your vote tomorrow and, of course, the Commission stands ready to respond accordingly to your vote on this Article 225 TFEU resolution.

Mr President, good evening, honourable Members, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Buła, the shadows and you all for this important contribution to the debate on artificial intelligence and algorithmic management in the workplace. The Commission welcomes the draft resolution, which aims to improve working conditions and workers' data protection. It is in line with the commitments made by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in the 2023 European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade. These principles include the right to fair, just, healthy and safe working conditions and appropriate protections. They emphasise the important role of trade unions and employers' organisations in guiding the digital transformation. They also call for protection against unlawful and unjustified surveillance, transparency on the use of AI in the workplace, and human oversight in important decisions affecting workers. On 4 December 2025, the European Commission adopted the Quality Jobs Roadmap, which addresses the impact of digitalisation on working conditions, among other important topics. The roadmap recognises that algorithmic management can increase efficiency and improve safety at work. However, it also points to concerns from excessive surveillance and data breaches to discrimination and also psychosocial risks. It proposes two goals that must be able to go hand in hand: first, to support the take‑up of AI tools at work; and second, to protect workers from the risks that algorithmic management may bring. We should recall that algorithmic management systems are already partially covered by the GDPR when they process personal data and by the AI Act, insofar as they fall under the definition of AI systems. Any EU action should focus thus on enforcing the protections that we already have and clarifying them where needed. But if gaps remain, new targeted complementary measures need to be considered and could be considered, always, of course, ensuring coherence and avoiding overlaps with existing laws. In parallel to the roadmap, the Commission has launched the first‑phase consultation of EU social partners on the possible direction of the Quality Jobs Act, including issues relating to AI and algorithmic management. We will wait for the outcome of the two‑stage consultation before moving forward, of course. I want you to be assured that, in line with the better regulation guidelines, we will systematically assess the impacts of competitiveness and SMEs with an impact assessment, including the proportionality of potential administrative and compliance burdens. This reflects the Commission's renewed focus on competitiveness and simpler EU rules. But I will also recall the commitment taken by the Commission President to respond to Article 225 resolutions with a legislative act in full respect of the proportionality, subsidiarity and better lawmaking principles and subject to the outcome of the social partner consultation. Should this report be adopted with the required majority, we will officially reply within the term of three months. I thank you and I look forward to hearing your views in this important debate.

Madam President, honourable Members, thank you for the debate, for keeping the protection of our democracy so high on our public agenda. An EU response to the commonly shared threat of third country interference is needed. A level playing field is necessary for economic players to carry out their activities in the internal market with a stable and predictable framework. Transparency should be ensured with common standards across the Union. This is essential to avoid forum shopping and loopholes which can be abused. Accountability is necessary for those who seek to influence public decision-making, and we should strive for a common EU approach that upholds EU values, fundamental rights and proportionality. With this proposal, the co-legislators have the opportunity to contribute to setting standards – not only in the European Union, but also on a global scale – on how to address covert foreign influence in a coherent, balanced and proportionate way, fully respecting fundamental rights and democratic values. I am convinced that the best way to protect democracy is through democratic means, transparency, accountability and informed and empowered citizens. The Commission is looking forward to continuing the common work to achieve these very important objectives.

Madam President, honourable Members, dear rapporteur, thank you for the opportunity to exchange with you about this very important proposal. Democracy and the rights and freedoms associated with it are at the core of our societies. There is no democracy without transparency and accountability. Instilling the transparency and openness in the way interests of third countries are represented in the European Union is essential to protect the integrity of our democratic space and to prevent foreign interference. We see Member States more and more legislating or adopting measures in this area in a fragmented manner. And outside the European Union, we see countries such as Canada and Australia that have put in place legislation on this matter and, similarly, the OECD is increasingly addressing the issue of foreign influence. In this context, the proposal for a directive on interest representation carried out on behalf of third countries has been a flagship initiative of the 2023 defence of democracy package. This proposal has two objectives. Firstly, to improve the functioning of the internal market of interest-representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries, creating a level playing field, reducing compliance costs for entities that seek to carry out interest-representation activities on behalf of third countries across borders, and preventing regular regulatory arbitrage. Secondly, to enhance the integrity of and public trust in the Union's and Member States' democratic institutions by ensuring the transparency of interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries and by improving the knowledge of the magnitude, trends and actors behind such activities. The proposed directive aims to regulate specific activities. These are interest-representation activities impacting decision-making processes in the EU carried out on behalf of third countries. It does so without distinctions on the type of entities, acknowledging that there is a wide variety of actors of interest-representation activities that are active on our internal market. The proposal does not ban or prohibit any conduct. It simply requires that activities affecting the core of our democratic processes are carried out transparently. This translates into targeted and proportionate requirements, including registration and record keeping. When doing so, the Commission paid particular attention to provide for strong safeguards to prevent potential negative impacts on the entities concerned, ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and democratic principles and values. As such, this proposal is radically different from any of the so-called foreign agent laws, aiming at stigmatising some entities and reducing their space to express their views. The proposal also minimises the administrative burden, including by relying on different instruments. It will rely on the Internal Market Information System, funded with the EU budget, which allows to connect the national authorities quickly and easily and supports efficient and easy exchanges. I am aware of the hard work and extensive discussions that the IMCO Committee has put into this proposal. I would like to warmly thank the rapporteur and the political groups for their relentless efforts in finding compromise solutions. Now it is the moment for this House to secure a robust negotiating position ahead of the interinstitutional negotiations once the Council has also reached its general approach. This directive is part of our instruments to ensure transparency and counteract interference. It is part of a broader agenda to strengthen democracy and to strengthen democratic resilience. And let me also stress in this context that the Commission has put forward last week the European Democracy Shield, which sets out a series of further measures to empower, to protect and to promote strong and resilient democracies across the European Union. These actions are aimed to boost our collective capacity to counter information manipulation and disinformation, and to strengthen the overall democratic resilience of our societies. I am looking forward to hearing your contributions to this debate.

Madam President, many thanks for your contributions. First of all, I was discussing with Mr Szekeres and I will say that, indeed, our debate – which was so important – should have been accessible online also to people with disabilities. We were discussing the situation of people that are deaf, or could not see subtitles or see a sign language – so we need to do small things first and foremost, so that we are integrating every citizen into our democracies. I will give you a positive spin to our debate, although I am the first to tell you that we have much more to do. Everything to do? Maybe not, but much more to do. The positive spin is the following: as a person that has worked her entire life with cohesion policy in an eastern European country that has huge emotional and social scars, also from the Communist times, for people with disabilities, for women who went through this ban on abortions. I don't want to go into that direction, because the suffering that women in Romania suffered is inexplicable. But the fact that the European Union has led and has financed with EU funds in a way that it took into consideration the specific needs of persons with disabilities, has changed many people's lives. The EU is perceived in many places of our continent as the leading voice and the leading source of financing that is, step by step, not solving everything, but is improving lives for the better. What I mentioned in my opening speech about accessibility is just one part of what is happening, but we do invest in social economy that many times means employment or entrepreneurship opportunities for people with disabilities. We are working on education, from infrastructure – EU funds supporting accessibility of schools or kindergartens – to teaching the teachers on the adapted curriculum. We did a lot of work with the Polish Presidency on the accessibility of education and on excellence, yes, because there is no there is no accessible education without putting the same level of excellence for all teachers and all students alike. I think that we are coming from a place where we show that we can improve the lives of our citizens. I am of the belief that maybe the optimum situation will be when we will no longer need a strategy for the rights of people with disabilities, but when everything is mainstreamed in all other policies. With my portfolio, I'm working on the Quality Jobs Roadmap, which will be published on 3 December, the very day we celebrate the rights of people with disabilities. We're looking at the affordable housing plan, so trying to mainstream, to integrate there initiatives that need to also serve women, people with disabilities, our citizens overall. But yes, we do still need a dedicated tool. Next year we will publish the enhanced strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities, and this is a good moment to collect your ideas and to assess where we are. We will have a report as well. We see the gaps: what we have done, what we have not done. Did we enforce the legislation as we should? Must we enforce it with a different rhythm and with a different commitment? With this in mind, I think that we can set our goals for the next years looking at what AI transformation means for people with disabilities, from assistive technologies to AI skills and literacy, and how we can significantly improve lives and health by looking at research. So you have in me – as Vice‑President also in charge of equality, supporting our Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and all our colleagues in the College – a partner, so that we can, with the tool that we launch in the spring next year with the enhanced strategy, a really strong and mainstream tool, because I am a believer that it is not by having a single silo that we can improve people's lives. We have to work across. Your strong messages today, the pain in many people's voices, the anger, the passion: they are very important for the battle for a social Europe in which I really believe. So I really thank you for that. And with honesty that we have much more to do ahead of us, let us also believe that it is in our common power to deliver for our citizens, including for citizens that experience disability but are in many ways stronger, more talented, and have much more potential to support Europe than many others who consider themselves advantaged. Thank you so much for the debate. I really was inspired by it.

Madam President, honourable Members, I want to thank the European Parliament for holding this plenary debate on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post‑2024. I thank you also for your work on the report on the future of the strategy set to be adopted tomorrow. Our goal is to improve the lives of persons with disabilities in the European Union and beyond. This debate, then, is timely because we are halfway in the implementation of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021‑2030. The strategy includes seven flagship initiatives, 57 Commission actions and 23 calls for action to Member States. It promotes disability mainstreaming in all areas and creates a strong framework for EU action in addition to Member States' policies. I will mention some key achievements during the first half of the strategy. First, I will refer to the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. This is a landmark directive to facilitate the free movement of persons with disabilities across the European Union, and to improve their access to services in other Member States. Second, I will mention the Disability Employment Package. This initiative has provided guidance for employers and other relevant actors to improve labour market outcomes of persons with disabilities. The package covers all stages of employment including reasonable accommodation, vocational rehabilitation, as well as alternative employment models and pathways to the open labour market. Third, we created AccessibleEU, a resource centre to support the implementation of the European Accessibility Act and other accessibility legislation. AccessibleEU is providing training to stakeholders and public authorities on accessibility issues. This will help enhance capacity and promote the application of accessibility rules across our European Union. Finally, in 2021, we established the Disability Platform. This platform brings together national authorities and civil society to enhance cooperation and to support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Looking forward, the Commission is committed to continue upholding the rights of persons with disabilities, and we envisage new actions to reinforce the strategy. This will allow us to respond to calls for new actions coming from many, many stakeholders. In April this year, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has issued recommendations to the EU on the way it implements the UN Convention, asking to develop new actions under the strategy. The European Economic and Social Committee has adopted an opinion on the matter this June. Member States have recently discussed how to advance disability rights in the coming years at the EPSCO council meeting on 17 October. Commission services met last week with social partners and with civil society organisations who have expressed their views through several position papers, and we also launched a public consultation to gather input from all citizens. This consultation is open until 6 February, and I invite everyone to join and respond. We look forward to the report being adopted tomorrow by this House. The contribution of other EU institutions will also be crucial in terms of legislation and policy implementation, as well as setting the example as public administrations and employers. All of this input is feeding into the development of new actions from the Commission, which will be presented next spring, as outlined in the Commission work programme for 2026. The goal is to update and to enhance the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030. Honourable Members, we are all united in our efforts to advance the rights of persons with disabilities across our Union. I look forward to hearing your views and engaging with you on this crucial area, which, as your draft reports rightly showed, touches every part of the life of persons with disabilities and their families, and it shapes our societies and our economies as a whole.

Madam President, Europe is beyond any doubt facing a sustained grey-zone campaign. We must scale up to deter, we must attribute, and we must act with unity. Our citizens expect us to ensure that every square centimetre of European territory remains protected and remains safe. Hybrid warfare is designed to stretch our systems and to test our unity. We must demonstrate that our resolve is stronger than the pressure that is applied against us. We welcome the European Parliament's clear stance that the EU's response to hybrid attacks must match the intensity and the severity of the attacks themselves. This principle of proportionality in deterrence is essential. The message is clear: Europe will not be intimidated. We will defend every part of our Union together – with unity, with capability and with determination.

Madam President, something new and dangerous is happening in our skies. In recent weeks, the airspace has been violated over Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, and again Romania yesterday. These incidents are a pattern, not an accident. These incidents are elements of a hybrid warfare, a deliberate grey zone campaign targeting Europe. They are testing our resolve, probing our systems and attempting to unsettle our citizens. They are designed to not be easily attributable, but we must not shy away from attribution. Investigations must continue, and when responsibility can be established, we should call it out. Hybrid actions thrive on ambiguity. Deterrence requires clarity. Our response must be collective and credible. Unity is our strongest asset. Air‑policing missions and shared situational awareness already demonstrate concrete solidarity across the Union, working hand in hand with NATO. But Europe must also deter. We cannot allow cheap drones to force costly reactions. We urgently need systems that are scalable, affordable and fit for purpose. This is why the proposed European defence drone initiative is central. It remains the prerogative of the Member States to define and decide on military capabilities. Such an initiative would strengthen detection, interception and response capabilities across the Union, drawing on the experience of Ukraine. Together with the capability coalition on drones and counter drones, as set up by Member States, the European defence drone initiative could form a major strand of our collective response. Our approach must be unequivocally 360 degrees. Air, land, sea, cyber and information domains are all targeted in this grey zone campaign. Our response must cover all of them, from counter drone systems to monitoring of all critical infrastructure and enhanced situational awareness across the entire Union. This is an important element of the Readiness Roadmap 2030. The Commission is ready to mobilise its instruments, such as the European Defence Industrial Programme, in support of this priority. The SAFE instrument provides a EUR 150 billion loans programme that supports Member States in urgent defence procurement, including on drones and counter drones solutions. Furthermore, our actions supporting internal security, such as the Integrated Border Management Fund and its cause – specifically, addressing the threat by drones – will provide funding towards building and enhancing Member States' capabilities, making it possible to address this whole‑of‑society threat, both from civil as well as military aspects. Cybersecurity measures and frameworks, such as the NIS 2, CERT and the Cyber Solidarity Act, can play a supporting role. Our priority is to strengthen Europe's real time ability to detect, to deter and to respond to hybrid threats in the physical and in the digital domains.