Speeches

The next item is the joint debate. - the Council and Commission statements on the preparation of the EU-China Summit in 2025 (2025/2757(RSP)), and. - the Commission statement "Tackling China's restrictions on exports of critical raw materials" (2025/2800(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on the escalation of violence and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan (2025/2751(RSP)).

The ECR Group informed the President of a decision to amend the appointments to a committee. This decision will be included in the minutes of today's sitting and will enter into force with effect from this announcement.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, according to Eurostat, almost one in three Europeans lives in areas with low population density: more than 137 million citizens living in rural, mountainous or peripheral areas. This is not an exception, but an extraordinary resource common to the whole of the European Union. In Lazio, for example, from where I come, there are small municipalities that every day demonstrate an extraordinary vitality. But to unleash their full potential, an essential prerequisite is needed: the concrete possibility of moving. The new European regulation on Public Service Obligations, in force since December 2023, strengthens the possibility for public authorities to define transport services that meet not only economic criteria, but also general interest objectives, such as territorial cohesion, accessibility and inclusion. However, in order to make public transport services at all levels truly competitive and efficient, it is necessary, in my view, to focus on three levels: regulatory, establishing minimum standards also for long-distance routes considered to be low-profitable but with high social potential; financial, providing for a structural share of European funds for the mobility of underserved areas; and institutional, promoting multilevel governance between the European Union, States and Regions, capable of planning in an integrated and fair manner. Above all, it is necessary to involve small municipalities, especially those in inland areas, often passive recipients of reforms that have never been shared, in addition to cities, as you rightly mentioned. A just mobility is built with the territories and not only for the territories. Commissioner, connecting small towns to the rest of Europe means investing in cohesion, growth and freedom.

The next item is the report by Victor Negrescu and Siegfried Mureşan, on behalf of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, on the report on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (2024/2085(INI) (A10-0098/2025).

I have received a request for a personal statement from Mr Maréchal, pursuant to Rule 180 of the Rules of Procedure, referring to a comment made yesterday at the opening of the part-session.

The next vote concerns financing for development (in view of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville) (see point 7.9 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure concerning the declaration of contributions (Rule 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure) (see point 7.7 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns the resolution of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (resolution) (see point 7.5 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns the resolution of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the Union (see point 7.4 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of goods by road of 29 June 2022 (see point 7.3 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (recast) (see point 7.2 of the Minutes).

The next vote concerns the amendment of Regulation (EU) No 228/2013 as regards additional assistance and flexibility for the outermost regions affected by major natural disasters and in the context of the devastation caused in Mayotte by Cyclone Chido (see point 7.1 of the Minutes).

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for drawing attention to this. This issue has already been raised in Parliament, previously brought to the President's attention by the Commission.

The next item is the report by Jeroen Lenaers, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (recast) (COM(2024)0060 - C9-0028/2024 - 2024/0035(COD) (A10-0097/2025).