What Michele spoke about.

8

Jul

2026

IT Speech

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Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda: EU solidarity and preparedness in global health (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Ebola epidemic in Congo and Uganda reminds us that health crises can quickly cross national borders, as is also shown by the confirmed case in France of a doctor returning from Congo, reported by the World Health Organization. European solidarity is not only a humanitarian duty, but also an investment in international health security. By sup…

21

May

2026

IT Speech

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The Union’s preparedness for and response to health emergencies: the case of the MV Hondius and the hantavirus warning (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Europe, as the COVID ‑ pandemic19 has shown us, cannot afford to face the next health emergency with delays, fragmented responses or improvised interventions. Recent outbreaks of hantavirus and Ebola confirm that health threats can suddenly emerge, spread rapidly and put pressure on health systems, communities, workers and economies. While impor…

18

May

2026

IT Speech

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European solidarity: key to securing medicine access in a shifting geopolitical era (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Europe cannot realise the importance of medicines only when they start to fail. Geopolitical tensions, the war in the Middle East and rising energy costs are already putting the pharmaceutical supply chain in crisis. After the pandemic, we should have learned the lesson: Relying on the outside for drugs and active ingredients is a strategic weaknes…

28

Apr

2026

IT Speech

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Interim report on the proposal for the multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034 (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the European Parliament will vote today on the position on the €1,788 billion multiannual financial framework, an ambitious choice that contains important elements but also political issues that we cannot ignore. We strongly claim the results obtained: a strong, independent CAP of around €385 billion and a cohesion policy of over €274 billion. These numbers mean…

25

Mar

2026

IT Speech

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Implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and risks to the security of supply of medicines (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, defending the environment and the health of citizens is an objective that we all share, but this revision, as it stands, leaves too many shadows. While the Commission talks about sustainable costs, operators complain about uncertainty and lack of clarity, especially on the extended producer responsibility mechanism, so much so that heavy burdens are d…

12

Mar

2026

IT Speech

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Prevention and treatment of obesity (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, obesity is now one of the main public health challenges in Europe. Today one in six Europeans lives with obesity and each year 1.2 million deaths are linked to overweight and obesity. We need structured health policies. That's why we have to do three things: first, to fully recognise obesity as a chronic disease, overcoming stigma and simplifications; …

19

Jan

2026

IT Speech

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Framework for strengthening the availability and security of supply of critical medicinal products as well as the availability of, and accessibility of, medicinal products of common interest (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, a Europe that sacrifices the right to care on the altar of ideology is no longer strong, it is only irresponsible. Rules designed for environmental legislation, such as the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, end up affecting the production of essential medicines, creating shortages that pay patients, with the paradox that Europe risks compromising the rig…

16

Dec

2025

IT Speech

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Presentation of the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (debate)

15

Dec

2025

IT Speech

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Impact of the geopolitical situation on European patients and their access to medicines (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the growing geopolitical instability is revealing the European Union's serious fragility in access to essential medicines, especially cancer medicines. The shortages are the result of supply chains that are too dependent on third countries, especially China and Asia. The global context, also in light of the US policy of the "most favoured nation", …

17

Jun

2025

IT Speech

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Latest developments on the revision of the air passenger rights and airline liability regulations (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, travellers have the right to rely on simple rules, real protections and certain times in the event of inconvenience. The revision of the Air Passenger Rights Regulation is a very important issue because it touches the lives of millions of European citizens. It is important to correct and strengthen some points, also in light of what the latest international e…

16

Jun

2025

IT Speech

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Signature of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 81)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, on 13 June in Francavilla Fontana, Brigadier Carlo Legrottaglie was killed while pursuing those responsible for a robbery. A gunshot snatched him from life. He was 59 years old. A few days left to retire, after more than thirty years of honorable service in the carabinieri's weapon. And yet, until the last moment, Carlo did what he had always loved to do: ser…

21

May

2025

IT Speech

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Improving mental health at work (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, mental health at work is not a luxury but a necessity. Work must represent an opportunity for growth and fulfillment, not become a cause of chronic stress or psychological malaise. In an age of hyperconnection, isolation and growing pressure, protecting the mental well-being of workers means investing in productivity, social cohesion and the future of our busine…

3

Apr

2025

IT Speech

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Health care related tourism: protecting EU patients abroad (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank Commissioner Varhelyi and the Commission for their response and their sensitivity to the phenomenon of health tourism, which involves more and more sectors of medicine, such as cosmetic and plastic surgery, medically assisted reproduction, orthopaedic and ophthalmological surgery, innovative therapies and finally the most affected sector, d…

3

Apr

2025

IT Speech

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European Action Plan on Rare Diseases (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, rare diseases are one of the most complex public health challenges, affecting almost 30 million people in the European Union, including 2 million in Italy. It is in this context that the European Union needs a strong regulatory framework to promote policies that support the development of orphan medicines; The upcoming revision of the pharmaceutica…

2

Apr

2025

IT Speech

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Outcome of the recent COP16 biodiversity negotiations in Rome (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity ended in Rome in February, a complex conference, of course, but above all a successful one. As many as 168 countries, differing in political orientations, economic conditions and cultural contexts, managed to find an agreement. At the heart of the negotiations is the mobilisation of resources for biodiversity, …

11

Mar

2025

IT Speech

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Presentation of the proposal on Critical Medicines Act (CMA) (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, how long can we tolerate shortages of essential medicines in Europe? Colleagues, this crisis is a structural problem that puts the health of our citizens at risk. Our goal is an independent Europe in the production of medicines, because health cannot depend on external actors. It is a matter of security and sovereignty for all Member States: Without a strong …

12

Feb

2025

IT Speech

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Silent crisis: the mental health of Europe’s youth (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the mental health of our young people is not only a problem of well-being, but an essential right, often overlooked in our health budgets. More than half of mental illnesses occur before the age of 14, with devastating effects such as declining school performance and social isolation. This represents a moral failure that we have a duty to prevent. Access to care…

11

Feb

2025

IT Speech

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The need to address urgent labour shortages and ensure quality jobs in the health care sector (debate)

(IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, let us imagine a Europe in 2030 with a shortage of medical and health personnel of around 4 million. This is what the WHO tells us. In order to reverse this negative trend, Europe must immediately intervene with the revision of the next multiannual budget, increasing the resources of the EU4Health, Erasmus+ and 4th Health Programme, in addition to developme…

20

Jan

2025

IT Speech

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Heat record year 2024 - the need for climate action to fight global warming (debate)

(IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the year 2024 will go down in history with record high temperatures, with the agricultural sector suffering economic losses estimated by the European Commission at over EUR 14 billion, a figure that brings our food security and the economic stability of many rural communities to their knees. We know that, in the face of this emergency, the European Union ha…

19

Dec

2024

IT Speech

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Need to update the European strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, today it is essential to address the need to update the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Despite the progress made in recent years, many barriers still remain. People with disabilities continue to face difficulties in accessing essential services, such as care, education and work. The European Union must do more to ensure that al…

18

Dec

2024

IT Speech

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Restoring the EU’s competitive edge – the need for an impact assessment on the Green Deal policies (topical debate)

Mr President, Commissioner Ribera, ladies and gentlemen, the Green Deal is a clear example of how the European Union is legislating without assessing the impact that these policies will have on the lives of our citizens. It is undeniable how the desire to quickly achieve ecological goals has led to laws that damage vital sectors such as agriculture and industry. This contrasts with the positive wo…

25

Nov

2024

IT Speech

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Outcome of the UN Biodiversity Conference 2024 in Cali, Colombia (COP16) (debate)

(IT) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the COP16, which took place in Cali from 28 to 31 October last, while representing an important opportunity for confrontation between nations to face the challenges related to climate change, was characterized by internal divisions among the participants, with very divergent positions on issues crucial for financing, for the energy transition, and the re…

25

Nov

2024

IT Speech

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, 'violence against women is one of the most shameful violations of human rights': With these words by Kofi Annan, I call the attention of the European Parliament, because today we are called to reflect on a scourge that crosses our society, which has no borders and makes no distinction between class, ethnicity or age. It is a deep wound that marks not only the vi…

23

Oct

2024

IT Speech

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Tackling the steel crisis: boosting competitive and sustainable European steel and maintaining quality jobs (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, as we know, the European steel industry is at a crucial junction due to global economic crises, regulatory changes and environmental pressures. With reference to Italy, steel is a fundamental pillar of our economy, with a production of 22 million tons, 25,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect jobs. One of the keys to tackling the steel crisis is efficient scra…

21

Oct

2024

IT Speech

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One-minute speeches (Rule 179)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, dental tourism in non-EU countries is a growing phenomenon that raises major public health concerns. In recent years many European patients, in particular Italians, have turned to destinations such as Albania and Turkey for dental treatments at competitive prices. However, an investigation of the British Dental Association 70% of patients who sought treatment ab…