What Mairead spoke about.

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

State of EU solar industry in light of unfair competition (debate)

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– Mr President, colleagues, thank you all for your very strong contributions to this debate. There is concern, well expressed in this House, about the state of the EU solar industry, as you say in the title, ‘in light of unfair competition’. I did say in the opening remarks that we do have instruments to tackle unfair trade practices – so, just to put that again clearly to you – whenever this is, …

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

State of EU solar industry in light of unfair competition (debate)

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– Madam President, colleagues, I want to thank the Parliament for the opportunity to take the floor on this very crucial issue, the situation of the EU solar industry. I do want to start with some good news: the EU installed 56 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) last year, according to industry data. This is a record and is twice as much as just two years earlier. Solar energy is one of the key pillars…

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Instant payments in euro (debate)

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– Madam President, thank you very much, colleagues, for all of the contributions. And I think we now need to move to the next stage, which is implementation of the regulation. What I want to see are that these new rules are implemented not just quickly, but smoothly. The payment sector is fully aware of what needs to be done and it has already started doing it. The deadlines are short but without …

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Instant payments in euro (debate)

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– Madam President, colleagues, I was almost was going to say ‘let me second the speech of the rapporteur’ and maybe start with a big thank you to Michiel Hoogeveen, because you worked tirelessly and effectively with the shadows to get this piece of legislation done in a very timely manner. The matter of instant payments should not be new, but it is not the norm and won’t be unless this legislation…

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Situation of prisoners in Hungarian jails, including the case of Ilaria Salis (debate)

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– Madam President, thank you, colleagues, for your contribution to this debate. The Commission is committed to upholding fundamental values in the area of detention and a high level of procedural safeguards in criminal proceedings in the European Union. At the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council at the end of January, the Commission reminded Member States to take the necessary steps at natio…

5 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Situation of prisoners in Hungarian jails, including the case of Ilaria Salis (debate)

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– Madam President, honourable Members, I want to thank the House for putting on the agenda of this plenary the situation of prisoners in Hungarian jails, including the case of Ilaria Salis. As you know, detention issues are mainly a competence and responsibility of the Member States, but the Charter of Fundamental Rights does require that, within the scope of EU law, detention conditions do not vi…

4 Oct

2023

EN Speech

European green bonds (debate)

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– Mr President, thank you, colleagues, for all of these really important contributions. The first thing I would say is that this is not a theoretical debate. This is about the real world of channelling money, investments to the green transition. I am pleased that there is a big interest in this topic. Most people see the value of the work we have done together. Some would have liked more, some wou…

4 Oct

2023

EN Speech

European green bonds (debate)

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– Madam President, well done to our rapporteur, Paul Tang. Before I begin my speech, Paul is tenacious and able and absolutely committed to the sustainability agenda and I salute that. I was also a tough MEP, so it’s important to have you and thank you for all of the efforts you make and the push you give. Dear colleagues, to those who’ve been involved in this file, a huge thank you to you as a te…

13 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Reviewing the protection status of wolves and other large carnivores in the EU (topical debate)

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– Madam President, thank you, colleagues, it’s true to say that there were many speakers in this debate, so the issue is of concern to both sides of this debate. I very much welcome not just the personal stories of where farmers have been very badly impacted by attacks on their livestock by wolves, but also those who are concerned about changes that might occur. I don’t have experience of wolf att…

13 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Reviewing the protection status of wolves and other large carnivores in the EU (topical debate)

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– Mr President, good afternoon, colleagues, thank you, Herbert, for setting out the debate today. We are talking about the situation of wolves and other large carnivores in the European Union. And I do recall the resolution of this House of 24 November last year on the protection of livestock farming and large carnivores in Europe. The Commission submitted detailed replies on 7 March and we are ma…

13 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Recommendations of the Commission on public country by country reporting transposition (debate)

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– Mr President, I think this was a really important debate because this is your work and we need to make sure, as a Commission, that we implement fully and effectively, as I emphasised in my opening remarks. And I want to re-emphasise that that is our job, our duty, and we do it sincerely and – we hope – effectively. We are working hard to promote effective transposition that maintains the level p…

13 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Recommendations of the Commission on public country by country reporting transposition (debate)

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– Mr President, a very good morning, colleagues and thanks for the opportunity to discuss the ongoing transposition of the Public Country-by-Country Reporting Directive by our Member States and the work of the Commission in this area. And maybe to recall that when I was a Member of this House, I voted in favour of this directive, and as Commissioner I oversaw the finalisation of negotiations. The …

12 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Crackdown on the media and freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan

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– Mr President, honourable Members, the European Union is extremely concerned about the Kyrgyz Republic’s recent decisions around freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of the media. The new draft law on mass media, in addition to the previously adopted law on the protection against false, unreliable information, is worrying. We are closely following deliberations in the Kyrgyz Parli…

12 Jul

2023

EN Speech

India, the situation in Manipur

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– Mr President, honourable Members, I really would like to reassure you that the European Union is following the situation in the state of Manipur closely. And we are very saddened, deeply saddened by the large number of deaths and of injured and displaced persons since violence erupted in Manipur at the beginning of May. The Indian authorities have taken a number of measures to address this very …

12 Jul

2023

EN Speech

The political disqualifications in Venezuela

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– Madam President, good evening, honourable Members, the lengthy political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela continues as the 2024 presidential elections approach and political negotiations in Mexico between the Maduro government and the opposition remain stalled. Currently, the democratic opposition forces in Venezuela are preparing to hold primaries in October to elect a com…

10 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Banking Union – annual report 2022 (short presentation)

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– Madam President, and good evening. This is a rather special debate. My thanks to the select few who have contributed two excellent contributions. It is about quality, not volume. Can I just say thank you to rapporteur Peter—Hansen in particular, for her comment about nature restoration and the banking debate. In fact, we need the Banking Union and Capital Markets Union in order to provide the in…

10 May

2023

EN Speech

The role of farmers as enablers of the green transition and a resilient agricultural sector (continuation of debate)

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– Mr President, thank you, colleagues, for what has been a very rich and very important debate. In fact, 15 Members looked for catch-the-eye, and in my time that’s a record. So it shows the extent of interest and concern about farming, the Green Deal and food production. You will have watched me take copious notes because I was a journalist. In fact, I was one of those journalists who broadcast on…

10 May

2023

EN Speech

The role of farmers as enablers of the green transition and a resilient agricultural sector (continuation of debate)

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– Mr President, good morning, colleagues, I do want to raise the podium before I start – so apologies. I want to look you in the eye. This is a really, really important debate and I think it’s why so many Members are here this morning. And I want to thank my friend and colleague in Parliament, Minister Roswall, for her very crisp and clear reference to agriculture and its key role around sustainab…

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Digital euro (debate)

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– Madam President, this has been a really lively and very useful and important discussion. Now, whether you’re for or against, sceptical or an enthusiast for a potential digital euro, it is a political project and this Parliament is having its say and that will continue as it should. Mr Ferber, I think, is not in the chamber, but he asked a very big question, which, as a former journalist, I used …

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Digital euro (debate)

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– Mr President, Minister, honourable Members, I’m really happy that we’re having this conversation in the Chamber today because we’ve been having conversations in corridors and it’s important that this Chamber discusses what is a really important project. You’ve already heard that many governments and central banks around the world are looking into possible central bank digital currencies. And for…

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Markets in Crypto-assets (MiCa) - Information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (recast) (debate)

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– Mr President, thank you to the Members for all of your comments. I think we’ve covered the entire spectrum of views around this piece of legislation. In my view, it is extremely timely, and I repeat my thanks to all involved. In addition, we all know that crypto activity is not within a borders regime – it crosses borders, it’s international. While we have done our work, and I compliment you ahe…

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Markets in Crypto-assets (MiCa) - Information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (recast) (debate)

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– Madam President, dear colleagues, I welcome this debate, and I think it’s really important that we’re having an exchange before we have the vote tomorrow, because as some of you have mentioned, we are ahead of many other jurisdictions in this area. But I want to start by thanking the rapporteurs and to acknowledge the very good cooperation, despite disagreements, to get these files over the line…

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Keeping people healthy, water drinkable and soil liveable: getting rid of forever pollutants and strengthening EU chemical legislation now (topical debate)

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– Madam President, colleagues, I do want to try and respond to some of your questions, and I will understand if I am not giving you the answers you need but I do think we need to be very clear. And I will convey the strength of this debate to my colleagues in the Commission, as I’m sure you will be aware. So on the timing of the revision of REACH, we know this revision is urgent and we’ve heard it…

19 Apr

2023

EN Speech

Keeping people healthy, water drinkable and soil liveable: getting rid of forever pollutants and strengthening EU chemical legislation now (topical debate)

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– Madam President, dear Minister, honourable Members of Parliament, I think we can all agree that the Commission, Parliament and Council share the ambition to keep our water and soil clean and free from pollutants that harm human health and the environment. The Commission is committed to the Green Deal and the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and to moving towards a toxic-free environment. Th…

16 Mar

2023

EN Speech

Long term commitment to animal welfare (debate)

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– Mr President, thank you, colleagues, for what has been a very lively debate, as I had anticipated. I think your commitment to animal welfare is well known in this House. In relation to who looks after animal welfare, I really want to assure Members that this issue of animal welfare is at the very heart of the work of my colleague Stella Kyriakides within this Commission. Because the issues befor…