What Francisco José spoke about.

26

Nov

2024

ES Speech

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Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia (debate)

13

Nov

2024

ES Speech

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EU-US relations in light of the outcome of the US presidential elections (debate)

Madam President, the United States is our most important strategic partner. We are united by broad and intense ties, we also share values, our economies are increasingly integrated... The strategic relationship must continue regardless of political changes. Both sides face very serious geopolitical challenges: the war in Ukraine, the rise of an increasingly rival China, the crisis in the Middle Ea…

24

Oct

2024

ES Speech

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Protecting our oceans: persistent threats to marine protected areas in the EU and benefits for coastal communities (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, the oceans face many threats, it is true: climate change, pollution from waste and dumping, plastics, maritime transport, hydrocarbon exploitation, illegal fishing ... We must protect the oceans, but without falling into maximalist extremism: protection is not incompatible with all human activity. The so-called "European Ocean Pact" should have a holistic, comprehens…

23

Oct

2024

ES Speech

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EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia (debate)

Madam President, in June 2022 we banned the import of Russian oil by sea into the European Union and also the transport of Russian oil by sea to third countries for a price higher than that set by the G7, but in recent weeks the press has widely denounced that more than 70% of Russian oil transported by sea uses the so-called Russian ‘shadow fleet’. Last September, this fleet had transported more …

22

Oct

2024

ES Speech

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Situation in Tunisia (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Tunisia is an important neighbour of the Union and enjoys the status of a privileged partner in the southern neighbourhood. Since the Arab Spring, we have been supporting efforts to transform its political system and stabilize its economy. Tunisia is now going through a difficult juncture: on the economic front, the situation has improved slightly compared to the previo…

9

Oct

2024

ES Speech

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Prevention of drug-related crimes, their effect on European citizens and the need for an effective European response (debate)

Madam President, Mr Vice-President Schinas, thank you for that comprehensive briefing. Drug trafficking does not understand borders and requires international cooperation. This is precisely one of the pillars of the EU Strategy. Today Europe is the world's first cocaine market. From Latin American countries come much of the stash through European ports. I know of the Vice-President's concern for p…

8

Oct

2024

ES Speech

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Outcome of the Summit of the Future: transforming global governance for building peace, promoting human rights and achieving the sustainable development goals (debate)

Madam President, in the international community the world is far from being more peaceful, more prosperous and more just, the objective of the famous Millennium Declaration adopted in 2000 by the United Nations. Now we are going through a very difficult and dangerous stage. Challenges such as climate change, pandemics, organised crime or mediocre economic growth proliferate. Wars and conflicts are…

18

Sep

2024

ES Speech

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The case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba

Madam President, the situation in Cuba has not improved: serious shortages persist, medicines, food, electricity, water, etc. are lacking, and human rights are still not respected. Six months ago this Parliament adopted a resolution on the worrying increase in the number of political prisoners in Cuba. The number exceeds a thousand prisoners arbitrarily imprisoned in inhumane conditions, many of t…

18

Sep

2024

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Organised crime, a major threat to the internal security of the European Union and European citizens (topical debate)

Madam President, organised crime is one of the most serious threats to security in Europe, as my colleague Mr Zoido has just described very well. I want to focus on one specific aspect: drug trafficking. And a fact: Since 2020, the European Union has become the largest cocaine consumption market in the world. I would like to make a few brief considerations. Firstly, I believe it is necessary for t…

17

Sep

2024

ES Speech

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Situation in Venezuela (debate)

Madam President, I would like to start by regretting that the High Representative is not joining us today in this important debate on the situation in Venezuela. On July 28, as has already been repeated, presidential elections were held and, despite all the obstacles and difficulties that the regime imposed on the opposition candidacy, it was clearly and forcefully victorious, as many internationa…

17

Sep

2024

ES Speech

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Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States (debate)

Madam President, I reiterate what I have been saying in the last two years in this house: we need to step up our military assistance to Ukraine in its legitimate response to the Russian aggression. We are in a war in which there is a great difference between Ukraine and Russia in terms of human and material resources. Moreover, the Putin regime knows no limits or restrictions: It strikes the entir…

25

Apr

2024

ES Speech

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Pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, thank you for your very short presentation. Enlargement policy has been one of the most successful in the Union, contributing to the transformation of the acceding countries. Yesterday, in this House, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Athens. For its part, the European Union has also gained in size – very important in a multipolar world in which l…

23

Apr

2024

ES Speech

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EU-Egypt strategic and comprehensive partnership and agreements with key third countries (debate)

Mr President, I thank Vice-President Schinas for his very comprehensive presentation. The European Union is in a very serious situation. Over the past two years, Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine has concentrated our efforts, but it cannot make us forget the southern neighbourhood. The serious risk of escalation in the Middle East, the difficulties facing the countries of the Southern Neigh…

22

Apr

2024

ES Speech

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Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution (debate)

Madam President, first of all I would like to thank the rapporteur for his report. I welcome the fact that for the first time there will be a specific regulation on the prevention of pellet pellet pellet pellet losses in the European Union. The recent pouring of pellets from the Toconao in Atlantic waters highlighted the desirability of the maritime transport of pellets being included in the scope…

13

Mar

2024

ES Speech

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The case of Rocío San Miguel and General Hernández Da Costa, among other political prisoners in Venezuela

Mr President, Commissioner, the situation in Venezuela is only getting worse. The Barbados Agreement provides for the participation of all candidates in presidential elections and the release of political prisoners. But Maduro has chosen to follow the opposite route. As we denounced in this Parliament recently, María Corina Machado's ban on standing for election continues and arbitrary arrests of …

13

Mar

2024

ES Speech

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Cohesion policy 2014-2020 – implementation and outcomes in the Member States (debate)

Madam President, cohesion policy is one of the hallmarks of the European Union. I congratulate Mr Novakov on his report. The single market is key, but so is cohesion, an important source of funding which also facilitates economic and social convergence between Member States. After the 2009 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have suffered serious setbacks in their economi…

29

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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EU/Chile Advanced Framework Agreement - EU/Chile Advanced Framework Agreement (Resolution) - Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union and the Republic of Chile (joint debate - EU-Chile agreements)

Mr President, I welcome the fact that today this Parliament is going to approve the Advanced Framework Agreement between the European Union and Chile. It modernises the previous one from 2002 and will allow us to further strengthen our relationship with Chile, a leading partner of the Union and with which we share important economic, social, cultural and, of course, also political ties. I would li…

28

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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Need for an urgent Council decision in favour of amending the protection status of wolves in the Bern Convention (debate)

Madam President, I very much welcome the Commission's willingness to review the level of protection of the wolf in Europe. This position is in line with what has been defended since 2021 by the Xunta de Galicia and other regions affected by this problem in Spain, my country. We now need the Council - unfortunately absent today - to take a decision as soon as possible to allow the European Union to…

28

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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Deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement (debate)

Madam President, the war in Ukraine has brought to the table the debate on further integration of the Union and the future of enlargement. These are important and complex issues that we need to address with prudence and as much consensus as possible. The Treaties are the result of many years of integration, long and arduous negotiations, and reflect delicate balances between the different visions …

28

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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Strengthening European Defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape - Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2023 (joint debate - European security and defence)

Madam President, the third year of war has already begun at a time when the military situation in Ukraine has deteriorated. The way forward seems clear: we need to strengthen and modernise our defence industry and provide ammunition to the Ukrainian army as soon as possible. The European Commission is already acting in this direction: I am thinking of the European Defence Fund, the Ammunition Prod…

27

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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Critical situation in Cuba (debate)

Madam President, this is surely the last debate on Cuba in this legislature. Looking back, we can ask ourselves if there has really been any progress in recent years. The Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba was a change in legal-institutional relations with the EU, but it has failed to improve the situation on the island. There is a very serious deterioration of the economic and…

6

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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Further repression against the democratic forces in Venezuela: attacks on presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado (debate)

Mr President, I would like to begin by expressing my condolences on the recent death in a helicopter accident of the former president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera. My condolences to the family and to all the Chilean people. Ladies and gentlemen, I am moving to Barbados. The Barbados accords generated some hope for change in the dire situation in Venezuela. But Maduro's actions in recent weeks are in…

6

Feb

2024

ES Speech

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The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, it is already two long years of an illegal and cruel war waged by Russia against Ukraine. It is imperative to continue to support this courageous country. We are witnessing a war of attrition, where the supply of ammunition is essential. Russian troops are using projectiles far in excess of Ukrainian ones: five more times, apparently. This difference should not persist. Unfortunately…

18

Jan

2024

ES Speech

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EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I hope that Parliament will take a strong and critical position on the European Commission's Action Plan and I would like to congratulate the rapporteur, Mr Herbst. I agree with him that acting does not mean prohibiting. The Action Plan is open to criticism for a number of reasons. Among others, also for stigmatizing bottom trawling, a highly regulated activity thanks t…

18

Jan

2024

ES Speech

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Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy and future perspectives (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, first of all I would like to congratulate my colleague Gabriel Mato on his excellent report, which was preceded by very extensive consultations. The successive crises resulting from COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, the impact of the Brexit, the increase in fuels, the challenges of climate change and the decarbonisation of the fleet, the problem of generational renewal, the…