Speeches

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (2023/2990(RSP)).

Mr President, the European Parliament, united, has achieved some significant improvements in the EU budget for 2024 and I would like to thank the co-rapporteurs, Mr Mureşan and Mr Ušakovs, for their effort, to which all the shadow rapporteurs have contributed, from the Group of the European People's Party to the Group of the Left. I'd also like to see the elephant in the room. Mr Hahn, and dear representatives of the Spanish Presidency, the 2024 budget is also 1.07% of European GDP. Much further down, if we take into account the inflation from the 2023 budget that is now being implemented. Any increases made and achieved by us, the European Parliament, rely almost exclusively on fresh money. This is only EUR 44.5 million compared to the original Commission proposal. Conclusion: without a bold and substantial revision of the multiannual financial framework, as requested by the European Parliament but denied by the Council, it is impossible to meet the objectives set. Dear representatives of the Spanish Presidency, convey to the Council a clear message from the European Parliament that is united: With 1% of European GDP as the Community budget, it is impossible to meet the objectives set.

Κυρία Πρόεδρε, στηρίζω την έκθεση της κυρίας Hayer και του κυρίου Fernandes, γιατί επαναλαμβάνει μία σταθερή πάγια θέση του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου που την υποστηρίζουμε από το Ευρωπαϊκό Λαϊκό Κόμμα μέχρι και την Αριστερά, με την αρνητική εξαίρεση της αντιευρωπαϊκής άκρας δεξιάς. Why do we support this report? Why should we honour and serve the positive step of the creation of the Recovery Fund and why should the objectives we have promised the citizens to achieve be able to achieve them, without having to cut funds from Cohesion, from the Common Agricultural Policy, from innovation, from Erasmus. That is why we need the interinstitutional agreement to create new own resources to be implemented. To finally get away from this situation, where the European budget remains under the responsibility of the Council nailed to the completely inadequate level of 1% of European GDP. With 1% of European GDP in the European budget, ladies and gentlemen and Mr Hahn, you too know very well that the objectives set by the Commission, set by the Council, which the European Parliament calls for even more ambitious, cannot be met. That is why we must adopt this report and that is why you of the Commission, Mr Hahn, with the support of the European Parliament, must push the Council to stop the delays and to implement the interinstitutional agreement on the agreed steps.

Madam President, Commissioner Šefčovič, do you know what time the Commission sent its 2024 work programme to MEPs? Three quarters before the debate started, 45 minutes ago. I find this insulting, unacceptable for the European Parliament and I expect in your second remarks to apologise for this treatment of the European Parliament, because there are no excuses. The Commission has a multiple administrative mechanism than the European Parliament. Stop embellishing and congratulate yourself. Did you do well in dealing with inflation? Did you do well in dealing with the energy crisis? Are you proud in the Commission of the respect for the rule of law within the European Union? You didn't tell us anything about growing social inequalities. The 'Social Europe' agenda did not exist at all in your speech and, above all, it did not exist in the work of the Commission. Can you tell us something about the failure of the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who went to Israel and was on a different line from the Council, without consulting the President of the Council, Charles Michel, and without consulting the HR/VP, Josep Borrell Fontelles? In a few months' time, there will be European elections, and citizens want more work, less words from you and not to congratulate each other, because this is fuelling the anti-European, populist far right, which does not want a united, strong European Union.

The next item is the joint debate on the Schengen area, on: -the report by Matjaž Nemec, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EC) No 810/2009 and (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Regulations (EC) No 1683/95, (EC) No 333/2002, (EC) No 693/2003 and (EC) No 694/2003 and the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement, as regards the digitalisation of the visa procedure (COM(2022)0658 - C9-0165/2022 - 2022/0132A(COD) (A9-0025/2023), and -the report by Matjaž Nemec, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95, as regards the digitalisation of the visa procedure (COM(2022)0658 - C9-0307/2023 - 2022/0132B(COD)) (A9-0268/2023)

Mr President, what the European Parliament is asking for, with an impressive consensus among the political groups, from the European People's Party to the Euro Group of the Left, is the minimum required to achieve the objectives set not only by Parliament, but also by the Commission and the Council. Madam representative of the Spanish Presidency of the Council, the Council's cuts, as Mr Hahn has told you, are unsubstantiated and undermine the objectives that the Council itself has set itself. Why are you taking months, not you, but Mr Michel, to discuss the proposals for the revision of the multiannual financial framework? This delay undermines the European perspective and exposes the Council to the eyes of citizens who will soon be called upon to vote in the European Parliament. If you want more and better Europe, Minister, make sure during the Spanish Presidency that the revision of the multiannual financial framework is adopted, do not "kick the can below" and adopt what we as the European Parliament ask of you very little and very realistically. Successive crises, the war in Ukraine, the new war underway in the Middle East, demand a stronger United Europe. With 1% of European GDP as a budget this is impossible to achieve.

Mr President, Ukraine needs our reconstruction and solidarity. With the report supported by the European Parliament, we are not only supporting but also significantly improving the Commission proposal that provides this country with EUR 50 billion in loans and grants. But for Ukraine to be able to rebuild, the first thing that is needed is to stop the war, to stop Putin's invasion. Otherwise, Ukraine cannot be rebuilt. That is why the European Union must do more, because two years have passed since the invasion and with the war no reconstruction can be achieved. There is also a need to fight corruption. There is an orgy of widespread corruption right now in Ukraine, and if this is not addressed with measures and not with wishful thinking, this money will go into a black hole and benefit oligarchs, not Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We need transparency about where the money is going. On this issue, the European Parliament is asking for concrete safeguards and improvements, and we hope, with the help of the Commission, Mr Hahn, that the Council will accept the improvements requested by the European Parliament.

Mr President, let us be honest, ladies and gentlemen, we need a common European immigration and asylum policy, but in order to achieve it we need less hypocrisy and genuine solidarity between the Member States: practical solidarity with first-host countries under tremendous pressure from migration flows, such as my home country Greece; shared responsibility of all Member States for mandatory, fair and proportionate relocation; legal and safe pathways for migration in order to stop the sacrifices of human lives; a humane and effective integration policy, social and economic, which can boost local communities and economies; and full respect for international law, human rights and the international commitments of the European Union and its Member States. You just heard screams pointing to one thing: The far right is exploiting the migration-refugee crisis because it wants to undermine both a united Europe and parliamentary democracy. We can't let them. To conclude by the end of the year, in this pact with compromises, to run the Council and the Spanish Presidency and the European Parliament as co-legislator to play its part.

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on medicine shortages and strategic autonomy in healthcare in the EU (2023/2877(RSP)).

Madam President, the European Parliament has been calling for a stronger budget for years and we have been calling for a revision of the multiannual financial framework for years. The Commission is late in coming forward with a proposal – insufficient in our view – but it paves the way. And now it is your responsibility, ladies and gentlemen of the Council, not to put in the waste bin this Commission proposal which we in our report are calling for and to be improved. It is up to you, under the Spanish Presidency, to convince the Council and Mr Michel not to postpone the Council's position at all times. Because the "eurosigunia" and the delays of the Council are pouring water into the mill of the anti-European extreme right. You heard it just before: We need more and better Europe. Accept many of the Council's proposals, ladies and gentlemen of Parliament and of the Commission, and start preparing the Union's new multiannual budget from now on. Why is it? To address the existing needs and the new crises that are coming. It is not possible for the European Union to operate with a budget of 1% of European GDP. Whoever denies this does not want a united Europe, undermines a united Europe and fuels its disintegration through the threatening rise of the anti-European far right.

The next item is the Commission statement on: Violence and discrimination in sport following the FIFA Women's World Cup (2023/2843(RSP)). On behalf of the Commission, Commissioner Elisa Ferreira has the floor again.

This very interesting debate is over. It took 25 minutes longer than planned, but I think its importance justifies this extension of time. The vote will take place today.

Before giving the floor to the next speaker, Ms Ponsatí, I would like to tell you that during the previous speakers I received two requests for a blue card from two colleagues, Mr Boeselager and Mr Ilčić, who had spoken before. Because we have a delay in the implementation of the timetable, I chose to give the floor for a blue card to colleagues who did not have the opportunity to speak and give their opinion. I would ask you, Mr Boeselager and you, Mr Ilčić, to respect this and to facilitate the debate. After all, all views are heard and there is a great deal of interest from all of us in the development of this dialogue. Mrs Ponsatí, you have the floor.

Next speaker for ID Group, Mr Lebreton. Everyone is heard, everyone is judged. Fortunately, because of parliamentary democracy, our meetings are public and all views are evaluated. There is no need for reactions from colleagues.

The first item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Mr Mituța and Mr Nienass, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, on: Parliamentarism, European citizenship and democracy (2023/2017(INI)) (A9-0249/2023)

Before we get to the agenda, I have an announcement: Anja Haga has been a member of the political group of the European People’s Party since 14 September 2023.

Mr President, the package presented by the Commission for small and medium-sized enterprises, Mrs Jourová, is a first small step, but it is delayed and, above all, inadequate. Small and medium-sized enterprises have been hit disproportionately in recent years. Pandemic, war in Ukraine, energy crisis, rising inflation, high interest rates, difficulties in accessing bank lending and, above all, unfair competition on unequal terms from large multinationals, which are taxed on much more favourable terms than small and medium-sized enterprises, thanks to tax rulings and tax havens within the European Union. This is why your package does nothing, because you do not dare to take any steps to tackle tax immunity, which is also a tax injustice for large multinational companies. The 24 million European small and medium-sized enterprises are 90% of European businesses, they create two out of three jobs, they give life to the local economy of small towns and villages, they generate more than half of the added value, excluding the financial sector. So if you do more, as businesses themselves demand, for these businesses, the whole economy and society will benefit. That's what we're asking of you. Not "too little, too late."

The first item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Ms Evin Incir, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on public access to documents - annual report for the years 2019-2021 (2022/2015(INI)) (A9-0179/2023).

Before we move on to the agenda, I have an announcement: The President has received from the Council his position at first reading and the reasons which led the Council to adopt it and the Commission's positions and opinions. The full title will be entered in the minutes of this meeting. The three-month deadline for the Parliament to take a decision therefore runs from tomorrow, 14 July 2023.

Madam President, I am impressed by the reaction of the Right, the ultra-conservative Right and the extreme Right, every time we ask for tax justice, every time we point out that, in order for the poor and medium-sized and small and medium-sized enterprises to pay less tax, those who have earned a lot and earn a lot in recent months must pay more tax. In the last three years, Mr Gentiloni and Mr Navarro Ríos, in the European Union the richest 1% have won two thirds of the wealth produced. So, if we want to alleviate those who pay a lot, we must not attack that whoever asks for tax justice is a leftist, but do more at the level of the European Union. If, as Oxfam suggests, tax fairness at European Union level is not harmonised, social cohesion will be destroyed. Oxfam estimates that a progressive tax of up to 5% on the Union's billionaires could raise €250 billion annually. But to achieve this, more needs to be done on tax justice by both the Council and the Commission.