Speeches

The approval of the agreement on changes to the functioning of the Connecting Europe Facility must give new impetus to a more efficient use of the EU budget for infrastructure projects across Europe, including in Slovakia. Of the more than 30 billion envelopes, it will go most to transport, less to energy and something also to digitalisation, i.e. to areas where huge investments are needed all over Europe, but mainly in countries like Slovakia. That is why the Slovak government and the competent actors in Slovakia must ensure the submission of the highest quality transport and energy interconnection projects with neighbouring countries, whether they are motorways or electric interconnectors connecting Slovakia with Poland, Hungary or the Czech Republic. Unlike traditional EU funds, the principle of using or losing funds is also applied here, and therefore strengthening the administrative capacity to absorb funds is absolutely necessary.

Madam President, I am very pleased that at least Mr Šefčovič is here when President von der Leyen did not have the courage to stay with us. Growing protests by farmers even in front of the seats of the European Parliament are perfectly understandable. The June elections are approaching, and therefore when, if not now, it would be necessary to push politicians at European Union level too if they want to be re-elected. Farmers make up only a small percentage of the working population, but their demands cannot be ignored by anyone who speaks of the need for sustainable and self-sufficient agriculture and food safety. Many farmers’ concerns are justified as they have been experiencing droughts, floods, rising energy and fertiliser costs over the last period, including as a result of the war in Ukraine. However, it must be acknowledged that farmers are also concerned about some of the measures under the Green Deal and also about upcoming liberalisation treaties such as Mercosur, as it may put them at risk in terms of competitiveness. This is where it must be said that I welcome at least a small step of the European Commission that it will not force farmers to leave land fallow in the near future. (The President interrupted the speaker.) Personally, I am pleased that, across the European Union, most leaders are beginning to realise that... (The Chair interrupted the speaker)... that all politics and transformation must be fair.

Mr President, in December we approved the European Parliament's position on the European Hydrogen Bank mechanism, where I was the rapporteur-general. Priority has been given to supporting domestic European hydrogen production so that we are as least dependent on imports, especially from non-democratic countries. We must also take a similar approach in the case of solar panels, where the world market is dominated by China not only because of huge subsidies, but unfortunately also because of instruments such as forced labour or non-organic production. At the moment, on the other hand, we cannot afford to stop China's imports altogether. This would cripple the market supply of renewable technologies that we very much need. Above all, however, we must invest massively in the production of panels in Europe and give maximum support to domestic producers with the available means. To this end, we already have legislation, which includes solar panels among the preferred technologies and also critical minerals, where we should also increase recycling capacities, for example in the case of aluminium needed for their production. Another important area is support for demand.

Mr President, dear colleagues, hydrogen will play an important role in the decarbonisation process. As rapporteur, I am very pleased that we are going to adopt Parliament’s position on the importance of domestic production, design of auctions, the role of imports, sustainability and geographical balance. I would like to thank all the shadow rapporteurs for their constructive cooperation in the negotiation. The main priority of the Hydrogen Bank is the development of renewable hydrogen in the medium and long term. Secondly, support for domestic production is an absolute priority in order to decrease our dependence on third countries. Third, the Hydrogen Bank should prioritise hard-to-abate industries and heavy transport. Without adequate funding, faster permitting procedures and enough raw materials, transition will not be possible. The transitional role of low-carbon hydrogen is inevitable, especially for some Member States and specific sectors. Last but not least, I support regional auctions and call for a fair allocation between Member States to avoid the deepening of existing inequalities. I hope the Commission will take into account the position of Parliament when designing the upcoming auctions. Considering industrial policies in China and in the US, the EU needs to step up the game and this is one of the opportunities to do so.

Madam President, "Slovakia is in danger of freezing EU funds," the opposition is shouting in Slovakia and rousing people into the streets. In this case, however, it is more like a power struggle in the state than a real effort to defend the rule of law. It is as if some parties fail to respect the fact that government entities are fulfilling their electoral programme. The intention to amend the Criminal Code, my colleague, and to abolish the Special Prosecutor's Office on its own initiative is being consulted by the Slovak government with Commissioner Reynders, with whom Prime Minister Fico also met in person. All allegations of high-level corruption must be thoroughly investigated. The Commission, while making some comments, has not yet declared that the intended changes would directly undermine the rule of law. It is clear that the Commission as well as I personally care that any changes do not undermine Slovakia's commitment to continue to fight corruption and effectively protect the financial interests of the European Union. Monsieur le Commissaire, is m’adresse à vous personnellement avec une demande sincère, celle de continuer vos consultations avec le gouvernement slovaque, lesquelles furent mises en place par le gouvernement lui-même. Is beard prie, si c’est possible, d’aboutir à un résultat positif.

Madam President, Commissioner, the coordinated exit from the Energy Charter Treaty is good news for the sovereignty of the European Union and for the green transition as the Energy charter is protecting oil, coal and gas, it also contradicts the objectives of the green transition. But what is worse, the treaty creates a risk that large companies can ask for the financial compensations and sued the Member States that tried to end the fossil energy projects. The decision of the Commission to exit the Energy Charter means that the Member States will no longer be subject to opaque and lengthy procedures favouring big companies trying to protect their investments at all costs. Smaller Member States, including mine, Slovakia, will no longer be threatened against taking courageous decisions. In the end, the decision to leave the treaty is correct. However, I am deeply concerned about the provision of the Energy Charter protecting existing investments for 20 years, even after leaving the treaty. The Commission should therefore, at this stage, allow individual Member States to support the modernisation of the Energy Charter, especially a shortening of the sunset clause.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, I am very concerned about the current worrying humanitarian situation after the attack of Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh. We have to recognise that EU has failed and was not able to prevent this to happen. It is another significant setback in the effort to build sustainable peace in the region. Maintaining ceasefire is our key priority. Both sides should refrain from any further violence and engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue. We have to call on the Commission to reassess the relations with Azerbaijan, including EU partnership on the gas supplies, to increase humanitarian assistance and to help Yerevan face the challenge of nearly 90 000 refugees that are escaping or were evicted, and also to offer Armenia a European perspective. Meanwhile, I welcome the arrival of UN mission on the ground and I believe that the UN Security Council should consider deploying a peacekeeping mission to protect civilians at risk of ethnic cleansing. I understand the situation is rapidly evolving. However, the EU must be firm and express strong commitment in favour of international commitments, long-term sustainable peace and the protection of civilians, in particular the minorities.

Madam President, ‘strategic autonomy, less dependencies’ – many declarations, but it’s time to act. The Chips Act aims to double the EU share in global production capacity. Without chips, we cannot produce vehicles or develop critical infrastructures. Factories will stop running and many workers will lose their jobs. But for now, there is a bottleneck, with the production concentrated in Taiwan and South Korea. We need to react quickly. Supporting the chips industry with more than EUR 3 billion will strengthen the entire European economy and create sustainable jobs. Some Member States have understood their role. Germany, for example, approved EUR 11 billion of State aid for a factory in Magdeburg. But we need these factories also in Central and Eastern Europe because they can deliver thousands of jobs and hundreds of European suppliers, including SMEs, can be involved. Chips are only one element in securing our strategic autonomy. As rapporteur on the European Hydrogen Bank, I know very well that we need to adopt more legislation and, above all, secure more EU investment to cover strategic sectors.

Madam President, renewable energies, decent jobs, sustainable industry, reducing inequalities and fighting climate change, these sustainable development goals are key topics for the EU. Sustainability is also about changing the EU economy and initiatives such as Fit for 55. On this aspect, ambitions and objectives are good, maybe, but implementation is even more important. But we need to accelerate our efforts. We should decarbonise, recycle, build more renewable energy and renewable hydrogen instead of using fossil fuels. With the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Hydrogen Bank, we fight climate change and create conditions for a more sustainable and innovative industry. But we also have to create quality jobs. If not eradicate, then at least decrease the poverty. Now, we are less than seven years before deadline, and from a global point of view, we are a bit off track. These goals are not a revolution that can poor people in the world make richer. We need less think about us and them and we have to work together and strengthen international partnerships to achieve our goals.

Madam President, batteries are essential components of the green transition. We need them for electronic devices, electric vehicles and balancing of renewable energy sources. Without batteries and necessary storage capacities, renewable technology will still have to be backed by fossil fuels that ensure stability of grid if there is a lack of sun, wind or water. EU is a leader in batteries, with more than EUR 127 billion in investment. If we want to maintain our leadership, we must protect our industry from moving abroad. To increase our strategic autonomy and meet our ambitious goals, we need to create conditions for batteries made by European workers with European components. To achieve this, critical raw material such as cobalt, natural graphite and lithium are essential. Demand for critical raw materials is projected to increase drastically, and Europe still heavily relies on imports. We need to decrease dependency on imports, diversify sources and secure domestic and sustainable supplies. I think we need more ambitious targets in the Critical Raw Materials Act, and the 10% target for extraction is not enough. As the EPP rapporteur on the hydrogen bank, I would like to stress the role that hydrogen can play as the option for storage of renewable energy. Domestic production should always be a priority and I call for robust financial support for local producers.

on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. - (DE) Madam President, Commissioner, we have had a winter that, thanks to the weather, we managed well above expectations. Gas reservoirs are still more than 50 percent full, and the price is below 50 euros per megawatt hour. We seem to be out of the worst, but it's a misconception. Just a stiffer winter, drought and windlessness, and the prices of gas and electricity will rocket upwards. We need to strengthen European resilience and strategic autonomy, and we need to further develop renewables, but the development of electricity storage must also go hand in hand. Current wind weather produces megawatts of energy in Europe that we cannot use, but in the absence of storage we will miss later. In addition to investment in battery storage, we therefore need to develop hydrogen technologies. We need to step up efforts and support to companies, investors and researchers in this regard. As a reporter on the creation of the European Hydrogen Bank, I will do my utmost to create an efficient production chain that connects both producers and consumers. The price of hydrogen needs to be competitive and investments need the most favourable payback horizon possible, therefore not only speeding up the development of photovoltaics, wind energy will increase Europe's energy security, but also battery storage and hydrogen deserve equal attention and support.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the green transition will massively impact Europe’s labour markets and some regions will be exposed to job losses, and new job opportunities will arise in the other regions. Smaller Member States cannot stand alone in this and we need more Europe to come up with alternative solutions for those that will be affected the most. Green transition is not only about high-skilled jobs. On the contrary, it will generate demand for low- and medium-skilled employees in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors, with 75% of jobs for workers and technicians in 2050. The outcome depends on how effectively Europe will introduce skill policies and here an anticipatory-based approach will be crucial. To succeed, we need adequate financial resources, massive investments into upscaling and rescaling of workers, creation of SMEs, friendly environment and removing of still-existing administrative obstacles will be the key elements of success. The workers should not pay the cost of transformation. To achieve more resilient and social Europe, we need to act now and to transform statements and promises into actions.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, several times already we have strongly condemned large-scale military aggression by Azerbaijan against Armenian people. Now we have to urge both sides of the conflict, especially Azerbaijani authorities, to respect the principle of territorial integrity and to refrain from any hostile rhetoric. We call on both sides to proceed without any further delay with the negotiation on a peace treaty towards reaching long and lasting, sustainable peace. The ongoing blockade of Lachin corridors since last December is complicated, but it’s more than complicating the lives of 100 000 people in the region. The most recent deadly incident, ten days ago, contributed to further escalation and requires proper investigation. Immediate action from Azerbaijani authorities is needed to remove any obstacles in freedom of movement along the corridor. I hope that the recent deployment of a new EU mission to Armenia with a stronger mandate will contribute to peace and stability in the region. I fully understand Armenia’s challenging geopolitical situation, but many challenges stand in front of the courageous Armenian people in the upcoming years, especially in terms of reforms. I hope that it will be the EU and not Turkey or Russia or Iran who will play a more active role in the region in the upcoming years, and that we can continue with the deepening of a constructive cooperation.

Mr President, Commissioner. I was wondering if you would mention, in addition to these savings in gas consumption and, of course, in the future production of biomethane and hydrogen, the possibility of resuming the extraction of our own gas on our behalf. We have the largest reserves in Europe, of course in the Netherlands, but we also have, for example, in Slovakia, where gas was once also extracted. Do you also consider restoration and support, possibly under strict environmental conditions, as one of the options to fill this existing gap in gas quantities?

Mr President, Commissioner. Yes, in the year since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the energy map of Europe has been completely rewritten. It is certainly positive that Europe has sought and, to some extent, managed to find alternative gas suppliers. Here I mainly want to ask and continue with the logic of the previous question, since we really know that this winter has been considerate to us, but the next one may not be. And the same LNG, as far as China is concerned, will certainly be more present in that market, and it can be said that those storage facilities that are still filled to about 55% today may not be able to be replenished to that 90% by November. What are your arguments? Anything else you've mentioned that you can do that?

Madam President, strategic minerals are a geopolitical tool and will soon be more important than gas or oil. In Europe, we need to reduce dependence on imports of key raw materials from third countries, as the United States or Japan have long been doing. Europe must strengthen its autonomy and resilience and, if it wants to become a global leader in green technologies, it must also be a leader in their production. Sooner or later, a similar lesson awaits us as in the case of dependence on gas imports from Russia. Only this time, the lesson will be given by a much heavier opponent, namely China, which, for example, today holds up to 80% of the market for the production of solar panels. We need to define the strategically most important raw materials, strengthen investment and coordinate demand and supply in the Member States in accordance with the highest ecological standards, restore sustainable mining where possible, shorten permitting processes and mobilise public and private investment, including by facilitating access to European funding.

Mr President, (inaudible words) that emissions from transport have increased by almost a fifth since 1990, according to Eurostat. The automotive industry today depends on imports of chips from Taiwan, batteries from China, cobalt and lithium from other third countries. If we want to be a real leader in the transition to electromobility, we need to strengthen our resilience and strategic autonomy. Otherwise, we will give global players like China, Japan or the US this leadership and replace only one dependency with another. My native country, Slovakia, is today the largest car producer in the world per capita. Such an ambitious transition to electric-only production by 2035 will be a major challenge not only for major automakers, but especially for much more vulnerable suppliers, who today are of course mainly tied to the production of internal combustion engine cars. This transition will require massive investment, reskilling and sustainable business plans and must take place already in this decade, which is of course mainly affected by the war in Ukraine and rising energy prices. But I believe that in 2035, also thanks to our work, we will be in a situation where, thanks to the accompanying measures, thanks to new technologies, everyone who needs it, and not just people with higher incomes, will be able to afford a battery car.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which is the only way to connect Armenian people from Nagorno-Karabakh with the Republic of Armenia, is deeply worrying. The EU has to call on Azerbaijan to take all measures to allow the free movement of people and humanitarian goods through this corridor. The humanitarian situation in the region, already aggravated by a disruption of the gas supplies, further worsens and can soon be transformed into a humanitarian catastrophe if the blockade does not end immediately. Around 120 000 people don’t have access to essential goods and services such as medication, food and fuel. We have to strongly condemn the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and urgently call on Azerbaijan’s authorities and the peacekeeping forces deployed in the region to respect and implement the trilateral statements from 2020 and to ensure that access through the corridor remains open. We know that both countries, and especially Armenia, are far from being satisfied with the implementation of the 2020 ceasefire. They should undertake genuine negotiation to find a sustainable and peaceful settlement that would ensure fair and lasting peace and stability in the region. But in the meantime, the Lachin Corridor needs to be reopened now.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, digital platforms significantly contribute to an increased competition. However, the legislation that should define fair rules for all employees, consumers and businesses is lagging behind. We need to set clearer rules that would secure adequate working conditions with clear employment status, social protection, and prevent practices such as false self-employment that discriminate thousands of workers and lead to unfair competition within businesses. Finding the right balance between functioning businesses model and workers’ rights is a challenge, but improving social and labour rights needs to stay the priority of this House elected by the citizens. This is not about the automatic mass reclassification of workers that would cause the existential threat to the business models, as some even in this House claim. We claim that we want to increase transparency and avoid any shady lobbying practices. Then it’s legitimate to ask, what is the reason behind the pushback of some Members of this Parliament who put the economic interests of those companies above the basic working and social rights of... (The President cut off the speaker)

Madam President, as a result of the current energy crisis and high inflation, the WHO predicts that more than 120,000 people in Europe may lose their lives this winter. Hundreds of thousands will lose their jobs and millions of people will have the choice of eating healthy or heating enough. We therefore need to help people, as they did not come into this situation through their fault, but because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, our sanctions against Russia and its subsequent countermeasures. It is clear that the current long-term budget is not enough and we need a more structured approach that will allow us to better support both our households and our businesses facing challenges such as this energy crisis or the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. However, we must also be able to repay the costs associated with rising interest rates and finance programmes such as EU4health or Erasmus+. But believe me, people don't care if we create an additional financial instrument within the long-term budget or if it is independent of the expenditure ceilings in the long-term budget. But it must be a resource that will enable us to respond better and faster to crisis situations and their social consequences in the future.

Madam President, Slovakia is certainly an inspiring example for all the countries of the Western Balkans that want to become members of the European Union, how to proceed on this path and what reforms need to be implemented. It is good that you are devoting so much energy to this region. It's also close to my country and me personally, because I'm Slovak. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the changes in the current geopolitical situation have made us realise that the strategic interest of the European Union is a stable and secure environment in its close neighbourhood, regardless of which of these countries will eventually be or will not be a Member State of the European Union. The Western Balkans have long been waiting in the waiting room for membership of the European Union, be it Serbia or Montenegro, or other countries. But today, in the current situation and as a result of the Tirana Summit, there is a certain change in the perception of the whole process, and the frustration of these countries is turning into a sober to cautious optimism. And the European Union is also taking on some sort of enlargement fatigue and is determined to be serious about dealing with these countries. It would be good if we continue to do so and we have to help each other.

Madam President, we are in the midst of a major energy crisis caused mainly, but not only, by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and we must all the more accelerate the transformation of our energy. In other words, it is about strengthening our strategic autonomy, i.e. energy self-sufficiency, and thus, in particular, reducing our dependence on third countries, be it Russia or Qatar or Azerbaijan. The main answer to this is the development of renewables, which are becoming the cheapest source of energy, and massive investment in their use. However, lengthy authorisation procedures, which are indeed standard in some countries, are an obstacle to their greater use and must therefore be speeded up and simplified, without undermining the rights of local communities with whom dialogue is needed. Another problem that we need to work on further is the lack of market availability, for example in the case of solar panels, where the only plant is located in Germany. Solar panels, wind turbines, but also nuclear fusion, along with biogas and green hydrogen, are the only energy sources we will have to rely on in the future if we do not want to depend on third countries and fossil fuels.

Madam President, I appreciate the Commission's efforts to come up with proposals to reduce high energy prices, which many businesses and households cannot bear. Proposals are going in the right direction, but today they are not enough. It should be borne in mind that the main reason for the high prices today is the lack of supply, which is linked to the loss of a number of stable nuclear sources, whether in France or Germany, which we cannot compensate for by photovoltaics or wind turbines. The Commission's proposal for a price cap of EUR 275/MWh for monthly contracts is a compromise which, unfortunately, will not bring the desired effect. And this, the price of gas will not fall enough, and with it the price of electricity. As long as LNG imports dominate the Union, the price of LNG does not stand a chance, nor indeed can it fall significantly, as LNG tankers will find customers in Asia and Europe will remain gas-deficient. I am afraid that there will be a significant reduction in the price of gas only if domestic production is strengthened and the supply of pipeline gas, especially from Russia, is increased. What we cannot imagine today, however, given the situation, and that is why we now need, in particular, direct compensation, direct support at least for vulnerable households and businesses.

Mr President, even in the context of the current dramatic situation, we must continue to support our ambitious climate goals. This will also reduce dependence on third countries and strengthen our autonomy. The European Union must remain a global leader in reducing emissions. But it's not just up to us to keep warming to just one and a half degrees, and that's why in Sharm el Sheikh, too, we have to push for the rest of the world to live up to its commitments. But the reality is different. There is a big gap between our ambitions in the developed world and what we are committed to and do. Enough of the promises, enough of further raising the targets. We can't push the saw. We need concrete steps to address the climate emergency and prevent unnecessary hundreds of thousands of deaths from climate change, from urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing resilience and adapting populations to drastic climate change, to commitments to sustainable climate finance in developing countries. We also need to mobilise private investment and involve sectors that have been responsible for the greatest pollution for decades. If we are serious about the climate, we must also prevent the export of emissions and trade with countries that do not meet the strict criteria that we have set ourselves in our Union.

Mr President, the largest fertiliser producer in Slovakia and, at the same time, one of the largest in Europe, Duslo Šaľa shut down its operations in August. The official reason was revision and possible repairs, but production has not yet resumed. Indeed, high gas and electricity prices, but above all the lack of assistance from the Union and our government, as well as bad laws, make it really difficult to restore production. But there are many chemical companies that have shut down their production in Europe because of the ongoing war in Ukraine, our sanctions and Russian countermeasures. Much of the ammonia and mineral fertiliser production in Europe has practically stopped. In some EU countries, farmers have stopped buying fertilizers. In others, they are still shopping, but at huge prices that have a devastating impact on their competitiveness. This situation really requires a responsible approach from us, otherwise we will endanger our food security, but also global food security. We need to find effective solutions to ensure that fertiliser prices are reduced and take steps to diversify their supply. The European Union therefore needs a new strategy that will make our fertiliser production, and consequently our agriculture, less dependent on external factors and less dependent on the use of mineral fertilisers for our suppliers and our farmers.