Speeches

– The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the need for the swift adoption of the asylum and migration package (2023/2873(RSP)).

As regards the decisions of several committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations under Rule 71(1), announced at the opening of the meeting on Monday 2 October 2023, the President received the request to vote on the decision of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs to enter into negotiations under Rule 71(2) from the ECR Group and the Identity & Democracy Group, reaching at least the medium threshold: Schengen Borders Code. The vote will take place on Thursday 5 October 2023. As regards the other decisions to open negotiations, the President has not received a request for a vote in Parliament from Members of one or more political groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committees can therefore start negotiations directly.

– The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the latest developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue and the situation in the municipalities in the north of Kosovo (2023/2880(RSP)).

– In accordance with Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure, six motions for resolutions were tabled1. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Thursday 5 October 2023. Written declarations (Article 171) _______________ 1 See the minutes.

– The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on taking stock of Moldova’s path to the EU (2023/2838(RSP)).

In accordance with Rule 132(2), seven motions for resolutions were tabled1. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Thursday 5 October 2023. _______________ 1 See the minutes. Written declarations (Article 171)

We come to the next item on the agenda, and I am very glad and grateful that all the political groups have insisted that the report we are now discussing should continue to bear the name of Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, who unfortunately had to leave us in August forever. In her memory, I open the debate on her report on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2009/148/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work (COM(2022)0489 – C9-0321/2022 – 2022/0298(COD)) (A9-0160/2023).

On this point on the agenda, I would also like to warmly welcome Commissioner Schmit as the representative of the Commission. The next item on the agenda is the Commission statement on the increasing precariousness in Europe and the need to support those most in need (2023/2852(RSP)).

Ladies and gentlemen, I would ask those who do not wish to take part in the debate to leave the room as soon as possible, as we will start immediately with the next item on the agenda.

Commissioner, Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! Yes, liberal democracy has come under pressure, outside and within the European Union, through external influences, but also through internal misdevelopments. That is one reason why we are dealing today with the need to strengthen liberal parliamentary democracy. Yes, peace, freedom and democracy are not self-evident. They are not a natural law. The achievements of one generation can be lost from the next. That's why I call on all of us: When we get up, we wake up. Let's face the wrong developments instead of going cowardly to the agenda. It's about us. It is about European liberal democracy. We need a common understanding of what we mean by this. And we need the political will to implement this commitment in our work on a daily basis. We therefore deliberately focus on the word liberal democracy because its opponents want to undermine it. We reaffirm parliaments as the heart of liberal democracy, as directly elected chambers of citizens. We underline the basic principle of separation of powers and tasks, representative democracy, presence parliament, free mandate and personal responsibility. We want to speed up the implementation of the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe. We demand the end of the unanimity principle and thus of blackmail and blockades. And we are contributing to the Charter, to the role of parliaments in a functioning liberal democracy, which we will present throughout Europe before the EU elections. Let's tackle it. It's never too late.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on the New Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean following the EU-CELAC Summit (2023/2837(RSP)).

My second communication concerns a similar process. In accordance with Rule 241(4) of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to inform you that no request for a vote has been made on the LIBE correction, which was announced to plenary yesterday at the opening of the meeting. The correction is therefore deemed to have been accepted.

Before I come to the next item on the agenda, I have two communications to make to you. Firstly: No objections were raised to the AGRI Committee’s recommendations for decisions not to raise objections to two delegated acts announced at the opening of yesterday’s meeting within the 24 hour deadline. In accordance with Article 111(6), the recommendations are therefore deemed to have been adopted and will be published with the texts adopted.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the EU-Tunisia Agreement – Aspects of external migration policy (2023/2835(RSP)).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on ‘Towards a better prepared EU for disasters – protecting people from extreme heatwaves, floods and forest fires’ (2023/2834(RSP)). The importance of this issue has been highlighted in recent weeks and months, not only within the European Union, but also by the suffering of many people outside the European Union.

The first item on the agenda is the debate on the recommendation by Loránt Vincze and Sandro Gozi, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, on the draft European Council decision on the composition of the European Parliament (00013/2023 – C9-0319/2023 – 2023/0900(NLE)) (A9-0265/2023). I would like to draw Members' attention to the fact that in this debate there will only be one round of speakers from the political groups. Therefore, neither spontaneous speeches nor blue cards are accepted.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Commission statement on the implementation of the Green Deal: the risk of obstacles to the EU’s green transition and non-compliance with its international obligations (2023/2753(RSP)).

Before we move on to the next item on the agenda, I would like to provide you with further information. The EPP Group has forwarded decisions on changes to appointments in committees and delegations to the President. These decisions will be recorded in the minutes of today's meeting and will enter into force on the day of this announcement. (The session was suspended for one minute.)