Speeches

Two motions for resolutions were tabled at the end of the debate. The debate is thus closed. The vote will take place tomorrow, Thursday 11 May 2023. Written declarations (Article 171)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the Roadmap to a Social Europe: two years after the Porto Summit (2023/2586(RSP)).

The first item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the revision of the Stability and Growth Pact (2023/2683(RSP)).

The non-attached Members have sent the President decisions on changes to appointments to a committee. This Decision shall be entered in the minutes of today's meeting and shall enter into force on the date of this announcement.

In accordance with Rule 158(2) of the Rules of Procedure, on a proposal from the President and in agreement with the political groups, the meeting on Wednesday 10 May 2023 is extended until 11 p.m. If there are no objections, this amendment shall be deemed to have been accepted. (Parliament approved this proposal. The agenda was amended accordingly.)

The next item on the agenda is the brief presentation of the report by Clara Aguilera, on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries, on common fisheries management in the EU and the contribution of fisheries to the implementation of management measures (2022/2003(INI)) (A9-0119/2023).

The next item on the agenda is the brief presentation of the report by Carmen Avram, on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, on the school scheme for fruit, vegetables, milk and milk products provided for in the Common Market Organisation Regulation (2021/2205(INI)) (A9-0096/2023).

The next item on the agenda is the brief presentation of the report by Petra Kammerevert, on behalf of the Committee on Culture and Education, on the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (2022/2038(INI)) (A9-0139/2023).

The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on – the report by Johan van Overtveldt, on behalf of the Committee on Budgets, on the impact on the EU budget of the increase in borrowing costs for the European Union Recovery Instrument 2024 (2023/2037(BUI)) (A9-0163/2023); and – the report by José Manuel Fernandes and Valérie Hayer, on behalf of the Committee on Budgets, on own resources: a new start for EU finances, a new start for Europe’ (2022/2172(INI)) (A9-0155/2023).

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! It is right and necessary that we address the issues of central bank digital money, the so-called digital euro. It is also necessary that the European Central Bank is currently carrying out a comprehensive, open-ended assessment. First, because over 90 percent of central banks worldwide are working on digital currencies, pilot projects have been launched in twelve countries and there is already digital central bank money in nine countries. Secondly, also because the payment systems we currently have – Visa, Mastercard and others – are either national or international, but not European, and because we need to work on a European-wide payment system. And third, because we are facing a variety of innovations, from cryptocurrencies to tokens. So it is clear that the digital euro, the digital central bank money, is only a complementary means of payment that is fast, simpler and safer. It is also clear that without legal bases, there can be no digital currency. These decisions can only be taken jointly by the European Parliament and the Council of the Member States. This gives the citizens the last word, and this has not yet been spoken.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on ‘Children abducted from Ukraine and the ICC arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin’ (2023/2640(RSP)).

The third message is a somewhat longer one on the decisions taken by several committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations under Rule 71(1), which were announced at the opening of the meeting on Monday of this week, 17 April. In accordance with Rule 71(2) of the Rules of Procedure, the President received from the ECR and ID Groups and from non-attached Members reaching at least the medium threshold the request to vote on the LIBE decision to open negotiations on the following procedures: – Regulation dealing with situations of crisis and force majeure; – Screening Regulation; – Regulation on Asylum and Migration Management; – Regulation establishing a centralised system for the identification of Member States holding information on convictions of third-country nationals and stateless persons; – Directive on third-country nationals who are long-term residents. The vote on all these items will take place tomorrow, Thursday 20 April 2023. As regards the other decisions to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, the President has not received requests to vote in Parliament from Members or one or more political groups reaching at least the medium threshold. The committees can therefore start negotiations immediately.

The second message is: Mr Alexis Georgoulis has left The Left and sits with the non-attached Members of our House with effect from 19 April 2023.

Before we enter the debate, I have three announcements to make. On the one hand, following the resignation of Nikos Androulakis and on a proposal from the Committee on Legal Affairs, the Parliament determines, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, the vacancy of its seat with effect from 3 May 2023 and informs the competent national authorities.

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 on the situation in Peru (2023/2599(RSP)).

I would like to thank all the questioners and the Commissioner for their answers to this important question time on youth and the future of Europe. We are at the end of question time.

The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on – the report by Peter Liese, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union, Decision (EU) 2015/1814 on the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union and Regulation (EU) 2015/757 (COM(2021)0551 – C9-0318/2021 – 2021/0211A(COD))) (A9-0162/2022), – the report by Peter Liese, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union, Decision (EU) 2015/1814 on the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union and Regulation (EU) 2015/757 (COM(2021)0551 – C9-0046/2023 – 2021/0211B(COD)) (A9-0134/2023), – the report by Mohammed Chahim, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (COM(2021)0564 - C9-0328/2021 - 2021/0214(COD)) (A9-0160/2022), – the report by David Casa, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, and Esther de Lange, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Social Climate Fund (COM(2021)0568 – C9-0324/2021 – 2021/0206(COD)) (A9-0157/2022), and – the report by Sunčana Glavak, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC as regards the contribution of aviation to the Union’s economy-wide emission reduction target and the appropriate implementation of a global market-based measure (COM(2021)0552 – C9-0319/2021 – 2021/0207(COD)) (A9-0155/2022).