What Charles spoke about.

18 Jan

2023

FR Speech

Criminalisation of humanitarian assistance, including search and rescue (debate)

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Mr President, international maritime law is formal: assistance should be given to persons in danger on the high seas. It is unfortunate that many EU Member States are unable to adopt a stance that goes beyond mere repression. The surge in migration policy, for which a majority of Member States are responsible, is, in my view, a real scandal. It is therefore important to ensure the triumph of this …

18 Jan

2023

FR Speech

Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2021 (debate)

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Madam President, at a time of meagre budgets, the institutions that have made the strategic choice to accompany the political guidelines of the European Union are naturally required. We are thinking first of all of the European Investment Bank, so I think it makes sense to put its action in this perspective. As the world’s largest climate bank, the EIB has considerable potential to continue to del…

14 Dec

2022

FR Speech

Upscaling the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (debate)

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Madam President, the European Parliament is constantly calling for a mid-term review of the current EU funding period. When it comes to budgetary planning, it is important to look at the medium and long term – this is a matter of course. I have already had the opportunity to say in a previous speech that what our colleagues will look at in 2040 on what we are doing today in this area is what reall…

23 Nov

2022

FR Speech

The future European Financial Architecture for Development (debate)

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Mr President, the debate in plenary confirmed that there is a wide range of views on the objectives set out in my report. The Sustainable Development Goals are a goal for the entire international community, including the European Union. The Paris Agreement is a commitment of the entire international community, including the European Union. The pledges made in Addis Ababa in 2015 are a commitment o…

23 Nov

2022

FR Speech

The future European Financial Architecture for Development (debate)

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Mr President, in Niger, a young man wants to start a construction business. He is without financial means and if a loan is refused, he must abandon his project. In another developing country, it is imperative to reduce inequality. Creating a social protection system could address this. But if you miss everything, it becomes impossible to start the project. We want to improve access to healthcare i…

19 Oct

2022

FR Speech

Outcome of the first meeting of the European Political Community (debate)

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Madam President, who is the European Political Community? So far, 44 European Heads of State and Government have met in Prague to discuss the threats to our democracies. These are countries with different degrees of European integration; 27 are members of the European Union, 30 are members of the European Economic Area, 28 are members of NATO, all are members of the Council of Europe and the OSCE.…

18 Oct

2022

FR Speech

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023 - all sections (debate)

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Madam President, the 2023 budget is anything but a routine exercise. Indeed, the current political and geopolitical context places us in front of unprecedented challenges. This is nothing more or less about whether we want to stay in the top league. Even in a priori European cases, we are not always the first to intervene, to propose solutions, in short, to play the role that should be ours and co…

15 Sep

2022

FR Speech

Statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (A9-0223/2022 - Rainer Wieland, Charles Goerens) (vote)

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Madam President. What I am going to tell you now is not very original, but it is simply using the usual formula to ask our colleagues to send the file back to committee to initiate interinstitutional negotiations. This is in line with our Rules of Procedure, as provided for in Rule 59(4).…

15 Sep

2022

FR Speech

Statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (debate)

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Madam President, thank you to the colleagues who made a statement in connection with this report and also in response to Commissioner Jourová's replies. Thank you to all colleagues. Our colleague Ruiz Devesa was right to stress that we need to be ready for the 2024 elections, for the 2024 European elections. He is right because this is part of a "democracy package": it is only a piece, but an esse…

15 Sep

2022

FR Speech

Statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (debate)

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Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, in this Chamber we are all, so to speak, members of a political party. To be able to represent his constituency, his country, here in Strasbourg or Brussels, we were elected on the basis of a list, a programme, a joint programme with candidates from other countries. It is thanks to political parties that we are able to carry out these tasks with…

9 Jun

2022

FR Speech

The call for a Convention for the revision of the Treaties (debate)

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Mr President, the majority of European citizens are ahead of politics. This is confirmed in many polls where citizens overwhelmingly support a credible European defence. This is also confirmed in the surveys on support to developing countries. Ditto for health, energy, our position in the world. European citizens answer these questions straight away, without ulterior motives. What motivates them i…

8 Jun

2022

FR Speech

Parliament’s right of initiative (debate)

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Mr President, since 1979, Parliament has had to fight for all the prerogatives it has today. We started from scratch, we were an academy, and today we are a real centre of political decision-making. And, at the time, the right of legislative initiative was not on the agenda. It took several legislatures to finally be granted the right of legislative initiative. But it is difficult to go beyond the…

7 Jun

2022

FR Speech

Binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States (Effort Sharing Regulation) - Land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) - CO2 emission standards for cars and vans (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 2))

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Mr President, Commissioner, the search for a solution to climate protection resembles a system of equations with several unknowns. First unknown: How can we feed the world’s population with a view to extensifying agriculture in the world’s most fertile regions? It is impossible to give a satisfactory answer to this question in the short term. Second unknown: How can the purchasing power of consume…

4 May

2022

FR Speech

Threats to stability, security and democracy in Western and Sahelian Africa (debate)

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Mr President, we are currently witnessing a deterioration in our relations with many African partners. Mali seems to me more inclined to cooperate with forces close to the Russian invader in Ukraine. While there are some who recommend giving up at this stage on breaking up with countries that have been key partners in the past, we must be aware that the way in which the European Union is humiliate…

5 Apr

2022

FR Speech

Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, the zero degree of politics is the order given by leaders to their tormentors to sow terror, to intimidate, to humiliate and to attack the weakest and above all women. The zero degree of politics is this ruling caste hiding its barbarism behind a manly smile. The zero degree of politics is that these leaders, on the one hand, underestimate the human being – and above…

8 Mar

2022

FR Speech

Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the EU (debate)

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Madam President, for an authoritarian leader, nothing is more dangerous than citizens who think and articulate freely. The place of these people is before a partial justice, in labor camps, or even in torture rooms. Thus, the authoritarian leader is often rightly threatened by his system from the outside. With its fifth columns present everywhere in the Member States of the European Union, and eve…

15 Feb

2022

FR Speech

Human rights and democracy in the world – annual report 2021 (debate)

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Madam President, every year we have a report on respect for human rights outside the European Union. I believe that everything has been said and repeated in this room about human rights violations around the world. Of course, human rights abuses, whatever their nature, must be denounced. We must raise our voices and protest against all this. As we know, citizens in authoritarian regimes often have…

15 Feb

2022

FR Speech

Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2021 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2021 (debate)

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Madam President, over the past 30 years, we have been essentially engaged in stabilisation or peacekeeping missions, in short, Petersberg missions. The massing of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border warns us not to or no longer neglect the defence of our own territory. Nathalie Loiseau’s report, with unusual mastery and precision, lists everything that needs to be done. Once again, we know what…

15 Feb

2022

FR Speech

EU-Africa relations (debate)

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Madam President, Africa in 2020 looks like a huge project, where the most diverse actors are strengthening their presence. Some deploy military means and try to oust actors who are not in tune with the aggressive posture of those who take their place. Others see Africa as an opportunity to source raw materials on highly questionable terms, which are more like a plunder of resources than a real par…

19 Jan

2022

FR Speech

Presentation of the programme of activities of the French Presidency (debate)

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Madam President, Mr President of the Council of the Union, among the 27 Heads of State and Government, there is a majority of personalities who, frankly, do not or no longer have the sacred fire when it comes to promoting European integration. Then there are the frugals, those who do arithmetic when it is time to do politics. And let us not forget the rule of law gravediggers who want their public…

14 Dec

2021

FR Speech

New orientations for the EU’s humanitarian action (debate)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, everyone agrees that there is a growing need for humanitarian aid funding. When it comes to reducing the funding gap, let us stop being hypocritical. The lack of financial resources bears one name, or even several names. The name of each Member State that has since the dawn of time promised to devote at least 0.7% of its gross national income to official develop…

24 Nov

2021

FR Speech

The EU's role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic: how to vaccinate the world (topical debate)

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Madam President, we are all equal, but the citizens of the Northern Hemisphere are a little more equal than those of the Southern Hemisphere. Indeed, if there was still evidence of discrimination in developing countries, the current COVID-19 pandemic would have revealed it. In terms of access to vaccines, there is a gap or even a chasm between rich and poor countries. The COVAX mechanism is still …

11 Nov

2021

FR Speech

Statute and funding of European political parties and foundations (debate)

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Madam President, just a few remarks about the reflections that have just been made by the speakers who preceded me on this rostrum. First, I think we all agree: it is important to avoid abuse and to do everything possible to prevent it. The authority that is in place will take care of the grain and, if necessary, the national courts and the European Court of Justice will be able to decide in case …

11 Nov

2021

FR Speech

Statute and funding of European political parties and foundations (debate)

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Madam President, political parties are indispensable pillars in a pluralist democracy. Free to organise themselves, free to intervene in and animate the political debate, they structure the political landscape while highlighting their specificity and diversity. Their freedom of expression – it has become commonplace to repeat – should not be so restricted as to stifle political debate. Our Europea…

21 Oct

2021

FR Speech

The outcome of the Western Balkans summit (continuation of debate)

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Mr President, do the Western Balkans have a European perspective? The answer is yes. Will they be able to join the EU's internal market? Yes, as soon as they are ready. What about the Schengen area? Same answer: as soon as they are ready. Is there any obstacle in principle to denying cooperation with the Western Balkans in all matters relating to trade, monetary cooperation and political cooperati…