Speeches

A Uachtaráin, I voted in favour of this report. The International Procurement Instrument will enable the European Commission to launch consultations with third countries regarding procurement market access in order to facilitate better access for EU firms. The instrument empowers the EU to restrict access to the EU’s procurement market if third—country consultations do not improve market access for EU firms. I was happy to support the compromise reached, as I believe that it will be an effective but balanced addition to the EU’s trade toolbox. The EU procurement market is one of the biggest and most competitive markets in the world, therefore it is vital to ensure market access reciprocity with our trading partners. I complement Mr Caspary and the others who worked on this very important file.

A Uachtaráin, I voted in favour of this resolution, which outlines Parliament’s concerns regarding the European Commission’s recent positive assessment of Poland’s recovery and resilience plan. There is no doubt that serious and sustained breaches of the rule of law abound in Poland, and the Commission would do well to adhere to the clear conditions attached to financing under the RRF in its approval of Poland’s plans. European funds cannot be provided to a country whose government continues to disregard the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as the primacy of EU law.

A Uachtaráin, the Commissioner is absolutely correct when she says we need more forests in Europe. Obviously illegal logging has to be tackled and eliminated, if at all possible, and I support our endeavours in that regard. Fortunately, in my country, it’s the opposite problem we have: we can’t get legal logging, because of rules by the department for planning permission, permitting, etc. – a whole backlog they tried to blame on the European Union, until, of course, that was disproved. And as a result, they have a target of setting 8 000 hectares per year, and they are only meeting 2 000. So I would ask the Commission to look at that and ensure that those who want to set forest in Ireland are facilitated, not what is happening at the minute. Now a good news story is that there is a company in Ireland set up by Enda Keane, Treemetrics, which recently launched a climate—smart forest management platform with the support of the ESA, and I think that’s something that could be very helpful and I would ask the Commission to look into it.

Mr President, Commissioner and my friend, former MEP Ivo Belet, welcome back. The Treaties are the foundation of the EU and every action taken by it. They should not be changed hastily or flippantly, but that is not to say they should not be changed at all. As the world around us changes, we in the EU must also be ready to adapt when necessary. During the Conference on the future of Europe, citizens shared their views and ideas on a broad range of topics, from climate change to jobs, to European democracy. As representatives of the citizens, we have an obligation to take on board their proposals. We should do what we can within the boundaries of the Treaties as they stand. That being said, I believe that now is the time to convene a Convention, bringing together heads of government, and representatives of national parliaments, of this Parliament and the Commission to thoroughly examine and consider whether our Union and our citizens would benefit from a revision of the Treaties. The purpose of today’s resolution is to signal to the Council our wish to convene a Convention. It is not the place to decide this Parliament’s proposals for Treaty revisions. Such a significant decision must be well informed and given adequate time, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the AFCO Committee on this report. I will be supporting the amendments tabled jointly by the EPP and other Groups. I hope, colleagues, that you do the same and that you support the convening of this Convention.

A Uachtaráin, President Ursula was right when she said Putin’s war of aggression is what fuels the food crisis. On top of that, there’s the vile destruction of the infrastructure of Ukraine, the killing of its citizens and the raping of its women. While all this is going on, we have the President of the rotating Council, Macron, talking about ‘we mustn’t humiliate Putin’. Who is doing the humiliating? Why is he so concerned? What does this actually mean? He has to be asked these questions. Does it mean that Ukraine is supposed to hand over half his territory to Putin so that he can claim he wins the war? Otherwise, he’s humiliated by losing the war. How would he like it if somebody invaded France and we started talking about ‘we mustn’t humiliate the aggressor’, so part of France should be handed over to the aggressor? I think now is the time, and particularly at the next Council meeting, to ask Mr Macron what he means by this and why he is saying this now when the lives of Ukrainians are being destroyed every single day.

A Uachtaráin, the Climate Law is set in stone: the end point of the green transition – 2050 for climate neutrality. We have the finish line and tomorrow we get the opportunity to decide, in part, how we run the race. Europe is and should be a climate leader. However, it is a fine balance. We want and need more ambition in decarbonising our economy, but not at the expense of severe loss of competitiveness. If we overburden ourselves, that will be a net negative consequence for the climate, as we will have less ability to pay for the technologies needed for the transition. The war has changed everything, and we have rightly accelerated our actions. Investment in renewables stays in Europe, but we need to keep a holistic approach and ensure we have the capacity. This means more emphasis on skills, especially in the building renovation sector, clear regulatory signals, including fixing the problematic planning and permitting procedures so we can get green technologies actually deployed. And of course the proper investment. In essence, the transition only comes with good timing and appropriate incentives. I fully support the targets for 2030 to transition to climate neutrality, and I believe this can only be successfully achieved if based on pragmatism.

Mr President – me again, somewhat similar – I listened to the debate on North Macedonia. I think they have a strong case to be more integrated with the European Union. They have been sitting more or less on the side—lines hoping that something will happen for a long, long time. In the last mandate, there was very little desire to extend the European Union. But I think Brexit having happened, the perfect antidote for Brexit is the countries who want to join. That’s telling both the Brexiteers and others that the European Union is a project not for now, but also for the future and we must extend the hand of friendship to those who want to join us. Certainly the Ukrainian war shows that there is safety in numbers, if nothing else. But of course, there’s also prosperity and respect for human rights. So I look forward to North Macedonia becoming part of our family as soon as possible – and that’s the key.

A Uachtaráin, I welcome that the Commission has begun to carry out annual rule of law reviews across the Union with Member State—specific chapters and I voted in favour of the 2021 report. The EU was founded on respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. It should be clear to all that EU membership comes with not only far—reaching benefits, but also responsibilities. There must be no backsliding when it comes to the rule of law, as without it we cannot have a fair and just society. The report provides key information and assessments but also, very importantly, provisions and follow—up and implementation. For example, in the report, Parliament commits itself to engaging in regular consultations with the Member States’ governments and parliaments on findings of the annual report. The report also touches on the rule of law conditionality regulation. Where warranted, we should be ready to trigger the conditionality clauses in relation to European funding – a very important point.

Mr President, I voted for this report as granting candidate status to Moldova in line with Article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union on the basis of merit is the right thing to do. The report highlights that Moldova has been disproportionately affected by the Russian war in neighbouring Ukraine due to the arrival of more than 450 000 Ukrainian refugees since the invasion began on 24 February. I commend the humanitarian efforts undertaken by Moldova and its government. Furthermore, the report calls on the EU to provide more support for the country via new macro—financial assistance, further transport and trade liberalisation measures and continued support for refugee management and humanitarianism. I appreciate what Moldova are doing and I look forward to supporting them in every way.

A Uachtaráin, I would like to welcome the REPowerEU Plan, especially plans to tackle massive problems in licensing and permits as well as increased renewable energy targets. However, to reduce our dependency on Russian energy and fossil fuels, we must address the building sector much more readily and give it the priority it deserves. The residential sector alone accounts for 40% of EU gas demand, mainly for heating and cooling. Reducing residential energy consumption will greatly reduce the need to increase the EU’s energy generation capacity, especially for peak hours. Not only are we in a pivotal decade for the climate, but we are also in an energy crisis. It already has caused severe economic hardship for many businesses and households. We need a coherent and realistic energy policy that takes into account the new geopolitical situation. We have committed to 2050 as a goal to reach climate neutrality. However, it is not helpful having Members speak in this Chamber as if we can simply switch to 100% renewable energy at the flick of a switch. We need to be realistic about transition. We have the end destination. Now we have to decide how to run the race.

A Uachtaráin, as a rapporteur for the energy performance of buildings, I am concerned that we may not reach our targets due to funding issues. Some 72% of renovations at the moment are self-funded, yet only 18% of consumers are taking loans to renovate their homes, as they are too expensive. So there is a funding gap of EUR 214 billion a year for green financing for residential buildings. These numbers do not seem to add up to the successful harnessing of the renovation wave. The Commission has already asked the European Banking Authority to develop standards for green loans and green mortgages. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, under Article 15, increases the toolbox for Member States in relation to financial incentives and market barriers, including energy-efficiency loans and mortgages for building renovations. Both would greatly facilitate future efforts by the ECB in this direction. I am calling on the ECB to provide additional incentives for banks to set energy efficiency as a criterion for low interest rates and green mortgages for households so that we can bridge the gap, reduce emissions, make houses more comfortable and healthy, and decrease electricity bills.

A Uachtaráin, I really welcome the adoption of a minimum level of 15% of taxation for multinational groups. This has been a bone of contention for many years and indeed it wasn’t always Member States’ fault because there was competition to get investment. But now that we are putting a floor under it, it establishes a level playing field. I am also very pleased that the European Union did not act unilaterally and waited for the OECD because the more countries that adopt the minimum level, the less opportunity there is for multinationals to play one off against the other. The other point I would make is that many citizens probably are paying far greater than 15% tax in their take-home pay. But we look forward to the day, and particularly when we revise this in five years’ time, of maybe increasing the minimum level to 20% and reducing the threshold from EUR 750 to 500 billion.

A Uachtaráin, I voted for this report as it condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and welcomes the extraordinary measures that the EU is putting in place to help the Ukrainian people. It further supports measures directed at NGOs and businesses helping refugees flee to the Union from countries affected by war. The report highlights the development of an effective system of well-adjusted and complementing regulatory and enforcement instruments to facilitate the digital and green transition and continue to apply rigorously, and impartially enforce, competition policy. The report also calls on the Commission to closely monitor the flexibility of the EU state aid framework to enable Member States to provide support to the companies and sectors most severely affected by the ongoing Russian military aggression against Ukraine. I welcome the report and I compliment the rapporteur and the shadows.

Mr President, on the border between Belarus and Poland, the grounds of Białowieża, old-growth establishments, where there are many endangered species, are a special place we need to preserve. But it is also where dictator Lukashenko, a friend of Putin, is trying to put pressure on the European Union and playing cruel games with migrants in retaliation for the sanctions we imposed on his regime. Poland is in the front line against Belarus and Russia. We therefore need to understand and acknowledge the welcome they have already welcomed around 3 million people who have already fled the war in Ukraine. That said, we need to uphold our values for basic human rights and environmental protection.

Mr President, over the years, Moldova has suffered with political instability and cases of corruption. However, the leadership of Maia Sandu, who supports European values, now promises to reorientate the country towards Europe in the fight against corruption. Moldova is showing great determination in the current crisis. Compared to its population of only 2.6 million people, no country has received more Ukrainian refugees than the Republic of Moldova, clearly showing that it is an ally ready to fight for a democracy and a European future. There are real concerns, however, about its ability to defend itself from a potential Russian invasion should Putin push towards its border with Ukraine. There have been reports of repression of Russian speakers in the Transnistria region, just another example of Russia’s use of disinformation to try to achieve its military objectives. We must ask ourselves what support the EU can provide to counter such harmful disinformation. The Kremlin will likely try and force Moldova back towards its sphere of influence, leveraging Transnistria in some way. The EU must support Moldova in resisting such forceful attempts to bind it to Moscow so that the Moldovan people may choose their own path towards the future. We stand with Ukraine. We stand with Moldova.

Madam President, firstly, I’d like to thank my fellow authors for the excellent cooperation in framing this resolution. Ahead of the commune elections in June and next year’s national elections in Cambodia, the human rights situation has deteriorated, with the government carrying out an intensified crackdown on the political opposition, independent media and civil society under the guise of COVID—19 measures. Cambodian dictator Hun Sen, who has maintained his tight grip on power for 37 years, continues his crackdown on opposition figures, squashing any dissent. The government is harassing opposition parties aiming to run in the upcoming elections, and the authorities have stepped up online surveillance laws that threaten free expression and the right to privacy. I strongly condemn the intimidation and the continued oppression of the Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders and members, whom we met last week. As Cambodia’s main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party was arbitrarily dissolved in 2017. Now, a relatively old party founded in 1998, the Candlelight Party, is gaining momentum as an opposition. It must not suffer the same fate as the CNRP. I strongly condemn the intimidation of the Candlelight Party candidates, now the only credible party of opposition, which is considered as legal under the repressive laws currently in place. It is imperative that the Candlelight Party is not dissolved under such ludicrous terms as the CNRP. Of course, we must not focus only on the upcoming local elections, but also look ahead to next year’s legislative elections. At the European Union we need to do our utmost to support democrats all over the world. I call for the immediate release of all political prisoners, not only politicians, but also journalists, and for the rehabilitation of politicians who have been banned from holding public office. I call on the Cambodian authorities to restore freedom of expression and the media and also tell them and remind them strongly that we will be watching very closely the conduct of the upcoming elections.

Madam President, the reports that we are seeing that China is suspected of enlisting surgeons to remove organs from living prisoners are extremely concerning. The details included in the report are particularly harrowing, with findings suggesting that physicians participated in executions by organ removal. It does not seem to be a coincidence that such practices target minority groups such as the Falun Gong, the Uyghurs, Tibetans and others, and form part of the wider persecution of marginalised groups in the country. China’s alleged organ transplant system clearly does not adhere to the international norms set down by the World Health Organization. Yet the Chinese Government has repeatedly failed to clarify sources of excess organs. Concerns particularly centre around detention camps where minority groups are often held. The numbers do not stack up and questions are mounting. China must explain why they are doing far more transplants than they have cadaver organ donors.

A Uachtaráin, cyber-attacks from Russia did not start on 24 February, nor will they end when the war ends in Ukraine. Europe must be prepared for the war to expand online, with critical infrastructure at risk. As technology advances and becomes further intertwined into our economies and infrastructure, we must be aware that cyber-threats are also rapidly evolving in nature and sophistication. The EU and all Member States need a digital security architecture to defend us robustly against cyber-attacks. Ireland is a neutral country. Yet in May 2021, our health-care systems suffered the biggest cyber-attack in the history of the State. This affected most of the country’s health services, including coronavirus testing, maternal care services, cancer care, COVID-19 tracking and routine referrals for secondary care at a time when the whole system was under pressure. This, it appears, was at the hands of Russian hackers and criminals. This has led to a shift in thinking in Ireland, as we’ve seen that neutrality per se doesn’t mean that you’re exempt from Russian attacks. We have to take our defence much more seriously, within the confines of neutrality. Cyber-defence should be a priority, which means investment. That is what we must do.

Mr President, over 4.3 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion on 24 February. According to UNICEF, over half of those fleeing are minors. This is a massive humanitarian crisis at the hands of a ruthless dictator, and the numbers will continue to grow. European Member States are opening their borders and citizens are opening their homes to those fleeing the war. But the journey to safety is not an easy one. Unaccompanied minors in particular are at a risk of abuse, exploitation and trafficking. This resolution calls for the creation of safe passages for children fleeing the conflict. It emphasises that measures must be put in place to prevent trafficking and abduction. It goes without saying that I voted in favour of this resolution, and I was proud to do so.

Mr President, I was relieved to see that the situation in Afghanistan was on the plenary agenda this week. I gave my strong support to the EU’s solidarity towards Ukraine, but we must also continue to advocate for those suffering under the oppressive Taliban regime, particularly for women, girls and the LGBTI community. I was horrified by the news on 23 March that girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan had been ordered to close just hours after reopening. And, therefore, I fully support the calls in this resolution for the Taliban to uphold their commitment to ensuring the right to education for girls. I also support the many other important calls in this resolution: to allow women to fully participate in government and society, to allow women to access proper health care, to release all activists and human rights defenders who have been detained for advocating for the rights of women and girls and to stop all intimidation and harassment of these groups. I was pleased to vote in favour of this resolution.

Mr President, this is a very important topic and I would like to compliment my colleague behind me, Maria Walsh, who has done tremendous work here in Parliament and elsewhere on this whole topic. As has been said, COVID-19 put a huge mental strain particularly on young people, who couldn’t go to school, who were not able to meet their friends, who couldn’t play, and of course, on elderly people, who were locked at home and couldn’t see their families for long periods. Then, as the Commissioner pointed out, along comes the Ukraine war, caused by the war criminal Putin, and refugees coming here under enormous mental strain. Of course, we are very pleased that so many people in Europe are welcoming them and making it easy for them, despite the fact that it leads to a rise in the cost of living. And of course, that’s putting strain, particularly on a lot of people who are close to energy poverty and other types of poverty. So it’s good we discuss it and that we do a European strategy.

Mr President, first, I’d like to congratulate my colleague, Angelika Niebler, for her work on this report. Of course, I was happy to vote in favour of it. In an increasingly digitalised world, we are a data-driven society. Data-sharing has huge potential to inform and improve policy, from healthcare to energy efficiency. It was positive to see in this Act, measures to help boost data-sharing across sectors and Member States. Some citizens are concerned that their data may be used to benefit businesses rather than society, or that their personal data will be exploited. Trust is therefore a key consideration in data-sharing, and this Act will ensure that data held by the public sector, industry and individuals will be shared in a secure, controlled and trustworthy way. This is a good report. I am pleased to support it.

Mr President, in all probability, the ordinary people of Russia are like the ordinary people of my own country, or any country in the European Union – fine, decent people. But unfortunately, they are led by an autocrat, a butcher, a war criminal called Putin. But Putin reminds me of the film A Few Good Men, where Jack Nicholson said: ‘You can’t handle the truth’. And because he can’t handle the truth, he denies people the opportunity to express themselves. He did it with Navalny. He tried to kill him, first by poisoning him, then he put him into prison, and when his term was up, he gave him another nine years. He controls state media. Anybody who criticises can get 15 years in jail. But the truth will prevail. And someday, someone like Navalny will come along and become a true democratic leader of a free Russia. We look forward to that. The truth will prevail.

Mr President, we have three urgency resolutions here this evening, one on North Korea, one on Russia and one on Guatemala. There is a vast difference between Guatemala and Russia and North Korea. Guatemala is an important like-minded partner of the EU in Central America. There is a growing trade cooperation between the EU and Guatemala. And Guatemala has shown great solidarity with Ukraine and the EU, which had strong condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And, of course, many of the offenses here mentioned occurred before the present government was elected in January 2020. Nevertheless, we have to be concerned about reports of recent legal actions against Guatemalan prosecutors and judges who played a prominent role in anti-impunity and anti-corruption efforts. This is also combined with the detention of human rights defenders, particularly environmentalists and indigenous people. There must be full respect for the country’s constitutional order and judicial independence. We call on the government to root out corruption and impunity, and improve the human rights situation.

A Uachtaráin, last August footage of tragic scenes in Afghanistan caught the world’s attention, such as desperate crowds running alongside a US military plane as it prepared to depart Kabul. Our initial shock here in the EU at how rapidly the Taliban seized control has passed. But this atmosphere of desperation and fear in Afghanistan has not. The Taliban made many empty promises after their takeover that they would offer full amnesty to Afghans who worked for the Western—backed government and uphold women’s rights. No sooner were these promises made than they were broken. I’m in contact with an Afghan woman and her family who tell me of their precarious situation with their rights and freedoms severely restricted and living in isolation. On 23 March, a glimmer of hope was soon extinguished when the Taliban ordered girls secondary schools to shut just hours after they had reopened for the first time. Many students were crying as they were turned away from their classes. As a former teacher, I am horrified by this denial of education and, by extension, denial of a future. The international community must increase its pressure on the Taliban to ensure that not only are girls allowed to return to school as soon as possible, but also that the curriculum will provide them with a genuine education. This will be hugely important step, and just one of the many steps needed to improve the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.