Speeches

Dear Mr President, Commissioner! The European Union is founded on the belief that war on the European continent is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, Putin has destroyed all of our hopes. Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine does not stop at attacks on civilians, innocent women and children. This war with attacks on birthplaces, theatres and schools is also an attack on our European values and a crime against humanity. The Russian invasion of Ukraine not only endangers the country and its population, but also threatens the future of an entire generation. Many refugees are children and particularly vulnerable. We need to ensure that young people have protection and access to education so that they have a chance for a future, no matter where they have had to flee. Otherwise, we risk a lost generation in the long run. Children need special protection from all forms of violence and assault, and we need to take special care of children. Schools in particular will play an important role in the physical, mental and mental health of Ukrainian children who have had to leave their homes. Psychological care and a secure social environment – that is what traumatised children need now. It is our moral duty to do everything possible to protect children and young people and to do our utmost to enable them to have a future without fear and with all perspectives. That is why we now need quick access to education systems at all levels, psychosocial care for traumatised children, care and protection for unaccompanied children and adolescents, including the stateless. And the EU must also support Member States through our programmes such as Erasmus, the Youth Guarantee and other programmes. This should not only be a matter of the heart to us, but is our duty as human beings.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen of the Commission! With the DSA, we have the opportunity to create a milestone in the regulation of online services at Union level. This opportunity is used in many ways in the present draft, but is also missed in some essential points. Unfortunately, the CULT opinion was not adequately taken into account in the draft report. The DSA, as it is now, will have serious negative consequences for areas of the cultural, sports and media sectors. We leave it to the major platforms of our European media to regulate according to their conditions, if necessary house rules. Media service providers are already strictly regulated at both Union and national level and must adhere to professional editorial standards, regardless of how their content and services are consumed. It is important to protect editorial independence in the media sector. For cases of disinformation, we have already adopted media legislation at European level; However, it should finally be adequately implemented in all Member States. And that would be a task that the Commission would have to devote itself to in order for it to really work. Media content that is illegal offline must also be illegal online, just as illegal media content should also be illegal offline online. Making online media offers cannot be compared to buying socks. Therefore, support the amendments tabled by colleagues from CULT and JURI! Let's take the chance!

Mr President, Commissioner, dear MariyaGabriel, ladies and gentlemen! The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit young people disproportionately. At such an important stage in the development of her life, her youth, social life came to a complete standstill at first and continues to experience persistent restrictions to this day. At the same time, they face the challenge of continuing their education, entering the labour market and maintaining their social and economic life. It is precisely the social coexistence that decisively shapes the youth. Corona makes it impossible for young people to meet their friends, make new acquaintances and discover other countries. The young people accepted these restrictions out of solidarity and supported them decisively. Now it's time for us to focus on them. For this reason, I am delighted that 2022 is now being dedicated to them as the European Year of Youth. With this we show: Youth is a priority in Europe. This year will lay the foundations for giving them a platform to make themselves heard. Because it is the young generation that will experience today's decisions in the long term, and that is why they should also shape them. We need the commitment and involvement of the entire young generation to create and build a better, greener, more digital and inclusive future in Europe. The aim of the European Year of Youth initiative is to give young people the opportunity to help shape the future of Europe, thereby helping them to have better opportunities for the future. Through various activities and events, we will bring politics and political issues closer to all young people, especially those with fewer opportunities to engage in civic and political activities. EUR 8 million of fresh money was raised through the reinforcement of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Specially made available for this year. In addition, the activities can be supported and financed from other funds corresponding to the respective topics. This year's focus will be on issues that particularly concern young people, such as equality, inclusion, ecology, climate change, sustainability, mental health, jobs, traineeships and the framework conditions for fair pay. I am all the more pleased that we have been able to make sure that the young people will be the protagonists of this year. It was also ensured that they are structurally involved in the planning and implementation. The European Year of Youth is a project not only of classical youth policy, but of all political themes. And so many levels have already signaled their willingness to become part of this year. And so I also call on all the committees in this House to give the young generation a platform to discuss the upcoming and current issues in an appropriate format, to take them seriously and to actively involve them in the discussion. If we tackle this year correctly, we will make a major contribution to emerge stronger from the pandemic. To do this, we need cooperation and support at all levels: local, regional, national and European. Much remains to be done and done to ensure that the European Year of Youth truly reaches out to young people on the ground across Europe, has an impact and can be experienced. Many do not yet know that this European Year of Youth exists. It is also our task to ensure that this year is truly carried into every city, village, place, everywhere, in order to draw attention to the needs and necessities for the young generation. Together, let's make 2022 a real European Year of Youth!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Michaela Šojdrová's own-initiative report on the Common European Education Area is a very good and above all balanced report. As an EU, we can only benefit from this if we promote the mutual recognition of educational qualifications, not only for professional or university degrees, but also in the school sector. We want degrees to be more equal in the EU. Pupils who have completed schooling and education in the EU should be able to continue their education in all EU countries without further burdensome examinations. To achieve this, we do not need equalisation, but equal educational standards within the European Union. We do not want to undermine subsidiarity. Education is and will remain a matter for the Member States. But where it makes sense, we need to coordinate at European level. And for true free movement of persons, we must finally start recognizing each other's equivalent degrees. Already in 2017, at the Gothenburg Summit, Member States and the Commission set themselves the ambitious goal of creating a common European Education Area by 2025. It is now important that adequate resources are also made available for development and creation, but above all for the implementation of a holistic European Education Area.