What Maria da Graça spoke about.

11

Jul

2023

PT Speech

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European Chips Act (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the importance of integrated circuits extends to all sectors of activity, from the automotive industry to health and defence. Europe has excellent scientific research in this field. However, this competence has not translated into industrial capacity. We have a 10 % share of the global chips market, which is clearly low for the size of our econo…

11

May

2023

PT Speech

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Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries - Agreement of the IGC on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (High Seas Treaty) (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the ocean is the greatest reservoir of life on earth. It is estimated that there are between 500 000 and 10 million marine species. Protecting this resource, this extraordinary biodiversity is an obligation for all of us, for present and future generations. But protecting the ocean does not mean abandonment. It does not mean abandoning the many fam…

18

Apr

2023

PT Speech

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Energy storage (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, energy storage is key to harnessing the full potential of renewable energy. Strengthening renewable electricity generation capacity is not enough. We should also invest in technologies that reduce grid congestion and increase the flexibility of the energy system. We need to accelerate the pace of installation of storage systems to meet climate targ…

30

Mar

2023

PT Speech

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Strengthening the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, European women earn 13% less than men for equal work. This breakdown translates into thousands of euros of salary difference at the end of the year. But the consequences are not only economic. We cannot ignore the demotivation caused by wages that do not reflect the effort and qualifications of women. This directive is another step towards ending gender discrimination a…

14

Mar

2023

PT Speech

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Data Act (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Data Act, in a word, is about giving access – giving access to people and businesses. So far, the rules have not been clear, in particular on who can access the data generated in connected products. With this law we return control to those who produce the data and, at the same time, we pave the way for a greater use of this information. A ke…

15

Feb

2023

PT Speech

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Access to strategic critical raw materials (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Climate Law and the Fit for 55 package require our industry to accelerate the green and digital transitions. At the same time, however, Europe does not yet have a real policy to supply industrial production with sufficient raw materials. The Critical Raw Materials Act that the European Commission is preparing is a step in the right direction…

14

Feb

2023

PT Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession (continuation of debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, violence against women is a form of human rights violation that persists everywhere, including in the European Union. One in three women in the EU has experienced physical, sexual or both violence. More than half of women have been sexually harassed for one time since the age of 15. It is essential that we speak with one voice against this scour…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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CO2 emission standards for cars and vans (debate)

Mr President, cars and vans will have to reduce their emissions in the next two years in line with European climate law. We are asked to vote on a proposal to ban new cars with combustion engines by 2035. This proposal asks us to decide today based on current knowledge, which technology will be used in the future. This is not the right line of action. The EPP certainly wants to find the best solut…

13

Feb

2023

PT Speech

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Union Secure Connectivity Programme 2023-2027 (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Secure Connectivity programme aims to launch a constellation of satellites. The IRIS infrastructure will strengthen European cybersecurity by integrating emerging technologies such as quantum technologies, improve the traditional provision of satellite communications, encourage innovation and open new markets. By increasing our fleet of sate…

18

Jan

2023

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Small-scale fisheries situation in the EU and future perspectives (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, rapporteur, ladies and gentlemen, small-scale artisanal and coastal fishing plays a crucial role in the European Union. It accounts for 76% of active vessels and almost 50% of total employment in the fisheries sector. In Portugal, around 90% of vessels registered for fishing are of this type. This segment is key to promoting a more sustainable management of marine re…

18

Jan

2023

PT Speech

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An EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs (debate)

Dear President, Dear Commissioner, European industry has been hit hard by the energy price crisis. Many countries responded to this crisis in a decisive and timely manner. Unfortunately, this was not the case for my country, Portugal, whose government reacted late and timidly to the problems of the sector. I hope that in future there will be another approach, not only on when and how to trigger fi…

16

Jan

2023

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30th Anniversary of the Single Market (debate)

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, the Single Market is one of the greatest achievements of the European project. Since 1993, we have removed hundreds of technical, legal and bureaucratic barriers to free trade and free movement. In these 30 years, the single market has deepened. Today it is an area of prosperity and freedom. It offers 450 million Europeans access …

24

Nov

2022

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Establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, rapporteur Martina Dlabajová, the digital transition is one of the pillars of the European Union's strategy for the next decade. The competitiveness of our economy will very much depend on its success. This is a race for which we are running late, compared to some countries, such as the United States. To regain ground, we need to invest heavily …

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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A truly interconnected Energy Single Market to keep bills down and companies competitive (topical debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, we are discussing here the status of energy and the solutions for the energy crisis. For the EPP, a strong internal energy market is one of the solutions. We need to complete our interconnections inside the EU and the links between the EU and neighbouring countries. We really need to look at the interconnections – gas and electricity – that conn…

22

Nov

2022

PT Speech

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Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today we are making history by putting the directive into practice after a decade of insistence by the European Parliament. We send a message for the future. A message addressed to both men and women, because the goal is to protect the most underrepresented gender. But it is a message, we know well, addressed above all to young women. To these w…

10

Nov

2022

PT Speech

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A high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (debate)

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, cyber-attacks are a growing threat to all of us, especially in the light of the digital transformation of our society. Over the last four years, the number of occurrences has increased more than tenfold. In my country, Portugal, media groups, mobile operators, airlines and others have already been targeted. The directive we are now discu…

9

Nov

2022

PT Speech

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REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, REPowerEU has responded to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. We now aim to make the strengthening of the Recovery and Resilience Facility more flexible to facilitate the financing of REPowerEU. In the ITRA Committee, we have focused on strengthening funding, but also on building a true internal energy market, completing interconnections an…

20

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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European support to the Ukrainian research community (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, this oral question covers several key issues for the ITRE committee. It deals with protecting the rights of a community, the scientific community, which plays a pivotal role in our common well-being. We address the importance of science. We address the importance of science diplomacy, a tool that brings positive changes in international relations, …

20

Oct

2022

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Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 of 15 September 2022 determining the existing deep-sea fishing areas and establishing a list of areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known to occur or are likely to occur (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the protection of marine ecosystems, rich in biodiversity, is fundamental for the future of the planet and for the sustainability of our activities in the oceans. The regulation we are discussing today reflects that ambition. Deep-sea trawling is clearly an activity with significant effects on different marine habitats. At the same time, when ma…

6

Oct

2022

PT Speech

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An EU approach for Space Traffic management - an EU contribution addressing a global challenge (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, over one million pieces of debris over one centimetre are now drifting on Earth. Over 20 000 new satellites are expected to be launched in the next decade. In addition, the space race is expanding to other actors and other fronts. It is estimated that technological innovation will make viable, and already today and very soon, tourism, space mining.…

4

Oct

2022

PT Speech

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Radio Equipment Directive: common charger for electronic devices (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, we have a charger! A universal charger for mobile phones and all small and medium-sized electronic devices. Tablets, digital cameras, game consoles, portable headphones and speakers, mice, wireless keyboards and navigation systems. It seems simple, but for more than ten years the European Parliament and, in particular, the IMCO Committee (Internal Market and Consumer…

3

Oct

2022

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Momentum for the Ocean: strengthening Ocean Governance and Biodiversity (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, life on our planet begins in the oceans. It is in these that are still the largest reserves of biodiversity on Earth. We will not succeed in the European Green Deal or in delivering on the Paris Agreements without a strategy that secures the future of our oceans. It is up to us to find solutions that allow us to take even better advantage of the benefits they offer u…

15

Sep

2022

PT Speech

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Implementation of the Updated New Industrial Strategy for Europe: aligning spending to policy (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, industry is the backbone of our economy. It is central to building open strategic autonomy. As rapporteur for the industrial strategy for IMCO, I consider it essential to approach the internal market holistically, combining trade, competition and industrial policies. The EU should boost and complete its internal market and also strengthen the internal market for scie…

13

Sep

2022

PT Speech

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EU response to the increase in energy prices in Europe (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear Minister, the inflation dictated by rising energy prices is today the greatest concern of Europeans, a concern to which we must continue to respond. This should be an articulated and solidarity-based European response, diversifying energy sources and reducing gas and electricity consumption. The solutions include, for example, the joint purchase of gas, the deve…

12

Sep

2022

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Conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area: conservation and management measures (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I should like to begin by thanking Mrs Carvalhais and all those involved in this report for their good cooperation. This proposal for a Regulation on the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention is of great importance, both economically and environmentally, and for the competitiveness of European fisheries. As shadow rapporteur, I have tack…