Speeches

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 economy. We have even experienced difficulties in terms of supplying these essential components, which have been noted in the recent past. This regulation seeks to respond to this reality by setting itself the ambitious goal of doubling the European Union's share of this market by 2030. It is a well-structured document that identifies strategies at all levels of the value chain, from strengthening skills to empowering industry. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the rapporteurs and the Commission. However, I am concerned about the remaining unknowns about funding. Relying on unspent funds from other headings, such as the Framework Programme for Scientific Research and Innovation Horizon Europe, seems to me to be too little for the ambitious targets we have set ourselves.

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 families and businesses that depend on this resource, especially coastal communities. Protecting the ocean means avoiding and combating marine pollution, protecting habitats, especially those most at risk, such as coral reefs, and finding new ways to harness the extraordinary potential of the sea, including in terms of previously untapped food resources, by doing so in a sustainable way. For this, investment in more scientific research, technology and innovation is absolutely essential, not only to make existing practices more sustainable, first and foremost fishing, but to exploit new potential, combining environmental and economic sustainability.

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 targets and rapidly reduce dependence on fossil fuels. With this in mind, there are a number of barriers we must remove: long permitting processes and insufficient investments in network capacity; insufficient maturity of long-term storage technologies. Scientific research and innovation are also crucial for improving technological capacity, in particular in hydrogen-based or battery-based systems. The strategy we adopt is a good basis for our future policies. The current revision of the rules on electricity market design is the right time to act, also taking into account, and never forgetting, the needs of each Member State.

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 and the European People's Party is very enthusiastic in supporting it. At the same time, we know that the success of these measures is their sustainability and, therefore, we have introduced progressivity, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Together and with safe steps, we will win the battle for gender equality.

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 key step to grow the data economy and foster innovation. As shadow rapporteur in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), I focused in particular on the topic of cloud computing. This market is dominated by non-European operators, with three companies concentrating almost the entire supply. For customers, switching operators is difficult. With this regulation, we remove unjustified barriers and fees, make the exchange of operators simpler and reduce costs, while protecting trade secrets and intellectual property. I would like to end by congratulating the rapporteur, Pilar del Castillo, and the other rapporteurs, as well as Commissioner Breton, on their excellent work and excellent cooperation. It was hard work and it required a lot of conciliation, but we can be proud of the result.

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. I hope that this legislative initiative will be a means of first boosting scientific research and innovation with a view to developing alternative materials. Secondly, to build partnerships with third countries to diversify suppliers, step up cooperation and strengthen international supply chains. And, also, to develop technologies that ensure that mining activity has the least possible impact on the surrounding environment and the population, not neglecting the social responsibility of this sector. It is not enough to set goals and objectives. We need to create the conditions to achieve them.

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 scourge, which knows no borders. It is time to move from words to action by ratifying the Istanbul Convention. With this instrument we will be able to create a coherent European legal framework that protects victims and punishes perpetrators, saying that in Europe we have zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

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 solution to reduce carbon emissions. However, we do not think that imposing a single pass is the best way to reach the goal. Innovation and technology are the essential tools for our sustainable future. It is dangerous to choose certain technology over others for political reasons. This must be an evidence-based process, involving researchers and experts. Technological neutrality is the way to reach climate neutrality.

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 satellites, we will be more competitive and have access to more stable and faster connections. Low and medium orbits are still a sector with a large margin of development. In this regard, the Azores archipelago has major projects for space, namely a new space port, which has precisely the ambition to serve as a basis for the launch of small satellites. The islands of the Azores bring together a set of unique features with enormous potential for the space sector. They therefore deserve our support and greater commitment on the part of the European Union.

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 resources. They play an important role in enhancing coastal communities. The Union has a duty to support small-scale fishermen and operators and should do so through effective measures geared to the specific needs of the sector. The report, which we will vote on tomorrow, contains very useful suggestions for the European Commission and the Member States, who are being asked to take courageous decisions. In the immediate future, action should be taken to reduce production costs, in particular by supporting fishermen to ease the fuel price burden. This segment is characterised by the ageing of vessels and their professionals. Measures are needed to progressively renew and modernise fleets and also measures to attract and target young people and women, including training and reskilling activities. Finally, the outermost regions, such as the Azores and Madeira, play a crucial role in conserving and restoring marine ecosystems. I consider the reintroduction of the programme specifically dedicated to the outermost regions, also in the fisheries sector, to be very important. A POSEI for fisheries will therefore be necessary.

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 financial support, but also on what measures to take in terms of relieving the bureaucratic burden, the functioning of justice, creating all the conditions favourable to industry, such as a strong ecosystem of science and innovation, because only then will we have real economic growth, wealth creation and more quality jobs.

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 to goods, services and jobs. It promotes entrepreneurial and cultural initiative in the 27 Member States. However, we should not give these achievements for acquired or completed. The integration of the internal market is an ongoing process. There are also technical obstacles, such as excessive regulation and bureaucracy, and political ones, because protectionisms persist and the agenda of those who would like to see this project fail. Europe must respond to today's challenges with more cooperation and fewer barriers, with rules adapted to a new digital reality, a true European digital market. With the construction of the internal energy market, the completion of the single market is fundamental for the well-being of Europeans and for their international affirmation and affirmation of the European Union.

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 in infrastructure, the modernisation of businesses, industries and public services, the data economy, a strong digital internal market, education and training, both for executives and the general population, scientific research and innovation. The European Union will focus on emerging technologies such as quantum computing. We must be able to create the conditions for these technologies to develop and be produced in Europe. A good example of the way forward are Horizon Europe partnerships, covering topics such as key digital technologies and chips, high performance computing and 5G and 6G networks. This roadmap for the digital decade, with its ambitious goals, will only be achieved if all these conditions are met.

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 connect the Iberian Peninsula and France, but also the South and East of Europe. We need the floating storage regasification unit involving Finland, Estonia and Latvia. We need a second LNG terminal in Poland. Gas infrastructure reinforcement to increase export capacity from Belgium to Germany. Additional LNG terminals in Germany. Expansion of the capacity of an LNG terminal combined with the Croatian transmission grid towards Slovenia and Hungary. Expansion of the interconnector for Greece and Bulgaria. As you can see, it is also a question of investment. We really need to make sure that we are the proper continent to invest, and to invest in energy. Our crisis is also a crisis of energy supply, and we solve that by giving better conditions for investment, both for the private sector and also the public sector. And we need fast-track procedures for our projects – both the interconnections, but also the renewable projects. We cannot afford it to take years still to have all the licences for projects to start. That is something that is of utmost importance: to have a speedy way for our projects to start, so investment and the directives and the regulations in place that will allow a speedy start for our projects. Second point: if we want a hydrogen society, and I think we all do, as an important vector for Europe, we really need to have a plan: a plan for infrastructure, for the production of the clean energy, for the transmission, for the transport of this hydrogen, for the delivery of the hydrogen, and all that to cover Europe. It cannot be concentrated only in some regions in the centre of Europe. We need to have coverage for all the regions of Europe. And again, we need a plan. We need the investment plan. We need a calendar. Also for mobility – again to fulfil our Fit for 55 – to have supplies for mobility and hydrogen for our mobility between 60 kilometres and 150 kilometres. It is the case for mobility and for hydrogen. We really need the huge investment that we need to plan. So we need to have all these conditions for the private sector and the public sector, and to start immediately. On the question of the energy market, we are of the opinion in the EPP that we should intervene as little as possible in the market. We should allow the market to work, and all the intervention should be temporary and very well justified. And we are in certain times where we probably need interference for a short time and temporarily on the market. But having said that, we also need to have more general governance for our energy – a multilevel, multisector level that links the gas market, the electricity market, hydrogen, heating and cooling that also takes into consideration the decentralisation and the digitalisation of the energy system that is going on. We need to connect all that. But that needs to be very well studied and we need to look carefully at the consequences. We look forward to the proposal from the Commission on this topic.

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 we say: believe me, your talent, your commitment, will be the decisive factors in accessing top positions. In large companies, which is what is now at stake, and in all other dimensions of society. Today, women make up about 60% of new tertiary graduates in the European Union, half of the workforce, but they make up only 31.5% of members and 8% of board chairs. When they say that this directive must ensure respect for merit, I reply: I agree. That is precisely the ambition of the Directive. And this is a step that will benefit all Europeans, because we cannot waste talent. We need the best men and women in decision-making positions. Thank you very much to everyone who has not given up over these ten years and a very special word of thanks to those who initiated the process, Viviane Reding, then Vice-President of the Commission.

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 discussing aims to improve the responsiveness of public and private entities providing essential services, including by introducing an obligation for Member States to improve their national cybersecurity strategies and also to increase coordination between them in the event of serious incidents. Member States are also asked to take particular account of the cybersecurity protection of small and medium-sized enterprises. This is a problem for everyone, not least because the greatest vulnerability of a Member State can have effects across the Union. We therefore need to act quickly and together.

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 and interconnections, making them future-proof, enabling them to be used also for hydrogen transport, increasing the production of renewable electricity, ensuring that new projects will be implemented quickly and putting more emphasis on energy efficiency as well as energy storage projects. We also ask Member States to speed up as much as possible all permits and procedures for the construction of new renewable energy projects.

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, reinforcing ties and easing political tensions. We talk about the need to bring stability to the researchers community in Europe and elsewhere. We also underline the importance of values such as research and academic freedom, such as ethics in new in science and new technologies. Researchers around the world should be free to think and express ideas. They should be free to focus on their activities for the good of humanity and to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge. These are principles that in the European Union, we apply in all our policies. Europe must be a safe place to do research, a safe place for science. It must be an example for the rest of the world. The Union has the tradition of using science diplomacy tools in other parts of the world. I can mention, for example, the Balkans integration, for which scientific cooperation played a crucial role. The need to support researchers at risk is not a novelty. Recently, we have witnessed this in Afghanistan, where hundreds of researchers were put at risk by the Taliban regime. We see this, unfortunately, around the world where there are authoritarian regimes. The Union’s response to the needs of Ukrainian research has been, so far, swift. The Parliament was the first, demanding a mobilisation of instruments to help them to continue their research activities. The European higher education and research institutions have shown their solidarity by organising, on a voluntary basis, support for researchers, even without funding from governments or other institutions. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel was able to mobilise quickly the funds useful to support researchers. The establishment of ERA4Ukraine, a one-stop-shop to give researchers of Ukraine a concrete point of reference was one of the first responses. Initiatives like Horizon for Ukraine, ERC for Ukraine and Marie Curie actions for Ukraine followed shortly and help the creation of fellowship schemes and targeted financial support. This has been an exceptional response to a war on European soil. In Europe, we live in freedom. Values, as researchers have said, such as academic freedom are essential. However, this also increases our responsibility to help researchers at risk, especially in the neighbourhood countries that contribute also for our development research. Most of these countries were also participants in Horizon 2020 and now are in Horizon Europe. Europe should be a safe haven for all the researchers that want to continue their research. This is why we must continue to support our Ukrainian friends. Today, we are asking the European Commission how it plans to maintain and reinforce this support, which initiatives it is planning to mobilise which specific support schemes are ready and which national schemes can be pulled together to become best practices. To do all this, the European Commission should be able to use the right instruments. So far, to support Ukrainian research, the European Commission had to rely on emergency provisions in the financial regulation. We need to make better use of the possibilities provided by the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU in science. Furthermore, we need a new and innovative approach to help the researchers in Ukraine, but also to ensure the survival and future reform of the research infrastructure in this country, so that when there is peace researchers have a place to continue their scientific work. For example, the Commission should set up an ad hoc European fellowship scheme for researchers at risk and to be prepared for the future in other situations. Parliament supports this and already has a pilot project budgeted.

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 making decisions that reflect such an important activity for Europe, such as fishing, it is essential that we do so in the most evidence-based way possible. This is supported by scientific evidence, the latest data and listening to industry officials and relevant government authorities. In the current crisis situation in which our economic actors struggle with high energy prices and scarce resources, we must also be careful in implementing this measure. Trawl fishing, while affecting only 2% of marine areas below 800 metres deep, remains an important source of income for various industries and coastal communities. I therefore call for an end to this activity without giving up this long-term objective, but for the concerns expressed by several Member States already listed here to be taken into account. So, Commissioner, please listen to what both Members and members of this community have to say to us.

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. With this proliferation of space activity, undoubtedly promising, the challenges to be faced also grow. Among these, the risks of collisions and overlaps of orbits. The European Union must therefore act – and in my view – on four fronts. First, by establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework of rules on these matters. Second, by cooperating and articulating with other regions and nations involved in the space area. Thirdly, by increasing funding for a very useful but so far underfunded programme, EU SST, responsible for space surveillance and tracking. Finally, strengthening investments and prioritising scientific research and innovation in space, diversifying funding sources and focusing on synergies of space programmes with the Horizon Europe Science and Innovation Programme.

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 Protection) have been urging the European Commission and market operators to take this step. We've achieved our goals. This makes it easier for consumers to save money and make their lives easier. With this reduction in the volume of electronic waste, the environment also gains, and this is a good example of the regulatory role of the European Union. Without our action, this market fragmentation and senseless waste would continue to exist.

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 us, but in a sustainable way. If ocean-dependent communities feel the benefits of their protection, our conservation efforts will be more efficient. I therefore want to applaud this resolution and the holistic and global approach it proposes, combining the protection and profitability of the blue economy. I would add that the strategy for our oceans must involve a strong commitment to science and scientific research. This is the only way to achieve this twofold goal: conserve and enhance.

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 scientific research and innovation. Our industry needs help to overcome the huge investment gap when compared to other global competitors, a technology investment gap to bring innovation to market. We need to ensure swift access to European funds, develop concrete actions to address skills shortages and take strong action to deal with energy prices, a threat for many industrial sectors. Commissioner, we must be brave in times of crisis. I therefore ask you to quickly introduce a kind of temporary regulatory moratorium in order to lighten the bureaucratic burden on industries, especially SMEs.

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 development of energy transport infrastructure, the investment in hydrogen as an important energy carrier and support measures for domestic and industrial consumers. Crisis situations, such as the present one, also require emergency measures, including market intervention, but this should always be temporary, reversible and coordinated at European level. The possible consequences of this intervention should be very well assessed.

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 tackled three key objectives. Firstly, promote the balance between the different fleets operating in this part of the ocean. European actors must be defended. Secondly, to ensure the timely implementation of this type of regulation. And finally, promote a science-based, innovation-based approach to all fisheries-related activities, improving practices, leveraging new opportunities and promoting sustainability.