Speeches

The debate is closed. Thanks very much to the rapporteurs and to everybody who contributed in this debate. The vote will be held tomorrow. Written statements (Rule 171)

The next item is the debate on the report by Samira Rafaela and Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques, on behalf of the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453 – C9-0307/2022 – 2022/0269(COD)) (A9-0306/2023).

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on Russia’s undemocratic presidential elections and their illegitimate extension to the occupied territories (2024/2665(RSP)). I should like to inform Members that there will be only one round of political group speakers, no catch-the-eye procedure and no blue cards, so be aware of that.

The next item is the joint debate on: – the report by Pernille Weiss, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union code relating to medicinal products for human use, and repealing Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2009/35/EC (COM(2023)0192 – C9-0143/2023 – 2023/0132(COD)) (A9-0140/2024); and – the report by Tiemo Wölken, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down Union procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human use and establishing rules governing the European Medicines Agency, amending Regulation (EC) No 1394/2007 and Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 and Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006 (COM(2023)0193 – C9-0144/2023 – 2023/0131(COD)) (A9-0141/2024).

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the deterioration of living conditions in the EU (2024/2656(RSP)). As we are moving towards voting time, there are no blue cards or catch-the-eye procedure for this debate.

I have received six motions for resolutions1 to wind up this debate. The debate is closed. The vote will be held today. _______________ 1 See minutes. Written statements (Rule 171)

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on the return of Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia (2024/2605(RSP)).

Madam President, If, as a private individual, I damage or break something that is not mine, then I am liable for it. I can wriggle whatever I want, I have to make up for the damage. And therefore quite striking: Why shouldn't this apply to businesses? It's about duty of care, it's about the little once-in-a-lifetime of adulthood. Why should companies harm the health of workers, exploit children, destroy the environment without having to stand up for it? And sometimes these companies do not accidentally destroy, but they consciously accept serious damage to the environment and people in order to produce cheaper and to generate profits. And that's why I want to stress that this isn't about any detail issues, it's about hardcore labor law. It's about our basic principles of environmental protection, it's about due diligence. This project is one of the most important of this legislative period. We need the EU Supply Chain Act – now!

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the state of play of the corporate sustainability due diligence directive (2024/2624(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on the report by Javier Moreno Sánchez, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning a single application procedure for a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in the territory of a Member State and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a Member State (recast) (COM(2022)0655 – C9-0163/2022 – 2022/0131(COD)) (A9-0140/2023). I will give the floor to the rapporteur and use also the opportunity to wish him an excellent birthday, as he decides to celebrate his birthday with a presentation of this report. The floor is yours.

Thank you very much State Secretary Michel, thanks Vice-President Šefčovič, thanks to the rapporteurs David McAllister and Sven Mikser and of course to everybody who participated in the debate. The debate is closed. The vote will be held today. Oświadczenia pisemne (art. 171)

The Renew Europe Group and the ECR Group have forwarded decisions on changes to appointments to committees to the President. These decisions will be recorded in the minutes of today's meeting and will enter into force on the day of this announcement.

Mr President, Commissioner, honourable Members! The UN Women's Conference sets the tone every year. It signals that we are not yet where we want to be in terms of equality in 2024, that there are still extreme resistances in 2024 that we have to fight against on a daily basis. Negotiations on the EU's anti-violence package have made this clear. I didn't dream that it would be so problematic to call rape a criminal act and criminalize it as such. But too many heads of state and government have shown us that they simply have no will to sufficiently protect women from violence. We want and we need to stand up to these patriarchal systems, and that is why I am happy to stand up for women's rights in New York with so many allies from all over the world. The fight against women's poverty is at the heart of this year's conference. I was allowed to negotiate an essential tool in the European Union – wage transparency. It gives us concrete tools to close the wage gap. But the issue of women's poverty naturally raises even more profound questions: How can women be paid less than men for the same work? Why are the female-dominated industries paid so much less? To change that, we need to work hard together to ensure that everyone around the world can live an equal life without poverty.

Thank you very much, Commissioner. I would like to welcome maybe a very successful future trainee in this House, profiting from good working conditions, so welcome! I will now give the floor to the speakers from the political groups.