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PLENARY European Parliament
Follow its sittings
Bogdan Rzońca
Citizens expect the EU institutions to meet the highest standards of accountability, and that's why the ombudsperson's post should lead to direct practical applications in the institutions. The report also underlines the decision-making process based on data and scientific analysis, which is particularly important in areas like environmental policy, agriculture, or the management of natural resources, areas where European decisions have a direct impact on the life of citizens and local society. Another important part of the report is the comment on new challenges facing administration, so AI in decisions taken by public authorities. New technology can support institutions' work, but they can't replace the responsibility held by human beings. Transparency and accountability of the institutions for the decisions they take are absolutely key.
I'd also like to underline the fact that the ombudsperson's activities are not something that is against EU institutions. The goal is to reinforce them by improving the quality of public administration, improving transparency, and the accountability of those institutions to their voters and their citizens. This means better EU administration, and better administration means more faith of citizens in the EU institutions. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Katarina Barley
To the rapporteur, Mister Ronger. And we now welcome the European Ombudsperson. I give you the floor, Missus Anginio.
Teresa Anjinho
Honorable members of the parliament, it is my pleasure to present to you the ombudsman's annual report 2024. Recent years have been challenging for our union. EU institutions have had to navigate a turbulent geopolitical context marked by conflict, unpredictability, and shifting alliances. In response, the EU is acting in more areas and with greater intensity, from defense to digital regulation. But as the union does more and moves faster, we must ensure that transparency, accountability, and participation are not weakened.
The ombudsman's work offers a barometer of how citizens experience the EU, where institutions serve them well, and where they must do better. I know that the parliament shares the vision and the commitment. The report that is discussed and voted on each year is no mere formality. It's an important evaluation of our common effort to stand together for citizens' rights. Looking back at 2024, one issue stands out: transparency.
Complaints about access to documents rose sharply from around 30% to over 40%. Many concerned delays, and in response, in March 2024, this parliament unanimously approved a special report urging the commission to address this problem. That same year, we also concluded an own-initiative inquiry into how the council and commission handle requests for legislative documents. Both institutions have indicated a willingness to improve proactive transparency, which is welcome, but more progress is needed. Citizens can only follow, scrutinize, and engage in decision making if they have timely, meaningful access to information and trust our institutions to deliver on their commitments in a clear and predictable way.
Unfortunately, complaints remain high, pointing to a broader challenge. As the union's competencies deepen, governance structures must also deepen to ensure real and meaningful transparency, which may require revisiting the regulation 1049 24 years after adoption. Another key area was participation in decision making, particularly compliance with safeguards such as impact assessments in public consultations. The ombudsman received two complaints on how the commission prepares urgent legislative proposals concerning the CAP and measures to counter migrant smuggling. These cases raise an important question.
How can the commission act swiftly while ensuring good lawmaking, including predictability, transparency, and meaningful participation? Acting quickly can be necessary, but speed must go hand in hand with clear, transparent procedures that allow citizens and stakeholders to follow and engage. Ultimately, it's about governance quality and preserving the union standards of transparent, inclusive, and effective rulemaking as established in EU law. Turning to ethics and integrity in 2024, two inquiries led us to make recommendations to the commission and the council to prevent conflict of interest in staff work trips and to strengthen rules for external experts evaluating European defense fund projects. I am pleased that the commission has made improvements in both areas.
It is also worth noting a strategic initiative on the use of sponsorship by council presidencies. While the council's effort to implement its guidance is welcome, some concerns remain, particularly regarding potential conflicts of interest. And finally, an inquiry into the commission's procedures for authorizing particularly dangerous chemical substances meant to protect people and the environment found that decisions were taking on average 14 and a half months, sometimes several years, leaving dangerous substances on the market. I urge the commission to improve its procedures. Unfortunately, my recommendations were not implemented, and the inquiry was closed with the finding of maladministration.
My office will continue to monitor. Honorable members, looking back, the trends we observed in 2024 persisted in 2025. Institutions face a double pressure. Internal demands on capacity and survival, and societal concern over exclusion, opacity, or perceived lack of accountability. This calls for a conscious recalibration of governance in line with the union's institutional identity as provided by the treaties.
We live in a growing common European administrative space with more shared interests as well as challenges. Ensuring trust in our institutions requires dialogue that is continuous, constructive, and credible. Dialogue like the one we are having today. As ombudswoman, I am uniquely positioned to guarantee this dialogue, bridging institutions and citizens, and ensuring that transparency, participation, and accountability remain guiding values that make our Union strong, trusted, and enduring. Thank you very much.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. And I now call on behalf of the Commission, Commissioner Hoekstra.
Speaker 6
Thank you very much, Chair, honorable members of the European Parliament. I will be taking the floor on behalf of my dear colleague and friend, Commissioner Zevkowitz. Dear ombudsman, madam Anginio, I'm very pleased to take the floor on the European Parliament's report and resolution on the activities of the European Ombudsman in 2024. This is the report that covers the last year of activities of the previous Ombudsman, Madam Emily O'Reilly. We now have a new office holder, and I would like to use the opportunity to congratulate you for ensuring a smooth transition and continuing the work done by your predecessor.
Wopke Hoekstra
Through meetings at the highest level, including with the president of the Commission, you have continued the excellent cooperation and the constructive relations between the office of the European Ombudsman and the European Commission. I would also like to thank the petitions committee of the European Parliament and all its members involved for this annual exercise, providing the views of the European Parliament on the issues that it considers noteworthy in the area of good administration. The work of the European Ombudsman is crucial for improving administrative practices and for promoting accountability, transparency, and, if I could call it, a culture of service. As indicated in the report, through the inquiries conducted in 2024, the European Ombudsman addressed, among others, a number of very important issues such as transparency and accountability in the work of the European institutions, cultural services, recruitment of EU civil servants, respect for fundamental and procedural rights, proper handling of infringement procedures, grants, and procurement contracts, and many more. Ladies and gentlemen, this is essential for the EU citizens and businesses, and the EU administration should always strive to achieve the highest standards of public service.
Speaker 6
The commission remains committed. And let me repeat that. The commission remains committed to continue doing so. Report and resolution highlights that the majority of the inquiries conducted in 2024 concerned the European Commission. It's not surprising that just like the previous years, in 2024, we see that about two-thirds of all inquiries concerned involve the commission.
270 inquiries or 65% of all cases opened in 2024. And these figures are rather stable and simply reflect the fact that the European Commission is the largest EU institution, which has many interactions with EU citizens, businesses, and NGOs. It also has to be noted that the majority of cases closed in 2024 that concern the commission were closed by the Ombudsman with a conclusion that the matter has been settled. 174 cases, or 64% of all cases, to be exact. In rare cases, an inquiry against the commission ends up with a final closing decision of the mail administration.
The generally very good outcomes of the ombudsman's investigations are a clear indication that constant dialogue and mutual understanding prevail and can result in tangible and concrete results for the complaint. The commission remains fully committed to acting with due respect to the highest responsibility towards the citizens' expectations and their demands. Whenever feasible, the European Ombudsman solution proposals, suggestions for improvement, and recommendations will continue to be taken into account and will be implemented by the Commission. As usual, the European Commission will duly examine the European Parliament's resolution in the coming weeks and will reply to all the issues that concern the commission itself. And it is in this context that we will provide the relevant updates and follow-up on the cases mentioned in the report.
Honorable chair, I look forward to hearing the views of the members of this esteemed parliament. And I thank you very much, esteemed parliament, and I thank you very much for your attention.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much, commissioner. And now we open the debate, first of all, for the EPP, Mr. Falca.
Gheorghe Falcă
Madam president, dear colleagues, the citizens' trust in European institutions depends not only on our decisions, but also on the way these decisions are prepared, explained, and implemented. Transparency, accountability, and good administration are essential for the credibility of the European Union. That is why I would like to welcome the presentation of the annual report of the European Ombudsman for 2024 and the important activity carried out in order to improve, to promote transparency and high standards of good administration in European institutions. This report highlights highly relevant topics such as the transparency of the decision-making process, fundamental rights, ethical standards, responsibility, and accountability. These aspects are essential for the proper functioning of European administration and in order to strengthen the citizens' trust in our institutions.
In 2024, the ombudsman opened 15 inquiries and closed 11. Four were own-initiative inquiries. At the same time, 427 inquiries were registered. Among the main topics, there were transparency and accountability, public service culture, and recruitment. It is noteworthy that in 2024, almost 18,000 people benefited from the support of the ombudsman, out of which 70,700 received advice through the interactive guide available on the ombudsman website.
This shows how digitalization has contributed to speeding up the assistance process. Petty has had a close cooperative relationship with the ombudsman. Both citizens' petitions and the intervention of the ombudsman reflect the real concern of citizens with regard to the way European administration functions. We must, at the same time, maintain a proper balance between transparency and the efficiency of the decision-making process. That is why we appreciate this report, and we support it within the parliament.
Thank you.
Merci, madame.
Murielle Laurent
Thank you, Madam President, Commissioner, Madam Ombudsperson. The annual report on the ombudsman should have been a consensus. We negotiated at length to find compromises. Our socialist and democrats group made a great effort to come up with a solid agreement among pro European forces. However, at the decisive moment, the EPP chose a different path forward.
They aligned with the hard right. Two amendments that were unacceptable were supported. One took on NGOs in their financing, even though they play an important role for democracy. The second puts forth a lie that control at the border would be responsible for death at sea. This is precisely what is shifting the balance in the European Parliament.
If these amendments remain in the report, we will not be able to support it. We tried to find a compromise all the way through to the end. However, when the EPP votes with the high right hard right, they're going to have to accept that they lose the Socialists and Democrats. Our red light lines are clear. We support civil society, human rights, and we will not accept the normalization of the hard right in this parliament.
Thank you.
Thank.
Speaker 14
you. And now for the PFE Group, I call Mr. Saketresh. Madam, dear colleagues, this report really should be about what the ombudsperson has done with her team for the citizens of Europe, transparency, accountability, and the fair functioning of our institutions. That's what it should be about. But that's why it is really difficult to accept or understand, for instance, the contribution of the speaker just before me, because the left liberal side seems to think that they need to apply some kind of to my political community.
Speaker 12
I actually think that this is neither the time nor the place. This is not an ideological debate. You know, an ideological debate would not strengthen democracy. It actually would undermine it, weaken it. I welcome the fact that we have this report before us, and I'm glad to see that things are going in the right direction.
What we have before us is a balanced report, and it doesn't carry any ideological overtones. I welcome that. The Patriots Group has an approach which is very simple. We want less ideology, and we want more professionalism. Petitions, I think, clearly demonstrate what it is that concerned citizens are concerned about.
It's basically holding up a mirror to the rest of us. People want greater accountability, transparency. They want stronger legal certainty as well. They also want more peace. They want less red tape, and they want more common sense.
So the message is clear from our citizens. They want less political messaging and more real work for the benefit of our European citizens. There's no alternative to peace, ladies and gentlemen, and that is why the Union really should focus on its citizens. That is what should be centre stage. On March 15 in Budapest, there's going to be a big peace demonstration, and I'll be curious to see how many of my fellow colleagues from the liberal left side will actually attend that peace demonstration, particularly those who attended another demonstration.
Like I said, there is no alternative to peace. I thank the ombudsperson for her report. I welcome the work done by Missus O'Reilly, and I welcome also the work that is to be done by Missus Aungenyot. Thank you very much for your correct approach. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Members.
Kosma Złotowski
Of the house. The EU institutions are going through a crisis of confidence. The decisions taken in Brussels over the last few years have led to terrible consequences. The economy is fading under the weight of the green deal and uncontrolled illegal immigration, which is undermining our sense of security in many member states. The ombudsperson needs to see those problems and listen to the voices of disappointment and react, seeing that the commission is not acting in the best interests of the citizens of the EU.
The ECR welcomes what miss O'Reilly did in making a legislative procedure more transparent. However, there was no reaction to the lobbying scandal in terms of climate policy, or the attempts to pressure Frontex to stop it doing its job properly are something that we are very disappointed about. The annual report for 2024 has been corrected somewhat in the petitions committee, but we can't offer our support to it either. Thank you.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. And now, on behalf of the Renew Group, I call Mister Kobosko.
Michał Kobosko
Madam president, madam ombudsman commissioner, the annual report of the European ombudsman for 2023 largely reflects the work of the previous mandate. Still, I'm glad that after just one year, we can already see that under the leadership of Theresa Ingenio, the citizens of the European Union are in good, caring hands. The ombudsman is one of the key guardians of trust in our institutions, and I truly appreciate the effort that has already been made. Because, as we have seen in this house, the ombudsman sometimes has to face pressure from all sides. Some on the far right have tried to turn this process into yet another ideological battlefield, using it to claim that the union is somehow fundamentally broken.
The best answer to that is very simple: transparency, professionalism, and fairness. But scrutiny must go in every direction. The ombudsman must also be ready to challenge the institutions themselves, including the European Commission. For example, when procedures like urgent legislative processes risk being overused. At the time of growing Eurosceptic sentiment, we must show that the European Union is close to its citizens, that it's transparent, that it's accessible, and that it works for the people.
Speaker 18
That is a huge task, but an essential one for the credibility of the union. I also hope that the ombudsman will continue raising the issue of geographical balance in the EU institutions. Too often, we still see imbalances in the representation of different member states. My country, Poland, remains one of those underrepresented in the EU administration. A truly European administration should reflect the diversity of the whole of the Union.
Michał Kobosko
Twenty-two years after accession is the highest time to achieve this goal. That is all together, we support this mission and count on the Ombudsman's determination to continue building a more transparent, fair, and citizen-focused Europe. Thank you.
Thank you, Shun. Thank you.
Cristina Guarda
Have to look at reality. As a parliament, it is embarrassing, truly embarrassing, to see that we have to vote on a report that for fully ideological reasons has moved far beyond what the whole point was. We should have been discussing the substance of the inquiries carried out by the ombudsperson in 2024 that brought forth huge issues of noncompliance in terms of participation of civil society, managing Frontex, Frontex and managing migration, and in many cases, maladministration. The report, unfortunately, has been instrumentalized, manipulated by you, the groups on the right and on the hard right, to promote your agenda, to deregulate the climate and the environment, to fight those who are dying at sea, to accuse NGOs, and in favor of lobbyism, rather than looking at what the ombudsman has been able to achieve. Now the inquiries actually focused on the opposite, the fact that industry is well represented, that civil society is excluded from decision making processes.
These are not opinions. These are facts. In the course, over the course of these months, I have worked very hard with colleagues, and I'd like to thank them for that because we wanted very much this text to show exactly what the ombudsman was doing via her inquiries. And here, we're talking about a question of professionalism. But where is the professionalism in rewriting what the ombudsperson has written in her very report?
Therefore, it is unacceptable that there is a complete lack of institutions. This sets a very dangerous precedent between the European Parliament and the ombudsperson's office, and I hope that next year, we will be able to act more respectfully, and we will be honest about the objective work that has been carried out by this office. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank.
you much. Now for the left, Mr. Papas.
Nikos Pappas
Good morning, everyone. Good morning, dear colleagues. The report that we are discussing here concerns the work done by the ombudswoman, at least in theory. Now, unfortunately, the text that will be put to a vote ultimately does not actually reflect the content of that research, or the role that is played by this person is basically pointing the finger at civil society and NGOs. The ombudsman talked about transparency.
She talked about the participation of citizens in decision-making. And yet, this report depicts NGOs as some kind of problem, a problem that should be curbed. And there are some very serious issues here. For instance, when it comes to the year 2024, the research that was conducted, and they're not even mentioned. People who died in the Mediterranean, for instance, where the ombudswoman has asked for independent inquiries.
Rather than talking about human lives, it seems that we're only really talking about the protection of our borders. Now the ombudsperson is here to defend human rights. Therefore, we cannot change the discourse. Thank.
Marcin Sypniewski
you. Now for the ESN, Mr. Sypnevsky. Thank you very much, President Ombudswoman. It's a great shame that even in discussion on a report like this, the left is trying to squeeze in its own ideology. Rather than showing that black is black and white is white, they're trying to say that it's green, whereas actually, at the end of the day, it's always red.
It's a shame that we're not talking about what the ombudsperson has actually done, and that we have to argue about the blindingly obvious. The ombudsman has been active in Poland, and I see their work when I'm on delegation on missions as well, and they don't get enough praise. Many people complain about the EU. It's not transparent. It's complicated.
People aren't listening to the workers, the pensioners, or the SMEs. People say that the big companies always find an open door at the European Commission, and it's easier for them to lobby for changes to the legal provisions. And the report shows that many citizens have sought help, however, with the ombudswoman. And since there are so many actions, that means that the EU is not subject to the checks and balances needed. It's too far from the everyday life of real people.
Let's look at the gate, which was a real undermining of the EU's credibility. The negotiations about that issue is something that citizens are right to have a right to know about. It was billions that was at stake. There's a conflict of interest here. So this report is really about access to information.
We have hundreds of reports, analyst analyses, websites, but we hide behind procedures that are of real public interest and not make access to documents that are of real public interest. The work that you're doing is a fight with red tape, not in the spotlight, but very valuable. Let's make sure that you do your job and make sure the institutions do their job. Perhaps something will change for the better because of your work. Thank you.
Thank.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. That's the end of our round of speakers on behalf of the groups. I'm going to be a little bit strict with the time now.
As usual. Next.
Mister President.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Vice president, ombudsperson, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. We're debating a report on the ombudsman's activities for 2024. Now this shows that there's a fundamental commitment to democratic institutions, good administration, accountability within the EU institutions, and strengthening the trust of citizens in our institutions. We tried to find a consensus between right and left. Unfortunately, polarization has meant that we were not able to do that for our institutions.
When it comes to the voice of the citizens, citizens must have trust, accountability, transparency, and visibility. Despite the importance of this institution, it is not well known to many of our European citizens. The role, however, is not something that comes down just to access to documents and making sure that there is administrative transparency, but also it is a point of contact with citizens to hear their concerns. The report that we are looking at shows clearly that we need to strengthen the presence of our institutions and our member states via communication and via networks of ombudspeople in the member states and to make sure that this institution is as close to citizens as possible. That is the most important test that we have, I believe.
I'd like to wish our new ombudswoman the best of luck and success, Miss Angino, who took up her functions last February in this extremely important mission in defending the rights of citizens in the EU. Calling in.
Gracias.
Sandra Gómez López
Thank you very much. This report should have been an exercise in institutional responsibility, transparency, good governance, you know, making sure that happens within the EU institutions. We did our job. You know? We did what we said we would do, and we voted for the compromise positions in the petitions committee.
But as so often happens in that committee, the EPP, instead of actually supporting the work that had been done collectively, opened the door to the far right with its ideology, which, by the way, is now repeated in all the different committees in the same way, and they have nothing whatsoever to do with the work done by the institution of the ombudsperson. So what's the outcome? What's the result? The result is that we have before us a report where the actual author had to step back. That's what happened.
Like I said, our political group did what it said it would do, Missus Anne Anigno. You know that our group is responsible, and we want to meet our institutional obligations. The responsibility now lies with the People's Party, I'm afraid. They have to resolve the problem because they created the problem in the first place. You know, turning this over to the extreme right to say they're not going to vote for the report because of their position, etcetera, I think it's time to return to a pro European stance and common sense.
Katarina Barley
Kerrida Kolega, do you accept the blue card from colleague Zipper? Zee Luca Zipper? Non. He's a non. Non attaché.
Speaker 29
No, how do you say that in Spanish? Non attaché. Without a group. Not member of a group. No.
Julien Sanchez
Next speaker is Mr. Sanchez. The annual ombudsman's report for 2024 confirms a problem we've been pointing out for years, a lack of transparency within the European Commission. There are many examples enduring problems in selecting staff at EPI. Many candidates have complained about unequal treatment and lack of transparency. Management of some subsidies is not transparent.
It's difficult to get clear information on the use of public money. There are the revolving doors when the commissioners go back into the private sector, which show clear cases of conflict of interest in EU institutions. We've also seen sensitive issues like access to documents that some commission decisions required ombudsman's action in order to make public information that should always have been public. And I won't even get into the issue of Pfizergate. The situation is unacceptable.
A number of issues, the ombudsman had to say that the EU has to be as transparent as possible. The decisions are not just administrative decisions. When we have no transparency, then democratic control disappears. And this parliament is unable to exercise its scrutiny of the spending of public money. EU financial interest 2024.
Transparency is not an administrative luxury. It's the first guarantee against abuse, irregularities, and poor management of EU funds. I hope the number of recommendations in the report will protect the EU's final interests. In the meantime, let me welcome your work. And, madam Ombudsman, it's very important, but we shouldn't need an investigation in order to get what should be the case already: a transparent commission.
What citizens expect of the commission is simple, namely that their money be managed rigorously, transparently, and that we have access to the data without having to call on the ombudsperson. Thank you very much, including to the interpreters who are able to interpret at such speed. Now we have missed.
Speaker 55
Chair, commissioner, ombudsman. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that this is the final report on the activities of the former ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, who was exemplary in the role. During her term, the responsibilities and abilities of the ombudsman expanded to address new challenges, spread of misinformation and disinformation across Europe, and the use of AI. Ombudsman O'Reilly recommended that the commission make responsible, human-centered use of AI in Europe. She showed real leadership.
We are legislating for this technology, and we should not be afraid to use it with human oversight, of course, but we have to use it for the benefit of the people of Europe, our voters. Europe must be at the forefront not only of innovation, but also of the use of AI to improve the lives of the people of Europe. I encourage the new ombudsman, Theresa Andino, to build on the work carried out by the former ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, my fellow Irishwoman.
Thank you very much.
much. Next, Miss Docherty.
Regina Doherty
Colleagues. I want to take a moment, like my other Irish colleague, to recognize the outstanding work of fellow Irish woman Emily O'Reilly as the former European ombudsman. Under her leadership, the office has strengthened transparency, accountability, and public trust right across the EU institutions. And one area where her work had been particularly forward-looking is in the governance of artificial intelligence. She championed transparency around AI tools that are used in decision-making, ensuring that these powerful systems are applied responsibly and that all citizens understand how they affect the administrative process and decisions.
Emily showed that innovation and accountability are not in conflict, and we can embrace new technologies while holding institutions to the highest standards of openness and fairness. And our work, I think, is a reminder that leadership, integrity, and vision are always essential for Europe's future. Ireland is particularly proud of our example in showing that the world, a commitment to ethics and accountability, can guide us safely in the digital age. And I'd like to wish the incoming ombudswoman, and, you know, every success in your term. Thank you.
Thank you.
Isilda Gomes
Madam president, ombudsperson. The European Ombudsman has an important role to play in making sure that there's quality administration in the EU. Having inquiries into maladministration and promoting transparency and accountability in the EU, that contributes to the EU institutions, making them more effective and efficient. But it also means that it strengthens the trust that citizens have in their institutions. For this reason, in the report, we should not be putting in constructive elements into the report that are just strengthening the antidemocratic approach.
It is essential for the ombudsperson to have the right instruments available to defend the rights of citizens and to promote good EU administration that is open, responsible, and worthy of the trust of EU citizens. This is a question of respect for our citizens. Now we recognize the quality of Miss O'Reilly's work, but I think that we can already recognize that our current bids person, Miss Ingenio, is carrying out excellent work and that we will be able to continue working with her in a quality way in the future.
Thank you.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Colleagues, the ombudsman or woman in this case, in the previous case, is one of the biggest fighters for transparency in our union, and more specifically for the right to access public documents. And she has rightly pointed out that the commission president's deliberate deletion of text messages is a case of maladministration. I note in my conversations, and we have seen it very often in these parliaments, that this has given munition to the extremes to come up with all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories, and this has unfortunately hurt the trust in the EU enormously. President von der Leyen has to understand that exercising the right to transparency by citizens, by civil society organizations, and by journalists is not a threat. It's not a sign of mistrust that should be limited or thwarted.
Proactive transparency is not a luxury. It is an opportunity, a necessity to show our citizens how we make decisions, to involve them, to regain the lost trust, because cover ups and half truths rarely stand the test of time. Thank you.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much.
The next speaker is Mister Agios Saliba. Thank.
Alex Agius Saliba
You, president. I'll start, first of all, by saying well done to the new president, new ombudsman, Mrs. Aungino. I honor her every success. To give more transparency and accountability to citizens is essential.
Europeans expect from us, from European institutions, more ethics, more transparency, and a better administration. Our political group contributed constructively to the creation of this report, which is strong, balanced, and centered on accountability, transparency, and citizens' rights. The report addresses main points like access to documentation, transparency and administration, conflicts of interest, revolving doors and challenges in competition in Epso. Disabled people's rights should also be respected. However, it is not acceptable that the PPE put forward extreme right-wing amendments, weakening NGOs.
We shall try to change this narrative of the right and the extreme right. If not, we shall have no other choice than voting against this report because of the actions by the extreme right, which is playing with the report. The work of the ombudsman. The ombudsman's report should never be used politically.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. We now come to catch the eye. Four requests to speak have been made, but there are only three in the room, so we'll take all of them. Mister Lopez Aguilar to start with, and Mister Tim can get ready to speak after that.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Señora. Madam ombudswoman, miss Teresa, we would like to wish you all the best in your office and in your term of office. And indeed, we did the same thing to your predecessor, Miss O'Reilly. But, of course, when it came to your interview for this position, we recalled that the position of the European Ombudsperson is a position where you need to defend European citizens when there is maladministration on the part of the EU institutions, and, of course, all of this is based on the charter. Now I remember, you know, there's now a new majority, EPP, the far right, talking about Frontex.
Frontex's mission is apparently to stop migrants from coming. No. Not at all. That's not its mission. You know, they are there to guard our coasts, our borders, but it's not to stop people coming in at any cost, at the cost of human lives, etcetera.
Therefore, we have some standards. They are ethical standards, transparency, accountability, good governance, the charter of fundamental rights, article 49, and what follows. It is something that binds the European Parliament. It is an ethical and moral commandment that we must abide by. Thank you.
Thank.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. Mister Timplin to be followed by Mister Sipa.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
President, there is an existential threat on our borders. Behind the Mediterranean, are masses of people trying to cross into Europe illegally. We can only assume that the scale of this issue will grow larger in the future. If nothing is done, sooner cities will be overrun and Europe capitulated without a single bullet being fired. European people have called upon their leaders to act to combat this invasion.
We are starting to see governments in this continent that take this seriously and implement stricter border policies. We see Frontex working to secure Europe's borders, but what we hear then from the left is the human rights concerns regarding these policies. Is that seriously the issue here? I hope this parliament and the entire EU understand that access to Europe is not a human right. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Katarina Barley
much. Mister Sipa has the floor, and Mister Merkitis can speak after that.
Lukas Sieper
Dear people of Europe, esteemed ombudswoman, this report is of utmost importance when it comes to faith in our democracy. Democracy is not perfect. There are mistakes. There are sometimes, you know, areas where we're not entirely transparent. But the real question is, how do we respond to a situation when it arises?
And this is precisely why your office is so important, madam. It's a position that allows our citizens, our men and women, to take part in this whole exercise, to participate. There was a colleague who said something earlier on, which I think was very much to the point, namely that very few people know about the existence of this institution, I'm afraid. And that's why I would like to address a question to you. I don't think there's an answer to be found in the report, nor indeed in the statement that you made earlier on.
But I wanted to ask you, nevertheless, how many people work in full-time positions in your social media networks?
Thank you.
Thank.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis
You, Madam President, Madam Ombudsperson, Commissioner. A lot has been said about the significance of transparency and democratic scrutiny. I have to regretfully say that the annual assessment of the annual report reveals the following. Under the shield of transparency, we try to attack the most significant institution of democracy. NGOs reveal pluralism, and they cannot be attacked the way they are for the benefit of any ideology.
And we have to say once again, if the role of NGOs is weakened, this will be an immense blow to civil society. That's why we need to defend democracy once again.
Danke schön. Dan.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. I give the floor back now to the commissioner, commissioner Hoekstra.
Speaker 6
Thank you very much, Chair and honorable members and the Ombudsman. Thank you very much for all the interesting interventions. And let me reiterate that good administration clearly is not just a concept. It is a right, and that right is enshrined in the treaties and in.
Speaker 6
charter. The demands and the needs from EU citizens and businesses for transparent, accessible, and efficient EU administration based upon principles, notably those of non-discrimination, impartiality, objectivity, and fairness, are therefore legitimate, reasonable, and valid. The commission is working very hard to fulfill its task according to exactly these standards. And it is in this context that we find that the cooperation between the European Ombudsman and the European Commission is of key importance. Report and resolution of the European Parliament on the activities of the European Ombudsman in 2024 highlight several areas where the institutions have done their job, and others where improvements can and should be realized.
Now it is our duty to strive to improve the way we operate, in line with the principle of good administration. In the interest of the EU citizens and in the interest of the European Union at large. As was already mentioned in my introductory remarks, the commission will now assess indeed all the issues raised in your resolution and during today's debate, and we will respond to this in writing. Thank you very much.
Thank.
Teresa Anjinho
Honorable members of the European Parliament, thank you for the interventions and the lively debate on these important topics. They reflect the real concerns many Europeans feel today in a fast-changing world. By listening to these concerns and responding with honesty, fairness, and empathy, we strengthen good administration, and we promote good governance in our union. In my hearing to become European ombudswoman, I made a clear commitment to build a strong and constructive relationship with this parliament. Today, I want to reaffirm that commitment to a relationship grounded in mutual respect, and one I will continue to deepen over the next four years.
As many of you here know, I have already taken concrete steps in that direction, meeting members from across the political spectrum and engaging in discussions with the petitions committee and other parliamentary committees. In the EURE, we discussed urgent decision-making and the need for strong EU administrative law. In the lecture, we focused on the rule of law in the European Union. And in the SANT, we exchanged views on citizens' access to cross-border health care. These exchanges matter.
They are not just formalities. They also reflect a deeper belief. The challenges we face go far beyond narrow legal questions. They strike at the heart of my mandate, promoting good administration through fairness, transparency, and responsiveness, and making the ombudsman a true guardian of European citizenship. This is where the ombudsman's soft power comes into play. Rooted in independence, impartiality, and sound reasoning, it creates space for institutions to engage constructively with citizens' concerns.
And in doing so, it strengthens resilience against disinformation and antidemocratic narratives, and rebuilds trust in the social contract. That is why we prioritize individual complaints and focus on positive, solution-oriented relationships with all European stakeholders, reaching beyond Brussels and Strasbourg. Over the past twelve months, I visited Poland, Spain, Malta, and the Netherlands to meet agencies, national ombudsman, local and national representatives, civil society, academics, and students. These meetings do more than strengthen cooperation or raise awareness. They make you more visible and more relatable to the people it serves.
Building robust partnerships at the national, regional, and local levels is essential. We are increasingly part of a European administrative space, facing common challenges and opportunities. By working together, we create powerful synergies that benefit everyone involved. But the scale of these challenges reminds me that indeed I lead a small institution with a very big mandate, 75 people, to be more concrete. That is why my strategy emphasizes operational excellence, ensuring we work efficiently, strengthen managerial capacity, and deliver results with maximum impact.
We are already adapting to evolving demands, strengthening our AI capabilities, and ensuring technological advances are accompanied by sound safeguards. These rapid developments indeed bring opportunities, but also challenges, including last year's record number of complaints, a reality prompting us to reflect on whether our resources fully match our mandate as set out in the Ombudsman statute. I am confident that parliament will continue to support us, recognizing that investing in this office is an investment in the foundations of European democracy, and in the trust of every citizen. Honorable members, after one year in office, it is clear that trust does not require outcomes to always match expectations. What matters is that concerns are taken seriously, communicated honestly, and addressed reliably.
Because at the end of the day, citizens do not want excuses. They want solutions. Let us build on the first 12 months of my mandate and continue working together to strengthen our union, empower our citizens, and uphold the values that bind us. Thank you very much.
Thank.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. Last speaker now, the rapporteur, mister. President, commissioner, ombudswoman. Despite the diverse nature of the statements, I thank everyone for what they have said. What's been said to the ombudsman and to the petitions committee?
Let me say the following. We are the EU. We're a great institution with diverse histories and countries behind us. But the problems that the petitions committee and the ombudswoman have spotlighted show the problems we are currently facing. We have a complex situation that means that different opinions have been voiced.
But the future of the EU depends on how the institutions mutually respect one another and how they will be partners to one another. The ombudsperson and the petitions committee are places where people are brought together, the citizen in the street, and the European institutions. I have respect for the person of the ombudswoman and the institution of the ombud. It can improve the EU's work in this great European project that we share. I wish all the best to the ombudswoman in her work, and I hope that everyone will vote according to their own conscience today, and how they assess this report.
Katarina Barley
It's not the end. It's the beginning, I hope, of a new path. Thank you.
Amit Kessler.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. That closes the debate, and the vote will be today. The EPP has made the president aware of changes in the committees. These decisions will be in the minutes of today's meetings and will come into force at the end of today's sitting. Next item on the agenda is a statement by the commission on the prevention and treatment of obesity.
The first speaker for the commission is Mr. Hoekstra.
Speaker 6
You're stuck with me. Now we'll be replacing the commissioner, Oliver Varelli. Ladies and gentlemen, today is World Obesity Day, highlighting a growing public health concern. Some would call it a pandemic, and rightly so. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and many other truly serious conditions. Millions of adults and children are affected across the globe.
And if you were to look at the figures in the European Union, you would find that they are deeply alarming. Over half of adults are overweight. Thirty percent of the young generation is either overweight or obese today. Obesity, at an early age, will lead to chronic conditions in later life with significant, truly significant socioeconomic consequences for our societies and health systems, but of course, first and foremost, for individuals. And that is why the European Commission is playing its part.
In December, we adopted the EU cardiovascular health plan, the Safe Hearts plan as it is called. It addresses obesity as it is closely related to cardiovascular health. The plan is based on three core areas. One, promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing disease. Two, early detection and screening.
And three, treatment, care, and rehabilitation. Under the EU Cares to Your Heart program, we will help member states develop or implement their national cardiovascular plans. The prevention of obesity in childhood is absolutely key in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes later in life. Health habits from a young age, such as a balanced diet and regular physical activity, clearly play a pivotal important role in obesity prevention. Sports and regular physical activity are also highly effective in reducing noncommunicable diseases.
The EU promotes participation through initiatives such as the European Week of Sport and the Be Active campaign. Through the Safe Hearts plan, we will help consumers to take the right decisions towards healthier diets with information about the food we all eat. This work will be continued by developing tools, including possible financial actions to encourage producers to change their products. And in order to support this, we have launched a study on the health impact of so-called ultra processed foods. On behalf of commissioner Varelli, I cannot stress enough that prevention is the most cost-effective way to reduce cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and of course obesity itself, especially considering today's constraints on public health budgets.
For the first time, we also have the technology and the know-how to make prevention more personalized, more predictive, and tangible for our patients. As part of the same health package in December, we also proposed the biotech act and a revision of the medical device regulations, which are both essential for developing better biomarkers and diagnostic tools to prevent and detect cardiovascular diseases. The recently closed pharma reform and the European health data space will further support innovation-friendly environments to better address obesity. For example, gene therapy holds promise in targeting obesity at its very root. At the same time, medical devices support safer, more effective, and more personalized care.
And it is with these initiatives that we will make sure that these new treatments are available to European patients across the continent. And with the Critical Medicines Act, we will ensure better access to them in all member states. Dear chair, let me close off there, and thank you very much for the opportunity. And I'm very much looking forward to listening to the esteemed members of this House and continuing the conversation. Thank you very much.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much, commissioner. Now for the EPP, I call Mr. Sokol.
Tomislav Sokol
Mister Commissioner, colleagues, obesity is one of the most serious public health issues in the European Union. According to the Eurostat data, more than one half of the adult population in the EU is overweight. Unfortunately, the statistics show that Croatia, a country I come from, is the state with the most citizens who are overweight. More than 60 percent of people in Croatia are overweight. It is particularly worrying that approximately 35 percent of children are facing this issue as well.
This means that they have been challenged with this issue from an early age, which is, of course, very threatening for our public healthcare system. Obesity is the leading cause of certain types of cancer and diabetes. It increases the costs of health care, and it decreases the quality of life. This is why we need to focus on obesity in the context of our initiatives whose aim is to prevent cardiovascular diseases. So we need to promote a healthy diet, for example, a Mediterranean diet based on olive oil and not processed foodstuffs.
We also need to educate our citizens, especially children and youth, so that they acquire healthy nutrition from an early age. Also, we need the front of the label packaging because this would enable consumers to recognize healthy products. They need to get the information on the food they eat, which, today, unfortunately, is not the case. I also need to emphasize the importance of physical activity. By increasing the availability of sport content and possibilities to do sports, we can increase the quality of life of our citizens.
Speaker 60
Dear colleagues, it is high time to focus on this topic because this means a stronger and more resilient Europe.
Back to you on a head as well.
Speaker 56
Thank you very much. And now on behalf of the S and D, Missus Yakovich.
Speaker 58
Mister commissioner, madam vice president, colleagues, it seems that we are losing the battle against obesity because according to estimates, by 2030, 65 percent of the adult population will live with obesity. So this is a silent crisis of public health. Obesity is not a personal choice. This is a chronic, noncommunicable disease that increases the risk of diabetes, cancer, and even mental health issues. Obesity is one of the main triggers of the epidemic of chronic diseases in Europe.
Therefore, it is very important to react holistically, by investing in the prevention and treatment. We also need to raise medical literacy of our citizens. We also need to bear in mind that this disease has a lot to do with the circumstances in which we live. For example, unhealthy food, marketing, high prices of healthy food, which are not available to many people. This is a public health care issue, and we need to treat it as such.
Thank you.
Madam President,
Laurent Castillo
Commissioner, dear colleagues, I want to make a formal request here. 2027 should be the European year where we fight obesity. One out of six adults is actually affected by obesity in the EU, and I'm afraid rates will just go up and up in the decades to come unless we intervene. Dealing with obesity means dealing with diabetes. It also means acting against cardiovascular diseases.
If we deal with obesity, we will improve the mental well-being of our fellow citizens. Dealing with obesity is also a way of fighting certain types of cancer. Dealing with obesity is also protecting the youngest. It also means that we can intervene in order to de-stigmatize this disease. There are multiple factors that contribute to it.
In Europe, we need to take into account those who work. We need to care for them. There are direct costs, and there are also indirect costs caused by obesity in our economies. 18 percent of the population in my country, France, is affected by obesity. We're talking about 10 million people who are obese statistically, and that figure could actually be doubled by 2030 according to the WHO.
So what are we waiting for? 2027 should become the European year of our fight against obesity. Thank you. Thank you very much. And now for the ECR, I call Mr. Verica.
Aurelijus Veryga
Thank you. Dear colleagues, let me ask you a simple question. Where do healthy behaviors begin? The answer is not in the hospitals or clinics. It begins in our homes, in our schools.
Obesity is a growing public health concern linked to diseases such as cancer, type two diabetes, cardiovascular diseases. Beyond the human cost, it also places a growing burden on health care systems, economics, and societies. Obesity rarely develops in isolation. It results from a complex mix of genetics, social conditions, unhealthy diets, and low physical activity. Addressing it, therefore, requires systemic political-level action.
Research shows that the foundation of obesity often begins early in life. Preventing it requires addressing factors from childhood through adolescence. This is where we, as poll policymakers, play a crucial role. Kindergartens and schools must become environments that actively promote health and where healthy behavior is formed. We need not just provide healthy food there, but also teach how to cook, not just build gymnasiums, but to form real culture of physical activity.
Addressing obesity is not only a health priority. It's a social, economic, and political responsibility. By acting early and decisively, we can prevent disease, reduce health care costs, and improve the well-being of future generations. The evidence is clear. The tools exist.
What is needed now is commitment to action. Thank you.
Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu
Was colleague talking about and asked where does health start. Health starts at home, in school, and often in the kitchen. Obesity is presented as a result of wrong individual choices, but the reality behind it is more complex, as we very well as we all know. It's not a choice. It's a result of social, economic, and environmental conditions.
And we like to say that we're all responsible for our own health. To a certain extent, that is true. But what happens when the healthiest option is also the most expensive? This happens all too often. We have the information, but we don't have the money.
Let's think about a single mother with two children. She works a lot. She wants the best for her children, and she knows that it's important to have healthy food. But when she has to choose between cheaper foodstuffs and more expensive ones, she has to choose the cheaper ones because she just can't afford it otherwise. So we need to keep these realities in mind.
Preventing obesity is not just awareness campaigns, but is having access to affordable foodstuffs, to gyms and support for vulnerable families. This is where our political answer starts. Thank you very much.
Tilly Metz
The president, the commission, Luxembourg.
President, commissioner. In Luxembourg, one adult in five suffers from obesity, and this number has been on the rise over the last few years, and continues to rise. Now sometimes say that will is enough to fight against obesity, but that is not true. This is a real public health challenge. Obesity is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular illness, and social inequality.
And we should focus our efforts on what really makes a difference, access to healthy food, balanced diets, physical activity, and prevention policies that reach everybody. We can't expect medication like Ozempic to solve the problem for everybody. Access to medication against obesity should be limited to people who have a real medical need for it. The solution is to be found in creating environments in which healthy choice is the easiest and most affordable ones to make for everybody. That would mean that we should make food something that's at the service of health.
We should prevent aggressive marketing of unhealthy products, and instead offer healthy food in schools. Obesity and the associated conditions should be one of those problems that we prevent, not just that we treat.
Thank.
Catarina Martins
Thank you very much, madam president. There are two issues related to obesity we have to address. It's not just a question of individual choices, and it's not something that we can just address with public health policy. In reality, as a society, eight million people live with obesity, and we know that a big proportion of them are children, and there are untimely deaths because of it yearly. We know the reasons are complex, but the causes are a number of environmental factors, economic factors, and social factors.
We know that there are ultra processed foods that are cheaper, but they are not healthy. And we know that with unregulated employment and low salaries, people have no other choice. Sports are expensive. Everyone is cutting costs, and everything is in place; therefore, for obesity to continue to rise. Mister commissioner, the commission's policy is a big part of the problem.
Now there are innovative pharmaceutical products. They help, but we have to make sure that they are affordable for all. It's not a health decision that we can delay. There's not a single pharmaceutical product, however, that will mean that we do not have to look at the principal issues. We must change a lot.
We have to make sure that healthy choices are affordable and not a luxury. The prices of fresh food are a huge burden for families, and this is unacceptable. Clearly, we need to have the courage to regulate the market and to make sure that food that is not food isn't sold as food. Thank.
you. And now for the ESM, Mr. Jongen.
Marc Jongen
The obesity epidemic is a disaster. Sixty percent of men and almost half of women are obese and many morbidly so. It's not much better in the EU, and that's linked to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The problem are ultra processed foods full of carbohydrates and sugar, and unhealthy fats, and a sedentary lifestyle in front of screens. Food companies are earning billions, but millions are dying as a result of obesity.
More than die in war or malnutrition combined. It's hypocrisy to have these lockdowns during COVID that made the situation much worse, particularly for young people who were then condemned to a lack of physical activity. It's not just research we need funded by the EU, but we also need to push local agriculture for fresh food in kindergartens and schools, and we need to promote sport. Prevention is the keyword here. Transparent labeling like the Swedish keyhole system, less sugar, less best fat, bad fat, that would be better and give people a choice in what they eat.
In the US, things have gone further in the wrong and right directions. The food pyramid from Mister Kennedy is based on healthy food and fights against profits in favor of healthy food. Make America healthy again. That's fighting obesity at the root cause and is saving money on health cost.
Speaker 51
Thank you. That concludes the speakers on behalf of the political groups. I now call Missus Paul Fjord.
Thank.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you very much, madam president, commissioner, dear colleagues. A majority of the population in Europe is now overweight, and approximately one-fifth struggle with obesity. And the trend or the direction of travel, unfortunately, is going in the wrong direction. Every week, we also see new statistics on obesity and problems with weight amongst children. And, of course, this means further problems, cardiovascular diseases, and so on.
Speaker 81
So we need to fight this, and we need to fight the phenomenon of excess weight and obesity, and particularly break this trend amongst young people and children. And for that, we need to intervene in various areas, and we need to start right from the beginning, provide people with healthy food, physical activity, exercise, and do this from an early age. It should happen at the schools. It should also happen in people's leisure time. And, of course, we also need to change our perspective.
Jessica Polfjärd
Obesity isn't just the result of poor lifestyle choices. It is also a disease, which means that we can't just focus on prevention. We also need to make sure that we deal with the treatment and care. Obesity is a challenge for our societies, for all our societies in Europe. We need to work together.
We need to prevent, and we need to counter. And we also need to learn lessons from each other's experiences in this domain. Together, I think we can build a healthier Europe for the future.
Thank you. Thank.
Thank.
Giuseppe Lupo
Thank you very much, madam president, commissioner, members of parliament, a lack of physical activity is one of the major causes of both obesity for young people. The WHO recommends for young people at least one hour of physical activity per day, and a weekly sporting activity. Unfortunately, because there just aren't enough facilities, young people in disadvantaged areas are not able to access free sporting activities. Therefore, Europe should invest in building sporting facilities that are freely accessible to all. One of the major points in fighting obesity is the right kind of teaching about food, so that we base our food on healthy products that are available in all school lunchrooms.
It is important for Europe to invest to make sure that food security is upheld at affordable prices for all European citizens. Thank you.
Next.
Thank you very much. Next speaker is Missus Brassier Clan.
Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain
Thank you.
President, commissioner. Obesity is a scourge, which leads to other conditions like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, and mental health problems. Twenty-five percent of Europeans are affected by this. It's a real societal problem which can't be solved just by using slimming medications. They're treating the symptoms, not the causes.
We have to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in our foods and allow citizens access to healthy, and affordable food. It can't be considered normal that in the peripheral regions, foodstuffs are heavily loaded with sugar, creating more obesity. And prices are higher because these are often island regions. So what can we do? We need to stress prevention from youth onwards.
We have to fight against a sedentary lifestyle and the use of ultra processed foods. We need to treat obesity as a chronic illness, and we need to better offer care. It's too fragmented at this stage. We need better accompaniment of individuals in the long-term. This is a social and economic burden on health systems.
It's a real public health issue, and we need political commitment to this cause. Thank you.
Danke.
President,
Michele Picaro
Colleagues, obesity is one of the major health challenges that Europe faces currently. One in every six Europeans lives with obesity, and 1.2 million deaths are related to the fact that people are overweight or obese. Therefore, we need a structured health policy. For this reason, we need three things. The first, recognize obesity as a chronic disease, moving away from simplification or stigma.
Second, strengthen screening via the safe heart plan to make sure that there is early diagnosis to prevent cardiovascular disease. Third, guarantee access to treatment and innovative methods for addressing obesity in all member states. Italy has already set forth a path. It is recognizing obesity as an illness with an integrated policy in Italy. Now we need a stronger European approach to prevent and treat obesity, to cure it.
That means protecting Europeans' health and our health systems.
Thank you very much.
Pär Holmgren
much. Next speaker is Mr. Holmgren. Thank you very much, Madam President, Commissioner Hoekstra. Excess weight and obesity, I grant you, have something to do with treatment, care, and medicine, and those who are affected need to be supported and helped. But at the same time, it's also a money-spinning industry.
You make billions trying to chase some kind of completely unachievable target or ideal. I take the example of Ozempic just by way of illustration. I think that we as politicians need to look beyond that, need to address these issues properly, understand that public health is a matter of politics, and we need to do much more on prevention. And that is precisely what you said, Commissioner Hekstra, in your introductory statement. You know, we can detect clear patterns in this area.
Ill health is something that really affects those who are stressed out, those who are poor. We know that fast food is not actually cheaper, but like so many other times in life, it's actually expensive to be poor in our societies. Now some of us are currently working on the EU's agricultural policy for the next period. We're working on this, and we need to make a connection. We need to invest in our farmers.
We need to help them with the climate transition. You know, to bring the budgets down and expect farmers to deal with the climate crisis is not sustainable. What we need to ensure instead is that children get food that is well cooked and using local produce in their schools. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Valentina Palmisano
The next speaker is Missus Parmisano.
Thank you, President. On March 4,
We celebrated the International Day to fight obesity, and it is estimated that 60 percent of the European population is either overweight or obese. One in every 4 children in Europe becomes obese. We have to state clearly that obesity is not an individual problem. It is complex. Often, it is related to food behavior that hides a really difficult issue, and that is also related to marketing that pushes us to sedentary lifestyles and ultra processed foods.
We also know that those who are the most underprivileged tend to suffer that more because there are social and economic elements. So it's not enough to just talk about dieting. We have to bring a food education to schools. Because if we do not hit at the root causes of this, we will not be able to make sure that all have a healthier future. Thank you.
Pina Picierno
Thank you very much, Miss Palmisano. Welcome back to all the colleagues. I welcome the commissioner, and I'd like to give the floor now to Mr. Purner, please.
Present.
Friedrich Pürner
Commissioner, obesity is not a marginal phenomenon. It's a global health crisis. Morbid obesity destroys your health, shortens life expectancy, and is a burden on our health system. Diabetes, heart attacks, strokes are all part of our day-to-day now. Now the cause of obesity is clear.
If over the long term you take in more calories than you use up, then you will gain weight. You can only lose weight by consuming fewer calories than you need. Eating is a decision, not a coincidence. Now, responsibility for your own actions should not be a dirty word. It's just the beginning of change.
Yes. Poor food choices and lack of physical activity often come from difficult life circumstances. That explains the problem, but it doesn't excuse it. Politics can help, but the responsibility must rest with the individual. If you wait for politicians to solve the food issue, you'll just get more regulation, and that would be fundamentally wrong.
Thank.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Thank you very much. Thank you, madam president, commissioner. Obesity has become one of the major challenges in our public health systems. More than half the adult population suffers from excess weight, and this has deep consequences for the health of our European citizens. We know the risks associated with this disease.
Indeed, that is how we should deal with it. There is a strong connection between diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, premature illnesses, and obesity. So we need to deal with this. And one of our problems is awareness. People need to be more aware of the consequences of the risks, and that's why we need to shore up our prevention policies.
We need to promote greater awareness also within our populations. So we have an initiative. We have a European plan for cardiovascular health. And I think that's an opportunity that we should seize in order to really intervene and act, using prevention as our approach. Let's use this opportunity.
Let's promote good policies that will help us improve our health and also the quality of life of all our citizens here in Europe. Thank you.
Guillaume Peltier
26 million French are overweight in a sad materialist world. What happened to the family meals and the little restaurants in the countryside where we tasted local delicacies? What's happened to the little villages and the farms that offered places for nature and for wonder? They've been replaced by the sad gray of towns with no nature. What's happened to the craftsman, this peasant, the farmer, the joy of physical work, and the creation? It's all been replaced by a deconstruct of his worst.
What's happened to the heroes of our past, those who our grandparents looked up to, the spiritual freedom of the past? Everything is now immediate. It's on Amazon. It's in Dubai stuffing our faces with fast food chains and living in horrible tower blocks in communist states. Give us France back.
Give us our local France back, and then we will remind our children of that past.
Ana Miranda Paz
Thank you very much. Miss Miranda, pass please. Thank you, President. Often, I've been called a cow on social media, not just me but other people, because of our physical appearance. We've been insulted.
We've been undermined. It's hate. It's violence. We, as women, are often discriminated against for our appearance because beauty standards, in current terms, are supposed to be all the same. We're all supposed to be slim, and that has a huge impact on the mental health of people who are overweight.
Some 51 percent of Europeans between 16 and 30 years of age in Galicia suffer from being overweight. We need to look at the risk factors for obesity, but we should also look at a healthy body, and we should not consider insulting people based on their size. We must protect health, commissioner, and we have to fight the causes of obesity, but we also need to make sure that we promote healthy food and make sure that it is socially acceptable to be as we are, and not promote bullying. Thank you.
Catarina Martins
Thank you very much, Anna Miranda, for having spoken about fat-shaming. It's something that we see in society. It is very weighty. Socioeconomic aspects are extremely important, but we have seen that stigma is increasing, and that bullying online makes it worse. In Europe, we could do more to fight the stigma, and to fight fat shaming and bullying.
Ana Miranda Paz
Thank you. Thank you very much, Miss Martins, for this question. I have suffered from this many times. Not necessarily very slim myself, and I have been attacked for it. I think that Europe and the commission in its safe, heart plan and its fight against obesity should look at fat shaming.
It has a huge impact on the mental health of people at schools as well as in the workplace. And as I've said, a healthy body is a healthy body. We should not make the mistake of thinking that it is a socially unacceptable body. So we should have healthy food, fresh food, and not junk food that we see frequently promoted.
Thank.
Pina Picierno
Thank you very much. We will continue now with our next speaker, mister Humberto, please.
Thank you.
Somebody got set up.
Sérgio Humberto
Thank you very much, President, colleagues, Commissioner. Obesity is one of the biggest challenges that we face in public health in Europe. Half of European adults are overweight, and one in every 6 is obese. Considering these figures, the European response must be clear. We need to strengthen prevention.
We need to promote healthy lifestyle styles and make sure that we have adequate health care for those who suffer from this. We need health literacy and promoting physical activity, as well as public policy that supports healthy choices, specifically with young people and children in Portugal, for example. There has been a national strategy in place to promote healthy eating, and public policy shows then that this can contribute to facing this challenge. Now it is essential for us to have a European approach to share best practices, support member states in the prevention, and in the treatment of obesity. Thank you.
Speaker 95
Tors Mr Torcelli, please. Thank you, President. Obesity is a disease that is recognized by the WHO. It is not a choice. It is not a lifestyle.
Speaker 94
It is not something that someone should feel guilty for. One in six in Europe is impacted by obesity, and many still struggle to recognize obesity as the illness that it is. It's not just a disease. It is actually a multitude of illnesses, cardiovascular diseases. A huge portion of health expenditure for those who are ill are directly correlated or indirectly correlated to obesity.
Speaker 96
And yet, in Europe, we know that there's a fragmented approach. There are legislative barriers and policy barriers. So the safe heart plan, we should promote that and the Italian approach to make sure that there is a fair and just access to treatment and early diagnosis, which is necessary to be able to fight this global scourge. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Torcelli.
Pina Picierno
We'll move now to the tech court's eye procedure. We have a number of colleagues on the list. We will begin with Miss Carberry, please.
Is it working?
Nina Carberry
Yeah. Commissioner, obesity in Europe has been described as an epidemic. In 2022, the WHO reported that obesity had reached alarming levels in Ireland following COVID-19. With 57 percent of adults and 8 percent of children under five overweight or obese, across the EU, over half of adults and nearly one in three children are now affected. Obesity is a disease shaped by many factors.
It is not only a major health challenge, it has also placed huge burden on our health care systems and economies. Physical activity remains central to prevention, and we know that every euro invested in physical activity can return up to €2 in health-care savings. So if we are serious about prevention, we must invest in physical activity. That's why I call for 5% of the next seven-year Erasmus plus budget to be ring fenced for sport to support grassroots sport, school activity, and community health. Because tackling obesity is not just about policy, it's about improving the health and lives of millions of Europeans.
Thank you.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis
Thank you very much, dear president, commissioner. It is a time to recognize obesity as a chronic, relapsing, separate, noncommunicable disease within the European Union health and policy framework and as a gateway disease to many other NCDs. Addressing obesity as a center of NCDs as an integral part of the European Union cardiovascular health plan will reduce the overall NCDs burden and will improve outcomes for people living with obesity. Action on obesity must address the entire disease spectrum and life course. Addressing obesity throughout the life course is key to improving population health and reducing related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and others.
Prevention of obesity and care for people living with obesity must go hand in hand. Thank you.
Ondřej Knotek
Thank you very much, chair. It doesn't happen very often, but I have to agree with Mr. Andrew Kaitis. It does make sense to recognize obesity as a noncommunicable chronic disease. It is in the interest of Europe to fight this disease, as it concerns children. More consumption of local foods, varied diets, avoiding ultra-processed foods, and making sure that the biggest transnational conglomerates produce healthy foods.
They don't have to, so they don't, at the moment. As far as sport is concerned, this is the responsibility of the parents, and it's in the interest of each and every one of us to do this. But the EU isn't helping. Money that could be spent on creating soccer fields and children's sports groups is sometimes invested in useless green measures that help nothing and no one. If we want to have a healthier society, less obese society, let us invest more in sports.
Let us invest less into nongovernmental organizations and to self promotion of brus.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
And the treatment of obesity is being described as an EU strategy. But what about individual responsibility? The EU hasn't addressed this. This is not an EU decision-making area. The EU doesn't decide what EU citizens eat.
There are healthy foods that can be bought at national level, and local production can offer healthy diets. We also need to do more sport and a positive attitude that can help people lose weight. The share of people overweight is constantly increasing, but I think that everyone has to take their own responsibility. It's spring. Let's get out and do some sports.
Speaker 107
you. Dear colleagues, I agree with you that prevention lies in sports or in healthy living. But, when speaking about teenagers, we must be aware of the fact that we are talking about a generation that is growing up in the digital age. And unfortunately, eighty percent of teenagers in the European Union are not physically active, not even for a single hour a day. So this is a very serious problem.
Speaker 106
And many children don't even have opportunities to practice sports. So prevention might start in the family, in kindergartens, in the local community, and in schools. Obesity is also linked to mental health, self-respect, with stigma and quality of life. This is why our response must be holistic, without judgment, without simplification, without blaming the individual. In Croatia, my country, we have adopted the action plan for prevention, and the Croatian Institute for Public Health is also monitoring children's obesity and devising preventive measures.
Speaker 108
But if we want a serious health policy, then prevention and cure of obesity must be part of such a policy and not just a footnote.
Commissioner,
Speaker 103
present. Over my whole life, I've heard people say eat less. In comments, I've heard, you fat pig, going off to put your face in the European trough, as though my condition was a problem of laziness rather than an illness that destroys people from inside. Obesity deprives millions of people of health and years of their life. And instead of offering help, the system is creating shame.
Speaker 104
Let's not create another campaign with a plate in the background. The battle is in minds and wallets, and the environments in which we live. We have a real power to make the food industry responsible for their actions and to guarantee treatment to individuals because people who are ill deserve dignity, not shame and embarrassment.
Thank you. Mister Sipo, please.
Lukas Sieper
Dear people of Europe, said something very important. Obesity is not a question of guilt. He also said something that I would debate from my personal experience. He said, obesity is not a question of lifestyle. After I got elected to the European Parliament, I gained 15 kilograms in personal weight.
And for the first time in my life, my doctor said to me, Lucas, you're close to obesity. Watch out. And now after a very long year, I lost half of it again. So I think if you live a life where you are very stressed, where you have long hours, where you don't have time to cook healthy, you rely on big food chains, you rely on big restaurants, you rely on preprepared meals, on fast food. And I think especially for those people, we should take example by a policy that maybe the most fit politician in history, Arnold Schwarzenegger, introduced in California back when he was governor, where big restaurant chains need to give the calories to the food that they actually sell to the people.
Speaker 105
I think this is a very healthy food for thought for the commission. Thank you for your attention.
Pina Picierno
Thank you. On behalf of the commission, mister Wextra, please, for the reply.
Speaker 6
I wanted to start by thanking the honorable members for their contributions. And they've touched upon a huge range of truly very important points, really related to this matter. Some have focused on the huge importance of food and healthy food itself. Others have focused on the importance of exercising and then sports. Many have alluded to science as a hugely important help in articulating what to do and what not to do.
The fact of the matter is, of course, that when we're talking about the pandemic, we often talk about COVID. But frankly speaking, this is a pandemic. This is a pandemic in Europe. It is a pandemic globally that affects billions of people all over the planet, and we do need to make sure we get our hands around it. The one thing I wanted to say specifically is on the youngest generation, on the kids.
They cannot choose. They cannot choose what is on their plates. They cannot choose what they eat. They often also cannot choose what they do in terms of exercising, in terms of sports. They're dependent on us.
They're dependent on their parents, their teachers, their environment. And if they get overweight, if they get obese, and they take that into adulthood, they're often confronted with a struggle that lasts years and sometimes their whole life. And frankly speaking, that is deeply unfair, and we need to help. So I'm all in for those articulating the always the importance of personal responsibility, but this is something you cannot ask from kids in these situations. So we have to intervene.
Ladies and gentlemen, obesity truly is a substantial health burden. It increases the risk, as was said by many, of developing many noncommunicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases. And if we wanna reduce the burden on our health care systems, our societies, our economies, and, first and foremost, our people, we all will need to work together. And that means turning the Safe Hearts plan and its flagship initiatives truly into reality. It means moving quickly, I said at the beginning, on the biotech act and the revision of the medical devices' regulation.
We will do this, and that is what I take away from this debate with your support. Together, we can turn understanding into action and lasting change. The commission, commissioner Varelli in particular, very much looks forward to continuing to work together with all of you. Thank you.
Thank.
Pina Picierno
Thank you very much to the commissioner. The debate is closed. The next item on the agenda is commission statement, rail transport safety in the European Union, lessons learned from the Adamuz accident, and three years after the Tempe tragedy. I should like to give the floor immediately to the commissioner if he is ready to speak. Go ahead, commissioner.
You have the floor.
Please.
Speaker 111
Thank you, madam president, honorable members. First of all, I would like to thank the leaders of the political groups of the European Parliament for placing this issue on the agenda of today's meeting. Three years after the terrible tragedy of Tembe in Greece and shortly after the Adamus tragedy in Spain, beyond the self-evident need to ensure justice and establish responsibilities to the ones who were responsible for these strategies, which, of course, is the exclusive competence of the judiciary and the courts, there is one priority for which the European Commission has responsibility and should unite us all, to invest even more in railway safety and to eliminate whatever we identify as problems and structural weaknesses in those shortcomings. Our objective here is very clear. European railways must be modern, safe, and reliable, as all European citizens deserve.
Speaker 112
And I said we must invest even more because rail remains the safest mode of land transport. Across Europe, we have seen a significant reduction in major railway accidents from around 5 per year at the end of the nineteen nineties to about 1 per year since 2020. But accidents like these remind us of a fundamental truth. Safety must never be taken for granted. And as I said during my hearing, a year and a half before this parliament, safety is my absolute priority.
Speaker 111
Honorable members, safety requires every actor involved to fully assume the responsibilities that come with the role. The European Commission contributes to railway safety in many ways. We create the common regulatory framework. We finance the modernization of the European railways. We provide technical assistance when it is required, but we also act decisively when we detect problems and identify reasons for concern.
Let me remind you that on the second day after taking office and after receiving full information from my services, I immediately launched infringement proceedings against Greece for violations of European legislation due to the long-standing deficiencies in the Greek railway system. And the Greek government has committed, and this is also reflected in the action plan that was submitted to us, to the European Commission, to deliver by 2026 a fully modern railway system based on European standards, and I have to tell you today that it is moving steadily in that direction. In 2026, two new modern trains will be delivered for the Athens Thessaloniki line. And at the same time, safety projects along the railway line are progressing at a rapid speed as we speak. Of course, we are following this progress with satisfaction, while also providing technical assistance to Greece.
In Spain, over the past years, we have pushed for systematic improvements, and significant progress has already been made by the Spanish authorities to strengthen the institutions that are responsible for railway safety. Investigations, of course, into the tragic accident in Adam Adamus are still ongoing, and it is too early to draw conclusions. But here as well, we are fully engaged. At the request of the Spanish investigative body, the European Union Agency for Railways, ERA, is monitoring the process to ensure its independence and full adherence to the European rules. Another recent example is Slovakia.
In recent months, we observed a number of serious near-miss accidents. Before any major accident occurs, Slovak authorities accepted our proposal to conduct a full audit by ERA, which will assess the state of railway safety and interoperability. And this, honorable members, reflects my approach to enable the commission, an error not only to monitor and enforce the rules, but also to guide and support the member states. Safety requires a strong commitment from all parties involved. We must create an environment where safety is not only a priority, but a fundamental value that guides every aspect of the operation of European railways.
And in this effort, we have two very powerful allies: technology and innovation. This is precisely why the European Commission and I personally continue to insist that member states and railway organizations fully deploy advanced protection systems such as the European Rail Traffic Management System, the ERTMS. And we do this for a very clear reason. ERTMS delivers significant safety benefits. At the same time, we are already working on a proposal that will be presented in 2026 to revise the functioning of the European Union Agency for Railways ERA.
Our objective is to ensure that it can provide stronger oversight of how safety responsibilities are shared and implemented across Europe. We also want the agency to be able to offer more targeted support to member states that need it. And, of course, as we all know, the key to avoiding accidents is prevention. For this reason, we are preparing a new regulation on common safety methods, which will also be presented in 2026 that will apply when assessing safety levels across the European railway system. Now this regulation will introduce a European accident and occurrence reporting system, allowing us to learn from incidents and exchange safety information far more effectively.
Finally, we will also update other common safety methods for the railways. These systems have been successfully implemented for more than ten years, but now is the moment to review them and make them even more effective, ensuring that all actors involved have the skills and the tools they need to maximize safety. And this will also come late 26. Honorable members, let me assure you once again, what I said from the very beginning still fully applies. Safety is my absolute and non-negotiable priority.
And in this direction, we will continue to act with determination. Thank you very much.
Thank.
Pina Picierno
You, sir. Thank you, commissioner. Now we move to the speeches on behalf of the political group, Mister Yonski, please.
Dariusz Joński
President, commissioner, today's debate on European rail safety is a very necessary one, perhaps more than ever. We're talking not just here about accidents, but a whole new dimension of threat to EU infrastructure. Let me tell you about the Polish case, something that happened at the end of last year in Poland. There was an act of sabotage on a major rail line between Warsaw and Lublin. An explosive charge was placed, and it destroyed part of the rail moving in the direction of Ukraine.
Now the impact could have been tragic. A passenger train with hundreds of passengers could have derailed in an accident. Thankfully, that was avoided. Similar incidents have been seen in Sweden and Italy, and as the commissioner said, in the Czech Republic. Now these are no accidents.
Transport infrastructure is now a target for sabotage. This is part of a broader Russian campaign of sabotage against Europe. Let me just say then how important these EU programs are, military mobility, for example, and the €17,000,000,000 that are going towards that. I'm rapporteur on the Schengen army issues. So this is all about European security, the same for the safety money.
It's not just about military mobility and moving armies around. It's about guaranteeing our infrastructure. Bridges, railways, and the like have to be safe for citizens and resistant to sabotage, because safety on the railway is not just a transport issue. It's a security issue for the whole of Europe. Thank you very much to the commissioner for his contribution and for what he said today, that safety is a priority for him.
Daniels.
Johan Danielsson
President, commissioner, the tragic train accidents in Greece and Spain remind us that railway safety can never be taken for granted. But we must also recognize that these two tragedies are different. In Spain, the accident is recent. It's still subject to an ongoing and independent investigation, with the authorities cooperating and being committed to transparency. In contrast, the accident in Greece also exposed deeper structural problems with chronic underinvestment, outdated infrastructure, and some serious systematic failures.
But from both tragedies, we need also to draw lessons to strengthen rail safety across Europe. So, commissioner, let me turn to you with three questions. Firstly, is the mandate of ERA enough? Are the resources sufficient, or should the mandate and resources be expanded? Secondly, my question was on the European occurrence reporting systems.
I very much welcome the announcement of the commissioner today. But finally, if you also could develop a little bit what progress had been made so far since the infringement procedure against Greece one year ago. Thank you.
Thank.
Speaker 118
Thank you very much, president. The representative from the commission said this is just another accident. This is a case of negligence. We're talking about 47 dead, hundreds injured in Adamus, and there are victims of the Spanish government. It was the country that was hit the worst by COVID-19.
The lack of infrastructure has led to this tragedy, the tragedy in Valencia. The victims of the Dana are awaiting justice. Sanchez is trying to sweep under the rug his responsibility yet again. Puente minister Puente has made excuses. They are not credible.
There were eight statements that raised awareness of the danger along this line, and there could be an issue related to corruption, contracts that are not being checked, outsourcing, corruption that is rampant in this government. The technical government, the welding that is at the origin of the accident, was changed after the accident. The Renfei raised took evidence away from the site before there was a judicial investigation, and this is a huge problem. This government has not been able to show its responsibility, nor does it nor did it even go to the secular funerals for those victims for lack of consideration for the victims. The government and its behavior to its citizens is, just shows the scale of the corruption and the law, the lies.
Thank.
Diego Solier
Thank you very much, madam president, commissioner. I would like to address some words to the government of Spain. Every time my wife takes the train to go to Madrid, she feels afraid. She's afraid that she won't see her children again. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of Spaniards who take the train every day.
Also, I could say the same for my son-in-law. Same fear when he goes to work using the train. The police, the Guardia Civil, what do they feel when they go out on patrol? They feel insecurity. Again, they don't know whether they will return home safely and see their children again, because the government isn't doing its job properly.
So what's common to all these situations? These are people, working people who pay their taxes. The taxes are collected by the government, but not properly managed. This is the consequence of years of chronic underinvestment. It's also the consequence of the fact that the administration has simply not taken sufficient cognizance of these problems in the administration.
So there's no point in apologizing when you have nothing to say. These matters are now subdued to say. There will be evidence adduced, but the person responsible shouldn't just apologize. They should actually resign. We're also talking about a large amount of money poured into the railways.
Speaker 177
We need to look carefully with a fine-tooth comb through these contracts and what happened to them.
Speaker 126
Look. We're.
Not here to try to add pain to those who were victims of the Adamus or the Tempe accidents, for their families and their friends. The responsibility of all of us is to bring justice in the courtroom and to make sure this doesn't happen again. Maintenance of infrastructure must be a priority in the European Union. Problems with infrastructure, monitoring, and inspections can be devastating, as we saw in Tempe and Adamus. The EU must guarantee full implementation of EU regulation on rail safety and make sure that we modernize our procedure, specifically now when we have rail transport and high speed rail transport as one of our priorities.
We can't have that if it's not safe. And for this to be possible, we need cooperation, close cooperation between the member states, those who are running the infrastructure and regulators, to make sure that we are building and maintaining rail infrastructure that is strategic with the highest and most uniform standards. Rail and high speed rail are pillars of sustainable mobility, connectivity, and we must have the ambition to make sure that this builds our autonomy. Let us use all of the tools that we have in terms of public procurement and technology. This is an opportunity for the competitiveness and security of our continent.
Speaker 127
It is true that we cannot change what has happened, but Adamus and Tempe should be an inflection place point so that the EU gives itself the resources necessary to be able to be up to this challenge. Thank you. Miss Miranda Paz, please.
Ana Miranda Paz
Our solidarity goes to the victims in Spain, the victims in Greece, and we need to learn from this. We can't commit the same mistakes as the ones that were committed in these cases, and also in Santiago de Compostela in 2013. We need to look at the deep causes behind these accidents. Again, this was not done in Angruis, I'm afraid. And furthermore, we need to have independent inquiries.
Again, it's not something that happened here. And we need to look at political responsibilities. Again, this wasn't done in Angruys. Minister Blanco or indeed Missus Pastor did not take their political responsibilities. The blame was laid only on the mechanic officer.
So we had a real problem. We had a real problem. 80 people died in this accident in Angrolis. At the time in 2016, there was a complaint lodged with regards to the actions not taken by the state, the Spanish state, in order to investigate this properly. And it was shown that actually the measures that were taken were not taken on an independent basis, and that is why the commission opened an infringement procedure in 2018.
And there was a lot of delay. But at the end of the day, Spain was forced to take a certain number of measures as a consequence of this. I'm looking also to the people of Andalusia and the authorities there. You know, are we going to ensure that there is independence here in this particular case? Agrois, Tempe, Adamus, well, our solidarity is always with the victims.
Thank.
Konstantinos Arvanitis
President, commissioner. We talked about the lack of the rule of law in Greece when we talked about predator yesterday. Now we're talking about the situation in Tempe and the causes behind it. The Greek state uses a number of different tactics so as not to discover what actually happened to the victims. It's been 3 years that we've been waiting to understand this.
That must be enough for an investigation of the causes of an accident. The Tempe train accident throws up a lot of questions that need to be answered. Who is responsible? What will the commission do about the failure to implement modernization works? Has the commission acted?
Why was there no remote sensing or monitoring that should have been in place? That's something that a number of members have asked about in the parliament. What about the €10,000,000,000 that were paid by the EU as part of coercion funds for the modernization of the Greek railways? There are some fundamental errors that have been made here. Commissioner.
It's important now that we get answers on whether an action plan will be implemented in Greece, and if not, who is responsible for that? And this has to be made public. Who is to be held accountable? We need to investigate and explain the accident because European money went to Greeks for modernization of the railway system. Three years after this terrible accident, we still don't have answers.
Speaker 130
And this outdated system continues to run. Who is going to make sure that workers and citizens working on and using the Greek railway system are safe?
Thank you. Mister Streynof, please.
Thank.
Stanislav Stoyanov
you. The tragedies at Adamus and Tempe took lives and plunged many families into grief. These accidents remind us that railway safety is not given. It requires constant vigilance, investment, and responsible management. Reliable infrastructure and effective safety control mechanisms are vital for the sector.
There are still networks in Europe that urgently need to be upgraded to provide safe and reliable connections for citizens and businesses. Like the commissioner said, in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia, incidents can happen any time. That is why the ERTMS should not remain just a project. Concrete action is needed to reduce the disparities in infrastructure between the member states. The ERTMS is an important step in this direction.
Let us honor the memory of the victims with responsible decisions and real actions to ensure that such tragedies do not happen again.
Thank.
Borja Giménez Larraz
Thank you very much, mister Jimenez Lares, please. Thank you, President. Commissioner, we are looking at one of the biggest rail tragedies in the history of Europe. 47 were dead, and we owe them justice. We await, we have been raising the issue of the deterioration of the rail system in Spain, delays, millions who have been left in villages.
Speaker 138
Whilst this was taking place, the minister was living in a parallel existence and was trying to push the accelerator to some 300 kilometers an hour. Now we know this is an inflection point. It means that we need accountability. We need transparency. We need to adopt all of the possible measures to understand the causes of this tragedy.
So for a fundamental reason, so it doesn't happen again. Two questions. First, according to the judicial inspectors, Adif took proof away from the site before the inspection had been carried out. This infringes EU law. Second, Spain is recipient of EU funds, but only 16% were used for maintenance, and that runs counter to what the commission's priorities were.
Speaker 133
So the commission set standards, and it means that all of us have to make sure that they are being implemented in a rigorous way. Considering the actions of the Spanish and Spanish government, I think that the commission and the EU should call for the accountability of those involved. Thank you. Mister Serrano Sierra.
Rosa Serrano Sierra
Commissioner, the conduct of the Spanish government after the tragedy in Adamuth has been based on two principles, care for the victims and their families, and secondly, responsibility in terms of the investigations. The EPP hid behind the accident in Angruis Santiago De Compostela. In contrast, our government today has actually appeared before parliamentary committees to answer questions, because we are very much on the side of truth, and we are dedicated to the cause of truth. And indeed, Europe through the ERA is also taking part in an investigation following a call from Mr. Sanchez. What did the People's Party do in Spain?
They tried to actually interfere with ERA's involvement in Angruys. They also didn't want that report to be published, and this was purely for political reasons, political mileage. And it basically also meant that there was a drop in investment as a consequence. But let me give you some details here. We have actually seen an increase in investment since we got rid of your government, which we got rid of because of reasons of corruption.
We now are very much determined to rectify things. This is what our government has set itself as mission. We need transparency. We need responsibility. It's only through those means that we will create a safer railway system.
Thank you.
Jana Nagyová
Commissioner, colleagues. The railways are supposed to be the safest mode of transport, but ERA data speaks differently. A combination of human error and missing safety systems kills. In Tempe, the state failed. The ERA TPMS system just wasn't there.
It's not a technical fault. It's a political crime, a political negligence crime. What to do? The countries have to speed up the introduction of a single safety mechanism. Safety must not stop at a border.
Of course, it's expensive, but Europe is getting richer, so please let no one tell us there is no money for this. Those are just excuses. I'd like to thank the commissioner for his very intense activity in this regard. Secondly, independence. The investigators must just not be government's puppets.
We have to guarantee an independent investigation to uncover the truth, not just for political excuses. We need to demand the truth, we as the European Parliament. Third, harsh sanctions. This is up to the commission. We need to punish those responsible for ignoring safety regulations and standards.
And fourth, online monitoring of our railway tracks. Let us show that we've learned our lesson from these tragedies. We are the voice of the people. Who else, but not us, should raise our voices in their defense to make sure they can get home safely? Thank you.
Very much. Mr Fragos, please.
Emmanouil Fragkos
Present.
The crime that was the Tempe train accident has occupied us for some time. People are trying to hide the truth. The legal files show that there was a crime committed here. If the renovation work had been done, then the accident that killed 57 people could have been avoided. There's a misleading report about the incident.
We need transparency. Legal accountability has been swept under the carpet. The Greek authorities have been in action here. We need legal decisions to bring individuals to court, but delaying tactics are being used. If there's no justice, then we have a crisis of the rule of law.
Commissioner, I ask you, what are you going to do to make sure that this is not covered up further? How is the commission going to intervene to make sure that justice is accessible? You know that there is a contract in respect of criminal responsibility in public service that hasn't yet been implemented in Greece.
Valérie Devaux
Tempe and Adamas accidents shocked Spanish, Greek, and European citizens. After grief, we now have to take the necessary measures to make sure that this sort of thing never happens again. It's difficult to offer a single answer to two different incidents. However, the ERTMS deployment is an essential step towards creating rail safety. Aging infrastructure is often a cause of accidents, and that shows the need for an investment policy to modernize equipment.
Maintenance of the network should also be bolstered and allow for quicker actions. Drone technology could also reduce diagnostic costs for this activity. Taking the train should not be a risk to passengers. Together, let's do our utmost to make sure that Tempe and the Adamas accidents are the last of their sort.
Maria Zacharia
Thank you very much. Miss Zakaria, please. Three years after the Tempe crime. We've had two trains on the same line. Contract 7 17, EU rules, the ERTMS system that didn't work, an employee that was left alone in the office, temperatures above a thousand degrees.
We don't know what was on board in terms of cargo. We weren't able to cordon off the accident site. Evidence was disappeared. Visit videos have disappeared. There were depositions that have been erased.
Hard disks show us that there was an unknown fuel on board. There were customs issues. And, potentially, there might have even been the elements that were military equipment. We don't know. Mister Bilitis, please.
Fredis Beleris
Commissioner, dear colleagues, three years ago, Greece experienced the tragedy of Tenby. It was a train accident that really shocked the entire country. 57 people died, and this caused deep sorrow within the country. It also triggered an intense public debate about the effectiveness of the state and the functioning of justice. Similar accidents happen elsewhere.
In Spain, for instance, those who try to exploit this unspeakable pain of an entire society in the hope of gaining petty political benefits are insulting the memory of the victims. The only meaningful discussion we should have should be on the completion of the work necessary for railway safety and the administration of justice. Today, significant measures are being taken to upgrade safety, to modernize things. For instance, procurement of 23 new trains, critical infrastructure projects which are being implemented without delay. So by the end of the summer, the Athens-Thessaloniki axis will have a fully operational remote control system, signaling, automatic braking systems.
All of this will be fully operational, and there'll be modern simulators, control procedures, etc. So justice is moving forward. There are 36 defendants who have been indicted. The trial will begin on March 23. The completion of these projects and the assignation of responsibility is a way of showing our respect for the 57 victims.
Thank you, Mr. Menyata.
Yannis Maniatis
Petropa, President.
Commissioner. Recently, we commemorated the third anniversary of this terrible accident that shocked Greece. It could have been avoided if the government had done their work and had implemented the 07/17 treaty. This was signed up to in 2015, should have been implemented in 2016. The train tragedy came much later.
While I have the floor, let me just say that the commission has an important role in ensuring that rail travel is safe for citizens and that the Greek government meets their obligations. An attempt is being made here to link two completely different train accidents and to exploit them to criticize the Spanish government. In Greece, we had two trains on the same track. They were on the same track for 20 minutes before they crashed. In Greece, just a few hours after that accident, politicians were already piping up and spreading the idea of human error as the cause.
Speaker 150
At the same time, the accident site was cordoned off, which made it impossible to bring help to those who needed it. There has been no independent investigation of the accident either. A government appointed commission investigated and published a report that was by far from neutral. The 57 victims of the Tempe disaster deserve and demand justice, and it's a fight we shall be fighting.
Katri Kulmuni
Dear madam speaker, it is highly important to talk about the railroad safety in Europe, and, hopefully, there are now lessons really learned from these horrible treachie tragedies. While Europe is very well connected with cross-border railroads, especially while looking from my perspective from the High North, Finland only has just one electrified railroad to Western Europe, now to Sweden. So this obviously should have been done already years ago, and currently makes the country still quite vulnerable when it comes to railroad connectivity to cross Europe. So, hopefully, in the future, we would also have another railroad connection to Western Europe. And while the commission commissioner is here on the stage as well, I hope Norway would be kept on the table when negotiated on the connectivities in the North, likewise for the safety of the northern Norwegians and for the safety of the northern people.
Pina Picierno
Thank you very much. Our next speaker is colleague Zoito Alvarez. Thank.
Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
You, chair, commissioner. I must start my comments today with a thought for the victims of the accident, the 46 victims and the more than 150 people injured, as well as all of their families. I'd also like to just recall with pride the people of Adamus who, in the darkest hours, were able to show more humanity and efficiency and effectiveness than the government of Spain, a government that has replaced management with propaganda headed up by a minister who's more worried about the situation on social media, social networks, and on rail networks. This was a horrible accident. We were told we weren't allowed to ask questions in the aftermath.
Who knew what was going on? Why did it happen? Now, two months later, commissioner, we continue to wait for answers. The victims need justice. Their families deserve the truth, and the people of Spain deserve a government that can deal with the issues.
If Prime Minister Sanchez is not able to protect his citizens, then no excuse is valid. Now is the time to assume responsibilities. As many barriers as you may want to throw up, you can rest assured we will reach the truth for the dignity of the victims. Thank you.
Leire Pajín
Commissioner, I'd like to start.
With a moment of recollection of the victims of the Adamos accident and their families, because they must always be at the center of all our thoughts. I'd also like to just highlight the effectiveness of the Spain rail network, one of the best networks in the world, which soon will be reaching 95% of the population, both urban and rural. It is an effective rail network, thanks as well to European solidarity. When a disaster happens or an accident happens, the first responders and emergency services are key. This terrible accident happened in Adamos, and the emergency response in Spain was effective, coordinated, and efficient.
The emergency services were immediately activated. The people of Alamos showed exemplary behavior, and all of the first responders, police, and emergency services did their best. The government stood up and said that there would be an investigation and would not rest until they got the answers. We've always defended a transparent, useful investigation. So we did that with the flooding, and we're doing it with the rail accident, and we're also insisting on it being done with the breast cancer scandal in Andalusia.
It's a matter of ensuring an effective response, investigating the causes, and ensuring proper response to disasters. I don't think anybody should be in a position to come here and give lessons given the accident of prestige of what happened in Castilla Leon after the flooding and other scandals. We must always remember the victims and their families. They should be at the center of all of this. Thank you.
Thank.
Sophia Kircher
You, President, Commissioner, dear colleagues. The European Union is one of the safest rail networks in the world. The truth, however, is that in recent years, we've had tragic rail accidents with a lot of victims. Our thoughts go out to them and their families. However, commemorating them isn't good enough.
When accidents happen, we need investigations. We need to assess what went wrong and learn lessons with a view to preventing further accidents. This happens automatically in air transport, but this is not the case for rail transport yet. This is why we need a reporting system for rail traffic. Very often, small warning signals precede huge accidents, and sharing this kind of information allows us to ward off accidents.
This needs to happen cross-border. We need cross-border safety standards because this is the way to ensure safety.
Sakis Arnaoutoglou
Our next speaker is mister Arnautoglou, colleagues, commissioner was discussing today the safety of transport, rail transport, and these two tragic accidents. For us Greeks, this has one name: Tenbi. It was heard many times. Three years ago, 57 people, for the most part, young people, lost their lives in an accident that shouldn't have taken place. Two trains on the same line without safety systems in place.
That wasn't a bad moment. It was the result of government delays of works that had been abandoned, which left a network working with archaic systems. Three years later, in Greece, citizens are continuing to call for justice, accountability, truth. People cannot hide behind procedures and different types of communication machinations. So, colleagues, this was not a simple human error.
It was a horrific failure on the part of the state to protect its citizens, and here is the European dimension. The European Union cannot just lay back and say, oh, well, there are these general issues of safety. No. Countries have to implement safety systems, signaling, telecommunications as it exists in a rail system has to work effectively. Because safety cannot be a technical issue.
It is an issue of political responsibility, and the message from TENB is clear. No delay. No more delay. No more lost lives. And, anyway, my friends, we owe that to those people who were lost in this terrible tragedy.
Pina Picierno
We repeat that. We owe it to the people who died in this particular tragedy, and all railway users. Thank you. Thank you very much. Our next set of speakers is in catch the eyes, and we'll begin with colleague Crispo Diaz.
President,
Carmen Crespo Díaz
Commissioner, what will the victims be thinking when they see a judge threatening the Sanchez government for taking the material that was needed in order to investigate the Adamos accident? Is that what you call transparency? The transparency that we're used to? It's simply covering up the facts instead of investigating. Evidence is being hidden, or nobody in the government has assumed any responsibility.
Now Europe cannot look the other way. It needs to help and investigate what happened. It needs to help ensure that there's an investigation of what happened with European funds in Spain and in Andalusia, which parts of Andalusia continue to be a disconnect of the rail network with Easter around the corner. We cannot have another Adamos in Europe, and we need to have a thought for the 46 victims and all of their families, and wonder what they think of the Sanchez government. There are accidents that happen due to human error, but there are accidents, and it will be shown, that are due to a lack of maintenance investment or due to corruption.
Nobody has any doubt about this in Spain. Thank you.
Margarita de la Pisa Carrión
Next speaker is my colleague, Mararito de la Pisa Carreon. Ladies and gentlemen, the tragedy in Adamos in Spain reminds us of something very simple. Behind every piece of news, there are individuals' lives, families that are left injured and traumatized. Here, Cordoba, Andalusia, now let's not forget very deep pain in that region, in those regions overall, and hope, hope which is part of many people's lives, the hope which comes from faith and for that particular funeral. And the whole series of funerals that took place in Andalusia were quite moving indeed, an example of dignity, interest, and hope.
But, also, it left us something that is quite clear, something not clear. We don't understand. We don't understand how we're living, how we're suffering, and how we're hoping, we Spaniards. This great pain reminded us of something very important, that the life of every individual is sacred, and hope is what allows a people to emerge from tragedy. Andalusia is an area of believers.
And those were the words of Nati, somebody who participated in one of the funerals that took place there. It is part of us. It is part of our faith, and it is part of our effort to emerge from tragedy. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is colleague. Thank.
Nora Junco García
you. The Adamos accident is not a tragedy. It is a major question for the centrist government to address. We saw the power outage across Spain. Months later, we're still waiting for answers.
And now with Atomos, we're starting to see the same problem. A tragedy, the headlines followed by silence. The Atomos accident must be investigated properly. But in Pedro Sanchez of Spain, there's one thing that really causes concern, and that is the surprising ease with which they lose the evidence. Parts of the rail line that were needed in order to investigate this accident properly have disappeared.
You heard me right. This is happening in a country where there's more than €110,000,000 spent in order to modernize the rail line with Seville, because it was told it was obsolete back in 2023. So, really, that begs the question: what was done with that money? And why is now the evidence disappearing? But there's one thing that won't disappear, and that is the taxes that Spanish people pay and all the funds that are coming from Europe.
The families of the victims deserve answers, responsibility, and transparency. Thank you.
Our next speaker is colleague.
Thank.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Railway accidents are tragedies that affect all of us and remind us that security is not something to be taken for granted. Every life lost is one too many, and we need to learn lessons from these accidents. However, we must remember that railway maintenance is a competency of the member state. The European Union can't be who we rely on in this regard. In my country, we've got trains running at minus 35 degrees.
And in summer, at plus 30, tourists travel thousands of miles by train. It's perfectly safe, and we do a lot at the national level to ensure security. We can't rely on the European Union. It's a national system. So the member states need to do their bit to ensure safety.
Thank.
Elena Kountoura
thank you very much. Commissioner, this horrific accident in Tembi showed us that the system is lacking, and there is no implementation of the European rules. ERA TIRAS conducted checks there in 2019 and in 2022 expressed doubts about whether this particular network could function effectively and safely. At the same time, the ERA cannot cancel or suspend the certificates of approval. So the trains continue to circulate, and the ball is thrown from one party to the other, the ball of responsibility, in other words, a lack of safety, a huge lacuna.
The question is who guarantees the safety of European citizens traveling by train? Trains continue to circulate without safety. Six months ago, you told us in the plenary that you would take a look at the ERA role and its implementation, and how things would work. That never took place. All of these various promises concerning ERA and safety of railroads, that nothing took place.
Speaker 163
We need a European mechanism to intervene after error reports, when there is an issue of train safety in a member state of the European Union. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Mr. Nicolaou Alavanos. Tenpi Andamos, terrible accidents, which are the result of the fragmentation and privatization, which is implemented in the European Union.
Speaker 167
This all took place under the previous government, and the present government increase right now. 15 of the networks are privatized. There's total coverage. The forecast is that it will take place throughout the continent as well. All of this, of course, goes hand in hand with cutting financial cuts and not maintaining the system.
Speaker 165
Profit. Profit. As a result of this profit, many accidents, 100 in all, a number of different collisions as all. And we have, at the same time, the military plans for Europe to move forward as far as arming the continent. But at the same time, the railroad network is not maintained.
Speaker 163
The major mobilization is taking place right now, tells us even more so about the necessity to not forget accidents like TENB, and we have to have stock taking. Accountability has to be there, and we have to sanction those individuals and punishments that are responsible. It concerns our lives. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is colleague Nicole, colleague Panayiotu.
Hello friends.
Fidias Panayiotou
Let's put this topic into a context. So, it's been three years that this Thembe accident happened. And 3,000,000 people in Greece are protesting every year about this topic. These people are not crazy. It's 30% of the population of Greece. So there is mass something going wrong here.
And we need the European Union to help force the government to take the necessary steps. So there is suspicion that there is flame that was flavor flammable material inside the m b train. So that's the big problem. So I want to thank you because this debate was done based on 36 signatures that we collected. Thank you so much, and thank you for the left that put this debate as well.
Thank you for this. We love you all.
Okay. Thank.
Pina Picierno
you. Our next speaker will be Commissioner Titi Costas for a response and comment. Thank you very much. Commissioner Titi Costas, you have the floor.
Speaker 111
Honorable members, first of all, thank you for your contributions. I've listened carefully to your interventions today. Allow me to briefly summarize what, in my view, is required to ensure that train travel in Europe remains safe. First, everyone must understand that safety is a shared responsibility. Operators and infrastructure managers are supervised by the national safety authorities.
National safety authorities and member states' ministries are supervised by the European Union Agency for Railways, ERA. ERA, in turn, is supervised by the European Commission. If FERA and the commission find that national safety authorities are too weak or do not have the necessary competence and resources, then member states must take action. And if they don't take action, the commission must act, and it does act like we did in the case of Greece, when we started an infringement procedure. Only two days, I assume the responsibility of the EU Commission, and like we did in the case of Spain.
Second, I support the calls made for a stronger role for the European Union Agency for Railways, for ERA. And I intend to propose a stronger mandate for ERA in 2026, one that will allow it to carry out more frequent checks.
Speaker 111
Ensure effective follow-up, and also to provide support, training, and capacity building where it is needed. Our objective here is very clear, to prevent accidents, and to continue improving safety outcomes across the European railway system. Third, we must fully use the tools that technology offers us, and in particular the European rail traffic management system, the ERTMS. The commission has already proposed increased funding for investments in modern railway infrastructure, and we will ensure that this funding is linked to the timely deployment of ERTMS. And fourth, when accidents do occur, we must contribute to ensure independent and thorough investigations, because we know that however painful the process may be, we learn from the truth, and we owe justice to the victims and their families.
And we are waiting for the European and national judiciary and the courts to find those who were responsible for these two tragedies, and hold them accountable. Honorable members of the European Parliament, it is in this spirit that we will continue working together with all of you, the TRAN Committee, the member states, and, of course, all the stakeholders involved. Together, we must continue strengthening railway safety all across Europe. And I want to reassure you that safety is my absolute and non-negotiable priority. Thank you.
Thank.
Martin Hojsík
Our colleagues, if you could please take your seats so we can get to the votes, because I know lots of you are in a hurry, and it would not be good if the votes take too much time. So please take your seats. Can you please take your seat so we can get to the votes, please colleagues? And please, no heckling from the first row. Thank you very much.
Please take your seats, so we can resume the sitting. And if now, thank you very much. The sitting is resumed. The Liebe Committee has decided to enter into inter-institutional negotiations pursuant to rule 72, paragraph one of the rules of procedure. The report which constitutes the mandate for negotiations is available on the plenary web page, and the title will be published in the minutes of the sitting.
Person to the rule 72, paragraph two, members or political groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing by tomorrow, Friday, thirteenth March at midnight, that the decision be put to the vote. If no request for a vote in the parliament is made within the deadline, the committee may start the negotiations. And now we come to the votes. Now first, we vote on the joint motion for a resolution tabled by six groups on human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia's war on aggression in Ukraine. Now we vote on the amendment one after paragraph two, by roll call vote.
The vote is open. The vote is closed, and it is rejected. Now we want to vote on the amendment four. Who is in favor? Who is against?
Speaker 176
Abstentions. Rejected. The amendment five has been withdrawn, so we vote on the amendment 2 by roll call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed, and it has been rejected.
Martin Hojsík
We vote on the amendment three by show of hands. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Now we vote on the resolution as a whole by roll call vote.
The vote is open. And the vote is closed, and it has been adopted. Next, we vote on the joint motion for resolution tabled by five groups on the arbitrary detention of President Mohammed Basum by the junta in Niger. We vote on the resolution as a whole. By roll call, the vote is open.
The vote is closed, and it has been adopted. Now we vote on the joint motion for resolution tabled by six groups on the case of Elen Kosytaria and political prisoners under the Georgian dream regime. First, we vote on the amendment one by a roll call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed.
And it has been adopted. We vote on the amendment two by Raoul. Vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It has been adopted.
We vote on the amendment 4 by the show of hands. Who's in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment five, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment three, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.
Now we vote on the resolution as a whole. By roll call, the vote is open. The vote is closed, and it has been adopted. Now we vote on the calculation of emission credits for heavy-duty vehicles for the reporting periods of the year 2025 to 2029. Now we first vote on the proposal to reject the commission proposal, amendment 6, by call vote.
The vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected. Now we vote on the draft legislative act. First, on amendment three by roll call vote, the vote is open.
The vote is closed. It's been rejected. Amendment four, by roll call. Vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed.
Rejected. Amendment five also by roll call. The vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected.
By show of hands on the amendment one, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment two, who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions, rejected. We vote on the commission proposal by roll call. Vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been adopted. The first reading of parliament is closed. Now we come to the vote on the report by Mister Alex Agius Saliba on the package travel and linked travel arrangements, provisional agreement amendment 91 91 by roll call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed, and it has been adopted.
The first reading of the parliament is closed. Now we come to the report by Mister Bogdan Ronta on the activities of the European Ombudsman annual report for 2024. We vote on the amendment 23. Who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions rejected. Amendment six. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, rejected.
Amendment 28. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, rejected. Amendment seven.
Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. The amendment eight, who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions rejected. Amendment 29, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions, rejected. Amendment 42, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment nine, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.
Paragraph text original, paragraph eight. Text, paragraph eight, original text in six parts. The first part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted.
The second part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Adopted third part, who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions. Adopted the fourth part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Adopted fifth part. Who is in favor?
Sixth part, who is in favor?
Martin Hojsík
Who is against? Against? Abstentions. Abstentions. Adopted.
Amendment 11. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Rejected.
Amendment 12. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Rejected.
Amendment. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 13, who is in favor?
Who is the paragraph against? Abstentions. 11, original text in two parts. First part, who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions are adopted. Second part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. Paragraph 12, amendment fifteen and thirty-six, by roll call vote, who is in? Oh, vote is open.
Vote is closed, and it has been rejected. So we vote on the original text, paragraph 12, in four parts. First part by Rocco, vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been adopted.
The second part, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected. The third part, both? Both.
Both. Okay. Sorry. The third part, the vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been rejected. The fourth part, the vote is open. The vote is closed and has also been rejected. Vote on the amendment 16. By a show of hands, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 31 by roll-call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been rejected. Amendment 24 by roll call vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected. Amendment 25, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 37 by Rollcall vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected.
So the amendment 17 also by Roelco vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected, so we vote on amendment 32. By a show of hands, who is in favor? Who is against?
Abstentions rejected. Amendment 43, by show of hands, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are rejected. So vote on the paragraph 16 original text.
Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. Amendment 38 by Rokow, vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been rejected. Amendment 18 also by Rokow, the vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected. Amendment 26 by roll call.
The vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected, so we vote on the paragraph 17 original text. Roll call vote. The vote is open.
The vote is closed, and it has been adopted. We vote on the amendment 39 by Roll call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected.
Amendment 19, by show of hands, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are rejected. Amendment 33, who is in favor? Who is against abstentions?
Rejected paragraph 18 original text. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Adopted amendment 20. Who is in favor?
Who is against abstentions? Rejected amendment 40 in two parts, both of them by roll-call vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed. And it has been adopted.
The second part, the vote is open. The vote is closed, and it has been rejected. Amendment 21, by show of hands, who's in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.
Amendment 34, by show of hands, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 44. Who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 41 by roll call. Vote, the vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been rejected. Amendment 45, show of hands. Who's in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.
Amendment 35, who's in favor? Who's against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 22, by Rollco, vote is open. The vote is closed.
It's been rejected. The recital is original text in two parts. The first part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted.
The second part, who is in favor? Who is against the abstentions? And adopted this amendment one. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions?
Rejected. Amendment two. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected.
The recital. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Adopted.
The recital, original text, in two parts. The first part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Adopted.
The recital is in original text in two parts. The first part, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. Adopted.
The second part, who is in favor? Against? Abstentions. Adopted. Amendment three, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment four, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected.
Recital w, original text, who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. Recital a c amendment 27, by roll call. The vote is open.
The vote is closed, and it's been rejected. Amendment five, by show of hands, who's in favor? Who is against? Abstentions rejected. And now the recital AC original text, who is in favor?
Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. Now we vote on the resolution as a whole by roll-call vote. Who is in favor? No.
Open. Sorry. And the vote is closed, and it has been adopted. No. Sorry.
Rejected. I can't read the numbers. It's been rejected. Now we vote as a last on the motion for resolution tabled by the Inter-Committee on the multilateral negotiations. Please, colleagues, in view of the WTO's fourteenth ministerial conference in Yahounde.
We vote on the amendment one by Roll call. Vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed. It's been rejected.
Paragraph 21, original text. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. And we vote on the resolution as a whole by a show of hands.
Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions are adopted. The sitting is suspended. We'll resume at 3PM with a commission statement banned on the sale of nitrous oxide to the general public.
Thank you for the prompt voting session. Good.
Afternoon, colleagues. We continue with our meeting. The minutes from yesterday's sitting are available. Any comments, please? If not, we will consider the minutes to be adopted.
Our next item is the commission statement on the ban on the sale of nitrous oxide to the general public. I will now turn to Mister Commissioner to take the floor on behalf of the Commission. Please, mister Hakstra, take the floor.
Speaker 6
Mister president, honorable members, on behalf of my dear colleague and friend, Stephan Siegiernet, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the important issue of nitrous oxide abuse and its consequences for public health and safety. It's an amazing opportunity also to speak in front of such a large audience. I truly thank all eight participants for being here with me. Ladies and gentlemen, nitrous oxide is originally intended for several industrial and medical applications. However, as I'm sure you are aware, the abuse of it as a recreational drug has been increasing across the European Union, leading to severe health effects for both persons abusing the substance, but also for victims of road accidents caused under the influence of the substance.
The commission takes this issue very seriously and is committed to quickly finding effective solutions to address it in line with our shared goal of protecting the health and well-being of our European citizens. It is clear that large canisters of the substance are being specifically placed on the market for the purpose of enabling abuse. And such large canisters containing up to several kilograms of the substance are labeled as allegedly serving for food purposes only. However, there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that these large canisters serve legitimate food purposes. The placing on the market of these canisters is a major concern, and we must acknowledge and tackle the significant harm it causes.
A number of member states have already taken steps to address the issue through their national drug legislation, and the commission very much welcomes these efforts. It is crucial to note that even in those member states, the sales of these illegal and falsely labeled canisters actually do seem to continue. And this, in our view, highlights the need for more effective enforcement and for more cooperation, but also that the abuse of nitrous oxide is a union-wide issue, which also requires a union-wide approach. We, therefore, appreciate the parliament's attention to this matter. In addition to the actions taken by member states, the Commission is also using its regulatory tools to address the issue.
Nitrous oxide has recently been classified as a reprotoxic substance under a classification, labeling, and packaging regulation. And this classification will apply as from 02/01/2027, and triggers a procedure for the inclusion of nitrous oxide in the list of substances banned under the main EU chemicals legislation REACH, as you well know, for supply to the general public. While this ban proposed in December 2023 is not specifically targeted at preventing the abuse of the substance as a drug, it will directly contribute to addressing the issue we talk about today. In accordance with the Commission's proposal, which is being discussed in the REACH committee with member state, the large canisters of nitrous oxide would be banned in the entire union as of the earliest possible date, and that is indeed 02/01/2027. That is the date that the classification of the substance as a retrotoxic starts to be applied.
Now, in its proposal, the commission has included a draft derogation to safeguard legitimate uses of the substance as an approved food additive. The derogation is designed to exclude, for example, small cartridges containing only a few grams, a completely different category of the substance from the ban. And these cartridges are used by hobby chefs to prepare cream and espuma. Delighted to know that because I have a 10 year old hobby chef at home. This demonstrates our commitment to finding balanced solutions to protect both public health and legitimate uses.
The discussions with member states are advancing well, and it is expected that the ban of the working EU. EU. We
Speaker 6
on of such a ban, as well as of national drug legislation, to ensure that those who seek to profit from the sales of nitrous oxide for abuse as a drug are prevented from continuing to do so and are being held accountable. Ladies and gentlemen, we count on the support of your esteemed parliament in highlighting the need for member states to prioritize enforcement and to work together with the commission to address urgently and efficiently this particularly important issue for the protection, the safety, and the well-being of all our citizens. I thank you very much.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much, commissioner, and we highly appreciate that the commission designated the commissioner with a relevant portfolio to be present at this debate. And now, I would like to give the floor to colleague Majelis representing the EPP. Please. The floor is yours.
Speaker 182
Thank you, Mister President, Commissioner, colleagues. Nitrous oxide or N2O has a chemical formula almost as a symbol as H2O, but its effects are anything but harmless. Commonly known as laughing gas, it has a powerful impact on the human body and can lead to serious consequences when misused. It's a powerful anesthetic, indispensable for inducing general anesthesia or providing pain relief during surgery. Under medical law, it's a prescription only medicine, and that in itself says a great deal about its potency.
Speaker 184
At the same time, nitrous oxide also has a number of non-medical uses. For example, it's used as an additive to fuels to boost the power of car engines, or as a foaming or propellant agent in the food industry. And these legitimate uses create opportunities for abuse, allowing some individuals to obtain and use this gas legally for intoxication. Preventing this misuse by legislation is not straightforward. It's therefore not surprising that the member states tackle it in different ways.
Speaker 183
Some have banned the sale of that gas in bars and clubs. Others prohibited sales to minors. In some other cases, restrictions have been introduced on packaging size and design. And in others, the substance has been placed on the list of products with a high potential for abuse. In other words, every solution comes at a price.
Speaker 182
I believe we would all welcome a common European approach to regulating the use of nitrogen oxide. A glass of beer or wine may remain a matter of personal responsibility. But when it comes to laughing gas, we must ensure that responsibility for the use and prescription lies exclusively with professionals, that is doctors.
Thank you.
Thomas Bajada
When we speak about nitrous oxide, many people still think of something harmless, a chocolate mousse, a painless and disappointment, a brief moment of fun. But laughing gas is not a laughing matter. Young people across Europe are inhaling the substance in ways never intended to be used. And the consequences can be severe, such as loss of consciousness, damage to the nervous system, and even spinal injuries in repeated use. These are not some improbable side effects.
This happened to real people in Europe. A 17-year-old girl in France found lifeless among dozens of canisters, a young man killed by a driver under the influence of the substance, a 19-year-old girl in Malta temporarily paralyzed for hours. This should be a reminder that what may appear harmless can quickly become harmful. And although my country Malta may be a small island, we are not shielded from this reality. In
Recent months, we have seen a number of reports in the media about canisters of nitrous oxide that were seized at a popular nightlife area, a place where our youngsters meet with friends to have fun. Many parents today ask a simple and legitimate question. How is it possible that a substance which is meant for medical and industrial use be available so easily and without any form of control? There is one truth. Nitrous oxide was never meant to be used for fun.
When large industrial canisters are sold without any form of control, we are allowing the creation of a dangerous situation, a situation where a substance meant to be used in hospitals and kitchens ends up in the hands of young people. This is becoming a reality in Godzów, in Malta, and the rest of Europe. When walking towards the parliament in Brussels, I always notice these canisters lying on the ground. Let me be clear. It is not a question of demonizing a substance.
It is not about prohibiting a substance which is of valid and important use. It is a question of a sense of responsibility, and also of education. Responsibility that where we ensure that these products do not circulate in places where they can create harm and reach the hands of those who are vulnerable. And, therefore, I am working with other parliamentaries to ensure that there is responsibility in selling this substance.
Easily, even online, and without any oversight. And the evidence is clear. According to public health data, most reported users consume the substance in large quantities. Many use it repeatedly and often through industrial canisters. This is why Europe must act carefully but decisively, not through panic, but through smart regulation, through better control of how these products are placed on the market.
The union already has tools. Under the risk regulation, we can act when substance creates an unacceptable risk to human health. And laughing gas is creating a risk for young people, for public safety, and, yes, even for the environment, with thousands of canisters being discarded and appearing in our streets and shores. This substance must be listed under annex seven of the reach regulation and prohibit its placing on the market to the general public, because protecting young people does not mean punishing. It means responsibility on the seller and regulation of the markets.
And for.
This, I would like to thank wholeheartedly those European organizations, even in my own country, Caritas and AWAZI, because we do not only need to protect and to regulate, but we have to increase awareness of the realities around us, decrease those challenges that are making our lives more difficult, and educate so that we have more knowledge about the existing risks. Because, colleagues, in the end, this discussion is not about a chemical substance. It is a discussion about people, our society, the lives of our young ones, and our own responsibility to act in order to protect them. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you. Our next speaker is Mister Castillo on behalf of the Patriot Groups. Thank you.
Merci.
Laurent Castillo
Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues. There are subjects that we can no longer just make observations about or raise the alarm on. Think nitrous oxide is one of that. Some continually continue to call it laughing gas. This is an unacceptable way.
There's nothing prosaic about it. There are tragedies. There are lives that are broken. There are people and families that are thrown into grief that cannot be repaired. There were a number of people whose lives were cut short.
For example, Amber and Clermonts, two nurses that were going to their services, Jeremy Boulogne, who was a firefighter, who was leaving his service when he was killed by a driver on the Promenade des Anglais. All of these people were killed by drivers who were under the influence. And when we say their names, it's not just a question about raising simple stories. We're talking about individuals with families, men, women who had served other people and whose lives were brutally put to an end, torn away from their families. Nothing will ever repair this.
Now these are tragedies, and they are not isolated cases. Throughout Europe, we can see that nitrous oxide is on the rise, the use thereof specifically with young people. The consequences, unfortunately, are known, and we have been able to list them here. Psych, psychiatric problems, death, paralysis, the danger of these substances is no longer something that needs to be proven. The commission even has recognized it as, considered a reprotoxic.
Now we know, however, that access to it is far too easy, and that is precisely where our political responsibility comes in. We know that the member states' action is not enough. Everything that is produced, everyone who produces these products, and if they are able to freely circulate in the market, well, so long as there is a free movement of these products or so long as they are sold online, well, then they can cross borders easily, and therefore, our bans will not be effective. That's why 43 colleagues from 18 countries and six political groups, we have called on the commission. This cross-party action states something extremely clearly.
This is a duty that we have to protect, and it's not a part of a partisan debate. REACH in annex 17 gives us the legal basis that we need when there is a substance that presents an unacceptable risk for human health, the European Union must act. Today, we know these risks exist, and yes, it is time to act. My question, therefore, is simple, commissioner. Is the commission prepared to take this procedure such that the marketing of nitrous oxide for the general public will be banned, all the while protecting the professional and medical uses that are necessary.
We cannot let such a huge danger become something that is just prosaic. We must protect our young people, and we have the moral and political responsibility to act now before we have other names that would sadly be added to this list of people that we were not able to protect. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you. The next speaker in a debate is Miss Malak on behalf of the ECR Group.
Ladies.
Speaker 187
And gentlemen, addictions rarely begin dramatically. Mostly, they're quite innocent to start with, starting with curiosity. He's at a party. A balloon passed around from hand to hand. That's how a lot of people started out with nitrous oxide, convinced as they are that it's just a bit of fun, and nothing bad can happen.
And then brutal reality kicks in, damage to the nervous system, problems walking with balance, intoxication, road accidents, and death. The European Agency for Drugs has called a lot warned that the recreational use of nitrous oxide is on the rise in the EU. In France, we've had many cases reported, and they've involved serious neurological damage. In The Netherlands, many young people have been treated for degeneration of the spinal cord as a result, and the number of road accidents linked to the use of nitrous oxide has risen 80 percent from 1,652 to 2,652 to 4,860. That's 4,860 young people directly affected who had been convinced that this was just a bit of fun.
Now everything in the world has its place, and nitrous oxide too has its place in medicine, in anesthetics. There, it's used to mitigate pain and save lives, but it cannot be sold on the street or be handed around amongst teenagers. Fear creates fear instead of treating people. It kills people, and that's forcing us now to think again, forcing us to act. That's why a ban on its sale to the general public is a sensible and proportional solution.
It would mean that hospitals and industry would still be able to get hold of it, but the door to abuse would be closed. Freedom also means responsibility, and our duty here in the Parliament is to protect the health and the lives of a young generation of Europeans. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you. Our next speaker is Mister Eberding on behalf of the left group.
Sebastian Everding
We walk through any number of European cities, we'll see something that really should worry us. On playgrounds, in parks, in front of schools, all over the place, you see these empty metal cartridges. They look harmless at first sight, but they're actually representative of a growing problem: the consumption of laughing gas as a drug. The substance is used in medicine, rightly so, but it's also ever more accessible to young people who get a quick high from this substance. And that's why we have to ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions.
Why is this happening? Why is it that more and more young people are on the lookout for laughing gas? Is it because it's been trivialized by social media? Is it because they think it's legal, or because it's so readily available? Or is it actually pointing towards a deeper, underlying problem?
The fact that there's a generation that's looking for moments of intoxication because they lack.
guidance.
Sebastian Everding
Certainty, perspectives. What we know is that the health consequences are real, and they are serious. Doctors are saying that they can lead to lasting neurological problems, and yet many people still think it's a harmless substance. So, as politicians in Europe, we can't just stand idly by. We need to, first of all, have clear rules for the sale and marketing of laughing gas.
Secondly, we need to have a youth protection scheme for the whole of Europe when it comes to selling the substance. Thirdly, we need awareness-raising campaigns that actually speak to young people with honesty, understandably, without trivialization. And, fourthly, we also need to be mindful of the ecological consequences. Millions of empty cartridges in our parks, in our fields, in our waters, pollute the environment and endanger animals. Therefore, commissioner, we need to do something for our young people and for our environment.
Thank you.
Thank.
Martin Hojsík
you. Our next speaker is Mister Bausermer on behalf of the ECN Group.
Arno Bausemer
Thank you very much, President, ladies and gentlemen. The s and d seem concerned that one of their colleagues is snorting nitrous oxide cartridges as we speak. Now Horace Veldt discovered nitrous oxide and used it on himself. Now he wasn't using it to intoxicate himself. He was actually looking for an anesthetic in order to pull out one of his wisdom teeth without hurting.
It was a successful experiment, and therefore, nitrous oxide was used for small operations and dental operations for many years. Horace Weltz couldn't have imagined that two hundred years later, we and the European Parliament would be talking about a ban on selling it to the general public. At the moment, nitrous oxide isn't that big a deal in medicine, but it is being used by young people as a drug. Side effects include unconsciousness, dizziness, and more. And when used in excess, it would damage the spinal cord.
Studies show this. So for young people, we can't just turn the other cheek. In Germany, the parliament banned the sale of laughing gas to young people, and that includes vending machines. They have been consigned to history. We have to protect young people from side effects.
Okay. That's something that we've seen can be dealt with at a national level. However, a general ban on the sale of nitrous oxide is less easy to justify. Individuals should be able to decide whether they want to buy nitrous oxide or not. We shouldn't be speaking on behalf of citizens at the national or European level.
We don't need any more state bans. Some people might want to go down to the cellar and have a bit of fun with a couple of doses of nitrous oxide. Now we can condemn that or not, but it's not our job to define how adults pass their time. I would also just like to say that the green ban mentality should be banned from parliament. We shouldn't be speaking on behalf of our citizens in this way.
Thank.
Nina Carberry
Since 2020, more than €8,600,000 worth of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas as it's more commonly known, has been seized entering Ireland. Walk through any park or down any side street, even along our main roads, and you will see the evidence: discarded silver bullets and whippets littering the ground. This is not harmless fun. Across the EU, member states are reporting rising poisoning and even deaths linked to the misuse. Medical evidence now links the use of laughing gas to spinal cord damage, and yet nitrous oxide can still move freely across the EU single market.
That is why I'm calling on the commission to recognize nitrous oxide as an emerging drug of concern. It should be brought into the EU early warning system, so we can monitor misuse before more harm is done. We should also accelerate its classification under the CLP regulation as a toxic substance. The evidence is there. Waiting until 2027 is simply too slow.
And, also, we must enforce the digital services act to tackle the online sale of nitrous oxide, where the children are clearly being targeted. Europe must move towards a common licensing framework to control supply, also to protect legitimate uses, and prevent abuse. I welcome, commissioner, what you said, that this is an EU-wide issue and requires an EU-wide approach. Let's make that happen. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much. Madam, you have a blue card. Madam, you have a blue, will you accept the blue card from colleague Payada? I think it's gonna be English or Maltese English. Thank.
Thomas Bajada
You, colleague, for accepting the blue card. I felt that it was a good opportunity that we have a hemicycle with youth around 50, if I can count well, over there, to make the point that here we are debating about their future. We are debating about how we can make the world safer, our Europe safer for them. So maybe it can be also an opportunity that we can address the youth that are actually here with us right now on a debate that is targeted specifically for them, and how we, as a European parliament, can try to make our best to make their life safe. Thank you.
But where was the question?
If she wants to address them.
Ah, okay.
What was the question?
Nina Carberry
Thank you, colleague. I think you're 100% right, and I'm so glad that we have all of you here to talk to. I think it's so important. It's an issue that shouldn't have waited until nearly the last debate of the whole week, and I'm delighted to be here to actually raise our concerns and commissioner here that's who's going to be hopefully helping us to make it an EU-wide issue as well. Thank you so much.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much. And indeed, this is a very highly relevant debate for the youth, and thank you for raising it. Now let me give the floor to Madam Bolam.
Lynn Boylan
I do welcome this important discussion on nitrous oxide, the so-called laughing gas we know is a growing threat to public health, and young people are particularly impacted. Nitrous oxide canisters with sweet flavors are being marketed to children. And inhaling nitrous oxide, as others have said, can cause sensory issues, heart problems, mental health issues, and even long term spinal cord injuries. Added to this, we do have the littering, the greenhouse gas emissions from nitrous oxide, the cost of the waste management, and the risk to worker safety when they explode in waste processing centers. So it is promising that the commission is working on the EU-wide restriction, but at national level, we can also have practical laws to manage access to nitrous oxide.
And this week, we heard how Ireland was a leader when it came to introducing cocoa's laws. I think, again, Ireland has the opportunity to become a European leader in regulating the sale of nitrous oxide. My Sinn Fein colleague, Mark Ward, has proposed legislation that would restrict its sale to authorized users, while banning the sale of nitrous oxide to under eighteens. Unfortunately, the Irish government has chosen to delay this legislation. And every week that nitrous oxide goes unregulated, the damage to young people's health, worker safety, and their environment increases.
So it is unfathomable why Fina Gael and Fina Faul will not act now to protect young people and progress the sale of nitrous oxide bill while we await our commission colleagues to bring forward their proposals.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you. Will you accept the blue card from colleague Zipper? Sure.
Lukas Sieper
Thank you, Mr. President. Just to be sure, can still do my catch the eye afterwards.
Yes. You can. Yes. You can.
Lukas Sieper
Thank you, colleague. I lived in a neighborhood before I came to the European Parliament where there was a lot of use of this drug, and it was a very poor neighborhood. While I myself come from a quite rich family, and I've never seen the remains, as our colleague described, of laughing gas in the richer areas, but they stack up in the streets of the poorer areas. Why do you think that this drug is more used by those of society who don't have much, in comparison to those who are wealthy? Thank you.
Lynn Boylan
Well, I do come from a working-class background in Tallaght in Southwest Dublin. And, unfortunately, you're right. That is in working-class areas that we see a lot more nitrous oxide canisters. I think we need to also invest. So while we need to restrict the nitrous oxide sales, we also need to invest in our working class communities.
We need to invest in providing community services for young people so that they have alternatives to using nitrous oxide. So you're right. It doesn't, this bill or this action that we're calling for today won't address the systemic problem of inequality that we have in society.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much. And as this debate is no laughing matter, we have to catch the eyes, and I would start by my colleague Roncha. Please, the floor is yours.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. Well, this is a very serious discussion, and I would just like to underline that in the UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden, we're already seeing serious restrictions on the use of this substance, and that's a very good thing. We're talking about something that's used in medicine on the one hand, but at the same time, this is also a narcotic. Yes. A narcotic.
It's a chemical substance that is undesirable and that has turned up on the market in unlimited quantities. So where does that come from? Who flooded the market with this substance? Who's selling it? Who's making the money?
These are the questions we should be asking. And there's one other thing, the use of these chemicals in cooking. This is used in cooking, but that's not necessarily a good thing either. In Poland, we got the first import of meat from South America, and now we can see that there are chemicals in that meat that shouldn't be in the meat. So let's look at this substance holistically.
This is a problem that we have to limit. There's too much of this substance on the market. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much. And now I'd like to give the floor to colleague Sieper.
Lukas Sieper
Thank you, President. Before I do my speech in German, a note to the translators as I will use German youth terminology, Haftbefehl is an artist name. Achie is a brother. Chaya is a sister. Das crazy is, it's intense.
Is to consume laughing gas, and GTA is a video game.
Dear people of Europe, even the European Parliament has seen this issue. And a bit late, as always, but we're reacting now. And I wanted to take this opportunity to really turn to my brothers and sisters. You know, we need to address the whole question of nitrous oxide canisters. It's completely insane.
I mean, might sound a little bit more fun than other things you might do in your life, but quite honestly, it also represses your oxygen consumption. And it's not, you know, it's not fun at all. It's not worth it. It's simply not worth it as a party game. And that's why the European Union should ban the marketing and sale of oxide.
You have my full support for that. Thank you.
Martin Hojsík
Very much, and thank you for the courtesy, for the interpreters. And now I would like to give the floor back to Commissioner Hoekstra for the final statement for the commission.
Speaker 6
Thank you, chair, and thanks to you and for the honorable members, first and foremost, for their tenacity. On behalf of the commission, I also wish to thank all of you for the insightful and engaging debate we had today on this truly important issue. As I stated before, I would like to reiterate it, commission is very much committed to taking action to restrict the availability of nitrous oxide for legitimate use as a recreational drug, with the aim of protecting public health and safety. And we appreciate parliament's contributions to this discussion very much. What the commission will do is take into account the views as they have been expressed today, as we move forward with our proposal to ban the supply of it as we do on the REACH, which will then complement the efforts of member states to address the issue through national drug legislation.
We're confident that by working together, we can make a real difference in reducing the harm caused by nitrous oxide abuse. And we will remain vigilant and engaged on this issue, and we'll continue to work with all relevant stakeholders to address the challenges posed. Thank you once again for your active engagement and your contributions in this debate, and thank you very much for your attention.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much, commissioner. And the debate with this concluded.
Our next point on the agenda is explanations of vote. As first, we will deal with the report of mister Alex Agiosaliba package travel and linked travel arrangements make the protection of travelers more effective and simplify and clarify certain aspects. A colleague explaining his vote will be Mr. Sieper. Please take the floor.
Lukas Sieper
Dear people of Europe, I supported the report on package travel and linked travel arrangements because travelers in Europe deserve clear and reliable protection when booking package holidays. The experience though during COVID-19 pandemic shows that parts of the current directive were unclear, especially regarding cancellation, refunds, and traveler rights. This report improves consumer protection and simplifies the rules to travelers, to get them clear and safe information about their rights and better protection in case of problems or insolvency. For me, for the party of progress, strong consumer rights and transparent markets are key priorities. My vote therefore supports clearer rules, stronger protection for travellers, and a fair framework for the European travel market.
Thank you very much.
Martin Hojsík
Thank you very much. Darshur Budiwis wetland
Thank you. Next, we will deal with the report by Mister John Cha, the activities of the European Ombudsman annual report 2024. The first one to take the floor in this explanation is Mr. Teresch.
Thank you.
Speaker 202
Dear colleague, the plenary rejecting the report on the activity of the ombudsman for 2024 is yet another example of how the radical left in Europe wants to cover up the abuses of the European Commission in height of corruption deeds. I voted in favor of this report because the European Ombudsman contributed enormously in the latest years, including in 2024, to the increase of transparency in the EU and to exposing the abuses of the Commission. During Emily O'Reilly's mandate, the abuse of Ursula von der Leyen by refusing to publish her text message conversation with the Pfizer CEO was exposed. The current ombudsman opened an inquiry into Orsula von Reliant for the way she also negotiated the Mercosur agreement over text messages, though this time, the messages were not saved. You pretend they some of the people who pretend to be defenders of transparency voted in favor against this report.
I congratulate the current ombudsman on her activity. Do not let yourself be intimidated.
Thank you. Our next speaker is mister.
Lukas Sieper
I voted against this report. Not because I don't value the ombudsman's work. I think that the ombudsman is the most important instrument that can show we are accountable for our work to citizens, but I voted against because instead of an objective comment on what was happening in the EU and a confirmation of our values, it has been ideologically loaded. Those who pretend to be against ideology, these very same people have turned the report into no more than a declaration that the commission should give up on European values. I hope that we can vote on this report in an improved form in the future, and then I will vote in favour of it.
Thank.
Martin Hojsík
We will now move to the motion for resolution multilateral negotiation in view of the WTO's fourteenth ministerial conference in Lyon on March 2026. Please, mister speaker, mister Siper, take the floor.
Lukas Sieper
Europe supported this resolution because a rules-based multilateral trading system is essential for global economic stability and prosperity. The WTO remains a key framework that provides predictability and legal certainty for international trade. However, global trade is under increasing pressure from protectionism and outdated rules. That is why the WTO must be modernized to address new realities, such as digital trade, sustainability, and fair competition. For me and for the party of progress, international cooperation based on clear rules, transparency, and fairness is essential.
Trade should create opportunities while supporting sustainable and fair development. My vote therefore supports strengthening multilateral cooperation and ensuring that global trade remains open, fair, and predictable. And I wish everyone in this room a very nice weekend. Thank you.
Thank.
Martin Hojsík
you. The explanations of vote are now over. The minutes will be submitted to the parliament for its approval at the beginning of the next sitting. If there are no objections, I will forward the resolutions adopted at today's sitting to the persons and bodies named in the resolutions. The next partition will take place in March 2026 in Brussels.
So the sitting is now adjourned. The session is closed. Thank you. Have a nice weekend, all of you.
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