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PLENARY European Parliament
Follow its sittingsRoberta Metsola
I. Know that we will continue to do everything we can to push for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law, a swift conclusion to this conflict, and the right of the Iranian people to choose their own destiny.
In liberty.
Roberta Metsola
Now Sheikh Oleg, former.
Prime minister of the French Republic and a former member of this assembly. He passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. Many will remember him as a statesman full of elegance, who firmly believed in the vocation of public service. He worked for a strong Europe. And reforming society, and what he did continues to form modern France. And he has left a great legacy for a generation of responsible politicians.
Via them, his legacy will continue to live on.
Events show how much we must keep addressing the growing threat of rising antisemitism. In recent weeks, an explosion damaged a synagogue in Rotterdam, and in Amsterdam, a Jewish school was bombed.
In Michigan, a car full of explosives was driven into a synagogue. In London, Jewish charity ambulances were set on fire. We know that what starts as antisemitism never ends as such. It is a threat to everyone, and one that we will not only continue to call out, but one that we will act against.
Our Jewish communities are an essential part of our European societies. And it is important that they all know that they can count on this parliament to stand with them.
Our. Last point, dear colleagues, this Sunday marked ten years since the horrific 2016 terror attacks in Brussels. A senseless day of violence that claimed 32 lives and injured hundreds more.
Including staff from parliament and other institutions, it was a day that saw people come together in grief, a moment of extraordinary courage of Europeans looking out for each other in the worst of times. Again and again, Europe has demonstrated that humanity prevails in the face of terror with a sense of dignity, resilience, and defiance.
In this month, in 2004, terrorists murdered 193 people in the Madrid train bombings, while yesterday marked 8 years since the murder of Gendarmerie lieutenant colonel Arnaud Beltran by an ISIS-inspired terrorist in France.
Each act of terror is an attack on our way of life. And as we mark this somber moment, this Parliament remembers the victims. And recommits to combating radicalism, hatred, and extremism.
Europe will not forget. And as we, dear colleagues, remember all those we lost, I ask you now to join me in observing a moment of silence.
So. The session of March 12 is adjourned. It's reopened. The minutes and the text adopted of the sitting of March 12 are available. Are there any comments? No.
Therefore, the minutes are approved. Miss Eracia Garcia would like the floor. Miss Ehracha, you have to the floor.
Thank you.
Iratxe García Pérez
It is a source of comfort to me to hear from you support from the European Parliament for the defense of dignity, human rights, support for civilians who are suffering so much, support for all those communities who are crying out for a clear message from democratic institutions right now. That is a source of comfort to me. So I was pleased to hear that from you at the opening of this session.
Condemning the regime of Iran and also condemning attacks which are occurring in some European cities against the Jewish communities. And I'm comforted by that, and I'm pleased to hear that.
I would also be comforted, and I would also be pleased if I could hear the same words with the same meaning about unjustified attacks on civilians in countries such as Lebanon, where there are now thousands of victims who have lost their lives over the last few days in an illegal war.
Because. It is my belief that any innocent civilian who is a victim of this illegal war should be given the same recognition. And I would like this whole house to give them their due recognition.
Roberta Metsola
Miss Garcia Perez. Now the competent authorities of Poland have addressed a request to me for the parliamentary immunity of Gregor Brown to be waived. This request is referred to the committee on legal affairs.
Lukas Siper is a member of the Renew Europe group as of 03/25/2023. Eva, Eva Zahazovska Hernig is no longer a member of the ESN group and joins the PFE group as of 03/25/2026.
The EPP, ECR, Renew Europe groups, and the non-attached members have notified me of decisions relating to changes to appointments within committees and delegations. These decisions will be set out in the minutes of today's sitting, and take effect on the date of this announcement.
I have received separate requests for a vote in parliament from the left, Greens, and SND groups reaching the medium on the decision of the Libre committee to enter into negotiations on the following file.
Common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the Union. The vote will be held tomorrow. We now come to the order of business, the final draft agenda, as adopted by the conference of presidents on March 12 pursuant to rule 163, has been distributed. In accordance with rule 99, the following reports are added to the votes on Thursday.
Requests for the waiver of the immunity of Gregor, rapporteur Mario Furore. Requests for the waiver of the immunity of Gregor. Request for the waiver of the immunity of Nikos Papas, rapporteur Christophe Smisek.
Now we move to changes agreed by the political groups. With the agreement of the political groups, I wish to put to the house the following proposals for changes to the final draft agenda. For Wednesday, this afternoon, the order of debates will change as follows. Council and commission statements on energy security, independence, and supply in the geopolitical context will be the first item this afternoon. European Council and Commission statements on the conclusion of last week's European Council meeting will be the second item.
The oral question on the implementation of the urban wastewater treatment directive is moved from Thursday and will be the fifth item this afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting will be extended to 10PM.
For Thursday, a joint debate on the EU-US trade deal with the following reports: adjustment of customs duties and opening of tariff quotas for the import of certain goods originating in the United States of America. Non-application of customs duties on imports of certain goods will be added as the first item tomorrow. The following pursuant to rule 1143 are added to Thursday's voting session.
Union list of projects of common interest and projects of mutual interest certification methodologies for permanent carbon removal activities. If there are no objections, then these changes are approved, and we move now to the changes requested by political groups.
For Wednesday, today, the PFE group has requested that council and commission statements on the EU Australia free trade agreement impact on European agriculture be added as the third item. The consequence then the session would be extended to 11 PM.
I give the floor to Mister Jordan Bardella, to move the request on behalf of the PFE group.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Jordan Bardella
Once again, the commissioner's intended to continue to destroy our agriculture in the interest of industry in Germany. Underlying is negotiating an agreement with Australia. Which is far bigger than France's biggest economy in Europe.
Our farmers are already being crushed by Negroes and regulations. We would want to have a debate here. We must be sovereign when it comes to food. This new agreement is the end folly. And once again, we're betraying the people who feed us.
So we'd ask to put on the agenda a free trade agreement with Australia on the European agriculture. Colleagues, wake up, and let's not destroy our agriculture. Thank you.
Roberta Metsola
Merci, Monsieur Bardella. I have received an alternative proposal from the left group which would have the title as follows. The commission statement on EU-Australia free trade agreement and its impacts on agriculture, health, and the environment.
Mister Bardella, do you agree with the alternative proposal of the left group? You agree?
Roberta Metsola
So we will vote on the left group proposal. By roll call. Okay? So we vote on the left group proposal by roll call. Vote is open. Okay.
Vote is closed.
Okay.
Okay.
Roberta Metsola
Alright. The next proposal is a request by the ECR group that council and commission statements on the need to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish life in Europe, following the recent terrorist attacks against the Jewish community in the Netherlands and Belgium, be added as the fourth item in the afternoon. As a consequence, the sitting would be extended to 11.
I give the floor to Mr. Jan Rausen to move the request on behalf of the ECR group.
Thank you, chair. I will speak Dutch.
Bert-Jan Ruissen
President, ladies and gentlemen, it goes on and on, and it goes from bad to worse. And when I'm talking about what I'm talking about is the attacks on the Jewish community. Recently, there was an attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam, in Liege, and Dutch school, isn't it? Jewish school.
Ambulances of the Jewish community in London. So where will it all end? Once again, we're showing our solidarity with the Jewish community, and we stand against anti. But words are not enough. We need to take action.
What the EU is doing at the moment is fighting the symptoms. It's high time, president, for us to tackle the root causes of increasing antisemitism, for example, the influence of radical Islam.
So we'd like to add to the agenda a statement from the Council of the Commission on the need to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish life in Europe following recent attacks on the Jewish community in The Netherlands.
Hildegard Bentele
I give the floor to Miss Hildegard Bentele. To speak against. Now, madam president, dear colleagues, let me be very clear from the outset.
The EPP group fully supports the objective of the proposal of colleague Bertrand Russeau. The recent attacks in the Netherlands and Belgium are deeply alarming. These incidents occur more and more often. They are more and more violent.
In the meantime, many Jewish citizens in the Netherlands and in Belgium fear for their lives precisely because the situation is so serious. Debating it needs your attention. Exposing violent antisemitism and debating countermeasures needs daylight, not late at night.
Therefore, since the agenda of disciplinary is extremely packed, the EPP proposes to take this item up in the April plenary to ensure that a comprehensive and impactful decision discussion is guaranteed.
Bert-Jan Ruissen
So, mister Rausen, would you agree that we move this to April? I can agree because then I think we have more time. Yeah. And we can prepare ourselves better for the debate. So I can agree with that proposal.
Roberta Metsola
Okay. We'll do that. Thank you very much, Mr. Ralson. Now the EPP group has requested that a commission statement on imminent debt penalty threats in Iran in the light of the latest executions, including on 18th and 19th March 2026, by the Iranian regime, followed by one round of political speakers, would be added before the debate on combating corruption.
So as a consequence here, the session would be extended to 11. I give the floor to Miss Bentaller to move the request on behalf of the group.
Hildegard Bentele
Dear colleagues, I would like to request the urgent inclusion of a commission statement on the imminent use of the death penalty in Iran. This matter cannot be postponed until April. Executions are not a distant risk. They are happening now, and they are targeting the brave protesters of February. Only last week, the 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi was executed. He was subjected to severe mistreatment, his confession extracted under torture.
With these executions, implemented and planned, the regime, even if there might be new people, is sending a signal: We continue to oppress relentlessly those who ask for freedom and democracy.
Colleagues, we stated that we stand on the side of the Iranian people. Let's send this week a clear signal back to Tehran that we do not turn a blind eye to the further murdering of civilians, that we watch, that we condemn, that we call their names.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you very much, Miss Bentele. Now have received an alternative proposal from the SND Group. Would be a statement on the worsening Middle East escalation in light of Israel's planned security zone in Lebanon, the recent strikes on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, and the risk of imminent executions in Iran.
Mister Maniates, do I understand correctly? You want to be against the EPP proposal or in favor of yours? Both.
Yannis Maniatis
Dear president, we believe that the circumstances required us to have a more comprehensive debate on what is happening in The Middle East, and not to limit ourselves to just one of the very worrying developments in the area.
Therefore, on behalf of the S and T group, I would like to propose the following title for the debate. The worsening Middle East escalation in light of Israel's planned security zone in Lebanon, the recent strikes on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, and the risk of imminent executions in Iran.
Thank you very much.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you very much, Mr. Maniates. Miss Bentaller, do you agree with the alternative proposal of the SND Group? Miss Bentaller? No.
Hildegard Bentele
I would like to stick with the very clear focus of the debate, which I proposed we put the urgent human rights situation in the middle of our debate.
Roberta Metsola
Okay. Thank you very much, Miss Bentele. So I put the request of the EPP group to a vote by roll call.
Vote. Is closed. And it's adopted, therefore, the agenda is changed accordingly. For tomorrow, the Greens group has requested that the report of Miss Sipple on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending regulation 2021. One, two, three, two, as regards the extension of its period of application, be removed from the votes.
Speaker 14
So I give the floor to Miss Marquetta Gregorova. To move the request on behalf of the Greens Group.
Thank you. You.
Markéta Gregorová
Dear colleagues, just last plenary, this parliament firmly rejected jet control 1.0, demanding no mass scanning, strict limitation of scope, full protection of encryption. When the council last Monday refused to negotiate on the scope, the trial ended without an agreement.
Yet today, we are being asked to reopen that decision. EPP now considers our position too ambitious, talking about children while blocking real help in their governments. Let me be clear.
This is not how parliamentary democracy works. We already voted. Our position has a broad majority and is legitimate. Reopening it sends the wrong signal. It tells the council, hold out long enough, and the parliament will bend.
Voting for this repeat vote would weaken our own mandate and undermine the credibility of this Parliament. So I urge you, stand by your position. Defend our independence. Thank you.
Lena Düpont
Thanks, madam chair. And I think we really need to urgently have a division here between two things. Tomorrow's vote would have been a very easy one, just on a simple date.
On the prolongation of the application of the interim regulation, because it is about protecting children when they're online. And reports on children's sexual abuse online have multiplied in the last 10 years by 20 times. So from 1,000,000 reports to 20,000,000 reports. So what we are going to vote on tomorrow is the simple technical prolongation, just another date on what we had agreed on.
And what the Greens had actually tried here, together with the support of some here in the house, is to turn the interim regulation into shadow negotiations on the season proposal as such.
We will address everything that is up to the point in the CSAM regulation, is ongoing with the council and the commission. But for tomorrow, we need to vote on the application so that we meet the deadline on April 3.
Because if not, we fail to have a huge legal gap in the protection of children online.
Roberta Metsola
Vote. Is closed. And it is rejected, and therefore, the agenda remains unchanged. Therefore, dear colleagues, the agenda is adopted, and the order of business is thus established. Thank you very much.
Okay. Hold on.
Roberta Metsola
So. Dear colleagues, please listen. To the points that will be made. Miss Melissa Kamara, go ahead.
Go ahead.
Speaker 21
I'm asking you to go. Please. It's a point of order. Go. People have to leave.
Before I speak.
Speaker 22
I mean, Miss Kamara, I give you the floor. Please, colleagues, can you please be quiet while your colleagues are speaking? Miss Kamara, go ahead.
Colleagues.
Mélissa Camara
Enable please, I'm making a point of order on the basis of Article 202. Tomorrow, we are talking about something that is serious business. These return centers are outside the European Union.
And we're talking about cooperation with the Taliban regime, and also the imprisonment of children. Now we've seen photos from the United States that have shocked us, and we want to apply the same policies in Europe.
Should the imprisonment of children be used as a migration tool, we're going to get an agreement along those lines. Now the EPP negotiator has allied themselves with the worst of the far right to get agreement.
And also, we have article 72 of the rules, which states that the vote should have taken place in April. This is an extremely sensitive matter, and we shouldn't be speeding things up. We should be holding an appropriate democratic debate on this.
The speaker is interrupted.
Miss Kamara, time is up.
Yeah. One minute.
Madame.
Damien Carême
La President, Madam president, on the basis of rules 164 and 72. Could you explain to us on what grounds you decide to accept or refuse a request to speak prior to a vote on a challenge to a negotiating mandate?
In this instance, that of the infamous return regulation. Political groups must stand by their votes and their alliances. However, shameful they may be. European citizens have the right to know what lies behind these decisions. We owe them transparency, all the more so on a text such as this.
For this regulation is the worst text on human rights to be put to the vote since the creation of the European Union. Negotiated on the sly by the far right wing of the EPP and the far right, this has been condemned by both the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights and 16 UN special rapporteurs. It casts a serious and lasting stain on the European Union whose motto is, after all, united in diva diversity, a motto that some here seem willing to apply only if that diversity is white.
And Christian. Madam president, I ask you to explain your decision not to give the floor to the political groups for a debate on a text that concerns our values and our humanity.
Thank you.
Okay.
Murielle Laurent
Thank you very much. I too would like to raise a point of order under Article 202. I'd like to make this point of order on the mandate for the returns directive. I can but deplore that we did not have a discussion on the attitude of the EPP, which is unacceptable.
We cannot agree to negotiations with the extreme right, as a colleague said. It's inexplicable that the position of this parliament is now that of the extreme right when it comes to the terms of migrants who are staying regularly.
Lanny.
Go. Ahead.
Abir Al-Sahlani
I want to draw this house's attention to a shocking case.
A woman in Malta was sentenced to prison after going to a hospital with heavy bleeding. And instead of receiving medical care, she was reported to the police. Just think about that for a moment. A woman seeking medical attention was treated as a criminal.
Her sentence must be immediately overturned, because not in Malta, not in Europe, a hospital must never become the first step to a prison cell. Criminalizing abortion does not end abortion. It only puts women's lives in danger, and that has no place in Europe.
Thank you.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you. Discloses the part of this mini session. We start with the first debate.
Esteban González Pons
Next. Item on the agenda is council and commission statement. Energy security, independence, and supply of the geopolitical context, ensuring market stability, and affordable energy for industry and citizens. For the council, Madam Rauna, you have the floor.
Speaker 30
President. Honorable members, commissioner, last week at the Spring European Council, European leaders discussed the impact of the situation in Iran and the Gulf Region, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on energy security, energy prices, and subsequently on the European Union's competitiveness. And this debate will be followed by the one with President Kosta on the outcome of the European Council. In today's interconnected world, this war which is in Europe's neighborhood inevitably impacts Europe. We are witnessing the significant rise in oil and gas prices. And while currently, there is no immediate threat to the EU's energy supply, the situation remains volatile, and we must be prepared for the scenario that the situation deteriorates further.
There is no simple solution. There is no quick fix to address these spikes in energy prices. However, one thing is clear. To mitigate the risks to our citizens, our security, and our competitiveness, we must demonstrate the same unity that we showed during the energy crisis of 2022. In the short term, the commission and the member states are exploring targeted, temporary, and financially and fiscally sustainable measures to ease the pressure on both our households and our industries.
We also know that one-size-fits-all solutions are not the way to go. What works in one member state may not work in another. For example, different member states have different energy mixes. And at the same time, coordination and solidarity are key. We must also continue to implement the measures by the Commission in its action plan for affordable energy.
In the longer term, we should stay focused on our goals of electrification and decarbonization in the energy sector. These are not abstract objectives. They are our strongest guarantee aimed at strengthening European energy independence, and protecting us from future shocks.
Admittedly, some have raised questions on the emissions trading system and the marginal pricing mechanism that determines electricity prices under the electricity market design. The council's view is clear. These instruments have played a vital role in driving the progress we have made toward the green transition. We must ensure that the pathway remains ambitious and, at the same time, achievable. At the same time, we must recognize that European households are under immense pressure.
The conflict in the Middle East underlines that targeted solutions are needed in the short term to ensure affordable energy and to address excessive volatility. Taking also, of course, into account technological neutrality and the specificities of member states, a manner that does not undermine predictability and a level playing field. This includes, amongst others, a review of the ATS by July 2026 at the latest, as was agreed by the last European Council.
If anything, the current crisis has demonstrated that we need to further reduce our dependency on fossil fuel imports. And one of the key initiatives supporting this objective is the European Green Deal.
Packet. This package will play a crucial role in strengthening our energy infrastructure and enhancing integration across the European energy market, making us more resilient to precisely the kind of external shocks that we are facing today.
The Cyprus presidency is prioritizing the European grid's package and is working intensively to reach a general approach on this file by June, paving the way for an early start in trial negotiations with the European Parliament.
The overall vision of the Cyprus presidency is a union that is more autonomous, and this is inextricably linked with energy independence, deeper integration, for a true energy union. Thank you for your attention.
You have the floor.
Dan Jørgensen
Honourable. Members, dear friends, in 1956, there was a crisis over the Suez Canal.
Fossil fuel markets became unstable, and in Europe, energy prices went up. The 1970s, there was instability in the Middle East. Fossil fuel markets became unstable, and in Europe, energy prices went up.
In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and weaponized supplies of gas and oil. Markets became unstable. And in Europe, energy prices went up. Now in 2026, there is another geopolitical crisis. There's more instability in fossil fuel markets, and once again, in Europe, energy prices have gone up.
Dear friends, when will we learn? And if we do not learn, who else can we blame? If we are condemned to repeat our past mistakes decade after decade, crisis after crisis, once again, our citizens and businesses have been exposed to the volatility of fossil. Markets.
The situation in the Middle East and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz is having a serious impact on global energy security and commodity prices. Two weeks ago, we witnessed the largest ever strategic oil stock release coordinated by the International Energy Agency. In the commission, we are in close contact with member states on a regular basis to assess the impacts. For the time being, the physical security of the energy supply in the EU is assured. However, we must take targeted and temporary measures to address the spikes in imported fossil fuels.
So that we can protect our citizens, especially the most vulnerable groups in our societies, and safeguard our economy and jobs. And this is exactly what the commission has set out to do.
We will act on all four components that determine electricity prices. Firstly, on the cost of energy, which accounts for over half of the electricity price on average, we will make state aid rules more flexible. So that member states can deliver immediate price relief to those most affected, for instance, in the energy intensive industries. We also agreed to work closely with member states that developed national schemes to further mitigate the impact of fuel costs on electricity generation. We will do so on a case-by-case basis while preserving our long-term investment signals for clean energy.
The second component is grid charges. Which accounts for around 80-18% of the price. Here, would prepare a legal proposal to allow member states to improve the productivity of the grid.
Infrastructure. The third component of the prices is taxes and levies. We need to lower the tax rates on electricity. It is up to member states to make sure that electricity is taxed less than fossil fuels.
We are exploring what can be done, including true localization. The fourth and final component is carbon pricing. The emissions trading system is working. It has helped us to cut emissions and reduce our gas demand by over 1,000,000,000 cubic meters since 2022.
Reducing our vulnerability and driving major investments in clean, homegrown European. Energy. However, we can modernize the system, make it more flexible, and provide extra support. For example, we've proposed a $30,000,000,000 ETS investment booster, creating more financial resources for clean technology and decarbonization. On top of this, we will continue to work with member states on immediate actions that can be put in place here and now to make a positive impact on our citizens' energy bills.
Many of these tools that we have called on before during the COVID pandemic and the energy crisis of 2022, we might need again. First of all, we strongly encourage member states to support energy poor and vulnerable households. By providing emergency income support to those who need it. By acting to reduce excise duties on electricity. And by implementing further safeguards to prevent consumer disconnections.
We also call on member states to fully harness our citizens' energy package possibilities. By supporting consumers to switch to cheaper energy contracts, by enabling consumers to use their electricity with more flexibility, and by empowering citizens to produce and share their own clean energy.
Standing on the foundations of these actions, let me say to every person feeling the impact of high energy prices, the European Union is doing everything it can to shield you. But we're also doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again. We must double down on our path to energy independence. We must continue building a true energy union.
By rolling out more renewables, reinforcing our grids, and creating a genuine single market for electricity. For this, we need to reach a strong agreement on our grid package. And we must do so as fast as possible.
I count on the support of this house to have a swift and ambitious agreement, so that we can build the infrastructure and interconnections that we desperately need. Without delay. We must also continue to advance energy efficiency, boost electrification, and diversify.
Our supplies. In the coming months, the commission will present a revised framework for energy security. Alongside an electrification action plan and a heating and cooling strategy. And we must never go back to fossil.
Dependency. Repower EU remains our strategy to phase out Russian fuels will go ahead. Honorable members, if we do not learn from our past mistakes, then we are doomed to repeat them.
Over history. But if we do learn from our mistakes, we can build a new future. A future of clean, affordable, homegrown energy. A future of economic security and social stability, a future of true European independence.
When this parliament meets in 50 years time, will they speak of 2026 as just another year, in a chain of crises? Or will they speak of this as a turning point? A moment when Europe finally took control of its own faith and its own future. That is the choice we have to make. For the sake of Europe and all our people.
Let's choose wisely.
Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
Thank you very much, Mr. Commissioner. Now on behalf of the EPP group, señor Salini.
Thank you.
President.
Massimiliano Salini
Well, we do clearly face a serious crisis. And it doesn't necessarily relate to the fact that we rely on supplies that come from The Gulf. The problem is our general dependency, and that means we're vulnerable to price shocks like those that we're currently seeing. And it's a particularly critical time because, as is well known, at the end of winter every year, our reserves are pretty much empty. We only have about 30% of our reserves in place.
And over the summer, we're going to have to refill our reserves, and that's gonna be expensive. So the effects will actually come next winter. So we have one issue, which is that a megawatt hour costs around €70 at the moment. And so we have to look at how we're to deal with this.
Now, in what the commission has said, there are many things that are important for us. Over the medium long term, a system like R1 based on an economy that maintains continues to manufacture things.
Well, we need to have energy, and lots of it. So we need to have more energy independence here. So we need to go for renewables and nuclear energy. We need to ensure that we're strong, rather than being dependent. Renewables also need to be supported by investments in storage and batteries, because anyone who can make renewable energy needs to be able to store it.
But in the short term, we need to work on prices. The commissioner touched on a lot of issues, and I think we really need to work on one of the main issues that is in question today, which is the emissions trading scheme. Now I don't think it should be abolished or suspended.
I mean, I don't agree with that. Kind of view, which is not very realistic. But we do, nevertheless, have a duty, particularly now, to neutralize the impact that ETS has on energy prices. That's something that we can do together.
Thank you.
Mohammed Chahim
On behalf of the S and D group, Mister Shahim, President, our dependence on fossil fuels feeds conflict. If we stick to fossil energies, not only are we open to shocks, but we also fan the flames of conflict.
Why do we keep being dependent on fossil fuels? We should get rid of this dependence. We spend millions of and billions of euros on fossil fuels every year when we could have invested as in our own energy supply, what protects people who are protected are the ones who have heat pumps, electric cars, and solar panels. But, unfortunately, that's not accessible to everyone. And that's our task, because only when we have our own European energy system, only then will we be protected from these shocks.
Jordan Bardella
Thank you. You. President. Commissioner, energy inflation is knocking at Europe's door. Again, nobody here can be unaware of the extent to which millions of citizens are affected.
Our energy policy is being held hostage due to these unbearable pressures, but it's also due to unwise decisions which were taken at the EU level. So many people here are responsible.
The European Commission, when you talk about lowering electricity taxes to accelerate electrification, at the same time, you're keeping an absurd calculation method with a price index for electricity based on gas, which means France cannot benefit from its nuclear option. Which should be giving it the cheapest and most decarbonized energy in Europe.
So you've torpedoed what we were trying to achieve since 2019 under pressure from the Greens. We see renewable energy directives are unfavorable towards nuclear. You say you want to protect citizens against inflation, but you increase food prices and hit our farmers with carbon taxes on fertilizers. You are also taxing fossil fuels, but you have the VAT legislation, which means that retail prices can't go down.
We've always known that you're not very efficient, but we've now got an inflation crisis. And energy is one of the main factors behind this. We mustn't get bogged down in this. We don't want to see inflation levels similar to those of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
People won't be able to take this. We need to release our capacity to do things differently, use nuclear. Don't use ETS, which are penalizing industry. Make good use of the renewable energy direct, even what we can do to pull levers on VAT as well.
Thank you. You.
Elena Donazzan
President. Commissioner, will you recall the various crises that we're facing, talked about energy crisis. You also gave some good advice to the governments. But I think there is something that we should do here. I mean, governments have sovereignty in these choices, so they can do their bit.
But what can the commission do? I mean, the commission can actually do quite a lot. We're facing continual crises, which are the result of geopolitical situations, and we can't do a great deal about them. But what we can do is look at what we can do here. And, for example, some costs which have been imposed on us as a result of certain ideologies are causing problems for our businesses, so we can look at those.
Mr. Salini said that we shouldn't do anything about the ETS. Well, no. The ETS is one of the systems that produces more cost than positive effects. So the commission should put a stop to that system because it's a system that's expensive, and it's not producing the environmental effect that we want. It's just damaging our businesses.
Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
My next speaker on behalf of the renewed group is Mr. Grudler.
Christophe Grudler
President. Commissioner, Europe is still paying the price of its dependency. The threat of the state of Hormuz being closed could trigger an unprecedented global energy crisis. At the same time, the US ambassador is threatening to restrict access to LNG if parliament demands the trade agreement with the US. This is unacceptable blackmail.
Europe must stop being a victim and take back control. In the short term, we must protect our citizens and our businesses. In renew, we're calling for the immediate relaunch of the aggregate EU initiative of joint purchasing to curb speculation and keep prices in check. But the only sustainable solution is to end our dependence on imported fossil fuels. Accelerating the energy transition is not just a climate necessity.
It is a matter of sovereignty. It's the only way to protect ourselves from geopolitical shocks in the long term. Through accelerating renewables and nuclear power, electrifying our energy use, and producing more domestically.
Speaker 38
Thank you very much. On behalf of the Greens, Mister Ecop, thank you very much.
Again, we are having an energy debate.
Bas Eickhout
Barely four years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are once again being hit by the same shock, this time in the Middle East. Different aggressors, same consequences. European citizens are paying the price for our fossil fuel dependence. After 2022, Europe chose the easy path and avoided real change. Rather than breaking free from fossil fuels, we merely swapped suppliers, locking ourselves into new dependencies.
Today, half of our LNG comes from the United States. And that's probably the clearest example of how much Trump's drill, baby, drill approach has paid off. The only real cause for freedom and independence started in 2019.
And it's the Green Deal. The Green Deal is our climate, our economic, and our security agenda. We need to accelerate this agenda to become free from fossil fuels. So European Commission, be careful with your promises on changing the key tool to drive us away from fossils, our emissions trading system.
ETS has done the most in making us less dependent on gas. Attacking this system is just serving the fossil autocrats of this world. And for those who are playing on ETS, the 30% since January. How can that explain the price rises that we are seeing now? But, disappointedly, the industry giants are shielded.
Citizens and small businesses are left exposed. Fossil fuel giants are cashing in on this crisis. Just like they did in 2022. So commission, it's time you are taxing these windfall profits, and the revenues should be used to protect the most vulnerable and accelerate the energy transition.
No more excuses. No more half measures on deregulation. This must be Europe's final wake-up call to end its dependence on fossil fuels and finally commit to building an energy system that is clean and affordable for everyone.
Thank you.
Dario Tamburrano
I think that the Green Deal was part of a too long delayed, but smart plan for strategic autonomy based on locally produced and renewable energies to prepare probable shocks. That we've seen coming for a while.
But that's what we should have told the citizens in 2019. We should have said that Europe, which didn't have many fossil fuels and uranium, rapidly had to equip itself to maintain its geopolitical sovereignty and its economy.
We then went for United States and Qatari liquid natural gas so that we do not have to use Russian gas. And that just made us dependent on other countries, are more expensive and more uncertain than they were previously, as has been shown by recent events.
We've got Caligula across the Atlantic who's constantly threatening us, and wants to force us to buy his gas and oil. Now if Europe wants to survive, it needs to look to its own interests, the interests of its industries, and its citizens. And it needs to buy gas and oil from those who are offering it at the lowest price. We need to free up resources. We should ensure that we have European renewable energy and electricity.
And too many people in this house have blocked that for too long, which has led us into this absurd situation.
SN Group, Mr. Ulrich.
Milan Uhrík
Commissioner. After what you said a while ago, it's clear to all of us that in the commission, you've gone completely nuts, and you have decided to energy suicide with the whole EU.
I don't care, but please don't make us a part of this. And I would like to appeal to you on behalf of all Slovaks and of all Hungarians to renew the energy supplies from the East. Because where do you want to import gas and energy from? You're saying that Russia is not the stable partner, but the Arab countries, are they stable partners? Trump's America, are they a stable partner? The whole world is in chaos, and we need to buy oil and gas somewhere until we build up the renewable sources of energy.
In the Slovak Republic, recently, we have limited the possibilities for foreigners to buy oil or petrol that is produced from our own strategic reserves. And what did Brussels do? They said it's limiting free trade and the free market, but isn't it limiting the free market that you don't allow us to buy oil? I would like to appeal to us, don't appeal to you, don't appeal Central Europe with these obligations.
Thank you.
Virgil-Daniel Popescu
Thank you. Thank you very much. Commissioner, I listen to you with the greatest attention. Obviously, we have to learn from the past. Have to learn from successive crises, which have shown us that dependence on imports of fossil fuels is not a bright idea.
But have we really learned our lesson? We continue to do the same thing. We continue to talk about fossil fuels, we continue to be dependent on imports. For example, imports of technology from countries which are not our allies. Countries which perhaps at some stage may not block a straight, but may stop producing solar panels or other components.
Have a clear example. This small microprocessor, which is no longer available to the automobile industry, has thrown us into a major crisis in the automobile sector. Does it make sense just to look at the most competitive price? You say that producing it here is more expensive, but perhaps we should teach our populations that there is a cost for security.
Perhaps we will finally wake up and invest in the production of technology for our industry. Whether we're talking about renewables or new or nuclear energy in the European territory. It's the best way if not to repeat the other's past.
Thank you. You.
President.
Paolo Borchia
I think we're all worried about high energy prices. There's an illegal war going on. Supported by some people in this house. That affects our economies. Same people supporting this war are the people who have created this problem.
And calling on us to continue consuming expensive and volatile fossil fuels. So who are the populists really supporting here? Not the people of Europe, they're not European patriots. They're not patriots of their own countries. Either.
In Spain or anywhere else, to be truly patriotic. You'd support renewables and not support wars. If you're a true European, you would support the European Green Deal, including the ETS. And I think if we look at what happened in Ukraine a few years ago, of course, there is sadness and frustration, but some are better prepared. Some are pre have invested in renewables, and they have more available fuel and less volatile prices.
That has happened in my country, for instance. So we can see the way, but it's through European solutions. It's through clean technology. The sun and the wind are far more predictable than the mood Trump's gonna be in when he wakes up in the morning.
A. Sympatic operator has to its great.
To note how we've got this position. And those who got us here are telling us how to get out of this. Situation that we're in. I have a question for you.
I mean, do you really think when it comes to the security of energy supplies, we are in a better situation than we were in 2022? I mean, the answer seems clear.
But once again, no one listened to us. You thought that you could move away from a dependency on Russian gas, but you just moved on to another series of dependencies.
Dependency on Chinese goods in certain sectors, and then dependency on Qatari gas. Etc. So we're all good at analyzing problems. But let's look at some solutions now. Suspending ETS, for example.
This is a luxury that our industry can no longer put up. Let's suspend it. And then in five years' time, can talk about it again.
Esteban González Pons
Correct. You have a green card from Mr. Pelini Karlin. Do you accept it? Okay. I cannot see the seat.
I have the floor.
Seat number seven.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
Mister. Porkia, the US ambassador, commented on Russian LNG. What is your opinion? Should we give in to the Trump threat to the EU? Well, thank you for the question.
Paolo Borchia
No. Of course, we shouldn't accept blackmail. We should think about Europe, European consumers, and European industry. And we should be lucid enough not to look at this in ideological terms. We need to move away from our dependencies.
We need to come up with an energy mix that is flexible. Renewables have to increase their share. We need a lower less red tape for them. We also need to look at nuclear gas, extending our energy mix, and also having alternative plans in place.
Mean, all crucial for the future. Thank you.
My next speaker is Madame Sithu.
Speaker 50
Thank you.
President, commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. The ETS system destroyed the European economy. Companies have been going bankrupt. People have been losing their jobs. Production is still localized outside Europe, and this is all happening.
While we have had ETS in force.
For a long time now, and we want to continue with this. Soon, people won't have an opportunity or won't be able to pay their invoices for electricity and gas. Because we are now talking about ETS2.
This will lead us nowhere. This cannot be fixed. This cannot be adjusted. If we are talking about yet another crisis resulting, of course, from the global situation, then we should brace for it, and we should become protected.
So far, we have been trying by escalating this road to nowhere. ETS has to be done away with. Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
Madam, you have a blue card. Do you accept it? Do you accept a blue card? Thank you very much. My next speaker is Madam Vandenberg.
Brigitte van den Berg
Thank you, chair. Thirty-three days ago, I quit smoking. And from an expert by experience, I can say that the first step is getting a get by the first step in getting away from your dependence, admitting that you're dependent, and admitting that this dependence is hurting you. But I can also say that what is far easier and what I see here a lot is denial.
Because we are denying that it's the fossil fuel prices that are hurting our industry. And are making our normal people pay. And we need to get over this. We need to face the truth.
That it's time to start listening to the courageous. It's time to start listening to the people who want to change and who know how to change. It's time that we start believing that Europe is strong enough to build a healthy future. A future where we are in charge of our own cheap, clean, and independent energy.
Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
Thank you very much, and congratulations on not smoking. My next speaker is Mister Nynistov.
Ville Niinistö
Mister. President Trump is jeopardizing much with his illegal war on Iran.
Russia is gaining billions of euros every week, the freeze of American oil sanctions, while Ukraine is missing out on weapon support that is being used in the Gulf. Now we are also facing a huge risk of a global recession due to the fossil energy price hike with the closure of Strait Of Hormuz.
First of all, we all need to remember, first, we need to convince the Americans to deescalate and normalize the trade supply in the Gulf. Secondly, we in Europe must reinforce the green energy transition. Wind and solar cannot be stopped at the Strait of Hormuz. Electrification, grid investments, energy efficiency, and energy savings must be encouraged.
Member states that are furthest in the transition feel the least of this shock. Thirdly, we also must be prepared in a continued price hike, attack windfall profits. That income then can be used to support citizens and businesses that are most vulnerable. Vulnerable.
But we cannot meddle with the market mechanism by supporting fossil fuels, because that would only prolong the dependency. Energy independence is the way out of the crisis.
Thank you very much, dear colleague.
Jussi Saramo
Mister Saramo, the chair, Donald Trump is an exceptionally ruthless and simple-minded leader. This is not the first time the EU pays the price for US wars. We may not be able to stop Trump or Putin from killing innocents.
But we must break free from our dependence on their fossil fuels and their wars. It's not only electricity and fuel costs that are rising, food prices and inflation in general are affecting ordinary people.
Fortunately, a green transition has already started. Europe. Thanks to clean energy in my home country, Finland, the price of electricity is now the lowest in Europe. Another excellent example is Spain. They have built a future with solar and wind power.
Now Spain is safer, more affordable, and more independent. Unfortunately, many other leaders in Europe are unable to lead the change. They want to look past and not look to the future.
We need immediate action. We need to consistently oppose the illegal actions of Trump, Netanyahu. And Putin, and we need to accelerate the green transition to accelerate our freedom. Thank you.
Speaker 55
It. Looks like the global deep state has asked the EU leadership to commit economic harakiri. And Europe being with overzealous enthusiasm. Sanctions are clearly not working, but you are shooting yourself in the foot with collective indebtedness, and you believe that this will bring Russia to its knees. An energy crisis is looming, and you're funding the saboteurs of Nord Stream.
What is the plan? The shutdown of the French oil pipeline and the attack on TurkStream, our acts of blackmail and a threat to national security. Yet you tolerate that as well.
Because you hope in this way, you can influence Hungarian elections. What would happen if instead of playing power games, you did something else? You've already recognized your mistake with nuclear energy.
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
Mortimer's, thank you. I don't know whether you're aware, but Romania is the richest country in the EU when it comes to resources. Russia is the richest country in Europe when it comes to resources and is in the top three worldwide.
Now, yes, there are wars going on, but people wage those wars. In the case of Ukraine, there was a US war in 2014. Through the supposed Mayan revolution, which was supported. By global actors.
And we're now poor. We've got all this oil and gas, but it's not ours anymore because the US Israel are taking everything. We've got nothing left for ourselves. Over half the population of Romania has left the country and gone to live somewhere else.
The Neptune project is about gas molecules, becoming available in Europe from 2027. We need these resources to be in price stability measures for the whole EU block from the European Commission, with operations operational support being provided to ensure that the Black Sea is subject to security because we've got a military that's a US military base on the Black Sea that we might get bombed.
Pilar del Castillo Vera
Mr. Steph Castillo, we now have the floor. Thank you very much, President, Commissioner. The conflict in the Middle East is once again causing tension in energy markets, and Europe is once again showing its vulnerability.
There will be no real strategic autonomy without a massive change in focus. Firstly, it's essential to develop further storage technologies. Secondly, we need to boost and stabilize energy sources such as nuclear energy. And in this context, the €200,000,000,000 committed by the commission to the development of small reactors become genuine commercial solutions that work and are stable.
In order to do that, we need to note that it was utterly irresponsible to close safe and operational nuclear power stations, as the Spanish government wants to do. And then thirdly, when it comes to the security of supply, we need to have a long-term vision with stable and long-lasting contracts. And finally, it's important to move forward with interconnections and simplify authorization procedures.
The issue is not what should we do. The issue is how quickly and how determinedly we can act.
Thank you. You.
President.
Annalisa Corrado
In Spain last week, the wholesale electricity price was €35 per megawatt-hour. Well, initially, it was 148. Why is this? Because with the same market mechanism in Italy, the price is driven by gas, while in Spain, it is not.
For some years now, thanks to the strategy of Pedro Sanchez and to Ribeira, it has been driven by renewables. So my problem is fossil fuels, not the ways we have to stop using them. It's fossil fuels.
The very same fossil fuels for which Trump goes around with a loaded shopping cart and delays and declares an illegal war in Venezuela. Greenland, and then Europe and Iran with a genocidal net and Yahoo inflaming the Middle East and putting us in a critical situation we've never seen before.
These are the very same fossil fuels that, for some, continue to be a good idea, so much so that they dismantle the main systems we have to move in the right, namely decarbonization. These are the very same fossil fuels that serve interests other than those of European citizens. They line the pockets of a very few, while the cost falls on families and the productive sector.
Colleagues, let's turn the page. We cannot remain stuck to fossil fuels like minister Santang Guay is stuck in her seat.
Csaba Dömötör
We've. Ended up in a very difficult situation. The sources of energy have been restricted. We've got mandatory cleaning measures and banned imports from these consequences. So clear, prices have skyrocketed and families are footing the bill.
The coalition here cares. They're not concerned about the situation of the states, look approvingly as Ukraine blackmails Hungary, it's blocking the French oil pipeline and attacking the southern gas pipeline. They look on approving the wet Nord Stream has blown up.
But we don't. Mr. Weber may not care that 24,000 industrial jobs have been lost in Germany in a year. But we are interested in Hungarian jobs, and we are interested in family builds.
We'll take the necessary steps on oil blockade and interstate terrorism across every line, especially when a candidate contests against another member state. We demand less blackmail, and that's work for European families.
Speaker 63
Colleagues. Europe doesn't just have a price problem when it comes to energy. It also has a real security of supply problem. And this causes a lack of security in general.
We currently have less access to oil and LNG from the Gulf. And this doesn't only mean higher bills, but also a direct risk to the functioning of our economy as a whole.
Liquefied natural gas has become very important for the EU, but currently, we can only purchase it in the United States, and we know what U. S. Price policy is like at the moment.
We're exposed to external shocks that we have no control over. Nevertheless, we continue with our carbon trading system, which increases energy costs. Without a safe energy supply, industry can't be competitive.
Can't be competitiveness. Excuse me. We can't continue with this green transition at any cost, and we can't ignore the geopolitical realities. Transition, energy transition is not an end in itself. It has to improve our lives.
Emma Ytterell
Right now, we are living some really hard-earned lessons.
For decades, we built our economy based on fossil fuels when we should have known better. We should have known better when Russia invaded Crimea and cut the gas flows. We should have known better and to change our tax system, phase out oil instead of hoping for Iran to keep the Hormuz Strait open. We should have known better than to let US threaten us to comply in order for them not to cut our gas supply.
We were wrong. Wrong. Wrong. We were wrong in getting dependent on Russia. Wrong on getting dependent on the Middle East, and wrong on getting it dependent on the US.
So my question is to the government across Europe, how dare you challenge the EU climate policies when that's their only way, the only path to get rid of these harmful dependencies. When will Europe learn? The.
Esteban González Pons
Colleague, you were wearing a t shirt with a political message which is not allowed. I will take note, and I will send the message to the borough.
Benedetta Scuderi
Europe hasn't got gas or oil. That's not ideology. It's geology. And now we're seeing imports, which, of course, are subject to all kinds of external shocks and price hikes.
So what does the right say? Let's buy more oil and gas. Let's stop the transition.
They see fossils as the fuels, as the only solution.
But consumers are turning out the lights. Industries are shutting down their factories, but we're being told that, with high gas prices, there'll be nice dividends to rein in for the shareholders, and so on. So that's about profit.
In fact, transition is the only way to autonomy. It's the only way to freedom for the EU. We need to do some very simple things. We need to make sure that we are efficient, energy efficient in homes, and we need to have greater storage. We need more renewables.
Speaker 71
You, colleague. Well, what would you change for us if we weren't dependent on oil? What would be different given the current situation? Mister Sipa, we could adopt a stronger geopolitical position if we weren't so utterly dependent on fossil fuels.
Benedetta Scuderi
We could be a peace builder. We could defend international law. It's very hard to do that if all of your energy comes from an authoritarian regime and you're dependent on Putin, Trump, Iran, and UAE and various authoritarian regimes. Peace energy autonomy, defending international law, having some kind of international standing and credibility, peace building and defending international law, that's the kind of thing we could have.
Elena Yoncheva
Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor. Will speak in Bulgaria.
Colleagues, facing the threat of a global energy crisis due to the war in the Near East, Europe needs to make a decision. Now we cannot wait to construct a new nuclear power plant.
We've lost years. The war in the Near East hasn't it shown just for the next time that economy is the most suffering from bad political decisions. We need to be wise and foster our freedom through economic measures.
And Bulgaria can serve as an example. We extend our nuclear energy. We invest in pipelines, and we have a great share of renewables. But Bulgaria has something that can help Europe.
Energy from coal, do not destroy that as a result of allowances. Freeze the ETS and let us reconsider it. Thank you.
Wouter Beke
You. Very much. Commissioner, Ladies and gentlemen, we faced a very serious situation. The International Energy Agency talks about the mother of all crises. This is going to be deeper crisis. It's going to last longer because crucial energy infrastructure has been destroyed in the Middle East.
Europe has to play its role, but the real levers lie with the member states. Members of the commission has to take temporary measures to give sufficient state aid to pressure the prices.
I don't think that this is the time to stop paying out billions. But it doesn't mean we can do nothing. We have to protect the weakest. We shouldn't have blank checks. We don't have to pass bills for tomorrow, but something has to be done.
This crisis shows once again that our dependence on fossil fuels means that our welfare is very vulnerable. Let's not blow up ETS. That's not a solution for the future, but we should adjust as necessary, particularly for the energy-intensive industries with more breathing room. But blowing up this entire system would be a mistake.
Speaker 76
Citizens count on us, as does the economy. Let us shoulder our responsibility.
Donald. Trump.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
Donald Trump has caused a new oil shock. Our leaders didn't choose this war, but they did choose to maintain our dependency on fossil fuels. Now that's a political choice, which is enriching oil and gas giants while impoverishing Europeans. When the price of oil goes up, it's our citizens who pay. When the price of gas goes up, it's small businesses that pay.
Europe doesn't have oil or gas. But it does have wind, solar power, nuclear, and we do have a lot of ideas as well. We must move away from fossil fuels.
During the coming months, let's show some common sense. Let's reject this far-right nostalgia for fossil fuels, which leaves Europe in an energy nightmare. Let's guarantee energy stability so that carmakers can reinvest. Let's support renewable energies. Let's become an economic power that supports our small businesses and our environment. Let's go electric.
Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
You have a blue card from Mr. Steer. Do you accept it? Mister Steer, seat 682.
Davor Ivo Stier
Thank you, chair. Dear colleague, half of the energy that we consume in Europe is for heating and cooling.
And the commission is about to publish a strategy on heating and cooling. Within that, an action plan for geothermal energy. The first action plan is your expectations? What do you expect from these strategic documents? Thank you very much, dear colleague.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
I'm happy that we're pursuing a conversation on energy security, and indeed, if we want to achieve energy security in Europe, we need to have secure access to heating and cooling.
I think we need the commission to be bolder in investing in all the domestic and homegrown energy sources that we have in Europe, geothermal, is actually one. We can do more for geo in the short and medium term, and that is very helpful for the debate we're having today. We need also to invest in research for enhanced geothermal systems that will allow to have deeper access to geothermal in the 20 thirties and the 20 forties all over Europe, not only in the areas that are currently, let's say, good for the geothermal development with the current technologies.
Maxi, missi. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci.
Next speaker is Mister Bistisen.
Speaker 79
Want to understand why Europe is not self-sufficient in energy. All you have to do is look around this room. This is where we pressed for getting rid of nuclear power, and countries like Sweden and Germany. This is where we've pressed to make Europe dependent on stable sources of energy, such as sun and wind. And that is why we pressed for far too expensive a transition, which means that the industry and consumers can't keep up.
We could have done something different. We could have worked towards independence like they've done in the US, so we weren't dependent on the malice or on Russia. But we continue to go down the same road, we don't even care how much energy costs as long as the intentions are good and as long as it feels good.
Speaker 69
And as long as that defines our energy policy, we will not become independent of foreign suppliers, be they Despots from the Middle East or from the East. Freeze seat six four.
Sigrid Friis
The. Most expensive and the stupidest thing is not the green transition. It continues to continue to be so dependent on black energy. You know that full well if you're saying that it doesn't make sense to invest in renewables. If you pretend that that will not make sense to continue to invest in windmills, how many wars in Middle East does it need? How many foreign shocks of the energy sector does it take before you will shift to the green path? Your policy has been a disaster for Denmark and the EU.
Speaker 79
You've closed down the North Sea gas, which means we're now having to buy from Russia and the Middle East. You're saying that windmills at sea would be a great investment, but you're piling state support on to keep it going.
It is really embarrassing that you have to keep paying taxpayers' money to get your policy to work. Even the think tank cracker has said that your energy policy is a huge hole in the ground and a complete fata Morgana.
Diego Solier
You. Gave Spain as an example of energy prices. Who wins when energy prices go up? The government. Because of taxes. Who pays them? Families, hardworking people, SMEs, and European industry.
In the meantime, Pedro Sanchez's government in Spain is taking decisions going in the opposite direction to common sense. Spain does not have gas, but Sanchez wants to shut down the nuclear power stations. Make us even more dependent on foreign gas. How much of a worse decision could he take? And we already had those shutdowns recently, the blackouts. So he ignores expert advice, ignores the European Commission, and he knows what the result will be. Energy prices will go up, will become more dependent, and will have less industry.
You call that an energy transition. This is an ideology being imposed in the face of common sense. Thank you, mister Solir.
Katahinan.
Speaker 83
President. We're hearing a lot of crisis after crisis. Nobody seems to be able to tackle them. Fifth year now of the Russian attack on Ukraine. And the latest crisis is now impacting the market.
We are importing a lot of our energy from countries outside the European Union. And when we have wars, that makes it far worse, we have a lot of inflation.
We've increased oil and gas prices, but it also has an impact on fertilizer prices and food security. We've got to find the solutions to reinforce the earnings of pharmaceutical get a grip on expenditure.
So we must submit the parliament's proposal to the commission quickly for decision and implementation. We've got to get rid of our dependence on fertilizer. We have to be more independent by using renewables. It's high time to take account of the reality and get rid of the sources of fossil fuel.
Speakers, Mr. Bloss.
Michael Bloss
President. Commissioner.
Whenever anything goes wrong somewhere in the world, we pay the price here. We saw that four years ago, when Putin pushed us into the gas crisis. Now we're seeing it again today.
But there's a major difference between Trump and us in Europe. Trump's gas buddies are earning massive amounts on a daily basis, whereas we're paying the price. We don't have oil. We don't have gas, and we have families who are worried about their next gas bill. We have businesses that can't afford to fuel their facilities.
We have supermarket prices that are only going in one direction. So we really need to move away from ideology here. Oil and gas are the problem. I think we can all agree with that.
Call it what you will. Solar power, wind power, renewables, freedom energy, they're the solution. It's clear that we need to move away from our fossil fuel dependency because that is ridiculously expensive and it's causing massive problems for families and business. Thank you.
We have the floor.
Danuše Nerudová
Crazy old men are messing with our energy bills.
Putin is blackmailing us with fuel, and now the Iranian leader is sending rockets across the Middle East and blocking trade routes. And as Europe again, we are just bystanders. When energy becomes a weapon, it is our citizens who pay the price first.
We have a duty not just a political, but a moral, to act to protect. If we can shield households by lowering taxes, let's do it. If we can fix the pricing of emission allowances, let's do it.
But in the long term, we need to build renewables and nuclear to have stable and independent resources, and to tell those crazy old men, Europe is no longer at your mercy.
Thank you very much, dear colleague.
Sorry.
Esteban González Pons
You have a blue card? From Madam Bazner. Do you accept it, Madam Nerudova? Do you accept the blue card? Sorry, I wasn't looking at it. It's 665.
No. No. I cannot, I no.
Sorry.
Esteban González Pons
So floor with that dessert. It's finished. We pass to the next speaker.
Not a political message.
Esteban González Pons
I've been told that it is by the services of the chamber. So it's not my speaker is mister Heyer.
Speaker 87
Minister. Let me just emphasize what you said. Europe must move away from its dependency, I agree with that. We're having a debate here, but I'm constantly hearing that we need to use more nuclear.
But then I asked myself, I mean, do we have uranium, or aren't we simply making ourselves dependent on uranium imports? In the year 2023, the latest figures I could find, around a quarter of the uranium that was imported into Europe came from Russia. So we've helped to finance the Russian war machine. And some nuclear power operators have got lots of supply so that they could continue to use it for a longer period of time.
Speaker 88
So I think a lot of what the commission is saying is quite right. We need to reduce our energy dependencies. Also, on nuclear energy? Thank you.
Speaker 89
Colleagues, the sharp rise in oil prices triggered by the crisis in the Middle East is causing great distress among our fellow citizens who find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. It's also jeopardizing entire sectors, vicious transport, farmers, small business owners are exposed to a sudden cash flow crisis that threatens their livelihoods. In this situation, our leaders' sole concern should be to take urgent measures to lower energy costs.
The Maloney government has done this with its fuel decree. Hungary has by capping prices at the pump. Sweden has taken preemptive active action by lowering several taxes on petrol and diesel starting in 2024, as has Portugal.
In contrast, the French government stands out by its inaction, yet simple and concrete solutions exist. A fluctuating compensatory energy tax, resuming gas and oil drilling operations in France, developing a carbon-free fertilizer production sector, reviving the biofuel sector and fourth generation nuclear energy, and launching the geothermal revolution.
For blue card, no.
Sigrid Friis
€100,000,000. That is the extra bill for Europe every single day because it's very expensive to be dependent on imported fossil fuels. Iran is just the latest geopolitical crisis.
We know what the consequences is: skyrocketing prices, uncertainty strikes industry and our citizens. And then there's a question, how long do we want to be dependent? We don't have to have this dependent on black energy.
In those countries where gas dominates, we get a lot of fluctuation. Once we get green energy, it becomes a lot less fluctuating. It's also better security. And the energy transition can be an economic tool.
So my question is when are we going to send some healthy price signals where green energy is not taxed more than imported fossil fuels. Let's really move the green energy to Central Europe.
Speaker 90
President. Commissioner. Energy security is not abstract. You feel it when the electricity heating, etc. Suddenly go up.
You feel it when petrol prices go up at the pump. As a result of what's going on in Iran. We need reliable, affordable energy sources in Europe, and we don't have any in Europe. If we don't have any, that means investments disappear and jobs go as well. We're dependent on external suppliers.
For fossil fuels, and we're also to divide it internally. We need more energy links, and no taboos as well. We need to look at everything. In terms of prices and supply. We need to look at regulation as well, because we need energy to flow freely to Europe.
Speaker 93
Thank you for giving me the floor. We've got to cut loose the electricity and gas prices. We're seeing the graphs going up, but we've seen Russian and American oligarchs. We have people who already have a lot of money. They're now earning more money at our expense.
They can't go on like this. Households in Europe should not pay the bill for other people's wars or geopolitical games or markets which are allowed to go mad when there's a crisis.
The EU has acted before. You've gone for windfall profits, and we're now faced with a new crisis. We've got to stop being dependent on dictatorships. It's common sense, but we also have to separate the gas prices from the electricity prices.
Difference.
Matej Tonin
Colleagues. The government in Slovenia currently said that we have enough fuel for the next 3 months.
The communication is extremely bad.
And there is panic in Slovenia. People think people talk about not enough fuel being at gas stations, but what is responsible for these prices of energy and of fuel? The governments, member states, their tax policies, and their communication are responsible.
The European Union can do a lot about the prices if we go to renewable energy sources and if we bet on nuclear energy. A mixture of renewables and nuclear power is the path to a strategic future and to lower volatility on the markets.
Speaker 96
Thank you. President. Commissioner. The conflict in The Middle East is once again highlighting Europe's vulnerability to external shocks. It's essential that we continue to invest in renewable energy and the decarbonization of our economies, not only because of the need to combat climate change, but also as a means of reducing our dependence on external sources. In the immediate future, the European Commission and the member states must take action to compensate for lost income and reduce taxes that affect energy prices.
These measures should, wherever possible, be targeted at the most vulnerable households and businesses, whilst not forgetting specific sectors that are being disproportionately affected by this crisis, such as the fishery sector or outermost regions such as Madeira, who are so dependent on shipping and aviation.
We cannot allow a conflict to undermine our economy and social cohesion today. More than ever, we must protect those working in the long-term strength, resilience, and autonomy of our economies and regions.
You have the floor.
Speaker 97
President, dear president, commissioner, today we are talking about a very serious topic, energy security.
This affects our families on a daily basis.
Speaker 97
It affects our enterprises, our energy security. In many countries, also in Estonia, it is a totally new crisis. The situation in Estonia is difficult for the industry, for the households, the rapidly increasing prices create instability on a daily basis. The competitiveness of our businesses is at stake.
People have to decide between heating and food on a daily basis.
I would like to ask here in the European Parliament directly when we are talking about the stability and affordability, where are the concrete and rapid solutions because this is what we need, mechanism that protect smallest, the most vulnerable member states in the unexpected crisis situations. I hope that Europe this morning or at the latest this evening will take common steps to provide security to our families and our business.
Thank you.
You have the floor.
Dear.
Yannis Maniatis
President, dear commissioner, the international crisis continued to highlight the EU's dependence on imported energy resources that expose it to energy extortion.
And there consequences are high energy prices for households and enterprises, especially in the Southeast of Europe and Greece more specifically. Secondly, energy poverty. Third, loss of productivity and jobs.
Our goal is to protect enterprises and citizens. This is why we need more resources to produce and store energy internally. We need to better coordinate our market and monitor them. And we need to protect European entrepreneurship.
We cannot allow for our dependence to shift from the Middle East to the very fluctuating prices of LNG from Russia, the US, or China. Energy autonomy is a matter of social justice, solid, and European sovereignty.
Many others. Mister Kelly, you have the floor.
Seán Kelly
Commissioner, we like it or not, we're going to need oil and gas for many years to come. That means we should be utilizing the oil and gas resources within Europe ourselves rather than leaving the ground. We should be utilizing it.
That means Corrib and Barre Row in Ireland should be utilized immediately. But more importantly than that, is to ramp up the deployment of renewables. That is the future. That means implementing as soon as possible the grids package. Which is complete and which is accurate.
And also, will have to look at some of the obstacles in relation to the deployment of renewables, particularly planning and permitting. When a project is in the public good, like a renewable project, wind or solar, then it should get priority in the planning. Priority in permitting. And ensure that the public good is delivered. And if we do that, then we won't have to be worrying about geopolitical shocks into the future.
The solution is in our hands. Let's do it. Let's back the commissioner to make it happen. Houmagh Grutron.
President.
Speaker 100
Colleagues, when I'm looking at the prices of energy, it would be much cheaper to put in our cars French champagne and not diesel. And the only mobility that we'll see then would be mobility of voters from pro-European parties to radical parties.
Because these parties will use people's anger. They will give complicated solutions to easy problems. This is dangerous. Let me suggest what we do now, because the voters usually expect our solutions and not just criticism to problems.
And now there's a mission which is called Aspidis. It is in the Gulf. It has only two ships instead of 8. And its aim is to protect trade ships from attacks. It should be very well weaponized with frigate and mines so that all shipments reach.
Esteban González Pons
Then people will know that the European Union takes care of their pockets. Thank you.
I have received 15 requests for cuts to the eye. I cannot attend all of them. So I'll try to be as fast as possible. I will cut the speakers after one minute. And I will try to arrive at seven speakers.
Attending to the order of the Castellia, how the CASDI is being asked for. First is Mr. Steer. Set 682.
Davor Ivo Stier
Thank you. You, chair. I must react to a statement that was just made in this debate, according to which the oil supply to Hungary and South AKA is endangered. That's not true.
What is true though is that the Druzhba pipeline is not working due to the Russian aggression on Ukraine. But it's not true that the supply to Hungary and Slovakia is endangered because they are already using an available alternative, which is the Adriatic pipeline.
We've received the seventh ship to the LNG terminal in Croatia that is supplying oil to Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia. Sorry. And the statement, according to which their oil supply is in danger, is not true. There is an alternative, and that's the Adriatic pipeline.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Commissioner. Commissioner Joerg Joergensen, you did well to start your speech by talking about historical crises when fuel prices went up, like the Suez crisis. Netanyahu, Trump attack on Iran, etcetera. I mean, all of these crises have had massive effects, particularly on the middle class and workers.
Now the second part of your intervention said that it's crucial not only to make recommendations to member states, but also to point out good practice such as what the Spanish government is doing. I mean, we have seen them acting to prevent price increases, and what they've done has worked.
But the third point is that there's no way that we can get around the decarbonization of the European economy. That's exactly what we need to do. We need to break our toxic dependency on fossil fuels.
Excuse me. Thank you.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
President. Well, I think there's a lot of naivety here. Breathtaking naivety from the EU. A very expensive lesson is being learned. So what happens when you're faced with a hostile international environment.
We've replaced one kind of dependency with another, with the green transition. We've become dependent on China. And others. And that terrible naivety has led us to where we are now going from Russian dependency to Chinese dependency for raw materials, and we then see this escalation of tenancies with the violent attacks too, while citizens being hit in their pockets.
The citizens, ordinary people, are not satisfied by the green transition. They want heating in the winter. They want heat and electricity.
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez
Thank you. You. President. Well, the war in Iran and Trump's flip-flopping on decisions has led to massive price increases, and energy bills have gone up. We're seeing inflation everywhere.
We were hearing today that it's going to cause problems for the households. I mean, have these differences in member states though in terms of energy prices across Europe, and that's unacceptable.
So, a question. What are the actual barriers that member states should do away with so that we can have a genuinely unified energy market? We want to know what the energy mix is that we need and which barriers should be got rid of. We want to know this in a transparent manner so that we can make appropriate demands of the energy ministers and member states.
Thank you.
Sara Matthieu
And, colleagues, let me ask you a very simple question. Is there a solar energy crisis? No. Is there a wind energy crisis? No.
But we do, again, have a fossil fuel crisis. And Trump's illegal war in Iran is costing our citizens, is costing our industries, a hell of a lot of money.
And who next to Trump is also responsible for this? It's his right wing puppets like Orban, like Maloney, that want to protect fossil fuel, that are actually trying to sabotage our climate laws that are going to protect us against these high energy prices. They're not protecting our European industry. They are protecting the fossil fuel gains.
And so, colleagues, the answer is staring us right in the face. It's wind. It's solar. Those are the only energies that we actually own, where autocrats can't blackmail us or raise the prices.
It's time we grew a spine. It's time we stop begging at the feet of the autocrats. Let's double down on renewables. That's how we win.
Speaker 106
Thank you. Thank you very much. Dear colleagues, these dependencies expect us to act swiftly, and this is why I would like to share with you what the Croatian government did. We have adopted a tenth package of measures with €10,000,000,000, which is directed at mitigating the growth prices and to protect citizens. The main focus is limiting the prices of electricity and gas to prevent shocks to households and the economy.
For citizens, the price of electricity in Croatia will stay the same until October. And the most vulnerable will receive €70 per month. The entrepreneurs also seeing limitations in prices of electrical energy, and the state is also limiting the prices of gas, and the package includes support for the agriculture students and investing in renewables. Politically speaking, this is a reaction to the global crisis, and promotes social security and maintains economic stability. This will also be an excellent example for the countries in the region.
President.
Maria Grapini
Commissioner, today, I've heard representatives from the council say that there's no danger, that we shouldn't be scared in terms of energy security. Let's be realistic. Yesterday, I met representatives from various industrial sectors, with the steel sector, construction, the cement industry, and so on.
And all these people talked about energy prices even before the Iran price, the cost of energy in many was three times higher than anywhere else. We need to stop being dependent.
We have to have a plan for producing energy in Europe. We have to be ambitious, but our ambition must be linked to realism. Accounts talked about accessible price. And accessible price is not the same in Luxembourg as in Romania.
Lukas Sieper
Thank you, Mr. President. It's a whole different feeling up front here. Japan takes 60% of its energy from imports. And they use ships for this. And these ships, they travel through a very narrow strait.
And recently, the so called maritime militia of China gathered thousands of boats there.
And they did concentrated maneuvers showing how vulnerable Japan is as a geopolitical opponent, decides to block Americans straight for their fossil fuel imports, and how bad this is for Japan's geopolitical situation.
Thank you.
Esteban González Pons
Thank you very much, Mister Siper. Mister Commissioner, if you want, you can close the debate.
Dan Jørgensen
Honorable. Members, thank you for a very good debate. I'm grateful that it seems like there is a clear majority in this House who shares the analysis that the real problem for us in Europe when it comes to energy is our dependency on fossil fuels. It's a problem for our security, it's a problem for our prosperity. And it's a problem because we need to get rid of it to fight climate change.
Now, to those of you who argue that the way to solve the present crisis is to go back to more focias, I'll say, That's like trying to prevent diabetes by telling the patient to eat more sugar. It will do the opposite. It will hurt us. It will make us more dependent.
Every year, we import more than €370,000,000,000 worth of fossils. Maybe it's a good idea to change that. Maybe it's a good idea to, instead of doing that, buying fossils, using them, buying some new, using them, let's grow our own.
Clean energy. Renewable energy. And to those who say, let's start buying Russian gas again. I will say no more. Never again.
Not one single molecule ever again. Russia has used energy against us, weaponized it against us, Russia's blackmailed member states of the European Union. And the worst thing, of course, Russia has used the profits from selling energy to us. To finance its terrible war in Ukraine. Never again.
Esteban González Pons
Mister commissioner, madam Rona, on behalf of the council. George, the last word.
Speaker 30
Thank you, Mister President, honorable members, commissioner. Thank you very much for this important debate. For the viable insights. I think across the board, in this debate, there has been agreement that we need to act with urgency on energy independence for our Union.
The commissioner referred to successive crisis. And I would say that at every crisis, we have learned a lesson. This is also the time to act on the lessons we are learning from this crisis.
There were a number of you that referred to the ETS. And let me be clear. The ETS has played an essential role when it comes to energy transition.
Competitiveness and the green transition are not opposing forces or objectives, I would say they are mutually reinforcing. At the same time, we do not operate in a vacuum. We need to be honest about the context in which we are.
European industry and our households are under immense pressure, from the energy costs rising also in light of this war in Iran and the situation in the Gulf. And so we must act without lowering our ambition to the destination, but at the same time, be flexible and while modernizing.
The European Council last week, I believe, marked significant progress when it comes to addressing high energy prices in the short term, and then in the long term, for advancing energy independence. At the same time, we're well aware that there is an important work ahead of us. A key part of that will be carried by the council. And what I can assure you is that under the leadership of the Cyprus presidency, we will continue working intensively, closely monitoring developments in energy prices, with the core objective to mitigate risk to security of supply in close coordination, of course, with member states.
Thank you very much.
Roberta Metsola
So. We now go to the next item on the agenda, which is European Council and Commission statements, conclusions of the European Council meeting of nineteenth of March twenty twenty six. I will start by giving immediately the floor.
To the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa. Thank you for being here.
António Costa
Dear. President to Metzola, dear Commission Dombrowski, honorable members, a lot has happened since our last plenary discussion two months ago.
The world around us has become even more geopolitically unstable. We are now faced with the direct and indirect consequences of developments in Iran and the Middle East. Meanwhile, none of the other challenges around us have gone away.
Especially as Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine continues.
Into its fifth year.
António Costa
However, in the midst of the geopolitical context, Europe is continuing to pursue an ambitious geoeconomic agenda. And in fact, that agenda is becoming more urgent by the day. I came to you just a few days after the European Council that took decisive action on Europe's competitiveness.
In doing so, European leaders delivered on the spirit of Halden Bissen, a meeting that Ed provided. A new momentum for the European Union's economic strategy. European leaders delivered through clear, concrete targets and with ambitious and measurable timelines.
I'm talking about the one Europe, one market agenda, the European Council launched last week. This is an ambitious action plan to be implemented until 2027, but mostly during this year of 2026. Let me outline some of the priorities we agreed on. We will focus on the completion of the single market in particular, by tackling the already identified terrible 10 barriers by March 27. Furthermore, leaders want to see swift progress to improve the mutual recognition of professional qualifications to ensure the mobility of workers in Europe.
By the end of 2026, the leaders expect the endorsement of the commission's newly presented proposal. To create a single voluntary twenty-eighth regime for all companies wishing to adopt it, to help them to operate seamless and with a single set of rules within the European Union.
Concrete decisions are also needed by the end of the year. On the savings and investment union. In order to mobilize savings, increase private investment, and create a truly integrated European capital market. We also need to urgently continue with our ambitions simplification agenda. To reduce existing red tape but also ensuring that new initiatives are in line with the simplicity by design principle.
Simpler rules and less gold plating, my member states. That is also why European leaders have called for regulations to be favored over directives. Beyond the single market and simplification, the European Council underlines that we need to take determined action to increase our strategic autonomy and reduce dependencies.
In strategic sectors and technologies, a target and proportionate European preference is needed. And in this regard, the Industrial Accelerator Act should be agreed by the end of the year. Last but not least, it is clear that high energy prices are one of the biggest challenges for the competitiveness of the European Union.
The current crisis in the Middle East and its impact on global energy supply confirm that the path we have chosen is the right one. Decarbonization and the acceleration of homegrown energy sources, a technological neutral way, remain the right way forward to limit dangerous dependencies and lower energy prices in the long term.
There was no ambiguity on this in last week's European Council. However, it was clear that at the same time, we need to take immediate action to protect our citizens and businesses. In this regard, the commission will present a set of temporary and targeted measures.
Taking into account the specific situations of member states and the particular vulnerability of certain energy-intensive industrial sectors. In order to counter the risk of relocation and to protect jobs.
Honorable members, in short, the one market, Europe agenda is ambitious. It is concrete, and it is urgent. It represents a real policy acceleration towards a more competitive Europe. But let me be clear. The change of pace and ambition will not bear fruit without you.
The parliament, together with the council, will be the institution turning this agenda into tangible changes and benefits for European citizens and businesses. The parliament will have its fullest say in shaping these decisions.
Are working together towards a common objective, a more competitive and more innovative Europe. But this agenda is much more than that. It provides the solid foundation we need to protect and develop our prosperity and our social model.
It means quality jobs, it means affordability, and it means leaving no one behind as Europe deals with harsh global competition. At the same time, this economic strength is also a strategic imperative. It will allow us to eliminate harmful dependence. This to ensure our sovereignty, even when it comes at a cost.
To increase and sustain our growing investment in defense, to support Ukraine as long as it takes. We need to act together to ensure that we have the economic muscle to do all this.
The current geopolitical context is acting as a catalyst for our competitiveness agenda. But it is also putting our values to the test. And we must continue to defend the rules-based international order. And uphold the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and our treaties. Violations of international law must not be accepted anywhere.
The European Union must continue to stand firm on this. In the meeting with the United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres, during the European Council, it was once again clear that the European Union is and will continue to be a staunch defender of multilateralism. In fact, the European Union must become one of the main driving forces of a network of multipolarity in support of multilateralism. International law and the United Nations. That is the European Union's international vocation.
And that is in the European Union's interest. Honorable members. The European Union will continue to be a force for stability, standing up for the international rules-based order. And we will take firm action to ensure our capacity to act in a stable world.
The implementation of the one Europe, one market agenda is key in this regard. And I look forward to continuing to work closely with this chamber to achieve this. Thank you very much.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you very much, president Costa. I give the floor now to the commission to commissioner. Valdis Dombrovskis. Have the floor.
Madam.
Valdis Dombrovskis
President, president Kosta, honorable members, President Funderline is in Australia for the signature of the EU-Australia Security and Defense Partnership and Trade Agreement. So I will represent the European Commission in today's debate.
Let me begin with Ukraine. The EU remains Ukraine's biggest donor. Our total support reached €194,900,000,000 this month. Last week, 25 heads of state and government reaffirmed their continued and unwavering support to Ukraine.
We, in December, the European Council took the decision to provide Ukraine with 90,000,000,000 support alone for 2026 and '27. The commission appreciates a high level of urgency that this house has given to this file. This has allowed swift adoption of two of the three necessary legislative proposals underpinning that Ukraine support law.
We regret that the European Council could not reach its decision on the Ukraine support loan. When the European Council made the decision to sort of for support loan in December, there was one condition. That three countries would not participate in the law. And this condition has been fulfilled.
As president von der Leyen underlined after the European Council, and I quote, the loan remains blocked because one leader is not honoring his word. But we will not be deterred.
President Fondaland has been very clear. We will deliver one way or another. At the same time, the commission is progressing on technical work for the implementation of the loan. We'll be prepared to move swiftly to provide the support once there is an agreement in the council.
We have already received a financial strategy from Ukraine and are working on conditions for this funding, including on the memorandum of understanding linked to the micro financial assistance program. These conditions include structural reforms to strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian economy, anticorruption reforms, and further measures to speed up the accession process, and facilitate Ukraine's integration in a single market.
Term. Ukraine's future is in the EU. And our overall strategy on Ukraine remains the same. To provide maximum support to Ukraine and exert maximum pressure on aggressor Russia. The European Union is determined to continue weakening Russia's war economy, and this goal is even more important now as we can see that Russia is benefiting from the war in Iran and the corresponding increase in the oil and gas prices.
The European Commission has prepared the 20 sanctions package, and it is important to move forward with it. It focuses on further reducing Russia's energy revenues, targeting Russia's banking system, and limiting the operations of its shadow fleet. We are also intensifying our engagement with international partners concerning their financial support.
For Ukraine. The European Council also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, including Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon. The situation in the region is extremely serious. Developments in Iran and the wider region threaten regional and global security.
A wink of them, Iran's indiscriminate military strikes against countries in the region. We need the escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. The European Commission stands with its partners and friends in the region in a spirit of solidarity and friendship.
Cyprus has been directly impacted by this war more than any other member state. The security of Cyprus, as of any member state, is a security of the European Union. We stand firmly in support of Cyprus, and we welcome the deployment by member states of military assets in the Eastern Mediterranean.
European Council also expressed its deep concern about increasing hostilities in Lebanon, and its severe impact on civilians, including large-scale displacement, suffering, loss of life. We will continue to stand by Lebanon, its authorities, and its people.
The European Council also discussed the deteriorating situation in Gaza. Calling on Israel to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale into and throughout Gaza. Earlier this month, the commission announced €458,000,000 in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt in 2023.
The worst, most immediate impact on Europe is through energy. The council called on the commission to present a toolbox for targeted temporary measures to address recent spikes in the prices of imported fossil fuels arising from the crisis in the Middle East. The commission will act across all four components that determine electricity prices.
So first, on energy costs themselves. Member states can already make use of state aid measures to compensate for the cost increases in energy. And the commission will further flexibilize the use of state aid for this purpose.
Second, on grid charges. The commission will prepare a legal proposal for the productivity of grid infrastructure. And allow member states to reduce grid charges for energy-intensive industries. Third, on taxes and levies. The commission will propose to mandate lower tax rates on electricity and to make sure that electricity is taxed less than fossil fuels.
So, and force on carbon pricing. The emission trading system is working and delivering on its promise to massively reduce gas consumption. But we need to modernize it and make it more agile.
We are preparing measures including updating the benchmarks for free allocations and taking into account concerns of industry. Increasing the firepower of the market stability reserve, to reduce price volatility. And this will be followed by the broader review of the ETS system.
The commission will continue to report to the council on the potential impact of recent developments for the EU in terms of energy security and energy prices. Supply chains and migration, and will propose appropriate measures.
So energy is just one element of Europe's overall competitive position. Leaders also discussed how to further deepen the single market. To this end, the commission will soon present its One Europe, One Market roadmap.
The road map will set out key logistical measures with a very clear timeline, targets, milestones, delivery by 2027. Last week, the commission presented a proposal for the EU. This is a foundation and starting point for the EU's 28th regime. This makes it easier, faster, and cheaper for our companies to start, scale, and do business across the EU.
Here we count on college legislators to swiftly proceed with the adaptation of this file. Our simplification, again, the continuous pace. The European Council called on the commission, the college's letter, and member states to continue ambitiously simplifying rules and reduce administrative burdens at the EU national and regional level.
We have set an ambitious target of 25% cut in administrative burdens for all businesses, and 35% for SMEs. So last year, as a commission tabled 10 omnibus proposals, these proposed measures have potential for €15,000,000,000 reduction of recurring administrative costs and €6,000,000,000 in one-off savings. These are real savings that contribute to boosting the competitiveness of EU companies.
So The European Council called on the co-legislators to agree all pending omnibus proposals before 2026. This year, more than half of legislative initiatives in the commission's work program have a strong simplification focus. This means that they must deliver net administrative savings. In addition to further omnibus proposals, the commission will introduce a simplicity by design approach to future rules that improve the governance and development of legal text.
Finally, in the broader context of a further deteriorating geopolitical environment, and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine remaining an existential challenge for the European Union, the European Council also reaffirmed its determination to decisively ramp up Europe's defense readiness by 23.
The leaders also took stock of the progress on migration, and held a lunch with the UN secretary general, Guterres. And finally, leaders decided that the discussions on the next multi-annual foreign framework would be postponed to the informal meeting of heads of state and government in April in Cyprus.
To conclude, honorable members, we must continue to act with determination and focus to address challenges we face. This is the only way that we can ensure that Europe remains resilient, prosperous, and sovereign in a rapidly changing world.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you very much, commissioner Dombrovskis. I'll now start with the speakers on behalf of the political groups, starting with the EPP group, Dolores Monserrat.
Dolors Montserrat
Thank you. President, council president, commissioner, the European Council, has made it very clear. There's no government defending this war. But there's only one government, Sanchez, which is using it for electoral propaganda.
We're concerned about stability, security, and peace. It's very clear to Europe who our partners are and who constitutes a threat. The Iranian regime represses its own people, especially women, and it's a threat to the Middle East. It's an authoritarian regime, and it is responsible for this collapse in the Middle East.
The EU cannot only look on and react. So we're pleased to hear this call for greater competitiveness from the council. We need to eliminate obstacles, simplify, ensure that we truly have a single market. Because a lot of the barriers Europe faces are internal. Because we have 27 different national legislations, we have practices which hinder integration. So we're pleased to see the 28th regime.
We need less red tape for greater competitiveness. Turning Europe into the best place in the world for entrepreneurship, investment, and growth. We can grow. From crises. We've done it in the past.
We can grow in terms of our strategic autonomy and our resilience and independence in the world with cheaper energy too, so that we can compete with the giants. The EPP will be at the forefront of that progress as it has been in the past because Europe cannot afford another decade of indecision.
It's a clear choice now: fragmentation or integration, delay or integration, 27 different national systems or true single market. Europe's time has come. Europe can write its own history. Not sit back and wait for others to help, not end up carrying around a begging bowl, but taking decisions for itself.
Speaker 117
With the floor to the chair of the SND group, Ehracha Gazziyepera. Gracias, president. Thank you.
Iratxe García Pérez
President commissioner. How much more destruction do we need for us to face up to reality? How much more evidence do we need to denounce an illegal war that never should have started? Missus Monserrat.
The commitment and efforts being made to try and say that mister Sanchez is alone show that you're denying reality. Those who are more and more isolated are you. Prime minister Sanchez has become the person who leads a clear response of European citizens in defending multilateralism and international law because one month ago, Trump promised a rapid war, a war that would last four years.
But where is the freedom for the Iranian people, which everyone wanted to see? What's the result? Dictatorship of the Ayatollah hasn't fallen. But four over 4,000 Iranians have. More than a thousand civilians in Lebanon, 800,000 displaced people, Gaza continues to be destroyed in silence.
Iran is attacking the Gulf States. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, the world is facing an energy crisis which is unprecedented in nature. That's the result. Those who have so far been silent, are they going to call out Trump and Netanyahu's violations of international law? Yes.
Or no? Silence his complicity. And make no mistake, this war is not only destroying people's lives over there, it's also affecting our citizens here. Oil has reached $120 per barrel.
Gas, $60 per megawatt. And with the increase in energy prices, we're seeing inflation, the collapse in consumption, businesses shutting down, and we're seeing more unemployment and inequality. And in the midst of this tragedy, we hear Trump saying, well, if the oil price goes up, it's better for the US.
But who does he mean? Does he mean families who can't fill up their petrol tanks? For what does he mean workers who see their shopping more expensive? No. He means big oil, because that's the uncomfortable truth. This is a war that benefits the few and impoverishes the majority. And that's why we say enough hypocrisy. Enough looking the other way.
Because we have to protect our families and our SMEs before it's too late. We have to say it loud and clear, dismantling the Green Deal like the Popular Party and the fake far-right patriots want is not a solution. It's the problem. It would mean condemning us to continue to be dependent on fossil fuels that fund wars.
The only way out is to speed up the green transition, renewables, strategic autonomy, and clean energy. We will not have this crisis used as an excuse to weaken the emissions trading system. Do not dismantle it. Don't shift the cost of pollution onto the citizens.
And while we're talking about responsibilities, we shouldn't ignore those who are blocking European solidarity. Orban's veto on the 90,000,000,000 loan to Ukraine is shameful. Ladies and gentlemen, Europe cannot be held hostage by external autocrats or their internal accomplices. Europe was not created to prostrate itself to the powerful.
We don't defend our principles when they're really put to the test, then we're no longer what we say we are. Because peace is not weakness. Peace is the greatest possible act of political courage.
And Europe has to measure up.
Thank you.
Roberta Metsola
Thank you. I give the floor now on behalf of the PFE Group to King Agal.
Speaker 118
Thank you. Thank you very much. We patriots expect the commission and the council, finally, to make decisions that ensure the safety of European citizens. We expect them to protect citizens against terrorist and antisemitic acts, against potentially wave of migration, and to guarantee your energy security.
But it's not happening. The energy crisis caused by conflict in the Middle East is only exacerbated by the deliberate shutdown of the Khorsberg oil pipeline by the Ukrainians, seriously jeopardizing the energy supply of Hungary and Slovakia. Therefore, we are pained to see that Europe is not standing in support of these two countries. And there's been no clear condemnation of the death threats directed at the Hungarian prime minister and his family from Ukrainians. Nor has there been any public outcry over the fact that Hungary's foreign minister is being wiretapped. There would have been an outcry if there'd been somebody from another country.
They openly want a change of government in Hungary. To remove the prime minister who stands up for national interest, so he believes that anything goes, whether it be withholding funds, blackmail and oil blockade threats, or wiretapping. Today, eighteen days before the election, the commission decided that Hungary alone, a neighbor of country war, will be excluded from funds intended to strengthen Europe's defense. Is this, if not, open interference in the Hungarian elections? The European Commission is becoming completely discredited. We patriots will grow even stronger on April 12 in Hungary.
President of the council.
Patryk Jaki
At the council summit, you lost a good opportunity to cut out this cancer, which is, it is.
Once ETS was introduced, the cost was EUR 15 per tonne. Now it's €60 per ton. It was supposed to lead to energy transformation to lower energy prices. So let me ask you, what now? When ETS was being introduced, the average gross price was €30.40 euros for one megawatt hour. Now it's €80, so a lot more.
When ETS was being introduced, an average price for households was €0.12 per kilowatt-hour. Now it's 29. 100% more. So let me ask you this. Did you give us cheaper energy or more expensive? Before we had it, yes, the EU was an economic global power.
Comparable to the U. S. Now per capita income in the U. S. Which rejected this crazy energy policy.
Now the US is twice as rich as we are. We are supposed to be richer, we are poorer. We were supposed to have cheaper energy. We have almost the most expensive energy in the world. We're supposed to be more competitive, well, less competitive, and our industry is being destroyed.
Because of what we have done. We were supposed to be an example and lead others to lower emissions as well. So what is happening? Other parts of the world are taking over our industry, and they emit even more CO2.
So let's call Spade the Spade, ETS, and your whole green policy, is a dead man walking. We are rejecting this fact. We are trying to put some makeup on that zombie, put a skirt on it, and send it to a ball.
Now Europe deserves a free market of energy, free of ideology and ideology-driven taxes. We could be competitive again.
Speaker 122
Thank you. I give the floor to the chair of the Renew Europe Group, Valérie Ayer.
Valérie Hayer
Madam president, commissioner, president, you've talked about the competitiveness roadmap and progress made there. You can count on RENEWS full support for that. As ever, but there's something else I wanted to mention about this European Council. It was supposed to be about clarity, robust unity.
We're faced with a war in Ukraine, external pressures. The EU should have been speaking with one voice. But it's not what happened, is it? Once again, because within our EU, one member state deliberately decided to block our collective response. To block our helping hand to Ukraine.
I'm talking about Viktor Orbán's Hungary. Not just defending its own interests and its words. But sabotaging the entire EU. And to whose benefit Vladimir Putin's benefit. Nobody else.
It was our suspicion, but now it is clear. With the Hungarian foreign minister, so president, what we need to say now is that we're not talking about reaching agreements or not reaching agreements.
We're talking about a vital political question for the EU. How can we be credible on the world's stage if we've got people stabbing us in the back right within our own house? And how can we be taken hostage by a national government.
Now things may change on the twelfth of April. They may turn the page on Victor Orban, but that won't solve the problem of unanimity. Because that rule paralyzes us. It weakens us, and worse, it exposes us to external influence.
Dear fellow members, we need to be brave enough to say this clearly. Our institutions are vulnerable. Find their way around. Foreign powers are weaseling their way into destroy us from the inside. So let us sound the alarm.
Patriots say they're defending sovereignty, but they're actually defending Putin, Trump, or Xi Jinping. If the National, Fidesh VOXX, Shega, whether they be voting together with ECR or others when they have these votes against Russian sanctions, when they are supporting Trump and US online conglomerates that don't want the DSA.
Not defending the people of Europe then, are they? They're defending foreign interests. At the expense of the people of Europe. And that would be considered treason, consorting with the enemy in a national context.
So we need to do that at an EU level too. Let's stop being so naive when we hear these disgusting revelations about buying, about espionage going on, and about journalists being stifled. We need to act.
Speaker 126
Colleagues, blocking urgently needed European support for Ukraine.
Trust me, millions of Europeans are asking themselves how much longer the European Union and especially the member states will just let this happen. And, honestly, maybe some of the right of the EPP think that what Orban is blocking is a left and green agenda, but this is nonsense.
It is your agenda. It is EPP's agenda, your political demands, your credibility that Orban attacks every single day. And quite so, successfully, I must say, as you stand there and let it happen. And more than that, you cooperate with these people.
The people on the far right are not your potential allies. They are your political enemies. They despise what you have built in the European Union. They want your political movements, your political legacy, yet still you work with them.
After this European Council, everyone must ask themselves, when will you finally make a cut in working with these people instead of moving ever closer to all of those who do not only betray Ukraine, but Europe and everybody who believes in democracy and freedom.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Miss Reintke.
President.
Speaker 128
When the US bombed Iraq and other countries, they said it was because of toxic gas. Current bombing of Iran is being justified by the idea that the country has nuclear arms. That is obviously a lie.
Iran doesn't have any. Israel does. It's not a matter of democracy or human rights. It's a matter of creating a new order in the Middle East. Israel is escalating the war in Lebanon.
The US wants to defend its global dominance. And populations worldwide are paying for this destruction, death, and higher prices. Nobody is saying anything to the U. S. Or Israel, and everybody is blaming Iran.
That is having two different yardsticks. We could stop delivering to Israel. You could terminate the cooperation with Israel. You're complicit in this war. It is a case of two different measures.
Benzine.
Speaker 130
Owned petrol and diesel cost more than €2. Here. And now everyone says it's because of the Iran crisis. That's partially true, but it's only half true. What no one's saying is that Brussels has already decided that in 2028, the CO2 price will go up again.
Citizens and businesses will have to pay more for energy again. Experts think that a liter of petrol is going to cost $0.40 more. We're soon gonna be paying €2 per liter of petrol.
€3 at some point, and that's no surprise. This is something that mainstream political parties have done. And it's something they want. All the main parties, the CDU, the Greens, the Socialists, they're preparing the next increase in prices.
But we say no citizens have paid enough. The prices need to go down immediately. That's what the European Council should be discussing. They shouldn't be talking about world politics. They should be putting individual citizens' concerns at the heart of what they do.
Speaker 131
Thank you. Now I give the floor to Paolo Kunia, one and a half minutes.
Paulo Cunha
As. We see fossil fuel prices shooting up, we see a major immediate impact on supply chains and ultimately the prices of products and services. So as we see these external shocks, we have a systemic difficulty which is very hard to tackle nationally.
The EU needs to coordinate, show solidarity, and cooperate rapidly. This energy shock is also due to the fact that we were proceeding towards a decarbonization of energy and doing away with our dependence on fossil fuel in order to achieve energy sovereignty and autonomy, but that was an incomplete process. So we now need to ensure that we are even more committed to that path to achieve that energy transition.
We need a gradual reduction in energy dependency on Russia. The war in the Middle East could also spur us on to achieve our strategic autonomy and energy independence. Portugal has done a lot with infrastructure through renewable sources, for instance, which now account for 80% of electricity production in Portugal in 2025. The grid can be boosted throughout Europe in such a way as to increase our energy autonomy.
One minute.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much, President. Well, I decided not to read up my speech. I wanna speak more freely. Because I really think what, president council president Costa said was so important.
We are living in challenging times.
Europe is threatened. We have a war around us.
The war in Ukraine is threatening us as well.
But I do believe that there is hope.
Last day yesterday, we had an election in Denmark, 12 parties were elected to the parliament, a very fragmented political landscape. I'm happy to say that my prime minister was doing well, and my party is the biggest. But we are divided on a lot of questions, but yet we will have decided that we wanna sit down and find political solutions together. Because we need to work together. We need to solve the problems people have, and we need to have peace.
But the only way to deliver on that is that we find ways to work together.
And therefore, I have to say that Hungary needs to come into the fight. We need to have them on board.
They have to realize that we need to help Ukraine, for instance. But we need to work together.
Otherwise, we will not solve the problems. And I think I'm happy to say that Denmark can maybe be the role model for how we do it in Europe. Thank you very much.
Gilles Pennelle
Our next speaker is Mister Panella. In the council conclusions from March 19, it states that we have to reduce our dependencies. Who are they trying to fool after the terrible Mercosur treaty that was imposed by the European Commission? Now, on March 24, we have a free trade agreement that's been signed with Australia. And like as was the case for the South American treaty, it's our farmers who are gonna pay the price.
25,000 tons of beef, lots of powdered milk, butter, etcetera. It's all going to be imported from Australia now. The European Commission is organizing the death of our agriculture, the constraints placed on our farmers, these trade agreements, and the future CAP budget confirm that.
A few days ago, the European Commission recognized that reducing the share of nuclear energy was, I quote, a strategic error. How long will it take? How many years will it take? For the European Union to recognize the massive error that's being made, I.
E, undermining our food sovereignty and increasing our dependencies. Anger is increasing in the countryside against your policies. We warned you.
Thank you. Mister Fidanza, please.
Carlo Fidanza
Thank you. President. Commissioner, President Cluster. Colleagues, the EU is under pressure on several fronts, and we can't afford slow or ideological responses. So crisis in The Middle East is calling us to urgently take action because we've seen critical raw materials, energy, and trade affected generally, even internal security, and new migration flows are on the horizon.
So we need to react now, not with the kind of crazy way we reacted to the flows from Syria in 2015. We need to ensure that there are negotiations to end Iran's nuclear ambitions. The EU has to be brave, defend energy security for its citizens, and the competitiveness of European businesses.
And for that reason, I think the Italian government's initiative has been extremely helpful. Ten other countries have signed up to that. The way in which we tackle ETS in order to help with energy bills is something that is subject to a lot of variation from one member state to another, but it's unsustainable in many cases.
And taking this together with CBAM, we end up with a double whammy that means you have a kind of environmental tax, which is only encouraging offshoring of our industry and bringing us to our knees.
So national intervention to neutralize the ETS impact on energy bills, and we need to do away with the ideological blind worship of the green deal as a name in itself. We need to look at the ETS crisis. We need to change direction.
And in July, when the commission is looking at the free quotas for renewal, they need to be brave in defending core industries and showing determination when they tackle financial speculation on carbon-emitting quotas.
The clock is ticking. And we're seeing too much red tape, too much ideology, and citizens can't cope.
Thank you, Mr. Kelly.
Billy Kelleher
Inclusions of the council regarding competitiveness in the single market, one Europe, one market, I certainly welcome the commitments in the areas of the '28 regime and deepening the single market and removing obstacles to our competitiveness and innovation.
Reference was made to our dependency on energy. And listening to the debate here, I we live in parallel universes. The people who are complaining about our moves to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels are the same people that have been championing Auburn and Putin inside this chamber and even more recently, president Trump.
Fact of the matter is the increase in energy prices is primarily because of the war in Ukraine that Putin started four or five years ago, and in the context of Netanyahu and president Trump invading Iran. They are simple, indisputable facts.
The idea that we would be more dependent on fossil fuels simply would mean that we would have craven people like Auburn who would be kowtowing consistently to Putin trying to ensure that he can receive cheap oil and gas from that dictatorship.
It is clearly important that we stand firm with the people of Ukraine, with the government of Ukraine, in providing the €90,000,000,000 loan for 2026 and 2027, and more importantly, that we deal with people who are treacherous to the principles and the values of this particular parliament of the European Union in general and the people of the European Union.
It is shameful that people are justifying Orban's most recent kowtowing to Putin. Is a sinful, shameful act of treason to the European values.
Thank you, Schoon.
Speaker 141
Ladies. And gentlemen, our dependence on fossil fuels destroys the climate and is extremely expensive for European citizens. Well, we see the prices on the pump, which we can see very clearly.
With the Green Deal, we took a step towards a reduction of the use of gas. And this is not the time to backtrack on that. European Commission is now suggesting that we develop new fossil infrastructure for close to €80,000,000,000, and to finance Ismat and others which are involved in the war between Israel and Gaza.
Less than half will actually be for PAMAK and other natural programs, could relaunch the Green Deal. We could demand 100% sovereign, 100% green investment. Investments.
Thank you.
The Strait of Hormuz is burning.
Speaker 144
The illegal actions of the head of state of the United States and Israel are leading us into a crisis like the one we saw in the seventies. With oil going up to over $120 a barrel. With electricity getting more expensive.
And who's paying? Well, not you. Not the CEOs of the big oil companies. The same people, as always, are paying the price. Ordinary people and families, in Spain oil is at over €2 a liter. And in the meantime, people are cozying up to Trump to try and do business.
And you're trying to reduce taxes on people doing that. It is a minority that is getting rich off the back of these crises. And you're responsible for that. You're responsible for the genocide against the Palestinian people and 11. You're responsible for the war, and you are responsible for this crisis.
What's at stake is the future of our people, and you caused that. Just to obey Netanyahu and Trump. And we will say this as many times as it is necessary. No to war. No to NATO.
Nicolagun.
Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos
The council, the European Union once again parroted the false pretext of the US and Israel regarding the dirty war in Iran that's escalating, but they're leaving the possibility of providing even more aid with the Shields Operation.
But at the heart of all of this are interest in energy routes and markets, investments in the Palestinian Riviera through displacement, Palestinian reconstruction of Ukraine, the Indian routine opposition to competitive plans by China and Russia, as well as the US.
And we condemn the new democracy government and other parties labeling our country's dangerous involvement in the war. With patriots in Saudi Arabia, frigates in the Red Sea, and dozens of US and NATO bases.
All potential targets for retaliation, close the base now and bring back the armed forces which have been sent abroad, and we express our solidarity with the peoples of Iran, Palestine, Cuba, and Lebanon.
The Greek people and all the peoples of Europe are already bleeding for the UVO's war economy. They shouldn't be dragged into the slaughter of war, and they shouldn't pay the price of war. No sacrifices for the profits of war.
Speaker 147
We have to escalate workers' and people's struggle. Greece's disengagement from imperialist war plans from NATO and the EU, and people in control.
Thank you. Mister Carlo is the next speaker.
Speaker 148
Madam president, colleagues, as so often recently, this European Council that was primarily supposed to be focused on increasing competitiveness was overtaken by reality. When an American president is how he is, when aims, methods, and arguments are changed, you know, like a shirt every day, there's no point in the EU trying to race behind this, try to interpret something into this or discover any logic in the reasoning when it maybe doesn't exist.
The war in Iran isn't our war. We are not participating. We were not consulted. And had we been consulted, we would have tried to dissuade those involved. But of course, we are seeing the impact of this war very clearly at our petrol stations.
And we feel solidarity with the Iranian people who have been suffering for decades under the regime. But we cannot, unfortunately, feel any hope that the people will be relieved by this attack from the air.
We. Also feel solidarity with those who are now falling victim to the retaliation of the Iranian regime in the region. And we shouldn't be surprised, by the way, by this response.
So thank you for having addressed the situation in Gaza. For the sake of completeness, you should also have mentioned the behavior of radical settlers in the West Bank. This is not a contribution to the peace process. But I'm grateful to you for the clarity.
Speaker 149
With which you have given, the position of the EU on Ukraine, and you know what the position of this parliament is? Months. Miss Kellerman has the floor.
Estelle Ceulemans
On Friday, the 27th heads of state and government examined the outcome of the attacks launched by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The council called to deescalate on all sides. But just saying that this war isn't our war is not enough.
We need to speak out strongly against this war, even if this war is striking at the heart of a bloody dictatorship. This war is having an impact across the whole of the region, the whole of the world, and indeed Europe as well.
The risk to our energy supply is colossal. And that energy supply is crucial when it comes to our strategic autonomy, when it comes to protecting and safeguarding our industries and our jobs, and to guarantee affordable energy for all.
We cannot accept simply throwing up our hands when it comes to finding a solution at EU level. We need harmonized action. And this crisis furthermore has demonstrated that decarbonization is a major issue, and we must enhance what we are doing on that with social measures to provide support where necessary and to ensure that businesses have the support they need to move forward on that.
Brussels.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
And Kyiv is getting very much involved in Hungarian elections. It's a disgrace, and it's illegal. They are financing the campaign for the opposition party. And from Kyiv, there is support and threats also against the prime minister.
And Zelensky and you have the aim of bringing down the Hungarian government. You want a puppet government in Hungary in the last few days. We've also seen that Maja Peter and bodies got together with a journalist spy who has been listening into the foreign minister using tapping methods. And the journalist also said that he had gone into an agreement with Maja Peter in order to influence specific decisions if the government is overthrown.
Speaker 152
We will defend Hungary with all means, and there will be consequences post-elections.
Lukas Sieper
Mister. You have the floor. I might have to ask a follow-up. Colleague, I often wondered if you actually speak German. Because it's your name.
Anyway, sorry. Colleague, today, we have discussed the ideas and mental confusion of the US president Donald Trump. In your speech, I recognized some of the narrative that we usually hear from him.
So I was wondering what you were just doing now. Was this a preparation for a story about a stolen election when mister Orban loses?
Speaker 154
Or is this kind of reverse psychology because for years, mister Orban has been manipulating elections? And now in a sort of Trumpian way, you want to sort of blame all of this on the democratic opposition? Well.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
Dear colleague, life isn't a John le Carré spy. Story. It sounds great. What you've just been saying, but the truth is somewhat different. The biggest opposition party in Hungary is working together with someone who claims to be a journalist, but actually is part of the secret service who works together with the foreign forces.
Speaker 155
And has tapped the Hungarian foreign minister. I'm surprised you're not horrified by that.
I yes.
Speaker 156
So if there is this brilliant spy that you are talking about, when he's so brilliant, why do you know that he's a spy? Well.
Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
My dear colleague, I'm really sorry. Really sorry that you're joking. About the fact that the foreign minister of a sovereign state, a member of the EU, is listened to by the secret services from outside.
If that happened elsewhere, we as patriots would be the first to protest. Now what happened is that there was a recording that was published where this person who claims to be a journalist but actually is part of the secret services, is a secret agent. And, he said that he had tapped the phone of the foreign minister.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Our problem is not the climate.
Speaker 161
Our problem is our weakness. Our problem is that we are losing the competitiveness. And to correct this, we need two things. To have the lower prices of electricity and energy in the short term, and nuclear embasement in the strategic long term.
And here, we have a problem. On nuclear, I welcome the admission of Ursula von der Leyen that the abandonment of nuclear was a strategic mistake. If this is a strategic mistake, we should correct it.
I asked madam Ribera a week ago when you will submit the delegated act as a commission to put equal feet around. No response. So again, I am asking, when do you do this? And on ETS, we really need a serious reform. Not a cosmetic one. So please, we must do this now, and we must do a deep report.
Thank you.
Thank you, madam chair.
Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy
President Costa, commissioner, World Today requires Europe to develop into something it is not yet. Develop into a political giant. Developed into a military force, and developed into the most innovative economy with high-tech and very low energy prices.
Development. For that, we look at our heads of state. European Council shall, and I quote the European treaty, provide the union with the necessary impetus for its development. And this responsibility is not met.
National short-term interests damage European strength, corrupt national governments frustrate decision making. Countries that fall behind economically ask the EU to weaken its standards, pulling it down. That is not development. That is paralysis.
President Costa, please pick up the current challenge. Work with those member states that want a stronger, more united Europe. And make Europe develop into what is badly needed. Thank you.
Speaker 155
Thank you very much. Colleague is a blue card. Bye, Mr. Smith. Do you accept it? 30 seconds. 158.
Sander Smit
Mister Hebrandy, it's odd to hear you talking about European action. But your cabinet is sitting on its hands. They're not doing anything in this crisis. Companies, households, you're not doing anything for them.
How can this happen? We have the danger of distorted competition in the EU. And this is due to the inaction of your government. So it gets to work with your party, with your coalition partners in the minority cabinet, and come forward with support measures in the threatening crisis because we're running out of gas. Nuclear energy has been on hold for years.
Speaker 165
We are facing a serious crisis. So my question to you is, what actions are you proposing? Yeah. Don't go, force. Thank you, madam president, and thank you for this question.
Particularly coming from someone whose party was recently in the cabinet. A cabinet that's only been in office for four weeks is not for empty gas storage. That is the responsibility of the coalition that your party is within. And it makes absolutely no sense to start adopting all sorts of compensatory measures at the petrol pump. Know, well as I do that rich people are the ones who are profiting most from such compensation.
So we need targeted measures. And the only genuine solution, which is to switch to sustainable energy, renewable energy, as soon as possible, because Spain is much better shielded from the effect of rising fossil fuel prices than the rest of Europe.
Thank you, chair.
Yeah.
This will be bizarre.
Sander Smit
Yeah. Well, that's odd to hear this because the previous cabinet wasn't actually in office when they made the biggest energy crisis ever hit that Shell has been warning about for some time.
You're talking about targeted measures, where are they? The Fisher fleet is confined to the port. They can't afford to go fishing. So do something, I'm not talking about just generic measures.
I'm saying that we need to do something about the unlevel playing field in Europe. So what about targeted support for the vicious fisher fleet? What about support for farmers? When food security is in danger? Is food sovereignty also at stake here?
Speaker 165
Of course, it did, Madam president, I think you're repeating what you already said. I think the only thing that really helps is what was in the Green Deal that you couldn't take seriously. In other words, energy efficiency, energy saving, that is the most important measure to be shielded against this kind of price shocks.
As long as the EU is so dependent on fossil fuels that come from outside Europe, no emergency measures are going to provide any structural relief. So embrace the green deal finally, and let's work together on having much lower energy prices for everybody, including the fishermen.
Speaker 168
Groceries are more expensive. Businesses struggle with high energy prices. A tank of gas costs more than ever. And the profits are flowing directly into Putin's pockets. All because of another reckless war the US government started.
And that same United States raises tariffs, threatens to invade Greenland, and has a security strategy that aims to destroy the EU. And now that same United States demands our help. Well, if you want our help, act like the ally we once knew.
Support Ukraine. Show some respect for international law, and stop this destructive war. Europe, these are things we can demand when we are united. We can achieve so much more without a veto, without a traitor, wannabe dictator in Hungary. Let's create a United States of Europe and speak with one voice.
Thank you.
Thank you, Shun.
Next, thank you very much.
Speaker 171
Madam. President, president of the council, colleagues, The reshuffle we are seeing in Europe requires more political determination, more coverage, and more self-respect for our continent. At a time when dangerous wars are taking place in our neighborhoods, where we are seeing hybrid threats to our territory, blackmail, now more than ever, we must stand united around clear measures to ensure the independence of our continent. We need to invest in our defense, in our resilience, and in protecting our external borders.
Resilience also includes enhancing the competitiveness of the EU. Our businesses, our entrepreneurs need less red tape, a strengthened single market, and more room for growth. For investment, and for innovation.
Then there is the matter of migration. This is still one of the crucial issues of our time. For some weeks now, Europe's determination is being tested. There is increasing migratory pressure on our continent. We are facing more and more people who are undocumented in Europe. And indeed enter Europe without papers.
Speaker 172
And our citizens need answers from us. And this is an opportunity for us this week to give them the answer in the shape of the returns they're it.
Thank you. The next speaker is Mr. Wrighton.
Speaker 173
Colleagues, Trump's policies once again derailed European security. Rising oil prices, sanction relief, dwindling deliveries of military aid to Ukraine are risks for Ukraine and thus also risks for us. Meanwhile, the member states' inability to deliver the loan to Ukraine is frankly appalling.
They should have avoided giving Putin's Budapest assets the chance to block. They opted for easy, narrow short term national interest once again, mean we lack a strong European solution. The illegal and botched Iran war learns as Trump's so-called peace negotiators are only interested in own financial gain.
Please counsel abandon naive beliefs that this approach can end Russia's aggression. Form a united front. Take serious action against Putin's assets in the council. Provide Ukraine with deep strike capability and an air protection zone over uncontested areas. Correct down on European companies still benefiting and enabling Putin's war, and deliver the loan to Ukraine through whatever means necessary.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
The next speaker is Mister Vilemski.
Thank you, sir.
Speaker 174
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Well, this whether this is a debate over the council, if it's a parliamentary debate, well, that's one thing. The question is how can we, and when I say we, I mean the EU Commission and the left in here in this parliament.
How can we prevent Victor Orban from being elected again? And this 90,000,000,000, how can we ensure that it goes to our friend, Zelensky? This is completely the wrong way, and the reproaches against Viktor Orban Hungarians become more and more absurd.
For example, the foreign minister contacts with other foreign ministers. Of course, he has to have contacts. Obviously, Orban himself probably has contacts in the White House as well. Remember the photos where he was sitting there in the White House because he had an exclusive meeting with the US president, whereas other heads of state, Metz, Macron, and Van der Leyen, were sitting here and weren't being taken seriously.
So I will appeal to you, stop manipulating Hungary and its voters. And, stop refusing them money. Let them have free, uninfluenced votes. No one knows better what is good for Hungary than the Hungarians themselves.
Thank you.
Sander Smit
Colleagues. Thank you. The next speaker is Mr. Schmidt. Madam President, commissioner, fuel and energy prices are through the roof. Our fish and farmers have their backs against the wall.
The EU needs to act, and act quickly. The minority cabinet in The Netherlands is doing nothing while other countries are taking support measures for their fishermen and for farms. Our government is just waiting and seeing. Commission needs to ensure that we don't have competition distortion developing in the EU so that the Dutch citizens don't become the victims of their lazy government.
So I call on the council and commission to come forward with a coordinated European program for national support measures, in particular for the stranded fisher's fleets. And please suspend the ETS review, the ETS, have free emission rights for our industry, and don't forget the threatening crisis with regard to fertilizers.
We're going to see shortages in artificial fertilizer because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, give farmers more opportunities to use animal dung so that they can use this. Food security requires urgent action. Please get to work on this straight away today.
Speaker 176
Mister commissioner, president Kosta, the European Council last week was innovative in one respect. It now has specific plans, and not just a set of intentions. That's clear, but now it's about implementing those plans and indeed implement them swiftly. It's important to be swift when it comes to energy, defense, industrial policy. And it was clearly stated that fragmentation and obstacles within the single market are the main driver of our lagging behind.
And this must be said, this is the fault of the member state. They still haven't realized that their member state that their success depends on the European project, and not just what they do in the national sphere.
We need to focus in now on the EU and on our market, and it's time for us to really zoom in on strategic autonomy, something that we defend a lot, but that shouldn't be used as an excuse to uphold nationalism.
Speaker 176
Need to ensure that there are no subsidies that distort fair competition, for instance. The council is calling for a European preference, but I think that a European success is what we ought to be striving for. And that's about having businesses that work well within a true single market. If our businesses were really competitive, they wouldn't require any kind of protection. And if our businesses are not competitive, then there is no protection that can help them.
I give the floor to Mr. Lupatka.
Speaker 178
President, they just and gentlemen, in their conclusions but also at the start of this session, president Metzler, like the heads of state and government, correctly said that the war in Iran and the Gulf States, of course, is not a regional crisis.
These are stress tests not only for Europe, but for the entire global economy. So they are threatening not only energy supply, but they are also triggering debates about how we can correctly react to this type of situation.
And a dictatorial regime as we have in Iran. What can our answer be? We have to work more closely together with the Gulf States. It's not only about free trade agreements. It's really about establishing strategic partnerships because, in the energy field in particular, we will continue to need that region.
And we can see that here, in Europe, we have a real problem in terms of energy prices. And energy is not a privilege, it's a necessity. So we need to have a reliable, solid partnership with the Gulf States.
Speaker 179
That's the right answer. To the totalitarian regime in Iran, and we have to give that answer.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much. We now come to the catch the eye. Round.
Six people have asked the floor, but only five I can see in the chamber. Actually have two renew requests, but we're going to allow that as it's Mr. Sieber's first plenary as a renew member.
Thank you to our President.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Thank you, President, mister president of the council. There are two elephants in the room here in this debate on the Council conclusions. The first of these elephants is the war in Iran, which has an impact not just on the Middle East, but the EU and indeed the whole world.
We need to call a spade a spade, commission, and council. Are talking about an illegal war, and Trump and Netanyahu are the ones who caused the war. And the second elephant in the room is the disastrous social impact of this war on families, on SMEs, on businesses.
And that's why we need to speed up the green transition. We need to speed up our decarbonization of the EU economy. We need to cut off that dependence on toxic fossil fuels.
We need to strengthen social protection. And this all links back to the EU's commitment to international law. And that really is the foundational pillar of the EU. And in addition, the social pillar is foundational to the European identity, and we must strive to uphold that. Thus far, I had no colleague at Inc.
Katarina Barley
Thank you. And now a colleague, Tinkenen, and our colleagues, I should have practiced this beforehand. Should get ready.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Dear president, last week, we saw the true face of the EU again.
The face of a coward that hides behind diplomacy because it lacks the guts to act when it matters. You once again criticized military intervention in Iran while hiding behind the very security this intervention ensures.
Where is the will to shape outcomes? Readiness to act, not visible. Because of this, Europe is not a serious power. It is a spectator handing the world to actors like the IRGC.
To those who institutionalize violence, export terror, and spit on every norm you claim to defend. If Europe wants to be a geopolitical actor, it must act, decide, and, yes, use force when required.
But right now, Europe equals weakness. That's the same for us, and that's the same for ordinary people in Iran. Thank you.
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez
And now our colleague Aguilera Corte Martinez has the floor, to be followed by colleague Sheva. Costa, the European Council, I think, sent out some important messages of unity on trade agreements, competition, single market, protection of industry. Some time ago, we were also talking about the energy market.
And so I'm going to focus on the more humanitarian drama we are living and we're going to continue to live if the conflict in the Middle East continues, which is going to create millions of displaced people in precarious conditions, in human conditions, even in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, West Bank.
Let's not forget Ukraine. Tomorrow, when we're talking about the returns directive for migrants, we would ask that please we should talk with the dignity, the humanity that this deserves. Because, yes, we need order in migratory processes, but we also need dignity.
Thank you.
Katarina Barley
Thank you. And now our colleague Gerber, to be followed by our colleague Montero.
Michael, please.
Son of the Paniab Savadi.
Speaker 182
Mister president, honorable chamber, first of all, we cannot remain silent in the face of a situation when a member state. Hungary and Orban's government are blocking aid to Ukraine in combat.
19,000,000,090 billion is something that we dearly need, and we need to find a way to give Ukraine the funds that they need to protect themselves and to function well. Yesterday in Lviv, drones fell, destroying monuments that are listed on the UNESCO list of monuments.
Churches from the seventeenth century, Saint Andrew Church among them. 80 kilometers from the border of Poland.
Only.
Speaker 182
Today, we heard another scandal from Orban's government, namely stopping the possibility to provide this country with gas. So we have to take a decision being fully conscious of the fact that the Troy horse of Putin is here in Europe, and is the corrupt government of Hungary.
Speaker 183
Thank you. And now our colleague, Montero, and if our colleague, Zippa, can prepare.
Speaker 184
Thank you, president, commissioners, mister Closter, president of the council. Israel has announced that it will be conquering the South of Lebanon, and no one's doing anything about it. Here. The finance minister is calling for annexation of 10% of the Lebanese territory.
And you are doing nothing. They have forcibly displaced 100000 Lebanese citizens. They have destroyed bridges. They have destroyed the motorways. And what are you doing, commissioners? Gaza, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, energy prices skyrocketing.
And you have what it takes to stop this, but you're not doing it. You are enabling illegal wars for oil, for business. And what's worse, you actually are complicit because without your support, Trump and Netanyahu wouldn't be able to sow terror the way they're doing in the world.
Why are you on your knees before this phenomenon? What are you doing as a group of bureaucrats? You're incapable of doing anything fair or just. You're incapable of putting forward a solution.
Why can't you put a cap on food prices, on energy prices? Please, Europe has what it takes to change the way things are going. It's time to turn our backs on the US and Israel.
Speaker 185
We need to stop them in their tracks now. If not tomorrow, it will be too late. Our people will pay the price.
Thank you.
Lukas Sieper
And now, mister Zipper, in this house, we often honor great statesmen. And sometimes it's only fair to prepare an apology for their career. Maybe just a little early. We praised the man who calmed the press with grace by gently putting questions in their place, who cherished votes, the ritual, the show, as long as all the results were safe to know. Who built the rule of law so firm, so tight, that law would always bend to power's might, who spoke of freedom proudly, loud, and clear, while making sure dissent would disappear.
Who guarded tradition as a sacred arch by redrafting history to play his part, who promised strength, stability, control, and slowly centralized the state. The soul. Who called it patriotism, bold and grand, few voices shaped the public land.
And so, dear colleagues, let us not complain but wish Victor Orban a well-earned rest from strain. Europe, I am sure, will gladly entertain the thoughts soon have time for himself again.
Thank you very much.
Valdis Dombrovskis
Madam. Chair, president Costa, honorable members, well, to start on a lighter note, I'm attending European Parliament Preliminaries since 2004. I think it's the first time I hear members' intervention as a poem. But in any case, thank you, honorable members, for your valuable contributions to today's debate.
And, across all the issues we discuss today, one message stands out clearly: that the European Union must act with determination in an increasingly unstable and challenging world. Our unwavering support for Ukraine remains at the core of our efforts. As Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the European Union will stand firmly by its side politically, financially, economically, and militarily as it longs at.
Takes. At the same time, we remain committed to increasing pressure on the aggressor Russia and to further weakening its capacity to sustain its war economy. The European Union is also responding to the deeply concerning developments in the Middle East. The situation in the region is extremely serious, with risks that extend far beyond its borders.
So we call for de-escalation, maximum restraint, and the protection of civilians. At the same time, we are stepping up our humanitarian support to those affected, while standing in solidarity with our partners in the region and also our member states that have been directly impacted.
These external challenges have direct consequences for Europe, not least in the field of energy. This is why we are taking targeted action to mitigate high energy prices for citizens and businesses. From greater flexibility in state aid to action on grid charges, taxation, and carbon pricing. The commission is working across all levers to ensure that a more affordable, secure, and resilient energy system. At the same time, we know that Europe's strength in the world depends on its economic foundations at home.
Deepening the single market, cutting unnecessary administrative burdens, and creating better conditions for companies to innovate and grow remain our core priority. With initiatives such as One Europe, One Market, and the EU Inc proposal, we are moving decisively to unlock Europe's full economic potential and boost its global competitiveness. Simplification remains at the heart of these efforts, delivering tangible savings and real benefits for businesses and citizens alike. Taken together, these actions form a part of a broader strategy to ensure that Europe remains resilient, sovereign, and capable of acting in a rapidly changing world.
This means reducing strategic dependencies, strengthening our industrial and technological base, and addressing critical capability gaps. In this context of the further deteriorating geopolitical environment, with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continuing to pose an existential challenge to the European Union, the European Council has reaffirmed its determination to decisively ramp up Europe's defense readiness by 2030.
We will continue to act with unity, urgency, and purpose. Thank you.
António Costa
Thank you very much. I will focus on the four main issues that you raised during the debate.
Well.
António Costa
I want to talk about the situation in the Middle East. Europe needs to have a clear position, and it cannot show double standards. It has to be clear in speaking out in defense of international law when Russia invades Ukraine, or when Iran attacks its neighbors, in the Gulf or in the near Middle East. Europe has to promote peace, and that's why we are calling on everyone to deescalate.
For Israel to talk with the Lebanese authorities to coordinate the disarmament of Hezbollah and to respect Lebanon's territorial integrity. We are calling for peace, we're grateful for Greece, France, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, who have sent military units to defend Cyprus, a member of this union that has been attacked by Hezbollah.
But we have to say no to war, but say yes to a fair peace in Ukraine. In other words, Russia has to respect the sovereignty and internationally recognized borders in Ukraine. And its territorial integrity.
But it also means that we need to have an effective two-state solution, which will allow the Palestinians to be free and independent and live in peace with their Israeli neighbors. And we have to defend human rights. Human rights belong to everyone, everyone around the entire globe. So we have to defend them. We have to defend them clearly.
From.
Speaker 188
The first moment, whether it was the European Commission, or ourselves, we've taken good note of the situation.
António Costa
In terms of energy security, which. Started with the destruction of oil pipelines by Russians as well. We've made sure that it was possible to use a gas pipeline coming through to the Adriatic. And that has replaced the Odessa one. Secondly, we have to create adequate conditions in order to repair the gas pipeline with technical and financial support for Ukraine, as it conducts the repair.
With guarantees from President Zelensky that this pipeline will then be effectively repaired over the next few weeks. And that's important for Europe. Because the decision to suspend the use of Russian gas for Slovakia and Hungary was very important.
Every unit of gas which is bought from Russia means money that we are sending to Russia for it to continue to finance the war in Ukraine. But when Russia attacks, Druzhba, or if there's a war in the Middle East and Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz.
António Costa
It results in an energy crisis, and bills increase. But it's not the reform of the ETS that is going to solve all of this.
Look.
António Costa
At the energy that we can produce. That's the only means we have to guarantee energy sovereignty, our autonomy. Satini, we have to reassess the ETS. And the commission by June is going to provide a proposal on that.
But the situation in the Middle East, I think, prompts us to ask the commission to table some short-term measures in order to reduce the price of fuel. Now, from a legal point of view, there's a clear violation of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union that we're seeing now.
It's politically unacceptable because no one has the right to hold us hostage to blackmail the EU. To use as an instrument in electrical campaign, but also the legal dimension because when the treaties call for unanimity, it's all about a veto because we have to bring together the various different provisions in the treaty, which impose on all of us the duty to cooperate fairly. In other words, the duty is on all of us to make the effort to achieve an agreement. The treat is also forced to sincerely cooperate between the different institutions.
And if the European Council takes a decision by consensus on December 18. And when it asked the European Parliament the right, the permission to change the budget, when the European Parliament grants the possibility of changing the budget, no one then can hold up a decision which is in the pipeline underway and which only remains to be formalized because the European Parliament has given its consent in the very specific terms requested by council.
And finally, we have to act in good faith. And it's not acting in good faith when conditions are imposed upon us that don't depend either on a member state or on an institution, but rather on Ukraine's capacity to repair the pipeline.
And Russia's will to destroy it once again, or maybe not? We should not forget that Russia has already attacked the pipeline 2 3 times. And we cannot, in our decisions, depend on decisions taken by Russia. That, we simply cannot accept.
For our growth, our competitiveness, for European jobs, it's absolutely crucial that we look to our trade policies. But also for our agriculture. Because through trade policy, we open up new markets. For our cheese, our wine, and our agricultural products. And in our trade agreements, obviously, we have to protect our interests, particularly in agriculture.
And that's what we did with Mercosur. We're talking about Mercosur, we very often forget that when we're talking about beef, there is a 1.5% quota when we talk about sugar. There's a quota of less than 2%. Milk less than 2% quota again. And it's the same with Australia, because there, once again, there will be quotas.
Finally, in spite of the world instability, we keep our focus. On our own agenda. And it's what we have done last week in the European Council because in spite of the crisis in Iran, if the war or the war in Ukraine, we keep our focus to launch one Europe one market agenda. With concrete measures and a very clear timeline. Very demanding timeline, because we need to deliver.
Until 2027, and mainly of these measures, we need to take this year of 2026. I don't repeat what I have said in my first speech. But we need to deliver on this.
In order to sustain our social model, in order to create quality jobs, in order to ensure affordability in our society for our citizens, and to invest in our own security, our own defense.
We have an agenda, have a clear commitment from the European Commission, and now it's up to us, council, and European Parliament to deliver. This concrete time, because Europe, our economy, our citizens cannot wait.
President.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much indeed, Mr. President. That concludes the debate. And I say goodbye to Commissioner Dombrowski and welcome Commissioner Labib. The next item on the agenda is the European Citizens initiative entitled Ban on Conversion Practices.
In the European Union.
Let's. Just reshuffle.
Of. Course.
Katarina Barley
Colleagues, I will give the floor first to the two authors, starting with colleague Cal Urant.
Speaker 190
Thank you, madam president. Commissioner, colleagues, I'm pleased today to intervene on behalf of the Libya committee to introduce the European Citizens' Initiative calling for a ban on conversion practices in the European Union.
On March 2, Libre committee together with farm committees hosted a public hearing on the citizens initiative. We heard presentations by the association against conversion therapy, and firsthand accounts of victims of conversion practices. We also heard from the representatives of the Cyprus presidency and the European Economic and Social Committee's rapporteur on banning conversion practices.
The commission committed to issue a study on the practices and support member states' bans for the LGTPIQ equality strategy for 2026 to 2030. Conversion practices are interventions aimed at changing, repressing, or suppressing the sexual orientation, gender identity, and or gender expression of LGTPIQ plus persons, causing severe pain, long standing psycho psychological and physical damage. They are rooted in the dangerous, unfounded belief that the person's identity can be inferior and in need of remedy. Due to the discriminatory, degrading, and harmful nature, conversion practices are qualified as torture.
By the United Nations and the Council of Europe. They're currently being banned in a growing number of EU member states. Nevertheless, these practices still remain legal in several countries. A potential ban as called for by the initiative must cover both sexual orientation and gender identity.
We count on the commission to listen to the voices of the more than 1,000,000 signatories of the initiative, and take decisive action against conversion practices. Commissioner, please do not let us down.
Thank you.
Katarina Barley
That's thank you. And now the second author has the floor, our colleague Gardner.
Cristina Guarda
Thank you, President, colleagues. On behalf of the petty committee, it is a pleasure to join you here for this important debate on the ECI ban on conversion practices in the European Union.
Organized with Libbey, the relevant committee, and with the participation of many colleagues from the FEM committee. And this is a topic directly linked to human dignity, equality, and fundamental rights. Indeed, foundational values of the union.
Furthermore, this is an issue that can be boiled down to a difference in views between left and right. This is about our humanity, about respecting human dignity. And conversion practices undermine the dignity of people and cannot be accepted in any way.
The European Union likes to style itself as a champion of fundamental rights and equality. But these values must be translated into clear and consistent protection to ensure that nobody feels excluded or marginalized. The European Union must be that space in which all feel safe and welcome.
So my compliments to the organizers. You were able to collect over 1,100,000 signatures, and you reached the threshold in 11 member states. That sends a clear political message, and it is a demonstration of civic participation on an issue that must absolutely be tackled at the political level. The European citizens' initiatives are a key instrument in participatory democracy.
Bringing institutions closer to citizens, and making Europe's agenda more responsive. We regularly receive petitions on fundamental rights. Our committee on discrimination, including when it comes to protecting members of the LGBTIQ plus community. And so this is no abstract matter, as far as we are concerned.
This highlights a real need, bringing us into touch with European citizens. They call for a ban at EU level on conversion practices, with a particular focus on protecting victims, on prevention, on protection. Well, that is key.
Thank you for being part of this debate, and my thanks to the citizens who brought forward this initiative. Thank you for calling us. Thank you.
Hadja Lahbib
Thank you very much indeed. And now for the commission, Commissioner Labib.
Merci. Madam President.
Hadja Lahbib
Thank you, madam president, honorable members. I would like, for my part, to thank and congratulate all of those who supported this initiative, who organized it and signed it. It began in France before spreading throughout the European Union. And above all, it has highlighted conversion practices and the true suffering that they can cause.
Believe me, attacking these practices is a clear priority of our LGBTIQ plus equality strategy for the next five years. The power of the European citizens initiative itself. It's a unique and important democratic tool.
It allows EU citizens to bring forward what they care about by starting a debate and shaping the EU agenda. A European citizens' initiative reflects the views of many people across the union.
An initiative reaches the required support, the commission has six months within which to decide what action, if any, it will take.
During our analysis, we must consider all relevant interests and viewpoints.
That's why a debate like this one, as well as the hearing that took place on second March with the Libbey and petty committees, are so important and relevant. Our assessment is ongoing, within the scope set out when the initiative was registered in January 2024.
And within the limits of EU competencies.
We have not taken a position yet. Today, it's much more about listening carefully to you and to dissipate. Honorable members, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality and the so-called gender identity disorder from its classification of disease in 1990.
There is absolutely nothing to cure.
Conversion practices are based on a false idea that LGBTIQ+ people are somehow sick. You don't need me to tell you that, obviously, this is a force.
Perception.
Of the reality.
Hadja Lahbib
And what is true and real is conversion practices cause real harm. They can lead to deep psychological trauma. They can cause physical damage, and just as importantly, the attack a person's dignity.
One in four LGBTIQ+ people and almost half of transgender people report having been subjected to these practices. Many have faced violence, abuse, and humiliation. In my mission letter, President von der Leyen entrusted me with combating these practices. I take that responsibility very seriously. In our LGBTIQ+ strategy, we announced a study to better understand the scale and impact of conversion practices.
That study was launched in January. We need facts.
We need clarity.
Hadja Lahbib
And we need to base our actions on evidence. We are also stepping up coordination. We will use our expert group on LGBT ICO plus equality, bringing together member states and the Commission to support dialogue and cooperation.
We will listen closely to the civil society, to experts, and above all, to those directly affected.
As we develop our approach to combating practices, we will take this citizen initiative into account. As set out in our LGBTIQ+ strategy, we will assess the most effective way forward. We will consider how we can support member states who play a crucial role in preventing and banning these practices. Eight member states have already done so.
Hadja Lahbib
The parliament has long played an active role in advocating for banning conversion practices, calling on the commission to explore possible avenues to counter these practices, and to urge member states to ban them. I count on the continued support of the parliament to protect people from practices that harm, that stigmatize, and dehumanize them.
Honorable members, I'm here to listen, and I look forward to an open and thoughtful discussion. Thank you.
Katarina Barley
Thank you very much, madam commissioner. Now, on behalf of the EPP group, I give the floor to Ms. Smeletti.
Eleonora Meleti
President, commissioner, colleagues, homosexuality is not an illness. Conversion therapies are NOT a cure. But yet, even today, there are people, very minors, who were subjected to these practices, practice it that are based on fear, guilt, and rejection, but not on science. There isn't the slightest scientific evidence that these treatments, even if someone consents to them, actually work. But there is clear evidence that they are harmful. They create a deep psychological trauma, depression, loss of self-esteem, and even suicidal tendencies, and they involve practices such as forced psychotherapy, medication, electroshock, exorcism, and other vile methods that have absolutely nothing to do with medicine or science.
And yet, according to the latest data, four percent of people in the LGBT community report having undergone some form of such conversion. In other words, a form of abuse of violence, because conversion therapies are abuse. They are violence. They violate human dignity. Infringe upon fundamental human rights, and leave deep psychological trauma. Eight EU member states, including my own country, Greece, have already banned these practices at national level, and the rest must follow suit.
Speaker 196
The remaining EU member states, if we want a Europe that doesn't just talk about values but actually puts them into practice? Thank you.
Marc Angel
Thank you, Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues. Verbal and physical abuse that can go as far as corrective rape, forced injections of hormones, exorcism, and much more.
That is what young gays, lesbians, trans, and intersex persons must endure in the so-called conversion therapy. And that is torture.
So let me thank all the activists of ACT who organized the European citizen initiative. So supported by 1,100,000 Europeans to ban conversion therapies.
Torture is never therapy. And anyway, there's nothing to heal, nothing to fix, and nothing to repair in queer people and me. I'm gay, not because I learned about it in school, or because I read it in a book, nor because I saw a movie about homosexuality.
No. I'm born gay, as a result of the beautiful diversity of nature. And those who believe that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, and intersex persons are mistakes of nature, please look around. Look at yourself. We're all different.
And that is precisely what makes us human. And the culture of everyone must be the same and of a perfect human who has a name.
It's called narcissism.
What the Nazis preached.
Marc Angel
And I absolutely refuse that history be ignored and repeated by those who cannot accept differences. And this is why we, socialists and democrats, call on the European Commission to develop strong recommendations in order to introduce a full ban of conversion practices across all European member states, because we believe in the Europe that defends human dignity. So in such a Europe, we cannot tolerate torture.
Thank you very much.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much, Mark Angel. Now I'll pass the floor on behalf of PFE to Margarita de la Pisa Carreón.
President.
Speaker 200
Commissioners. Honorable members, we all deserve love, respect, and support. Without pressure, without physical or psychological abuse. Of course, but this citizens initiative attempts to persecute any intervention that does not focus exclusively on putting forward reaffirmation of something. And this is a risk for professionals, for educators, and for parents.
A risk rooted in fear. And that fear may prevent necessary guidance, especially when it comes to times of great change in one's life. Where doubts and questions may come up that are very different in nature. Needs that are very different may come up. These needs need to be attended to.
This is not a role that just anyone can play. And much less a civil servant or a member of an NGO. With an ideological vision. Support rooted in respect favors decisions made out of free will.
But what doesn't help is only one way forward being chosen. A way that all too often is irreversible. Particularly when it comes to hormone therapy or surgical intervention. Isn't that pressure? Don't say that it doesn't happen.
You know that there are people, a lot of people, who regret the path that they've taken. We condemn any type of abuse, and we fight to protect freedom, caution, and safety in the support to those who need it most.
Thank you.
Paolo Inselvini
Violence. Coercion should always be condemned. In fact, there are crimes already in all of our countries. The problem of the citizens' initiative we're discussing today lies elsewhere, however. Because we can understand it's not limited to abuse, but it goes well beyond.
It calls about all those practices which can influence a person, mentioning friends, family, and religion, a mother, a father. So I asked myself legitimately, can they no longer advise their own children, cannot encourage them to respect their own biological would be, worried to deal with certain issues in the light of what's taught by the Catholic church.
There are specific cases, of course, that we condemn. And in the light of those, it seems that we want to stop all of those who don't believe or those who want to express their legitimate religious principles. So they are suffocating freedom of expression.
So we once again, we think this is a strategy from someone who wants to destructure some ideologies and impose them on our world. Through imposing an ideology which wants to exploit specific cases of violence which we always condemn to impose a partial vision, and we will not go along with that.
Speaker 204
You have Madame La Presidente Sherabine Ferrayan, Madam president, Sabine Ferrayan.
Commissioner, Miss Lebib, colleagues, I want to begin by highlighting that I have an issue with the term conversion therapy. These practices could not be further away from therapy. You said so yourself, madam commissioner. Therapy is about a cure, but there's nothing to be cured here. Sexual orientation is not a disease.
The Council of Europe was right in saying that these practices are torture. Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is very clear. No one must face this discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
You may recall a few years ago, we declared to the European Union a freedom zone for LGBTIQ+ people. As a reaction to the LGBT free zones declared in Hungary and Poland. Today, over a million citizens in 27 member states have supported this European citizens' call for a ban of these conversion practices, and their cause is just.
My thanks to young people who got it across the line. Commissioner Collies, what are we waiting for to ban these practices? Our citizens are calling on us to take action.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
The next speaker on our list on behalf of the Green is Kim Vans Barentak.
Thank you.
Speaker 205
Dear colleagues, dear commissioner, dear activists, I'm a happily married lesbian.
Sure.
Speaker 205
Some in this house will judge, although I don't know why you would waste your energy on hate, especially as a political strategy. But stop allowing harm to my community. Today, I want to speak on behalf of Benoit. When Benoit came out to his parents, their response was, don't worry.
We will help you. Then for three years, his parents brought him to so-called healing.
Retreats.
Speaker 205
Here, while still a minor, he was told that his homosexuality was dirty and dangerous. And would lead him to loneliness, HIV, and ultimately, death. He was isolated, forbidden to speak, and subjected to deprivation.
Benoit became suicidal but managed to escape when he was 18. His parents thought they were helping him, but by now his parents have apologized and are preventing similar harm by speaking up in their community. Yet almost twenty years later, he still lives with severe PTSD.
Speaker 207
It's high time to bring an end to these torturous practices. Europe needs to end conversion practices. Thank you. Thank you very much. And the next speaker is Manon O'Brien.
Speaker 209
Merci madam, you very much indeed, madam president. To be LGBTI is not an illness. However, what lesbian, gay or trans person has not already heard from their family, people close to them, that, oh, you'll get better. It'll come to an end. As if it were a choice, a trend, an illness, but you don't recover from your gender or sexual orientation because it's part and parcel of your identity. Denying it is denying the very existence of LGBTI people.
However, in 21 countries, conversion therapies is still possible. Hundreds of people are victims of these barbaric, practices. With mental and physical injuries left afterwards, condemned by the UN.
So for the far right, you've never said anything about a vaccine against LGBTI people. Your hatred is destroying our society. A patriarchal society, which domination relations win. So here in the European Parliament, I would like to speak to all gay, lesbian, trans and queer people. We will never allow the far right to win the day here, and deny your very existence.
The antibodies of LGBTI people are stronger than the hatred of the far-right. Over a million people have signed this European Citizens' Initiative to ban conversion practices. We stand with them, and now it's up to you, the European Commission, to act. It has to be a total ban, zero exceptions, nor for sexual orientation, nor gender identity.
Madam Commissioner, you cannot simply be part of this debate. You have to act because we cannot wait no longer. If there is one thing our society needs to recover from, it's transphobia, and it's homophobia.
Thank you.
Speaker 210
Now, on behalf of the ESN group, Mister Bostov has the floor. Torture, humiliation, crawl, mistreatment, even exorcism. Who really believes that conversion therapies in Europe take these forms? Since 2020, conversion therapies have been banned in Germany, and the results are drastic.
All those parents who love and care for their children and want to support them cannot intervene. In the education of their own children. Doubts about gender identity are totally normal in adolescents, and quite justifiable.
LGBTQIA+ lobbies often financed by the EU are ready to take advantage of this uncertainty, but parents aren't allowed to have a say. If they do, they're in danger of the child protection agency getting involved. In 2024, there were 70,000 such cases of intervention by the Child Protection Agency.
Speaker 211
So our experience in Germany of banning these conversion therapies is not a good one, and we reject this attempt to ban them all. The next speaker, Miss Narudova.
Danuše Nerudová
Conversion therapy is a torture, and yet this is still happening in Europe. One in four LGBTQ+ people in the European Union have experienced conversion practices. One in four. Let that sink in.
At a time when we are facing a mental health crisis among the young generation, how can we tolerate practices that are linked to depression, anxiety, or suicide? This is not health care. It doesn't protect them. It just isolates them.
Let's criminalize this practice.
Danuše Nerudová
Let's provide victims with psychological support. Because we do not have to fix them, because they are not broken. Thank you.
Lukas Sieper
Thank you. You. Madam President. As so often in these debates, I am referring to article 10.4 of the rules about hate speech. It's about our colleague, Bostov. I know that what we talk about is hatred speech, is normally defamation, and very clear statements.
But I believe that you, madam president, as a German, know that hate speech in our society now is the constant attempt to use these ideas which are against democracy and make them part and parcel of our everyday speech.
They claim that one's own transsexuality, intersectionality, homosexuality, or another non-heteronormative is something which someone will grow out of, that this is supported by some kind of lobby group.
Is pushing the borders of what can be said within the field of hate speech. And that's where we have to stand up, and I would call on the bureau, please, to intervene.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
We will submit this to the bureau. And see, well, it's maybe a borderline case. Can it be defined as hate speech or not? But it will be submitted to the bureau.
Rafiat.
Thank you.
Sandra Gómez López
Homosexuality, we should help people to express their identity and help them to correct misunderstandings.
This came from a pamphlet. There's. Also a text that claims homosexuality is due to excessive motherly suffocating upbringing. So this is the sort of thing that you see in pamphlets.
So this is why we are so grateful to the petitioners for coming forward with this initiative, because this kind of advertising of these therapies is unacceptable. This is torture inflicted on young people, on children, that can last for years. That involves humiliation, deprivation of liberty, enforced medication. And above all, it represents constant psychological violence, which makes people believe that what they are is wrong, is bad, that they are wrong and all bad.
And we should listen to the victims, who for example, one of whom was subjected to this kind of treatment for four years. And fortunately, the person is now recovering, but others are not so fortunate. People commit suicide after such therapy.
So let's not delude ourselves. This is not just a marginal phenomenon of fanaticism. It is getting institutional and political support in my country. A law has been abolished proposed by VOXX and the EPP in Valencia that there are initiatives of this kind.
So this is why it is so appalling that in Europe today, love is considered to be something to be treated, to be diseased, to be of the devil, and something that should be punished. The next retina is Lucas Sipa.
The next speaker is Lukas Sipa.
Lukas Sieper
Dear people of Europe, put me into a camp and tell me that being with a woman is a sin, and I will still be heterosexual at the end of the day. Put me into a camp and parade the most attractive men in the world in front of me, I will still be heterosexual at the end of the day. Put me into a camp and beat me up until I say differently.
Lukas Sieper
No matter what you do to me, I will still be myself at the end of the day. Dear colleagues, every human being has one fundamental right: to be who they are. You cannot torture identity from a person. You cannot legislate it away, and you cannot correct it.
This initiative is exactly about that. There's only one choice, let the people be who they are. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 217
The young LGBT people who are being told to change yourself.
Don't listen because you're good. Just as you are. There's nothing wrong with being gay, lesbian, being trans, or being intersex. But, unfortunately, far too many people in Europe have been going through the extremely damaging practice of so-called conversion therapy. And it's still happening.
It's happening because in far too many countries in the EU, it's still legal. In my own home country, Denmark, I proposed a ban six years ago, and still nothing has happened.
So that's why I look up to the activist, and I thank you because we have to listen to you. We have to listen to you when you rally more than a million Europeans behind you. So let's all listen.
Let's ban this so-called conversion fair, and let's protect Europeans. Thank you.
Carolina Morace
Thank you. You, presidents. Conversion practices are no therapy, as has already been said. They're violence. Attempts to break apart what people are, to transform love into shame. Without these practices, there are stories of fear.
Of isolation, of young people who are not allowed to be themselves, and that suffering or feeling different to the others is not something that can be dealt with by trying to change what one is.
And it's something that I know well, putting an end to conversion practices means accepting people like me. It's about saying to every girl, every boy, every member of the LGBTIQ community, there's nothing in you that needs to be cured.
I would call on this house to show courage. Gay people, they're not left wing. They're not right-wing. They are sons. They are daughters. They are citizens.
Citizens that we represent here. So maybe it is a question that you can put to yourselves. Remember the only right one. Are your children happy? Thank you.
The next speaker is Maria Walsh.
Maria Walsh
Colleagues, often we hear the term "conversion therapy." We imagine something from the past, an outdated practice that no longer takes place in our community and is banned by our laws.
Maria Walsh
But that is simply not true. Only eight EU countries have banned the so-called therapies.
And as an Irish MEP, it's difficult to see that Ireland, my own member state, is not among them.
Despite being a country that has shown real leadership on LGBTQI plus rights, notably by being the first country that voted for marriage equality by popular vote over ten years ago. Sadly, though, we still haven't banned conversion therapy.
Despite clear commitments in two programmes for government, we simply do not have the legislation. Legislation that would ban conversion practices wouldn't just be symbolic.
It would clearly say that we do not accept practices that seek to erase who people fundamentally are.
So I'm calling on my own country to finally act and bring forward this legislation. I'm calling on the commission, and not just the commission, but our council leaders, ultimately have the decision to make this change.
Maria Walsh
1,200,000 people have signed it. They're asking Europe to stand up and defend their fundamental rights.
Rights that we debate, discuss and vote on here in this house. We cannot continue to let our rainbow community suffer silently. And I'm just conscious even tonight's debate, hundreds of LGBTI plus kids are going through conversion therapy. Hundreds.
Speaker 223
And we simply are sitting here with an empty chamber, yet again talking about the protection of citizens. Thank you very much.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much, Mrs. Walsh. There's a blue card from Mr. Zipper. Do you accept it? Luka Zipper, please. Blue card.
Lukas Sieper
I'm also not used to it. The colleague, if you would have the chance to talk to one of these kids that's going through this horrible process that indeed is not worthy of the name therapy.
Maria Walsh
What would you tell them? Thanks for giving me my own personal story because, like my colleague, MEP Angel, or Angle, we call him Angel in this house. I'm a gay kid living in a rural part of Ireland. Very Catholic-driven when I was growing up. And I couldn't even imagine the psychological, the spiritual, the physical degree of discrimination that I would go through if I was another kid living in a different part of Europe.
And the fact of the matter is, I'd like to openly share that while there's a small cohort here tonight, every time there's a debate on LGBTI plus rights, every time there's an amendment to be placed, every time there's a vote to be had, there is a growing number of MEPs, commissioners, and councilors. While we might feel that small, they're out there and they're speaking large.
And to specifically shout to our NGOs and CSOs who don't have the luxury of coming in here to defend their rights every day. We're with them in great spirits and love.
Thank you. Thanks.
Thank you very much.
Alessandro Zan
Thank you, President. Thank you, commissioner. It was the darkest time of my life. If conversion therapy had been banned, I would have suffered less trauma. And perhaps I wouldn't have tried to take my own life.
Alessandro Zan
These are the voices of people who have enjoyed what I called conversion practices. Physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, a form of torture, as recognized by the United Nations.
We know well the consequences: broken lives, denied identities, and young people made to believe that suicide is their only way out.
It's happening today in Europe, and even in my own country.
Italy.
Alessandro Zan
Where no law exists to ban these practices. How can we stay silent in the face of such discrimination, violence, and hate?
I just shared some hopeful and antiscientific statements from right wing colleagues. I want to remind them that sexual orientation and gender identity is not a choice, but an individual's condition that must always be respected.
So no one can be convinced, or no one can be converted. So member states have taken action and banned them. But in a true union of equality, rights must not stop at borders.
Thanks to the HACC initiative. Thank you very much. More than 1,000,000 citizens are urging us to be brave and go beyond fear and adopt common concrete measures. Europe must respond strongly and together to end these inhuman practices across our Union.
Thank you very much.
Sabine Verheyen
Please wait a moment. Mister Terhes, you have asked for a blue card. Do you want the blue card to catch the eye? Both.
Okay.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Then we come now to catch the eye. And first on the list is Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
What are we discussing here? Is it credible in 2026 that we are still discussing whether homosexuality is an illness? Homophobia is an illness. And the so-called conversion therapies are not therapies, but they are acts of torture, are banned by the Charter of Human Rights. And when they are intrusive and conversive and violence, they're actually banned by article four of the charter fundamental rights.
So what we've seen here, millions of signatures to this petition that call for action to make conversion practices a European crime, which applies to all European countries. So this is a criminal offense everywhere, not just civil or administrative.
And also the protection of victims at a direct directive should afford support to the victims of this badly named conversion therapies. Thank you.
Madam.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
They cannot achieve what they are purporting to achieve. Human sexuality does not change by talking.
This is just self-deception.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
However, the fact is that banning conversion therapies at EU level is a completely different issue. Do we really want to enter into an area where we control prayer hours between individual persons? And that at the same time, when there is direct evil within religious communities, that about which the EU decision makers don't care.
Seeds of radicalization are sown in mosques. Islam lays the foundation for the subjugation of women, forcing them to cover them. In Islamic culture, there prevails the idea that gays should be stoned to death.
Dankeshun.
Speaker 232
Well, time and time again, the far right speaks about protecting children.
So let's see what conversion practices do to protect children. These so-called therapies are not based on any scientific or medical evidence, there's a lot of evidence about what they do.
They increase shame. They increase anxiety. They increase not just suicidal thoughts, but also suicide attempts. So when the far right calls for continuing such practices, they break our children. They violate and abuse them.
So I'd love for them to tell me, what do you actually do to protect our children? But all I see are empty rows. And I'm not surprised that they're not participating in this debate. Because they know about their own hypocrisy. They know that the only time they shall protect our children is as a front.
For their racism, for their homophobia, and for their hatred. But it is exactly that hatred that our kids need to be protected from. It's about time that the last child in Europe had suffered under the cruel and torturous idea of conversion.
Therapies. Thank you. Thank you.
Gordan Bosanac
Thank you, chair, and dear colleagues, this was really a pleasure to listen to the debate because I hear a lot of echoing from you supporting what the citizens are also requiring an activist to ban the conversion practices in the Union, and I'm convinced we will do it. But we should do more.
In my gay life, I haven't met any LGBTIQ person who became straight. But also in my gay life, I met more than 100 people who were homophobic, and then they changed.
So actually, what we can convert, what we can, where we can do the progress, we can heal homophobia. So, commissioner, let's put more efforts into the public health system and give support to the homophobic people to have access to the mental health support, heal homophobia, because this really works.
Next speaker is Thomas Bayada.
Thomas Bajada
I was forced to fake my own funeral. I passed through eight exorcisms.
I was told to pray the gay away. These are the voices of young Europeans we have failed to protect.
In 2018, this very house has already called for a ban of conversion practices. Ten years ago, my country Malta was the first in Europe to prove that such a ban is possible. And yet, a decade later. Here we are. These practices still persist across the union.
We have been too slow, but over 1,000,000 citizens have not waited. They demand that Europe acts decisively. Thank you. Act. Through these practices, young people are made to believe Qudayar is something to fear, to hide, to change.
And the alcoholic Zaban alone is not enough. We must also ban the advertising of these practices. This kind of torture has no place in our union because no one in Europe should ever feel and made to feel that who they are must be corrected.
Bert-Jan Ruissen
Thank you. You, madam president. The call for a ban on conversion practices raises major questions. First, the EU has no powers in this area. For that reason, we should reject this request.
Also, the general thrust of the proposal is dubious. Coercion and abuse are already banned by law. But it's clear that this proposal goes further than that. We should look at this in the light of the woke ideology whereby everybody can choose a gender. Doubts about gender, they say, are fine and should be fed. But any sort of understanding, support are rejected. They are seen as a disruption that should not be allowed. But bear in mind that young people who are struggling with their identity are not going to be helped by this proposal.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Thank you, chair Exelier Nederlandspreyker. I'll speak Dutch.
When we're talking about trans people and specifically young people who want to have gender affirming care, the extreme right sort of raised their arms to heaven, saying that people are being forced by woke culture to have these gender affirming therapies.
But in fact, they are imposing their world view on young people, a worldview that can lead to suicide, that damages people's self-esteem, and that can lead to lasting trauma because, fine, freedom of belief is fine.
But religious fanaticism does not deserve freedom. What we don't accept is female genital mutilation, for example. If we don't accept that, we should not accept conversion therapy or practices, either. These have to be banned.
I'm gonna catch the eye.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis
Thank you, madam chair. Commissioner, of course, we know well how it is dangerous. Don't call it conversion therapy. Nothing with therapy. Nothing. You know that only in eight of 27 EU member states, they have implemented nationwide bans on conversion practices.
But this significant variation in what the legislation covers. And you know, and very important that even where ban enforcement varies between member states, very difficult question.
Why? Because many practices occur in private or religious settings, making tracking very difficult. And we need, first of all, we need to say very clearly, it's about fundamental human rights. And you can introduce Ben or in all European Union space because it is defending fundamental human rights.
And I am very much this with those who are arguing about. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Cristian Terheş
Much has been said here about torture. Do you know what torture is? To send your child to school? And instead of learning how to write, and do mathematical calculations, he comes back home and says, I'm not certain whether I'm a boy or a girl.
Do you know what torture is when a judge sends a pervert to a women's prison, placing those women in danger. That's torture. A minor sent to school and forced by the teachers to go through what you call gender-affirmation care.
Let the children enjoy their innocence. Who's an adult and decides to be gay, absolutely free to do that. Nobody in Europe will persecute someone who is gay at this level, but let the children keep their innocence in school.
Let them study what they must study, the sciences, mathematics. Thank you.
Speaker 241
Is. The last speaker under Catch the Eye. Please go ahead. Madam president, colleagues, well, haven't heard any reasonable arguments against the ban on conversion practices. The only argument I've heard was a bit, well, if young people, children are unsure in the future, maybe we could prevent parents talking with them.
It's a non-argument. And it simply shows that the people who've used this argument have never dealt with homosexuals, for example. If you think that just somebody will out just because they have never seriously addressed this.
It's an extremely difficult decision. Even now, to say even to your parents, to say, I think I'm gay. It's still an extremely difficult decision. And anyone who thinks it's like advertising, if you like, that, you can just do has really not understood that there are still young people who commit suicide, out of desperation in Europe. And that's what we have to do something more about.
In order to, instead of seeing these people suppressed and tortured because of this horrendous agenda, really, we cannot accept that in Europe. We have to protect our children against that.
Sabine Verheyen
Well, please respect, despite the passion, please respect your speaking time. And finally, the floor goes to the Commissioner once again, to Labib.
I will start in French.
Hadja Lahbib
First, the members of parliament, I would like to thank you for having contributed to this fascinating and passionate debate, perhaps one of the most fascinating and passionate I've attended.
And thank you for sharing your experiences, your personal stories, Alexandra Zand, Maria Walsh. I think thanks to your involvement, to your personal testimony, we can understand just how damaging these conversion practices are, how much suffering they cause, showing that they can indeed be equated with torture. Thanks to your testimony, we can understand how serious the trauma is, the psychological damage inflicted by such practices. Which can, in the long term, threaten life, even claim lives, as has been stated. Thank you for sharing the story of Benoit, that gives names and faces to these stories, and that's important.
I think we shouldn't be discussing these matters in abstract terms. Thank you to Fabienne Keller for having underscored the problem that we have in translating conversion practice into French, for example, because conversion therapy, as it sounds in French, yes, it's not correct.
There's nothing to be treated. There's nothing to be cured. We need to find another term in French, I think, for this. I think we should find another word for conversion therapy, as it is in French, which is so profoundly damaging to people.
I understand everything that's been said. Thank you to Margarita de la Pisa. Carry on. Yes, I do think we should be cautious. We all have to make choices at certain moments of our lives, human beings, and precisely for this reason, people need support in every child, every teenager needs support but kindly support, attention, and a listening ear to allow them at the end of the day to make their own choice without anything being imposed upon them.
In our LGBTIQ plus strategy, the commission will carefully consider the best way forwards and take appropriate action to combat conversion practices. We will take the citizens' initiative into account. We will focus in particular on how to support member states while fully respecting the division of competences based on the treaties, as stated in the registration decision.
Today's debate and the hearing of March 2 are important steps in our assessment. We will take into account all the views expressed today. The commission will present its reply to the citizens' initiative by 20 May.
And, I totally agree with what Christina Guarda has said. It's not a question of being at the left or at the right of the political spectrum or a question of religion or ideology, but a question of simply being human.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much indeed, madam Commissioner. That concludes the debate, and we can move now to the next agenda item. This is a joint debate on deposit protection and early intervention measures.
We have firstly the report from Peter Hansen and the question of deposit protection and cooperation across borders, as well as Mr. Nedermeier's report on early intervention measures. And financing of the measures.
As well as the report from Ms. Tinalli, which is early intervention measures. And financing of resolution measures. So I will start by giving the floor to the rapporteurs Keira Marie Peter Hansen, first and foremost.
Four minutes.
Thank you very much.
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen
And tomorrow, we are voting on the CMDI packages. It's one of the most important banking pieces of banking legislation that we have.
And let me first start as a rapporteur by thanking the other groups for their constructive cooperation, Renn and Ludac.
I don't see where he's sitting now. Somewhere over here, as co-rapporteur and especially also Jill for having to be in the middle of, of free reporters. I appreciate very much the cooperation.
As well to the commission and the council for your support. And efforts to find an agreement. Because as you all know, the 2008 global financial crisis exposed the devastating consequences of unmanaged bank failures, taxpayers across Europe were forced to bail out failing banks, and the economic and social costs were disastrous. Since then, we've all worked to build a resolution framework that ensures that never happens again. But that framework has not worked as intended for all banks.
In practice, many small and medium banks have lacked the loss absorbing capacity to enter resolution. Leaving national authorities with no real alternative to liquidation or taxpayer-funded bailouts. And the CMDI reform addresses these gaps.
By broadening access to industry-funded safety nets, by clarifying and strengthening the public interest assessments, and by improving deposit protection, we are making the resolution framework more credible and more consistent for banks of all size.
For the Greens' EFA, this package is also an important step towards completing the banking union. A project that we have long supported, but which sadly remains unfinished. Our priorities in these negotiations have been clear.
First of all, we wanted to make sure that taxpayers and depositors are protected. Secondly, we've pushed for a framework that works not just for the largest banks, but also for the small and medium-sized institutions. And thirdly, we've used this to remain committed to completing the banking union, including by creating a European deposit insurance scheme as the third pillar. Today's reform is an important step towards the completion of the banking union, but it's not the end of the road.
And before I conclude, allow me also to make one procedural observation before we vote on this report or this file tomorrow. Because this legislative package consists of three separate files, each with one repertoire. And I say from experience that coordinating across three free repertoires on a single legislative package creates real challenges. And in this regard, I would like to once again acknowledge the efforts of my co rapporteur in the shadows in navigating this complexity, and also to the secretariat for the support.
Driving the process forward efficiently and ensuring cohesion and consistency between files while respecting the mandates and priorities of each reporter is a difficult exercise. And in this regard, I also want to waste the free repertoires on the SIU package and the commission of best of luck, as the parliament has chose to do it in the same way.
However, I also hope that we as a parliament will raise some reflections on whether these procedural choices serve the parliament's interest or the legislative output that we want to achieve effectively.
But leaving the procedural note aside, I want to once again thank the other groups and the commissioner and the council for their constructive engagement, and I look forward to making another step with you towards completing the banking union.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much indeed, Miss Peter Hansen. And the next speaker is Rabbi Niedermeyer.
Luděk Niedermayer
Chair. The CMD work that we will conclude tomorrow has started in 2023. It represents an important step in improving the banking architecture of the EU. But let me go at the beginning, a little bit further in the history. The banking union itself remains unfinished more than 10 years after it was launched.
Some important parts were introduced quickly, but the overall framework is still incomplete. The reason is that some member states are not happy to continue and finish it. Fragmentation of the European banking market persists, and barriers prevent banks from operating effectively across the single market.
That's why we are losing the efficiency, and customers, firms, and citizens pay higher price. CMD proposal was not the revolution in the crisis management framework, but it is the evolution. The evolution that should demonstrate that we can do better. We can move further. Long and difficult negotiation proved that we are able to find the compromises if we have in mind that the goal is to improve the situation.
My lesson from the negotiation is that the main barrier to the progress is on the political side. Not on the technical side. And also, narrow, well-defined reforms can be blocked by the political positions. It continues, badly needed progress in the key economic agenda of the EU removing the single market barriers is at stake. And we could fail in delivering improvement and strengthening of the EU economy.
Mario Draghi warned us Europe faced the choice between further integration or gradual decline. In this context, deeper integration of the banking market has no option. It is an absolute necessity. And delivering on banking union is one of the easiest things to do.
Talking about the CMDI, and I guess Kira said it very clearly. This is an improvement, important, but not huge improvement in the crisis management frameworks. It improves the ability of the small banks to be resolved and reduce the cost of the potential banking crisis. It makes it easier to use the resolution tools instead of liquidation.
Where there is the public interest, helping to preserve the critical function and the financial stability. It will significantly cost the economy. I'm glad that we enhanced the situation of DGS. Increase, improve the flexibility, and also keep the safeguards for using such funds. It strengthened the single resolution framework, including better cooperation between the member states authority and the authorities of the EU.
Overall, the file improves, the financial stability makes the system more credible, flexible, and better prepared for the possible crisis. And it's important today despite the fact that European banks prove very strong resilience in past few years.
To conclude, why is the outcome the compromise? It represents not a huge, but very important improvement of EU architecture. The success in the negotiation of this difficult package creates good conditions for being successful in improving the single market, and concluding the banking union.
I guess this is what we have to do because, otherwise, it would be hard to reach stronger European economy morally resilience, and future prosperity. Once more, let me thank the others, and I will keep the thanks for the rest of the team to my concluding remarks.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
You. Thank you very much.
Irene Tinagli
Commissioner, colleagues, on CMDI, we have delivered a strong, balanced, and generally European result.
This agreement is not only a technical improvement of the framework, it is, above all, a political sign.
It shows that, when we choose integration over fragmentation, we can strengthen financial stability, better protect depositors, and significantly reduce the likelihood that taxpayers are called upon. From the outset, we set clear objectives to strengthen the crisis management framework, expand the tool kit available to resolution authorities, make progress in harmonizing national instruments, and reinforce European level solutions.
Today, we can say that these objectives have been met. The introduction of the bridge-the-gap mechanism is a key achievement. It makes resolution more credible and more accessible, especially for small and medium-sized banks, which in the past often faced a binary and inefficient choice between disorderly liquidation and public intervention. This tool allows in specific and well defined the combination of loss-absorbing instruments issued by banks with resources from national deposit guarantee schemes. In doing so, it enables institutions to reach the 8% total liabilities and own funds threshold required to access the Single Resolution Fund.
Irene Tinagli
It means that a larger pool of banks can still be resolved in an orderly manner without resorting to deposit or bail-in or public funds. It strengthened the credibility of the entire European crisis management framework.
Throughout the negotiations, we work to make these mechanisms truly operational. Relying on technical assessments, we removed overly restrictive conditions while preserving a prudent architecture, where MREL remains the first line of defense and moral hazard is avoided. We also addressed the key asymmetries that would have disadvantaged countries with smaller deposit guarantee schemes, eliminated blocking mechanisms that could have paralyzed the tool, and ensured a largely consistent application across banking union and non banking union countries.
Another key achievement has been the defense of truly European governance. We preserve the independence and integrity of the single market single resolution board, resisting attempts to renationalize decision making. We recognize the concerns of some member states, are often excluded from supervision and crisis management of banks operating on their territory, while still bearing responsibilities through the national deposit guarantee schemes. However, the answer to this asymmetry is not to roll back integration, but to deepen it, starting with a genuinely European deposit insurance scheme. Safeguarding a strong and independent European authority is essential for credibility, consistency, and legal certainty. And remains a cornerstone of a fully functioning banking union.
At the same time, we made meaningful progress on harmonization, preventive and alternative measures to the treatment of institutional protection schemes. We have integrated national specificities into a more coherent European framework.
So what matters here are the achievement robust and solid, but also the direction. The negotiations have delivered the balanced and credible framework, reopening the prospect of completing the banking union. So looking ahead, these must now translate into renewed political momentum to take the final steps towards a truly European deposit insurance scheme.
Thanks.
Sabine Verheyen
So I take, so thank you very much. And now I pass the floor on behalf of the commission to Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque.
Maria Luís Albuquerque
Madam. President, honorable members, this proposal on crisis management and deposit insurance, or CMDI, is strengthening the foundations of Europe's banking sector. We have reached a significant milestone in our collective journey to safeguard financial stability across the European Union, ensuring that our banking sector remains resilient, competitive, and trustworthy. This progress is the result of your commitment and engagement, and of the council leading to a political agreement on the reform of the bank crisis management and deposit insurance framework.
I'd like to personally thank the rapporteurs for their work on this file, recognizing the challenges of the way it was built or how it was worked. So the reform of the CMDI framework builds on the lessons of past situations.
Our endeavor began in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis and the euro area sovereign debt crisis. Which exposed vulnerabilities that demanded action. In response, we established the banking union. A pivotal advancement in strengthening our financial infrastructure. Central to this was the introduction of the single resolution mechanism, which has an objective to efficiently address banking failures without overburdening taxpayers.
A decade since the establishment of the SRM, crisis management remains a priority. We face new challenges driven by technological advancements, interconnectedness, and emerging geopolitical tensions, all of which necessitate our attention.
Negotiations on CMDI were challenging, yet guided by the goal of upholding the reforms' objectives. Open-minded and fair dialogue among all stakeholders was crucial in reaching political agreement. The revised framework will give additional tools to resolution authorities to manage failures, especially of small and medium-sized banks. By broadening the resolution scope and ensuring depositor protection, it aims to preserve financial stability, avoid economic disruption. The improved CMDI framework reinforces the essential promise of the banking union.
That bank failures can be managed effectively, fairly, and in the interests of businesses, citizens, and society. Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much. And now I pass the floor on behalf of EP to Isabelle Ben Krumaher.
Speaker 250
President. Commissioner, the agreement that we are voting on tomorrow is a very good piece of news, a step forward to enhance the financial security and certainty, and to better improve how we manage banking crises. And so I want to congratulate the co-legislators on this agreement. As I was saying, this is a first step. But if we want a stronger, more integrated, more resilient banking system that can compete with other jurisdictions, well, we need to move forward and complete the banking union.
We need to ensure that we push forward on the deposit guarantee scheme at EU level. More fragmentation is not what is needed in the banking sector. We need clear rules and less red tape. To be able to enable the sector to fully carry out its purpose, to make sure that there is money financing projects and improvements for small and medium sized enterprises and the lives of EU citizens.
And on the matter of the banking union, I'll take this opportunity to ask the commissioner that in the paper that you are working on the competitiveness of the banking sector, please specifically mention the importance of delivering the banking union. That paper ought furthermore to include tangible measures calling on supervisory authorities to work to fight, to improve the competitiveness of our banking sector, similar to what the UK did.
We cannot say that we are defending the single market and at the same time be putting up barriers. Europe will not be able to grow in relevance. If we carry on with this fragmented national approach, thank you.
Good. Evening.
Commissioner.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 252
I think today is a moment where we can congratulate ourselves. After long years of negotiations, tomorrow, be able to vote on a good agreement. It's not a revolution. In the area of banking resolution, it's a step and a firm step in the right direction. And I think we can also congratulate ourselves on the work done by pro-European forces vis-à-vis a difficult council course. It's not the time to bandy reproaches around, but I think it's fair to say that the council text really complicated the thrust of the commission proposal.
What we want to simplify measures in, including banking rules and resolution rules, we have to be honest and say that the council position was anything other than a simplification. So or anything but.
So thanks to the pro-European forces and shadow rapporteurs, we've managed somehow to come forward with them in a more practicable text. So thanks to our good cooperation, we have achieved something, and this should be an example to follow in the future.
We're talking about the need to improve competitiveness and the need to complete the banking union. And I hope our cooperation will bear fruit. We need to be able to focus our efforts to improve competitiveness on consolidating the banking union.
The achieving the single market, removing national barriers that prevent us from benefiting from economies of scale, and simplify the framework for deposits that will also allow for smoother cross-border flows. So it's a complicated agenda.
Speaker 253
Today, we can applaud ourselves, but let's take this as an encouragement to continue working.
Speaker 255
Dear colleagues, madam commissioner, I propose to support this file as protecting depositors and preserving financial stability is essential. At the same time, the framework introduces a broader set of tools that posit guarantee schemes, including earlier intervention in certain situations.
The key question is, therefore, how these tools are applied in practice. The use of the least cost principle must remain transparent, well grounded, and consistently applied to ensure confidence in the system. Moreover, the framework must preserve the right incentives across the system.
Stability relies not only on intervention tools, but also on responsibility and sound risk management. We should therefore closely monitor the implementation of this framework and remain ready to adjust it where necessary to ensure that interventions remain limited and don't create unintended incentives. Intervention must remain the exception, not the expectation.
Thanks a lot for your attention.
Marlena Maląg
Ladies. And gentlemen, can we actually work out sound regulations? It turns out that, yes, especially if we put a human being at the heart of these regulations. A customer of a small bank often in a small town in Poland, it can be a cooperative bank, where you know your customer by name and not only by account number.
CMDI is a piece of very good work. I'm glad because it's favorable for small banks.
The system of inter-institutional protection, DGS bridge, and the new criterion of public interest. We've needed those changes because public interest does not only guarantee the stability of the system, it guarantees the stability of a local community. Well done.
The first step in the right direction. Small banks represent the backbone of the European financial ecosystem. But today, they are faced with the same requirements as huge banks that kill off competition and the local spirit. And customers usually bear the brunt of these changes, especially those who have loans.
That's why simpler rules for smaller banks and more equality in the market may be Europe strong with the local flavor.
Next speaker is Julie Boyer.
Speaker 258
Thank you. You, madam president, madam commissioner. We have worked very closely together with the three rapporteurs, Kira, Irene and Ludec. Thank you very much to them. We've put in a lot of work, and I hope it's not for nothing because it will mean that the next financial crisis that we prefer here would never happen.
And now if it does happen, which is possible, I think we've got some new very precious instruments here which will allow us to react quickly to avoid contagion, will allow us to act in European solidarity, which will allow us to act to solve the crisis without using the European taxpayers' money. And without compensating the banks that take unconsidered risks, I think we can move further towards a genuine banking union and saving and investment union.
To continue to bring together competitiveness and financial security. Thank you.
Siegbert Frank Droese
The next speaker is Mister Siegbert Roza. Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, all of this positive talk about this proposal is not something I can endorse. What we're being sold as progress is actually another step towards more centralization and a sharing of liability in the European banking system.
More flexible use of deposit guarantee schemes and cross border cooperation all sounds very good, but of course, there are risks involved. We watered down national protections and more robust and solid economies or systems will pay the cost of the inadequacies of others.
And this raises question of who intervenes and when. These decisions should be taken on the basis of clear market-oriented principles, not for political reasons. And also, we see a dangerous development in the direction of more complex mechanisms that just do one thing, which is shifting risks and responsibility elsewhere instead of reducing them.
Do need a stable banking system, clear liability rules, and delineation of responsibility, but we shouldn't have any hidden commuterization through the back door. We need less democracy and more economic common sense, not new instruments that, at the end of the day, will undermine confidence.
Speaker 261
Thank you, president, for com. Thank you, madam president, madam commissioner. Tomorrow, we're closing an important chat for the European Banking Union, the AIM of CMI. The reform was very clear from the beginning.
We want to protect taxpayers and ensure financial stability. One point was very important there, and that was proportionality. Now we've made it possible that national systems that we have right now with savings banks that they are emptied out through the back door. I think it's a positive situation because we can protect savers, enhance trust in the single market, and in the case of a crisis, the banks are responsible first and foremost.
Not the citizens. And we've come up with a European solution which respects local situations instead of imposing a single approach there. So we are making Europe safer against crisis without sacrificing what we have locally as well, which is a great success for our citizens and for the economy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 262
And our last speaker on the speaker's list is Pierre Plampi. Cheryl Colet, Dear colleagues, the deposit guarantee fund is supposed to protect our citizens. It's not a safety net for banks in difficulty. This is not a healthy development. I think it blurs rules and responsibilities. Depositors should not even indirectly bear the costs of management choices that they did not make or approve.
Protection of deposits must remain a clear and credible line. We have to protect depositors. We should follow a cautious approach and refuse rescue mechanisms being used as an instrument of management. We do not want to shift towards broader and broader sharing of risk, mutualization of risk.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Now we come to the catch the eye, and the only speaker on the catch the eye list is Sebastian Tinkinen, please.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Madam. President, now all savers, please listen. Doesn't it sound great? That we talk about developing bank deposit insurance and resolution capabilities? Deposits will be safer and crisis will be averted. But the reality is harsh.
The commission wants to save European banks that are on the verge of bankruptcy. The backs of Finnish savers. This is certainly not fine with me. If there are banks in the European Union that cannot survive, the losses of investors should not be borne by Finns.
What did the Finnish parliament warn us about? It said that the changes proposed now may lead to the commission proposing that national deposit guarantee schemes be merged into a single deposit guarantee scheme.
Well, this really is not okay with me. If the member states cannot guarantee citizens' deposits alone, it is not the task of the Finns to guarantee the payout. Full stop.
Sabine Verheyen
We now give the floor back to Miss Albuquerque on behalf of the commission.
Maria Luís Albuquerque
Honorable. Members, this achievement is indeed an improvement to the existing framework, but most importantly, it moves us one step closer to completing the banking union. As we move forward, we must not become complacent.
Persistent fragmentation of EU banking markets is preventing our economy from reaping the benefits of a genuine single banking market. The CMDI review serves as a catalyst to strengthen our single market, but more work remains to be done. We must focus on completing the banking union and implementing rules that push us towards a robust, integrated, competitive banking sector.
Looking ahead, our report on the competitiveness of the EU banking sector due in Q3 is a key deliverable of our savings and investments union strategy. It will put forward our vision for a competitive European banking sector, supportive of the competitiveness of the European economy.
I want to acknowledge the constructive engagement of this Parliament and the Council throughout CMDI negotiations. The result reflects compromises, but also progress. A balance between national concerns and the shared European good. Let us persevere in laying the foundations for a banking union that aligns with the aspirations of European citizens and businesses who want the reassurance that their savings are protected against future challenges.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much. And now I pass the floor to Keira Marie, Peter Hansen, rapporteur.
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen
Thank you very much, and thanks for all the remarks and contributions. As Rona said, today is a day where we should congratulate each other because this package shows that despite political disagreements and despite national specificities, we can actually deliver on Europe's economy and resilience together in a broad political majority. I will just end by congratulating you, and then giving the floor back to Ludwig.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 263
Now I'll pass the floor to Ludwig Niedermeyer. But Kira did it already. Thank you.
Luděk Niedermayer
Thank you very much, madam chair, and thank you, Kira. So to save time, first of all, I'm very encouraged by clear support and understanding of this work by majority of speakers here today.
And let me also join in thanking very much the reporters, the shadow reporters. We should not forget that without a strong engagement of the Polish president it would be very difficult to strike the deal. Also, let me thank the secretariat and our, obviously, our staff.
But most importantly, I want to encourage the commission to submit the proposals that would move us farther in the single market integration and completion banking union. Because this is what Europe's need, and we should deliver on that quickly. So once more, thank you, and I see that as not the end of the work, but continuation.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much. And now I pass the floor to Raina Tinalli for the closing remarks.
Irene Tinagli
Yes. Thank you. As I said earlier, I think that CMDI is not an end point. It's a decisive step towards completing the banking union. I think that what these reforms make clear is that the more we operate within the current architecture of the banking union, the more its structural limitations come up and become apparent.
So we have addressed many of the technical obstacles. What remains now is a choice. If we truly want to ensure a level playing field, strengthen the confidence, unlock the full potential of financial integration, which we always mention, then we must take the next step. And I think we know what this step is.
I already said it. I think the next step is a European deposit insurance scheme. I know many people think it's difficult, but believe me, when we started CMD I, many people said the same. And they told me, they told us, you will not be able to strike an agreement on this. One, but we did and we got a good results.
So this should encourage all of us to push and keep moving forward. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you. That concludes the joint debate, and the vote on all three reports will take place tomorrow. We now move on to the next item on our agenda, which is the question for oral answer to the commission. This is about the implementation of the urban waste water treatment directive and the risk to the security of supply of medicines.
Speaker 265
Executive for president, Madam president, and commissioner colleagues. Well, this evening, we're discussing a theme which sounds rather technical, and it's on waste treatment, but actually, it's about a fundamental question. How can we connect protection of the environment with the security supply of medicines? Now, basically, this urban wastewater treatment directive is a good move in the right direction, but there are questions linked with it. We've got this question of extended producer responsibility, which fits in specifically with the supply of medicines, and that's the problem.
Because supply is fragile right now. In many member states, we're seeing problems on an increasing basis. We've got the critical medications acts that we've been working on to try to stabilize supply. And so it's contradictory if at the same time we're creating other burdens which would threaten that risk. It's generic products which are particularly affected, then that's about 70% of provision.
They are produced under strongly regulated prices. And we, the increase in prices, are excluded. The cost remains with the producer, in other words. So there's obvious consequence economic pressure without genuine ecological effect. And so we see further bottlenecks and its patients that support the risk in the long run.
So we have to be honest. The cornerstone of our environmental policy is that the producer pays. But, we know that there are other possibilities for financing. We need clarity.
What about the cost estimates? Will they lead to new bottlenecks? And would it be possible to check them with a stop-the-clock mechanism? Europe needs clean water. But Europe also needs an affordable supply of medicines. One can't be played off against the other. They have to go together. Hand in hand, and that's what it's about.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
And now I pass the floor to the commission. Here, I welcome the commissioner Jessica Roswell.
Thank you.
Jessika Roswall
For this opportunity to discuss a vital topic for European citizens and our industry.
Strong competitive pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are and will remain a central pillar of the EU. So too is our commitment to environmental and public health.
And to water resilience.
Jessika Roswall
Micropollutants in water bodies impact negatively on the environment and public health.
And the revised urban wastewater treatment directive agreed by the co-legislators in 2024 introduces an extended producer responsibility to meet the cost of tackling these issues in line with the polluter pays principle.
Pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries have been the most responsible for micropollutants reaching into the urban waste water. However, I want to stress that the extended producer responsibility covers the cost of the most advanced quaternary treatment only.
The cost of the primary, the secondary, and the tertiary treatment is exclusively borne by public budgets and citizens.
Honorable members, since I took office, I have visited wastewater treatment facilities, I have met with pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, I have listened carefully to their concerns. And last December, the commission services presented an updated study in light of the many additional studies conducted by national authorities and industries.
I know that numbers differ a lot.
And just like you, I wanted to know why.
Example, some numbers are not based on the narrow scope of the final trial agreement, and so they will naturally overestimate the cost.
But a number of the more recent studies provide valuable additional evidence, including actual experience from Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany.
Our research center looked at these. The analysis indicated by 24 to five when the indirective is fully implemented, the potential cost of removing mild micropollutants go to mind to amount to 2.7 to €3.2 per citizen per year. This does not indicate a fundamental change of cost estimated compared to the initial impact assessment at this stage.
Still, we need to be prudent as medical are critical. The commission is committed to ensuring that no action results in shortages of medicines and will work closely with member states to avoid unintended consequences undermining the availability of medicines.
So how do we get there? First, the directive will allow flexibility for member states and industry to ensure the affordability and availability of specific products such as generics.
Second, the commission will step up our work to win member states and all stakeholders, including the pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industry.
And we will share best practices to avoid unintended consequences on price and availability. And third, we must learn from practical experience.
Because by 2033, about 10 to 20% of the treatment plans will be in place, so this will also allow us to evaluate the directive based on real life experience.
Finally, let me just stress that the revised directive applies to all cosmetic and pharma products on the EU market.
Including those productive in third countries.
I understand the concerns that some of you have.
Jessika Roswall
Which is why the commission takes the implementation of these rules very seriously.
And I am committed to explaining our work so that we can continue to protect human health and the environment, ensure the supply of medicines, and support a strong pharma and cosmetic sector here in Europe.
Thank you.
Sabine Verheyen
Thank you very much. And now, on behalf of the EPP, I pass the floor to Peter Leeser.
Dear.
Speaker 268
Colleagues, it's clear that we all want clean water. However, we have questions about this piece of legislation, and too many questions remain unanswered in my view. First, we have existing rules in the EU that were agreed decades ago. But which haven't been fully implemented in all areas.
And the answers that I get from commission officials worry me more than they reassure me. They now want to take a more rigorous approach. But first, they should ensure that existing laws are properly enforced before they impose new burdens.
We hear a lot about flexibility, but flexibility doesn't give you any planning certainty. And when you need to produce medicines, generic, you need to make investment decisions. You're not going to be helped by people telling you, oh, but you've got flexibility.
I mean, if in doubt, people might not invest. And that leaves us with a problem. With the Critical Medicines Act, we want to encourage the production of medicinal products in Europe. And we have to be ever so careful to ensure that we don't achieve the opposite with the legislation we adopt.
Yes. Parliament agreed to these rules, but we had other ideas on certain details. Everything that we have approved in the past can be reexamined, this includes this piece of legislation. We should maybe have another year to think about it. The isn't simple, but I think we need to sit down and think about better solutions.
Alessandra Moretti
Thank you. You, president. Good evening, commissioner, colleagues. This is a debate on a complex matter, and it's important to start with the awareness that the choices that we make have a significant impact, particularly for citizens. The aim of this directive is to improve the European waters. And this is certainly not anything to be taken lightly.
I do regret that on such a delicate issue, the European Parliament has decided once again to side with the parties of the far right. I very much regret that because that is certainly a dangerous path to take, not just in this specific regard, but for Europe as a whole.
We've seen the good work that can be done if the pro-European groups negotiate in good faith, for instance, on the pharma package, which has just been adopted. And so I hope that the European People's Party will grow in awareness of this and swiftly. It's important, of course, when it comes to this directive to check the data and to ensure everything is done in a scientific manner.
We are convinced that European products must be accessible to all at affordable prices. If there's anything that needs to be discussed, well, we can discuss it. Any decision made by the Socialist group in the past, and indeed that it will make in the future, always aims to defend the common good, defend the interests of patients and citizens. That is why we defend this legislation. And as socialists, we are not willing to give up on the polluter pays principle.
We are not willing to do away with a law that aims to make our waters cleaner and safer. Nor will we push the cost of this to bear on our citizens.
I turn now to the People's Party and all the groups supporting the Commission. Let's work together on a reasonable compromise without getting caught up in populism. There may well be some tweaks that we can make to the law if there are independent studies that back up the choices. But let's not destroy this important piece of work. That we decided to go forward with to protect the environment, and indeed also since of the union.
Thank you.
Ondřej Knotek
Is Andrei Knutik, madam president, madam commissioner, good evening. I mean, no one questions protection of the water environment, but our measures shall not contradict. And I'm afraid that our global rivals must be laughing sometimes when it comes to the EU actions because of what we are doing.
The critical medicines act, I would say, a very good proposal. Critical medicines act, trying to get the medicines production back on the EU soil. And now implementing the Yoruba wastewater treatment directives basically expels the medicines out of the European soil.
So this doesn't make sense. And, what was wrong with this directive, commission provided most likely very wrong calculations, targets, and also assessments. So I really believe that now it's time to stop the clock. And invite the commission for new assessment together with the industries that we don't fight about the figures, that there's clear clarity. And, also, then provide the review that would also take the responsibilities for the non-EU players.
And also allow me to state that environmental measures and standards in Europe are already on an extremely high level. So further uncontrolled pressure in this direction could be a showstopper for you as a global player.
So I'm afraid we cannot do more for the climate. Or not much more than the others do, and definitely not on the cost of availability of the medicines, and especially generics in the EU.
So thank you very much.
Michele Picaro
Thank you. You, president. Well, protecting the environment and our citizens' health is an objective that we all share. But this revision, as it stands, leaves too much, too many unclear things.
The commission is talking about sustainable costs, but consumers are seeing a lack of clarity, particularly on this extended producer responsibility point. And there are heavy costs for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics without transparent criteria, and without a serious assessment of all the sources of pollution.
That is not a balance. It creates a genuine problem of fairness and legal certainty. It's not only an industrial issue. The concrete risk is that the prices of essential pharmaceuticals will increase. Medicines are not just any old thing.
They are right. They mean health. And that's why we would call for a break on the EPR so that we could have a complete assessment based on real value rather than hypotheses.
Protecting the environment is absolutely correct, but to push the costs onto the consumer is not.
Thank you, chair.
Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu
We are talking about two extremely important things. So we are talking about the, and we're talking about health.
They are both essential. We are talking about the most important things that man can have, such as its own health and what it can leave behind. The implementation on the treatment of urban wastewaters is an important step for public health, but we have to think about the potential risks to the security of supply of medicines that we need. It is essential to make sure that all treatments are accessible to patients and that we have clear figures on the financial impact of the new measures.
Also, we have to make a distinction between generic and innovative medicines because there is a significant difference in the profit margin. So the sustainability of each additional cost so that we do not negatively affect the availability of essential medicines.
At the same time, a very well known principle in the TFEU is polluter pays. So this means that those who bring to the market substances that generate micropollution have to pay.
Speaker 274
We need a balance. This is the word balance between environment protection and access to medicines. And this is the only way to have a sustainable policy.
Speaker 276
Thank you, Madam President, Madam Commissioner, colleagues. Families, pensioners, SMEs are struggling every day with increasing prices at the petrol pump and in the supermarket. VAT is likely to go up, and if the CDU get what they want, they're going to have rising water bills because instead of taking the polluter pays principle seriously and enforcing the urban wastewater treatment directive seriously.
Instead of calling for its implementation, you're taking the side of the farmer and the cosmetics industry. This fourth treatment stage is vital for the health of our rivers, and of our cities and local authorities. But, of course, local authorities are under pressure, there's no money.
So now we apply the principle: the polluter must pay whether they produce in America, China, or Europe, it is the same. That's what the polluter pays principle means. Anything else is shortsighted, unfair, and sending out totally the wrong signal at a time of rising costs. Clean water should not depend on how rich you are.
Speaker 278
We start here for Dijk, then comes out to EPP group. With this criterion.
The conservatives, the EPP, have asked us to reach an agreement that will enable proper treatment of wastewater. And we were willing to vote in favor of this directive that would guarantee that big companies pay for treating that water. Rather than citizens and taxpayers, what I've realized is that the industry really doesn't like having to shoulder that responsibility.
But there are three questions I would put to you, important questions than those that have been raised today, I would say. First, why undermine an agreement that you yourselves negotiated and voted in favor of.
Why do you think that taxpayers should bear the burden of the cost of cleaning up pollution caused by the industry when the industry is raking it in. Or do you think that we should be submitting water to less stringent treatment, which would damage the health of our citizens and the environment? Those are the relevant questions that you should be answering here today.
Anja Arndt
Ladies and gentlemen, this new has dangerous side effects. It endangers the supply of affordable medicines. The idea is to incorporate a fourth cleaning stage in sewage treatment plants in order to remove residues of medicines.
Of course, we want treated and clean water, but now the pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers are going to have to pay at least 80% of the cost of this fourth stage of treatment.
They're not paying in lump sums, but at the end of the day, it's the patients who will bear the cost because more affordable and vital medicines will be forced off the market.
That is a typical Brussels flying, making big announcements, not thinking things through, and leaving others to pay the price. These rules need to be suspended because they're bad for human health.
We need to protect patients from shortages of medicines. Europe needs clean water, but also clean legislation. Germany needs the AfD, and Europe needs the ESN.
Tomislav Sokol
Madam. President, madam commissioner, colleagues, well, Europe has long had problems with medical supply, which means that we have to support our strategic autonomy and work on our competitiveness. Now this directive on urban wastewater treatment, I think, brings with it the risk that the medicines industry will continue to move out of Europe.
We have to follow what’s been done according to the European Commission. For medicines are responsible for 80% of the pollution. But according to laboratory analyses, in actual fact, the general effect is below 1%.
These analyses cannot be taken as a basis for reliable decision-taking. Then we've got the question of the implementation of legislation. Right now, we don't know exactly what the consequences of the transposition of this directive are going to be.
We are promised a lot of flexibility, but that won't help provide for security and safe investment. But in the pharmaceutical sector, we have to try to reduce, because otherwise we're going to see shortages cropping up.
So what's going to happen with the transposition of the directive? I would say that we need to conduct further analyses. Otherwise, it will be irresponsible. I think we need a moratorium of a year in order to really study closely the effects of this text on the medicine sector in Europe. Otherwise, we're going to face some very serious consequences.
Thank you.
Christophe Clergeau
Thank you, president, colleagues. From the river to the sea, no slogan but a reality. We have one ecosystem that has to be managed. And water quality has a direct impact on our lives. On our health, on our economy, and in particular, on fisheries and on maritime cultures that are on the frontline when it comes to being victims of degradation of water quality. We should be fighting PFAS, pesticides, nitrates. And then at the heart of this struggle is the polluter pays principle. It's a matter of justice.
If the polluters don't pay, then those who face the impact of that pollution will have to pay up. And all over Europe, citizens are telling us how worried they are about the price of water skyrocketing.
Of course, we must secure the supply of medicines in Europe. But that does not mean attacking the political pays principle. It does not mean attacking the wallets of our citizens and the Europeans.
And since I still have a little time, I turn now to the far right in this hemicycle. The purchasing power of citizens, you couldn't care less about that. You take the floor to defend the interests of big pharma. You defend private interests. You defend profit.
You defend interests that all too often are not even European. At the same time, people are seeing water quality worsen. At the same time, they're seeing the price of water go up. But you don't care about that. You are in the pockets of big capital.
Speaker 284
You are in the pocket of big finance. And as the months go by, citizens realize that, and you'll be paying for that when it comes to going to the polls.
Florent Castillo.
Merci madam lap.
Laurent Castillo
Thank you. Thank you, madam president. Madam Commissioner. Colleagues. Not all treatments are good for human health.
The treatment of micropollutants in sewage is a worrying example of this. Yes, have to do something and we all agree that we have to do something, but to make up to 100% of the costs be borne by the pharmaceutical industry, in particular the producers of generics, is a mistake, I think.
Can we talk about health sovereignty? If we undermine the production of essential medicines, the cost of these measures can reach up to a quarter of the price of the medicine. At the factory gate. And the consequences are going to be immediate. There's going to be a shortage of things like amoxicillin, an important antibiotic, difficult access for patients to treatments, particularly for oral antidiabetic medicines.
This is why I call for a temporary suspension of these rules pending an independent assessment that really takes into account the impacts of these measures on European patients. Let's not bite off more than we can chew. And end up depriving patients of what they really need, which is to be treated.
Speaker 286
Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues. Some people who are observing what we are doing might ask why we are making decisions that harm ourselves. What do I mean? We are all working hard to do everything to ensure that the US secures production and supply of critical medicines. We are developing a mechanism that could motivate the pharmaceutical industry to invest in R and D and production here in Europe to maintain stable production and supply. However, on the other hand, we have mechanisms to penalize industry for doing what we are asking.
The best example of this is the urban wastewater treatment directive. If enforced, it will impose an excessively high financial burden on the pharmaceutical sector. Assessment showed that expenditures for some medicines such as critical antibiotics or diabetes treatments could increase by up to 8 times.
Who will bear those costs? Ultimately, it will be either the patients themselves or the health budgets of member states which reimburse these medicines. This is not just unfair. It goes against all other policies we are trying to implement to secure the health of our citizens.
Thank you.
Tilly Metz
Tilly Dang, the president, the commissioner, what we are hearing from many colleagues this evening is the result of sustained and aggressive lobbying. It's deeply shameful that a measure designed to deliver clean water and safeguard public health is being deliberately distorted simply to protect profit margins of companies that continue to generate billions each year.
Industry demanded a reassessment of the foreseen cost of the policy. The reassessment was carried out, and it confirmed that the commission's analysis was sound.
But industry has chosen to ignore it and push for a further delay.
Even more concerning is that colleagues here in the house, EPP and ECR, are now repeating these false claims.
This is a political choice on their part to side with industry, over public interest.
Meanwhile, those facing environmental and economic consequences, our cities' wastewater operators, health care providers, and civil society are demanding a swift implementation of this directive. And these are the voices that we really must listen to.
Thank you.
Speaker 289
You, madam president, madam commissioner.
The extended producer responsibility scheme transfers the cost of wastewater treatment to pharmaceutical manufacturers because patients excrete their medicines. This is a text on illness. Given that we live in fair capitalism, the costs will be passed on to patients. If neither manufacturers nor patients pay, municipalities will have to pay as owners of waste treatment plants.
The scientific basis for the whole measure is dubious. The commission's claim that pharmaceuticals account for 66% of the toxic load is not supported by laboratory data. The European Medicines Agency does not even accept such computer modeling for assessing ecotoxicity.
The result, the threat of a tsunami of drug shortages, I ask the commission, stop. Let's postpone this. Carry out a proper transparent impact study. It makes sure that health policy and industrial policy get the same voice as environmental policy, neither patients nor municipalities. Can pay for the systemic failure.
Esther Herranz García
Well. Good evening. Thank you very much indeed, madam president, madam. It's a pleasure to see you here once again. Well, for some months, we've been discussing the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, and we always draw the same conclusion. That there are huge doubts about the question of cost for each sector.
I do agree that the objectives of the directive are legitimate, and they should follow the polluter pays policy. But the extended producer responsibility would come in there. But we are asking pharma and cosmetic companies to shoulder 80% of the fourth-level treatment. And in certain cases, it could increase to 100%.
When you first spoke, I was happy to hear what you said, madam commissioner. You're quite correct. The figures are too high, and we're worried that the assessments used to calculate them are not actually particularly good.
So we are wondering about other companies and co-responsibility, co-liability in what happens to allow those substances to get into wastewater. We need an exhaustive impact assessment at product level, can correctly analyse the cost estimates, and can take account of the effects on the sectors.
The EU cannot allow putting at risk the availability, accessibility, and provision of these products within the EU. Particularly in terms of generics. That no EU citizen can lack those because generics are the ones which are used to cure most of the European population.
Speaker 291
Madam commissioner, the health of our citizens. Well, we can't play with it.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis
Madam. President, madam commissioner, colleagues, this debate is a political choice, and let us name it clearly. Once again, the conservatives have joined forces with the far right to amplify an industry narrative before we even have independently verified evidence. That is not responsible law-making. That is political theater on behalf of industry interests.
So it is debated who should pay for the environmental harm. Polluter or taxpayers. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetic service are responsible for most of the micropollutants that require wastewater treatment. Yes. We must examine carefully any real risk to the medicine supply, especially for the general.
I am calling on the commission to carefully assess those claims and present updated, independent data. After we can talk about improving the implementation where needed, but principle polluters' past must remain intact. Clean water is a public good.
And public money should not be used to clean up private pollution. It is absolutely clear for all of us. Let us see a situation. Let's see. Let's go into deep analysis and don't ask them.
To discuss the situation what can should be improved. How can we change, and where do we have real data. It's not about supply chain shortages. It's about absolutely necessary situation to defend people else because one else require to have one approach to people, to environment, to water.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Christel Schaldemose
The next speaker is Miss Murazzi for one and a half minutes, please.
Speaker 292
Thank you, President. Commissioner, in the pandemic, we saw that our health care systems are vulnerable. Just one weak link in the supply chain can leave millions of patients with no care. And the directive at stake here may worsen that fragility. You are looking at costs of up to €40,000,000 in cost for businesses per year, with skyrocketing prices for medications.
Huge multiplications of huge percentages. And these are really the most important medications that will be affected, the generics. They are the ones that will be hardest hit if this goes ahead.
Then there's also the matter of funding that will no longer go to research, for instance, on rare diseases where there are few options for treatment. And this impact on cost may mean that there are fewer options for the most vulnerable patients.
We want to protect the environment, but we do not want standards that are rooted on shaky science that will lead to higher prices for pharmaceutical products and other products that are essential to hygiene.
Need to see less pressure on our pharma supply. We need to immediately reevaluate the impact assessment in terms of economics on the environment. It's Miss Lukacevska for one and a half minute, please.
Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska
President, commissioner, I agree with fears expressed by my colleagues about the pharmaceutical sector. But today, I want to voice the concerns of the cosmetics industry, both industries, both sectors are important because they are impacted by this directive. And they can expect from us reliable data, proportionality, and honesty of the polluter-pays principle. The polluter should pay for their pollution.
And I have a question for the commission. How come it's possible that in the commission's analysis, permethrin was assigned to the cosmetics industry as one of the micropollutants. If it is not used, it is cosmetics as understood by the cosmetics regulation.
It is an active substance used in pharmaceuticals, to combat microbes, and in pesticides. And my second question is, who will pay for the pollution from cosmetics imported from outside the EU.
During custom duties, 65% of the cosmetics that went under the custom duties came from China, from outside the EU. We don't know what substances are contained in that, and what production processes are behind.
So who will pay for this pollution from those products? And will this automatically mean that European sectors will be the ones to pay? Thank you.
Speaker 295
Very much. And the next speaker is Miss Thierlag for one minute, please.
Ingeborg Ter Laak
Nedelons well, The Netherlands is in a delta.
And we know how to live with water. We know how to keep water clean. And let me give you an example. The hospital in Delft has its own water processing system. The water is reused in the hospital and the remains of products are removed. What comes into the water may not be removed, and that is the problem.
It's true that we want to have clean water in Europe, but we don't want to move that to other parts of the world. If we want clean water, that is a basic need.
Everybody has a right. It's not luxury. It's crucial for the health of the population, for our food, and for our economy. But let us be fair, need to be able to implement this particular directive. And it does have an effect on the pharmaceutical industry.
And this touches upon other subjects, the availability of medicine. The costs of this transition are very high. No transition would also be costly. So my question is, how are we going to share the burden? Without breaking innovation, without removing research from Europe? And my second question, how do we make sure that this can remain proportional? Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
For KHDI. And the first one is, mister Jinkinen, seat 204. Please.
President.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
When a Finn takes drinking water from the tap, does it need the EU to ensure the quality of the drinking water? When a Finn goes to the toilet, does it need the EU to ensure that wastewater is treated in the right way at the other end of the pipe? When a Finn dips for a swim on a beautiful summer day, does it need the EU to make sure that the snorkel one is using does not get blocked by pollution? No, no, and no.
Fins do not need this, but the Fins have never been listened to here before. The water directives are now being discussed here in order to feed the member states new standards for servicing groundwater.
New obligations which are expected to create additional administrative and financial burdens for member states. Ladies and gentlemen, this is EU policy. Brussels is handling the affairs of 27 countries in a way that makes sense here.
Brussels is pulling the same bathing cap on everybody's head, and this swimming cap is a very tight one indeed. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
And the last speaker in Catch the Eye is Miss Ivanovichi Sosuakka, Seat 83. 4, please.
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
We have 40% of the mineral water network in the EU, but it's still not working when it comes to mineral water and drinking water. There are two cities that didn't have water access. Recently.
Some fecal matter was also detected in the drinking water. This is obviously a real danger. Nobody is saying anything. There are things that can be done that should be improved with regards to the pharma industry.
Christel Schaldemose
I would like to know why people are not receiving compensation if they have suffered. One minute speeches.
So, I will now give the floor back to the commission and commissioner Roosevelt to end the debate. On this oral question. Please, the floor is yours.
Jessika Roswall
What I hear is that we all want a strong pharmacist and cosmetic industry here in Europe, and we all want and agree that we need to remove micropollutants from wastewater.
The question is who will pay for this? Who should pay for this? The directive implies a balanced share of necessary investment between the industry, water authorities, and consumer as was agreed by the co-legislators.
Many have also raised the one that raised in the beginning, that it's a lot of different figures. I tried to give some clarity in my first intervention, of course, of sort of the new AGRC study. But, of course, we will always look into studies.
On the medical supply, I also have different views. And also, of course, on the un, eventually, not eventually, but maybe unintentional consequences that could arise. For example, when it comes to generics.
The directive provides that the member states should take into account these implement in the when they implement the directive. As I also was said in the beginning, we are also stepping up our discussions with the member states and with the stakeholders to avoid exactly these unintended consequences on prices and availability that can arise. I just want to add also, in addition to what we have discussed here, the implementation is progressive.
By December 2028, we will have the financial plans for the producer responsibility organization. And by December 2030, we will have the areas that really need the quaternary treatment in smaller plant plants. And by 2033, when the commission will review the directive, the deployment of the quaternary treatment will still be in its infancy, with no more than 20% of all large plants and 10% of all small plants equipped. And only by 2045, it will be fully in place.
So, ladies and gentlemen, that is 20 years from now. Honorable members, the commission will continue as said, to provide all necessary help to member states and the industry with the implementation of the directive. And I look forward to continue cooperation with you, the European Parliament, and, on this critical issue.
Thank you very much for the debate.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The debate is closed, and the vote will be held at the next part session.
And. While we get the commissioner to take his seats, I will announce the next item, and that is the commission statement on imminent death penalty threats in Iran in the light of the latest executions, including on the March 2026 by the Iranian regime.
I would like to inform members that there will be only one round of political group speakers for this debate. Therefore, there is no catch-the-eye procedure or no blue card will be accepted. And I will now invite the commission and Commissioner McGrath to take the floor to start.
Dear.
Michael McGrath
President, honorable members, in January, peaceful protesters in Iran asked for dignity, freedom, and a better life.
The security apparatus responded with brutal violence. Thousands of people were killed and injured. And many were arrested. Accountability for this unacceptable tragedy is crucial. In February, in response, the council added the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the EU terrorist list.
This has sent a clear message. There can be no impunity for the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations. Our strong commitment to human rights in Iran did not begin today. Since 2011, the EU has adopted targeted restrictive measures or sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran.
We have introduced additional listings in the last weeks against those responsible for the recent repression. And this approach will continue as long as it is necessary. But we don't stop there.
We support civil society in line with their aspirations for a future where human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected, protected, and fulfilled. In the UN context, the EU together with the member states is mobilized in the Human Rights Council, and remains a strong supporter of the work of the international independent fact-finding mission of the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.
Last week, Mehdi Hasemi Saleh Mohammedy and Syed Davodi. Were executed after being arrested and sentenced to death in connection with the recent protests. A Swedish citizen was also executed for alleged espionage.
We have strongly condemned these executions and call once again on the Iranian authorities to end the practice of imposing and carrying out death sentences on protesters. The brave Iranian people are now also facing the consequences of the current military escalation following the military operation of the US and Israel. This adds to the severe human rights situation in Iran.
We deplore the loss of civilian life. And the extensive damage inflicted on civilian infrastructure. Since the beginning of the conflict, we have been in contact with leaders in The Middle East and The Gulf partners to express our solidarity and support.
The EU is committed to working for stability and security in the region. We must work to de-escalate and prevent the conflict from spreading. De-escalation, diplomacy, and dialogue must be the compass that guides us all.
Dear president, honorable members, we will continue to urge Iran both publicly and through diplomatic contacts to refrain from using capital punishment. We will also further intensify our support to civil society and to human rights defenders who are playing a crucial role in supporting the Iranian people in a very challenging environment.
I look forward to the contributions of the members of the House, and thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you so much, commissioner. And we will now take the round of speakers on behalf of the groups, and begin with Hildegard Bentele for EPP. Please, two minutes.
Hildegard Bentele
Dear commissioner and your colleagues, the main concern of European leaders and the focus of the media is the economic impact of the war between Israel, the United States, and Iran.
When and how the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, and when oil and gas production will resume. The Iranian regime, in contrast, is waging war abroad and using the death penalty as a tool of terror at home.
On the March, the 19-year-old Saleh Mohammadi, and two others were executed following grossly unfair trials. And human rights organizations warn this is only the beginning of a new wave of executions.
The factual leader of Iran may no longer be a cleric, but Mohammed Khalibaf, the key figure after the revolutionary guards, continues to implement a policy of executions, repression, and intimidation against his own people. Women and young people are at the forefront of those targeted.
So I ask whoever now seeks to strike a deal with the Iranian regime must demand an immediate halt to executions, the release of political prisoners, an end to sham trials and torture, and access to detainees, prisoners, and medical care.
I would like to point out that Donald Trump has an astonishingly good record of getting prisoners freed. I asked every European politician meeting with representatives of the Iranian regime to carry a list of names of those sentenced to death for the mere crime of protesting for freedom.
My list carries the names of Mohammed Amin Biglari, 19 years, sentenced to death for so-called enmity against God, together with six others.
Shaheen Vahid Parast, Kalur Shahab Zodi, Yasser.
Hildegard Bentele
Also. And again and continuously in the focus minorities like the Baha'i, Paiwan, Naimi. Our eyes, those of the European Parliament, continue to be with the terrorized people of Iran. We will not forget you.
Thank you very much.
Christel Schaldemose
Next speaker is Daniela Tad. And a half minute on behalf of the S and D group, please.
Daniel Attard
The world is consumed by one question.
The war, its legality, and its consequences. And while that question dominates, we are missing something critical. Repression in Iran has not paused. In fact, it is accelerating. People are still being arrested, tortured, forced into confessions just yesterday.
I received information about a young man detained, tortured, subjected to mock executions, pushed to confess to crimes he simply did not commit. No trial or evidence, just fear and brutality. This is not an isolated case.
This is a system. A system that targets anyone who dares to disagree. Protesters, journalists, minorities, ordinary citizens, European citizens. And this is where Europe, in my opinion, is getting it wrong.
We debate wording, while people are being beaten into submission. We hesitate, while others are paying the price. Took us three years to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
I am freely against foreign political interference, but this is not about that. It's about responsibility. Our responsibility to protect, to speak with clarity, to act with purpose, to demand concrete action, release of political prisoners, unrestricted Internet freedom, the enforcement of sanctions, are still being bypassed as we speak. Only these critical tools can create the conditions for a democratic transition.
Because if this regime survives this moment, it will not get better. It will not reform. It will only get worse. So our choice is simple. Do we keep observing or do we start leading? We will always be against war.
What is not simply a failure of diplomacy, war is a failure of humanity. And in no uncertain terms, we condemn the killing of innocent people, especially children. Whether in Iran, in Lebanon, in Gaza, or in neighboring countries. But being against war does not mean being indifferent.
Being neutral in the face of a brutal regime. It means defending human life everywhere, without exception. This is about human dignity, not geopolitics, and that is simply not negotiable. And to the people of Iran, one final message: Unity is your strength.
Unity is your way forward. Only together can you overcome a system that is built to divide and conquer. We stand with you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. And the next speaker is Miss Angeline Fure. For one minute. On behalf of the Patriots, please.
Mister Commissioner.
Speaker 303
In the last few days in Iran, two young men were hanged. This happened sometimes in public, sometimes after confessions extorted by torture.
On the March, there were other executions.
Tens of other prisoners are awaiting their turn, condemned to death in expedited trials. Yes. This regime uses the death penalty as a political weapon, but the question is, what are the EU's statements worth? Because, in the face of a regime that kills to stay in place, we cannot afford to be naive.
We cannot win with a power that hangs its opponents. This month, a joint publication was released condemning the Iranian regime and reaffirming a commitment to act to defend the interest of the Iranian people.
There is cooperation at this level and the EU should support the national governments. The only possible Europe is that of the nations, and the European Union should support them rather than speaking for them.
Christel Schaldemose
Very much. The next speaker on behalf of ECR is mister Sebastian Thunkenenfor, two minutes, please.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Dear. Iranian people, I am so sorry. There are genuinely good people in Europe, but this Union is rotten to the core. For decades, EU leaders have watched the prison being built around you. They have appeased your torturers and shaken hands with your male leaders, while your beautiful women have been veiled into darkness.
Dear Ukrainian people, I'm also so sorry for you. Our leaders praise you for sacrificing yourselves for our security, but the lack of help has kept your beautiful people thrown into Russia's meat grinder for over four years already.
In the Iranian case, our stance goes beyond all parody. When the USA and Israel helped the Iranian people and European security by taking down the regime's killing capabilities, this house shows them the middle finger.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Gas prices hurt. But nothing hurts like an Islamist nuclear bomb. That is what we cannot afford. How is it possible that European countries cannot come together and focus on what really matters, instead of letting the EU micromanage everything down to naming food, particles.
Let's stop licking the boots of bombers and join the USA and Israel's campaign to free Iran. When Iran is free, I see a beautiful country that Persians will have rebuilt so beautiful and developed that it could also join one day the European Union.
But they will never join us because they will never forgive us the club that watched them being butchered. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. Next speaker is Cynthia Nivro Hu. One and a half minutes on behalf of Renu. Please.
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
Chairman and council, when I stood before the parliament last February, things were terrible in Iran.
I didn't think I would be back so quickly speaking about Iran tonight. The brutality that continues to be enforced on people there. When we talk about the relationship we have with Iran, I am disgusted. They are imposing vicious sentences on every citizen who participated in protests last year, which is a terrible threat to anyone who speaks out against this government. There's been a huge increase in the number of people who have been sentenced to death and executed. Iran is gone dark completely, black and hiding the number of people they are executing, and they are preventing journalism from reporting on what is happening to the world.
According to the most recent report, as many as 36,000 people have been killed because of this campaign against protesters. This is the worst oppression of protesters in history, today. People are being killed because of their national status on doubtful causes, without any recourse to law and justice.
But in spite of the violence and the brutality, the people of Iran are standing up. Many protests are still taking place. Many people are demanding their fundamental rights, freedom, dignity, political change. The courage of ordinary people is showing itself again and again, in spite of the efforts of the regime to stop it.
Europe cannot close its eyes to Iran while this violence is taking place. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you. The next speaker is Miss Hannah Neumann for one and a half minutes on behalf of The Green Group, please.
Hannah Neumann
This. War has raised hopes among many Iranians.
Hopes for change, hopes for freedom, but today there is a real threat that it may end in disaster. Leaving them with nothing but an important, even more repressive and aggressive regime.
While the world is watching missiles and Internet memes, the Islamic regime is tightening its grip at home. Political prisoners are held in overcrowded cells, executions rising, a regime determined to destroy every little bit of resistance, of hope, of life. A nation under a nationwide Internet blackout is designed to control reality, to kill in the dark.
And now, there is a Donald Trump 15-point plan, a plan without a single point on the people of Iran. A rush for a quick deal, an attempt of Donald Trump to save Donald Trump by replacing Mueller's with mullahs, and selling out the future of an entire nation.
We have seen this before, dear colleagues. In 2020, in Doha, Trump rushed through to a deal with the Taliban. He celebrated it as a good one, when in reality he got nothing.
And the people of Afghanistan pay the brutal price for this until today. This is not a game. This is about the lives of one million human beings. And that is why Europe, together with our partners in the Gulf, must push back.
Any serious path forward must begin with two nonnegotiable demands to the Islamic regime: stop the executions. Stop the Internet blackout. And we need to find a way to get the real Iranians to sit at these tables and to have a say in all of this. Nothing less.
For a woman, for life, for freedom.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is Mister Mark Bottenga for two minutes on behalf of the Lyft Group. Please.
Thank you.
Thank you, madam.
Marc Botenga
Colleagues. Every single day, Iranian children are found dead or barely alive under their crumbling homes. And the same happens to children in Gaza. But we don't seem to want to talk about that. We don't seem to want to condemn this. Why? Well, basically, because those who are to blame are your friends.
In Tel Aviv and Washington. And what's even worse, the day when Israel promotes a law which allows for the execution of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, you started debate on death penalty in Iran.
Why are you being so selective? Because I'm against those executions, whether it is in Iran, in Saudi Arabia, or in Israel. But you close your eyes when those that are practicing executions are your friends? What about Russia, Ukraine, attack Ukraine? You condemn Russia, but you support Israel, which occupies Palestine and Lebanon, you condemn.
Iran and no democracy against women. But what about Saudi Arabia? Religious country where women have no rights. You condemn Iran and the support to Hezbollah. But your business with The Emirates, you are also supporting the weapons supplied to Sudan.
But you don't say anything when Qatar gets rid of the elections. You know, if it's for our oil, for what we need, then that's fine. It's always somebody else's business.
We reproach our adversaries for doing things that we ourselves do, and we smile when we go to Tel Aviv and wash. So this is a shame. This makes it possible to create a world of chaos, of war, where we don't want to live. We don't want our children to grow up in this kind of world.
Speaker 308
Because Europe is not a force for good. It's a form of crime. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Put the floor back to Commissioner McGrath to close the debate, please.
Michael McGrath
And thank you very much, Chair. And can I thank all of the honorable members for their contributions to this debate this evening. And I want to reaffirm, to all of you that the is very focused on the appalling human rights situation in Iran. And calls again on the Iranian regime to cease the violence and repression against its own people. As I said earlier, we strongly condemned the executions that have taken place, and we call once again on the Iranian authorities to end this practice of imposing and carrying out death sentences against protesters, against its own people.
The new leadership in Tehran must understand that it now has a historic opportunity to genuinely change Iran's behavior. Towards its own people, and towards the rest of the world. Until then, we will continue to defend with determination our security and interests vis-à-vis Iran, including through new sanctions. And I want to reiterate that it is the right of the Iranian people to determine their own future.
Thank you, colleagues.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much, commissioner, and the debate is closed. The next item on the agenda is the report by Miss Garcia Hamida Vandevale combating corruption. And we will begin by giving the floor to the rapporteur for four minutes. Please, the floor is yours.
Thank you, chair.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Tomorrow, this parliament will vote on a historic piece of legislation, a binding law to tackle corruption all around the European Union.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Journalist Daphne Caruana Galicia, who exposed corruption in Malta, Slovak investigative reporter Cian Kusiak, and his fiancee, Martina Kusnitova.
The passengers on a bus on a road that was poorly maintained near Swoger.
Bulgaria.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
The travelers, most of them students in their twenties, are on trains near Tempe, Greece.
Running on tracks that were out of date. Those just waiting under a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in Serbia. And without a doubt, so many more.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
All of them had hopes and dreams for their lives in Europe, but they are no longer with us. As a result of corruption and fraud.
Sometimes at the highest level. And this is why this law matters.
It hurts trust in our government.
It undermines our democracy.
And eventually our union.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Because corruption more and more intertwines with transnational international crime.
Does not understand borders and differences in illegal provisions.
And that is why this law is necessary and urgent. The member states will need to evaluate their anticorruption measures and update them where needed.
They will have to develop strategies to combat and prevent corruption, and include preventive measures. Authorities will get more time to investigate and prosecute corruption offenses.
And those offenses will be punished in a more similar way across the EU, to avoid a race to the bottom. Judges will be able to apply higher, more deterrence penalties.
But also this, exactly because the stakes are so high, and this subject is so important to so many of our citizens. I have to tell the honest story that this law could have been better.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
More in line with the wishes of these parliaments. Yes.
All of that is true.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
And it was a tough fight. The national governments on the other side of the negotiating table did not make it easy.
And at some point, I think all of us were afraid that this would slip through our fingers and be put on hold.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
We pull through. We all came back to the negotiating table. We talked.
And most importantly, we listened to each other.
And we got a deal and a number of major wins.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
We, plural, because yes, I am speaking here today as your rapporteur, as chief negotiator.
But every major step forward in European history is, per definition, a collective effort. So let me use this moment to acknowledge the work of all those involved: my own team, parliament staff, the legal secretarial, the legal lawyer linguists, the interpreters whose life was not made easy by me switching from English to Spanish in the middle of a meeting without notice, and also the ambassadors of both Poland and Denmark and their teams, the European Commission, in particular, Commissioner McGrath.
For their role as honest broker. And above all, the team of shadow rapporteurs. You were committed and sharp. Fierce in defending our mandates, willing to compromise where needed. And I am certain that our unity has been crucial in delivering the best possible result for our citizens.
It was a pleasure, a privilege to work with you, and I thank you. The new anticorruption directive will bring a Europe free of corruption a few steps closer. A safer Europe for journalists and travelers, a Europe where getting a job or a permit does not depend on your connection to people in high places. A Europe where citizens trust that their governments are looking out for them instead of for themselves.
Speaker 315
So colleague help us achieve that in Europe. Thank you. I look forward to the debate.
Thank you very much, Gopherton.
Christel Schaldemose
And I will now give the floor to the Commission and Commissioner McGrath. Please.
Michael McGrath
Thank you very much, chair, and thank you very much, honorable members. I'm delighted to join you for this evening's debate on the directive on combating corruption. And I would like to join the rapporteur in acknowledging the work of all of those who have got us to this point. And thank you, rapporteur, Garcia, Amida, Vander Valle, all your shadow rapporteurs and colleagues in the European Parliament, for your intense work over a long period of time working with co-legislators to commission, and indeed others.
The fight against corruption is an important priority for the Commission. Corruption seriously damages citizens' trust in democracy. It acts as an enabler for other serious crimes, it hampers fair competition, economic growth.
Citizens and businesses alike regularly ask public authorities to take more action to combat corruption. Against that background, the political agreement reached in December is truly a milestone in the fight against corruption. For the first time, we will have a common legislative instrument setting EU-wide standards on fighting corruption. The directive replaces an outdated framework that limited corruption to bribery offenses.
But nowadays, corruption, as we know, takes many other forms. And there was a clear need to harmonize and expand the definition of corruption across the EU, to also include other offenses such as misappropriation, enrichment, and trading in influence. Directive will also contribute to making the investigations and the prosecution of corruption more effective.
Member states will have to ensure that law enforcement and prosecutors have adequate investigative tools to fight corruption at their disposal. These can, for example, include special investigative tools similar to those used in countering organized crime. In addition, the directive sets minimum rules on limitation periods. Ensure sufficient time to bring corruption offenses to justice.
By harmonizing minimum levels of penalties across the EU, we increase deterrence and prevent criminals from exploiting legal differences between our member states. The response to corruption needs to be strengthened. That is what the directive sets to do, but we also need to strengthen our ways to prevent corruption in the first place. This is why it is particularly important that the directive includes a strong chapter on prevention and integrity.
This is also thanks to the parliament's continuous efforts and your ambition to increase our common standards. The directive puts a particular emphasis on raising awareness and strengthening integrity measures in public administrations. Such measures can include asset declarations for high-level officials, lobbying registers, or rules on transparency in political party financing. They helped to create a culture of integrity, in which corruption and impunity are not tolerated. Member states will also be required to have national anti-corruption strategies in place and to carry out sector-specific risk assessments.
Preventing and fighting corruption goes hand in hand with our work to protect our democracies from undue influence. Citizens must be confident that public institutions operate with transparency, accountability, and integrity. By reinforcing our common framework, we are enhancing public trust, and are upholding the rule of law. And strengthening the resilience of our democratic institutions.
And let me finish by thanking you, honorable members, for the parliament's continuous push for an ambitious text in these negotiations. And I witnessed that ambitious push, in the trial of negotiations, that we worked our way through. Thanks to your support, to the commission's proposal, the agreed text is, I believe, a crucial step forward to tackle corruption in a comprehensive manner across our Union. Finally, I wish to underline the strong commitment of the rapporteur and that of all the shadow rapporteurs involved. It has been key for defending an ambitious text and for reaching an agreement with the council on this directive.
You can count on the commission's commitment and my personal commitment to further supporting member states in the implementation of this directive. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to the contributions this evening.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much, commissioner. And we will now start the debate. And begin with, mister Casa for two minutes please.
Speaker 317
We are the ones who pay the price of corruption, the citizens also pay the price.
Speaker 316
Citizens who are victims of those who enter politics to abuse power, to line their own pockets, and to think they are above the law. Colleagues, we have an opportunity before us. To give them an answer, a historic opportunity to strengthen our tools in this fight and approve the most ambitious directive against corruption in the history of the European Union. The directive against corruption is the result of difficult negotiations, because we know that the council would have preferred not to make this law, but we did not give up. And this vote will send a clear and strong message that corruption is not the norm. That we will not accept corrupt politicians covering for each other.
This vote is also for journalists and for those brave citizens who expose abuses, people who work despite risks to themselves. Let us not forget, in fact, Daphne Karwana Ngalitsi Yankuchak and his fiancee. We all have a duty to be their shield. And with their and your support, we will deliver stronger standards that will work in practice across Europe and that will give a message of hope to those citizens who are on the right side of the fight against corruption.
And finally, madam president, I would also like to thank all those who carried out the negotiations, including Raquel, of course, and also the president of the Libre committee.
I saw honesty, determination, insistence, persistence, in order to achieve the best directive we could have against corruption, and therefore thank you because, yes, we work together in the most united way possible.
Chloé Ridel
Commissioner Raquel de colleagues. Three years ago, the Katargate scandal deeply affected the reputation of the European Parliament. Around 1 million in small bills were found at the home of our vice president of this parliament.
Three years later, we are finally adopting the first big European directive to counter corruption across Europe. It was high time. Corruption of European public officials is not just an attack against democracy and public trust. It is also a primary means of foreign interference. It is a way for foreign powers to influence decision making in Europe.
So guaranteeing integrity in politics is also a matter of sovereignty. For the first time, the member states are putting in place a framework where they can detect and sanction corruption.
There will be penal sanctions for both active and passive corruption. Amongst other things. It is very important for member states to prevent corruption, look at conflicts of interest, protect whistleblowers. All of these preventative measures have to be put in place by an independent ethics body in each member's state.
There are countries in Europe where ministers do not even have to declare financial interests or conflict of interest when they come into power. With this directive, that will change. This will be an end to impunity. So this is a major step forward, but it does not solve all of our problems.
We need to do more. We need to look at the financing of political parties to make sure that this is transparent, that there isn't favoritism for billionaires. We need to make sure the European public prosecutor can work as effectively as possible.
We should not have European MEPs working in private companies alongside their functions as a member. You can be a member and a lobbyist at the moment. Corruption prospers where we do not have will. So let's not wait for any future scandals to make progress.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. And the next speaker is mister Boussadeh Bilal Baf for one and a half minutes. Please.
Jorge Buxadé Villalba
After scandals such as the mortgage gate or Qatar Gate, rather than pursuing foreign states or NGOs. The commission has launched this directive against corruption. Unfortunately, in the final text, it seems it's going to completely whitewash corruption in countries such as Spain. It is a timid approach by the commission, which was improved without amendments.
So which suggested banning amnesties for corrupt politicians, which is a common practice in Pedro's government. This has led to a number of criminals holding posts.
It is a complete technical disaster.
As a result of this doomed coalition of the center right and center left.
We need to prioritize justice and the well-being of our citizens.
Now any text tabled by the commission for politicians will only be good for the politicians themselves, good for their friends such as Sanchez, for all the separatists and socialists in Spain. This is a directive, which means that Sanchez will only benefit from these new rules.
Member states will be able to fill their pockets as they wish. It's a scandal. Then misappropriation, that is only reduced to those cases which the government believes are appropriate.
When his own family was involved in a case of corruption. This is a directive, which will not punish corrupt politicians. I think Montcloa is going to be hosting this directive tonight.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
The next speaker is mister Kaminski for two and a half. Minute, please.
Mariusz Kamiński
President, they work on this anti-corruption directive took three years.
This document was supposed to be a response to the Qatar gate that shocked the European public opinion. It was a breakthrough. But the draft that we are debating will not be such a breakthrough. This directive is disappointing. It does not raise the bar of ambition but lowers it. Our regulations were to be aligned with the UN Convention, but only some regulations were copied.
First of all, the directive does not apply to European officials, for example. And I therefore tabled a number of amendments. One of the greatest defects is that European officials are not required to table their declarations of financial interest.
This should be a response to the reindeer scandal because he was accused of laundering money when he was commissioner. Next, the UN convention stipulates that there will be specialized institutions to fight corruption.
To fight corruption in the twenty-first century, we need to have experts and have the best tools. This kind of institution is the Polish central anti-corruption bureau, which is a model for similar institutions in the region. But today, the officials of this bureau are being destroyed by the Polish government.
The directive does not stipulate that legal persons will not be investigated. The European Parliament should send a clear signal. We are determined to fight corruption and we have the necessary tools.
Speaker 323
It's not enough to use words. We should stop corruption in the European Union.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you. The next speaker is Miss Voorhoo for one minute, please.
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
People first. It steals from citizens. It drains public money.
It destroys trust in democracy. That's why this directive really matters. This vote brings Europe's anti-corruption rules into the real world. Thanks to her repertoire, Raquel. It creates clearer common rules across the EU, strengthening sanctions, improving investigations, and prosecuting those who abuse power for personal gain.
It's really simple. You steal public money, if you abuse public office, if you profit from corruption, then watch out. Europe will respond effectively. Our voters expect fairness and transparency and the same standards applying to everyone, and they expect state integrity to be protected and corruption to be punished. Rapporteur Raquel, this directive rocks.
Thanks to you. Thanks to your never give up attitude. Gracias.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. And the next speaker is Mister Freund for one minute, please.
Speaker 324
Dear colleagues, you know what really makes me angry? It's that they're the ones who complain loudest against the EU. They talk about Brussels being full of corrupt bureaucrats, Le Pen, Orban, people from the RFI. But today, we're talking about the first European anticorruption legislation, the same standards when it comes to corruption, to abuse of public office. When we're here to really do something against corruption, either the far right are not there, or they're voting against this legislation because they don't actually care about tackling corruption. They're just interested in stuffing their own pockets.
We see Le Pen who's embroiled in the biggest corruption scandal we've ever had in parliament, where she has been sentenced. And we see what's happening with the AFD as well. So when we see the corruption from Orban, from the AfD, from Le Pen, that is what really makes me angry. But this legislation, this is a first step to clean up, drain the swamp from the far right, and that's why they're not voting for this legislation because they're corrupt, far right members.
Christel Schaldemose
The next speaker is mister Antulsi for one and a half minutes. Please.
Giuseppe Antoci
Thank you, madam.
Colleagues. Thank you, rapporteur, thank you for this work, this very important work. I know it's been very complex and quite delicate. Tomorrow, we're not just working on voting on any old directive.
We're really voting for the protection of the dignity of the parliament. The corruption is an instrument through which organized crime enters the institutions, the economy, and in our democratic life. So the political sense of our work, the exercise of our public duty, is the heart, the crucial heart of our work.
In my country, Italy, for months, this has been undermined. The work done by the minister of Justice, who canceled a law in our country. But as of tomorrow, there won't be any of these special protected areas.
So thank you to the commission. Thank you to you and the chair. Dassault Alyeros. Tomorrow, we're closing the wound. And when we vote, we will think of those who for so long have worked in favor of protecting and may have lost their lives. Speaking, that will be the last chance to register for cash GI, just so you know.
Christel Schaldemose
And the next speaker is mister Ulrich for one and a half minutes, please.
Milan Uhrík
Not. A question of being an angel or saying that the EU is this corrupt system. We're talking about people who are taking money from people from countries and then in the form of European funds, they hand out this money as they wish. And this money is used for NGOs, for migrants, for supporting those outside our borders, and part of these euro funds. Are used for corrupt purposes.
And should we put a stop to this? Yes. Of course. But we cannot depend on Madam von der Leyen to do this. She is not going to put a stop to this herself. And while this doesn't happen, the citizens are going to see us as a parody of what should really happen.
So, yes, corruption should be stopped. But this has to be done via a pure and fully independent institute institution. Such as Olaf or the Court of Justice. Yes. But politicians shouldn't be the ones who are trying to solve this.
For one and a half minutes, please.
Thank you. You, madam.
Speaker 327
I'd like to thank you for your work. You said that corruption kills. And, yes, corruption kills democracy. It kills the trust in institutions. It also kills the equality of opportunity.
So here we have a legislative instrument, which is very valuable. It could have been more ambitious, could have been more valuable, but still it is important. But I'd like to talk to those who criticize this instrument because it's not sufficiently ambitious. But at the same time, they are representatives of national sovereignty, to avoid the progress that we would have wanted to have in this text.
You can't possibly stand for two things at the same time, because the work has started. Commission needs to make sure that this direct of this now, translated, in time and form, taking account of its objectives.
Of course, we know that there are too many procedures through which member states can actually avoid these obligations to fight corruption. Different ways of defining a crime. You play with particular periods of time, for certain cases to elapse.
Especially the fight of the police against corruption or crime, or the use of pardons, or the use of which basically justifies the impunity of criminals, and it only is of benefit to friends. Or to the political partners.
Speaker 328
But, I mean, this is a good directive. It is useful, good for us, and we need to react jointly. Thank you.
Thank you, chair.
Georgiana Teodorescu
Corruption. Is something that affects all levels of our society, whether it's police, education, in the legal, in the public administration. This is something that leads to inequalities and discrimination, where public bodies should be functioning for the well-being of the citizens.
Corruption is misspending public funds. It means a euro less for our hospitals, for example. But you can't fight this by politics, simply. It's important people are nominated based on merit and not politics, for our judiciary to be truly independent and to tackle corruption. We need people that are beyond reproach, that are courageous.
Those who really are only promoted based on meritocracy. And if we want to tackle corruption, we need to check all of the money spent by Brussels in the member states and elsewhere.
Thank you.
Much.
Colleagues.
Speaker 332
When those in charge break the rules and seem to be untouchable, a collective trust breaks down and citizens turn away from the institutions. Plato was right. The city becomes corrupt when its rulers act in their own interests.
We have to be very clear, consistent, and act with determination. Sanctions have to be true deterrents. Need to up our control for conflicts of interest, accelerate judicial procedures. Have automatic ineligibility for all convictions connected to corruption or misuse of public funds. We need to provide more resources to the European prosecutors to tackle fraud, abuse, active or passive corruption.
In a democracy, authority doesn't stem from strength, but from trust. The rules have to be simple. The more responsibility you have, the better you have to behave. That is the price of retaining the trust of our citizens and ensuring the solidity of our democracy.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. And the next speaker is mister Silehofsky for one minute, please.
Tomáš Zdechovský
Mister Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I prepared an interesting speech about how it is necessary to be united. But Mister Uhlrich inspired me to say something else. If there is a crime, if there is fraud, like, for example, in Slovakia, we must do something about it, and that's why we want an international standard to stop abuse of the law the way the Slovak government makes it. Of course, the European money must serve the citizens. I think you agree with that.
We need money for motorways, for infrastructure, to make Slovakia a richer and more prosperous state. But what have you done in Slovakia? There is a lot of crime, overexpensive public project.
Speaker 334
David Casa did a perfect thing. It's the best thing which is prevention of the corrupt.
Christel Schaldemose
Speaker before cats die is Mister Jonski for one minute, please.
Dariusz Joński
Thank you so much, president.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud that this directive, Union Without, was one of the priorities of the Polish president presidency. In the council. But today, we have to say a bit more.
We sometimes say that fighting corruption is like fighting bugs. Sometimes you have to get rid of the whole to get rid of the plague. And, what we have to do today is not only get rid of corruption, but also those who carry out the treason, because this is more than just the money, because this is about our security. If someone is telling stories to our enemies, I can say that history was treating such people in a very brutal way.
And those who, even today, are talking about corruption, they pretend not to see Hungarian collaboration with Putin, and Putin will not stop at anything. He needs those who are like Orban and others. So he wants to influence the election results in the EU countries. So, you must be strong, must not compromise because we are not protecting our financial interest but also our security.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Well, we now have reached Catch the Eye. I have five requests. It's your lucky night, so you will all be given the floor. Beginning with Mister Lopez Aguilar, Seat 38.
Two, please.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
This. Legislation against corruption is a step forward, but not just because it's a response to Qatar gate. That is something that's being investigated by the Belgium authorities, rather than the EU.
It's not about singling out one country as the extreme right have done, to bring it back to their own country once again. No. What we have now is finally a common definition of six types of crimes related to corruption, and there are minimum sanctions in place which have to be uniformly transposed by the 27 member states in their criminal codes. And that's what the member of the commission has to monitor to make sure that there is a common European standard commitment against corruption, integrity in the management of public funds. That is very important when it comes to these standards across the whole of the EU.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is Mister Tunkunen. He'd to zero four, please.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
President, corruption is like a poison. It's a poison that too many decision makers are making the mistake of drinking. That poison has been drunk and spit in people's eyes here in the EU too. Some have been caught, some probably not.
We have had Qatar Gate and the Huawei scandal. Both sides have been suspected of paying EU decision makers to promote their preferred policies. Think about this from a voter's point of view. They trust their vote to the person who then, with this vote, gets into a decision-making position. And this decision maker then decides to take this dirty money and decides to run not in the interest of their own voter, but, for example, in the interest of Qatar or a Chinese company.
Speaker 336
If a decision maker decides to do so, I wish them only one fate. That they are sent to prison without passing through the starting point. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. And the next speaker is Mister Basik, seat 516, please.
Speaker 337
Ladies and gentlemen, Donald Tusk's government in Poland is trying to get rid of our central anti-corruption bureau. Which has been persecuting corruption for the past 20 years. In Poland, we have learned about many cases revealed by this bureau. And despite clear evidence, the cases have been dropped, such as by mister, who was the marshal of the same, or mister Grotsky, or mister Novak who was the minister in mister Tusk's government. The attempt to get rid of the anti corruption services is an attempt to be to remain in impunity for the future.
And to is also prosecuting the prosecutors who were trying to fight corruption. He's starting cases against them. So this is not some banana republic. This is Poland under the government of Donald Tusk.
Cristian Terheş
Thank you. Thank you very much. I've been listening very carefully to this debate. And the positions taken up by colleagues. Well, corruption is basically to draw advantages for yourself or for others in the exercise of your public service.
If you read very carefully the definition of trying to influence someone. So if you can read that somebody who promises to benefit another person. So according to this definition, this person could be condemned for this type of influence exercising this type of influence. But if there is no particular advantage, if this is not something that is clearly evident.
Speaker 338
Well, this person is accused, I think it's a question of words here. If the words are incriminating, then the entire parliament should probably end up in prison. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Just one minute each. The next and last speaker under caste eye is Miss Ivanovichi Sozuaka, seat 8. 3. 4, please.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
I'm going to pick up where my colleague stopped. We should all be condemned. Because we all promised our voters that we would come here and solve the problems in this parliament as a lawyer and as a senator, a national senator.
I tabled a number of complaints about Romanian leaders and the socialists and the liberals, but not one single prosecutor picked up one of my complaints because they themselves are corrupt.
So who have you negotiated with when drafting this directive? You negotiated with those who are corrupt themselves. If you go to Romania, you talk to the liberals, socialists, they have stolen Romania from us.
Speaker 339
We're talking about the institutions that are responsible for tackling corruption. But, they have completely undermined our national institutions following the of the EU.
Commissioner and Commissioner McGrath, please.
This. Evening.
Michael McGrath
At the moment, 7 in 10 Europeans believe that corruption is widespread in their country. And only three in 10 think that enough is being done to effectively combat corruption. The bottom line is that corruption is not a victimless crime.
And like many of you, I, this evening, remember two brave journalists and citizens who paid, in some cases, the ultimate price for investigating and exposing corruption. And we owe to them our relentless commitment to root out corruption at all levels in our society. Citizens and businesses can feel the consequences of corruption in their daily lives. We know it diverts public resources meant for community services. From health care to infrastructure, from education to innovation, we know that it leads to a misallocation of scarce public resources.
And we know that corruption undermines trust in public institutions, and undermines trust in democracy itself. So combating corruption is therefore not only a moral imperative, but a political priority. For the commission, and I know for the vast majority in this house.
The adoption of this directive will be a decisive step forward in this direction. It will establish stronger, clearer, and better enforcement rules to combat corruption across the EU. It will improve the prevention of corruption and help foster a culture of integrity. It will enhance public trust, strengthen accountability, and ensure that public resources are spent where they are most needed.
And to complement and to underpin this legislative achievement that I hope we are about to reach, the Commission has started working on the first EU anticorruption strategy. Our plan is to present this strategy by the end of this year. The strategy will allow us to go one step further.
Complementing the directive, building synergies and the practical application of the legislation, and formulating strategic priorities for the coming years. We will develop the strategy in close consultation with the European Parliament and the council and consult extensively throughout the process. And all of this is in addition to the other work that we will continue to do. Which will involve, for example, through the annual rule of law report, very sharp focus on the issue of corruption.
Across member states, looking at the evidence of there being a track record for tackling high-level corruption in particular. I can assure you that as we approach and finalize the report for 2026, this is an issue that will have my full attention.
But in relation to this directive, can I also assure you that, subject to the final ratification, we will very carefully monitor the transposition? We will support the member states, and we will ensure that this directive is fully implemented because it is an important step forward in the fight against corruption.
So can I again thank the rapporteur, the shadow rapporteur, the chair of the Libet Committee, Javier Ezar Salehos, and all of the colleagues in this house for your unstinting work in getting us to this point.
And I'll be, we'll be watching with interest the outcome of the vote tomorrow. Thank you all very much.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. Commissioner. And now I will give the floor back to the rapporteur, rapporteur Garcia, Hamida, Fandevale to Valle, to close the debate, please.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Thank you, cheers. Thank you, commissioner. Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your commitment again. And thank you.
Speaker 340
I'd like to leave this to the end. I'd like to thank the chair of the Libbey committee, Javier Sarsalehros. Thank you so much, Javier. You gave me some very good advice.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
That have been raised by colleagues because I acknowledge that, as I said in my opening statement, this directive could have been a bit more ambitious. But I don't like that we spread things that are not exactly true.
This directive does cover union officials, who are residents of a member state. We live in a member state. We are political functionaries in the member state, and in that sense, we are covered by this law.
And I think it's important to say this because it is the reality, and it will make a difference in investigating and prosecuting corruption also at the European level. So I wanted to set that straight.
I would also like to emphasize the need for fast and appropriate implementation by member states. I truly hope that member states do not choose for an approach of the minimum common denominator, but they just go for the maximum allowed by this directive. And that they are ambitious in the transposition.
I would also like to say the following. I am very happy as rapporteur to accept that not everyone is equally happy about the result. I appreciate that, particularly from colleagues who have engaged at every step of the way in these negotiations. But I would also like to say if you didn't take the time to come to the table, don't come saying that this directive is not what it should be.
And that goes my phone. And that's something that we have heard today. And I really I don't like that, and I think that that's, that's not a courtesy to our citizens.
Lastly, I would like to say this. Has been said already, but our work is not done. And it won't be done for a very long time. But nothing of value is easy.
Jan Daphne and so many others paid the highest price. Made their names be the last ones we need to remember in such a way. For them, and for all 450,000,000 Europeans, we must go on. And this directive will be a stepping stone to do so with confidence and determination.
Thank you again.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much for that. The debate is closed. And the vote will be held tomorrow. So the next item on the agenda is the one-minute speeches according to rule 179. And I would like to inform you that for the one-minute speeches, you're invited to take the floor from your seat. And, remember, it's one minute.
It's late also, so I hope that you will respect the speaking time, and we will begin with mister Tonin, seat 687, please.
Matej Tonin
Dear. Colleagues, I would like to inform you that, last Sunday, there were elections in Slovenia. The coalition lost 13 seats, and the opposition won 8 seats. The difference between the first and the second place is less than 1%, which means that it will be very difficult to form the new government. Everything is still very open.
The interview given by the current prime minister Golub surprised me.
He said in case there will be a center-right government in Slovenia that follows, that will be dangerous for our future. That is a lie. I can claim with certainty that the center-right was always the most pro-European force in our country. I do hope that our colleagues will manage to form the center-right government because that is the best for Slovenia. We'll move away from the Venezuela concept, and of course, this is also what's best for Europe.
Davor Ivo Stier
President, it's a pre President, thirty-five years ago in March '91, we had the first victim of the homeland war, Yossipiovich, died, and we now honor him and all Croatians who fought for their freedom. This was not an isolated incident. This was the beginning of the Serb aggression on Croatia which was prepared first by manipulating the history and then on the false narrative of Croatia becoming fascist. So this was an attempt to dehumanize us and then try to wipe out our identity. Fought the aggressor and won on the field, the battlefield, but this narrative of the aggressor has not disappeared, and it is now becoming louder again even in this parliament.
This is not a coincidence. This is well financed and well thought-out. But we tell you, we know this and we will fight you.
Christel Schaldemose
Dear colleagues, I do apologize, but it's late, and we have a very long list of speakers. Next speaker will be Miss Cabri, Seat 404, please.
Nina Carberry
In Ireland, there are an estimated 9,000 defibrillators, but only half are publicly registered. And across Europe, the story is much the same. Patchy records, fragmented data, incomplete mapping. Whether you're on a holiday in Spain or driving down the wide Atlantic Way, or sightseeing in Paris, it should be easy for you to find your nearest defib.
So my question today is simple. We share health data across our borders. Why can't we show the same ambition when it comes to defibs? Because heart disease remains Europe's biggest killer. And around ninety percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests result in fatality. Without quick intervention.
The starting point should be an EUI database to build on the great work carried out by local community groups, PPNs, or Volunteer Organizations. Is somewhere where Europe can add real value.
Better data sharing, better standards, better access, a defib cannot save a life if we can't find it. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is mister Grimm's seat 501, please.
Mister.
Speaker 342
Stavani, ladies and gentlemen, the legality of election is a European norm and the foundation of democracy. The parliamentary elections in Slovenia, apparently, were not exactly legal, and that means they were not in line with the European standards.
The early voting was illegal for all the electoral districts, and no one is denying that. They are just trying to limit the of such an irregularity. Not enough ballots were sent to voters abroad. So the possibility to vote was taken away from people. Some people received two ballots. In rural areas, there were not enough ballots.
There were problems with the ballot boxes. With the preservation of the votes. So we can only say that the elections should happen. Again, we should have early elections. God save Slovenia, Europe, and So beginning seat 185, please.
Thank you.
Speaker 344
We are in conditions of unprecedented pressure, and our citizens expect pragmatic decisions.
The emissions trading scheme is a key tool for decarbonization and in order to increase investment in clean energy. The erosion of this system will threaten its capability in the energy transition.
Given the current crisis, we have to be very. The European Commission needs to use all available tools in order to overcome the pressure on companies and households in order to stabilize the market. Given that, we have to look into the possibility of introducing various without placing under question our climate ambition. For instance, taking out some of the coal-fired plants from the ETS scheme.
Christel Schaldemose
And this will have direct impact. The next speaker is Miss Djakovic.
Thank you, madam chair.
Romana Jerković
In Croatia, we've marked the national day of persons disabled at work. It is important to stress that for many of them, daily lives still mean facing a series of obstacles from the lack of suitable workplaces, pay, requalification, and poor health care.
We need to ask ourselves also how many of these injuries may have been prevented if we invested more in safety at work. It is time to turn our words into actions to better encourage employment and adjustability of workplaces, strengthening of the social security system, and better rehabilitation for patients. But most important of all, we need to adopt and implement legislation which will systematically prevent injury at work. Places of work mustn't jeopardize one's health.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much, also for sticking to the time. The next speaker is Mister Lopez Aguilar, Seat 8, sorry, 382, please.
Juan Fernando López Aguilar
President, commissioner, in Tenerife. We had representatives of the nine outermost regions in the EU, and members of civil society. It is very important that we have these funds with the utmost regions in the next MFF, and it is also important at the work of the Spanish government and the relevant ministry looking at the Atomos regions '27 to 2030.
It's a very clear communication that sets out to support the Poissai, that helps these outermost regions. Providing solidarity in the migrator impact as well for these regions. And also for search and rescue operations.
It is also important to look at housing and how to tackle the costs of housing. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is Miss Deluge. 6774, please.
Valérie Deloge
Ladies. And gentlemen, commissioner, you have signed a new free trade agreement with Australia. It is opaque, and it was rushed, and will harm our farmers. Your negotiations with Australia will allow the entrance of more than 30 million tons of beef, amongst others. It seems that we are the ones losing out.
The your scenario that you envisage is the same as Mecca, so you promise there will be controls, there will be safeguards, but then the reality is very different.
With the facts are overwhelming. There is no traceability. The checks have shown that animals which are proving positive for hormones which are banned in Europe and should not be exported.
These products were sent to Europe, but without the importers being informed. Therefore, we have dangerous products on our plates. The commission continues and insists on this new anti-measure. There'll be no votes by national parliaments, no votes by MEPs.
Speaker 348
We saw what happened with Mercosur. We warned you, and the facts have borne this out. You are to blame.
Speaker 349
European. Union is the biggest danger for Europe. Look at Hungary. What is happening in Hungary is manipulation of elections because Viktor Orban wants to object to the sport, a few Ukraine and Peter Magia should be the puppet installed in Brussels.
We have fake news. We have 100 million in punishment and sanctions. And, of course, censorship. Under Russian influence, the social media content of Orban was curtailed. And we need to look at NGOs, look at Zelensky.
Look at the supply of energy. Of certain countries. So what's happening now? All of a sudden, we have an international campaign against the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Any means seems to be fair to make the Hungarian government fall.
Seat 161, please.
Chair.
Speaker 351
Last Saturday in Lisbon, there was an almost tragic clash between two conceptions of human life. On the one hand, we had a march for life. It was peaceful.
Were families and children, and the assertion that every human life, even the tiniest, has value. On the other side, there was a denial of life as a value expressed in a violent way via the Molotov cocktail which is thrown at the protest. There was a clear contrast here.
On the one hand, a child, which has already been born or was yet to be born, a symbol of promise and dignity. On the other, we had fire and a weapon of destruction thrown against these children.
We need a clear answer to such an act. In Portugal, Schega has already called for the classification of the Antifa as a terrorist organization as they have done in the US.
Europe, when faced with an increase of political violence by these movements, cannot sit back. We need to condemn this intolerance. Because it all comes down to the essential life, and that is a fundamental principle of society, a human society.
204, please.
Sebastian Tynkkynen
Dear. President, Afghanistan was once a Buddhist nation. Pakistan, once Hindu. Lebanon wants a Christian majority. You know what happened? They were conquered by Islam.
For years, we have been told that mass migration is just a humanitarian phenomenon. Something that we just must adapt to. The reality is much more strategic. Modern hybrid warfare does not always involve tanks or missiles.
Sometimes, the most effective weapon is the flow of people. When millions are directed towards Europe without control, the consequences are severe. Islam has used this method for 1400 years and they have no intention of abandoning this method of conquest.
When the Islamic movement gains enough strength, it seeks to seize power and establish a caliphate. This is why peace or coexistence between Islamic and non Islamic society is impossible.
Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Mister Timkenin, normally, you know the time better. Thank you. The next speaker is Mr. Insalvini. Seat 465, please.
Pérèque.
Paolo Inselvini
Why? I've been asking myself this question. Why the silence of the European Union in regard to the Epstein files? Cannibalism, sadism, pedophilia, a lot of people from the elite are involved. Epstein committed atrocities, and he put all of this on record to make sure that their secrets could be unveiled.
Now what about Europe? Why maybe people in Europe should know whether people have been on the Epstein files, and whether they've divulged information. Europe needs to know the truth. Because you can't just make this disappear.
And we need to protect, we don't want to protect those who have played with evil. We need to make sure that something is done. Thank you.
Thank you.
Speaker 353
To secure the presidency of the European Commission. Seven years later, Europeans are paying that price every day. Higher energy bills, rising poverty, closed factories, and many lost jobs.
The Green Deal, that absurd policy sold as Europe's chance to lead the world, has instead left us weaker, poorer, and a laughingstock on the global stage. A continent once rich in industries has to, in order to function, beg now authoritarian regimes for energy and raw materials. This is not strategic autonomy, but strategic absurdity and dangerous vulnerability.
With the votes of EPP, S&D renewed Greens and Left groups. The commission drove Europe down a path of ideological decarbonization that has proven to be an economic suicide. If Europe is to have a future, we must abandon ideological green excesses and return to pragmatic action. We must bring production back to Europe in order to restore prosperity across the continent.
Thank you.
Very much.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you. The next speaker is Mister Stutzer, Seat 699, please.
Stimas.
Speaker 355
College, colleagues.
We. Have seen the cost over the last five years. The debt accumulated by the EU. But when does a situation of urgency stop and when does dependency start? My country Romania is in debting itself on the markets. It's paying 3% of GDP in interest, and this money is not going to development.
I don't want a country that has to depend on China for raw materials or the US for security or the markets for its money. I do not want a two-speed or multiple-speed Europe, where the West goes forward and the East not.
We should have people self-financing restarting European is not an option. It is a necessity. It is the only way in which we can stop being dependent on other continents.
Christel Schaldemose
The colleagues, one minute speeches means one minute. The next speaker is Mr. Cohen. Seat 495 please. Sorry. We need to have the microphone to sit 495, please.
There it is, please.
Barry Cowen
Colleagues, we meet once again in the midst of an energy shock.
Member states, including my own, have committed to and are responding with targeted and temporary supports. In Ireland's case, that's only possible because of the prudent economic management of recent years, allowing interventions during past crises to present situation in the event of current circumstances persisting. Measures, I may add, that are costed and focused, not driven by the usual bluff and bluster or calls for action without any regard to cost or consequence.
But this moment must also sharpen our focus at the European level. Because the reality is this: Europe has the capacity. I see it at home from the potential of offshore wind along Ireland's Western Seaboard, to public private partnerships such as Amazon working with Bord Na Móna and my own home county of Offaly.
But if we're serious about energy security, we must now match ambition with delivery. That means accelerating a European supergrid and putting in place planning and permitting systems that are predictable, that are efficient and bound by timelines, not processes that take years while opportunity slips away.
That's how we'll strengthen our energy security, reduce our exposure to global shocks, ultimately. Thank you. That is how Europe will take control of its own energy future.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is Mister Muloli, Seat 609, please.
Thank you, chair.
Ciaran Mullooly
Commissioner, across the EU police forces are made up of brave men and women who uphold the rule of law and protect us.
Retired Garther Cyril Smith and the late Thomas Britton, County Monaghan, were two of those. Honored this week with a Scott Medal for tackling an armed and dangerous criminal. We honor them now even though they were serving we didn't afford them the same respect or indeed the labor rights that we grant to other employees in our societies.
In our member state, commissioner of Ireland, Garland representatives are still excluded from meaningful collective bargaining. Excluded from national social dialogue, and denied effective mechanisms to resolve disputes. Commissioner, this is an unjust situation entirely out of line with the spirit of the social rights granted by the EU.
Ireland remains an outlier in denying police officers direct wage negotiation, where the right to strike is restricted, there must be surely a strong genuine collective bargain in its place. I appeal for your personal assistance on this matter.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. The next speaker is mister Asens Lautranasid. 139, please.
Speaker 358
Commissioner. Do you know who Karen is? Karen is an 18-year-old baby who was tortured in Gaza. Two months ago. Iqmat and Mohammed, two brothers, together with their parents, were shot to death in the West Bank.
The problem is that the majority of this Israeli society don't see them because they represent absolute evil. They represent the future of a people they want to eliminate to take their land.
Children are a threat and should be eliminated. I quote, children are not innocent. When a society denies the innocence of a child, they do away with their own humanity. The question now is what about us? Do we see these children? Are we not moved? We have children.
Think about your own children. How many children have to be murdered to ensure that Europe is no longer complicit in this infanticide? One of the biggest infanticides of history.
Christel Schaldemose
More than 20,000 young children. The next speaker is mister Salis. Miss Salis, sorry, seat 2. 74, please.
Speaker 359
Over. The last four years, the prices of food have gone up by 25%, or even other items have gone up by 34%. But wages have remained the same. So basically, the purchasing power of citizens has dropped. Drastically.
The working classes are getting poorer. So let us not talk about immigrants. Here or there. Let us talk about the emergence because of the fact that the life is so expensive.
People have trouble paying their rent and actually buying food and get to the end of the month. We really need to have an effect on wages, and also on the price of the most important food. So we need to look at the minimum wage, and we need to have an automatic adjustment to inflation. And a ceiling to the price of rentals and food.
Speaker 360
So we need to have a progressive tax on profits, on income, and on large wealth.
Thank you.
Speaker 362
Madam. President, Christians are the most persecuted religious community worldwide. And in the Middle East, it's particularly brutal. In Syria, it's got a lot worse since the fall of Assad. We see that the EU has rolled out the red carpet for the new Syrian regime. It's not acceptable, but their plight is not just in Syria.
But in the rest of the Middle East, due to the Islamist regimes, radical Palestinians, and settlers, we see it's a real issue with the protection of Christians in the Middle East.
Speaker 363
It has to be an important part of our development, but policy. We should not be financing this from Brussels. Thank you.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much, also for sticking to the time. Next speaker is Miss Fierminig, Seat 766, please.
Speaker 364
You ask US policy towards Cuba is inhuman. They want to starve Cuba and achieve regime change. What 65 years of your US economic embargo has not achieved, that President Trump wants to do by severing the whole of Cuba off from its energy supplies.
There have been several country-wide blackouts already. This doesn't mean only that public live transport and production are disrupted. It also means that coal chains no longer work. Hospitals cannot care for patients, and of vaccines decay.
10,000,000 people live in Cuba. The US is targeting them. To disrupt the system by means of their suffering. And the EU is watching on passively. Silence is complicity.
Starving a whole country is a breach of international law. But human rights and international laws only interest the EU when it suits them. These double standards must stop. Cuba needs our solidarity. The EU must ensure that Cuba gets its support.
Thank you. You.
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
There's discrimination against Romanian farmers. So you have destroyed the husbandry. You have taken away our resources, and you say that all members of the European Union are the same.
No. That's hypocrisy. That's the European Union clearly shows us that this way of dealing with member states has to come to an end. I'm here to tell the truth. You talk about corruption.
You want to put those who are corrupt in prison, and you defend those who tell the truth. But you're lying, because look at my situation. You threatened me. You challenge me when I say the truth. But I do not need immunity.
Christel Schaldemose
Long live a free Romania. And let it live outside the Union.
Nicolas Alavanas, seat 852, please.
Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos
On the NamUs, we condemn the strangulation of Cuba through this blockade. We see the huge amounts of money this has cost, the medicines, basic services, there is a lack of energy. It is extremely dangerous for millions of people with chronic diseases, pregnant women.
And the EU is supporting this and has welcomed the US's in Iran and Venezuela. They talk about sanctions against the Cuban people. We have seen large protests calling for the immediate end to the blockade.
We should take off Cuba from the shameful list of terrorist sponsors. They are frustrating US imperialism with their revolution. It is a heroic trajectory, and with the communist party, they will achieve that.
Hands off Cuba.
Christel Schaldemose
Thank you very much. That was the last speaker for today. Thank you for your patience, also to you, mister commissioner. The next sitting is tomorrow, Thursday, 03/26/2026, at 09:00. The agenda has been published.
And is available on the European Parliament's website. The sitting is closed. I wish you all a good night. Thank you.
It's.
Just pulling away now.
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