Committee on Petitions Ordinary meeting
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PETI European Parliament
Follow its sittingsDiego Solier
Thank you very much, Chairman. Well, first of all, I'd like to thank the Secretariat for organizing this mission to Amarath and to the Cabaneras National Park. That we also had a stop in Toledo, which was great for us. We enjoyed visiting that city as well. The report reflects very well what we saw in both places.
First of all, in Amaranth, we saw that the local and regional authorities were all very concerned about the plant closure of the nuclear power plant. And we were able to see in person just how things work there. And we got feedback from the managers of the plant and workers there. They are prepared to work beyond the dates that have been set for closure by the Spanish government. We support the report, as I've said.
We want the report to include everything that we saw there, and that's what we have seen. So this is in line. The report is in line with what the current situation is. You.
Thank.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Thank you very much, chairman. I would like to thank the committee for organizing this mission to Almaraz. That's because we believe that closing this nuclear power station, as outlined in the draft report, is a political decision that is not based on reasoning and doesn't take into consideration the socioeconomic impact, which would be of significant magnitude. Those who were there on the mission could see just how important it is for this. There are around 4,000 direct and indirect jobs from the power station, and it's the engine of the local economy in Exemerguerre Mai region. During the mission, I'd like to highlight what we saw.
We saw all of the mayors, all of the political parties, the regional government, all of the spokespersons for the political parties, the Socialist Party, VOXX, the PPP, all of them were in favor of keeping the power station open. There was a unanimous approach from civil society and also the workers of the nuclear power station, because the government is planning to close the power station. But all of the parties that are in government in Spain now, the Pesoye, are against this decision. Now, as you are aware, we invited the minister. She declined, and this committee is sovereign to decide who participates in the meetings of the committee.
And when we were on the mission, we were able to see that the decision is purely ideological and political to close the plant. We had a blackout in the Iberian Peninsula last year, and now we have the war in the Middle East, and the war in Ukraine as well. And those things haven't even led to a change in the decision. This Europe needs to recognize that it is an error to close nuclear power stations. As we were able to see that on mission, this is down to the fact that the Spanish governing party has a pact with far-left parties, and that's why 7% of Spain's electricity is provided by the Amarath plant.
Nuclear energy is still crucial to ensure energy security, stability of the grid, to avoid blackouts, and therefore, it's also important for Europe. We can't be depending on 20% of Russian gas. We need to have more energy from Europe. These decisions, therefore, need to be analyzed. And I'm very grateful for this report and the proposals included, and we urge the Spanish government to reverse this decision, as is advised in the report.
Isabel Serra Sánchez
Thank you. Thank you very much, Chairman. Well, first of all, to those on the right, the fight to close AMERAT is a fight that's been going on for a long time by green activists and environmentalists. And that fight has been won. And now you are using this committee and you use the European Parliament to put pressure on behalf of the electricity lobby, putting pressure on the Spanish government, trying to stop this closure.
Now the nuclear energy that's part of the approved energy plans and that have the objective, well, these plans have the objective to ensure that life on this planet continues given the fact we have a climate crisis. We have an energy crisis. We need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. And you are also using the fact we have a fascist, Donald Trump, in office who's waging war in Iran, who's generating an unprecedented energy crisis, and you are using this as a pretext for defending nuclear energy. And this shows just what is happening.
We are seeing uncertainty being generated because you are lobbying on behalf of these electricity companies. On that mission, you also visited Cabaneros to defend the hunting lobby there. The conclusions have no scientific basis whatsoever. This report will be a political one, not a technical one. But what you are trying to do is sell this as something that the commission and the European Parliament and EU institutions are against the closure of AMRA.
Once again, I stress this is against citizens' rights, and it's against the green transition that we need to pursue, not just in my country, Spain, but.
Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal
Thank you very much, Chairman. I think that the mission was very successful because of the impact it had on the ground and the coverage that was given to the mission. That's thanks to you, Chairman, as well, because you are very active on the mission. It was also very transparent, the mission, and there was a discussion with the press there. And I say this as a Espana because we're talking about a nuclear power station that covers 7% of Spain's electricity, that is the nuclear power station in Almaraz.
We don't need to reiterate that nuclear energy is considered a green energy source in this house. But it's not just about that. It's also a driver of the economy. And those who were there will remember, but those who weren't able to join us on the mission or who didn't come, you should know that there was the significant investment being put in place in very high level technology. This is a huge opportunity for an autonomous community in Spain, which has almost been treated like the Cinderella of Spain.
And this plant can help develop the region significantly. It would indeed be quite tragic if it were to close for one reason. If Amarath closes, it will be the only nuclear power station that will actually close, because according to the timeline, there are others due to be closed. Spain's government is so sensible that they want to close the power stations. But in countries in all the countries where closures have been planned, they then go on to reconsider that decision.
So who knows what will happen with the other power stations in Spain? Now, Mr. Sanchez will probably lose the elections, according to all of the polls. And as long as he behaves in a democratic way, like Mr. Orban, accepting his defeat, then many of the other power stations won't be closed, and that would be extremely damaging for Extremadura.
All of the political groups, the whole ideological spectrum, was present in Extremadura on this mission in Almaraz. And all of them are in favor of keeping this power station open, and they are against closing it. For the reasons that I have outlined and for the obvious losses of indirect and direct jobs, we're talking about thousands of jobs that the closure would lead to. And then there's also the strategic investment that would come in the future, and that would also be lost. Now we also went to the Cabaneras National Park.
That was also part of the mission. And there, the situation is getting out of control. And I'm recounting this for those who weren't able to be there. The population of ungulates is getting out of control, and this is affecting the natural environment, and that's the result of a law that was adopted by the Partido Popular when Mr. Roy was the Prime Minister.
These laws, it's a Bambi-like mentality, is banning hunting, and it's actually ending or being much more harmful for the environment. VOXX has always stood beside farmers and rural areas. And there's no better way of dealing with problems like this that have been created artificially than ignoring the advice of urban dwellers and focusing on what people have been doing for many centuries in conserving the environment in rural areas. Mr.
Solier, would you like to take the floor?
Diego Solier
Just a clarification. Mr. Gerardo was talking about the nuclear side. That's the part that interests me most as an ITRI member. And we want renewables, of course, and we don't stop those in Spain or anywhere else, but physics is physics.
And if nuclear cannot bring stability to the electricity network, we can't stop having nuclear power and combined cycles in different countries. Closing the power station would lead to instability in the power grid. We saw that in April 2024 with the blackout in Spain. And in our view, it would be an ideological closure of the plant, and it would be irreversible apart from October 2026. We, therefore, don't see any other reason for closing the plant other than an ideological one.
Sebastian Kruis
I just wanted to pick up on what the colleague from the left said about banning fossil energy. Nuclear energy isn't fossil energy. So perhaps, what you said wasn't quite right. This is what the left always says, but it's incorrect.
Thank.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Thank you very much, chairman. It's very easy to make comments if you haven't been to that region, you haven't lived in Extremadura, and you don't know just exactly what the people in Extremadura are, how they are suffering. Now it's not progressive to leave 4,000 families in Extremadura without jobs and without a living. We have now seen reports about the blackout last year. The reality has been hidden by the government.
If Amaras had been working on that day, then the blackout wouldn't have even happened. Extremadura needs the Amaranth nuclear power station. Spain needs the power plant. And Europe needs it as well, because we cannot continue depending on Russian gas. Therefore, I believe we need to be very clear in our remarks, and we need to listen to the people of Extremadura who have been ignored so much by the left.
And it's a shame that you weren't there. You didn't go, it's because you didn't want to go there. Because if you had gone there, you would have been able to listen to the people who are part of the platform, the desperate workers who are afraid. And we cannot have a situation where a nuclear power station is closed in Spain just because of a pact made between the Spanish and far left pro independence parties in Catalonia. Spain needs this resource.
Speaker 18
Thank you very much. Honorable chair, honorable members, the commission would like to thank this committee and its delegation for the presentation of the draft mission report. We'd also like to thank, again, the petitioner for raising this point. Listening to the different perspectives and dynamics in the nuclear sector and member states is very relevant to the commission to support and guide our job defining EU energy policy. As you know, we presented our reply to the petition to this committee last year on June 23. The commission acknowledges the petitioner's concerns on the impact that the planned closure of the Almirante nuclear power plant would have on energy security, climate targets, and socioeconomic stability in Extremadura, but also in Spain and the EU more broadly.
Speaker 16
And we're also now taking good note of the draft mission report presented today. We took note of Spain's plans to phase out nuclear energy by 2035, as reflected in Spain's national energy and climate plan that was presented to the commission last year and assessed. Securing our energy supply with homegrown, clean, and affordable energy is critical for European competitiveness, security, and our strategic autonomy. These principles guide our EU energy policy. And to achieve these objectives, we have acknowledged the role of nuclear energy as a source of low-carbon energy, and that together with the growing share of renewable energy, it can support our goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
While this is true on EU level, each member state remains free to determine its own energy mix, including the decision to use or not to use nuclear energy in accordance with the provisions of the EU treaties. The commission does not interfere in these decisions. It will therefore be the responsibility of the Spanish government to reconsider or not its decision to phase out nuclear power plants, including Almaraz. It should be recalled that the commission's priority is to ensure that those member states choosing to use nuclear energy, including lifetime extensions for existing nuclear plants, apply the highest nuclear safety standards and ensure sufficient funds for safe waste disposal. At the same time, the commission closely monitors that each member state complies with the EU's overall decarbonization objective as well as the related agreed energy and climate targets for 2030.
Our assessment of the Spanish national energy and climate plan shows that Spain is on a good path there. On this, we encourage all member states to ensure a timely and complete implementation of the final updated NECP, paying particular attention to the main elements highlighted in our assessment. Many thanks. I now hand over the floor to my colleague from DG Environment.
Speaker 20
Good afternoon. Thank you. The commission acknowledges the concerns of the petitioner on the abundance of wild ungulates in areas of the Gavanelas National Park and the potential impact that overpopulation is having in that area. The commission recalls Spain's obligations under Article 6-1 and 6-2 of the habitats directive and recalls that there is no provision in the birds or habitats directive that bans hunting in Natura 2000 areas. The Cabaneros National Park is only a small part of a large Natura 2000 area.
Speaker 21
And the banner recreational hunting only affects the part of the area in the national park. But in the Nature 2,000 management plan, recreation hunting is listed as a potential tool. Having said that, the commission recalls that the primary responsibility for enforcing the provisions of the Habitat Directive lies with national authorities. And we take note of the comments that have been made by MEPs on the mission, and we will take this into account in the commission. We have been analyzing the situation in the Cabaneros National Park for some time, and we maintain constant dialogue bilaterally with the Spanish environmental authorities and in the expert group on the monitoring of the application of the habitats and birds directives.
Speaker 22
We believe the signing of the first agreement for the management plan of Wadongi Lutzina Park is a very good step forward towards resolving the situation. And we understand that the ungulate management plan is being applied in the public areas of the national park, and the implementation in the private areas of the park should start progressing. This is a situation that we will be paying very close attention to. Thank you.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you so much. The deadline for submitting amendments is on 24 April. Okay? All is okay? Thank you.
Let us now move on to point number nine, petition 1525 of 2016 by Miguel Angel Rodriguez Arias from Spain regarding 379 cases of still unresolved murders perpetrated by the terrorist group Eta in Spain. The petitioner is not in the room, and therefore, I would like to give the floor to the representative of DG Home.
Speaker 25
Yeah. Yes. Thank you. Honorable chair, honorable members. Today, the committee returns to petition 1525 of 2016 submitted by mister Miguel Angel Rodriguez Arias on behalf of the association Dignitad e Justicia.
Speaker 24
This petition concerns 379 murders allegedly perpetrated by the terrorist group ETA in Spain. The petitioner raises serious concerns about the lack of effective investigations, which, in his view, has prevented both the prosecution of perpetrators and proper compensation for victims and victims' families. This matter has been discussed by this committee on several occasions since 2017, including following a fact-finding mission to Spain in 2021 and more recently in March 2024. On behalf of the commission, allow me to make two key points. My first point regards the competence of member states.
Speaker 23
The question of criminal responsibility, that is determining whether someone is guilty or innocent, falls exclusively within the competence of member states. This is clearly established under Article 72 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which entrusts member states with responsibility for maintaining law and order and safeguarding internal security. As a result, EU institutions do not have the authority to intervene in the day-to-day functioning of national criminal justice systems. My second point regards support for the victims of terrorism. While criminal justice remains a national competence, the European Union plays a crucial role in strengthening the rights and support available to victims, including victims of terrorism.
Over the years, the EU has adopted key legislative instruments. The 2012 victims' rights directive, which guarantees minimum standards on the rights, support, and protection of victims of crimes. The 2017 directive on combating terrorism, which strengthens the provisions of a victim rights directive by ensuring that victims of terrorism receive special support and assistance, including access to psychological and emotional support immediately after an attack and for as long as necessary. More recently, in December 2022, core legislators agreed on a revised directive on victim rights, which will ensure better support and access to information and easier access to justice for all victims of crimes. The provisionally agreed revision of the victim's rights directive will strengthen the rights to all victims of crimes, including the most vulnerable ones, such as victims of terrorism.
Under the new rule, victims of terrorism will benefit from an improved individual assessment of their specific needs, improved access to support services, and from better protection against the glorification of the offenders. In addition, the commission plans to adopt a renewed EU strategy on victim rights by 2026 to further support implementation of a revised directive and strengthen policy measures. The commission has already taken concrete steps to ensure the effective implementation. It has organized expert workshops and launched infringement proceedings where necessary. Notably, 21 out of 22 identified cases have already been resolved.
Since 2020, the EU victim rights platform has brought together key actors from institutions, civil society, and international organizations to discuss topics relevant for victim rights. The EU Center of Expertise for Victims of Terrorism has trained more than a thousand professionals and has developed practical tools, including a dedicated handbook. In addition, the EU Knowledge Hub on prevention of radicalization, the European Commission's flagship initiative to prevent violent extremism and terrorism, actively supports and promotes the involvement of victims of terrorism in prevention efforts. It also ensures that victims are consulted in the organization of the EU Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism, the annual tribute held on March 11. This year, on March 11, commissioner Magnus Brunner hosted the commemorative event in Brussels, marking the anniversary of a terrorist attack of March 22.
The ceremony was organized in partnership with Belgium and took place in the presence of the Belgian prime minister, Bardeweather. More than 120 victims and survivors of terrorism, together with representatives of European victims associations, attended the event, which paid tribute to victims in Belgium and across Europe. To conclude, I'd like to stress that while the investigation and prosecution of crimes remain a national responsibility, at the same time, the European Union continues to play a key role in strengthening victim rights, support systems, and recognition across all member states. The commission remains fully committed to further advancing this work. Thank you.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. Now I'd like to give the floor to the members. E.P.P.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Thank you very much, chairman. This is an extremely relevant petition for Spain because it refers to 379 unsolved murders that were committed by the most bloody terrorist group in our history, Eta. Eta killed more than 859 Spaniards who were victims over decades, and many of Eta's crimes have not yet been resolved. It's very difficult to talk about this in parliament. Hundreds of families are still waiting for justice, but what they see is a government that is willing to pay political tolls to those who have not even apologized for what happened.
And many of these killers have benefited and many, so this involves many socialists and many MEPs who are in this parliament now. And then dozens of killers who had committed terrorism in Spain have been released from prison. And this is a scandalously terrible abuse of article 100.2 to release prisoners. And this is a disgrace, and it's purely based on political calculations. The powers for prisons in Basque Country have been ceded to protect perpetrators and not victims.
And I say this to the leader of Bildo, who's a member of the Spanish government coalition. And if we need to adopt the budgets in Spain, they need to be adopted. This is the reality that we are experiencing in Spain. Families of victims are calling for dignity and justice, but the members of the Spanish government are turning a blind eye, trying to benefit their partners and trying to whitewash those who never defended victims or their memory. And now they seek to lecture us, saying that they put an end to Eta when there are still 379 murders that have not been solved, as highlighted in this petition. There are hundreds of families who have been abandoned by the Spanish state.
Because there is no real peace without justice. There is no political decency when the memory of those murdered is just being negotiated, and if we don't compensate those who have fallen victim to this. I think that there needs to be a check to see whether the Spanish government is complying with the EU legislation. And I would like this to be done by this committee. Has the Spanish government consulted the victims?
Did they consult the victims when these prisoners were released? And we saw this, how many tributes have been paid to those who have been killed by ETA over the past 4 years? How many times has the Spanish government done that? We would like this petition to be kept open for the sake of the dignity of those who were killed and for the sake of the dignity of the families of victims, victims of the bloodiest terrorist group and most unscrupulous group in Spain's history. Thank you.
Sandra Gómez López
Thank you very much, chairman. Well, first of all, we would like to express all of our respect for the victims of terrorism and their families, victims who represent accumulated pain over many years, and this petition is calling for truth, just justice, and compensation. Victims deserve memory, dignity, support, and above all, they deserve respect, and they should not be used or weaponized. It is clear that the right is weaponizing the pain of these victims. The petitioner wasn't able to come here today.
And there's a party here asked for this to be one particular party asked this to be put on the agenda. There was even omission to the Basque Country with some conclusions, which were then adopted in a report. Therefore, in our view, obviously, as always, to respect the memory of victims and justice, we are going to ask for this petition to be kept open despite the commission's response which says, as everybody knows, criminal prosecution is the responsibility of member states. But I'd like to end my speech today with the words of ETER victims, and stop using them, stop weaponizing them. One of the representatives of Etta, the victims of Etta.
I call on the PP to stop weaponizing the memory of those who were killed, because it was very painful for them and their families. And they asked them to stop using slogans in their campaigns, for example, focusing on chapote, which we saw during the election campaign of 2023. And leaders of the PP saw that this was working for them, and they even said these things on public TV programs. And then in 2026, the PP insisted on continuing to use the pain of the victims as a political tool. But they said, the victim said, respect their suffering and treat them with dignity and not as a political tool.
These references that I'm talking about here are not my words. No. These are from the victims, the families of ETA victims. Thank you.
Thank.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 28
Thank you very much, chairman. 379. 379. 379 families who still don't know who killed their children, fathers, or friends because the Sanchez government has built an alliance with the murderers to be prime minister. March unsolved murders by ETA and 478.
Well, we know who pulled the trigger, but there's still been no trial. I'd like to thank the MEP from the S and D who mentioned the fact-finding mission. I was on that mission in 2021. And this parliament and this petty committee issued a resolution in which it said all of the victims have the same dignity, whether they were killed before or after 1978, that the leaders should be prosecuted as the leaders of the terrorist group. For a prisoner of Eta to be released from prison or to obtain any benefits in prison.
They should cooperate openly in identifying those who helped with committing these terrorist acts, and they need to be investigated as well. And in that report, this petty committee highlighted the lack of resources in the prosecutor's office and the police, and the need to reform laws in Spain. And that's what this is about. Five years later, what has the Spanish government done to comply with the recommendations of this petty committee? Saint Justice government insults victims' dignity by saying that they have complied with none of these recommendations.
But, no, what they've done is they've given amnesty to people who tried to launch a coup, attackers from Antifa. Or yesterday, they decided to regularize thousands of illegal migrants. So they don't mind imposing things on the law when it suits them. And members of this parliament, members of the Spanish parliament, have the same objectives as this terrorist group. Why are we discussing this petition again here?
That's because Sanchez's government hasn't complied with anything. And secondly, in 2025, 374 public acts of support for ETA took place and 39 public tributes to terrorists. This is in Spain. Here in this room, in this parliament, we talk about secondary victimization a lot. Those here from the commission, assistance, political group workers, MEPs.
What about the secondary victimization of the victims? Those who saw their brother, their wife, their son being murdered by a terrorist group. And then against what this committee recommended, the terrorists are released from prison, then there are public tributes to Etta. This is an outrage. And it is terrible that Spanish gave powers to the prison authorities in bus to release these prisoners.
There was no collaboration with the prosecutors or the police, and they didn't ask for any apology. I think that this would not happen in most other member states. This government also promoted taking ETA off the list of terrorist organizations in the European Union. We want to have a debate in the Libbey Committee as well, to see whether Eta is still on this EU terrorist organization list. And if it's not, then when did this happen?
That's what we want to look at. And the petty needs to send the resolution that was adopted by the petty committee in the last legislature. And this petition needs to be kept open because we need to show that they haven't complied with any of the recommendations from the previous resolution.
Thank you.
Diego Solier
This commission is not about left or right ideology. No. It's about justice, about dignity, and about memory. As my colleagues have said, we still have 379 murders that are unsolved, around 44% of the total. And behind every one of these cases, as my colleagues were saying, there are families, fathers, mothers, and sons.
And for decades, they still do not know what the truth is, what happened, and who committed the crime, or they know, but that person is not being found guilty. And that's not acceptable in a democracy, because we can't have proper peace without justice. And we can't have justice if there is an attempt to rewrite history as if nothing had happened. Terrorism can never be whitewashed. And any political decision that depends on people who haven't broken with that past is extremely concerning.
This is not just a national issue. This is about the rule of law and respect for victims across Europe. We owe them the truth. We owe them justice, and we owe them dignity. And we cannot accept anything less than that.
Obviously, we believe that this petition should be kept open. Thank you.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. I don't think there's anyone else willing to take the floor, and there's no petitioner among us. Therefore, we keep it open, and we look forward to receiving a reply from the European Commission. Point 10. Petition number 23.12 of 2025 by Marco Werbet from The Netherlands on the consequences of generative artificial intelligence systems on the mental health of the Union's citizens.
Okay. Okay. We'll wait. Okay. Spanish?
Bogdan Rzońca
micro. Okay. Okay. The petitioner is not present, and therefore, I'd like to give the floor to the European Commission, DG CONNECT, director general for communications networks, content, and technology.
Speaker 32
DG Connect. Thank you, honorable chairman, honorable members of the European Parliament. The main legal instrument that the commission has to address risks posed by generative systems for mental health is the AI Act, designed to ensure the protection of human values and fundamental rights, including mental health. So the AI Act addresses all the fundamental rights, so there is no need to highlight one among them. The AI Act is also future proof in the sense that the rules can be adapted to meet new risks when they arise or an increased level of risk when it is observed.
Speaker 34
So there is a process of monitoring the applicability and how suitable the rules are. And if necessary, it is possible to revise these rules. The AI Act follows a risk-based structure, including starting from some applications that are prohibited, and then high-risk systems need to undergo a risk assessment procedure with particular attention to vulnerable categories, including minors. For general purpose AI models with systemic risk in particular, the providers of these models need to perform systemic risk assessment and, if necessary, mitigate them in case they are observed to be not to elevate, including harmful manipulation and other risks to mental health as well. The enforcement of the AA Act is shared with the member states.
Speaker 32
And for all concerns, in particular, the provisions for general purpose AA model with systemic risk, the commission will have enforcement powers starting August 2 year. Additionally, when these systems are integrated into very large online platforms, The Digital Services Act has specific provisions, in particular, to protect minors. And for having more information about the content of the AA Act and how it can be used to address these risks, the AIA office has provided an AIA Act service desk as part of the single information platform. Thank you.
Gheorghe Falcă
Thank you. Dear colleagues, the petitioner is pointing out the fact that despite the fact of article three on the charter of fundamental rights, there is no real effective framework at European or national level that will ensure protection for mental integrity when using these types of technologies. The petitioner has followed legal proceedings in his country as well as with the ombudsman and shows how much the idea of mental integrity with reference to AI really counts. He refers to article three. He also asked for clarification about member states' obligations, and that they should have a balanced approach to citizens, but at the same time, encouraging technological innovation in the EU. I think that these points are justified and require a more detailed investigation.
Therefore, the petition should remain open.
Murielle Laurent
Thank you very much, chairman.
Well, quite frankly, we have this petition despite the regulation on the question of harmonizing inclusion of AI. And we should therefore point out that this text is the very first legal framework that is dedicated to AI. It talks about the risks linked to that technology and allows Europe to play a primary role in dealing with it. And it's a question of respecting fundamental rights, whilst at the same time having technological progress. And the effects on mental health have to be taken on board in European legislation and not simply in this rule.
We have to study the symptoms, in particular trouble sleeping and depression. Quite recently, in January 2026, a study was published establishing a correlation between the use of chatbots and AI and the risks of depression compared to nonusers. The petitioner speaks about the effects on mental health, on cognitive stability, and all these psychological issues have to be taken into consideration. Mental integrity, the right to that should be respected in terms of human rights. So we have to pay special attention to young people and their access to certain AI tools, who are very exposed to these risks.
The European Committee for the Protection of Data, the European Controller of Data, and the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, as well as the AI bureau, should all be involved in the aim of dealing with this. And the petitioner would like to ask the commissioner to have a study done on these issues. And we'd like it to be transferred also to the AMCO committee. The petitioner highlights rights which are absolutely not yet taken on board, and we believe the petition should remain open.
Thank you, Mr. Cruz.
Yeah. I'll take it. Yeah.
Sebastian Kruis
Thank you very much. First of all, I want to say that I think it's difficult that he's not here. He's had difficult experiences with AI. Of course, they're not his fault. But, of course, it's my job to look at what the policy should be here, and so I have to remain neutral and look at where responsibility lies.
First of all, the possible effects of AI are very personal and subjective. And furthermore, what's difficult is that this is not necessarily punishable. It's hard to see where the law has been broken here. And first of all, these are up to national authorities and judges to see what they can do with the situation, and we believe it should be covered by national legislation. What's illegal offline is also illegal online.
However, the EU is also part of the problem and therefore can be part of the solution. So first of all, we need to look at subsidiarity for national policy in the arena of health. So we think this petition should be closed. Thank you.
Paolo Inselvini
Thank you.
Very much, chairman, and thank you to the petitioner even though he is not here to present his petition. I believe this is a petition which makes us think about some very important issues indeed, because on the one hand, AI does offer great potential, generally speaking, for our society and, in particular, if we consider innovation and professional aspects, employment, it can extend our working activities. But on the other hand, I believe that a generalized use for everyone, in particular for certain generations, young, the young in particular, are at great risk. And some colleagues have mentioned the risk of depression or self-harm, rather. Chatbot can lead people to take decisions which are absolutely unlawful.
And we've seen this in Italy recently. We've seen suicide. We've seen violence. And these are things that have been promoted by AI. So quite clearly, we have to deal with this reality, this situation which is being presented by uncontrollable algorithms and by the will of the person who is manipulating them.
So there are high risks involved here. We've seen material can be disseminated to pornography, and this too can create psychological distress, and, of course, child pornography, which is completely illegal. So we do have to work in the European Union institutions. We have to put this at the center of things in terms of regulating AI and looking into the psychological effects it has on people, so that we can preserve, in particular, the well-being of our young people who, more than any other, are exposed to this, to instruments which they don't understand particularly well. And I believe, therefore, this petition certainly should be kept open.
This is a very important issue for Europe. Thank you.
Thank.
Bogdan Rzońca
you. So the petition will remain open and will be awaiting a written reply from the European Commission. Item 11, we have here the petition 23, 24, 25 by Savasopoulos from Greece on the impact of EU legislation on maritime fuels on the competitiveness of the union's economy and the cost of imports. The author, the petitioner, is not present. So now I would like to give the floor to the European Commission, a representative of DG MOVE.
The floor is yours.
DG Move.
Speaker 41
Yes. Honorable chair, honorable members. First of all, I would like to thank mister Pulos for presenting this petition and also for the opportunity given to the commission to share with you and explain our views on the concerns that were raised in this petition. We are very keen and appreciate any opportunity to talk and engage in a discussion about the impacts of transport policies either on citizens, but also on the wider stakeholders such as industry. So first of all, just to explain that indeed from the year 2023, 2024, the EU has a policy framework in place for the decarbonization of maritime transport.
We have three key legislations that are being implemented now with good success, with good compliance rate. But, also, there are efforts taken at the international level. At the International Maritime Organization, at the IMO, there have been efforts to agree on measures to push the decarbonization of the sector. And we almost got these measures adopted in October 2025, and they were only torpedoed in the last moment by The United States and some large oil producing countries that allied with The US. So we have policies on the EU level and efforts on the international level, which are based and justified by stronger environmental and climate policy reasons.
Maritime transport is responsible for significant emissions. And while we see it, we are seeing other sectors progressing well with the climate transition, we have problems in the maritime sector. The emissions are increasing. And around this moment, more than 99% of the fuel used in ships is from fossil fuel origin. So alternative fuels made very little advance.
So that's why we believe we need a policy. Of course, we also believe that climate policies always need to be married and come together with competitiveness concerns and also with concerns to minimize, to manage the costs on citizens and industry. So that's why the commission is taking various actions to make these costs manageable and to ease the transition. First of all, the existing policies, the existing legislations, they already have some flexibilities. For example, in the fuel EU regulation, the targets are growing gradually from starting from 2% and reaching higher percentages in the mid 2030s.
So we are giving time to shipping companies and fuel producers to invest. Also, the regulations are concerning exemptions for vulnerable regions such as outermost regions, small islands, and voyages undertaken under public service contracts. So our aim is to help these regions and not to undermine connectivity. Second, the commission is also undertaking actions to support industry in the cost effective implementation of these regulations. First of all, in November, we issued the sustainable transport investment plan that is aiming to boost the investment in sustainable marine fuels.
This plan is mobilizing €3,000,000,000 financing to be provided through various EU funding instruments. We are also seeing helping European ports through the EU port strategy. We are helping them to bunker new types of fuels and also to provide electricity for ships. And finally, in the EU maritime industrial strategy, we are helping European shipyards and equipment manufacturers to produce retrofit greener ships and green equipment at a competitive price. So I want to sum up that we are confident that the cost of this transition are being well managed due to the design of the regulation and also for the supporting measures.
But at the same time, we are carefully monitoring the implementation, and we shall intervene and adjust our policies and measures if needed at any point in the coming years. Thank you.
Peter Agius
Thank you, chair. Thank you, chair. I think I'll take this in my mother tongue, the Maltese language. This is a point which concerns a lot of member states, but more particularly, remote regions, islands, isolated regions. We fully support the claim of the petitioner as presented, that the new rules on maritime fluids on ETS in general, for instance.
This is placing an additional burden on the regions and islands which are already at a disadvantage. The treaty speaks clearly. Okay? The treaty says that the European Union should be putting forward the policy which helps islands and other regions which are less connected, by promoting a policy which promotes their well-being. But, unfortunately, we have adopted in the previous legislature, in particular, a number of provisions which, put all of this, in a perverse narrative where the European Union is promoting a lot of rules which are counter to this objective.
In fact, even though right now, we seem to be having a better understanding of the situation because we are seeing from the society. We are seeing the cost of these decisions more clearly. I must say that in many of these decisions, I believe, I feel that there has not been enough serious study when it comes to the impacts, especially on isolated regions. But now it's time. Now we have the data in hand.
I'll continue in Maltese. Malta, but particularly at.
In Malta, especially, we can see that these ETS and maritime transport rules, but also air transport rules, are leaving an increasing impact, especially in Malta, for example. The European Central Bank put out a report, and it shows that Malta is paying 8,800,000 extra euros every year on ETS. This includes airplane fuel, for example. And when it comes to the maritime sector, we also have a freight operator statistic. And it costs €800 per trip from Genova to Malta.
And in light of these new rules, and in light of this petition, we would like better consideration of these additional costs on our communities. We especially agree with the fight and the aim of the fight against climate change, but we need to do our utmost to fight climate change. That being said, however, we must avoid any disproportionate burden on our regions, and we should not end up killing our economy. But all in all, we're ready to continue the discussion further. Thank you.
Sakis Arnaoutoglou
Close. Correctly. Thank you. I'm gonna speak in Greek.
Chairman, colleagues, we have to have security in terms of, and this green transition has to be done in a good way, implemented in a good way. It's very important. The regulation fuel EU maritime came into force in 2025 and supports the transition for a more sustainable use of fuels, renewables as well as using electrical energy in the ports, from 2030 onwards. This framework is something which is within the framework of ETS and the functioning of the alternative fuels regulation. It's very important because the European Commission from July 2024 already, through its portal, introduced a tool, an instrument, which is very important for the improvement of the efficacy, the effectiveness in the sector.
So this is a practical response in that the green transition cannot be successful unless there is adequate financing. It's not just a question of the green transition, but the dependence on certain fuels which comes up again and again when there are crises and shocks. And in Greece, this is a very important political issue, and also the question of how we can get these costs and prices down. Europe already has the framework, the legislative framework for the shipping industry, and there has to be a financing tool in order to support the green transition. We want to make sure that the implementation can be carried out without any distortions or injustices towards the sector.
And, therefore, we ask for the measures which have been set out to be fully implemented. Thank you.
Thank.
Bogdan Rzońca
thank you very much. I don't think there's anyone else willing to take the floor. Therefore, this petition remains open, and we look forward to receiving a written reply from the Commission. Thank you. Okay.
Let's move on to the next point on our agenda, which is a Spanish petition, 2673 of 2025 on behalf of Mesa del Emplo Autonomo on declaring the March 10 as European Day of the Self Employed. The petitioner is going to be represented by a counselor of industry, employment, innovation and trade of Cantabria, Spain, Eduardo Arrasti.
Mister Arrasti.
Eduardo Arrasti
Ladies and gentlemen, it's a pleasure for me to speak before this meeting as a chair of the Regional Association of Self Employed Perks representing self employed people. Declaring March 10 as a European day of self employed people is very important. We're talking about key workers in the European Union. Over 27,000,000 self-employed people in the EU, over 14% of total employed people. In Spain, they're 16% of the employed population, and it goes up to 20% in other member states. We're talking about artisans, people working in transport, farmers, the liberal professions, our digital entrepreneurs.
Without them, the EU economy just wouldn't work. We are a fiscal and social pillar of society. In Spain, these workers make up over a quarter of income to the system, ensuring health and social protection. Self employed people are one of the keys in our systems, but their day-to-day experience is that they have specific difficulties. For self-employed people, if you're off, it's not just a health problem.
It is also an economic problem. Your income might not be secure. They have to adapt to new digitalization or the green transition, and this requires effort to be made and is sometimes rather onerous for them. They take on risks. They support jobs for others, and sometimes they don't get the institutional recognition that I believe they deserve.
The March 10 is a significant day because in 2020, the EU put forward the SME project for a more sustainable Europe, and this was a turning point in Europe. For the first time, there was clear recognition of the central roles played by SMEs and self-employed people in the competitiveness, resilience, and future of Europe. This day is the start of a new phase. Europe is built on its markets, in its ports, workshops, but people, self-employed people in Madrid, Hamburg, Bruges can work thanks to self-employed people, people who keep trade open and create prosperity. Self-employed, people are really at the heart and soul of our economy.
So declaring March 10 a European day of the self-employed is not just a gesture. It ensures our commitment to them and gives visibility, and it will provide an opportunity to put forward specific policies and share best practices between member states, as well as moving forwards towards a Europe that will not leave behind those people who take risks to ensure employment and social cohesion. If we want a stronger, more competitive Europe, one that is closer to its citizens, then we need to look after those who really care for our economy from the roots, those people who look after our farms, our shops, our factories. And so I would ask that March 10 be officially recognized as the European Day of the Self Employed. Thank you.
The floor is yours.
Speaker 52
Thank you very much, and thank you to the petitioner and his representative. The petitioner requests that March 10 be designated as the European Self Employed Workers' Day, linking this to indeed the European Commission's strategy on SMEs for a sustainable and digital Europe. And indeed, the strategy recognizes the economic and social importance of SMEs and entrepreneurs. This is not the only example of a European policy that contributes to the social and economic recognition of this group. Indeed, in recent years, the European Commission has taken many concrete steps to protect and empower self-employed persons, including in the areas of employment, social protection, and social dialogue, moving beyond traditional notions of employment.
Principle five of the European pillar of social rights, which is our 20th principle charter on all employment and social issues, provides that innovative forms of work that ensure quality working conditions shall be fostered, and that entrepreneurship and self-employment shall be encouraged. And as recently as last December, the quality jobs roadmap adopted by the European Commission also highlighted the need to ensure fairness and flexibility for the self-employed. By promoting quality jobs among the self-employed, these policies reflect and recognize their vital role for inclusive economic growth. Very concretely and as a world first, in 2024, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a directive on improving the working conditions in platform work that is due to be transposed by Member States by February 1 year. This directive, apart from providing for the assessment of the correct employment status of persons performing platform work, because some of them are not really self-employed, also has specific provisions for self-employed, protecting their data, their privacy because they are considered vulnerable self individuals as solo self-employed.
And in this same vein, in 2022, the commission also adopted guidelines to clarify the conditions under which they can engage in collective bargaining without breaching EU and antitrust rules. So as you see, there is very much going on already in this area, and we will continue to assess the petition that we have received, and we will reply in writing in the next week. Thank you very much.
Thank.
Elena Nevado del Campo
Thank you, Chair, and thank you also to the petitioners for bringing this proposal to the European Parliament. We think that March 10 is the perfect day for Europe to recognize its self-employed workers. When you're self-employed and your whole family is self-employed, you understand what self-employment really is. It's not all opportunities. You have to work to build opportunities every day.
We're talking about small shops. Every small corner shop in our country has a story of bravery behind it. It means you are dependent on yourself. Self-employment is the silent motor that drives our economy, particularly in small cities like mine, and you have to make your own path. And so I'm very happy that the petitioners have brought this initiative to the European Parliament with a specific date that is particularly meaningful.
I would also like to thank the commission for what they said about how much value the EU places on SMEs and the self-employed. This committee has also done a great deal. We passed a directive to make life easier for the self employed for those who have over 80,000 in turnover per year to make it easier with VAT. We did this because it's something that self-employed people need, because we want their dreams to become reality and to be able to support them. And so it's important that Europe did this.
And I think by doing this, we can make a gesture. We can create employment and wealth for our 27 member states. So for the EPP, we hope that the commission will be open to this and that March 10 will be declared the European Day of the Self Employed, and we'll take the necessary steps to do that. This is a citizens' initiative. If this petition is approved, then we have a political initiative.
And so now we just need the institutional initiative to support this proposal. Thank you.
Leire Pajín
Thank you, chair. Let me switch to Spanish. Thank you. And, I would like to welcome the Association of Self Employed Workers from Cantabria and to thank you for your proposal. We've heard this here, and we fully agree with the fact that we need to do something to recognize the impact that you have, not just in terms of employment, but also innovation and creativity.
This is something that self-employed people do both in Spain and in Europe. There are 3,000,000 self-employed in Spain and 28,000,000 across the EU, and they play a key role in our economies. As we've heard, our self-employed people lead to more employment, but also more growth, more innovation, more creativity. And this is key if we're going to meet key objectives that our group has always defended, such as social justice. People who are self-employed are also supporting our essential public services, and that's something I wanted to make clear.
And that's why we, of course, support this initiative, and would support the idea of March 10 being the European Day of the Self Employed. And we want to specifically focus on the work of self-employed women who need support in reconciling work and family life and their rights. Today, entrepreneurs need public support and support from our political institutions, and that's something that we want to continue to do. So we think we should move forward with this petition and would support them in this committee.
Thank.
Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal
You, chair. I was a self-employed worker for almost all of my life.
Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal
Enemy, the biggest enemy of self-employed workers is the president of Spain. In fact, Spain was taken to the court of justice in the EU for not having properly transposed within time measures to simplify and reduce costs for self-employed workers. Spain was the only member state that has not properly complied with this. Now the EPP shouldn't think it's a defender of self-employed people either, because they also introduced a new system for net income that is moving forward as well. And so Vox will be voting against, not only voting against, but we think that we should be continuing to support self-employed people.
We shouldn't just be doing it for political theater. We don't want to do it like the left who are trying to put their hands in the wallets of the self-employed people. Mister Rasti, you talked about self-employed people. We've seen many more of these in the last 10 years, and many of them have spent a lot of money on advertising and plans. But most self-employed people don't manage to maintain their activity beyond 18 months.
Should we give them a day on the calendar if they haven't been able to help with the future of their region? I don't really understand why we would do that. What self-employed people need is to be able to work, to send invoices, and to breathe. And so that's why we're not going to support this petition out of respect for autonomous workers. Respecting self-employed people means making measures that will help them.
Less quotas, less red tape, less taxation to ensure that people can move when they need to, to reduce their red tape, to help them with VAT, to make it easier to take people on and to put an end to the system that was implemented in 2022. I think we need to do more than just simply have a date on the European calendar. We want to see less hypocrisy, less posturing, less cynicism from the EPP. We want to do a real support for people who work and pay, and support our economy.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. The petitioner has now a few minutes. Mister Arrasti has two minutes now.
Eduardo Arrasti
Thank you very much. This petition is trying to support the people who support our economies from the ground up and who do so at personal cost. This petition would not have any economic cost, but I think it would have huge value. And there would be a great deal of value in supporting this petition, and it's one that we bring to you on behalf of all of our self-employed workers. Thank you.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you very much. So the petition remains open, and we look forward to receiving a written reply from the European Commission. Let us move on. Point 13, petition number 0022 of 2026 by a German citizen on EU measures against the Iranian regime. The petition is connected remotely.
However, no video will be shown, and there will be no interpretation. The petitioner now has the floor for five minutes, if we are indeed connected.
Speaker 55
Okay. Sure. And the microphone or camera is on? Hello? I'm not sure if I'm live now.
Koram Shay
Yes. Yo. Very nice. Actually, thank you for this opportunity. My talk was at 5PM, but now it's earlier, so I do my best to be very precise.
So thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to speak. When I submitted this petition, the situation in Iran was already serious. Since then, many things have changed, and the crisis has become even more urgent. Today, I would like to use my time to focus on one specific thing that I believe is one of the most important problems in Iran right now, the Internet shutdown and the censorship. I'm not here to speak in general terms only.
I'm sure you have received thousands of other requests regarding the current situation in different forms. Therefore, I would like to draw your attention to a concrete and serious problem, the restriction of access to free information, which is, if I'm not mistaken, the article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights. When Internet access is restricted, people are cut off from communications, from news, from documentation, and from the outside world. This does not only affect people inside Iran. It also deeply affects Iranians living in Europe who are suddenly unable to reach their families, check on their loved ones, or even know whether they are safe.
This disconnection has serious human consequences. It creates fear, emotional stress, helplessness, and long-term psychological pressure. It affects people's private lives, their work, their concentration, and their ability to function normally in the societies where they live. So this issue is not only about Iran. Its consequences are also felt here in Europe.
This is why I ask you to pay closer attention to the issue of Internet censorship in Iran, and especially to the role of any European-based actors or companies that are maybe helping make the censorship possible. I'm not naming specific companies here without presenting full documentation, although some of them are already talked about and discussed in the TV programs in Europe. But I ask this issue be taken seriously and examined carefully. I would like to briefly connect this to a broader concern. In recent years, not only in Iran, but also across Europe and other parts of the world, we have seen growing polarization, radicalization, extremists, and social division.
We see wider gaps between immigrants and host societies, and also between different political and social groups. We see more far-right and more far-left. Many people no longer understand one another. That creates mistrust, anger, and isolation. I believe one part of the solution is education, dialogue, and mutual understanding. People need spaces where they can learn about each other, speak honestly, and be heard.
For this reason, I started working on a platform called Means Bridge of Hope. It's a small civic initiative, which the goal is to help people understand one another better, reducing social distance, and giving space to voices that are often unheard. The idea is not limited to Iranians or immigrants. It is intended to be useful more broadly, and so for social understanding, inclusion, and dialogue. I come from a technical background, so I know how to build technology, but I don't have the same level of experience in areas such as regulation, infrastructure, compliance, and organizational support.
That's why I wanted to mention this here as well. I wanted actually to use this opportunity. My request is very simple. If you believe that initiatives like this can help strengthen understanding, reduce the vision, and support democratic values, I would be very happy, grateful for guidance, support, and direction how such platform could be developed responsibly and effectively within the European framework. So thank you very much for your attention.
Bogdan Rzońca
Thank you. And now we can go to Mister Mitut DG at the European Commission.
Speaker 57
Okay. Yes, please. Good afternoon, mister chair, honorable members. I would like to thank mister Koram Shay for his petition on the human rights situation in Iran. This has been deeply worrying for years.
Speaker 58
With already a serious aggravation throughout 2025, before the appalling wave of repression at the beginning of this year. That has been shocking and unacceptable. The European Union responded swiftly and displayed great unity. On September, the high representative vice president, Kayakalas, on behalf of the EU, firmly condemned the use of violence, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against protests. She also called for ensuring the right of access to information, including by restoring access to the internet for all.
Speaker 57
On 29 January, the Foreign Affairs Council reached a political agreement to list the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. This designation was formally adopted on 19 February. In January and March, the council also imposed new restrictive measures on a total of 13 individuals and 12 entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. These listings add to hundreds of individual and entities already listed for serious human rights violations in Iran under the EU sanctions regime responding to serious human rights violations in Iran, which was extended on 30 March until 13 April 2027. Implementation of sanctions remains the responsibility of each member state.
But we don't stop there. We support civil society in line with their aspirations for a future where their human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected, protected, and fulfilled. In UN context, the EU, together with member states, is mobilized in the Human Rights Council and remains a strong support of the work of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission and of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. The brave Iranian people are now also facing the consequences of the current military escalation following the military operation of the US and Israel. In this context, where civilians are paying heavy price, the EU called for maximum restraint, protection of civilians, and full respect of international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.
Mister Sher, I would also like to address the Internet connection issue. In January 2026, while brutally repressing peaceful protest, the Iranian authorities had already implemented the large-scale Internet shutdown following a well-known pattern observed during the periods of unrest. Since the beginning of the conflict with the US and Israel, Iranian authorities have imposed, again, severe restrictions on the Internet network without precedent in terms of breadth and duration. In parallel, the so-called anti-espionage law expanded the Iranian authorities' control over social media and online activity, with harsh penalties for censorship circumvention. The EU's response has been strong both in statement denouncing the situation and in concrete acts.
I already recalled the statement by the HR VP of September. The restrictive measures adopted in March target, among others, the head of Tehran's cyber police, who plays a key role in filtering the Internet censorship, controlling the social media content, and unjustly prosecuting citizens. At the Human Rights Council session on 16 March, the EU reiterated its call for Iranian authority to restore all communications, including full access to the Internet, and to assure the right of free access to information for all. In conclusion, mister chair, the EU will continue to react promptly to any issues of concern relating to the human rights situation in Iran and to use all tools at its disposal, including sanctions and its direct channels to Iran to advocate a change of behaviors of Iranian authorities and to support the legitimacy demands of the Iranian people. Thank you.
Thank.
thank you very much.
Murielle Laurent
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. First of all, I would like to thank the petitioner for bringing forward an issue of great seriousness. The protests in Iran and the brutal repression by the including the use of lethal force, mass arrests, and Internet shutdowns constitute serious violation of human rights, which must condemn without ambiguity. But we must also be equally clear not to war. The current situation cannot be analyzed in isolation from the military escalation in the region.
Confrontation, attacks and the logic of war only increase the sparrowings of civilians and move us further away from any sustainable solution. From the group of socialists and democrats, we defend a clear and coherent position. We cannot choose between human rights and peace. We stand for both. Therefore, we condemn the repression by the Iranian regime, but we also reject military escalation and any drift towards an open conflict.
And we support a solution based on international law, diplomacy, and multilateralism. Europe's credibility is measured not only by its capacity to sanction but also by its ability to lead de-escalation. Europe must be an actor for peace. For this reason, we support keeping the petition open and requesting further information from the Commission. Thank you very much.
All is okay.
If you want to.
Koram Shay
Yeah. Actually, yeah, thank you very much for this opportunity. As I said, and already the other presenters presented their speech. Again, thank you for this opportunity. And then back to the problem that I already started about, basically, there are two different problems, as you see.
The very concrete one is about the Internet shutdown and the problems, which, again, I must mention again. This is not only about Iranians who live in Iran. This is also about the people, Iranians who live outside Iran, who get directly and indirectly affected by the consequences of this censorship and the Internet shutdown. And it affects their daily life, and then their work, and then their performance, and in many aspects, the health. So this is one of the main problems that I see nowadays, and it's getting worse and worse.
I really would like you to please pay attention and be very specific to the companies. They support this, and then some of them are based in Europe. As I mentioned, some of them already talk about them in the TV programs in Europe, in European countries, and they support this censorship. This is one specific one that I want to mention on the other hand, which is somehow related to this problem as well. I see it as a broader vision that we see these fanatics and this radicalism extremists, not talking only Islamic extremists, but any type of sort of extremists that we see, not only for the immigrants, but for the whole societies and the whole mentioned whole people in different countries that they do not understand each other, and it gets more and more the people are getting more right and more left.
And the more that they get far, we have bigger gap in between. So I believe one solution is to start understanding each other. We don't have to continue the same loop again. And if you go back to the history, you will see that this has happened a lot in the history. At one time, it started and it gets escalated and it caused a big disaster.
And then after that, people start thinking, oh, we did something bad. So now we should avoid this again. We don't have to. We are not condemned to do the same mistake again. At some point, we can break this cycle and be a little more intelligent in this case, and think about the future.
Think of it, it's not we are, it's not only about our generation. We are responsible for the next generations. We have to give them a better life, a better future. And I saw as a civilian, I saw as I said, I'm a senior IT engineer for more than 16 years. I was always in front of my laptop, and I did some stuff.
But at some point, I see that, okay, enough is enough. I, as a person, as a human, I have to do something as well. Regard, it's not always easy to sit and criticize other people and say that the activist must do something, the politicians must do something, and other people must do something, but you don't do anything. So at some point, I realized that, okay. Let's see what I can do.
For my generation, for my people. I'm not talking about my people, the Iranian people. I'm Iranian, German. So I'm talking also about the German people. I'm talking about European people.
I'm talking about the whole of humanity. We have to bring something. Even if you say it's a zero, zero, it's a 0.001%, it's better than nothing. So that was the reason that I started the platform that I mentioned before. And then when I started that platform.
To conclude, please.
Koram Shay
Sure. Yeah. Just to conclude, if you I would like to I would like you to pay attention to close to the Internet censorship and also for the other part. As I mentioned, if you think these kind of activities are valuable, we are very appreciative for any guidance. So thank you very much.
You. Thank you.
Bogdan Rzońca
The petition remains open. And as I said, we're going to look forward to the reply from the Commission. So thank you very much. I think we're about to conclude. Thank you very much.
I am not alone. Thank you, madam.
Everyone, thank you very much. So our meeting is concluded for now. And tomorrow, we're starting bright and early, 9:00. Thank you very much. Have a good evening.
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