Plenary session

Name: Plenary session
Uploaded: 2026-05-19T07:00:00+00:00

14:56 - 15:19

Good morning everyone. The sitting is open and the next item on the agenda is the Council and Commission statements, EU cybersecurity and preparedness in the view of advanced AI systems. And I will start by giving the floor to Minister Lahuna. Please, the floor is yours.

15:19 - 19:54

Speaker 2

Good morning, President, honorable members, Commissioner. Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded into our economies as well as our security infrastructure. And advanced AI systems are transforming many sectors of our economy, from healthcare to transportation, finance, energy, education, and defense. When it comes to cybersecurity, the new generation of advanced AI systems are powerful assets and at the same time pose significant risks. That is to say, they can help us detect vulnerabilities and build up our defenses, but in the wrong hands, whether used by cybercriminals or hostile state actors, they can also endanger our systems.

We already see this happening. AI is capable of identifying software vulnerabilities, automating sophisticated phishing attacks, and generating highly convincing disinformation. And there is no doubt that foreign malicious actors will make use of all tools at their disposal. In this regard, the European Union needs to be prepared and anticipate such threats. Therefore, I welcome this important and timely debate.

It is vital that the European Union does not fall behind. To better monitor the deployment of advanced AI models and to address our potential security concerns, we need to be involved at an early stage. Cooperation with industry is key, not only to understand technological trends, but also to shape them in line with our values and security. The Council is following all developments closely. Regular discussions are taking place at technical level, ensuring that member states remain both aligned and informed.

The adoption of the Cyber Resilience Act was a key step in strengthening our cybersecurity. Its security-by-design approach will help reduce the number of software and hardware vulnerabilities, and it will also improve our reaction when vulnerabilities are only detected after a product has been released. We also welcome the proposal for a new cybersecurity package that the Commission put forward at the end of January this year. As presidency, we are fully committed to continue advancing the discussions on the new Cybersecurity Act, which is part of this package, and on which discussions have significantly advanced during the Cyprus presidency. The presidency also plans a dedicated discussion on advanced AI systems and cybersecurity at a meeting of the horizontal working party on cyber issues on the 1st of June.

We are convinced that this proposed legislation will significantly contribute to strengthening our cybersecurity. Moreover, with the AI Act, we already have a solid legislative framework that will allow us to monitor the most powerful AI models that pose systemic risks. From August this year, we will be able to enforce transparency, documentation, and risk mitigation requirements, marking an important phase in the Act's implementation. But we also know that regulation alone is not enough. We must also strengthen our technological autonomy.

Today, Europe remains highly dependent on external actors for critical cloud infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains, advanced computing resources, or cybersecurity tools.

We must also strengthen our technological autonomy. Today, Europe remains highly dependent on external actors for critical cloud infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains, advanced computing resources, or cybersecurity tools. This dependency is occurring in the context of an increasingly strategic global competition around advanced AI capability. In this context, we look forward to the upcoming tech sovereignty package announced by the Commission. This will be an integral part of our overall strategic autonomy.

Thank you very much.

19:54 - 20:17

Thank you very much, Minister. I just want to let you know that we have some technical issues. That's why you cannot ask for catch-the-eye and that's why we don't count the minutes, but we are working on it and hope that it will be resolved very fast. Yet, I will give the floor now to the Commission and Executive Vice-President Virkkunen, please, the floor is yours. Oh, it's working now.

14:33:23 - 14:34:35

Milan Mazurek

Milióny našich predkov v Európe padlo v boji proti inváznym islamským hordám, ktoré sa po celé stáročia valili zo všetkých strán do Európy. Obrovské množstvo mužov zahynulo v boji za ochranu Európy. Nekonečne veľké množstvo žien a detí bolo znásilnených a predaných do otroctva. Naši predkovia si prešli peklom, ktoré si dnes nedokážeme ani predstaviť. Gréci a Arméni, ktorých si tu dnes pripomíname a ktorí sa stali obeťami zvrátenej genocídy tureckého Osmanského impéria, sú dôkazom toho, čo všetko museli podstúpiť naši predkovia len preto, že chceli ochrániť svoju identitu, len preto, že si chceli zachovať svoju kresťanskú vieru.

A ja sa pýtam celého tohto pléna a celej Európskej komisie, ako by sa všetky tieto obete islamského radikalizmu, fanatizmu a genocíd v Európe tvárili, keby dnes videli, ako tu oceňujete Angelu Merkelovú, ktorá sem pozvala milióny takýchto islamských radikálov? Ako by sa tvárili, keby videli, že najpoužívanejšie meno pre novorodencov v západnej Európe je Mohamed a že najväčšia mešita sa stavia tu vo Francúzsku v Štrasburgu?

14:34:35 - 14:34:41

Ako by sa dívali na to, ako ste zradili a zapredali Európu.

14:34:41 - 14:35:10

Speaker 387

Thank you very much, dear colleague, the debate is closed. Next item on the agenda is explanation of votes. Report Karin Karlsbro, negative trade-related effects in global overcapacity on the Union steel market, Mr. Terheş, seat 350, has the floor.

14:35:10 - 14:36:42

Cristian Terheş

Mulțumesc. Am votat în favoarea acestui raport deoarece protejarea industriei europene a oțelului este esențială pentru economia și securitatea Uniunii Europene. Europa trebuie să-și apere industria strategică, să reducă dependențele externe și să asigure un viitor competitiv pentru producția europeană de oțel și pentru locurile de muncă din această industrie. Pentru a reuși însă, Europa trebuie să renunțe la abordarea ideologică care îi sufocă propria industrie. Politicile de decarbonizare forțată au dus la creșterea explozivă a prețurilor la energie și gaze, făcând producția de oțel în Europa din ce în ce mai scumpă și mai puțin competitivă.

S-a vorbit despre oțel verde. Nu există oțel verde sau energie verde în sens ideologic. Există oțel de calitate și energie accesibilă și fiabilă. Dacă vrem cu adevărat să salvăm industria siderurgică europeană, trebuie să renunțăm la slogane și la suprareglementare. Pentru a fi din nou competitivă, Europa are nevoie de dereglementare, de prețuri mici la energie și de măsuri comerciale ce să reinstituie libertatea economică.

Realitatea economică nu se schimbă în bine prin cuvinte frumoase și slogane, ci prin decizii care dau șansa mediului privat să genereze prosperitate. Mulțumesc.

14:36:42 - 14:37:01

Thank you very much, dear colleague. Report Boris Budka, Research Fund for Coal and Steel research program and multiannual technical and financial guidelines, Mr. Terheş, seat 350, has the floor.

14:37:01 - 14:38:38

Cristian Terheş

Mulțumesc. Am votat în favoarea acestui raport deoarece consider că Fondul de cercetare pentru cărbune și oțel poate sprijini competitivitatea industriei siderurgice europene, inovarea și implicarea IMM-urilor, universităților și sectorului industrial în proiecte concrete de cercetare. Acest fond este unul dintre puținele instrumente europene care susțin direct dezvoltarea tehnologiilor industriale, modernizarea producției și menținerea locurilor de muncă pentru ca Europa să producă oțel competitiv aici, nu să-l importe din afara UE. Într-o lume în care China și alte puteri investesc masiv în industrie și tehnologii avansate, Europa nu-și poate permite să abandoneze cercetarea din siderurgie. Nu există autonomie strategică fără industrie europeană, iar fără cercetare și inovare vom deveni dependenți de actori externi.

Cercetarea în domeniul oțelului nu este o cheltuială, ci o investiție în puterea economică și strategică a Europei. Nu susțin însă direcția ideologică din raport cu privire la Green Deal și tranziția energetică forțată, care afectează deja negativ industria, locurile de muncă și securitatea energetică europeană. Dat fiind faptul că nu este suficientă, Europa are nevoie de adiție de energie, nu de o tranziție energetică care îi reduce capacitatea din prezent de a produce energie înainte de a construi alternative viabile. Mulțumesc.

14:38:38 - 14:38:58

Thank you very much, my friend. Next sitting is tomorrow, Wednesday, 20th of May at 9:00. The agenda has been published and it's available on the European Parliament website. The minutes of this sitting will be submitted to Parliament for this approval tomorrow after the votes. The sitting is closed.

14:42:00 - 14:43:21

Speaker 444

Mesdames et Messieurs, chers collègues, la séance est ouverte. Le procès-verbal et les textes adoptés lors de la séance d'hier ont été mis à disposition. Y a-t-il des observations ? Le procès-verbal est approuvé. Les décisions de plusieurs commissions d'engager des négociations interinstitutionnelles, conformément à l'article 71, paragraphe 1, du règlement, ont été annoncées lors de l'ouverture de la session, lundi 21 octobre.

La présidence n'a reçu aucune demande de vote sur ces décisions de la part d'un nombre de députés ou d'un ou de plusieurs groupes politiques atteignant au moins le seuil moyen. Les commissions peuvent donc commencer les négociations. L'ordre du jour appelle le débat sur le rapport de Monsieur Johan Van Overtveldt, au nom de la commission des budgets, sur le projet de budget général de l'Union européenne pour l'exercice 2025. Je rappelle aux députés que pour ce débat, il y a un tour d'orateurs des groupes politiques. Ensuite, nous passerons à la procédure des interventions à la demande, le catch-the-eye, et aux cartons bleus.

Je donne la parole à Monsieur Johan Van Overtveldt, rapporteur.

14:43:21 - 14:45:53

Johan Van Overtveldt

Merci, Madame la Présidente. Monsieur le Commissaire, chers collègues, le budget 2025 est le premier budget annuel de la période post-révision du cadre financier pluriannuel. Et ce budget 2025 est un budget de transition. C'est le premier budget de la nouvelle législature, mais il est encore largement basé sur les priorités de la Commission précédente. C'est aussi un budget qui doit faire face à des défis majeurs, tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur de nos frontières.

La position du Parlement européen sur ce budget est claire et ambitieuse. Nous voulons un budget qui soutienne la croissance économique, qui renforce la cohésion sociale et territoriale, et qui permette à l'Union de jouer son rôle sur la scène internationale. Nous avons identifié plusieurs priorités clés. Tout d'abord, le soutien à la recherche et à l'innovation. C'est essentiel pour notre compétitivité future.

Ensuite, le renforcement de nos capacités de défense et de sécurité. Dans le contexte géopolitique actuel, c'est une nécessité absolue. Nous demandons également des moyens supplémentaires pour la gestion des migrations et le contrôle de nos frontières extérieures. Enfin, nous n'oublions pas la transition écologique et numérique, qui reste au cœur de notre projet européen. Cependant, nous sommes conscients des contraintes budgétaires.

Le remboursement de la dette liée au plan de relance NextGenerationEU pèse lourdement sur nos finances. C'est pourquoi nous insistons sur la nécessité de trouver de nouvelles ressources propres pour l'Union. Sans cela, nous serons contraints de faire des choix difficiles et de réduire le financement de programmes essentiels. Le Conseil a proposé des coupes sombres dans plusieurs domaines. Le Parlement s'y oppose fermement.

Nous ne pouvons pas accepter que des programmes comme Horizon Europe ou Erasmus+ soient sacrifiés. Nous entamons maintenant les négociations avec le Conseil. Ce ne sera pas facile, mais nous sommes déterminés à défendre les intérêts des citoyens européens. Nous voulons un budget qui soit à la hauteur des ambitions de l'Union européenne. Merci de votre attention.