Relato integral dos debates

Quarta-feira, 5 de Julho de 2017 - Estrasburgo

6. Apresentação do programa de atividades da Presidência estónia do Conselho (debate)

  President. – The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the presentation of the programme of activities of the Estonian Presidency (2017/2659(RSP)).

I give a very warm welcome to the Prime Minister of Estonia, Mr Ratas, who is now President-in-Office of the Council.

  Jüri Ratas, nõukogu eesistuja. – Austatud istungi juhataja! Juulis 1979 pidas esimese kõne esimese otsevalitud Euroopa Parlamendi ees Louise Weiss, kelle järgi see maja on oma nime saanud. Oma kõnes viitas Weiss, tollal 89-aastane „Euroopa Vanaema“, Hermann Keyserlingi loomingule.

Keyserling oli Eestis sündinud filosoof, kes juba 20. sajandi alguses omas visiooni ühtsest Euroopast. Euroopast, kus riigid töötavad koos, aga säilitavad oma unikaalsuse. Euroopast, mis on tugev just oma mitmekesisuse tõttu. Samal istungil presidendina oma esimese kõne pidanud Simone Veil (keda just neil hetkil Pariisis viimasele teekonnale saadetakse) rõhutas, et ainult Euroopa dimensiooni kaudu on võimalik leida lahendus kolmele suurele väljakutsele: rahule, vabadusele ja heaolule. See on endiselt nii.

38 aastat hiljem on mul au seista siin, et esitleda Eesti Euroopa Liidu Nõukogu esimese eesistumise prioriteete. Keyserlingi ja Weissi ajaga võrreldes on palju muutunud, kuid idee Euroopa rahvaste liidust on püsima jäänud.

The European Union is not only an idea. For 500 million people in the EU, it is their daily reality. Europeans want and deserve a union that is strong and decisive and that delivers. To achieve that, we must ensure that every voice is heard and balance the different traditions, interests and opinions in Europe, fairly. This is why the overarching theme of our Presidency is Unity through Balance.

First, before I turn to our plans, I acknowledge that no Presidency can succeed, alone. We will work very closely with you, honourable Members of the European Parliament, to make sure that citizens are at the heart of everything we do. We need your wisdom and input on every topic on our agenda. We are very grateful to Malta for their excellent work paving the way for us and our trio partners – Bulgaria and Austria. In Bratislava, Malta and Rome, we had a frank and honest discussion about where we stand and what we need to do to weather the storms ahead and emerge stronger.

It is our shared agenda, with the honourable Parliament, to find concrete answers to our citizens’ most pressing concerns – unemployment, security and immigration – and to bring Europe closer to our citizens. For the Estonian Council Presidency, our key aim is to move forward with the EU’s positive agenda

The four priorities that we will focus on over the next six months reflect these discussions and are guided by the spirit of the Rome Declaration. They include an open and innovative European economy, an inclusive and sustainable Europe, a safe and secure Europe and, of course, a digital Europe with the free movement of data.

Our priority of an open and innovative European economy, a strong and competitive European economy, supports growth and employment. Of course, that will make our plans and vision in every other policy area possible. The Single Market is one of the greatest assets of the EU, and the free movement of goods, services, people and capital benefits us all. However, the Single Market is not complete. Some of its potential is still untapped.

Our Presidency is prioritising the creation of an innovative, European social market economy that is open to changes, opportunities, free and fair trade and original ideas. For companies to succeed, the business environment must be transparent, simple and free of red tape. We are focused on ensuring a stable banking sector and taking forward the Services Package, and we stand ready to reform EU company law.

Equally, a smarter, cleaner and more cost-effective energy system with an enhanced role for the consumer is an important part of a competitive European economy, and one that we will aim for.

Our next priority is an Inclusive and Sustainable Europe. Of course, a strong economy must be based on the core European values of inclusivity and sustainability. The EU is not just for the few, or for the here and now. We want to ensure that every European citizen can continue to enjoy a Europe that is beautiful, sustainable, free, prosperous and safe.

One of the biggest challenges for this generation of politicians is technological transformation. It is one that I am confident we can shape. Because of our changing society and the influence of technology, the very nature of work is changing. Remote working in a digital economy means an employer and an employee may never actually meet in person. Along with robotisation and artificial intelligence, it represents the ‘fourth industrial revolution’. In response, we need to adapt our social security systems and respond to changes in the economic environment. Skills must meet the needs of future jobs, whether it be building self-driving cars or designing virtual reality experiences.

During our Presidency, we will focus on ways in which the EU can offer equal opportunities and conditions for people, both in their own Member State and also when working and living in another.

Equally, we owe it to our future generations and we owe it to our planet to fulfil our commitment to the Paris Agreement and ensure that sustainability is a key feature of all European policies. Despite the United States withdrawing from the Agreement, we will not change our own commitment.

Our next priority is a safe and secure Europe. Born from the destruction of two bloody world wars, Europe came together, united. It is our utmost duty to keep Europe safe and secure. We cannot fail in that. Let me underline this to the House. In the 21st century, we must not accept aggression against a European country or the illegal annexation and occupation of part of its territory. Were it not for the 1983 European Parliament resolution on Soviet-occupied Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, perhaps I would not be standing in front of you today.

I remember what it means to live inside closed borders when the Berlin Wall, the Iron Curtain, divided Europe. We were not allowed to visit foreign countries. Even Estonian islands were highly guarded border-zones that could be visited only with a special permit. I remember my parents watching Finnish television and listening to the Radio Free Europe – the only access to the free world.

I know what it means to wish for freedom and democracy. I believe that it is not impossible that one day in the future, a Ukrainian President may stand in front of this house in the same role as I am today.

It is clear that the European Union must assume greater responsibility for security in and around Europe. No single country is able to stand up to the threats we face, or solve these challenges, alone. The Global Strategy, the EU-NATO joint declaration and the debate on the future of defence rightly set out a high ambition. In order to keep those ambitious promises and deliver results, we need to spend more and we need to spend better on defence. That means joint development of the necessary capabilities.

At the same time, we need to make full use of the existing and new mechanisms, such as the Battlegroups, Permanent Structured Cooperation and the European Defence Fund. Practice makes perfect, so we must regularly carry out coordinated crisis-management exercises. The EU has a vast toolbox ranging from industry, to cyber defence, from strategic communication to Battlegroups.

The EU’s external borders need better protection and tighter control over the movement of both irregular migrants and illicit goods. Law enforcement needs a targeted toolbox for cooperation and information sharing.

Sadly, many of the recent terror attacks have proven that often the threats to our safety are not caused by shortcomings on the ground, but by the lack of information sharing. Therefore, we must continue to create modern IT solutions for the rapid exchange of information. We must improve the interoperability of information systems and the quality of data exchange. There cannot be known ‘unknowns’, when peoples’ lives are at stake.

The ongoing migration-crisis remains the most urgent challenge that we have seen for decades. It is our responsibility, not only as Europeans but as human beings, to assist those seeking refuge in Europe from the tragedy of the Syrian war. Once again, no one Member State can resolve the crisis on their own. We can only keep Europe safe if we act together, in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility.

The EU cannot only look inwards. We must look outwards, actively assisting countries in our neighborhood, both in the south as well as the east. We must reconfirm our political commitment to the Eastern Partnership in order to better respond to the ambitions of all the partners.

In addition to the Eastern Partnership Summit, we will also contribute to the preparations of the EU-Latin American and Caribbean States Summit and the EU-Africa Summit. In summary, our citizens expect safety and security, and we must deliver it together and without hesitation.

Next, our priority of creating a digital Europe and the free movement of data. In Estonia, we think of the free movement of data as the fifth freedom of the EU. Therefore, we will start a political debate in Europe on this essential freedom. The digital revolution is at the core of every challenge and opportunity that Europe faces today. Together with our Trio partners, Bulgaria and Austria, we are committed to delivering a Digital Single Market in 2018. But we must also look further afield, which is why we have a digital dimension to almost every aspect of our Presidency programme, from fisheries to space, and the use of data – the raw material of the digital society.

The development of cross-border services and e-commerce has tangible benefits for EU citizens. Buying goods or services online, watching your favourite domestic TV-show, or using e-prescriptions in another European country should be possible and easy. Concluding the current negotiations on geoblocking, audiovisual media services and taking forward the reform of copyright will help get us there.

A critical aspect of a functioning digital society is trust. Europe should be a safe place where rules respecting privacy, data protection and our digital identity are vital. As seen from the recent global cyber-attacks, we need to up our game to keep Europe safe.

To support this digital society, Europe requires fast, seamless, always-on and always-available connectivity. Europe needs to be among the pioneers in rolling out 5G and developing new connected products and services. Updating the telecommunications regulatory framework will contribute to these goals. A data driven economy and the fourth industrial revolution will also need a Digital Government.

Every person in Europe should be able to interact with the government with ease and without worry. During our Presidency, we will encourage the use of IT solutions in daily life, including our health, justice, and financial systems. Trust me on this point, once you have filled your tax declaration in just three minutes while sitting by the river on a nice Sunday, you will never want to go back to paperwork. In the Estonian Government, we save a stack of papers as high as the Eiffel Tower each month – that means twelve Eiffel Towers per year!

In September, I look forward to welcoming the Heads of States, governments and institutions to the Digital Summit in Tallinn to discuss these very issues and opportunities.

There is one more topic that I would like to address before I conclude – Brexit. We are sad to see the UK withdraw from the EU. It is a loss for our country, for the European Union and for the United Kingdom. I hope that the United Kingdom will remain a close friend. The negotiations need to be conducted in a constructive spirit, tackling first the citizens’ rights, the financial settlement and the border in Ireland.

However, the Presidency’s task is also to make sure that EU27 continues to work and continues to deliver for our future. We will not let Brexit negotiations dominate our work or prevent us from achieving results.

In Conclusion, Honourable Members of the Parliament, I hope that our Presidency will be remembered as one that allowed Europe to put the crises behind us and once again look optimistically towards our future. In the words of the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney, this could be a ‘once in a lifetime’ moment when hope and history rhyme. My own country and people have been very lucky. Our hope and history have rhymed twice in less than a century so, in a way, it makes us experts on ‘seizing the day.’ I am sure we are not alone in feeling that change is in the air.

Europe needs to be redefined for every generation, to adapt and to inspire. Helmut Kohl was one of the key architects of Europe. We sent him on his last journey from this very room only a few days ago. He said: ‘the visionaries of yesterday are the realists of today’.

I believe that things we never thought possible are happening, right before our eyes. So, there is no excuse for not acting, there is no excuse for thinking small. We will turn tomorrow’s reality into the one we want. Today, it is up to us to begin creating that vision, creating that reality.

  President. – President Ratas, thank you for a very comprehensive and ambitious programme that we in Parliament certainly look forward to working on with you, and if I may say, the fine choice of poet that you quoted. And I remember – if I may be indulged – he also said, ‘There is no such thing as innocent bystanding’, and perhaps we might remember that.

  Andrus Ansip, Vice-President of the Commission. – Madam President, I am honoured to stand here today, on behalf of President Jean-Claude Juncker and the entire Commission, at the start of the first ever Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This moment comes after a long wait for a country that joined the European Union some 13 years ago, but good things come to those who wait, and Europe has many good things to look forward to over the course of the next six months.

Along with President Juncker and my fellow Commissioners, I was in Tallinn last week and saw first hand how well-prepared the Presidency team is. Knowing how the Estonian civil service works, I never doubted this for a moment. This is also reflected in the programme of the Estonian Presidency, which is fully in line with the joint declaration which the Presidents of the three institutions signed at the end of last year. Both go to the heart of the issues that matter the most for Europeans.

The timing of the Estonian Presidency could not be better. I say that because it comes at a time when we need to make progress on making the digital part of Europe’s DNA. The next six months are crucial for making our economy digital. Since this Commission came into office, we have made some real progress towards completing the digital single market, having made 35 proposals since November 2014. Together with the upcoming Bulgarian and Austrian Presidencies, Estonia has set the goal of reaching agreement in all of them by the end of next year. That will be important if we are to benefit from the EUR 415 billion that completing the digital single market could unlock. I am delighted that the Presidency has highlighted 5G coverage as a priority area. We want 5G to be commercially available in at least one major city of each EU Member State by 2020, as it will be in Tallinn by next year. But in the long term, all urban areas, as well as major roads and railways across Europe, should have uninterrupted 5G coverage. Achieving that could bring EUR 146 billion worth of benefits a year and is likely to create 2.39 million jobs in the European Union. Jobs matter to Europeans, and these are the things that we must focus on.

That is why we are also making sure that we are investing in our digital future. There is no shortage of European innovators and entrepreneurs with new and fresh ideas to bring to a thriving digital market. But Europe cannot afford to lose these ideas to other parts of the world because of a lack of opportunities or financing. That is why we are focusing on investments, so start—ups and small businesses can access the financing that they need to scale up and bring their ideas to market. The capital markets union is already helping to make venture capital easier to access, and the Juncker Plan has now mobilised EUR 209 billion across Europe. One of your first achievements will be to secure an agreement on extending the fund so it can unlock at least EUR 0.5 trillion by 2020.

But the success of the digital single market will also depend on trust and security. That is why I hope we can learn from Estonia’s experience on cybersecurity. The scale of the risks is significant. By 2020 there will be 50 billion connected devices. Just last year there were 4 000 ransomware attacks per day – a 300% increase compared to the year before. We saw the damage that the data ransomware attack caused to institutions in Europe and elsewhere just last week. That is a very stark reminder and a very clear warning that we cannot take our cybersecurity for granted. With that in mind, we will review the EU cybersecurity strategy with targeted initiatives by September.

I know we can rely on your support and expertise on this and on all other broader security issues which I know your Presidency has prioritised. Finding agreement on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System and the Entry—Exit System by the end of the year will be absolutely crucial to ensuring that. Equally, the reform of the Common European Asylum System has taken too long to come to fruition. I sincerely hope that the ‘Unity in Balance’ slogan of your Presidency can be applied here and across the board.

There is much work ahead of us over the next six months, and I am glad that the Estonian Presidency will be leading the way. I will not only wish them – or Jüri – good luck, but I also thank you in advance.

(Applause)

  Tunne Kelam, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Madam President, there is an old saying that a person will be remembered for two things only – the problems he has solved, and the problems he has left. I think Estonia has a good chance of qualifying in the first category. As a small country that is not too much burdened by its national interests, Estonia can better play the role of an honest broker to bring the 27 Member State governments more closely together, because this is needed more than ever today.

I like the Estonian message, which could be called ‘back to basics’, that the fundamental freedoms need to be fully implemented. As you said, Prime Minister, the single market is not yet complete. I also like the focus on concrete results for EU citizens in terms of better provision for security, safety and quality of life. And similarly, for our neighbours, I am encouraged that Estonia sees the Eastern Partnership as a cross-cutting priority for our foreign and security policy. It should remain a special commitment to help neighbouring nations become part of the same area of rule of law and prosperity.

Yesterday evening, Commission Vice-President Timmermans said something which moved me. He said that if Poland and the Baltic States had not joined the European Union in 2004, they would have shared today the fate of Ukraine.

Let us now address together the fate of Ukraine and finally agree on a realistic common strategy to counter, without hesitation, Russia’s aggressive policy. The ultimate goal of that policy is not Ukraine, but the weakening, confusing and compromising of the EU itself.

The same is true in relation to energy solidarity.

I trust Estonia will lend momentum to the completion of the digital single market, boost digital Europe and advance the free movement of data. And, to conclude, I look forward to an active and coordinated approach towards the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern crises, building an efficient border guard system and preparing for an active post-Isis role in Iraq and Syria. I think Estonia has a chance to make Europe cosier and closer to our citizens, and greater for the outside world. Good luck Estonia! Good luck Europe!

  Marju Lauristin, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Madam President, it is really a great day of joy for all Estonians, because all Estonia have been preparing ourselves to this first Presidency. I remember when we started this way to the European Union in 1997, we were poor but we were bold, and we were absolutely sure that the European Union is our destiny: it is our goal and we bring the best of us to that. The same year, we started also the programme ‘Tiger Leap’. It was a programme of digitalisation. We brought computers in all the Estonian schools, and we were sure that digitalisation is our shortcut – shortcut to the future; shortcut to the future where we are now. Here our Prime Minister is standing – the youngest prime minister in Europe – and bringing here both programmes connected with digitalisation, digital revolution really in Europe. What I want to stress is that our experience is showing that digital revolution is total. It is not only market, it is not only technology. In the first place it is new relationships in the whole society: a new type of services, a new type of well-being, a new type of engagement and activity and participation of people, and for that, I suppose, it is very important also to build trust. And as a President said, I suppose that is the most difficult task, because we can tell whatever we like about our good experiences, about digital and so on, but you have to convince the other 27 or 26 that it is that, and very often you will hear what we have heard here – ‘Oh, you are so small and bold, you can do that.’ But we are much bigger; we have bigger risks. We will wait.

But we know that Europe cannot wait. Europe cannot wait; Europe needs this; Europe needs to be the most competitive, biggest market in the world for most advanced technology, but also for most advanced society.

And I will also stress very much what already was said here. We are living not in a very happy moment for the world. We are looking what is going on around us. Yesterday we saw how Putin and the Chinese leader were embracing each other. We see what is happening in Turkey. We know that really Europe is one of the most important hopes for the world to preserve ideals of democracy, liberal democracy, human rights. These are values which cannot be left just to free flow. We have to protect them, fight for them, and as was said by the Prime Minister, Estonia is like also Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles: we know really the price of freedom. We know the price of the democracy, and for that I am sure that, under our Estonian Presidency, the European Union as a whole will be stronger also in this fight.

So I wish you good luck. I wish you strength and wisdom and trust.

(Applause)

  Roberts Zīle, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, I would first like to wish the Estonian Presidency every success. Going very quickly through the three priorities of your programme, I would like to start with an open and innovative European economy.

It is not an easy time for this task because we know there is a global shift in thinking about free trade and also, even on a single market issue, particularly in several service sectors, we see that it is not really a single market. I wish you a very strong position to succeed in this field and to go in a protectionist direction. In particular in Estonia you have had great experience, since Estonia regained independence, of creating a small, open economy with free trade and a very simple system of how to start doing business.

The second issue is security. With the EU having a border with an aggressive neighbour, I think you know very well why you have such priorities as increasing defence expenditure. You have always kept all your promises to NATO. I would point out that they are promises, not obligations.

Tunne Kelam spoke of supporting and strengthening relations such as with eastern partnership countries. This is also very important. On EU—NATO relations on the security issue, it may not be well known that Estonia is home to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. Any EU Member State can get cybersecurity advice and excellence from this centre so it is not necessary to create some kind of European agency for this purpose.

Regarding digital matters, I think you will succeed in the next six months with the digital single market. I hope this will also be done with Commissioner Ansip who knows this issue very well. I would just like to add what has already has been said about digital issues, namely that the e-residency programme in Estonia could also perhaps remove some obstacles which would be created if the outcome of the Brexit negotiations goes the wrong way.

Prime Minister, a final point, you are here today with your closest allies. There could be more of us – also on the Commission side – but it is not ridiculous.

  Cecilia Wikström, för ALDE-gruppen. – Fru talman! Till att börja med så vill jag naturligtvis önska det estniska ordförandeskapet allt gott.

Ni tar över i en tid som präglas både av populister som ifrågasätter allt det gemensamma men å andra sidan, och detta är positivt, en väldig stor förväntan från Europas medborgare att hitta gemensamma lösningar för gemensamma gränsöverskridande problem.

Medborgarna säger i senaste Eurobarometern, mer än 70 procent säger, att när det rör terroristbekämpning, klimatförändringar och först men inte minst all politik som nu måste fokuseras på att bygga en asyl- och migrationspolitik där alla tar ett gemensamt ansvar. Det är väldigt viktigt för den här unionen och för vår framtid att vi faktiskt ska kunna skapa en politik som håller och där varje land har sin proportionella del utav det gemensamma ansvaret.

Som föredragande för Dublin-förordningen så hoppas jag givetvis att ni ska prioritera detta och verka för en gemensam och verkligen väl fungerande politik på det här området. Det är uppenbarligen så nu att den politik vi har inte håller och inte klarar den test som verkligheten har ställt oss inför.

Vi måste bevaka de yttre gränserna och alla människor som passerar måste registreras. Ett system där vi delar ansvar för dem som tvingas fly är ett europeiskt åtagande, och jag är rädd att väldigt mycket av vår framtid står på spel om vi inte lyckas leverera den här gången.

Medborgarna förväntar sig att det ska vara rättssäkert, att det ska ges skydd åt dem som behöver internationellt skydd, men att vi gemensamt också ska kunna återföra dem som inte uppfyller kriterierna, så att de inte bara finns här på ett irreguljärt sätt utan att de återförs till sina ursprungsländer på ett ordnat och värdigt sätt.

Jag tycker att det är viktigt att säga att efter mina möten nu med många från den estniska regeringen med premiärministern och de andra ministrarna, så kan vi ha mycket högt ställda förväntningar. Ni kommer att leverera med kvalitet och med en europeisk anda.

Låt oss finna lösningar för allas vårt gemensamma bästa. Jag hoppas att när ni nu tar över så kommer ni att kämpa för att vi ska hitta de här lösningarna, och när ni lämnar ordförandeskapet vidare så ska vi vara ännu mer en europeisk union än nu när ni tar över.

Lycka till!

  Δημήτριος Παπαδημούλης, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας GUE/NGL. – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, κύριε Ratas, καλωσορίζω την πρώτη εσθονική προεδρία και θα ήθελα να σας συγχαρώ και για τα σημαντικά βήματα ψηφιοποίησης, τόσο της οικονομίας όσο και της δημόσιας διοίκησής σας. Θα ήθελα όμως να σταθώ σε όσα δεν μας είπατε στην αρχική σας ομιλία και να ζητήσω απαντήσεις στη δευτερολογία σας. Τι θα κάνετε για την προώθηση ενός ισχυρού κοινωνικού πυλώνα στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση εφόσον οι ανισότητες, κοινωνικές και περιφερειακές, αυξάνονται επικίνδυνα; Τι θα κάνετε για τη φορολογική εναρμόνιση, που είναι απαραίτητο εργαλείο για τον περιορισμό μιας κραυγαλέας φοροδιαφυγής, όπου οι πολυεθνικές πληρώνουν ελάχιστα, μέσω φορολογικών παραδείσων, και οι φορολογούμενοι πολίτες, μισθωτοί, συνταξιούχοι και μικρομεσαίες επιχειρήσεις πληρώνουν το κόστος; Τι θα κάνετε για την ευρωπαϊκή αλληλεγγύη στο προσφυγικό, που είναι ελλιπής, καθώς κράτη μέλη αρνούνται να τιμήσουν τις δεσμεύσεις τους; Τι θα κάνετε για την ολοκλήρωση της τραπεζικής ενοποίησης με ένα πρόγραμμα εγγύησης των τραπεζικών καταθέσεων που έχει προτείνει η Επιτροπή, αλλά σκοντάφτει στις αντιδράσεις μέσα στο Συμβούλιο; Τι θα κάνετε για την ενίσχυση των πολιτικών συνοχής, καθώς οι ανισότητες μεγαλώνουν επικίνδυνα;

Περιμένω, στη δευτερολογία σας, συγκεκριμένες απαντήσεις και δεσμεύσεις και έργο σε αυτά τα θέματα όταν έρθετε να κάνετε τον απολογισμό σας, για να μην μείνουμε σε συμπαθείς γενικότητες.

  Josep-Maria Terricabras, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, I am happy to intervene in this session on behalf of my Group.

Estonia has chosen four main objectives for the next six months. The logical order of these four objectives seems clear. The inclusive and sustainable Europe that Estonia wants to promote, as the fourth objective, will be closer if the first three objectives are achieved. They consist in the promotion of an open and innovative economy, and, as required by that, security in daily life as well as significant advances in the modern digital world and the exchange of information. These three goals may certainly facilitate a more inclusive and sustainable Europe.

The programme adds in its introduction that, in pursuing those objectives, Prime Minister, you will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. So far, so good. However, I would have liked to see an entire chapter in the programme devoted specifically to the defence of human rights, not just as a consequence to be drawn from other objectives but as a specific objective in itself. Estonia, which is a small country and is a friend of my country, Catalonia, must be guided not only by the logic of inclusion and sustainability but also by the explicit defence of human rights. Indeed, the human-rights deficit is not found only in third countries, which we constantly criticise: unfortunately it also occurs in many countries within the Union.

I am confident and convinced that, in the months to come, Estonia will go in the direction of denouncing any breach of fundamental rights in the European Union. Having said this, I must also say that my Group is pleased with the announcement of this project. We can only wish the best to Estonia and to Europe under this new Presidency.

  Rosa D'Amato, a nome del gruppo EFDD. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, l'Estonia è il paese dove ha preso avvio la rivoluzione del voto elettorale via Internet, ed è la prima volta che questa presiede il Consiglio.

L'Estonia indica quattro priorità, indubbiamente condivisibili: un'economia europea aperta e innovativa, un'Europa sicura, digitale, inclusiva e sostenibile. Ma in passato abbiamo visto belle promesse che nascondevano qualcosa di meno affascinante. E purtroppo, dietro il paravento estone, ritroviamo le priorità della Commissione, con il piede dell'acceleratore sull'Unione dei mercati dei capitali, sul FEIS, sull'Unione bancaria, ma anche sull'omnibus e sull'incremento della spesa militare che asseconda la dichiarazione congiunta con la NATO di un anno fa.

Nulla di nuovo sotto il sole, dunque. Mi piacerebbe invece che l'Estonia invertisse la rotta rispetto a una tradizione ormai consolidata, che vede gli Stati utilizzare questa opportunità per ottenere un maggiore lustro, con belle parole, ma purtroppo con politiche vuote. L'Estonia ha saputo rivoluzionare il proprio sistema elettorale? Bene, porti anche qui una ventata di cambiamento, perché i cittadini europei ne avrebbero realmente bisogno.

  Matteo Salvini, a nome del gruppo ENF. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, buon lavoro. Al di là del voto elettronico, io penso che le emergenze in Europa siano due: lavoro e sicurezza, caro Presidente.

Tema disoccupazione: ci sono venti milioni di cittadini europei disoccupati, di cui quattro milioni di giovani. Quindi io prego la Commissione e la Presidenza di smetterla di fare regali alle multinazionali; di non sottoscrivere più accordi suicidi come quelli con il Canada del CETA, contro cui stanno manifestando in questo momento gli agricoltori italiani: 300 000 aziende agricole che producono grano a rischio; di smetterla di approvare direttive folli come quella sulle banche e come la direttiva Bolkestein; di smetterla di regalare a dazio zero lo sbarco di migliaia di tonnellate di olio tunisino, pomodori marocchini, riso cambogiano o thailandese sulle nostre tavole, con la salute dei nostri figli che ne paga le conseguenze; di rimuovere le sanzioni contro la Russia, che deve essere un partner commerciale e non un nemico, e che non si appresta a invadere niente e nessuno; e di difendere i confini.

Io capisco che l'Estonia non abbia questo gran problema perché ospita al massimo 150 immigrati. L'Italia sta diventando un enorme campo profughi. In questo palazzo, qualcuno disse: "Viva Macron, viva la Francia!", e adesso Macron chiude i porti alle navi straniere. Qualcuno disse: "Viva l'Austria che ha fermato i populisti!", e l'Austria mette l'esercito e i blindati ai confini con l'Italia. La smettiamo di farci invadere? Cinquecento milioni di cittadini europei vi pagano per dare loro lavoro e sicurezza, non per fare regali agli scafisti e ai banchieri. Buon lavoro.

  Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz (PPE). – Elnök Asszony, Biztos Úr, Miniszterelnök Úr! Gratulálok Önnek az ambiciózus tervéhez, ahhoz a négy ponthoz, amit ismertetett. És gratulálok az észtek első elnökségének is, kívánom, hogy ez a program úgy, ahogyan tervezte, valósuljon meg. Bár említette, hogy nem szeretne kifejezetten a brexitre koncentrálni, azért nyilván Ön is elismeri, hogy a brexit megkerülhetetlen tényező lesz az Önök elnökségében. Sőt, azt mondom, hogy minekután a tárgyalások most kezdődnek meg, nagyon fontos, hogy milyen kiindulási pontokat fogunk meghatározni. Ön számára is, az Ön országa számára is, minden európai ország számára fontos, hogy a Nagy-Britanniában dolgozó európai uniós állampolgárok milyen helyzetben maradnak. Sőt, azt is mondhatom, hogy a nagy-britanniai állampolgárok milyen helyzetben maradnak az Európai Unióban. Egy közös, jó megállapodást kell hozni.

Említette a digitális gazdaságot, amit én nagyon fontos dolognak tartok, a belső piac kiteljesedésének egyik útjának tekintem. 430 milliárd euróról van szó, ha sikerül ezt a programot megvalósítani. Mégis szeretném felhívni az Ön figyelmét egy másik témára, amely szoros kapcsolatba van ezzel – ez a körforgásos gazdaság. Van egy jelentésem, ami egy kiváló jelentés a termésnövelő termékekről, aminek a trilógusa most fog megkezdődni. Ez hozzájárulhat ahhoz, hogy ez a körforgásos gazdaság kialakulhasson és kiteljesedhessen. Kívánok Önnek jó elnöklést ehhez!

  Maria João Rodrigues (S&D). – Madam President, it is a real pleasure to receive Prime Minister Ratas here among us, and we welcome the Estonian Presidency’s commitment to an open and innovative Europe. This is a really big vision, and we would like to align that vision with European values too. That is why your contribution, Prime Minister, will be very important in making the best of the digital revolution, as we believe that many benefits can come from this, and I would say that, more than just a digital single market, we need a digital Union, making sure that everybody can benefit from the digital revolution when it comes to quality of public services, when it comes to full access for all citizens and when comes to the transformation of people’s working conditions in the digital environment.

That is why the European social pillar, to be proclaimed during your presidency, should be geared to the future and should empower young people in Europe.

We also approve of your commitment to an open Europe, and indeed Europe is now negotiating very important trade agreements. We believe that, in negotiating these agreements, we should pay attention to the Union’s commitment to the sustainable development goals. That is why the new instruments for defence are so important.

However, in a nutshell, all the best for your very promising presidency.

  Anneleen Van Bossuyt (ECR). – Ik heb recent een werkbezoek aan Estland gebracht en ik moet zeggen dat ik onder de indruk was van de voortrekkersrol die jullie spelen op het vlak van het digitale en dan heel specifiek op het vlak van e-government en administratieve vereenvoudiging. U gaf zelf het voorbeeld dat uw belastingen van overal ingediend kunnen worden.

Welnu, mijn verwachtingen van dit voorzitterschap zijn dan ook hoog, want een voorzitterschap dat zo gefocust is op dat digitale, zal ons ongetwijfeld kunnen helpen om de digitale interne markt, die zo belangrijk is voor Europa, versneld uit te bouwen of alleszins in een hogere versnelling te schakelen. Ik denk dat het trouwens ook niet alleen in het belang is van een goed werkende digitale interne markt, maar zeker ook van de Europese consument om de belangrijke lopende dossiers, zoals het dossier rond geoblocking, maar ook het dossier rond de typegoedkeuring van voertuigen, samen tot een goed einde te brengen. Veel succes alvast.

  Yana Toom (ALDE). – Madam President, I will try to make all of my speech fit into 60 seconds.

According to the digital economy and society index for 2017, Estonia is number one in the EU in terms of supply and use of digital public services. The Estonian Government system is praised for its openness and trust. The Estonian Presidency will hopefully promote cross-border use of digital public services and Estonia will share its experience with other Member States.

Like other colleagues, I highly appreciate that the Estonian Presidency’s priorities include the development of cross-border e-commerce in these services and modern electronic communications. Nevertheless, during trialogues, the Presidency will face challenges related to the review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. This piece of legislation is rather controversial and Estonia still has an opportunity to address such issues as the inappropriate extension of the scope of the directive to social media.

This is only one of several controversial files which will be on the table during the Estonian Presidency, but I strongly believe that sometimes small countries like Estonia are much better at searching and achieving compromises than big ones. And that is the reason I’m looking forward for a really fruitful and friendly Estonian Presidency.

  Liadh Ní Riada (GUE/NGL). – A Uachtaráin, táim ag labhairt inniu ar son Martina Anderson, comhghleacaí nach féidir a bheith inár dteannta ar maidin.

Tá an Eastóin, cosúil le hÉirinn, tar éis fulaingt mar thoradh ar ghníomhaíochtaí a gcomharsan mór. Ní gá dúinn ach féachaint ar an stair maidir le hionsaí míleata agus slí bheatha ag ár gcomharsan féin. In Éirinn, táimid ag tabhairt aghaidh anois ar éiginnteacht de bharr ár gcomharsana móra atá tar éis vóta a chaitheamh ar an AE a fhágaint. Glacadh an vóta gan aon aird a thabhairt don phróiseas síochána in Éirinn nó gan aon aird ar an éiginnteacht shóisialta agus eacnamaíochta atá anois ag cnagadh ar dhoras mhuintir na hÉireann.

Tá athruithe móra le feiscint san Eoraip le linn ár saol, agus anois arís, tá athrú mór eile ag druidim inár dtreo. I 1991, bhí an AE ábalta tacú le tíortha beaga, cosúil le bhur gceann, a bhí ag fulaingt de bharr fadhbanna le bhur gcomharsana móra.

Ní mór don AE anois tacú le mo thír leis na deacrachtaí atá againn lenár gcomharsana móra. Ní mór don AE céim chun tosaigh a thógaint agus tacaíocht a thabhairt don chuid is mó de na daoine sa Tuaisceart atá ag iarraidh fanacht san Aontas Eorpach agus ní mór don AE tacú le stádas faoi leith d’Éirinn.

  Bronis Ropė (Verts/ALE). – Norėčiau pasveikinti ir palinkėti sėkmės Baltijos sesei Estijai, kuri perima pirmininkavimą Europos Sąjungai ypatingai svarbiu laikotarpiu. Ji parengė rimtą ir ambicingą programą, bet, nežiūrint į tai, Estijai taip pat tenka sudėtinga užduotis vadovauti prasidedančiai diskusijai dėl bendros žemės ūkio politikos ateities. Europos Sąjunga turi užtikrinti sąžiningas konkurencijos sąlygas, todėl tas sritis, kurias ji remia, turi remti vienodai visose šalyse. Noriu tikėti, kad pavyks sėkmingai baigti ir „Omnibus“ reglamentą, kuris apimtų ir nuostatas dėl susietosios paramos lankstumo. Tikiu, kad Estijai pavyks deramai organizuoti ir kito esminio iššūkio sprendimą – Nord Stream 2 statybas. Šis klausimas yra Europos Sąjungos solidarumo ir solidarumo su savo partnerėmis testas, esminis žingsnis malšinant dabartines Rusijos režimo ambicijas. Linkiu sėkmės pirmininkaujant.

  President. – Mr Szanyi, I know you wish to ask a question but I am going to make a ruling that we will not have blue cards because of our time constraints, so thank you for your understanding.

  Petr Mach (EFDD). – Paní předsedající, nevím, jestli jste si toho všichni všimli, ale Evropská unie je v procesu rozpadu. Velká Británie odchází, jednotlivé členské státy už neplní Vaše nařízení, ať se to týká Schengenu, ať se to týká pravidel rozpočtu a Řecka, Francie, anebo ať se to týká Vašeho nařízení o kvótách a postoje zemí střední Evropy.

Ale nebuďme z toho smutní. Evropská unie není Evropa. Evropa, ta se nerozpadá. Evropská unie to je byrokratický moloch, to je taková úřednická šeď, to jsou paláce, za jejichž zdmi jsou úředníci a politici často odtržení od reality.

Naproti tomu Evropa, to je krásný kontinent, kde je více než padesát států, více než 700 milionů lidí zde žije, mluví desítkami jazyků, mají bezpočet zajímavých a krásných tradic. A toto nemizí. A když se rozpadne Evropská unie, tak v tom musíme vidět naději, naději, jakou získaly státy bývalého Sovětského svazu. Když se rozpadl Sovětský svaz, tak lidé získali znovu svobodu, státy získaly nezávislost.

A až se rozpadne Evropská unie, tak musíme věřit a snažit se o to, aby jednotlivé členské státy byly schopny spolu spolupracovat, ale na dobrovolné bázi, aby byly schopny spolu obchodovat, abychom mohli dál bezvízově cestovat, a proto Vás prosím při jednání s Velkou Británií, nepošlapejte tento princip, pokud ctíme princip volného obchodu jako princip, který je výhodný pro obě strany, tak mějme volný obchod s Velkou Británií, mějme volný obchod s dalšími. Těším se na Evropskou unii bez byrokracie, na svobodnou Evropu.

  Nicolas Bay (ENF). – Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Premier ministre, si j’en crois l’entretien que vous avez récemment accordé à Benoît Vitkine, vous n’êtes pas aussi hostile à la Russie que ne le sont souvent les responsables politiques baltes.

Je comprends les inquiétudes de vos pays quant à la préservation de vos identités respectives, mais la nouvelle guerre froide dans laquelle nous entraîne l’Union européenne nuit gravement aux intérêts des nations européennes, y compris les vôtres.

Le 22 juin dernier, l’Union a prolongé une nouvelle fois ses sanctions contre la Russie. Prises au départ sous la pression des Américains, ces mesures ont enclenché une spirale de sanctions et de contre-sanctions, dont nos agriculteurs sont les premières victimes.

Après la réconciliation franco-allemande, notre continent a maintenant besoin d’une réconciliation polono-russe, par-delà les ressentiments légitimes hérités de la période communiste.

Oui, le moment est venu de nous concentrer sur les grands défis posés par la submersion migratoire et le terrorisme islamiste.

C’est dans cet esprit que nous voulons construire l’Europe de demain et c’est ce qui m’a conduit à prendre part à deux délégations de notre groupe. Il y a deux semaines, nous étions à Moscou et la semaine dernière, à Varsovie, pour le congrès Europe des Nations et des Libertés.

  Michaela Šojdrová (PPE). – Paní předsedající, pane premiére, děkuji za představení Vašich čtyř priorit předsednictví. Myslím, že jste zvolili velmi správně, ale těch úkolů je skutečně mnoho. Dovolte, abych se zaměřila na dva.

Již zde byla zmíněna směrnice o audiovizuálních službách. Považuji za velmi důležité, aby bylo dokončeno jednání, protože jde o návrh, který zde v Parlamentu byl přijat s velkou podporou ve výborech, a jedná se o zlepšení bezpečnosti internetu zejména ve vztahu k ochraně mladistvých.

Ta druhá priorita se týká vnitřního trhu. Vy jste sám zmínil, že chcete usnadnit pohyb služeb a poskytování služeb a podnikání napříč Evropskou unií. Budete tedy jistě vyjednávat o směrnici o vysílání pracovníků, která zde v Evropském parlamentu narazila na velkou a oprávněnou kritiku. Chci Vás tedy vyzvat, abyste se aktivně do jednání vložili, například slovenské předsednictví navrhlo tzv. duální systém, který ale nezískal širší podporu.

Stejně tak Vás čeká jednání o balíčku mobility, který zpřísňuje podmínky pro dopravce. Jde o příklad, kde opět hrozí rozdělení na nové členské státy a na staré členské státy a znovuvytvoření bariéry. Je na Vás pokusit se najít dobrý kompromis. A Vy jste pro to zvolili skvělé heslo. “ Unity through Balance ”, takže Vám přeji hodně sil a těším se na spolupráci.

  Victor Boştinaru (S&D). – Madam President, I would like to welcome the Estonian Presidency and I am convinced this presidency will be a very positive one. At a time of unprecedented challenges, we have only one possible way to succeed and to further enhance the European project. This is through unity and solidarity when discussing the future of the Union, and through more integration, in particular in key fields such as security and defence.

Any specific initiatives by Member States, while possible, must be transparent and open to all others with no shifting criteria or objectives. When it comes to internal and external security and stability, which are closely interlinked, I am confident the new presidency will bring fresh pragmatism and realism to the Eastern Partnership ahead of the November summit.

At a time of challenges, as I said before, during the Estonian Presidency it is fundamentally important to reassess the situation with regard to the ‘frozen conflicts’ and the way Russia is using it in order to destabilise the countries in question.

  Evžen Tošenovský (ECR). – Vážený pane předsedající, pane komisaři, pane premiére, za estonského předsednictví se bude projednávat kodex elektronických komunikací i nová struktura BERECu. Do budoucna tak pokládáme legislativní základy pro vysokokapacitní komunikační infrastrukturu, rozvoj digitálních systémů a digitálního trhu. Pokud se podaří nastavit parametry rozumně a bez přílišné byrokracie, můžeme velmi pomoci i evropskému digitálnímu byznysu. Digitalizace změní obrovské spektrum techniky a bude zasahovat do každého koutu našich životů – od počítačů po automobily.

Za dobu estonského předsednictví by měl Evropským parlamentem projít také celý zimní energetický balíček, který rovněž narýsuje pravidla na desítky let dopředu a bude mít do budoucna ohromný dopad do ekonomiky každého členského státu.

Proto přeji Vašemu předsednictví hodně úspěchů, nebude to jednoduché období. A to jsem zdůraznil jen dva technické a z mého pohledu důležité legislativní balíky a nezmínil jsem jiné oblasti jako brexit či migrace.

  Kaja Kallas (ALDE). – Austatud istungi juhataja! Ma tahtsin ka rääkida digitaalsetest arengutest, sest ilmselt kõik siin majas teavad, et Eesti on digiriik. Aga kuulates seda debatti ja kuulates neid häid sõnu, mida kolleegid Eesti kohta ütlevad, tahaksin jagada teiega hoopis teist emotsiooni.

Ma olen Eesti üle väga uhke. Ma olen uhke selle üle, et me ühe inimpõlve jooksul oleme võidelnud välja oma vabaduse ja võrdse koha Euroopa riikide seas. Ma olen uhke ka selle üle, et on üks kindel valdkond, kus meie saame Euroopa Liidule olla suunanäitajaks ja eeskujuks. Ja näidata seda, et digitaalsest ühtsest turust on kogu Euroopal palju võita.

Ma usun, et me suudame selle Eesti eesistumisega tõestada, et Eesti on Euroopale sama oluline kui Euroopa on Eestile. Aitäh!

  Paloma López Bermejo (GUE/NGL). – Señora presidenta, Estonia llega a la presidencia en un tiempo de grandes decisiones políticas. Sin duda, su principal reto diplomático es Siria, donde solo el diálogo con el actual gobierno y el respeto de la legalidad internacional pueden poner fin a la guerra.

Europa tiene un compromiso con la paz que está en grave riesgo, si se confirma la apuesta por el aventurerismo militar y el aumento de los presupuestos de defensa en detrimento de las políticas públicas. Sus prioridades están claras: banca, energía, digitalización, entorno empresarial y, sin embargo, ha obviado una parte fundamental en esta transformación tecnológica que sugiere. Y son los trabajadores y el necesario marco del diálogo social, para generar empleo de calidad, combatir la precariedad y terminar con la desregulación de las condiciones de trabajo y dejar de contribuir a generar una nueva fuente de desigualdad, como puede ser la brecha digital.

Usted nos plantea hoy continuismo, mantener los objetivos de política económica frente a los objetivos sociales y ambientales, y este no es el camino para los trabajadores europeos.

  Krišjānis Kariņš (PPE). – Priekšsēdētāj, cienījamie kolēģi! Eiropas Savienībā, iespējams, lielākais drošības drauds šobrīd ir terorisms. Jautājums: ko mēs kā likumdevēji varam darīt, lai apturētu terorismu? Nevar jau pieņemt likumu, ka terorisms ir pretlikumīgs — tas tāds jau ir! Bet mēs varam atņemt teroristiem iespēju viegli tikt pie finansējuma, apcirpt viņu naudas avotu.

Šobrīd ir atvērts likums, kas ir trialoga procesā, kurā Parlaments ar Padomi cenšas nonākt pie gala lēmuma, — naudas atmazgāšanas apkarošanas direktīva. Līdz šim nav izdevies Parlamentam ar Padomi, tātad Maltas prezidentūru, vienoties. Mēs gribam nonākt pie skaidra patiesā labuma guvēju reģistra, kur atklāsim gan ofšoru, gan trasta īpašniekus, — tas ir svarīgs ierocis cīņā pret terorisma finansēšanu. Aicinu Igaunijas prezidentūru īpaši šim pievērst uzmanību un veicināt to, ka mēs pēc iespējas ātri varam nonākt pie gala risinājuma.

  Josef Weidenholzer (S&D). – Frau Präsidentin! Mit Recht gibt es große Erwartungen an die neue Ratspräsidentschaft. Estland – obwohl ein kleines Land – hat Großartiges geleistet, und in vielerlei Hinsicht ist Estland ein Modell, nicht nur für die postsowjetischen Länder. In einer Zeit, in der das europäische Projekt beginnt, wieder Tritt zu fassen, ist das eine ganz wichtige Voraussetzung.

Zwei Erwartungen habe ich im Besonderen: einmal dass es die estnische Präsidentschaft mit kühlem Blick, ruhiger Hand und dem notwendigen Pragmatismus schafft, die Union in der Flüchtlingsfrage wieder handlungsfähig zu machen und dass die Digitalisierung Europas vorangebracht wird. Binnenmarkt, E-Governance, Cybersicherheit – mit Recht haben Sie das zu den Hauptschwerpunkten gemacht, und das wird sich auch auf die nächstfolgenden Präsidentschaften positiv auswirken. Wir erwarten uns von Ihnen da sehr viel.

Aber bei aller Euphorie, die wir mit Ihnen teilen, dürfen wir auch nicht vergessen, dass Ihr Handeln auch soziale Konsequenzen hat und dass es auch darum geht, dass wir alles daransetzen müssen, dass diese Entwicklungen auch dazu führen, dass alle davon profitieren.

  Urmas Paet (ALDE). – Austatud istungi juhataja! Euroopa kaitsekoostöö on valdkond, mille arendamisel on Eestile kui Euroopa Liidu eesistujariigile kõrged ootused. Eestil on nüüd ainulaadne võimalus aidata suurendada Euroopa Liidu kaitsevõimet ja kaitsekoostööd. Eesti ei ole olnud ainult julgeoleku tarbija, vaid ka julgeolekusse panustaja. Nii on Eesti aastaid täitnud 2% kaitsekulutuste kriteeriumit, samuti on Eesti andnud olulise panuse rahvusvahelistes missioonides. Nii NATO kui ka Euroopa Liidu liikmena saab Eesti aidata kaasa kiirele Euroopa Liidu kaitsekoostöö arendamisele nii, et Euroopa Liit ja NATO täiendaksid teineteise võimekusi maksimaalselt.

Meenutan, et eelmise aasta novembris võttis Euroopa Parlament vastu raporti Euroopa kaitseliidust ehk kaitsekoostööst. Selles on loetelu asjadest, mida Euroopa kaitsekoostöö arendamiseks teha tuleb. Kaitsefond ja juhtimiskeskus Brüsselis on loodud, kuid kakskümmend teemat vajavad veel otsuseid ja tegutsemist, et oleks võimalik rääkida tegelikult toimivast Euroopa Liidu kaitsekoostööst.

Järgmisel aastal tähistab Eesti oma 100. sünnipäeva ja ma usun, et saja aasta pärast saame me kõik koos turvalises Euroopas tähistada ka Eesti 200. sünnipäeva. Jõudu tööle!

  Javi López (S&D). – Señora presidenta, tras pasar el interpass electoral europeo y haber dedicado los últimos meses a la reflexión, ha llegado el momento de la acción.

Es bien cierto que hemos ido concatenando, durante los últimos años, crisis tras crisis, algunas que no hemos acabado de resolver —desde los refugiados hasta la crisis económica—, pero la llegada de verdaderas amenazas internas y externas, existenciales para la Unión y para todo lo que representamos en el mundo, nos brinda la gran oportunidad de dar pasos hacia adelante en la integración, aprender de nuestros errores y responder a los malestares de los ciudadanos, dando pasos hacia delante, hacia una Europa más segura y más fuerte, más influyente fuera; una Europa más flexible y eficaz; y una Europa más sensible y justa, que sientan los ciudadanos que les protege.

Pero volver a legitimar el proyecto europeo solo vendrá de la mano de la dimensión social. Así que aprovechemos el Social Summit —la Cumbre Social— y pongamos en marcha el pilar europeo para los derechos sociales, porque nos va nuestra legitimidad en todo ello.

  Nicola Danti (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor primo ministro, tra sei mesi, quando faremo il bilancio di questa Presidenza, è facile prevedere che si parlerà degli ottimi risultati nel campo del digitale e dell'innovazione. Le chiediamo invece di stupirci, signor primo ministro, non sul digitale, ma sul tema dell'immigrazione e dei rifugiati.

Ci stupisca impegnando il Consiglio, a partire dal prossimo vertice di Tallinn, sul tema dell'accoglienza e della riallocazione dei rifugiati. Ci stupisca, da leader del paese del Nord capace di individuare soluzioni vere ad una crisi di cui si stanno facendo carico prevalentemente e soltanto i paesi del Sud. Cosa ce ne facciamo, signor primo ministro, di un'Europa che è digitale, se non è solidale? E a che serve un'Europa innovativa, se non conserviamo i valori che stanno alla base del nostro essere europei?

Signor Presidente, sia ambizioso: affronti i temi difficili dove molti altri hanno fallito, inchiodi i leader europei alle responsabilità della Storia. Questi sono i motivi per cui vorremmo ricordarci il semestre che oggi si apre. Buona fortuna.

Catch-the-eye procedure

  Andrzej Grzyb (PPE). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Myślę, że to bardzo cenne słowa, które powiedział Tunne Kelam, mówiąc o prezydencji Estonii, że to powrót do źródeł. Chcielibyśmy w istocie, żeby tak było. Dziękuję za te słowa, a jednocześnie też za przekonanie, że prezydencja Estonii – o czym powiedział pan premier – to jest carpe diem, czyli chwytanie chwili, w której tu i teraz Wasz kraj przewodniczy.

Proponują Państwo jako priorytet otwartą i innowacyjną gospodarkę, ale jednocześnie zrównoważoną, włączającą również nasze społeczeństwa, a także Europę przyszłości, która mówi o zadaniach cyfrowych, a w szczególności o zbudowaniu swobody przepływu danych. I to, co jest ważne dla wszystkich – aby Europa była bezpieczna, aby wszystkie nasze kraje były bezpieczne. To jest niezmiernie ważne. Chciałbym jednak zwrócić się do pana premiera, by kluczowe – niezależnie od priorytetów – było respektowanie traktatowych zasad pomocniczości i proporcjonalności, aby istniała pewność prawna i to, co na koniec chcę podkreślić, by realizowana była polityka wschodnia.

  Maria Grapini (S&D). – Doamnă președinte, domnule prim-ministru, domnule comisar, vreau să spun, pe scurt, că mi-a plăcut ce ați prezentat ca program și proiect. Este clar: toată lumea trebuie să aibă cetățenii în inimă și în suflet. Vă felicit că sunteți cel mai tânăr președinte al Consiliului! Dar vreau să vă întreb: vă propuneți totuși să nu mai avem garduri virtuale sau garduri reale în interiorul Uniunii Europene? Vă propuneți să nu mai avem spații diferite? Vă propuneți ca România și Bulgaria, care respectă condițiile din 2012, să fie în spațiul Schengen? Sunt cetățeni care au aceleași drepturi și vreau, domnule prim-ministru și domnule comisar, să vă propuneți și acest lucru pe lângă pilonul social, pe care este nevoie să-l avem, pentru că fără coeziune socială nu putem avea o Europă mai bună. Vă mulțumesc și vă doresc succes!

  Luke Ming Flanagan (GUE/NGL). – Madam President, I would like to welcome the Prime Minister to the Chamber. As Prime Minister of a small country – a country similar in size to Ireland – I wish you luck.

As a young Prime Minister who hopefully has a long life ahead of him, you will be looking at a long life ahead in the EU no doubt. Within that context, I have a question to ask you about the White Paper on the future of Europe. We were told on 1 March by Jean—Claude Juncker that we would have a series of ‘Future of Europe’ debates in cities and regions around Europe. I have asked Donald Tusk about these debates. He didn’t answer me. I asked Commissioner Hogan about these debates. He told me that maybe he could organise them himself. I have asked Jean-Claude Juncker about them. If I stood on a cat’s tail, I would have got a more logical answer. Can you tell me, Prime Minister, when and where these debates are going to take place or is it the case at this stage – as is said around Ireland – that it isn’t the White Paper on the future of Europe, it is the invisible paper on the future of Europe.

  Krisztina Morvai (NI). – Miniszterelnök Úrhoz lenne kérdésem: nagy várakozással tekintünk a soros észt elnökség irányába, mi magyarok is, és más volt szocialista, illetve kommunista országok is. Utalt arra, hogy a múltunkban sok közös elem van, de nem utalt arra, hogy a jelenünkben is sok közös elem, fájdalom és probléma van. Különösen a hatalmas bér-, illetve jövedelemkülönbségek a közép- és kelet-európai EU-tagállamok és a nyugati tagállamok között, amelynek okán az Önök polgárai is – úgy, mint a magyar állampolgárok, és más, volt szocialista országok polgárai – elhagyják a hazájukat, és kényszerből mennek más országokba nagyobb jövedelemért dolgozni. Mi erről az Ön álláspontja? Tudjuk, hogy Észtország is a kezdeményezői között volt annak a polgári mozgalomnak, amely a bérunióért harcol „egyenlő munkáért egyenlő bér” elve alapján. Mi az Ön hozzáállása, mi az észt elnökség hozzáállása ehhez a problémához?

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

  Andrus Ansip, Vice-President of the Commission. – Madam President, I would like to thank Members for this very fruitful debate. Everybody understands that it is impossible in just five minutes to respond to all of the questions raised here today, but I would like to touch on some of the issues.

Taxation was mentioned. I would like to state that this Commission took a very clear position: all taxes have to be paid in the countries where the companies generate their profits. I am absolutely sure that during Estonia’s Presidency we will continue to follow that approach in our activities.

Regarding connectivity, as you know, we have set three main connectivity aims for Europe. We would like to achieve those concrete results by 2025. I am talking about the Gigabit Society, 100 megabits-per-second networks and 5G networks. As we know, to reach those aims at least EUR 500 billion in investment will be needed. If we continue on the basis of the existing rules, there will be an investment gap equal to EUR 155 billion. The message is clear: we have to change our rules.

That is why I would like to ask Parliament and also the Presidency to pay attention to those connectivity issues and to deal with spectrum issues for example. When we asked for deeper cooperation in the field of spectrum, we asked about the timing of spectrum allocation auctions. It has to be harmonised. Regarding the duration of licences, there is a minimum of 25 years and, as we know, in some rural areas 25 years will not be enough to break even and start to make profits. This is important in terms of giving predictability to mobile operators and, of course, regarding coverage issues.

As we know, in Finland, Sweden and Lapland, population density is less than one person per square kilometre, but there is excellent access to 4G networks. Here, however, when travelling from Brussels to Strasbourg, there are tens of kilometres without any kind of access to the internet. So we have to change our rules.

Then we have to pay attention to geoblocking. As we know, this is a real headache in the European Union. According to our mystery shopping survey, two per cent of people who wanted to buy goods and services from another EU Member State just could not get access to the websites selling those goods and services, and 27% of people who got access to the websites were not able to register because their IP address was wrong. They were from the wrong countries – from France, from Germany, from Italy, from the United Kingdom, from Estonia, anyway from EU Member States – while 32% of those people who were able to register faced delivery problems. To deal with those problems, we launched our parcel delivery proposal. I hope that, during the Estonia Presidency, we will be able to reach consensus on these issues.

However, 26% of the people who did not have any kind of problem with delivery issues could not pay. In the European Union we have the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) but, nevertheless, 26% of people could not pay because their credit cards were issued in the wrong EU Member States – in Germany, in France, in Belgium, in the Netherlands, anyway in the wrong EU Member States. All in all, just 36% of all those people who wanted to buy goods and services from another EU Member State were able to conclude their purchases successfully.

The issue here is not just about the single market we would like to have in the European Union, if only every third person is able to conclude purchases successfully: it is much more about discrimination on the basis of nationality or where a person’s credit card was issued. We do not have to accept that kind of discrimination in the 21st century in the European Union.

(Applause)

My speaking time has already expired. I hope that, during the Estonian Presidency, we will also be able to achieve concrete results in dealing with cyber security issues and many other important issues. I wish Estonia’s Presidency every success.

(Applause)

  Jüri Ratas, President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, I would like to say thank you to Members for all their statements and your comments. I have taken note of all your positions and opinions. We will work very closely with you, honourable Members of the European Parliament to make sure that citizens are at the heart of everything we do.

The four economic freedoms of the single market are very important principles of the Union. The European Union has to be strong and united to go forward. I am certain that we will overcome all the current and future challenges.

Now some remarks about your questions or your remarks. First of all, migration. I take it very seriously. It isn’t a question for the one or the other State. It is a question for all 28 Member States. Our goal during our Presidency is to find consensus. We must find consensus, and solidarity is an important topic here. I could say it is the cornerstone here.

The first informal Council meeting of our Presidency will take place in Tallinn tomorrow. I would like to stress once more that we are fully committed to finding solutions to the refugee crisis. The issues are difficult but we are working towards a common solution. Solidarity must be there.

The previous presidencies, Slovakia and Malta, have done a good job. Estonia is doing its best to keep the process on the right track in order to help to strengthen a common asylum system. We are highly committed to doing our share.

Also I would like to mention that at the beginning of this week, the Estonian Government decided to allocate EUR 1 million to the EU trust fund for Africa. We encourage all Member States to increase their contributions to this fund.

Some words about security and terrorism. There is no doubt that security and defence are top priorities for Europe. The European Union can only be taken seriously as a global player if Member States strengthen their own security and defence. Hence the need to raise defence expenditure levels. We must also take into account the interconnected nature of our internal and external security challenges. In addition to strengthening defence cooperation with the European Union, we must continue to move forward with EU-NATO cooperation.

Some words about the social pillar. We are taking the social pillar very seriously. It is one of our top priorities. We will move forward on all social files, including the posting of workers and hope to adopt the proclamation endorsing the social pillar together with you.

Some words about Brexit. When it comes to Brexit, Estonia’s main goal is the unity of EU 27 and to ensure that the divorce process is as smooth as possible. We must protect the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom. The second urgent question is the financial settlement and the third is the border issues with Ireland.

These questions have to be settled before entering the second phase of the negotiations. Estonia fully supports Mr Barnier as the chief EU negotiator and also Parliament. We will be at the service of the Member States and work closely with all EU institutions involved.

Honourable Members of Parliament, Estonia wants to contribute to making the EU a better place to live for everyone. One of our main priorities is a digital Europe and the free movement of data. We must deliver it because the unfinished nature of the digital single market costs us about EUR 400 billion a year. Completing the process is important to improve the everyday lives of our citizens.

Ladies and gentlemen, if I may, I would also like to say some concluding remarks in my mother tongue.

Siin oli arvamusi ka selles osas, et kas Euroopa Liitu on vaja ja kas tal on tulevikku. Eesti usub väga tugevalt, et Euroopa Liidul on ühine tulevik. Me oleme kindlad selles, et meie eesistumise ajal Euroopas tuleb ka näidata neid positiivseid samme, mida Euroopa Liit on pakkunud, olgu see rahu, olgu see inimeste, kaupade, teenuste vaba liikumine või olgu see ühine kultuuriruum.

Auväärt parlamendiliikmed! Ma näen, et teil on väga palju külalisi kõige kõrgemal korrusel. Ja mõned nendest on noored inimesed. Nad on väga õnnelikud, et siin Euroopa Liidus on Erasmus – ja see on ka üks näide Euroopa Liidu ühtsusest. Eesti soovib igal juhul ehitada oma eesistumise ajal sildu, mitte tõmmata piire või ehitada seinu. Eesti soovib igal juhul, et me Euroopa Liidu tulevikku arutame koos, mitte igaüks eraldi toas. Me soovime, et Euroopa Liit on järgneva kuue kuu jooksul rohkem ühtsem, tugevam ja turvalisem.

Thanks for all these positive comments and to all those wishing us success. We will need good cooperation with all of you to make our Presidency a successful one. Thank you for your attention and thank you for our discussion.

(Applause)

  President. – Thank you, Prime Minister Ratas, and you have our good wishes and support.

The debate is closed.

The vote will take place shortly.

Written statements (Rule 162)

  José Blanco López (S&D), por escrito. – En los últimos años, hemos ido concatenando crisis tras crisis, algunas de ellas todavía vigentes —desde los refugiados hasta la crisis económica—. Pero la llegada de verdaderas amenazas internas y externas, existenciales para la Unión y para todo lo que representamos en el mundo, nos brinda la gran oportunidad de dar pasos hacia adelante en la integración, aprender de nuestros errores y responder al malestar de los ciudadanos dando pasos hacia delante, hacia una Europa más segura y más fuerte, más influyente fuera; una Europa más flexible y eficaz; y una Europa más sensible y justa, que sientan los ciudadanos que les protege. Volver a legitimar el proyecto europeo solo será posible si se dota de una verdadera dimensión social. La Presidencia estonia se encuentra ante esta situación. Con una agenda ambiciosa: una economía abierta e integradora, la protección de los ciudadanos europeos, el medioambiente o los trabajos haciendo frente a la crisis migratoria. Como socialistas, colaboraremos para que estos objetivos se puedan realizar.

  Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (S&D), raštu. – Sveikinu Estiją šių metų liepos 1 d. pradėjus savo pirmąjį pirmininkavimą ES Tarybai ir linkiu, kad jis būtų sėkmingas bei prisidėtų prie taip reikalingų sprendimų užtikrinti ES piliečių gerovę suradimo. Susipažinusi su Estijos pirmininkavimo programa ir išklausiusi prioritetų pristatymą, norėčiau pasidžiaugti, kad Estija akcentuoja lyčių lygybės, įskaitant paramos darbo ir asmeninio gyvenimo suderinimui, svarbą siekiant užtikrinti, jog vis didėjantis kvalifikuotos darbo jėgos poreikis, būtų patenkintas. Nevienodas darbo pasidalijimas rūpinantis vaikais, vyresnio amžiaus žmonėmis ir kitais priklausomais šeimos nariais daro įtaką moterų dalyvavimui darbo rinkoje ir vyrų dalyvavimui šeimos gyvenime. Todėl sveikinu Estijos ketinimus tęsti diskusijas dėl šeimos gyvenimo suderinimo, kad moterys galėtų aktyviau dalyvauti darbo rinkoje ir jų šeimyninių rūpesčių našta mažėtų. Taip pat norėčiau pasveikinti Estijos vyriausybę savo pirmininkavimo programoje akcentuojant, kad visi Europos gyventojai turi turėti vienodas galimybes įgyti reikiamus įgūdžius, aukštos kokybės išsilavinimą, susirasti darbą ar gauti paslaugas, siekiant užtikrinti visuomenės tvarumą ir Europos ekonominę bei socialinę gerovę. Svarbus išlaikyti aukštas socialines garantijas visiems ES piliečiams siekiant deramai užtikrinti laisvą asmenų, darbuotojų ir paslaugų judėjimą. Ir tuo pačiu norėčiau paraginti Estijos vyriausybę nepamiršti ir kitų labai svarbių klausimų, tokių kaip kova su smurtu lyties pagrindu, kova su prekyba žmonėmis, vyrų ir moterų darbo užmokesčio bei pensijų skirtumų mažinimas ir moterys bendrovių valdybose bei sprendimus priimančiose pareigose.

  Soledad Cabezón Ruiz (S&D), por escrito. – En los últimos años hemos ido concatenando crisis tras crisis, algunas de ellas todavía vigentes—desde los refugiados hasta la crisis económica—. Pero la llegada de verdaderas amenazas internas y externas, existenciales para la Unión y para todo lo que representamos en el mundo, nos brinda la gran oportunidad de dar pasos hacia adelante en la integración, aprender de nuestros errores y responder a los malestares de los ciudadanos, dando pasos hacia delante, hacia una Europa más segura y más fuerte, más influyente fuera; una Europa más flexible y eficaz; y una Europa más sensible y justa, que sientan los ciudadanos que les protege. Volver a legitimar el proyecto europeo solo vendrá de la mano de una dimensión social. La Presidencia estonia se encuentra ante esta situación. Con una agenda ambiciosa: una economía abierta e integradora, la protección de los ciudadanos europeos, el medioambiente o los trabajos haciendo frente a la crisis migratoria. Como socialistas, colaboraremos para que estos objetivos se puedan realizar.

  Kinga Gál (PPE), írásban. – Ezúton szeretném üdvözölni, hogy az észt elnökség prioritásként fogalmazza meg az inkluzív és fenntartható Európa gondolatát. Fontosnak tartja segíteni az állampolgárokat készségeik fejlesztésében, hogy minél inkább a társadalom aktív résztvevői lehessenek, és hozzáférjenek a minőségi oktatáshoz, a munkalehetőségekhez és a szolgáltatásokhoz. Úgy a Magyar Kormány, mint a magyar civil társadalom e célok érdekében számos erőfeszítést tett már. A magyar példára építve létrejött az Európai Tehetségsegítő Hálózat, amely aktívan hozzájárul a tehetségek felfedezéséhez és fejlesztéséhez kortól, nemtől és társadalmi háttértől függetlenül. Üdvözlöm továbbá, hogy a bel- és igazságügy területén prioritásként jelenik meg az ETIAS rendszer létrehozása, amelynek célja bármilyen lehetséges migrációs, biztonsági, közegészségügyi kockázat időbeni beazonosítása. A dosszié parlamenti jelentéstevőjeként remélem, hogy valóban sikerül komoly előrehaladást elérni az észt elnökséggel együttműködésben. Ez a rendszer is hozzájárul migrációs nyomás által jelentett veszélyek csökkentéséhez. Ugyanakkor elengedhetetlen a külső határok megfelelő védelme, valamint a valódi menekültek és gazdasági bevándorlók szétválasztása már az EU határain kívül. Remélem, hogy az észt elnökség mindezt prioritásaként fogja kezelni.

  Enrique Guerrero Salom (S&D), por escrito. – En los últimos años hemos ido concatenando crisis tras crisis, algunas de ellas todavía vigentes—desde los refugiados hasta la crisis económica—. Pero la llegada de verdaderas amenazas internas y externas, existenciales para la Unión y para todo lo que representamos en el mundo, nos brinda la gran oportunidad de dar pasos hacia adelante en la integración, aprender de nuestros errores y responder a los malestares de los ciudadanos, dando pasos hacia delante, hacia una Europa más segura y más fuerte, más influyente fuera; una Europa más flexible y eficaz; y una Europa más sensible y justa, que sientan los ciudadanos que les protege. Volver a legitimar el proyecto europeo solo vendrá de la mano de una dimensión social. La Presidencia estonia se encuentra ante esta situación. Con una agenda ambiciosa: una economía abierta e integradora, la protección de los ciudadanos europeos, el medioambiente o los trabajos haciendo frente a la crisis migratoria. Como socialistas, colaboraremos para que estos objetivos se puedan realizar.

  András Gyürk (PPE). – Gratulálok az észt elnökség ambiciózus programjához. Észtország kis ország, de a számos szakpolitikai területen elért kiváló eredmény bizonyítja, hogy – erőforrásai nagyságát meghazudtolva – milyen példaértékű teljesítményre képes. Az energetikai programban örömmel olvastam azt, hogy az energetikai piacok további integrációja kiemelt prioritás az energiahatékonyság mellett. Az is üdvözlendő, hogy a Tiszta Energia csomag tárgyalásában gyors előrehaladást kíván az észt elnökség elérni. Arra szeretném felhívni az elnökség figyelmét, hogy bár az elmúlt években sokat beszéltünk és tettünk az ellátásbiztonság növelése érdekében, még mindig sok tennivalónk van ezen a téren. Elegendő az Északi Áramlat bővítési projektjére gondolnunk, amelynek megvalósulása sok közép-kelet-európai országban, így Magyarországon is csökkentené a diverzifikációs lehetőségeket. Az ellátásbiztonsági aggályokon túl a projekt esetleges megvalósulása magasabb energiaárakhoz is vezethet, versenyképességi problémákat okozva ezzel. Arra kérem az Észt Elnökséget, hogy támogassa a Bizottságot azon törekvésében, hogy csak olyan infrastruktúra épüljön és működjön az Európai Unióban, amely az Energiaunió célkitűzéseit támogatja és megfelel a vonatkozó előírásoknak.

  Barbara Kappel (ENF), in writing. – In 2017 Estonia will be president of the Council of the European Union for the first time. Estonia was one the ten countries admitted to the European Union on 1 May 2004 and it is hosting the Presidency of the Council in the second half of 2017. Estonia is among the fastest-growing economies in the EU. Estonia has a strong digital society and economy. One of the major tasks of the Presidency of Estonia will be digitalisation. The main point in the field of digitalisation will thus include the development of cross-border e-commerce and e-services for the benefit of consumers, producers and businesses. Estonia will also push forward the promotion of e-solutions and so it is not surprising that Estonia held the first online elections in 2005 and it is the first country to offer an e-residency. Applications for the e-residency are growing fast. Prospective buyers must pay EUR 100 and wait around one month. After that procedure you can become a digital citizen of Estonia and you have access to the single market. In two years these digital immigrants founded 1 600 companies. The target for Estonia is to get ten million e-residents by 2025.

  Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz (PPE), na piśmie. – W dniu 1 lipca 2017 r. Estonia oficjalnie objęła swoje pierwsze od wstąpienia do UE rotacyjne przewodnictwo w Radzie Unii Europejskiej. Przedstawione na posiedzeniu plenarnym priorytety estońskiej prezydencji obejmują m.in. wspieranie otwartej i innowacyjnej gospodarki europejskiej, zrównoważonego rozwoju Unii oraz wzmacnianie bezpieczeństwa. Estonia – mająca bogate doświadczenie w zakresie cyberbezpieczeństwa i nowoczesnych rozwiązań informatycznych – w trakcie prezydencji zamierza skupić się także na sprawach cyfrowych i pomóc w przyspieszeniu realizacji założeń europejskiego jednolitego rynku cyfrowego. Jest to jeden z silnych punktów tego nadbałtyckiego kraju: od czasu ogłoszenia niepodległości w 1991 r. Estończycy aktywnie promują cyfryzację, w tym w administracji, urzędach, edukacji i życiu publicznym. Estonia to m.in. pierwszy kraj na świecie, który wprowadził możliwość głosowania w wyborach przez Internet. Prezydencja estońska będzie więc odpowiedzialna za prowadzenie negocjacji wielu kluczowych projektów technologicznych, w tym w zakresie rozwoju e-handlu i e-usług z korzyścią dla konsumentów, producentów i przedsiębiorstw, nowelizacji prawa autorskiego, nowych zasad dotyczących telekomunikacji i swobodnego przepływu danych. W pełni popieram te ambitne plany i uważam, że jeśli zostaną zrealizowane, wprowadzą Europę na drogę innowacji i modernizacji, ożywią gospodarkę europejską i przyniosą Unii wiele pozytywnych skutków społecznych.

  Νότης Μαριάς (ECR), γραπτώς. – Η εσθονική Προεδρία οφείλει να ανασκουμπωθεί και να αναλάβει σημαντικές πρωτοβουλίες για την αντιμετώπιση και τον περιορισμό των μεταναστευτικών ροών. Κι αυτό απαιτεί τα εξής:

1. Μετεγκατάσταση των προσφύγων από Ελλάδα και Ιταλία, όπως έχει συμφωνηθεί.

2. Χρονική επέκταση του προγράμματος μετεγκαταστάσεων.

3. Άσκηση πίεσης στις τρίτες χώρες προκειμένου να αποδεχθούν τις επαναπροωθήσεις των πολιτών τους, οι οποίοι έχουν μεταναστεύσει παράνομα στην Ελλάδα και στην υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη.

4. Άμεση κατάργηση του Δουβλίνου ΙΙΙ που έχει μετατρέψει την Ελλάδα σε αποθήκη ψυχών.

5. Ανάληψη πρωτοβουλιών για την εμπέδωση της ειρήνης στην Μέση Ανατολή.

6. Αντιμετώπιση της φτώχειας στην Αφρική.

  Laurențiu Rebega (ENF), în scris. – Concluziile Consiliului European se doresc a fi optimiste și ferme. Ele doresc să dea un impuls Uniunii, după ce Brexitul și nemulțumirile cetățenilor au pus în discuție legitimitatea politicilor duse de Bruxelles. Cu toate acestea, marile probleme au fost ocolite. După Brexit, bugetul Uniunii va fi cu circa 17 % mai mic. Asta înseamnă fie că proiectele UE vor fi mai modeste, fie că statele bogate vor da mai mulți bani. Germania a evitat să clarifice această dilemă. Tot de bani se leagă și celălalt obstacol de la Consiliu – relocarea refugiaților. Se spune că Polonia, Ungaria și Cehia trebuie pedepsite pentru că nu acceptă refugiați. Amenințarea directă este că aceste state nu vor mai primi fonduri de la UE. Șantajul este revoltător, întrucât nu aceste state au fost cele care au deschis granițele și i-au invitat pe refugiați în Europa. Oare, în 2004 și 2007, statele bogate din Vest au dorit ca Uniunea să se extindă cu membri egali sau au anexat, pur și simplu, niște teritorii ca să aibă surse de materii prime, forță de muncă ieftină și, la nevoie, o debara pentru indezirabili?

  Christine Revault D’Allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D), par écrit. – Vous avez fait du slogan «l’unité par l’équilibre» le fil conducteur de votre présidence. En ces temps où l’Union doit faire face à plusieurs défis majeurs, l’unité est plus que jamais une nécessité. Mais pour aborder la crise des réfugiés, relancer l’économie, répondre à l’urgence climatique, l’unité a besoin d’une solidarité retrouvée face aux égoïsmes nationaux. La défense des valeurs européennes doit aussi être au cœur de votre action. La Hongrie et la Pologne continuent de défier l’état de droit et de violer nos valeurs fondamentales. Quelle sera la réponse de votre présidence? Soutenez-vous le Parlement pour l’activation de l’article 7.1? Nous n’aurons plus aucune crédibilité pour nos citoyens si nous sommes incapables de les protéger. Enfin, j’aimerais vous interpeller sur un sujet qui va directement impacter la vie de millions de travailleurs et plus de 500 000 entreprises européennes. Il s’agit du paquet mobilité. Quelle est votre ambition sur ce dossier? Allez-vous chercher à dépasser certains clivages pour dégager une position commune au Conseil? L’intégration du marché intérieur dans le secteur routier a contribué à la dégradation des conditions de travail. Comptez-vous équilibrer ce secteur en renforçant la dimension sociale des transports routiers?

  Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández (S&D), por escrito. – En los últimos años hemos ido concatenando crisis tras crisis, algunas de ellas todavía vigentes—desde los refugiados hasta la crisis económica—. Pero la llegada de verdaderas amenazas internas y externas, existenciales para la Unión y para todo lo que representamos en el mundo, nos brinda la gran oportunidad de dar pasos hacia adelante en la integración, aprender de nuestros errores y responder a los malestares de los ciudadanos, dando pasos hacia delante, hacia una Europa más segura y más fuerte, más influyente fuera; una Europa más flexible y eficaz; y una Europa más sensible y justa, que sientan los ciudadanos que les protege. Volver a legitimar el proyecto europeo solo vendrá de la mano de una dimensión social. La Presidencia estonia se encuentra ante esta situación. Con una agenda ambiciosa: una economía abierta e integradora, la protección de los ciudadanos europeos, el medioambiente o los trabajos haciendo frente a la crisis migratoria. Como socialistas, colaboraremos para que estos objetivos se puedan realizar.

Elnökváltás: GÁLL-PELCZ ILDIKÓ
alelnök

  Pavel Telička (ALDE). – Madam President, just very briefly. From time to time we are able to welcome distinguished people in the gallery. Today we will vote on the agreement with Cuba, most likely positively. Some of us have invited also the representatives of the Cuban opposition. Many of them could not make it, for obvious reasons. So please, allow me just to welcome one of them, someone who spent 16 years in prison in Cuba, Mr Fuentes, who is one of the coordinators of the Cuban opposition. I think they deserve our recognition.

(Applause)

  Elnök asszony. – Ön megelőzött engem, mert hogy szeretnék én is egy küldöttséget köszönteni: örömmel üdvözlöm a Japán Országgyűlés küldöttségét önökkel együtt, akik most hivatalos látogatást tesznek a parlamentjeink közötti 37. parlamentközi találkozón. Üdvözöljük Önöket! Japán az EU stratégiai partnere. Bízunk abban, hogy lezárulnak a gazdasági partnerségi megállapodásról és a stratégiai partnerségi megállapodásról szóló tárgyalások, amelyeket követően mindkét fél parlamenti ellenőrzésre fogja azt benyújtani. Gotoda Elnök Úr, tisztelt felsőházi és alsóházi képviselők! Üdvözlöm Önöket az Európai Parlament székhelyén és Strassbougban a mai és a holnapi nap folyamán eredményes megbeszéléseket kívánok, s remélem...