Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 7 July 2022 - Strasbourg

8. Better regulation: joining forces to make better laws (continuation of debate)

  Presidente. – Riprendiamo la discussione, interrotta a causa di un problema tecnico, sulla relazione di Tiemo Wölken, a nome della commissione giuridica, su Legiferare meglio: unire le forze per produrre leggi migliori (A9-0167/2022) (2021/2166(INI)).

  Tiemo Wölken, rapporteur. – Madam President, I am glad that so many colleagues are interested in our report on better law—making and following this debate. Thank you very much for that. I know that we need to be quick so that everyone can catch the train back home

I want to thank Mr Šefčovič for the presentation and for his promises to work hard together with the European Parliament to enhance the legislation process. It’s very necessary. I would like to thank all the colleagues who contributed in the debate, underlining that transparency is of the utmost importance.

Unfortunately, we don’t have transparency when it comes to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, which is still an internal Commission body, but we will work on that – because it is necessary that all decisions related to law—making are transparent and can be scrutinised by the MEPs in this House. Delays by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board in the legislative process are highly undemocratic. We saw it on the due diligence legislation: it was postponed twice, and now we are under extreme time pressure to deliver in this crucial area, and this is really not acceptable.

I would also like to thank everybody who supported that we do want to have faster proceedings and that we want to have proceedings which also take into account social and economic aspects in the law—making process. And so I would hope that everyone can support this report.

  Presidente. – La discussione è chiusa.

La votazione si svolgerà oggi.

  Ryszard Antoni Legutko (ECR). – Madam President, I would like to raise a point of order in accordance with Rule 195 and Rule 10. Yesterday, during the debate on Russian relations with European parties, Ms Evin Incir from the S&D Group accused my Swedish colleagues in the ECR of having direct connections with and financing from the Kremlin. This is a defamatory accusation. Furthermore, it came from a member of the Social Democrats of Sweden, a party with a shameful pro-Soviet past. It came from a member of the S&D Group, a group which includes former communists and Kremlin flunkies, and is the home of the German Socialist Party, once led by the infamous Gerhard Schröder.

Let me emphasise that there is no greater or more consistent critic of the Kremlin’s policy in this Parliament than the ECR Group. Therefore, I expect Ms Evin Incir to withdraw her statement and I would kindly request, Madam President, that you act in accordance with our rules.

  Presidente. – Grazie on. Legutko, non era propriamente un richiamo al regolamento, abbiamo preso nota delle Sue osservazioni e ora passiamo alle votazioni.

  Evin Incir (S&D). – Madam President, thank you very much.

First of all, if you’re going to accuse me of something, you need to accuse me of something that I have said. What I said – and this is evident – is that there is clear evidence that far—right movements, far—right parties in this Parliament have had financial support. Nevertheless, I didn’t say that the Swedish Democrats had financial support, but it is evident and there is evidence that there have been direct links. They have had party members who haven’t even been able to get a job in the Parliament structures just because of links to Russia, because they are seen as a security risk. This is a fact.