Presidente. – A norma dell'articolo 158, paragrafo 2, del regolamento, su proposta della Presidente d'accordo con i gruppi politici, la seduta odierna sarà prolungata fino alle ore 23.00. Se non vi sono obiezioni, la modifica è approvata.
3. Směrnice o rádiových zařízeních: jednotná nabíječka pro elektronická zařízení (rozprava)
Presidente. – L'ordine del giorno reca la relazione di Alex Agius Saliba, a nome della commissione per il mercato interno e la protezione dei consumatori, sulla proposta di direttiva del Parlamento europeo e del Consiglio che modifica la direttiva 2014/53/UE concernente l'armonizzazione delle legislazioni degli Stati membri relative alla messa a disposizione sul mercato di apparecchiature radio (COM(2021)0547 - C9-0366/2021 - 2021/0291(COD)) (A9-0129/2022).
Alex Agius Saliba, rapporteur. – Madam President, Executive Vice-President, today is a great day for consumers, a great day for our environment. This is the past, and this is the present: after more than a decade, the single charger for multiple electronic devices will finally become a reality, a reality in Europe, and hopefully we can also inspire the rest of the world.
Every year, more than 400 million new phones, small electronic devices and chargers are sold in Europe alone. Ten years ago, when the idea of a common charger came to life, there were more than 30 different chargers on the market. And here we are speaking only about mobile phones. Since then, there has been improvement, as well as a significant increase in new electronic devices and models on our market. People often replace their old phones or other electronics simply to update them with new ones or to be able to catch up with new trends. There has also been an increase in multi-device ownership and a shorter life cycle for such devices. And all that results in a pile of 11 000 tonnes of e-waste that we are producing each year from discarded and unused chargers, and more than 2 billion is spent annually on standalone chargers alone. Not to mention the lack of interoperability between different brands, between different models, pure safety requirements, costs for adapters and proprietary chargers, unpredictable charging times, and failed or lost chargers. The list is too long.
That is why today we are replacing this pile of chargers with just this. The simplest solutions are often the best and most practical ones. And the simple solution each year will save thousands of tonnes of electronic waste, facilitate the reuse of old electronics, better consumer convenience, reduce unnecessary costs and also help to save millions of euros. And that is why we are here today. The single charger will also minimise the environmental impact of discarded and unused chargers, address the sustainability of electronic products and empower consumers to make better choices, more sustainable choices.
The single charger is a huge success that will benefit everyone: the environment, consumers and businesses alike. Together with the shadow rapporteurs, it took us only six weeks to finalise negotiations with the Commission and also the French Presidency. All this just nine months after the Commission issued its proposal. This is a remarkable result: proof that there is a drive for European solutions that change people’s lives for the better. Yet again, we have achieved more, much more than just speed. We have achieved quality, ambition and future—proof rules so that by autumn 2024, USB—C will become the common charging port for smartphones, eReaders, earbuds, keyboards, computer mice, portable navigation devices, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video-game consoles, and also portable speakers.
By the beginning of 2026, USB—C will also become the common charging port for all our laptops, including notebooks, portables, hybrids and netbooks. The Commission will also be regularly revising this list with new products that up till today have not yet been included in the scope. Charging speed will also be harmonised for devices that are supporting fast charging.
On wireless charging, yet again this has been another priority of the Internal Market Committee. It was important for us to propose a future—proof solution so we will leave no backroom doors open. This is why the Commission, with the help of European standardisation organisations, will develop in 24 months an appropriate standard also for wireless technologies in buying new products such as smartphones. People will be given a choice, a choice on whether to purchase the new device with or without a charger. This choice will be facilitated with improved information. A dedicated pictogram and label clearly visible on each and every package, so that people can easily understand if the charger is included or not in the product.
Last but not least, I want to thank the shadow rapporteurs, staff and everyone who worked on this process to ensure that the common charger will finally become a reality for millions of consumers in Europe and hopefully for the rest of the world. Thank you, and I really hope that you can support this agreement.
Margrethe Vestager,Executive Vice-President of the Commission. –Honourable Members, it is a pleasure to be here to take part and to witness the conclusion of the legislative procedure when it comes to the common charger for portable electronic devices.
The common charger will simplify the lives of Europeans. No more obsolete chargers piling up in drawers, reducing costs for European citizens; no need to buy a charger for each device. And this will represent savings of at least EUR 250 million annually. Last but not least, it will contribute to the reduction of more than a thousand tonnes of e-waste every year.
Please allow me to thank the entire European Parliament and in particular, of course, the rapporteur Agius Saliba of the committee for the support, the tremendous work done which allowed us to finalise the process within just nine months in total. The enlargement of the scope of this initiative, as proposed by the European Parliament, I think was well done. It has increased the cover to the broadest possible range of what we call ‘radio equipment’ and even increase the expected benefits for EU citizens and, of course, the environment. And for this reason, I really welcome what was edited: adding e-readers, keyboards, computer mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds, laptops to the scope of devices concerned. And the scope already included quite a range: handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld video game consoles and portable speakers. So it is a lot. But the Parliament has also agreed to a transition period of 24 months after the entry into force for all devices and 14 months for laptops. Because these transition periods also allows for manufacturers to adjust their supply chains, to adapt to the legislation.
And these important texts that have been developed together are not, however, the end of the story. No, we will need to monitor the evolution of charging technologies. We will look at whether or not there is a need to improve consumer convenience, save costs, improve environmental performance. That will allow us to consider extending the scope of devices covered if justified, addressing wireless charging technologies, but also assessing possible further unbundling of charging cables.
To conclude, I want to thank the Parliament for its commitment to achieve this common charger. I think it is a very good demonstration of the Parliament’s attachment to make things simpler. Also the relationship between products, consumers and the environment, and that is indeed needed. I hope this is a token of more to come because we are looking forward to future steps and, together with Parliament, continuing to improve our everyday life and, of course, our environment, while still allowing new technologies to develop.
Андрей Ковачев, от името на групата PPE. – Г-жо Председател, г- жо Комисар, Алекс, скъпи колеги, основната мотивация за приемането на този законодателен акт е улесняване на ежедневието за милиони европейски потребители на електронни устройства, не само мобилни телефони. Чакахме достатъчно дълго пазарът сам да се регулира. Сега е време за действие. Щастлив съм, че след премахването на роуминг таксите в Европейския съюз ние ще гласуваме и единното зарядно.
С този акт Европейският парламент доказа за пореден път способността си да отговаря на нуждите на гражданите и да улеснява ежедневието им. Благодаря на докладчика г-н Алекс Алива, на всички колеги, с които работихме по това досие, също така и на Комисията. Благодаря ви, че с общи усилия успяхме да разширим обхвата на действие на този акт. Няма да повтарям това, което казаха колегите за кои устройства става въпрос. Това е огромно постижение на Европейския съюз. Създава се удобство и се спестяват пари на гражданите, като същевременно има полза за околната среда, намалявайки генерирането на електронни отпадъци.
В същото време ние не спираме научно-техническия прогрес и редовно ще се отчитат и адаптират достиженията на техниката, включително и за единното безжично зарядно, както преди малко Алекс спомена. Предстои да разгледаме и възможностите за въвеждане на единно зарядно за много други сфери от бита и домакинството, навсякъде, където няма технически ограничения за използване на единното зарядно.
Също така да не забравяме, че с този акт ние задаваме и стандарт за света. Аз съм достатъчно убеден, че много други части на света ще последват нашия акт, така че отново Европейският съюз е пионер.
С това законодателство даваме свобода на потребителите. Те ще имат възможност да избират дали да си купят продукт със или без зарядно устройство. И накрая, не на последно място, етикетите върху опаковките за устройствата ще бъдат достатъчно лесни и ясни за гражданите, за да могат да се информират какво точно получават.
Благодаря отново на всички. Мисля, че това е много добър ден за европейските потребители.
Biljana Borzan, u ime kluba S&D. –Poštovana predsjedavajuća, poštovane kolegice i kolege, prije svega želim zahvaliti našem izvjestitelju Alexu koji se borio da ovaj prijedlog odgovara prije svega građanima, a ne proizvođačima.
Činjenica je da nakon više od deset godina uvodimo jedinstveni punjač i da je to zasluga prije svega europarlamentaraca koji su u interesu građana gurali ovu ideju i onda kada ju nitko nije htio slušati. Moja prva rasprava na ovu temu bila je 2013. kada je Hrvatska tek ušla u Europski parlament. Prema mojem istraživanju, čak 92,9 % građana Hrvatske podržava uvođenje jedinstvenog punjača za male uređaje. Lijepo je ispuniti obećanje, makar taj proces trajao dugo. U jesen 2024. mobiteli, slušalice, tipkovnice, tableti, navigacije, miševi, digitalne kamere, zvučnici, e-čitači i prenosive igraće konzole će sve imati isti punjač. Nakon toga uvest će se i za laptope i slične uređaje.
Budući da svatko od nas kod kuće ima ladicu punu punjača, a samo za mobitele ih na tržištu ima preko 30 vrsta, tržištu Europske unije, ovaj prijedlog donijet će velike uštede. Procjenjuje se da potrošimo više od dvije milijarde eura godišnje na nove punjače. Ovako ćemo imati mogućnost izbora i mogućnost uštede. Moramo osigurati da i proizvođači i trgovci cijenama održavaju različite opcije dostupne potrošačima. Svake godine u Europskoj uniji proda se više od 400 milijuna malih uređaja s punjačima, a baci više od 11 tona elektroničkog otpada. Ne možemo više trošiti i bacati kao da imamo tri planeta na raspolaganju. Ovaj prijedlog velik je doprinos održivijoj potrošnji i pomoći će zdravlju našeg planeta.
Pozivam sve da svojim glasom podržimo ovaj prijedlog u korist potrošača i okoliša.
Róża Thun und Hohenstein, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, one could say, ‘One charger? Big deal!’, but this one will positively mark our everyday life. Because big projects like the common market consist of small bricks, sometimes very important bricks. And this one common charger is one such important element of our common market.
As we all know, it was not easy. It took some time. I also campaigned for this common charger for many years. Now finally we have it. We achieved a solution which will facilitate consumers’ lives, and it will help the environment. So it is time for thanks. First, Commissioner Thierry Breton, who demonstrated political courage and came up with a legislative proposal after many years of the Commission being too patient with IT equipment manufacturers. The Commission followed calls coming from us, from the European Parliament and from the European citizens: thank you.
Thank you to Alex Saliba and the other colleagues – other shadows, especially – who cooperated on this big project, which is one of the bricks of the common market. Big thanks for working together so well and helping make the proposal of the Commission even more ambitious. We managed to expand its scope and cover more almost twice as many product categories as were initially proposed.
And now the common charger will really have an impact on the comfort of our lives, and what is probably most important to me and millions of other citizens is that we will decrease the use of raw materials. There will be less e-waste, I think, by thousands, if not millions of tonnes, and we will give our fellow citizens a chance – which you also underlined – to choose whether you want to buy a new device with a charger or without a charger. And this we always enjoy – choice. So enjoy, and thank you!
Anna Cavazzini, im Namen der Verts/ALE-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin! Eines für alle, ein Kabel, mit dem man alle Geräte laden kann – das war jahrelang der Wunsch von vielen Verbraucherinnen und Verbrauchern hier in der Europäischen Union. Und jetzt wird dieser Wunsch endlich Wirklichkeit.
In Zukunft müssen Sie für drei verschiedene Geräte nicht mehr drei verschiedene Kabel mitnehmen, wenn Sie auf Reisen gehen. In Zukunft haben Sie keinen Kabelsalat mehr in Ihren Schubladen. Und schon bald werden wir in der Europäischen Union 1000 Tonnen sinnlosen Elektroschrott pro Jahr einsparen. So können wir Klima und Ressourcen schonen, und das, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, ist gerade aktuell wichtiger denn je.
Das Parlament – das hat unser Berichterstatter Agius Saliba auch schon gesagt – hat den Kommissionsvorschlag an entscheidenden Stellen noch verbessert. Wir haben erreicht, dass noch mehr Geräte eingeschlossen sind, denn nur so können wir wirklich von einem Universal-Ladekabel sprechen. Auch das kabellose Laden soll in Zukunft vereinheitlicht werden: Nicht dass hier in ein paar Jahren wieder verschiedene Standards auf dem europäischen Markt unterwegs sind.
Außerdem: Bessere Informationen für Verbraucherinnen, damit sie nicht bei jedem Gerät ein neues Kabel dazukaufen müssen. Auf den Druck von uns Grünen hin muss die Kommission auch in Zukunft prüfen, ob nicht Kabel und Gerät gleich komplett separat verkauft werden. Denn das wäre am allerbesten für die Umwelt.
Das Parlament hat geliefert – gegen zahlreiche Lobbyinteressen und für die Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher in der Europäischen Union und für das Klima. Der Weg hierher war lang, sehr lang, das haben schon viele Kolleginnen und Kollegen erzählt. Seit über zehn Jahren hat die Kommission gezögert und gezaudert. Wir müssen jetzt endlich einen Zahn zulegen bei der Kreislaufwirtschaft, bei all den spannenden Initiativen, die noch in der Pipeline sind, wie bei dem Recht auf Reparatur.
Der jahrelange Kampf um das einheitliche Ladekabel hat gezeigt: Freiwilligkeit bringt nicht viel. Klare Regulierung, Rechtssicherheit, Planbarkeit sind der Schlüssel – auch im Sinne der Unternehmen. Produzieren, Verbrauchen und ab in den Müll – die Wirtschaftsweise unserer Wegwerfgesellschaft führt zu Ausbeutung von Ressourcen jenseits der Grenzen unseres Planeten. Wenn wir das nicht ändern, bräuchten wir bis 2050 drei Erden, um unseren Rohstoffhunger zu stillen. Diese lineare Wirtschaft heizt die Klimakrise an, sie führt zu Umweltzerstörung, zu Menschenrechtsverletzungen in den Lieferketten. Und wir machen uns krisenanfällig und abhängig von Rohstoffimporten. Klar ist: Unsere Wirtschaftsweise muss sich ändern, hin zu einer Kreislaufwirtschaft. Das einheitliche Ladekabel ist ein wichtiger Schritt dahin.
Virginie Joron, au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, chers rapporteurs, chère Madame la Commissaire, enfin, après plus d’une décennie, nous obtenons un chargeur universel pour les petits appareils électroniques en Europe! L’Europe est toujours à la traîne quand il s’agit de défendre ou de protéger ses concitoyens contre les géants du numérique. On le constate tous les jours, comme avec le transfert de nos données personnelles vers les États-Unis annoncé en mars 2022 par Mme Von der Leyen et Joe Biden, ou encore avec ce nouvel espace européen des données de santé géré par Microsoft Azure, ce fameux «data hub» que l’association Anticor avait dénoncé en saisissant le parquet national financier car le gouvernement français l’avait choisi sans l’avoir mis en concurrence avec des solutions européennes.
Mais revenons à ce détail: les chargeurs. En effet, il est ridicule que les consommateurs doivent se débrouiller avec toutes sortes de câbles de chargeurs différents. Et je suis sûre que chacun ici s’est un jour trouvé dans l’impossibilité de charger son téléphone portable parce que le bon câble de chargement n’était tout simplement pas disponible. Que cette situation ait pu perdurer aussi longtemps est inacceptable. L’obligation contraignante pour les fabricants d’offrir un système de chargeur universel est donc un développement bienvenu, quoique attendu depuis trop longtemps.
En 2009, le commissaire européen à l’industrie avait déjà demandé aux fabricants de se mettre d’accord sur une norme commune pour les smartphones; il aura fallu treize ans. Cela fait plus de dix ans que les membres du Parlement européen exigeaient une action décisive de la part de la Commission; pourquoi cela a-t-il pris si longtemps? Les monnaies d’échange n’étaient-elles pas assez importantes? Sans doute la Commission visait-elle l’autorégulation, et pendant ce temps l’industrie aura continué à traîner des pieds.
C’est là un autre exemple de l’échec du mantra libéral dominant, qui a inspiré la croyance naïve de la Commission, avec cette prétendue «autorégulation». Apple, notamment, a bloqué à lui seul les efforts visant à imposer des mesures juridiquement contraignantes, et ce pendant plus d’une décennie; cela a été confirmé après les publications effectuées dans le cadre de la loi européenne sur la liberté d’information.
Voilà qui montre une fois de plus l’immense pouvoir du lobbying étranger – américain, en l’occurrence – sur le processus décisionnel en Europe. Et ça marche: Amazon vient de décrocher le marché de l’euro numérique. Ce n’est pas la première fois que nous observons ce phénomène; il fait partie d’un schéma plus large. Nous croyons que le marché se régule lui-même, pour conclure des décennies plus tard que ce n’est pas le cas.
Je rappelle que, plus tôt dans l’année, nous avons approuvé le DMA: là encore nous avons permis aux GAFAM de s’arroger un pouvoir bien trop important sur nos pays et nos citoyens. Que cela serve de leçon pour l’avenir: au lieu de l’attentisme typique ou d’une naïveté complice, nous devons agir de manière décisive contre les grandes entreprises étrangères – si nécessaire.
Kosma Złotowski, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Szanowni Państwo! Europejczycy mają w swoich domach, kieszeniach czy plecakach coraz więcej przenośnych urządzeń elektronicznych. To już nie tylko smartfony, ale także tablety, czytniki książek elektronicznych czy laptopy. Dzięki ujednoliceniu standardu ładowania korzystanie z nich będzie łatwiejsze, tańsze i pozwoli ograniczyć produkcję elektrośmieci i zużycie rzadkich metali. Grupa ECR od początku wspierała ten projekt i popierała rozszerzenie listy urządzeń, które będą wyposażone w gniazdo USB-C. Zwracaliśmy także uwagę, że konsumenci muszą być odpowiednio poinformowani, że wspólny port ładowania nie oznacza, że ta sama ładowarka będzie idealna dla każdego urządzenia.
Zaproponowany przez nas system oznaczeń graficznych, który Komisja ma zaprojektować, pomoże nabyć ładowarkę najlepiej odpowiadającą naszym potrzebom. Chcieliśmy też, aby klienci jak najdłużej mogli wybrać, czy chcą kupić nowe urządzenie z ładowarką czy bez niej. Rozumiemy także, że prace badawcze nad bardziej wydajnymi technologiami ładowania, także bezprzewodowego, muszą być kontynuowane, i oczekujemy, że Komisja będzie śledzić i wspierać innowacje w tym zakresie. A panu posłowi Alexowi Salibie należą się bardzo szczególne podziękowania.
Kateřina Konečná, za skupinu The Left. – Paní předsedající, vážená paní komisařko, kolegyně a kolegové, jsem velmi ráda, že nyní máme konečně příležitost se přiblížit ke konci boje za jednotné nabíječky pro mobilní telefony a řadu dalších elektronických zařízení. A rozhodně to nebyl krátký boj. Vždyť se již přes deset let snažíme z půdy Evropského parlamentu dotlačit Komisi k tomu, aby začala jednat a přišla s návrhem zavedení jednotných nabíječek.
Před osmi lety, v roce 2014, jsme schválili směrnici o rádiových zařízeních, ve které jsme Komisi vyzvali k zavedení jednotných nabíječek skrze delegovaný akt, ale až donedávna byla Komise v tomhle ohledu neaktivní. Přitom s problémem různých nabíječek pro různá elektronická zařízení se setkáváme všichni. V našich domácnostech se pak hromadí nabíječky, z nichž většina je určena jen ke svému specifickému zařízení. A to není pouze nepřehledné, ale také zbytečně drahé pro spotřebitele a opravdu velmi nešetrné k životnímu prostředí. Pokud Komisi skutečně záleží na životním prostředí, tak měly být kroky k zavedení jednotné nabíječky učiněny už dávno. Proč se tedy postavila k problému čelem až nedávno? Bála se snad postavit zájmům společností, jako je Apple či Amazon? Bála se postavit možné opozici vlády bývalého prezidenta Spojených států amerických Donalda Trumpa? Ráda bych připomněla, že Komise má hájit zájmy Unie, a nikoliv vlády USA či nadnárodních korporací. A pevně doufám, že od této chvíle bude mít Komise páteř a nebude se již bát skutečně začít hájit zájmy lidí, kteří v Unii žijí.
Ano, myslím, že ambice obsažené v návrhu směrnice mohly být vyšší. Mohlo se to vztahovat na daleko více zařízení. Přesto je přijetí a sjednocení standardu USB-C do dvou let opravdu důležitým krokem ke snížení elektronického odpadu a bezpochyby povede k usnadnění životů nás všech. Proto jako stínová zpravodajka doufám, že směrnici schválíme, a moc bych za práci chtěla poděkovat především panu zpravodaji.
Edina Tóth (NI). – Köszönöm a szót, Elnök Asszony! A mai napon egy több mint tízéves jogalkotási folyamat végére tehetünk pontot. A töltők egységesítésére irányuló törekvés végre célba ért.
Üdvözlöm, hogy a javaslat egyrészt jelentősen csökkenti az elektronikai hulladék mennyiségét, amely fontos lépés a környezettudatos Európa irányába, másrészt könnyebbé teszi a fogyasztók életét. Úgy gondolom, hogy az Európai Parlamentben végzett munkánk során a legfontosabb feladat, hogy olyan jövőorientált, fogyasztóbarát jogszabályokat alkossunk, amelyek a fenntarthatósági szempontokat szem előtt tartva közvetlenül segítik az állampolgárokat.
Bárcsak mindig ilyen hatékony, emberközpontú lenne az uniós jogalkotás! Parttalan ideológiai viták helyett több, a mostanihoz hasonlóan előremutató, az európai emberek mindennapi életét könnyebbé tevő javaslatra lenne szükségünk. Haladjunk tovább ezen az úton!
Andreas Schwab (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Vizepräsidentin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Ein einheitliches Ladekabel für kleine Elektrogeräte in der Europäischen Union ist mit Sicherheit eine gute Nachricht. Es ist eine gute Nachricht, weil die Einheitlichkeit oder die Normierung technischer Standards den Wettbewerb auf die Stellen zu konzentrieren vermag, wo die Bürgerinnen und Bürger, die Nutzerinnen und Nutzer am stärksten davon profitieren und an denen wir gleichzeitig all die positiven Nebeneffekte generieren können, die bereits beschrieben wurden.
Ich freue mich sehr, dass unser Kollege Toine Manders, der damals 2009 beim Bericht der Kollegin Weiler die Idee hatte, heute auch da ist. Es ist wichtig, dass wir bereit sind, technische Standards auch dann durchzusetzen, wenn sie in der Industrie und in der Wirtschaft zu Beginn kritisiert werden. Wir haben das auch mit dem GSM-Standard in Europa geschafft – vor 20 Jahren, vor 30 Jahren, als wir den Wettbewerb im Telekommunikationsmarkt tatsächlich über die Geräte organisiert haben und nicht über die Standards, wie es damals in den USA der Fall war.
Leider hat der Telekommunikationsmarkt, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, in Europa seither aber sehr viel verloren. Deswegen ist es wichtig, dass wir uns Gedanken darüber machen, wie wir dort wieder mehr Wettbewerb und auch attraktivere Märkte hinbekommen. Dazu ist sicherlich auch der heutige Bericht ein wichtiger Baustein. Deswegen herzlichen Dank an alle, die ihn unterstützen.
Christel Schaldemose (S&D). – Fru Formand! Fru Kommissær! Vi har talt om det rigtig længe, som vi også lige har hørt. Faktisk næsten lige så længe, som jeg har været medlem af dette hus. Men nu sker det endelig: Vi får den her fælles oplader til vores elektroniske enheder, og det synes jeg godt, vi kan være stolte over. Jeg tror, vi allesammen har prøvet at stå i den meget frustrerende situation; Mobiltelefonen er løbet tør for strøm, og opladerstikket, vi har lånt, passer ikke. Eller når vi skal ud og rejse, og vi kæmper med at finde plads til vores opladere til mobiltelefoner, høretelefoner, kamera, laptops, tablets osv. En endeløs jungle af opladerstik og kabler. Det får vi nu gjort en ende på. Lightning eller USB B, eller hvad de forskellige opladerstik nu hedder, bliver erstattet af en enkelt opladertype i form af USB C. Og forbrugerne kommer selv til at kunne vælge, om de vil købe et nyt produkt med eller uden oplader. Livet bliver altså nemmere, og det er godt for miljøet, og det er godt for vores pengepung. En fælles oplader vil nemlig ikke bare reducere vores økologiske fodaftryk, det vil også spare forbrugerne penge. Mere konkret – det har vi allerede hørt tidligere i dag – vil vi reducere vores mængde af elektronisk affald med omkring 11 000 tons om året, mens forbrugerne samlet set vil spare i omegnen af 250 millioner euro årligt. Penge, der i stedet kan bruges til at udfylde andre huller i husholdningsbudgettet. Så lovgivningen, vi har her, er altså en win-win. De eneste, der taber på dette, er de grådige virksomheder, der alt for længe har fået lov til at kapitalisere på de mange forskellige opladere. Det slutter nu, Apple! Derfor vil jeg også gerne sige tak til vores ordfører Alex Saliba. Det er et fantastisk stykke arbejde, du har gjort, og jeg er overbevist om, at lovgivningen kommer til at tjene både miljøet og forbrugerne rigtig godt.
Dita Charanzová (Renew). – Madam President, we made it after many years of memorandums of understanding, after years of asking the Commission to act, we made it. The common charger is an example of the European Union making people’s lives easier: no more searching for the right cable, while also protecting the planet from unnecessary electronic waste. Consumers will have a choice: the choice to buy a new device with or without a charger. More consumer choice should always be our goal.
At the same time, our decision today should not prevent future innovation. USB-C is the most efficient form of charger today, but USB-D may come tomorrow, or a new wireless standard. European legislation needs to dynamically adapt and not stifle innovation, so the Commission must ensure that we amend this legislation as soon as technological developments merit it. This is good progress today, but let’s make sure it doesn’t hold us back in the future.
Kim Van Sparrentak (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, dear colleagues, Commissioner, finally, after more than 10 years of waiting for codes of conduct and goodwill of businesses, we are now setting a standard for a common charger in the EU. Today, finally, we are putting the interests of the environment and consumers above the interests of big tech companies through solid legislation. This achievement shows that we as the EU can set standards for a sustainable digital future. So why not make sure that the whole digital transition is sustainable from the start?
To my colleagues here and to the Commission: we do not have another 10 years to wait for voluntary agreements until we realise that we need clear environmental standards for electronic devices or, for example, data centres. We are in a climate crisis. We need to steer the digital transition to truly twin the green transition and make sure it doesn’t harm people, but benefits them and the environment from the start.
Angelo Ciocca (ID). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, ben venga uniformare i caricatori di batterie. Ben venga semplificare, uniformando, la vita dei nostri cittadini. Resta però un fatto: tredici anni è inaccettabile per il semplice connettore. Dobbiamo occuparci della spina, ma dobbiamo occuparci soprattutto dell'emergenza che il nostro paese, che la nostra Europa ha, che è il caro bollette.
Questo è il vero tema, altrimenti la gente oggi si interroga: ma la priorità dell'Europa è occuparsi del connettore? La priorità dell'Europa deve essere occuparsi del connettore, ma non dimenticando che non si può partire dal camino dimenticando le fondazioni. Quindi diventa fondamentale che l'Europa dia risposte concrete e immediate al dramma che vede il 57 % degli italiani che sono in difficoltà a pagare una bolletta elettrica.
Voi pensate che un fiorista stamattina mi ha girato una bolletta elettrica: da 383 EUR è diventata 1 200 EUR! Capite che qualsiasi famiglia, qualsiasi attività imprenditoriale è a rischio chiusura in questa situazione. Noi abbiamo 3 000 imprese in Italia a rischio chiusura e 3 milioni di posti di lavoro che rischiamo di perdere. Abbiamo un Nord Italia, che è la locomotiva del nostro paese, che rischia veramente di far cessare attività importanti imprenditoriali e presìdi importanti imprenditoriali, come questa di un fiorista, che dobbiamo in tutti i modi evitare.
Quindi ben venga l'attività che si è fatta inaccettabile in tredici anni. Non possiamo pensare di dare risposte al caro bollette e al caro energia in tredici anni alla nostra Europa e al nostro paese.
Adam Bielan (ECR). – Madam President, Madam Vice-President of the Commission, today is a historic day for consumers in the European Union. We will no longer need to experience hassle whether we forget our charger or upgrade our phone. The introduction of a common charger will not only lower costs, but also improve the safety and interoperability of chargers and reduce electronic waste. I welcome the outcome of the negotiations, which focuses on a particular list of consumer devices such as mobile phones and portable gaming devices, whilst avoiding hampering innovation and the development of new solutions for consumers.
While today we are celebrating the common wired charger, let us not forget about the future. I believe the Commission should only use its powers where market solutions cannot be delivered. It is key that we leave enough space for entrepreneurs to deliver new consumer technologies that will improve our digital experience beyond what is known today.
Anne-Sophie Pelletier (The Left). – Madame la Présidente, enfin: une décennie d’attente et de demandes récurrentes du Parlement européen, et nous y sommes! Je me réjouis de l’issue favorable des discussions sur ce dossier du chargeur universel, qui représente une avancée incontestable pour les consommateurs européens. D’ici deux ans, un chargeur universel de type USB-C sera donc obligatoire pour tous les téléphones portables, mais aussi – et là encore, merci à l’ambition du Parlement européen – pour de nombreux autres appareils.
Cela se fait dans l’intérêt des consommateurs, mais également de la planète. Dans notre système capitaliste, la consommation à outrance est encouragée, sans limite: 57 millions de tonnes de déchets électroniques en 2021, dont une large majorité n’est pas recyclée.
Pourtant, je pointe l’inaction de la puissance publique pendant trop longtemps, mais aussi la responsabilité des grandes entreprises – Apple et consorts –, sans scrupules, qui ne cessent d’émettre des obstacles à la réparation et à l’interopérabilité de ces produits, se faisant des milliards de dollars de chiffre d’affaires sur le dos des consommateurs.
La planète ne peut plus attendre, les consommateurs européens non plus. Espérons que les consommateurs ne seront plus les vaches à lait de ce système et que ce texte aura un réel impact sur les abus des entreprises.
Ivan Štefanec (PPE). – Vážená pani predsedajúca, význam digitalizácie neustále rastie a s tým aj význam zariadení, ktoré denne používame. Či už sú to mobily, notebooky, alebo reproduktory. Všetci ich poznáme a všetci poznáme aj nabíjacie zariadenia, ktorých je neúrekom. Tieto zariadenia musia slúžiť a uľahčovať život ľuďom. Preto je veľmi dôležitý tento návrh a som rád, že som stál pri zrode tejto iniciatívy. Je dôležité, aby digitálne zariadenia slúžili ľuďom, aby zjednodušovali život ľuďom pri ich používaní. Je dôležité, aby sme znižovali náklady, je dôležité, aby sme zlepšovali ochranu životného prostredia, a to všetko zabezpečuje tento návrh. Ako vieme, dokážeme tým ušetriť viac než 11 tisíc ton elektronického odpadu ročne. Je dobrou správou, že rozsah tohto nariadenia sa týka aj notebookov, čo bol od začiatku návrh Európskeho parlamentu. Je dobrou správou, že už o dva roky budeme mať zjednotenú nabíjačku na type USB-C, a je dobrou správou, že každých päť rokov sa bude technologický vývoj prehodnocovať. Jednotná koncovka neznamená obmedzenie bezdrôtového nabíjania. Jednoznačne bezdrôtové nabíjanie je celosvetový trend a pôjde to dopredu, ale zároveň je, samozrejme, nám všetkým jasné, že potreba káblového pripojenia tu ešte nejaký čas bude. Preto je tento návrh potrebný a kľúčový najmä pre uľahčenie práce s výpočtovou technikou, ušetrenie prostriedkov a, samozrejme, zlepšenie ochrany životného prostredia. Dámy a páni, som si istý, že práve týmto opatrením zadávame celosvetový trend. Ďakujem všetkým za podporu tejto iniciatívy.
Brando Benifei (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, finalmente presto il caricatore unico diventerà realtà non solo per i cellulari ma anche per i laptop, i lettori di e-book, gli auricolari, le telecamere e altri dispositivi, che non saremo più obbligati ad acquistare insieme al cavo, ritrovandoci poi con vari caricatori inutilizzati in casa diversi fra loro. Un miglioramento apparentemente piccolo nella vita quotidiana dei singoli consumatori, ma che porterà a un risparmio annuale di 250 milioni di EUR a livello europeo. È un passo grande dal punto di vista della sostenibilità.
Pensiamo che la riduzione dei rifiuti elettronici si stima intorno alle 1 000 tonnellate l'anno. Vorrei quindi complimentarmi con il relatore Alex Saliba per gli ottimi risultati ottenuti in tempi rapidissimi, segno che quando si hanno proposte chiare e concrete, anche in ambiti circoscritti, l'Europa è in grado di tenere testa alle grandi imprese e alle grandi compagnie per un obiettivo che ci deve unire, vale a dire migliorare la vita delle persone passo dopo passo.
Sandro Gozi (Renew). – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Vice-présidente Margrethe Vestager, cher rapporteur Agius Saliba, merci pour votre excellent travail. Enfin du bon sens, enfin de la cohérence, enfin une solution concrète! Voici la preuve que quand l’Union veut, elle peut.
Tout d’abord le chargeur commun est clairement un choix de bon sens: 84 % des consommateurs rencontrent des problèmes liés aux chargeurs de téléphone, et le coût de ce désordre et de cette confusion est énorme – pour ne pas parler des déchets électroniques, des 11 000 à 13 000 tonnes de déchets électroniques produites par an.
Ensuite, notre choix est un choix cohérent: cohérent avec notre volonté de créer un marché unique durable pour les consommateurs et les producteurs, cohérent avec notre stratégie d’économie circulaire, cohérent aussi avec notre volonté et notre effort d’affirmer une véritable liberté de choix pour les consommateurs. Nous rendons nos produits plus durables, nous encourageons la réutilisation, nous économisons les ressources et le CO2 tout en permettant l’innovation technologique, nous assurons plus de transparence et une meilleure information, et nous facilitons ainsi la vie des consommateurs.
Enfin, l’Europe que nous voulons, c’est cette Europe-là, une Europe de solutions concrètes, qui multiplie les possibilités pour tous les citoyens européens. Ces règles sur les chargeurs communs représentent une victoire claire pour nous tous.
Marcel Kolaja (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, Madam Executive Vice-President, please first allow me a reaction to Mr Ciocca. This is a debate about the common charger. I don’t think that anybody underestimates the impact of the energy crisis, but this is a debate on a different topic.
On that topic, the incomplete harmonisation of charging solutions for electronic devices has been causing inconvenience for consumers and excessive e—waste for many years. Different connectors in devices imply that users had to work with multiple cables for different electronic devices, and it also provided an opportunity for some manufacturers to limit choice and lock users into proprietary ecosystems of accessories and peripherals. Proprietary charging protocols have been used to limit the power on purpose and make devices charge with reduced speeds when connected to non—proprietary chargers.
Therefore our group welcomes the outcome of the trialogue, which will give more control and ownership to consumers over the products they purchase.
To ultimately have a common charger, however, full interoperability is also needed on the other side of the cable – the external power supply, and therefore we are looking forward to the revision of the Ecodesign Regulation.
Beata Mazurek (ECR). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Szanowni Państwo! Dzień ustanowienia uniwersalnej ładowarki do urządzeń elektronicznych takich jak smartphony, tablety, konsole do gier czy nawet laptopy to wyjątkowy dzień dla europejskich konsumentów i koniec wieloletniej debaty. Dziś wysyłamy jasny sygnał: koniec z uciążliwym zarządzaniem licznymi ładowarkami, które ostatecznie kończą jako odpady elektroniczne. Kluczową zaletą dla konsumenta będzie możliwość korzystania z jednej ładowarki do wielu urządzeń elektrycznych, czyli np. ładowania laptopa i telefonu tym samym zasilaczem. Kupując nowy sprzęt, będzie można wybrać opcję bez nowej ładowarki i korzystać z już posiadanej, wydłużając czas jej przydatności. Jest to znaczny krok w stronę zapewnienia komfortu użytkownikowi. Dotychczas przy wymianie sprzętu stara ładowarka okazywała się często bezużyteczna, co generowało niepotrzebne koszty dla kupującego i powodowało nadmierną produkcję elektrośmieci.
Mówiąc krótko, jedna uniwersalna ładowarka wielokrotnego użytku ułatwi nam wszystkim funkcjonowanie w coraz bardziej zcyfryzowanym świecie. Jednocześnie musimy bacznie obserwować reakcje rynku na wprowadzenie tej dyrektywy, szczególnie w kontekście ceny i ewentualnej próby przerzucenia części kosztów na konsumentów spowodowanej utratą przychodów przez producentów ładowarek.
Chris MacManus (The Left). – Madam Chair, like probably all of us, I too warmly welcome this agreement. It is important that consumer rights and environmental considerations trump commercial interests at least some of the time.
There could be no justification for one company to insist on a different charger for its devices. That situation simply costs consumers money and led to unnecessary electronic waste. This standardisation is expected to save consumers in the region of a quarter of billion euros, which would be welcome news to many feeling the impacts of the current cost of living crisis.
It is not revolutionary, just plain common sense. Anything that protects consumers, the environment and saves money is always welcome. More of this, please, Brussels.
I commend the work of the European Parliament in widening the scope so that eventually laptops, e-readers, earphones, keyboards and a multitude of other electronic devices will work off a single common charger. We may have to come back here to tackle the issue of unbundling and wireless charging, but this is still a good day for consumers and the environment.
Deirdre Clune (PPE). – Madam President, a common charger for portable electronic products is a good news story. Why? Because it is a practical intervention by the European Union that empowers consumers while also doing something positive for the environment by reducing electronic waste and indeed the pressure on scarce sustainable resources.
Having so many different types of chargers for our various devices is, as we know, very frustrating for consumers and it isn’t good for the environment. Consumers are always at the end of the line. They have felt frustration. Now today is a positive moment for them, where they can know they can have one single charger for frequently used small and medium portable electronic devices. Charging speeds will be harmonised for devices that support fast charging, and buyers can choose whether to purchase new devices with or without a charging device.
So it’s an important development. It’s been 10 years in the making and I thank all those who have brought us to this point. It’s also an important element for our single market. The objectives of this directive would not be achieved if Member States were acting alone. That would lead to different requirements in each Member State, again making it frustrating for our consumers, but now the barriers in the single market are being reduced – administrative barriers for manufacturers, which of course will help the competitiveness of European industries. But most importantly, today is a very good day for the consumers, for European consumers, who know that they need one charger for all those small portable electronic devices.
Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, durante mais de dez anos ouvimos argumentos sobre os perigos que um carregador comum representaria para a inovação. Este é um preconceito frequente, mas raramente mais do que isso.
A inovação que nos interessa é aquela que melhora a qualidade de vida das pessoas e que respeita os limites do nosso planeta. Carregadores diferentes apenas nos trouxeram toneladas de lixo eletrónico, impedindo que pudéssemos usar os nossos carregadores antigos ou pedir emprestado a um amigo e enchendo as nossas gavetas de cabos inúteis, como o Alex mostrou hoje aqui.
Ficou mais do que demonstrado que a indústria nunca criaria um carregador comum sozinha e que a inovação deve ser guiada, como hoje aqui fizemos, na direção que beneficia as pessoas e o ambiente. A partir de 2024, teremos a inovação que precisamos, atualizando o carregador sempre que houver soluções mais rápidas ou mais eficientes de um ponto de vista energético.
O Parlamento pode assim, hoje, orgulhar-se de nos ter livrado da selva dos cabos em que vivíamos.
Jordi Cañas (Renew). – Señora presidenta, señora vicepresidenta, señor ponente, Europa, sin duda, avanza en las grandes crisis, pero también en las pequeñas cosas. Y esta es una pequeña cosa que va a facilitar la vida de nuestros ciudadanos de una forma extraordinaria y que da sentido, a veces, a lo que hacemos en este Parlamento. Y lo hace por varios motivos: en primer lugar, porque consigue, es evidente, menos cables, menos desechos, menos costes, menos residuos. Consigue más ahorro, más claridad, más información, más opciones y más protección del medio ambiente. Pero, sobre todo, porque lanza una señal en el sentido de que este Parlamento pone a los ciudadanos en el centro de sus debates, porque este Parlamento es ambicioso y no cede ante las presiones de los lobbies, terribles y muy potentes, y porque avanzamos imponiendo normas a escala mundial que no solo articulan nuestro mercado interior sino que lanzan señales al conjunto del planeta.
Creo que eso da pleno sentido a una labor legislativa. Diez años es demasiado tiempo, y eso también evidencia que la autorregulación no es suficiente, que no funciona y que este Parlamento y la Comisión tienen que ir de la mano para ser siempre más ambiciosos y recortar los tiempos porque diez años de esa maraña de cables que veo que el ponente tiene encima de la mesa significan mucha pérdida de tiempo, de recursos y de dinero, y mucha ineficiencia.
Por lo tanto, felicidades al ponente por su extraordinario trabajo y porque ese trabajo da sentido a este Parlamento. Porque cuando ponemos a los ciudadanos en el centro y trabajamos juntos, somos imparables.
Thomas Waitz (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, Commissioner, we all know the cable spaghetti creeping through our bags. While they are very often consisting of a lot of different chargers, this is not just a waste of money, it’s also a waste of raw materials and it’s creating piles of electronic waste.
We tried to actually regulate that much earlier already in 2009. But whenever we try to regulate something, we see industry coming up with, ‘okay, we understand, let’s have some voluntary measurements’. Well, most of the time voluntary measurements just don’t work because it’s the business of businesses to earn money and not to have good, let’s say, environmental friendly and consumer friendly product designs. So, let’s not be naive, by regulating now common chargers across the European Union, we’re serving the climate, we’re serving consumers, and we are ending the differences of chargers. So we’re putting in place common chargers until the end of 2024, for laptops – and thank you for that compromise – until 2026. Here's industry. This is the European Parliament. We stand on the side of consumers.
Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR). – Voorzitter, eindelijk is de kogel door de kerk! Er komt duidelijke wetgeving voor een universele oplader. Daar hebben we inderdaad heel lang op moeten wachten. De Commissie heeft er echt heel lang over gedaan om invulling te geven aan de wens van het Europees Parlement. Ik denk bij voorbeeld heel concreet aan het amendement van collega Manders uit 2009.
Zeker ook een deel van het bedrijfsleven was vanwege eigenbelang aanvankelijk geen voorstander. We moeten echter vaststellen dat de vrijwillige initiatieven niet tot het gewenste resultaat hebben geleid.
Met de standaardisering van de oplader zorgen we voor gebruiksgemak voor de consument, verminderen we het elektronisch afval en pakken we de marktversnippering aan in de Europese Unie. Daarom is het zo belangrijk dat we als Europees Parlement vandaag ja zeggen tegen de uitkomst van de trialoog. Voor een goede werking van de interne markt zijn gelijke standaarden van groot belang. Hier ligt een belangrijke meerwaarde voor Europese samenwerking, en de richtlijn voor een universele oplader voor elektronische apparaten is daar een heel mooi voorbeeld van!
Krzysztof Hetman (PPE). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Szanowne Koleżanki i Koledzy! 250 milionów euro rocznie oszczędności dla konsumentów, 11 tysięcy ton mniej elektroodpadów dla środowiska. Takie właśnie realne, konkretne korzyści przyniesie wprowadzenie przepisów dotyczących uniwersalnej ładowarki. Uniwersalna ładowarka oznacza również wygodę, gdyż dzięki niej Europejczycy będą mogli pozbyć się z domowych szuflad poplątanych kabli, z których trudno wyłowić ten właściwy. Uniwersalna ładowarka to również wybór, gdyż to do konsumenta będzie należała decyzja, czy kupić nowe urządzenie elektroniczne z ładowarką, czy też bez ładowarki.
Cieszę się także, że z uwagi na fakt, że rozwiązania technologiczne są powszechnie dostępne już jesienią 2024 roku europejscy konsumenci będą mogli ładować swoje nowe zakupione telefony komórkowe, aparaty, tablety, słuchawki i wiele innych urządzeń poprzez jeden uniwersalny port USB-C, niezależnie od marki urządzenia. Co również ważne, ładowanie to będzie odbywało się z taką samą prędkością za pomocą dowolnej kompatybilnej ładowarki. Nie ukrywam, że jestem zawsze szczególnie dumny, gdy na tej sali proponujemy rozwiązania, które w namacalny konkretny sposób ułatwiają życie codzienne Europejczyków, tak jak ma to miejsce w przypadku tej dyrektywy. Należą się wielkie podziękowania i wielkie gratulacje dla wszystkich, którzy przy tym pracowali, zaczynając od sprawozdawcy, przez wszystkich posłów oraz pracowników Komisji Europejskiej.
René Repasi (S&D). – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Vizepräsidentin der Kommission, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, lieber Alex! Der deutsche Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz hat in seiner Prager Rede das Folgende gesagt: Wenn wir über die Versorgung mit Rohstoffen reden, dann denken wir vor allem an die Herkunftsländer weit weg von Europa. Rohstoffe sind längst hier in Europa, und zwar in Kabeln und in Steckern, wie sie hier beim Kollegen Alex auf dem Tisch stehen. Wir brauchen, so sagte Bundeskanzler Scholz, eine echte europäische Kreislaufwirtschaft. Er sprach von einem strategischen Update des Binnenmarktes.
Genau darum geht es hier beim einheitlichen Ladegerät. Geben wir all diese überflüssigen Kabel weg zum Recycling, sodass sie als wertvolle Rohstoffe zurück in den Binnenmarkt kommen! Das zeigt, wie gute Politik für unseren Binnenmarkt funktioniert: kein falsch verstandener Wettbewerb, der alles dem Markt überlässt, sondern klare Leitplanken einziehen. Wir brauchen einheitliche Standards und Regeln für alle, die nachhaltig sind, weil konsequent auf das Recycling notwendiger Rohstoffe ausgerichtet.
Vlad-Marius Botoş (Renew). – Doamna vicepreședintă executivă, stimați colegi, domnule raportor Saliba, încărcătoarele comune au devenit de mult o necesitate, nu doar o dorință a consumatorilor. Am ajuns cu toții să avem acasă o mulțime de cabluri, fiecare cu alt tip de mufă pentru fiecare aparat în parte. Sau să avem nevoie la birou de un încărcător și să nu găsim niciunul care să se potrivească.
Discuțiile pro și contra durează deja de mai bine de 10 ani și chiar dacă nu toată lumea este de acord cu aceste încărcătoare unice, piața merge deja în această direcție, aproximativ 40 % din aparatele vândute în piața unică europeană având același tip de încărcător.
În această legislație s-a acordat prioritate intereselor consumatorului, fără a fi eliminată posibilitatea de inovare în acest domeniu. Va fi totuși nevoie să urmărim în permanență piața, pentru ca standardele europene să țină pasul cu inovația în domeniu. Sunt convins că un dialog permanent poate fi păstrat între Comisia Europeană, între agențiile responsabile și producători, așa încât inovarea, cât și interesele consumatorului să poată fi respectate.
Acesta este unul dintre acele dosare tehnice care are un impact benefic major pentru fiecare consumator, iar fiecare înțelege ceea ce am făcut noi astăzi și ceea ce vom vota în această săptămână. De aceea, este nevoie să sprijinim această modificare a Directivei privind echipamentele radio și totodată să urmărim în permanență actualizarea ei.
Sara Matthieu (Verts/ALE). – Voorzitter, tien jaar hebben we getimmerd aan de weg, maar nu is het zover! Eindelijk voeren we een universele lader in voor onder meer smartphones, laptops, e-readers enzovoort. Eindelijk is het gedaan met die kasten boordevol laders.
Dat is een driedubbele win, want het is goedkoper voor de consument, het is makkelijker en we verkleinen er ook de gigantische berg aan elektronisch afval mee. Alleen al voor smartphones, voor laptops, voor speakers besparen we zo een half miljard laders. Dat is meer dan 13 000 ton!
Maar collega’s, laat ons hier niet stoppen, want er zijn nog heel veel besparingen die we kunnen realiseren voor mens en planeet. Laat ons daarom maximaal inzetten op de nieuwe wetgeving inzake ecologisch ontwerp rond circulariteit en het recht op reparatie. Want dat is goed voor de consument, goed voor de planeet en goed voor onze economie!
Tomislav Sokol (PPE). – Poštovana predsjedavajuća, povjerenice, izvjestitelju, kolegice i kolege, put do uvođenja jedinstvenog punjača nije bio lak i jednostavan.
Dugo su nas proizvođači mobilnih telefona uvjeravali da će se problem s gomilanjem punjača riješiti dobrovoljno različitim neobvezujućim mehanizmima. Dobro se sjećam kad sam krajem 2019. kao jedan od inicijatora radio na rezoluciju o jedinstvenom punjaču. Nisu svi tada vjerovali da ćemo uspjeti uvesti jedinstveni punjač jer je lobiranje tehnoloških divova uistinu bilo do tada neviđeno. Zadovoljstvo mi je stoga što danas s plenarne govornice mogu ponosno reći da smo ostvarili jednu od najvećih pobjeda za potrošače i okoliš, da će jedinstveni punjač, od 2024. godine postati stvarnost. USB-c tako će uskoro biti standardni utor za sve pametne telefone, tablete, kamere, slušalice i drugu elektroničku opremu. Što je najvažnije, potrošači će imati priliku kupiti mobilne uređaje bez punjača koje u pravilu drže nagomilane u svojim ladicama, čime im dajemo mogućnost izbora.
Treba reći i to da će uvođenje jedinstvenog punjača, uz praktične i financijske koristi za potrošača, donijeti i one ekološke. Procjenjuje se da će se smanjenjem proizvodnje i odlaganja novih punjača količina elektroničkog otpada smanjiti za gotovo 1000 tona godišnje, čime pokazujemo odgovorno postupanje prema okolišu.
Ova inicijativa o uvođenju jedinstvenog punjača pokazala je i dokazala da je Europski parlament predan zaštiti interesa naših građana.
Adriana Maldonado López (S&D). – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, señor ponente del informe —estimado señor Agius Saliba—, hoy es un día importante en la Unión Europea. Se aprueba por fin un texto en el que vienen trabajando las diferentes instituciones europeas desde el año 2009. Pero coincidirán conmigo en que llega tarde: desde el año 2009... Más de trece años para aprobar esta Directiva sobre el cargador común europeo; yo suelo comparar este proceso con el del roaming.
Creo que Europa ha decidido ser valiente. Creo que tenemos que afrontar este tema que, sin duda alguna, los ciudadanos europeos ven reflejado en su día a día. Según los últimos Eurobarómetros, el 95 % de los ciudadanos europeos consideran que este cargador común es algo positivo para la integración europea y para nuestro mercado único.
Por eso, este texto contempla dos aspectos muy importantes: está englobado en la economía circular de la Unión Europea, por lo tanto, en esa ambición ciudadana que tenemos de seguir transformando nuestro planeta hacia un modelo mucho más verde; pero, sobre todo, también le planta cara al sector. No podemos seguir permitiendo que los ciudadanos europeos paguen por adquirir cargadores que ya tienen en su casa cuando compran un nuevo dispositivo.
Por lo tanto, Europa es valiente, estamos siendo valientes. Espero que también ahora, a partir del año 2026, la Comisión, tal como se ha comprometido en el texto, sea capaz de tener en cuenta también los cargadores inalámbricos, otro aspecto importante.
Engin Eroglu (Renew). – Frau Präsidentin, sehr geehrte Frau Kommissarin Vestager, sehr geehrte Kolleginnen und Kollegen, sehr geehrte Zuschauerinnen und Zuschauer, liebe Zuschauerinnen und Zuschauer auch an den Fernsehern zu Hause! Wir legen heute den USB-C-Standard fest als Ladekabel nicht nur für Smartphones, sondern auch für weitere Geräte wie zum Beispiel Tablets und E-Reader-Geräte.
Das ist eine Kleinigkeit, aber mit sehr, sehr großen Auswirkungen: über 100 Millionen EUR, die nicht mehr unnütz konsumiert werden, über 100 000 Müll, die nicht mehr hergestellt werden müssen, um die Umwelt zu schonen, aber auch eine Effizienz für die Wirtschaft, die das hergibt, die die Preise für die Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher senken wird.
Ich freue mich sehr, dass wir das hier als Parlament schaffen. Und ich freue mich auch sehr, dass wir das in so kurzer Zeit mit der neuen Mehrheit in Kommission und Parlament hinbekommen, und die zehn Jahre, die hier von vielen Kollegen in den Raum gestellt werden – man muss sagen, manchmal brauchen auch gute Dinge eine politische Mehrheit. Diese politische Mehrheit für mehr Realpolitik in diesem Parlament haben wir jetzt. Und, Frau Kommissarin, lassen Sie uns mit dieser Mehrheit weiter das Leben der Menschen in der Europäischen Union verbessern.
David Cormand (Verts/ALE). – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, chers amis, on est tous très contents de faire notre minute pour dire qu’on a remporté une grande victoire avec cette histoire de chargeur – il aura quand même fallu douze ans, mais bravo, félicitations!
Ce que je voudrais dire, c’est que ce chargeur ne doit pas être l’arbre qui cache la forêt du désastre écologique potentiel du modèle économique du numérique tel qu’il est conçu aujourd’hui. Nous allons devoir, dans les semaines et les mois qui viennent, concevoir un numérique durable, ce qui aujourd’hui n’est pas le cas. L’exemple du fil de chargeur, c’est une toute petite partie visible de l’iceberg. Sous cette partie visible, il y a l’énormité de l’invisible, de ce que ce numérique, aujourd’hui, menace vis-à-vis de l’environnement, mais aussi du droit du travail et de nos libertés fondamentales.
Je forme le vœu que l’Union européenne soit novatrice pour concevoir un modèle économique du numérique qui préserve l’environnement – et, de grâce, ne mettons pas quinze ans encore pour résoudre ce problème, nous n’avons plus le temps d’attendre aussi longtemps!
Antonius Manders (PPE). – Voorzitter, mevrouw de vicevoorzitter van de Europese Commissie, toen ik in 2009 dit voorstel deed – wat toen niet echt serieus werd genomen door mijn collega’s –, toen kon ik niet bevroeden dat alle radiostations in 2022 hiermee zouden openen in de Europese Unie. Kennelijk is het een van de meest belangrijke wapenfeiten van de Europese Unie van de laatste vijftig jaar, want ik kan me niet voorstellen dat radiostations daar anders mee openen. Eindelijk is hij er, in 2022, – in ieder geval het besluit voor – de universele lader, en pas over een aantal jaren wordt hij ingevoerd.
Waarom moet alles zo lang duren? Waarom duurt het zo lang? Dan stel ik me een aantal vragen, eigenlijk twee. Wetgeving is één. Handhaving is twee, controle. Hebben de multinationals te veel invloed, te veel macht, of heeft de Europese Commissie te weinig macht? Want dit had in 2011, toen het in het kader van de trialoog unaniem werd aangenomen, allang een vaststaand feit moeten zijn. Maar een tweede belangrijke les die ik hieruit trek, is: wij als Europa moeten ons veel meer bezighouden met onderwerpen die de burgers aangaan, die zij herkennen, die zij begrijpen. Anders zou er niet op alle radiostations vanmorgen mee geopend zijn. De grondstoffen in Europa houden is belangrijk.
And, for you. Commissioner, on the battery regulation, I introduce a raw material loop – a ban on the export of waste batteries – but that’s rejected by the ENVI Committee. I cannot understand that. So let’s have a debate afterwards.
Maria Grapini (S&D). – Doamna comisară, doamna președintă, stimați colegi, cetățenii așteaptă lucruri concrete și iată, astăzi putem să demonstrăm că împreună, Parlamentul, Comisia și Consiliul, putem să oferim cetățenilor ceva concret, și anume economisire. Cetățenii s-au bucurat enorm și cred că toți știți, atunci când roamingul a fost introdus, a fost pur și simplu o euforie, pentru că cetățeanul a simțit că are ceva concret. Așa se întâmplă și cu acest încărcător.
Sigur, s-a spus, aici se face economie la deșeuri, se fac economii la bani, dar eu, în calitate de vicepreședintă pentru piața internă, mă gândesc, doamna comisară, la cetățean. Nu mai trebuie să cumpere șapte, opt încărcătoare. Uitați, eu astăzi mi-am uitat încărcătorul acasă și trebuie să întreb nu știu câți colegi, să văd ce încărcător are, să se potrivească la telefonul meu.
Sigur, e un lucru bun, dar vreau să atrag atenția, doamna comisară, să nu uităm să urmărim această directivă: retehnologizarea continuă, digitalizarea - le avem în program; să facem o completare a acestei directive astfel încât să fim pas în pas ... și să nu uităm că viteza de decizie trebuie mărită. De peste 10 ani vorbim despre această modificare de directivă și, iată, în sfârșit s-a întâmplat, dar trebuie să ne mărim viteza de decizie și trebuie să transmitem cetățeanului concret ce facem noi pentru consumatori, nu numai protecția privind calitatea, dar și protecția privind banii pe care îi cheltuie un cetățean. Succes și felicitări raportorului și întregii echipe pentru acest succes. Sunt convinsă că se va vota.
Hilde Vautmans (Renew). – Voorzitter, mevrouw de commissaris, eindelijk zou ik zeggen! Eindelijk, na onze eerste oproep in 2020 geven wij hier vandaag groen licht aan die noodzakelijke universele lader.
Wij weten allemaal en jullie hebben het allemaal gezegd: het is goed voor de consument, goed voor de portemonnee van de consument en goed voor ons milieu. Gedaan met lades vol kabels. En als je er dan een zoekt, dan vind je nooit de juiste. Je hebt ze daar allemaal liggen, je steekt ze nog maar eens in de lucht, want het is toch echt wel een kluwen van laders waar we nu eindelijk komaf mee maken! Dat is broodnodig, want weet u dat er in het eerste kwartaal van dit jaar maar liefst 311 miljoen smartphones verkocht zijn, elk met een eigen lader? Dat zal nu gedaan zijn. De consument zal kunnen beslissen: ja, ik koop een kabel, of neen, ik koop geen kabel. Bovendien, het voordeel voor het milieu is toch wel enorm. Ik denk dat Sara het ook al gezegd heeft: 13 000 ton elektronisch afval van ongebruikte kabels dat we eigenlijk kunnen vermijden.
Alleen moet dit mij van het hart: voor mij gaat het te traag. Het gaat in vanaf 2024. Voor mij mag het vandaag al ingaan. Ik denk dat een andere collega de vraag al heeft gesteld: ligt het aan te veel macht van de industrie of te weinig macht van Europa? Ik kan alleen maar zeggen, mevrouw de commissaris, probeer toch nog te pushen, zodat het sneller zal doorgaan en zodat wij heel snel die broodnodige universele lader in onze kast hebben liggen!
Malte Gallée (Verts/ALE). – Frau Präsidentin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Als die die Idee von einem einheitlichen Ladekabel vor über zehn Jahren zum ersten Mal kam, da haben viele gelacht. Heute beschließen wir genau das, und das ist ein Riesenerfolg, weil wir zeigen: Wer zuletzt lacht, ist die, die das Gesetz macht.
Die EU setzt die Interessen der Bürgerinnen und Bürger durch gegen die Marktmacht der Tech-Giganten mit Gesetzen, die den Geldbeutel und die Umwelt schonen. Das ist ein Fortschritt, weil wir Millionen von Ladekabeln einsparen. Aber nicht nur das: Wir sorgen dafür, dass jedes funktionierende Handy, jede Kamera auch in 15 oder 20 Jahren noch nutzbar ist und nicht nur wegen eines verlorenen Kabels zu Müll wird.
Mit diesem Gesetz retten wir Geräte vor dem Tod auf der Müllkippe und kommen einen riesigen Schritt näher hin zu einer Kreislaufwirtschaft, die die Ressourcen verantwortungsvoll nutzt und irgendwann keinen Müll mehr produziert und die die Menschen vor Profite stellt.
Maria Walsh (PPE). – Madam President, the micro—USB charger was a major EU success story and it reduced the number of incompatible chargers in the market from 30 to 3. We’ve heard this this morning. This was essential in reducing electronic waste and making life easier for our citizens, our consumers. However, the move towards a common charger is still incomplete.
This directive will ensure that USB-C chargers must be the same for everything from phones to video game consoles and gadgets by 2024. Most importantly, it will be applicable to all manufacturers, including Apple. This directive underlines the EU’s commitment to sustainability by reducing annual electronic waste by approximately 11 000 tonnes. This is a direct request from citizens in the Conference on the Future of Europe in the area of reducing consumption. We are here and we are listening. It will make everyday life easier for consumers and is a concrete example of a practical and positive change that our environment so desperately needs. Congratulations, Alex, and to your team.
Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (S&D). – Madam President, Commissioner and rapporteur, I’m very proud of you all. Societies are digitalising and we do need to take many, many concrete steps to make it fair and sustainable. A universal charger of USB-C standard is a very good step that we are taking now after ten years of lobbying and making the world to see what the MEPs wanted. This is a part of the broader action to address sustainability of the electronic products and reduce e-waste.
Now the consumers thinks ‘is it finally’; unfortunately, two more years to wait to see it in the stores and shops. That is the deadline and Parliament succeeded to add laptops, and that will take place in 2026 under the scope. Altogether, six added products here was very, very good work from the rapporteur and from the Parliament. So now it is altogether 14 categories of products that need to use this common charger now decided.
Do industry need any rules? I think the speed limitation was the most brutal one, that you didn’t get the right one if you didn’t do it. So stupid piles of chargers and wasting the resources is why we needed this one. The next steps: I get a lot of complaints that there is no common EV payment systems, so let’s think about how to make consumers life better.
Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE). – Senhora Presidente, Senhora Comissária, temos carregador! Um carregador universal para os telemóveis e todos os dispositivos eletrónicos de pequena e média dimensão. Tablets, câmaras digitais, consolas de jogos, auscultadores e altifalantes portáteis, ratos, teclados sem fios e sistemas de navegação.
Parece simples, mas há mais de dez anos que o Parlamento Europeu e, em particular, a Comissão IMCO (Mercado Interno e de Proteção dos Consumidores) insistiam junto da Comissão Europeia e dos operadores de mercado para que fosse dado este passo.
Atingimos os objetivos. Com isso, ganham os consumidores que poupam dinheiro e veem as suas vidas facilitadas. Com esta redução do volume de resíduos eletrónicos, ganha também o ambiente, e este é um bom exemplo do papel regulador da União Europeia. Sem a nossa ação, esta fragmentação de mercado e este desperdício sem sentido continuariam a existir.
Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE). – Paní předsedající, paní komisařko, dámy a pánové, téma nabíječek za tu dobu osmi let, co jsem v Evropském parlamentu, tady už řešíme poněkolikáté. Já si myslím, že je potřeba to téma už jednou konečně uzavřít. Na hranicích EU zuří válka. Ceny energií v Evropské unii rostou a já si myslím, že máme určitě důležitější věci než opětovné povídání si o jednotném kabelu, který bude sloužit k nabíjení našich telefonů. Občané EU na nás spoléhají a ptají se, jakým způsobem jim pomůžeme řešit situace, které v současné době řeší. A já si myslím, že je potřeba v tuto chvíli už tu debatu uzavřít, jednotnou nabíječku definitivně schválit a jít od tématu. Dámy a pánové, prosím vás, pojďme se věnovat důležitějším problémům.
Procedura "catch the eye"
Gabriel Mato (PPE). – Señora presidenta, señora vicepresidenta, creo que hoy es un día en el que los ciudadanos europeos van a creer un poco más en nosotros. Van a comprobar que nuestras decisiones, que muchas veces consideran alejadas, les afectan muy directamente en su día a día.
Estamos hablando de la llegada del cargador único y universal para todos los móviles, algo impensable hace no mucho tiempo. Después de tantos años en los que hemos tenido que buscar distintos cargadores para distintos móviles y aparatos, por fin vamos a ver que un solo cargador servirá para cualquier teléfono móvil, pero también lo será para las tabletas, para las cámaras de fotos, auriculares, consolas, portátiles y otros dispositivos.
No hablamos solo de reducir residuos ni de abaratar costes. Por encima de todo, se beneficia a todos los ciudadanos, que podrán comprar sus teléfonos con o sin cargador y no tendrán que llevar distintos cargadores. Además, se va a hacer en un tiempo razonable. En nueve meses estará en vigor para la mayoría de los dispositivos.
Esta medida demuestra, una vez más, que desde el Parlamento contribuimos a un mayor bienestar de los europeos y seguimos apostando por las nuevas tecnologías. Y ese es un camino que no debemos abandonar. ¡Enhorabuena!
Μαρία Σπυράκη (PPE). – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, Αντιπρόεδρε Vestager, στην πολιτική η πρόοδος μπορεί να αντικατοπτρίζεται σε κρίσιμες αλλαγές στη ζωή των πολιτών μας, και σήμερα η καθιέρωση του ενιαίου φορτιστή για το κινητό, τους υπολογιστές, τις μηχανές παιχνιδιών, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των συσκευών της Apple από το 2024, είναι ένα σημαντικό βήμα προς την παραγωγή βιώσιμων προϊόντων ως κανόνα και όχι ως ενδιαφέρουσες εξαιρέσεις. Χρειάστηκε περισσότερο από μια δεκαετία για να έχουμε τη σημερινή σημαντική επιτυχία. Καταλαβαίνετε όμως όλοι εδώ στην αίθουσα, και σίγουρα οι καταναλωτές που μας βλέπουν, οι πολίτες που μας βλέπουν, ότι πλέον δεν έχουμε καιρό ούτε με όρους περιβαλλοντικούς ούτε με όρους οικονομικούς. Ο κανονισμός για τα βιώσιμα προϊόντα, τον οποίο έχω την τιμή να εισηγούμαι εκ μέρους της Επιτροπής Βιομηχανίας, Έρευνας και Ενέργειας, δημιουργεί το πεδίο για την παραγωγή και την πώληση κυρίως βιώσιμων προϊόντων που θα επισκευάζονται, θα επαναχρησιμοποιούνται και θα ανακυκλώνονται. Με τη σημερινή απόφαση για τον ενιαίο φορτιστή αντιμετωπίζουμε και τους 11.000 τόνους των ηλεκτρονικών απορριμμάτων που παράγουν οι διαφορετικοί φορτιστές. Το μέλλον είναι βιώσιμο, αρκεί να μη χρειαστούμε άλλα 15 χρόνια για να φτάσουμε εκεί.
Marc Tarabella (S&D). – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, chers collègues, il aura fallu une dizaine d’années, mais enfin nous y sommes arrivés, enfin un chargeur universel! Alors ne boudons pas notre plaisir dans la grisaille ambiante. J’ai la même sensation qu’il y a cinq ans, lorsque nous avions fait disparaître le roaming – les frais d’itinérance téléphonique – et par conséquent fait baisser les factures téléphoniques.
Notre rôle dans ces deux cas aura été de défendre l’intérêt des droits des consommateurs européens. Mais il s’agit aussi, ici, d’une victoire environnementale. En effet, il se vend 54 téléphones mobiles par seconde dans le monde, c’est-à-dire 1,7 milliard par an, et donc tout autant de chargeurs. Il est facile d’imaginer les milliers de tonnes de déchets générées par ces appareils. Nous avons d’ailleurs tous à la maison un tiroir rempli de chargeurs dont on ne sait que faire. Chaleureuses félicitations aux négociateurs, et notamment à notre collègue Alex Agius Saliba, pour cette belle victoire.
Mick Wallace (The Left). – Madam President, this is a very positive development and it has caught people’s attention. People understand it will save them money and reduce clutter in their homes. They also appreciate that electronic waste is a massive problem and it does urgently need to be tackled. People have also welcomed the common charger proposal because they are tired of consumerism. They are tired of consumerism in general, and in particular tired of the kind of pointless, unnecessary and utterly destructive consumerism that means the EU vastly exceeds its own planetary boundaries still.
This is a first step. We also urgently need a legally binding right to repair, and legislative measures to halve food waste by 2030. The Parliament’s report on the EU’s circular economy action plan called on the Commission to propose targets to significantly reduce the EU’s material and consumption footprints by 2030 and bring them within planetary boundaries by 2050. This was a radical demand, but when will the Commission act?
(Fine della procedura "catch the eye")
Margrethe Vestager,Executive Vice-President of the Commission. – Madam President, I want to thank you all for this debate. Of course we’ve been tossing a bit around in the situation that Europe is in: war on our doorstep, an energy crisis that is deepening the worries of families – can we pay our bills? – the cost of living crisis, the ongoing climate emergency. But I think this debate shows that it is the Parliament that is insisting to be on the side of citizens and to challenge also the corporate citizen to do the right thing. And in that respect, I see this as a token. And not only as a simple one, but something that will make real change in people’s lives.
And I think it’s a very important beginning of making everything digital sustainable in the broadest possible sense of it. We will only fight climate change with the use of digital, but it only makes sense if everything digital becomes green as well. And the step taken today is a big step in the right direction because it shows that it’s doable and it’s also part of building that recycling industry that is so crucial for circularity. It has been a really big pleasure to be here today. I congratulate the Parliament on this important step. Thank you very much to everyone involved.
Alex Agius Saliba,Rapporteur – Naħseb dan id-dibattitu wera kemm dan huwa parlament illi huwa perseveranti li baqa' jiġġieled matul dawn l-aħħar għaxar snin biex dak illi nemmnu fih – u naħseb l-iktar punt illi ħareġ b'saħħtu llum, it-twemmin illi dan il-parlament għandu fid-drittijiet tal-konsumaturi, fid-drittijiet taċ-ċittadini tagħna li jingħataw deal aħjar meta jixtru l-prodotti diġitali tagħhom – fl-aħħar mill-aħħar wassal għal riżultat tanġibbli.
Riżultat tanġibbli illi, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, ħa jkun qiegħed jinħass mill-konsumaturi tagħna. U l-Parlament Ewropew, u anki fin-negozjati illi kellna – barra illi għalkemm konna ilna għaxar snin niddiskutu dan il-prinċipju, fuq bażi ta' Parlament Ewropew u fuq bażi ta' ħidma tal-Kumitat għas-Suq Intern – irnexxielna f'sitt ġimgħat biss ta' negozjati mal-Kummissjoni u anki mal-Presidenza Franċiża, nilħqu qbil.
U nilħqu qbil ferm u ferm aktar ambizzjuż mill-proposta wkoll oriġinali tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea fejn irnexxielna nirduppjaw il-lista ta' prodotti elettroniċi ta' daqs żgħir u medju illi ser ikunu qegħdin jiġu affettwati minn dan iċ-ċarġer komuni. Irnexxielna ndaħħlu wkoll prodotti bħal-laptops illi fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ser ikunu qegħdin iġibu rivoluzzjoni fil-ħajja tan-nies.
Irnexxielna, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ukoll, inħarsu 'l quddiem għal teknoloġiji li diġà qegħdin magħna imma, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, ħa jkunu aktar predominanti fejn jidħol is-suq taċ-ċarġers bħall-wireless charging.
Dan, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, kif diġà għidna, għalkemm illum il-ġurnata lkoll kemm aħna qegħdin nitkellmu fuq din il-kriżi ekonomika u soċjali li qegħdin naffaċċjaw minħabba l-gwerra illi għaddejja fl-Ukrajna u r-riperkussjonijiet li qegħdin iħossu n-nies tagħna, però, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, proposta tanġibbli bħal din ħa tkun qiegħda tħalli wkoll impatt pożittiv fil-bwiet tal-konsumaturi tagħna – kwart ta' biljun euro fis-sena li ser jibqgħu fil-bwiet tal-konsumaturi tagħna u allura kwalità ta' ħajja aħjar għall-konsumaturi.
Imma fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ukoll, kwalità aħjar għall-ambjent tagħna, għas-sostenibilità ambjentali tagħna bi ħdax-il elf tunnellata ta' skart elettroniku inqas iġġenerat minn dawn iċ-ċarġers żejda. Grazzi ħafna illi llum tkellimna b'vuċi waħda favur il-konsumaturi Ewropej.
Presidente. – Grazie all'onorevole Saliba. Voglio anch'io unirmi alle congratulazioni al relatore, a chi ha lavorato, alle colleghe e ai colleghi che sono intervenuti in questa bella discussione. Fatemi dire che è davvero bello vedere questo Parlamento così impegnato concretamente a risolvere le questioni che riguardano la vita dei cittadini.
La discussione è chiusa.
La votazione si svolgerà martedì 4 ottobre 2022.
Dichiarazioni scritte (articolo 171)
Leszek Miller (S&D), na piśmie. – W Unii Europejskiej każdego roku sprzedaje się kilkaset milionów telefonów komórkowych i innych przenośnych urządzeń elektronicznych. Liczba ta stopniowo rośnie wraz z rozwojem nowych technologii. Niestety rośnie również ilość wyrzucanych zbędnych kabli i ładowarek. Co roku przyczyniają się one do powstania 11 000 ton e-śmieci. Ta sytuacja jest uciążliwa dla konsumentów, którzy skarżą się na dodatkowe koszty i problemy z niekompatybilnymi ładowarkami.
Dzięki przełomowej decyzji Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady wkrótce nastąpi radykalna zmiana. Od 2024 roku wszystkie małe przenośne urządzenia, takie jak telefony komórkowe, słuchawki, czytniki e-booków czy konsole do gier, będą musiały być wyposażone w port ładowania USB-C, a w 2026 roku dołączą do nich laptopy.
Nowe rozwiązanie znacząco zwiększy wygodę używania sprzętu elektronicznego. Zamiast plątaniny kabli europejscy konsumenci będą mogli korzystać z jednej ładowarki do wszystkich swoich urządzeń, a w ich kieszeniach pozostanie około 250 milionów euro. Opakowania będą wyraźnie oznakowane i będzie można wybrać, czy kupuje się urządzenie z ładowarką czy bez. Skorzysta również środowisko naturalne. Mniej e-śmieci oznacza mniej zużytych surowców i energii oraz mniej emisji CO2.
Valdemar Tomaševski (ECR), raštu. – Vienas iš įstatymų leidybos tikslų turėtų būti jų supaprastinimas. Įstatymai turi tarnauti žmonėms, o ne žmonės įstatymui. Todėl verta palaikyti radijo įrenginių direktyvą, kuri visoje Europos Sąjungoje įves universalų, vienodą elektroninių įrenginių įkroviklį. Tai tikrai supaprastins Sąjungos piliečių kasdienį gyvenimą. Be to, naujosios taisyklės supaprastins radijo įrenginių naudojimą ir sumažins nereikalingas atliekas bei išlaidas, o tai bus ypač naudinga vartotojams ir kitiems galutiniams naudotojams. Jie taip pat prisidės prie įkrovimo įrenginių standartizacijos didinimo ir rinkoje siūlomų įkroviklių tipų skaičiaus mažinimo. Todėl manau, kad norint užtikrinti sklandų vidaus rinkos veikimą, geriau apsaugoti vartotojus ir aplinką bei užtikrinti lankstų ir į ateitį orientuotą požiūrį, kuris netrukdys kuriant naujus sprendimus įrenginių įrengimo sferoje bei neprives prie technologinės blokados, būtina Sąjungos lygmeniu veikti ryžtingai.
Carlos Zorrinho (S&D), por escrito. – Vivemos um momento político em que é cada vez mais fundamental ter a coragem de tomar medidas que, parecendo simples e óbvias, implicam conjugar múltiplos interesses, mas que servem as pessoas. Esta deve ser uma prioridade. A medida legislativa que vai permitir que seja obrigatório no mercado europeu adotar um modelo de carregador universal para dispositivos eletrónicos portáteis de pequena e média dimensão, como telemóveis, computadores portáteis, máquinas fotográficas digitais e auriculares, é uma medida de nova geração de grande importância que vai beneficiar todos os consumidores e o ambiente. Prevê-se, com esta medida, que os consumidores europeus poderão poupar cerca de 250 milhões de euros por ano e que seja reduzida em 11 000 toneladas a produção de resíduos eletrónicos. Esta medida, que se insere numa linha de inclusão digital, da qual a harmonização das taxas de roaming foi a que teve maior impacto, deve ser aplicada com a maior rapidez possível, tendo em conta os limites fixados na lei e garantindo que os standards escolhidos são os mais adequados. Os procedimentos de carregamento sem fios devem ser também harmonizados, devendo a Comissão Europeia desenvolver o trabalho necessário para que essa dimensão seja também incorporada na presente decisão.
Tom Vandenkendelaere (PPE), schriftelijk. – Tientallen jaren heeft de industrie tegengestribbeld, maar op aandringen van het Europees Parlement nam de Europese Commissie vorig jaar het heft in eigen handen. In recordtijd werd een Europees akkoord gevonden om een universele lader voor smartphones in te voeren. De laatste horde wordt nu definitief genomen met de plenaire goedkeuring in dit halfrond.
Eindelijk komt er een einde aan de frustratie van consumenten over de berg incompatibele laders die zich thuis opstapelt. Vanaf 2024 kunnen we met één lader onze smartphones en andere kleine elektronische apparaten zoals tablets en draagbare boxen opladen. Dit zal meteen ook een einde maken aan de overtollige opladers die jaarlijks nagenoeg 11 000 ton e-waste genereren ten koste van het milieu en duurzaam beleid.
Toch moeten we ook kritisch durven zijn: deze standaardtoegangspoort heeft te lang geduurd. We kunnen het ons niet permitteren om op deze digitale dossiers en de ontsluiting van onze datamaatschappij opnieuw decennia te wachten. Laat ons prioritair werk maken van de vormgeving van onze digitale architectuur. De akkoorden over de wet digitale diensten, de wet digitale markten en de verordening inzake Europese datagovernance waren alvast een goede start, maar het werk is nog lang niet af.
Puhetta johti HEIDI HAUTALA varapuhemies
4. Středisko AccessibleEU na podporu politik přístupnosti na vnitřním trhu EU (rozprava)
Puhemies. – Esityslistalla on seuraavana Katrin Langensiepenin sisämarkkina- ja kuluttajansuojavaliokunnan puolesta laatima mietintö ”AccessibleEU”-keskuksesta esteettömyyspolitiikan tukemiseksi EU:n sisämarkkinoilla (2022/2013(INI))(A9-0209/2022).
Katrin Langensiepen, rapporteur. – Madam President, the future is accessible because the present is not. Dear President, dear Mr Commissioner Breton – and I’m looking for Mr Breton as he is the Commissioner responsible because it’s an IMCO file – but I’m very happy to have you here, dear Helena. You are our ally when it comes to the rights of persons with disabilities. But it is, of course, not only on your shoulders the whole huge topic when it comes to accessibility.
And dear colleagues, of course the outcome of our negotiation is a great success. For this, I would like to thank all those who have been so committed and active in bringing this own—initiative report to reality, especially to our shadows, my shadow colleagues from all the different groups. In recent years, the EU has approved several laws and technical standards, setting up a new ecosystem for accessibility such as the European Accessibility Act, the Web Accessibility Directive, directives on audiovisual media services, electronic communication and technical specifications for railway stations and vehicles.
Moreover, when allocating the EU funds and in public procurement, accessibility requirements have to be taken into account. Nevertheless, the implementation of this crucial set of laws at national level has not yet been satisfactory. This is mostly due to the lack of qualified accessibility experts at national level, both in public administration and among economic operators who would be able to implement highly technical accessibility provisions contained in legislation, but also in standards.
We would like to concretise these and other tasks in an AccessibleEU Centre. Without clear guidelines, inclusion remains arbitrary. The aim is therefore to harmonise the different ideas of inclusion in Europe and the Member States and to harmonise the different speeds in the implementation of existing legislation through organised knowledge-transfer. We need horizontal training programmes to increase expertise in accessibility. We also need strengthened coordination and cooperation frameworks between all acting levels and relevant stakeholders, which will permanently and sustainably ensure accessibility in all areas for persons with disabilities.
The EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 envisaged exactly such a centre, which is what we are now trying to launch with the central flagship initiative. However, the centre needs a few essential basic prerequisites for this. It will only give added value if the centre will be structured in order to guarantee constant and targeted support to the Member States for implementing, monitoring and enforcing accessibility legislation, as well as to assist the Commission in updating and developing accessibility laws. For this, adequate resources are needed, both in terms of personnel and finance. The same then applies to the respect of centres in the Member States which also need to be established. The AccessibleEU Centre should consist of a lean structure composed of a secretariat, a forum and a number of subgroups of experts – ‘hear nothing about us without us’. It should become the hub for the collection and transfer of knowledge on accessibility and inclusion.
This exchange must involve, as I said, persons with disabilities at all levels. Our direct involvement and the perspective of organisation, representing persons with disabilities should influence policy recommendation, actions and standardisation process through the centre.
Again, thanks to all my colleagues. I listen now to your speeches and I’m looking forward to fruitful cooperation with you, Helena Dalli, and, of course, Mr Commissioner Breton.
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members, I appreciate that this institution attaches great importance to accessibility, and I thank the rapporteur, Ms Langensiepen, for her diligent work on this topic and the whole IMCO Committee for their overwhelming support for her report.
Your report on AccessibleEU confirms the need for dismantling barriers that persons with disabilities still face and for improving the accessibility of the built and virtual environments for persons with disabilities. These are also obligations for the EU and for Member States as parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. AccessibleEU, as we created, will address many of the important challenges and issues, as well as the solutions that you propose in your report.
The strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities confirms that the European Commission attaches great importance to accessibility. Accessibility is an enabler of rights, autonomy and equality. It is a prerequisite for the full participation of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others in a society, as well as in our democracy. With AccessibleEU we will be able to step up our efforts in this area. We have now adopted a good number of important legislative instruments on accessibility. AccessibleEU will be a European resource centre to increase coherence in accessibility and legislation to facilitate access to relevant knowledge. We have launched a call for tenders to build AccessibleEU and we aim to sign the contract by the end of the year.
We share many of the objectives set out in your report, and AccessibleEU will contribute to progressing in accessibility in various ways: networking, awareness, capacity building, training sessions and mutual learning. AccessibleEU will support the implementation of EU accessibility legislation, connect stakeholders, create a one—stop shop for knowledge on accessibility, and train highly skilled accessibility professionals. In its development, I assure you that we will work closely with Member States, stakeholders, and organisations of persons with disabilities, and we are more than prepared, of course, as ever, to continue working with you.
Salvatore De Meo, a nome del gruppo PPE. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, voglio rivolgere un ringraziamento alla relatrice per il lavoro fatto e per aver trovato la sintesi di un testo equilibrato.
Nell'ambito della strategia per i diritti delle persone con disabilità, la creazione di questo centro si è resa necessaria per assistere la Commissione nel monitoraggio e implementazione della strategia, ma anche per supportare e coordinare i vari Stati membri, dove purtroppo si registrano ancora tante differenze e ritardi nell'attuazione delle direttive europee in materia di accessibilità.
Il Centro si propone principalmente la promozione di una reale cultura delle pari opportunità e della piena partecipazione delle persone disabili in tutti gli aspetti e gli ambiti della vita quotidiana. Sono soddisfatto che sia stata sottolineata l'importanza di aumentare i livelli occupazionali delle persone disabili, sia con l'utilizzo delle nuove tecnologie, sia con la necessaria cooperazione, non solo con le organizzazioni non governative, ma anche e soprattutto con il mondo delle imprese che va sensibilizzato a prendere atto delle grandi potenzialità derivanti dall'impiego di disabili, oggi spesso esclusi anche a causa di pregiudizi ormai smentiti dalle loro tante storie di lavoro e di successo.
In questo contesto è importante il ruolo degli enti locali, sia nella fase di analisi del fabbisogno dei territori, sia nella fase di attuazione delle politiche sociali. Io sono convinto che il Centro sarà lo strumento operativo con cui la Commissione e i singoli Stati, con un approccio coordinato e armonizzato, possono favorire concretamente tutte le condizioni di accesso vero alla vita reale, con la rimozione di ogni ostacolo fisico e culturale.
Tsvetelina Penkova, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, with no doubt our Union should strive for a further promotion and development of the accessibility in all the EU countries and institutions. The key to ensuring a more inclusive society in Europe is the collective efforts and cooperation among all the stakeholders. They have to share successful good practices and projects.
Our role in this Parliament is to enforce the EU commitment to safeguard the rights of the people with disabilities. We shall ensure a better quality of life and adequate accessibility to goods and services. Five key priorities for the S&D Group and Parliament took an integral part of this report.
The first one, need for stronger involvement in effective participation of all stakeholders. Second, adequate financial funding and human resources in ensuring the good organisation and functioning of those centres. Third, establishing of national accessibility hubs. Fourth, further implementation and building on already existing policies – and I am putting a strong emphasis here, because there are many policies, it has already been mentioned by the rapporteur, but they are not properly implemented to be effective. And fifth, a possible establishment of an agency.
We call for a strong AccessibleEU Centre by identifying to help and overcome the gaps and inconsistencies in the current accessibility legislation. Establishing the AccessibleEU Centre is a step in the right direction to increase the coherence in accessibility policies, to share good practices, and to create a more accessible and inclusive Europe.
Dita Charanzová, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, Commissioner, the Renew Europe Group has always been and will always be a voice for persons with disabilities.
I have said it before but it bears repeating: our society will never be complete until all our citizens can play a full part in it, including the more than 100 million EU citizens with a disability.
The report we discussed today highlights two of the barriers to an inclusive society, and they are access to information by our citizens with disabilities and the implementation of accessibility requirements.
European legislation creates many good and useful obligations on Member States and businesses to take into account different needs. But if our citizens with disabilities cannot easily access information about our rights, how can they exercise those rights? How can our citizens exercise their rights if the laws are not fully implemented?
Through this report, we call on Member States to establish national disability accessibility hubs and for the Commission to create a digital AccessibleEU Centre to address these problems. These hubs need both adequate funding and human resources to work in practice and Renew supports these calls for action.
To overcome the gaps and inconsistencies in current legislation and to overcome the knowledge levels of our officials is not going to be easy, but it is of vital importance. We need political will, and I can assure you that there is a political will in the European Parliament. Europeans with disabilities are not ‘others’, something apart, they are us, and each of us deserves the right to live a life to our full potential.
Tilly Metz, im Namen der Verts/ALE-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissarin! An meine Kollegin Katrin Langensiepen: Unsere Fraktion kann stolz auf deine Arbeit sein, die du Tag für Tag im Kampf für mehr Inklusion und Barrierefreiheit in Europa leistest. Ein EU-Zentrum für Barrierefreiheit, das war längst überfällig, denn ich kenne leider kein Land, nicht einmal eine EU-Institution, in der es für Menschen mit Behinderungen keine Barrieren mehr gibt, die ihnen das Leben erschweren oder sie sogar ausgrenzen.
Es müssen deswegen in der Tat schnell konkrete und radikale Veränderungen unternommen werden, wenn wir dem Versprechen einer inklusiveren EU gerecht werden wollen. Und wir wollen! Schöne Worte und gut klingende Strategien reichen nicht aus.
Alessandra Basso, a nome del gruppo ID. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, nel Parlamento europeo parliamo molto spesso di mercato unico, di pari opportunità e di avere una Unione a misura di tutti i cittadini. Spesso però sono parole al vento. I nostri cittadini più fragili, quelli affetti da disabilità, hanno bisogno di maggiori tutele e di essere al centro dell'attività parlamentare.
Negli ultimi anni hanno visto la luce diversi provvedimenti che si impegnano a porre degli standard di accessibilità, ma purtroppo non si è fatto abbastanza. I nostri cittadini affetti da disabilità si trovano in un mondo che non solo non facilita le loro vite, ma anzi spesso li discrimina. E accolgo quindi con molto piacere il lavoro fatto dalla relatrice.
Nonostante i nostri gruppi siano politicamente distanti, su temi come questi ci siamo trovati in sintonia. È il momento che la Commissione europea ascolti non solo il Parlamento, ma anche quegli oltre ottanta milioni di cittadini che hanno bisogno di maggiori tutele per poter davvero far parte della nostra Unione e senza subire alcuna discriminazione.
Ieri, mentre aspettavo la navetta per l'aeroporto, ho incontrato una cara persona, una nostra amica che è in carrozzina, che mi ha detto: "Ho appena perso l'autobus perché il conducente, visto che sono seduta su una carrozzina, non mi ha vista, e alcune volte mi sento invisibile."
Concludo ricordando ai membri di quest'Aula che ognuno di noi ha deciso di intraprendere la carriera politica per cercare di migliorare la vita delle persone che ci circondano. Nonostante non sia sempre facile, mi auguro che possa partire una nuova stagione europea in cui il bene dei cittadini e di tutti i cittadini venga posto in cima alle priorità superando i veti ideologici. Perché credete, nel 2022 è inaccettabile sentirsi dire: "alcune volte mi sento invisibile".
Adam Bielan, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, Madam Commissioner, the European Union has been building a progressive strategy to support the rights of European citizens with disabilities for several decades. However, people with disabilities are still facing significant barriers to access education, employment, healthcare and sport. Moreover, it is clear that the pandemic has disproportionately affected disabled people, both economically and with regard to social inclusion. More often than others, they have been cut off from health services and lost access to the labour market or education.
This is why I support the creation of the AccessibleEU Centre, as well as the final report we will vote on today. It recognises the important work that has been done in recent years to support accessibility in the internal market. I welcome the approach taken whereby the centre can act as a hub to draw together expertise and share best practices for policy development between national authorities.
Last, I believe that oversight of the centre’s activities should be carried out jointly by national competent bodies to ensure maximum efficiency of this essential piece of the EU’s disability rights strategy. Its role and responsibilities should also be limited to its core mission, as an expanded mandate in the form of an agency, notably, may prevent it from reaching its objectives.
Anne-Sophie Pelletier, au nom du groupe The Left. – Madame la Présidente, je remercie Katrin pour ce texte ambitieux et si nécessaire pour les personnes en situation de handicap, puisque, in fine, il permettra d’améliorer le quotidien de 87 millions de personnes en situation de handicap en Europe.
Le centre de ressources promet une meilleure connaissance et une meilleure expertise sur le handicap, en particulier sur les questions d’accessibilité: c’est grâce à cela que nous parviendrons à bâtir une société équitable.
Je me réjouis que dans le texte figurent mes propositions sur des moyens financiers et humains suffisants pour le bon fonctionnement du centre ainsi que sur la représentation des personnes en situation de handicap parmi le personnel du centre, afin de renforcer son rôle envers les institutions et les États membres ou encore y inclure des dispositions – sur l’accessibilité du langage par exemple.
Et là, permettez-moi, chers collègues, de penser que nous devons ici même être exemplaires. Où est la langue des signes internationale dans cet hémicycle? Où est le facile à lire et à comprendre dans nos textes? Et même ici: où est l’accessibilité pour les personnes à mobilité réduite qui voudraient venir discuter au centre de cet hémicycle? Nulle part.
L’accessibilité est un problème transversal, elle touche tous les domaines. Les normes PMR doivent occuper une place importante lors de la conception des objets, dans la façon dont sont pensés les transports, dans les règles des marchés publics et vis-à-vis des risques écologiques. Accessibilité doit donc être synonyme d’au-to-no-mie.
Ainsi, je ne peux espérer que l’adoption de ce rapport, car les questions de handicap et d’accessibilité doivent être réfléchies avec les personnes en situation de handicap. Elles doivent être au centre de nos politiques publiques, que ce soit au niveau national ou européen, parce que nos valeurs doivent s’inscrire dans une société équitable et dans le respect des droits fondamentaux des citoyens européens, et parce que oui, je le répète, les personnes en situation de handicap sont des citoyens qui ont des droits. N’oublions jamais qu’eux aussi doivent pouvoir avoir accès à nos textes, à ce que nous disons, comme ils doivent pouvoir avoir accès à leur quotidien, en toute autonomie.
Ádám Kósa (NI). – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony! Az akadálymentesítést a közvélemény gyakran csak fizikai vagy digitális környezethez kapcsolja, azonban annak definíciója és tartalma jelentősen eltér fogyatékossági csoportonként.
A siketek számára a sajátos nyelvi és kulturális identitásból adódóan az akadálymentesítés azt jelenti, hogy nemzeti jelnyelven teljes körűen hozzáférnek az információhoz és tudáshoz.
Az Accessible EU központnak világossá kell tennie, hogy az akadálymentesítés túlmutat az épített környezet és a szolgáltatások fizikai és digitális hozzáférhetőségén. Ez kiemelten fontos kérdés. A központnak támogatnia kell a tagállamokat, és sikeresen összekapcsolhatja a nemzeti és EU-s szerveket valamennyi felhasználócsoporttal, különösen a fogyatékossággal élő személyeket képviselő szervezetekkel, hogy az érintettek bevonásával, az ő érdekükben alakítsák a hozzáférés részleteit minden fogyatékossági csoport esetében.
Andreas Schwab (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissarin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Mit dem heutigen Beschluss zur Einrichtung eines Zentrums „AccessibleEU“ machen wir für den Binnenmarkt einen Schritt, den vielleicht manche gar nicht so sehr erwartet haben, weil wir eben der Tatsache Rechnung tragen wollen, dass dieser gemeinsame Lebensraum, dieser gemeinsame Markt nur gemeinsam genutzt werden kann, wenn alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger die gleichen Rechte und auch die gleichen Chancen bekommen.
Denn Barrierefreiheit ist ja nicht nur Selbstzweck, sondern auch Mittel zum Zweck. Es ist richtig und wichtig, dass es uns gelingt, durch barrierefreien Zugang vor allem in den Bereichen, die heute für den Alltag von überragender Bedeutung sind, tatsächlich allen Europäerinnen und Europäern die gleichen Chancen einzuräumen. Das ist in manchen Mitgliedstaaten schwerer als in anderen. Deswegen ist es gut, dass mit dem Zentrum „AccessibleEU“ jetzt ein Austausch ermöglicht wird, eine gemeinsame Zusammenarbeit unter einem Dach, die sicherstellt, dass die besten Ideen sich in allen Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union verbreiten und wir sicherstellen, dass alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger den adäquaten Zugang finden.
Dazu muss dieses Zentrum nun ausreichend ausgestattet werden, und die Mitgliedstaaten und die betroffenen Unternehmen müssen ihren Teil dazu beitragen, dass die Bürgerinnen und Bürger am Ende davon auch Gebrauch machen können.
Leszek Miller (S&D). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Koleżanki i Koledzy! Około 100 milionów obywateli Unii Europejskiej dotyka niepełnosprawność. Pomimo istnienia przepisów, które starają się zapewnić tym ludziom równe prawa we wszystkich dziedzinach życia, często napotykają oni bariery utrudniające im pełny udział w społeczeństwie. Naszym priorytetem jest stworzenie środowiska, które umożliwi osobom niepełnosprawnym pełen dostęp do każdego aspektu życia i gospodarki.
Dlatego tak ważne jest, aby Komisja Europejska przeznaczyła odpowiednie środki finansowe i ludzkie na utworzenie i funkcjonowanie Centrum AccesibleEU. Ono także będzie wsparciem dla państw członkowskich, zapewniając materiały i szkolenia w zakresie wdrażania, monitorowania oraz egzekwowania polityki dostępności. Za pięć lat powinna zostać przeprowadzona ocena działalności Centrum w celu jego usprawnienia i aktualizacji oraz podjęcia decyzji w sprawie ewentualnego powołania agencji. Mam nadzieję, że dzięki temu ważnemu projektowi znacząco poprawi się jakość życia osób niepełnosprawnych w Unii Europejskiej.
Vlad-Marius Botoş (Renew). – Doamna vicepreședintă, doamna comisară, stimați colegi, în Uniunea Europeană trăiesc și muncesc foarte mulți oameni cu dizabilități. Doar în România, în țara mea, sunt undeva la 800 000 de suflete și foarte mulți din acești oameni au talente, capacități deosebite și pot contribui în diferite moduri la progresul societății: fie că practică diferite sporturi, sunt profesori, unii dintre ei fac și politică, fie că organizează evenimente de amploare sau conduc companii de succes.
Mulți sunt modele de reziliență, de implicare, atât profesională, cât și socială. Este, de aceea, firesc să ne asigurăm că piața unică europeană este deschisă și pentru ei, că regulile de accesibilitate și incluziune sunt respectate, iar ei pot să se bucure de aceleași privilegii ca orice antreprenor din Uniunea Europeană.
Un centru de accesibilitate, însă, va fi cu adevărat de ajutor doar dacă este cunoscut și accesibil tuturor persoanelor cu dizabilități din toate cele 27 de state membre. Așa încât țin să subliniez că este absolut necesară diseminarea eficientă a informației și este necesar ca oamenii să fie încurajați să apeleze la serviciile acestui centru, indiferent în ce regiune europeană trăiesc și își desfășoară activitatea.
Laura Huhtasaari (ID). – Arvoisa puhemies, Suomessa on sellainen sanonta, että vahinko ei tule kello kaulassa. Kukaan meistä ei ole suojassa miltään, ei sairastumiselta tai vammautumiselta. Joillakin on rajoitteita elämässään jo syntymästä lähtien, ja on sivistyneen yhteiskunnan velvollisuus taata, että kaikilla on sairaudestaan tai vammastaan huolimatta oikeus ja mahdollisuus täysipainoiseen elämään.
EU:ssa on se tapa, että asia kuin asia halutaan ratkaista EU:n tasolla. Tämä ei usein ole se toimivin ratkaisu. Tämä on sinänsä ymmärrettävää, koska EU:sta halutaan tehdä liittovaltio ja liittovaltio tähtää siihen, että meillä on vahva keskushallinto. Täältä ylhäältä käsin aina tiedetään, mitkä ratkaisut missäkin maassa olisivat parhaita, ja samaa mallia halutaan esittää erilaisiin valtioihin.
Aina kun EU:n vaalilainsäädäntöä uudistetaan, halutaan uusia viranomaisia. Halutaan EU:n vaaliviranomainen. Se tietää uusia virkoja ja uusia rahanmenoja. Yksi esimerkki tästä on ajatus ”AccessibleEU” -keskuksesta, joka toisi taas uutta hallintoa. Ajatus on kaunis, mutta tarvitsemmeko uusia hallinnollisia rakenteita sihteeristöineen? Mielestäni hallinto ei paranna kenenkään elämää, se on vain uusi rahanmeno.
Suomessa näissä asioissa ollaan hyvin kehittyneitä, vaikka tietenkin aina parannettavaa on. Meidän tulisi enemmän keskittyä siihen, että me vaihdamme hyviä käytänteitä ja kerromme niistä ja sitten maiden johtajat päättävät, sopiiko tämä juuri meille ja olisiko tämä uusi innovaatio, vaikka tällaisenaan, hyvä ottaa juuri meidän maahamme. Minä en usko, että vahva hallinto on tässä se ratkaisu. EU valitettavasti on enemmän tämmöinen byrokratia eikä demokratia, koska jos me luotamme demokratiaan, niin me luotamme myös siihen, että kansallisvaltiot pystyvät parhaiten ajamaan omien heikompiosaistensa asiaa.
Geert Bourgeois (ECR). – Voorzitter, mevrouw de commissaris, mensen met een beperking horen thuis ín onze samenleving. Niet aan de rand, niet aan de zijlijn, maar er middenin! Zij wensen net als iedereen deel te kunnen nemen aan het economische, sociale en culturele leven. Zij willen niet betutteld worden vanuit een zorgperspectief, maar hun talenten en vaardigheden ten volle kunnen ontplooien.
Helaas botsen zij nog op veel te veel belemmeringen. Zo hebben mensen met een beperkte mobiliteit in meerdere lidstaten problemen om het openbaar vervoer te nemen. Mensen met een auditief of visueel probleem hebben vaak last om een job te vinden of om hun job te behouden. Mensen met een beperking moeten soms naar de andere kant van het land verhuizen om een geschikte woonst te vinden.
Dus moet het roer om: dit moet anders! Daarom steunen wij, mevrouw de commissaris, het voorstel om een Europees centrum, “AccessibleEU”, op te richten. Dit is een voorbeeld van hoe het moet: kennis verzamelen, kennis delen, steun geven en stimulansen geven aan de lidstaten om een sterk toegankelijkheidsbeleid te voeren.
Ivan Štefanec (PPE). – Vážená pani predsedajúca, S potešením vítam túto správu, ktorá má za cieľ pomôcť 87 miliónom obyvateľov Európskej únie a pomôcť im v každodennom prekonávaní bežných prekážok, ktoré my zdraví ľudia častokrát považujeme za samozrejmé. Zriadenie centra bude mať náročnú úlohu dostatočne mobilizovať a prepájať odborníkov z praxe s jednotlivými vnútroštátnymi orgánmi zodpovednými za realizáciu európskych politík prístupnosti. Častokrát však nielen dostatok expertízy, ale najmä nedostatok politickej vôle komplikuje riešenie problémov tejto skupiny ľudí. Pritom zdravotne postihnutí občania neznamenajú nejakú menšiu hodnotu pre spoločnosť, neumenšuje to hodnotu človeka. Naším cieľom musí byť pomôcť pri zvyšovaní jeho kvality a možnosti plného zapojenia do spoločnosti. Aj preto som rád, že správa myslí aj na podmienky pracovného trhu a spomína sa tu aj správa o digitálnej dekáde, na ktorej som osobitne pracoval a zapracovával som tam aj podmienky ľudí so zdravotným postihnutím. Nové technológie môžu byť skvelým nástrojom a pomocníkom pre rozvoj a uplatnenie tejto skupiny ľudí. Dámy a páni, pomáhajme ľuďom so zdravotným postihnutím mať rovnaké príležitosti. Chcem tiež povzbudiť k aktívnemu zapojeniu národné orgány, pretože bez ich aktívnej a otvorenej spolupráce to nepôjde. Rád budem v tomto procese implementácie nápomocný na všetkých úrovniach.
Brando Benifei (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Commissaria Dalli, negli ultimi anni l'Unione europea ha cercato di investire molto nel creare, con nuova legislazione e buone pratiche, un ecosistema accessibile che permettesse a tutti i cittadini, indipendentemente dalla loro disabilità o meno, di trascorrere la loro vita e vivere le loro relazioni interpersonali e sociali col massimo grado di libertà e indipendenza possibile. Trasporti, servizi, luoghi di lavoro, siti web, appalti, ambiente costruito: tutto a misura di ciascuno. Purtroppo, questo sforzo non è stato finora ancora adeguato. Mancano coordinamento e organicità delle misure e delle azioni, manca un approccio universale alla progettazione degli interventi pubblici e privati.
Istituire il Centro europeo "AccessibleEU" è un piccolo passo avanti in questa direzione, come indicato dalla strategia dell'Unione europea per le persone con disabilità. Un luogo di ricerca, di expertise, di conoscenza e di scambio, una risorsa preziosa per le autorità nazionali e locali che vogliano progettare con l'approccio universale, ma hanno bisogno di guide per gli aspetti tecnici. Non sprechiamo questa occasione di creare inclusione e andiamo avanti in questa direzione.
Susanna Ceccardi (ID). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, in questa relazione per l'accessibilità ci sono moltissime belle parole: diritti, rispetto, sensibilità, civiltà. Purtroppo non sempre alle belle parole seguono i fatti, nemmeno nel Parlamento europeo, nemmeno nell'edificio che più di tutti gli altri dovrebbe essere accessibile a chiunque.
Voglio raccontarvi un'esperienza diretta. Sono mesi che vorrei assumere Michela. Michela è una ragazza di Firenze, intelligente ma su una carrozzina, e dovrebbe venire a fare qui la stagista. Purtroppo, dopo lunghe ed estenuanti ricerche, Michela non è riuscita a trovare un appartamento accessibile a Bruxelles e il Parlamento non ha saputo come aiutarla. Eppure Michela vorrebbe soltanto fare un tirocinio come tanti suoi coetanei.
Le farò avere una copia di questa relazione. Lo stage per adesso non può farlo, ma intanto può consolarsi leggendo queste bellissime parole. Ho scritto alla Presidente del nostro Parlamento Roberta Metsola per denunciare questa vicenda. Nel frattempo, cerchiamo davvero di aiutare le persone disabili e le loro famiglie che vorrebbero poter vivere con dignità grazie al sostegno reale delle istituzioni.
Beata Mazurek (ECR). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Szanowni Państwo! To sprawozdanie ma bezpośredni wpływ na życie milionów obywateli Unii Europejskiej borykających się z różnymi stopniami niepełnosprawności. I choćby z tego powodu powinno być ważne dla nas wszystkich. Swobodne uczestnictwo w życiu społecznym, politycznym, gospodarczym jest prawem każdego człowieka. Parlament musi działać na rzecz udrożnienia przepływu informacji, szczególnie w zakresie wszelkiego wsparcia merytorycznego dotyczącego wdrażania polityki dostępności, udzielanego przez ekspertów Komisji i państwom członkowskim. Warto tutaj wymienić choćby obszar dostępności dla niepełnosprawnych środowiska zabudowanego, w którym to obszarze mamy jeszcze wiele do zrobienia.
Wierzę, że ustanowione Centrum będzie przestrzenią do dialogu z osobami niepełnosprawnymi, które najlepiej rozumieją problemy, z jakimi muszą się mierzyć każdego dnia. Uważam ponadto, że Centrum spełni najlepiej swoją rolę, służąc zapleczem eksperckim stanowiącym źródło wiedzy dla organów unijnych i krajowych, inspirując tym samym do korzystania z rozwiązań i dobrych praktyk, które sprawdziły się w innych państwach. Nie powinno jednak zostać przekształcone w agencję wspomnianą w sprawozdaniu. Wspierajmy realne działania na rzecz osób niepełnosprawnych, zamiast skupiać się na tworzeniu nowych urzędów.
Seán Kelly (PPE). – A Uachtaráin, Commissioner, about 90 million persons in the EU have some form of disability; 50% of persons with disabilities are in employment compared to 75% without disabilities.
Although major advances have been achieved in favour of people with disabilities, often these citizens are still faced with significant barriers to full participation in their communities. Efforts must continue if we are to achieve a more inclusive, fairer Europe, including access to employment and the rights of people with disabilities.
Member States have been lagging behind for years when it comes to implementing EU legal texts on inclusivity. With the new EU Centre for Accessibility, we would hopefully have an effective tool in coherently implementing accessibility in the EU.
I call on the Commission to guarantee adequate financial and human resources to ensure the effective operation of the centre. Let’s make the world a more inclusive place. It is time to raise the living standards of European citizens, especially those who are currently represented.
And, finally, a shout out to the social farming initiative in my own constituency. The farmers involved are generously leading by example, by giving people with disabilities the chance to work on their farms. Initiatives like this should be encouraged and replicated all over the EU and in all aspects of human engagement.
Mónica Silvana González (S&D). – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, la Unión Europea se examina el próximo año ante la Convención Internacional sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad y debemos llegar con los deberes hechos. El Parlamento Europeo debe estar en este mecanismo de seguimiento de la Convención. Este Centro de Accesibilidad Europeo va en la buena dirección; agradezco a la señora Langensiepen su trabajo en este informe, aunque nos hubiese gustado llegar a poder conservar un centro físico de accesibilidad.
Venimos del Acta Europea de Accesibilidad. Acordamos ahora el Centro de Accesibilidad y el objetivo es avanzar hacia una verdadera Agencia de Accesibilidad Europea.
Le pedimos a la Comisión que otorgue cuanto antes la gestión a consorcios en los que estén incluidas personas con discapacidad, y no a unas consultoras especializadas. Como bien dice el sector, “nada para nosotros sin nosotros”, nada para las personas con discapacidad sin las personas con discapacidad.
Pedimos también que se destine la suficiente financiación para cumplir los objetivos y hacer realidad una verdadera Agencia Europea de Accesibilidad cuanto antes.
Miriam Lexmann (PPE). – Vážená pani predsedajúca, dlhodobo v rôznych uzneseniach a správach deklarujeme, že prístupnosť je základom a nevyhnutnosťou pre plné zapojenie osôb so zdravotným postihnutím do všetkých oblastí života. Tento koncept sme následne pretavili do niekoľkých legislatívnych návrhov vrátane smernice o prístupnosti tovarov a služieb. Implementácia tejto legislatívy však nie je vždy včasná a efektívna a osoby so zdravotným postihnutím sa napriek mnohým snahám ešte stále stretávajú s prekážkami v každodennom živote. Chýbajú nám presné údaje, vyškolení odborníci, ale niekedy aj vôľa hľadať inovatívne riešenia. Práve preto oceňujem plány na založenie Európskeho centra pre prístupnosť, ktoré má tieto medzery preklenúť. Verím, že toto centrum vytvorí priestor pre spoluprácu členských štátov s odborníkmi, ako aj so zástupcami osôb so zdravotným postihnutím. Poskytne potrebné usmernenia a umožní výmenu najlepších postupov. Prístupnosť vo všetkých oblastiach života je kľúčom pre plnohodnotný život viac ako 87 miliónov osôb so zdravotným postihnutím v Európskej únii. Snažme sa, aby sa konečne stala realitou.
Marc Angel (S&D). – Madam President, more than 87 million people in our Union have some form of disability and they still face considerable barriers in accessing too many areas of life. Accessibility is an essential precondition for everyone to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms. Therefore, the aim of the European Union must be to identify and to overcome all gaps and inconsistencies in the current legislation and standards, and to create an accessible environment for all. In this regard, I am looking forward to the upcoming Commission initiative related to rules for applying for the disability card in order to facilitate mobility of persons with disabilities within the internal market.
Creating the AccessibleEU Centre is the right step in the right direction, but we also must make sure that each Member State will correctly implement the existing and forthcoming accessibility requirements in order to overcome existing and possible further fragmentations in the single market. To achieve our goal we need appropriate financing and also the provision of the adequate human resources, and it is also important to establish inclusive national accessibility hubs to facilitate the coordination among relevant stakeholders.
Madam President, we can be proud of this Parliament that in many, many committees we highlight the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities.
Erik Bergkvist (S&D). – Fru talman! Bästa ledamöter! Stort tack till föredraganden för detta mycket viktiga betänkande.
Ett samhälle som tar hänsyn till allas behov, även de med stora funktionsvariationer, är ett gott samhälle. Det blir ett bättre samhälle för alla. Därför är det här centret så oerhört viktigt. Att det sätter fokus på de här frågorna kommer att hjälpa oss alla att göra ett bättre jobb. Samtidigt är det oerhört viktigt: det här får inte bli en ö, det här får inte bli något som ”tar hand om problemet”, utan det måste bli integrerat i allt arbete som vi faktiskt gör.
Ett samhälles humanism kännetecknas ytterst av hur vi tar hand om varandra och hur vi tar hand om dem som kan ha de största behoven. Därför är detta också oerhört viktigt. Om vi ska bli framgångsrika och lyckas snabbt måste vi också sätta ett exempel. Därför måste Europaparlamentet i sitt eget arbete för tillgänglighet ta på sig ett stort ansvar att alltid ligga längst fram, att alltid vara mest tillgängligt. Då kommer vi att lyckas.
Pyynnöstä myönnettävät puheenvuorot
Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (PPE). – Señora presidenta, después de la aprobación, por parte de este Parlamento y de las instituciones comunitarias de unas normas que establecen un ecosistema para favorecer la accesibilidad y la integración de las personas con discapacidad tuvo lugar la aprobación de la Estrategia Europea sobre Discapacidad, que otorgaba un mandato para la creación de este Centro Accesibilidad de la UE.
Se trata de un paso más hacia la inclusión y la igualdad.
Las normas comunitarias en relación con la accesibilidad no están armonizadas y, por eso, era necesaria una coherencia y una organización en esta materia.
Cuando hablamos de accesibilidad hablamos de cultura de igualdad, hablamos de participación plena, pero no solamente en el mundo digital y en el mundo del transporte, sino en todos los niveles: en la educación, en el trabajo, en la sanidad, en todos los aspectos de la vida.
Es muy importante estar a la altura de los valores que predicamos y por eso, la creación de este Centro reviste un carácter fundamental. Hoy es un día histórico porque significa que habrá diálogo, que habrá participación, que habrá igualdad, y, sobre todo, que habrá derechos humanos.
Maria Grapini (S&D). – Doamna președintă, doamna comisară, stimați colegi, vorbim despre persoane, aproape 80 de milioane de persoane din Uniunea Europeană care au o dizabilitate mai mare sau mai mică. Aproape 30 %, doamna comisară, sunt în prag de sărăcie. Sigur, avem o strategie pentru persoane cu dizabilități până în 2030, dar oamenii au nevoie de fapte.
Eu reprezint aici, în Parlamentul European, Partidul Umanist din țara mea și noi înțelegem că avem nevoie de fapte, nu vorbe. Da, avem nevoie să ajutăm statele membre unde nu au nici resurse umane, nu au nici buget pentru a crea aceste condiții persoanelor cu dizabilități și e nevoie să avem acest Centru și felicit raportoarea pentru ceea ce a prezentat aici. Cred că toți trebuie să susținem, să ajungem la lucruri concrete, pentru că trebuie și din partea noastră mai multă empatie.
Ieri am văzut în Strasbourg cum o persoană pe bicicletă electrică a dat peste o persoană cu baston alb. Cred că toți trebuie să fim mai empatici, dar avem nevoie de o coerență în Uniunea Europeană, de integrare adevărată a acestor oameni și de a-i asculta, pentru că nimeni nu știe mai bine decât asociațiile acestor persoane ce obstacole au și cum ar putea fi îndepărtate. Personal, lucrez în țara mea cu asociațiile persoanelor cu dizabilități, dar avem nevoie de coerență în toată Uniunea Europeană.
(Pyynnöstä myönnettävät puheenvuorot päättyvät)
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, I would like to thank the honourable Members for all their valuable opinions and recommendations. We, of course, agree on many of them, and I believe that we are able to take a lot of them into account when shaping the AccessibleEU initiative. Next year, we should focus on the actual roll—out of the initiative. I am convinced that AccessibleEU will help us achieve a more accessible and inclusive Europe for persons with disabilities.
In spite of all this, I would say, of course, there is still a lot that needs to be done. There are still barriers for persons with disabilities which block them from participating fully in society as we have heard, the reality of poverty, the reality of employment, there is so much which still needs to be done. And I would say that we will not have the union of equality which we are striving for until every case of every person with a disability is addressed.
Katrin Langensiepen, Berichterstatterin. – Frau Präsidentin! Herzlichen Dank, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, für diese warmen, wertschätzenden und auch richtigstellenden Worte. The future is accessible, the present not. Die Zukunft wird hoffentlich barrierefrei, denn die Gegenwart ist es nicht. Noch immer ist es so, dass behinderte Menschen sich dafür rechtfertigen müssen, wenn sie ihre Rechte einklagen. „Was wollt ihr denn noch?“, hört man in Parlamenten, im öffentlichen Raum.
Die UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention ist keine Wunschliste, es ist ein Menschenrecht. Bei Inklusion sprechen wir nicht über einen lustigen Kindergeburtstag, wo alle mal ganz bunt und vielfältig zusammenkommen. Diversity ist nicht irgendwas Lustiges, irgendwas wie „Ach, ich habe ja auch einen schwulen Freund, aber ansonsten interessieren mich die Rechte von queeren Personen eigentlich gar nicht.“ Und: „Ja, ich habe mal in einer Einrichtung gearbeitet, und die Menschen mit Behinderung, die waren so inspirierend. Ich fand es toll.“ Das nennt man Ableismus, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen. Wenn wir in der Europäischen Union uns gegen Rassismus stellen, gegen Antisemitismus, dann müssen wir uns auch gegen Ableismus stellen, Behindertenfeindlichkeit.
The future is accessible, the present not. Ich hoffe, dass wir, wenn wir konkret handeln wollen, hier auch eine Barrierefreiheitsagentur schaffen. Es muss sichtbar sein, unsere Rechte müssen sichtbar gemacht werden, und dafür muss man auch Kohle investieren – ganz klar. Ansonsten sind es Lippenbekenntnisse.
Die Kommission hat im Sommer, als wir fast alle im Urlaub waren, ein Vertragsverletzungsverfahren eingeleitet gegen fast alle europäischen Mitgliedstaaten, weil sie nicht berichtet haben, wie der Stand in Sachen Barrierefreiheit war. Na ja, ich kann mal böse sagen: Da, wo nichts umgesetzt ist, da kann man ja auch nichts berichten. Es ist eine Schande, dass ist auch immer noch der Fall ist, dass die Antidiskriminierungsrichtlinie, die fünfte, immer noch im Rat blockiert wird. Was lange währt, wird endlich schlecht, glauben vielleicht die einen oder anderen. Zeigt mir wie wichtig dieses AccessibleEU Centre ist, bis hin zu einer Agentur, und dafür werden wir alle gemeinsam kämpfen.
Puhemies. – Keskustelu on päättynyt.
Äänestys toimitetaan tänään tiistaina 4.10.2022.
(Istunto keskeytettiin klo 11.28.)
Kirjalliset lausumat (171 artikla)
Jarosław Duda (PPE), na piśmie. – Raport dotyczący promowania i wspierania dostępności na rynku wewnętrznym to kolejny ważny krok Parlamentu Europejskiego na rzecz wprowadzenia w życie Konwencji o prawach osób niepełnosprawnych, ratyfikowanej przez UE i państwa członkowskie.
Jako przedstawiciel PE w Europejskich ramach monitorowania wdrażania CRPD jestem szczególnie z tego dumny. Od lat obserwuję problemy we wdrażaniu Konwencji. Jedną z przyczyn jest niedostateczna wiedza decydentów o wymogach dostępności. Szokujące jest, że nie tylko nie znosimy w wystarczającym stopniu istniejących barier, ale tworzymy nowe, w całym majestacie zamówień publicznych. Od lat podnoszę kwestię powszechnego montażu w budynkach mieszkalnych i użyteczności publicznej „nowoczesnych” wind z panelami dotykowymi, ograniczających samodzielne funkcjonowanie osób niewidomych, niedowidzących i starszych. Windy w szpitalach wyświetlające informacje, do której wind wsiąść, aby wjechać na wybrane piętro, są zmorą nie tylko pacjentów, ale i w pełni sprawnych osób odwiedzających. Aby uniknąć takiej źle pojętej nowoczesności, trzeba korzystać z wiedzy ekspertów, zwłaszcza reprezentantów osób z niepełnosprawnościami, a także szkolić urzędników i decydentów oraz wymieniać dobre praktyki.
Bardzo liczę na to, że Centrum Accessible EU efektywnie wesprze instytucje, organizacje i przedsiębiorstwa wprowadzające zmiany na rzecz uniwersalnego projektowania i zwiększania dostępności towarów, usług, całego otoczenia dla wszystkich obywateli, bez względu na wiek czy stopień sprawności.
(For the results and other details on the vote: see Minutes)
6.1. Pravidla využívání letištních časů na letištích Unie: dočasná úleva (C9-0225/2022) (hlasování)
6.2. Evropské středisko pro prevenci a kontrolu nemocí (A9-0253/2021 - Joanna Kopcińska) (hlasování)
6.3. Vážné přeshraniční zdravotní hrozby (A9-0247/2021 - Véronique Trillet-Lenoir) (hlasování)
6.4. Úsilí o dosažení udržitelnosti a konkurenceschopnosti akvakultury v EU: další postup (A9-0215/2022 - Clara Aguilera) (hlasování)
6.5. Dopad nových technologií na zdanění: kryptoaktiva a technologie blockchain (A9-0204/2022 - Lídia Pereira) (hlasování)
6.6. Opatření pro řízení, zachování a kontrolu platná v oblasti působnosti Komise pro tuňáky Indického oceánu (IOTC) (A9-0312/2021 - Gabriel Mato) (hlasování)
6.7. Flexibilní pomoc územím (FAST-CARE) (A9-0232/2022 - Niklas Nienaß) (hlasování)
6.8. Směrnice o rádiových zařízeních: jednotná nabíječka pro elektronická zařízení (A9-0129/2022 - Alex Agius Saliba) (hlasování)
6.9. Středisko AccessibleEU na podporu politik přístupnosti na vnitřním trhu EU (A9-0209/2022 - Katrin Langensiepen) (hlasování)
6.10. Jednotný portál EU pro oblast celnictví (A9-0279/2021 - Ivan Štefanec) (hlasování)
– After the vote:
Rainer Wieland (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin! Ich wollte nur kurz mitteilen, dass ich mit der richtigen Stimmkarte arbeite, aber offensichtlich scheint sie so kodiert zu sein, dass ich mit der Kollegin Monica Semedo von den Liberalen hier kollidiere. Ich möchte, dass weder sie Ärger bekommt noch ich, weil wir falsch abstimmen. Aber ich hätte zumindest gerne auch, dass es notiert wird. Ich konnte also heute nicht korrekt abstimmen, habe überall mit Plus gestimmt.
President. – Thank you, Vice—President. We will look into this.
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, the Commission regrets that the original dates foreseen in the proposal for the government-to-government exchanges were not retained by the co-legislators. This will reduce the capacity of the Union to deliver on its commitments under the Green Deal for the management of ozone-depleting substances and control and reduction of fluorinated greenhouse gases to prevent climate-relevant emissions. However, given the significant impact on customs of major current and past events, the Commission understands that Member States are facing great pressure.
At the same time, the Commission acknowledges that some Member States are already interconnected to the EU customs single window certificate exchange system, and some have asked for the possibility to interconnect before 2025. Therefore, notwithstanding the deadlines listed in the Annex, the Commission strongly encourages all Member States to take all the necessary steps to interconnect as soon as possible.
President. – The next item is the debate on two oral questions on the situation of Roma people living in settlements in the EU (2022/2662(RSP)):
– the oral question to the Council on the situation of Roma people living in the EU by Dragoş Pîslaru, Miriam Lexmann, Milan Brglez, Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, Romeo Franz, Elżbieta Rafalska, Eugenia Rodríguez Palop, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (O-000022/2022 – B9—0018/2022); and
– the oral question to the Commission on the situation of Roma people living in the EU by Dragoş Pîslaru, Miriam Lexmann, Milan Brglez, Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, Romeo Franz, Elżbieta Rafalska, Eugenia Rodríguez Palop, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (O-000023/2022 – B9—0019/2022).
Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, autorka. – Vážená pani predsedajúca, „Hľadáme Blaženu. Blaženu Kováčovú s jej slepým synom. Viete mi povedať, kde bývajú?“ – „Pri tom dome, kde v zime umrzli tie dve deti musíte odbočiť doľava.“
„Aha, nemám prsty na nohách ani na rukách.“ – „Čo sa vám stalo?“ – „Odmrzli mi.“
„Máš 13 rokov a čoskoro sa staneš matkou. Rozumieš tomu, čo sa stalo?“ – „Áno, ten ujo mi povedal, že som pekná.“
„Máte tri deti, chorú manželku. Vy ste ale mladý a zdravý, a predsa nepracujete. Prečo?“ – „Lebo som cigán z osady a musím v dome kúriť. Inak mi tu deti aj žena pomrznú. Kto ma zamestná, keď musím aspoň trikrát denne prikladať do pece?“ – „Čo pálite?“ – „Všetko, čo nájdem. Od dreva až po pneumatiky.“
Toto je zopár krátkych dialógov z rómskych osád, ktoré som pred mnohými rokmi absolvovala ešte ako novinárka.
V novembri 2021 som sa do slovenských rómskych osád vrátila ako europoslankyňa, pretože som tam viedla delegáciu Európskeho parlamentu. To, čo sme v osadách našli, ďaleko predčilo všetky naše očakávania. Našli sme tisíce ľudí bez elektriny, bez pripojenia k verejnému zdroju pitnej vody, bez kanalizácie. V Trebišove, čo je 23-tisícové mesto na východe Slovenska, žije v segregovanej osade 7,5 tisíc Rómov, ktorí sa počas daždivej jesene brodia vo vlastných výkaloch a vo výkaloch dokaličených psov. Ako v slumoch. Nemajú kanalizáciu, nemajú elektrinu, nemajú plyn. V celej osade je pre sedem a pol tisíca ľudí jeden jediný zdroj pitnej vody. Všade okolo sú tisíce a tisíce ton toxických skládok, ktoré zamorujú celé územia. Cez deň skládky obžierajú zúbožené psy, v noci z nich vyliezajú potkany, ktoré potom obžierajú deti v spánku. Deti majú viditeľné jazvy na tvárach, majú svrab a sú hladné. Ľudia v osade boli takí apatickí, že sa premenili na vlastné tiene, ktorými sme prechádzali. Pracovníci projektu Zdravé regióny spolufinancovaného z Európskeho sociálneho fondu, ktorí počas pandémie v osadách suplovali štát, nás upozorňovali na rozmáhajúci sa fenomén fetujúcich detí. Fetujú toluén, aby necítili, že sú hladné. Zároveň nás upozornili na extrémne vysokú úmrtnosť detí v osade. Evidujú 30 úmrtí na 1000 novonarodených detí, čo je úroveň rozvojových krajín. Tie deti zomierajú na podvýživu, na respiračné ochorenia. Keď je v chatrčiach zima, Rómovia pália, čo im príde pod ruku, napríklad aj toxický odpad zo skládok.
Na Slovensku sa stalo štátnou politikou zaraďovať deti z osád do špeciálnych škôl. Ich sociálnu depriváciu a ich neznalosť štátneho jazyka si pri testoch školskej zrelosti často zamieňajú za mentálnu retardáciu. A takto si štát už celé roky vlastnou segregačnou politikou vytvoril x-tú generáciu ľudí s neukončeným základným vzdelaním, ktorí sú kompletne závislí od štátnej pomoci a ktorí sú neschopní uspieť na otvorenom trhu práce. Európska komisia vedie voči tomuto, voči Slovensku, infringement.
Zatiaľ sa ale nič výrazné nezmenilo. Počas minulých slovenských korupčných vlád, ktoré doslova tunelovali fondy Európskej únie, sa peniaze na marginalizované rómske komunity rozdávali všadejakým organizáciám prisatým na vládnu chobotnicu. Napríklad na rekvalifikačné kurzy Ikebana určené pre dlhodobo nezamestnaných alebo peniaze dávali obecným futbalovým klubom, aby učili Rómov bez základného vzdelania digitálnym zručnostiam. Za veľa európskych peňazí sa dialo veľa ohavností, ktoré marginalizovaným rómskym komunitám priniesli len veľmi malú pridanú hodnotu. Súčasná vláda neodstránila byrokraciu zo systému čerpania eurofondov, a tak má Slovensko jedno z najnižších čerpaní vôbec. Z pôvodnej alokácie na marginalizované rómske komunity zo starého rozpočtu máme stále nevyčerpaných 70 %. Chýba politická vôľa tak na vládnej, ako aj na lokálnej úrovni a napätie medzi osadami a majoritným obyvateľstvom narastá.
Pretože tak ako sa žije ťažko ľuďom v osadách, tak sa žije ťažko ľuďom žijúcim v ich blízkosti. Investovať do rómskych osád sa stalo v našom regióne také nepopulárne, že peniaze z európskych fondov radšej necháme prepadnúť. Pritom 300 osád na Slovensku nemá prístup k verejným vodovodným sieťam, v 650 osadách obyvatelia nemajú prístup ku kanalizácii, v 50 segregovaných rómskych osadách nemajú žiadnu infraštruktúru, ani len asfaltovú cestu. Podľa UNDP má vodu z verejného vodovodu menej ako polovica všetkých rómskych domácností na Slovensku a značná časť z nich musí brať vodu z potoka alebo rieky. Nedodržiavajú sa zásadné smernice EÚ týkajúce sa vody a zneškodňovania odpadových vôd ani článok 34 Charty základných práv EÚ. V dôsledku toho je v osadách zvýšený výskyt rôznych infekčných ochorení medzi deťmi aj medzi dospelými. V osadách sa vo zvýšenej miere vyskytuje fenomén detí, ktoré majú deti, vo veku 12 až 15 rokov. Objavujú sa prípady detskej prostitúcie.
Opísala som vám situáciu na Slovensku, ale toto isté sa deje v Česku, v Maďarsku, v Rumunsku a v Bulharsku. Hovoríme o státisícoch ľudí, ktorých životné podmienky sú porovnateľné s podmienkami ľudí z rozvojových krajín. Ide o európsku hanbu, ide o európsky problém. Nemôžeme budovať “social Europe where no one can be left behind“, keď necháme deti v 21. storočí v srdci Európy zomierať na podvýživu a na respiračné ochorenia. Posledná vec, ktorú vám chcem povedať, je, že ...
Predsedajúca odobrala rečníčke slovo.
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, may I begin by thanking you for placing this important topic on the Parliament’s agenda once again. Roma inclusion policy is an area in which, over the years, we have seen excellent cooperation – and indeed a broad consensus between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The subject of Roma inclusion is especially important to the Czech Presidency. I am proud to recall the Council conclusions on Roma inclusion that were adopted during the first Czech Presidency in 2009.
We all agree that the difficult situation of Roma living in marginalised settlements is a matter of grave concern and something that demands urgent action. Deep poverty, substandard housing, lack of basic services such as clean water, electricity and internet access – these are some of the impossible challenges still faced by segregated Roma communities. To change this deplorable situation, a joint effort is needed, both at the EU and national level. I recall the recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation that the Council adopted last year. It is the latest and most important of a series of policy commitments that we have developed over the past decade and a half. But the to—do list is still long.
Let me start with measures to ensure equal access to adequate desegregated housing and essential services. In the 21st century, everyone must have access to tap water, clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, waste collection services, electricity, gas, transport and digital communications. Adequate housing is a basic human need essential for health and social inclusion. Concrete plans should be drawn up by the Member States to end segregation and to tackle housing issues with the involvement of local communities and Roma themselves. Integrated housing schemes, a vital prerequisite for social inclusion, should be promoted, for instance by means of micro-loans, saving schemes and construction training.
You rightly draw a link between segregation and anti-Gypsyism. In a context of rising populism, we must focus on combating and preventing all forms of discrimination, including racism against Roma, which is a root cause of exclusion. Here, I am also glad to recall the Union legislation and measures prohibiting discrimination and incitement to violence and hatred that the Council has already put in place.
Monitoring progress is an essential part of Roma inclusion policy. By next June, the Member States will notify the Commission of measures taken in accordance with the recent Council recommendation, and they will report to the Commission every other year, including on progress made. The Council has also called for full public disclosure of national reports on Roma. Finally, we have asked the Fundamental Rights Agency to carry out a regular Roma survey every four years.
As you rightly stressed in the motion for a resolution, the principle of equality should, of course, also be reflected in the EU funding. Indeed, one of the policy objectives of the European Social Fund Plus is a more social and inclusive Europe. It includes a specific objective for funding the socio—economic integration of marginalised people such as Roma. Vulnerable groups and marginalised communities, including Roma, are also explicitly mentioned as target groups that should benefit from the European Child Guarantee and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The Council believes that the Member States should make full use of available instruments and funds relevant for preventing and combating discrimination of the Roma, including in the context of their national recovery and resilience plans.
Money is not everything, though. I can only echo your views regarding the importance of the participation of civil society. Many NGOs active in this field play crucial roles, including as a bridge between Roma communities and the rest of the society, as a source of expertise and funding and as agents of positive change and support at the grassroots level. Therefore, cooperation with civil society should underpin our work on every aspect of Roma inclusion, from policy design to policy implementation. Member States should continue their efforts to build broader alliances involving civil society, businesses and industry, academia and research. The European Roma platform, established in 2009 and strongly supported by the Council during the previous Czech Council Presidency, offers a valuable structure for this vital dialogue and cooperation with civil society stakeholders.
Let me finish with the most important. Life chances are already defined during the first years of childhood. Therefore, particular attention must be paid to preventing and combating child poverty. Above all – and this is the heart of the matter – we must ensure that Roma children have access to education. In order to flourish at school, children need quality early childhood education and care. I’m therefore happy to inform you that the Council has already begun work on the new Commission proposal for a new recommendation in this area, which we hope to see adopted before the end of the Czech Presidency. So thank you once more for this debate and thank you especially for placing so much emphasis on children. No one chooses to be excluded – whether they were born 50 years ago or whether they are a child being born today.
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members, I want to thank Ms Nicholosonová for this and I want to start by confirming her testimonies because I saw with my own eyes two weeks ago what Ms Nicholosonová was recounting here today to this Parliament.
Roma are Europe’s largest ethnic minority, with a population of 10 to 12 million. Of these, more than 6 million live here in the EU. They continue to suffer from extreme poverty, prejudice, exclusion, systemic discrimination, structural racism and anti-Gypsyism in all areas of life. The Commission condemns this. We address these issues through a comprehensive approach using all available legal policy and financial instruments. We tackle discrimination and anti-Gypsyism through both the EU—Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation and the anti-racism action plan, as well as by enforcing the existing EU legislation in place, such as the Racial Equality Directive and the Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia.
Too many of the Roma communities throughout Europe are found at the fringes of society, living marginally and often in completely segregated settlements. Only a few days ago I visited different parts of Slovakia and could, as I already said, witness that such environments virtually exclude any prospects for a dignified life. Overcoming this spiral of exclusion and poverty is particularly difficult, and it requires concerted efforts through an integrated approach, adequate funding, genuine Roma participation, and, very importantly, political will. This is exactly the goal of the EU strategic framework, which the Commission adopted in October of 2020.
Building on the lessons from previous actions, this reformed and strengthened framework sets out a comprehensive three—pillar approach for equality, inclusion and participation until 2030. It introduces a stronger focus on the fight against discrimination and anti-Gypsyism and fosters Roma participation. This pillar of approach is essential to achieving more and faster progress and to ensuring effective equal access for Roma to quality, inclusive mainstream services, as well as education, employment, health and housing. Unlike its predecessor, this framework includes headline targets for 2030 and the proposed portfolio of indicators to monitor progress. This has been complemented with the Council recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation that was adopted unanimously in March of 2021 to guide Member States’ national measures.
National Roma strategic frameworks are essential to achieve the objectives which Member States were requested to develop, adopt and implement, following a common but differentiated approach which acknowledges the diversity of national situations and specific circumstances. The Commission is assessing these national frameworks and will publish its stocktaking by the end of this year. As of 2023, Member States will report on the implementation of their national frameworks every two years. These reports would be made public in order to increase transparency and promote policy learning. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights will continue to provide tailored support to Member States in their efforts to develop indicators according to their needs based on census, administrative and survey data, to facilitate better monitoring processes at national level and increase accountability.
To support the implementation of the EU—Roma framework and the Council recommendation, the Commission calls on Member States to mobilise significant resources to address the situation of Roma people living in settlements and to ensure their socio—economic integration. Similarly, considering the challenges facing marginalised Roma communities in terms of access to basic services, the European Regional Development Fund contributes to improving their living conditions and development prospects through measures such as building or extending mainstream non—segregating educational facilities and non—segregated social housing, as well as ensuring accessible busing, in complementarity with the ESF+ actions. I will ensure that the Commission monitors implementation at national level and publishes regular reports on the progress achieved.
Miriam Lexmann, za skupinu PPE. – Vážená pani predsedajúca, to, ako žijú Rómovia v osadách, sme videli počas oficiálnej návštevy Európskeho parlamentu na Slovensku. Všetci, ktorí aspoň trochu poznajú realitu rómskych komunít, vedia, že je absolútne nevyhnutné nájsť riešenia na problémy, ktoré sa desaťročia nabaľujú. Nie je žiadnym tajomstvom, že aj v 21. storočí sú osady bez pitnej vody, sanitácie či perspektívy zamestnania alebo dôstojného života. Mojou snahou ako tieňovej spravodajkyne bolo dosiahnuť vyvážený text, ktorý by reflektoval mnohé nesplnené ciele a očakávania v rámci politiky pomoci marginalizovaným rómskym komunitám. Zároveň musíme brať do úvahy aj problémy, ktorým čelia mnohé mestá a obce a samosprávy pri implementácii projektov a riešení. Lebo sú aj úspešné projekty. Práve preto som navrhla a trvala na tom, aby táto správa obsahovala aj návrh, aby mestá a obce mohli použiť fondy nielen na zlepšenie situácie Rómov žijúcich v osadách, ale aj celej širšej komunity. Toto zahŕňa aj nulové spolufinancovanie projektov, ktoré mestám a obciam ako celkom a všetkým ich občanom umožnia napredovať a rozvíjať sa. A v neposlednom rade musíme odstrániť štrukturálne a byrokratické prekážky, ktoré im bránia v riadnom čerpaní fondov a odrádzajú ich od realizácie tak prepotrebných projektov.
Estrella Durá Ferrandis, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, señorías, no podemos seguir cerrando los ojos ante el hecho de que algunas comunidades gitanas siguen marginadas y viven en la más extrema pobreza y exclusión social. Su situación se agravará como consecuencia del aumento de la inflación y los precios de la energía, que van a afectar especialmente a las personas más vulnerables.
Necesitamos ya un plan de acción europeo para erradicar los asentamientos romaníes, que no solo carecen de viviendas dignas, sino que, además, no ofrecen acceso a servicios básicos, sanitarios, de salud ni de educación, por no hablar de empleo, inclusión social o, incluso, de los riesgos ambientales para la salud presentes en dichos asentamientos.
Es necesaria una acción coordinada a escala de la Unión Europea, en estrecha cooperación con las autoridades locales y regionales. Los esfuerzos realizados hasta la fecha por parte de los Estados miembros no son suficientes. Muchas veces los fondos europeos no se utilizan para erradicar la pobreza y la exclusión social de la comunidad gitana debido a la falta de voluntad política, a barreras administrativas o incluso a la discriminación indirecta, estructural o intersectorial. La Comisión y el Consejo deben adoptar una postura más activa. Debemos hacer todo lo posible para evitar la violación de la legislación europea, los valores fundacionales de la Unión y los derechos de las personas.
Por ello, mi grupo ha pedido que se establezca un mecanismo de alerta temprana para informar de los riesgos de abuso o uso indebido de los fondos de la Unión Europea destinados a abordar la situación de los gitanos en asentamientos marginales.
Por otro lado, y con esto finalizo, la erradicación de la situación de privación en que viven muchas comunidades gitanas se debe enmarcar en una estrategia antipobreza que mi grupo demanda con urgencia, con una inversión adecuada para combatir y erradicar la pobreza de manera efectiva a través de la implementación urgente de la Directiva de salarios mínimos, el aumento del presupuesto para la Garantía Infantil Europea, la intensificación de los esfuerzos en planes de rentas mínimas y el apoyo de la Unión Europea para una vivienda adecuada.
Dragoş Pîslaru, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, on behalf of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, I would like to congratulate all my colleagues for the work done in supporting Roma minority rights, including the relentless efforts of our rapporteur today, Lucia Nicholsonová.
We have done an official mission to see those settlements. We have seen them with our own eyes; we have heard plenty of testimonials. We know that the situation is really unacceptable. We have a strategy, we have frameworks, we have recommendations, we even have money.
The Council representative said that the Council believes that Member States should make full use of EU resources, and it is good that the Council believes that, but the Member States do not make full use of resources. Money is not flowing where it should.
We have recommendations related to the child guarantee and how this should be implemented, but the latest statistics show that one in two Roma children aged four to six doesn’t have access to education. The situation concerning housing and health conditions, and proper nutrition, access to jobs – all these are part of the resolution that we are going to vote on in Parliament tomorrow. This is a clear message that just relying on recommending Member States to do things is not the right way to go forward.
This has two important aspects. One is related to liberties and rights, and for that, the Commission should go with infringement over infringement over infringement, and to go with having direct responsibility of mayors and state officials for this situation. It’s unacceptable to have modern slavery and to have children that have that problem today. And of course, the other part is investment. This is an investment in the European future. Just allowing the opportunity there and breaking the vicious cycle is the way to go forward.
Dominique Bilde, au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, l’intégration – pardon, l’inclusion – des Roms constitue l’un des serpents de mer des programmes européens. Les présupposés sur lesquels ces derniers se fondent ne résistent pourtant guère à l’examen.
Il faut dire que traiter de cette question implique une bonne dose de lucidité, notamment en ce qui concerne la volonté réelle d’assimilation de tant de Roms au sein des populations majoritaires. À cet égard, la persistance de pratiques qui heurtent profondément notre sensibilité, telles que le mariage précoce ou le travail des enfants, justifie certaines spécificités. Cette persistance peut également expliquer en partie que le bilan des politiques publiques déployées ces dernières années en faveur de ces populations soit d’une rare indigence. Ce n’est pourtant pas faute de générosité: en témoignent, dans le domaine éducatif par exemple, les quotas et autres bourses d’études mis à disposition par certains États membres.
On ne saurait par ailleurs évoquer la ségrégation scolaire sans reconnaître qu’elle résulte trop souvent, comme je l’avais souligné par le passé, de décisions de parents d’élèves en désaccord avec la gestion de l’école quant aux perspectives de leurs enfants.
On le voit: les causes du statu quo actuel sont diverses et elles appellent une réponse mesurée. Tant que la Commission s’arc-boutera sur une condamnation sans nuance de certains États membres, une quelconque amélioration semble hors de portée.
Elżbieta Rafalska, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Koleżanki i Koledzy! Tekst rezolucji Parlamentu Europejskiego odnosi się do palących problemów i słusznie postuluje poprawę warunków mieszkalnych społeczności romskich, większą integrację społeczną i walkę z ubóstwem. Aktywizacja Romów pokazuje dramatyczną sytuację mieszkaniową w romskich osiedlach i te wstrząsające warunki, o których tu była mowa, są absolutnie nie do zaakceptowania. Niestety tekst też jest w wielu miejscach nie do przyjęcia i całkowicie odbiega od głównego tematu rezolucji. Nawołuje do szybkiej implementacji ogólnego systemu warunkowości dla ochrony budżetu Unii, sugeruje, że państwa członkowskie naruszają traktaty Unii Europejskiej i niesłusznie oskarża niektóre państwa o segregację i dyskryminację Romów uciekających z Ukrainy.
Ale chcę też powiedzieć, żeby osiągnąć skuteczność na rzecz poprawy sytuacji Romów, niezbędne są dobre, przemyślane polityki krajowe, te lokalne i regionalne, i współpraca z tymi projektami i współfinansowanie ich z Unii Europejskiej. Mogę posłużyć się dobrą praktyką posłużyć z Polski. Tworzymy sieć nauczycieli wspomagających edukację uczniów romskich, mamy systemy edukacyjne, stypendialne na wszystkich poziomach. Asystenci edukacji romskiej wpisani są na listę zawodów. Myślę, że wszystkim jest potrzebna determinacja, współpraca, środki i ten efekt poprawy może być osiągnięty.
Lívia Járóka (NI). – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony, Biztos Asszony! A Szlovákiában található szegény- és cigánytelepek, romatelepek semmiben nem különböznek a nyugat európai szegregátumoktól, sajnos. Aki nem oda születik, annak ugyan problémás elképzelni, milyen nehézségekkel és esélyegyenlőtlenséggel indul azoknak az élete, akik ilyen telepre születnek.
A generációkon átívelő mélyszegénység azonban megállítható az európai uniós források jobb felhasználásával. Mindehhez azonban először le kell hívni a forrásokat, majd korrupció nélkül, a helyi közösség roma és nem roma vezetőinek bevonása mellett hagyni elkölteni.
Ma a háború és Covid utáni recesszió az európai szegényeket és köztük az európai romákat érte el legkorábban, és érinti leghúsbavágóbban. Ma már vannak éhező európai, roma és nem roma családok a Covid és a háború következtében. Ezért javaslom az összes tagállamnak a magyar kormány bevált intézkedéseit. Gyakorlatból beszélek, tapasztalatból, ezért kérem, hogy a tagállami stratégiákba a tagállamok ültessék be a hároméves kortól biztosított, kötelező óvodai oktatást, előtte a bölcsődei integrációt, a családi otthonteremtési programot, amelyben például egy magyar állampolgár 10 millió Ft kedvezményt kap lakásvásárlásra. A nagycsaládosok autóvásárlási kedvezményt kaptak, a sokgyermekes anyák örökéletű adókönnyítést, ugyanúgy, ahogy a 25 év alatti fiatal munkavállalók is.
Tehát ezek az említett ösztönzők, ezenkívül a kis és középvállalkozások fejlesztése, hogy romákat is fel tudjanak venni, a roma vállalkozók fejlesztése, hogy nagyobb cégeket tudjanak alapítani. Ezeket ösztönöznünk kell, mert az éhség és a munkanélküliség újra fenyegeti ezt a legszegényebb csoportot.
Maria Walsh (PPE). – Madam President, Roma experience significant inequalities and marginalisation in Ireland and across the EU due to their exclusion from mainstream society. Our health services are failing Roma communities because of the lack of insurance, discrimination by health professionals and segregation in health care facilities. Roma women in particular experience multiple forms of discrimination and gender—based violence, affecting both their physical and mental health.
We cannot continue with this ‘out of sight and out of mind’ attitude when it comes to the position of minority groups. We need to break the cycle of disadvantage. I am encouraged by the projects like the Roma Health Project in Ireland, a dedicated initiative to tackle Roma health inequalities. Their work ensures that there is no danger of segregation.
The Commission and the Member States need to implement the EU Roma strategic framework, which aims to give all Roma equal opportunity. We need to eradicate any form of structural and institutional anti—Roma policies that we discuss here, in this House, and ensure full equality in areas such as housing and health care, including mental health care.
I want to acknowledge the work Commissioner Dalli does on this in her mandate, as well as my colleagues here, on the floor, for this incredibly important time that we make an equal Europe for all, not just some.
Ilan De Basso (S&D). – Fru talman! Det går inte att förbjuda fattigdom. Medan högern attackerar fattiga människor, menar vi socialdemokrater att det är fattigdomen och ojämlikheten som ska bekämpas.
Dagens situation ska ses som en direkt konsekvens av vår historia och det omfattande strukturella förtryck och diskriminering som romer har utsatts för och utsätts för än i dag. Romer har plågats och förföljts genom sin historia och varit på ständig flykt. Romska kvinnor och barn tillhör de mest utsatta individerna, och här måste vi göra mer för att skydda dessa grupper.
Samtidigt begår regeringar övergrepp och hetsar mot minoritetsgrupper – och så sker också här i Europaparlamentet. Romers situation är alarmerande och förvärras ytterligare nu med ökad inflation och ökade energipriser. När kriser som dessa inträffar är det alltid de svagaste grupperna som drabbas hårdast.
Nu måste alla medlemsländer leva upp till rättighetsstadgan och de mänskliga rättigheterna. Kommissionen bär ett stort ansvar för att inleda överträdelseförfaranden mot medlemsländer som bryter mot våra gemensamma värderingar. Vi måste tillsammans säkerställa att ingen hindras från rätten till bostad, utbildning, en grundtrygghet vid sjukdom eller arbetslöshet, hälso- och sjukvård eller möjligheten att försörja sig själv.
Vi behöver en bättre strategi för att utrota fattigdom och motverka social exkludering. Effektiva lösningar kräver fullt engagemang på europeisk, nationell och lokal nivå för att där hitta gemensamma lösningar för att lösa situationen för romer och att ge dem möjlighet att delta på lika villkor.
Vi måste erkänna den diskriminering som romer utsätts för, och vi ska tillsammans ta ansvar för ett mer solidariskt och rättvist Europa. Vi vet nämligen att Europa kan bättre.
Атидже Алиева-Вели (Renew). – Уважаема г-жо Председател, уважаема г-жо Комисар, скъпи колеги, модернизацията и развитието са част от ежедневието ни, а ние днес отново говорим за пагубните последици на дискриминацията и значението на правата и свободите. Ангажиментът ни за социална закрила и възможности за работа за всички започва от най-уязвимите групи.
Най-голямото етническо малцинство в Европа – ромите, продължават да се сблъскват с дискриминация и пречки пред пълноценното им включване в обществото. Положението и условията на живот са особено тежки, тъй като липсват основни услуги като достъп до пътища, водоснабдяване, канализация и електричество. Ограниченият достъп до здравеопазване, грижи за децата, образование и заетост само задълбочават неравенствата.
В България ромските махали не изглеждат по европейски, нито животът, който водят ромите, е европейски. Вярвам, че е нужно да направим повече за реализиране на европейските ценности. Държавите трябва да положат още усилия за ефективно използване на средствата, които Съюзът предоставя.
Younous Omarjee (The Left). – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, Monsieur le Ministre, au cœur de l’Union européenne se trouvent des ghettos de Roms constitués de bidonvilles sur des montagnes de déchets, sans accès à l’eau potable, sans route, sans accès équitable aux soins, à l’éducation, au marché du travail ni aux aides sociales. C’est à cette réalité moyenâgeuse que nous avons été confrontés lors de la mission que notre commission REGI a menée dans l’est de la Slovaquie, et cette réalité est la même partout en Europe.
C’est pourquoi je pose la question: comment cela est-il possible, avec les 370 milliards de la cohésion? Cette réalité, Madame la Commissaire, dit un racisme institutionnel, et il y a une complicité à tous les étages pour que rien ne change. Je vous le dis en tant que président de la commission REGI: la programmation 2021-2027 devra voir une réelle concrétisation à l’égard des communautés marginalisées. C’est le devoir et l’obligation de la Commission européenne d'y veiller et de prendre toutes les mesures en cas de manquement.
Madame la Présidente, pour terminer je veux dire que nous n’acceptons pas, en Europe, une caste d’intouchables au sein de notre Union.
Λευτέρης Νικολάου-Αλαβάνος (NI). – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, και αυτή η έκθεση κάνει γνωστές και επαναλαμβανόμενες διαπιστώσεις, περιγραφές των προβλημάτων που πραγματικά αντιμετωπίζουν οι Ρομά σε όλα τα κράτη μέλη. Η έκθεση όμως δεν στοχεύει και δεν μπορεί να λύσει τα προβλήματα που διαπιστώνει αλλά στοχεύει στο να ξανασερβίρει την ευρωενωσιακή στρατηγική που υλοποιούν οι αστικές κυβερνήσεις και η οποία συνειδητά και διαχρονικά συντηρεί τους άθλιους όρους διαβίωσης, στρώνοντας το έδαφος για τη δράση κυκλωμάτων και δαιμονοποιώντας τους Ρομά για την εγκληματικότητα, ενώ μεταθέτει την κρατική ευθύνη σε διάφορους καλοθελητές και μη κυβερνητικές οργανώσεις, επιτείνοντας την εξαθλίωση και την ομηρία τους.
Διέξοδο δεν μπορούν να δώσουν Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και κυβερνήσεις που με τη στρατηγική τους τσακίζουν συνολικά τα εργατικά λαϊκά δικαιώματα. Για να σπάσει οριστικά ο φαύλος κύκλος της γκετοποίησης, χρειάζεται εξασφάλιση μόνιμης και σταθερής δουλειάς, σύγχρονης στέγασης, δημόσιων υπηρεσιών υγείας και παιδείας, καθώς και σεβασμός στην κουλτούρα και τον τρόπο ζωής των Ρομά. Αυτός είναι ο δρόμος για την ουσιαστική κοινωνική ένταξή τους κόντρα στις διακρίσεις, κόντρα στα πιεστικά προβλήματα που διαιωνίζει το σύστημα της εκμετάλλευσης.
Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE). – Paní předsedající, vážená paní komisařko, dámy a pánové, situace Romů ve státech EU je absolutně nepřijatelná. To, co můžeme vidět v řadě zemí, třeba na Slovensku, v Rumunsku nebo v Bulharsku, neodpovídá standardům 21. století. Romové jsou největší etnickou menšinou, ale žijí v podmínkách, které nejsou evropské. Bez čisté vody, ve špíně, bez vyhlídek na budoucí integraci do společnosti. Jak je možné, že utrácíme tolik peněz za romskou problematiku a nevidíme žádný efekt? Jak to, že se nenachází řešení této naléhavé problematiky, které by vedlo ke skutečnému vyřešení problémů Romů? Proč nezkusíme nějaké projekty, které jsme například s Petrem Pollákem na Slovensku zavedli, a chceme skrze ně řešit bydlení, práci a to, aby mladí Romové chodili do školy? Vždyť vzdělání je základ, tady to pořád opakujeme. A proč to pořád nechápeme? Proč pořád dáváme dílčí peníze do projektů, které nepřináší kýžený výsledek? Dámy a pánové, pokud vyřešíme a zvládneme vyřešit situaci Romů v Evropě, zvládneme opravdu změnit výrazným způsobem kulturní život ve státech Evropské unie.
Pierfrancesco Majorino (S&D). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, sono migliaia le persone che vivono negli insediamenti rom e sinti in Europa in condizioni non dignitose. Donne, uomini, ragazzi e bambini che vivono spesso in alloggi insicuri, senza acqua potabile, elettricità, servizi igienico-sanitari. Persone poste ai margini di percorsi educativi di qualità, che sarebbero la principale occasione di emancipazione, ed escluse da opportunità occupazionali capaci di restituire la dovuta dignità.
Tutto ciò porta ad un'assenza, peraltro, di un accesso effettivo all'assistenza sanitaria, con un tasso di mortalità infantile drammatico. Una condizione, cioè, di esplicita esclusione sociale, marginalizzazione e povertà estrema che dobbiamo definire per quello che è: assolutamente un fenomeno inaccettabile, incompatibile con i valori dell'Unione europea. E dobbiamo contrastare tutto questo non con politiche di ghettizzazione, discriminazione e segregazione, ma con interventi diversi che aiutino la promozione della persona, il riscatto, la piena inclusione sociale.
L'Europa ha bisogno in maniera molto più limpida, dunque, di politiche di contrasto alla povertà e di lotta all'esclusione sociale, anche in questo caso. Se non interveniamo velocemente, peraltro, in contesti come questi, cresceranno certamente forme di cronicizzazione nella povertà e anche forme di illegalità che non dobbiamo assolutamente ignorare e che si presentano come un terribile avversario rispetto all'obiettivo della piena inclusione sociale.
Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew). – Fru talman! Fru kommissionär, ärade kollegor! Återigen står vi här och förfasas över det vedervärdiga och omänskliga som många av våra romska medborgare tvingas leva med, och hur polisbrutalitet och rasism bara spär på fattigdomen och missförhållandena bland romska samhällen.
Vi förfäras över hur misskötsel och kommissionens oförmåga att agera tillåter diskriminering att fortsätta, som om det vore någonting nytt, och som om det vore första gången kommissionen ser mellan fingrarna när stater och regeringar slirar på sina demokratiska värderingar.
Varför händer det ingenting? I Bulgarien ser vi hur EU-pengar används för att träna poliser i att slåss mot så kallad radikalisering i romska samhällen. I Ungern läggs EU—pengar på att riva romska hus och vräka romska familjer och bygga segregerade bostäder bara för romer. Runtom i EU frodas antiziganismen mot romer, inte så sällan pådriven av regeringarna själva.
Det räcker nu! Den här kommissionen måste agera när länder förgriper sig på sin egen befolkning med hjälp av EU-pengar. Den här kommissionen måste visa att den på allvar vill stå upp för demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter och allas lika rätt och värde.
Monika Vana (Verts/ALE). – Frau Präsidentin, sehr geehrte Frau Kommissarin, sehr geehrter Herr Minister! Vor drei Monaten habe ich im Rahmen der Mission des Ausschusses für regionale Entwicklung eine Romasiedlung im Osten der Slowakei besucht. Kollege Younous Omarjee hat das schon angesprochen.
Was wir dort vorgefunden haben, machte uns fassungslos: mindestens 300 Menschen ohne fließendes Wasser, ohne Abwasser- und Abfallsystem, nur mit eingeschränktem Zugang zu Gesundheitsversorgung und Bildung, die Kinder keine Möglichkeit zu Transport in die Schulen, und das mitten in Europa. Und es ist ein Unterschied, ob wir hier darüber debattieren oder ob man es dann mit meinen eigenen Augen sieht.
Diese Siedlung in der Slowakei, wie heute schon wiederholt gesagt wurde, ist kein Einzelfall. Es gibt noch viel zu viele sogenannte segregierte Orte, wo Menschen in lebenswidrigen Verhältnissen leben müssen. Und warum? Weil einzelne Lokalpolitiker oder Lokalpolitikerinnen oft zögern, sogenannte Pro-Roma-Projekte umzusetzen, obwohl genug EU-Gelder zur Verfügung stehen. Und warum? Weil Antiziganismus und struktureller Rassismus immer noch weit verbreitet sind.
Es ist ein Teufelskreis, aus dem die Menschen, die es betrifft, europäische Staatsbürger und Staatsbürgerinnen, nur schwer entkommen können, und das darf nicht sein. Das ist eine Schande für Europa. Soziale und strukturelle Diskriminierung von Roma und Sinti müssen endlich entschieden bekämpft werden. Und da reichen eine unverbindliche Rahmenstrategie der EU und eine Empfehlung der Kommission nicht. Es muss mehr Druck auf die Mitgliedstaaten ausgeübt werden und die Umsetzung der Strategien auch auf Gemeindeebene überwacht werden. Und wir müssen schauen, dass EU-Geld wirklich dort ankommt, wo es am dringendsten gebraucht wird.
Peter Kofod (ID). – Fru Formand! Min tale bliver i hvert fald ikke som alle de foregående taler. For jeg synes, det er så nemt at stå på denne talerstol og hælde vand ud af ørerne som politiker og tale politisk korrekthed, så det basker. Det er simpelthen alt, alt for nemt. For hvad med jer selv? Hvad med os selv? Kunne I tænke jer at have en romalejr i jeres egen have? Kunne I tænke jer at have en romalejr i den lokale park? Kunne I tænke jer at have en romalejr rundt om hjørnet fra, hvor I selv bor? Og når I taler om social inklusion af romasamfund, kunne I så tænke jer, at det er jeres børn, der skal være med til at inkludere romaer i jeres egne skoler, i jeres egne fritidstilbud osv.? Jeg tror ganske enkelt ikke på det. Jeg kan lige så godt være ærlig og sige, at jeg ikke vil acceptere omrejsende grupper af romaer, der på grund af jeres frie bevægelighed kan rejse frit rundt i Europa. Det gør folk bekymrede, det gør folk bange, hvis der lige pludselig er en romalejr rundt om hjørnet. Og det vil jeg ikke acceptere.
Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, I welcome this debate and the resolution that goes with it – of course I do. Anything that gets the massive discrimination, repression and systemic exclusion faced by Roma onto the agenda has to be welcomed – and it’s not nonsense, and it’s not political correctness.
I know many Irish travellers. They’ve been educated with my daughter. They live in my community. They’re in our parliament in Ireland. I am delighted that this is so.
But I have to say that debates like this are depressing because they just highlight the gap between speech and action. Sometimes it’s like shouting into a void. Nothing changes.
In 2019, the Irish Government published its Irish Traveller Accommodation Expert Review. It was supposed to be the grand new beginning, following years of disastrous traveller accommodation in Ireland; it produced 32 recommendations. As of June this year, only six have been implemented. You could paper the walls in here and in the Irish Parliament with the likes of these resolutions, but nothing changes for the 6 million Roma and travellers who go on suffering outrageously.
I don’t know what the solution is, but we do need to figure it out fast!
Peter Pollák (PPE). – Vážená pani predsedajúca, napriek tomu, že Európska komisia má v poradí už druhú desaťročnú stratégiu, napriek tomu, že posielame miliardy členským štátom na zlepšenie situácie Rómov, napriek tomu, že aj členské štáty majú svoje vlastné stratégie inklúzie Rómov, už po niekoľkýkrát v tomto parlamente hovorím: nestačí to. Prestaňte sa, prosím, všetci skrývať za deklarácie, stratégie či sľuby. Lebo dnešný život miliónov Rómov v Európe je často horší ako životy tých, ktorí žijú v treťom svete. Choďte sa, prosím, pozrieť, do ktoréhokoľvek geta alebo osady na Slovensku, v Maďarsku, v Rumunsku či Bulharsku a zistíte, že stav je naozaj šokujúci. Napriek miliardám, stratégiám či plánom, deti žijú v Európe bez vody, bez vzdelania, ich rodičia často bez práce, jednoducho bez budúcnosti. Dokedy, prosím, vážené kolegyne, vážení kolegovia, máme toto akceptovať? Dokedy sa máme prizerať, že v mnohých európskych krajinách chýba na úrovni miest a obcí politická vôľa postaviť vodovod, kanalizáciu, cestu, škôlku či školu? Dokedy nám budú stačiť stratégie bez reálnych výsledkov? Nestačí mať len prázdne slová. Potrebujeme páky na tých, ktorí odmietajú v členských krajinách niesť zodpovednosť a priniesť dôstojný život aj do najchudobnejších osád v Európe. Je neakceptovateľné, že mnohé samosprávy využívajú európske zdroje na čokoľvek, no na rómske osady a getá peniaze nechcú. Žiadam všetky európske inštitúcie, ale aj členské krajiny, prestaňte, prosím, rozprávať a začnite konať. Majte na pamäti, že aj rómske deti rovnako ako ostatné deti v Európskej únii majú právo plniť si svoje sny. Aj tieto rómske deti majú právo plniť si svoje sny. A je našou povinnosťou, psou povinnosťou každého z nás, či už na úrovni Európskej únie, alebo na úrovni členských štátov, aby sme začali konať, a nielen rozprávať.
Evin Incir (S&D). – Madam President, racism, discrimination in the labour market, forced evictions, marginalisation, hate speech – even by elected officials in this Parliament, even by Prime Ministers in our Union – racially motivated attacks, deprived of education. The list can be made long on the inhuman and degrading treatment of Roma people. According to the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, an estimated 80% of Roma families and their children in our Union live below our respective national at-risk-of-poverty thresholds. There is a lot in the EU I am proud of, but the treatment of Roma people is not one of them.
If you really want to know a society in depth, you should look at how it treats its people. We claim that our Union is built on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities. That we in modern times have settlements in the EU is a big failure for all of us. It is a big failure of our commitments to the Roma people.
We continue to fail to respect the fundamental rights of the Roma people while children are being deprived of their possibility to fulfil their dreams and grown-ups are having their lives crushed. Support to the Roma community, ending impunity for those committing crimes against Roma people, and infringement proceedings against Member States that on purpose continuously deprive the Roma community of their human rights are a few of the many things we must do. There is an immediate need for action in the EU and in the Member States.
Karin Karlsbro (Renew). – Fru talman! Fru kommissionär, kollegor! Vi kan inte acceptera ett Europa med diskriminering och exkludering, ett Europa där utanförskap gör att människor inte kan arbeta och försörja sig, inte kan utbilda sig, inte kan delta. Vi kan inte tolerera ett Europa, där romer fortsätter att ställas utanför.
Det är inte en tillfällighet att länder där rättsstaten är svag, eller till och med nedmonteras, är länder där romernas situation är extra svår. Dessa länder tar samtidigt emot stora summor EU-stöd. Det har sagts förut, men det måste sägas igen: Länder som bryter mot rättsstatens principer, länder som inte använder EU-stöd som det var tänkt, ska inte kunna fortsätta kvittera ut betalningar från Bryssel. EU är ett samarbete, inte en bankomat.
Romer är Europas största minoritetsgrupp och en av de allra mest diskriminerade. Detta måste få ett slut. Alla länder, även mitt hemland Sverige, har ett ansvar att så sker.
Στέλιος Κυμπουρόπουλος (PPE). – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, την ώρα που η Ευρώπη αντιμετωπίζει πολυεπίπεδες προκλήσεις, οφείλουμε να μην ξεχνάμε πληθυσμιακές κατηγορίες όπως οι Ρομά· ομάδες, οι οποίες είναι καθημερινά αντιμέτωπες με διακρίσεις και τον κοινωνικό αποκλεισμό. Γι’ αυτό το λόγο το ψήφισμα που έχουμε στα χέρια μας έχει ιδιαίτερη αξία, γιατί καλεί τις κυβερνήσεις της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να σταθούν στο ύψος των περιστάσεων, και δεν μπορώ παρά να εκφράσω την ικανοποίησή μου που κάποιες από αυτές, όπως η ελληνική, αντιμετωπίζοντας αστοχίες και παραλείψεις του παρελθόντος, το κάνουν ήδη με μια ολιστική εθνική στρατηγική που δίνει έμφαση στην ενεργητική ένταξη τους και την προώθηση της ισότιμης μεταχείρισης και της ενεργού συμμετοχής τους στην κοινωνική και οικονομική ζωή. Με αυτά τα εργαλεία και με συμπαραστάτες τις τοπικές αρχές και τις ίδιες τις κοινότητες των Ρομά ας δουλέψουμε ώστε να μπορέσουν επιτέλους να ασκήσουν πλήρως τα δικαιώματα και τις υποχρεώσεις τους ως πολίτες αυτής της Ένωσης.
Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Paní předsedající, já chci poděkovat paní komisařce i panu ministrovi za velmi konstruktivní vyjádření. Romské osady jsou skutečně obrázkem ze středověku. Žádná energie, žádné připojení na plyn a čištění vody, žádné vzdělání a práce, šíření nemocí, to je skutečně jako obrázek ze středověku. A mě pojímá také hanba, kolik mých kolegů v tomto sále dnes nevyužilo právo mluvit, byť se do debaty přihlásili. Myslím si, že situace největší etnické menšiny v Evropě volala po tom, aby se i naši kolegové vyjádřili. Je to ostudné. Popisovat dále situaci těchto osad je nesmyslné. Bavíme se o tom již potřetí nebo počtvrté v tomto období. Potřebujeme najít řešení, izolovaná akce nemá smysl. Podle mě je důležité najít řešení na evropské úrovni v kombinaci s národním a regionálním řešením. A já se přikláním skutečně k tomu, aby byl vytvořen evropský koordinátor pro řešení romské problematiky, protože tato ostuda, které čelíme, už opravdu musí být ukončena.
Łukasz Kohut (S&D). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Europa jest silna siłą swojej wielokulturowości. Jak dobrze wiecie ja sam jestem przedstawicielem mniejszości śląskiej, mniejszości dalej nieuznanej przez polski rząd. A nasz język, język śląski, śląsko godka, nie jest nawet uznany za język regionalny. Ale walczę o to i nigdy się nie poddam. Ba, czekamy na wyniki spisu powszechnego, gdzie okaże się, nie mam żadnych wątpliwości, że Polska nie jest krajem jednorodnym narodowo. I sam jestem ciekaw, jak to wyszło, bo zrobiliśmy wiele jako śląska sztama, żeby poinformować, że inny nie znaczy gorszy i że każdy ma prawo do swojej tożsamości i do swojego języka.
Śląsk to piękne miejsce na mapie, nasz heimat, piąta strona świata, gdzie przez lata żyli w zgodzie przedstawiciele różnych narodowości: Ślązacy, Polacy, Niemcy, Czesi, Żydzi i Romowie. I nie damy się skłócić. Kaczyński, Orban i inni nacjonaliści, nie z nami te numery. Inny nie znaczy gorszy.
Alice Kuhnke (Verts/ALE). – Fru talman! Det finns saker i vår omvärld som vi kan säga att vi inte kände till eller att vi visste väldigt lite om. Hur situationen ser ut för många romer i EU är inte en av de sakerna. I årtionden har vi makthavare fått rapport efter rapport som svart på vitt beskriver misärens alla gråskalor – från systematisk diskriminering i bostadsköer och på arbetsmarknaden till bristande läskunnighet, tiggeri och sexhandel med barn – i EU 2022.
Att påstå att rasismen och diskrimineringen mot romer i EU är normaliserad är ett understatement. Alla vet, ingen gör tillräckligt. Jag hoppas att det här betänkandet blir undantaget som bekräftar regeln. Låt det göra skillnad.
Ladislav Ilčić (ECR). –Poštovana predsjedavajuća, poštovane dame i gospodo, kad bilo koja skupina ljudi, pa tako i romska, prima značajno više socijalne pomoći iz proračuna nego što svojim radom uplaćuje u proračun, tada takva situacija izaziva animozitet ostalih građana pa se diskriminacija ne smanjuje, već se povećava.
I zaista, danas u pomanjkanju radne snage, osoba koja može raditi, a ne želi raditi, ne treba niti primati socijalnu pomoć. Zato podržavam svaki napor što boljeg uključivanja Roma u tržište rada. No, primjerice, Romi u Hrvatskoj koji rade, kada dobiju četvrto ili peto dijete daju otkaz jer im se više ne isplati raditi. Dakle, države članice često demotiviraju Rome da rade i dopuštaju kriminal među Romima koji inače ne dopuštaju kad, primjerice, dječje doplatke potroše očevi i time romska djeca ostaju diskriminirana. Dakle, ako želimo dobrobit Romima, onda trebamo biti svjesni toga da tako dugo dok mislimo da smo mi ti koji će povećati socioekonomski status Roma nećemo biti uspješni.
Mi moramo Romima omogućiti i motivirati ih da oni sami povećaju svoj socioekonomski status.
Eugenia Rodríguez Palop (The Left). – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, según el Eurobarómetro, una mayoría de europeos considera que la discriminación de las personas gitanas está muy extendida en su país. Esta percepción está más que contrastada con datos e informes nacionales y europeos. En la Unión Europea las personas gitanas se enfrentan cada día a la discriminación y al angitanismo: cuando van a la escuela, entran en una tienda, hacen una entrevista de trabajo o tratan de acceder a una vivienda —por no hablar del acceso a la justicia—.
Necesitamos urgentemente políticas que aborden los estereotipos, los prejuicios, el racismo estructural o la violencia institucional a la que los gitanos están sometidos. Necesitamos instrumentos ambiciosos, como ese plan de acción europeo que votaremos mañana. Necesitamos una mayor coordinación, que los Estados hagan un uso pleno de la financiación disponible, que la Comisión evalúe las medidas adoptadas y que actúe como guardiana de los Tratados en caso de vulneración de derechos en determinados Estados.
El racismo y el antigitanismo son las causas fundamentales de que los gitanos no sean reconocidos en la práctica como ciudadanos de pleno derecho, de que se vean abocados, en muchos casos, a la pobreza y la exclusión social y de que no se reconozcan las aportaciones del pueblo gitano.
La lucha contra el racismo y el antigitanismo, que también estamos viendo en este debate, tiene que ser transversal y es imprescindible que aparezca en todos los principios del pilar social europeo.
En España, por ejemplo, se va a incluir el antigitanismo como delito de odio en el Código Penal y se ha creado en el Congreso una Subcomisión para el estudio de un Pacto de Estado contra el Antigitanismo. Se ha incluido la historia y la cultura gitana en los libros de texto de la enseñanza secundaria obligatoria y se ha incorporado un apartado específico de memoria gitana en la nueva Ley de Memoria Democrática, reconociéndose así el papel de la memoria colectiva en las vulneraciones de derechos que se siguen produciendo. Ojalá sigamos esta estela en el resto de Europa.
Catch-the-eye procedure
Maria Grapini (S&D). – Stimați colegi, sigur, nu e prima dată când dezbatem situația romilor în Uniunea Europeană. Avem și un plan, însă, doamna comisară, vreau să atrag atenția asupra unui lucru care a rezultat și din această dezbatere. Am văzut că și raportoarea și alți colegi au nominalizat țările din Est că ar fi cele care discriminează romii.
Țara mea a fost de mai multe ori amintită aici, alături de Slovacia, alături de Bulgaria. Nu credeți că cetățenii romi sunt cetățeni și ei europeni și au voie să trăiască unde doresc - libertatea de mișcare? Întreb, și nu întreb prima dată: de ce Franța îmbarcă cetățenii romi și îi trimite spre România sau spre Bulgaria ? De ce nu îi integrează?
De ce se trimit acești oameni, care au dreptul lor de a alege unde să trăiască, în țările din Est, care sunt mai sărace, și nu dau bugete să îi integreze în țara unde au ales să meargă acești cetățeni? Pentru că, dacă vom continua așa, cu această segregare, să trimitem toți romii în țările din Est, evident, nu vom reuși niciodată, pentru că acești oameni au aceleași drepturi ca și cetățenii din fiecare țară.
Susanna Ceccardi (ID). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, ho ascoltato tante belle parole, ma vorrei raccontarvi una storia. A Pisa, negli anni 2000 - a Pisa e in Toscana ha governato per tanti anni la sinistra - con i fondi della Comunità europea per circa un miliardo delle vecchie lire, 500 000 EUR, furono costruite delle villette per superare un campo rom che aveva centinaia e centinaia di abitanti. Ebbene, cosa successe? Che queste villette furono costruite, tra l'altro molto belle, completamente smontate per rivendere i pezzi dagli stessi abitanti, dagli stessi occupanti delle villette, e qualche anno fa in quel villaggio arrestarono un'intera famiglia che aveva costretto una quindicenne a un matrimonio forzato e l'aveva praticamente tenuta segregata con violenza e soprusi indicibili.
Ecco quel progetto, che poi diede vita a un'illegalità incredibile, fu finanziato con i soldi della Comunità europea. Ma mi chiedo e vi chiedo: non lo conoscete il vecchio detto che se a un uomo vuoi dare da mangiare non gli devi dare un pesce ma gli devi insegnare a pescare?
Mick Wallace (The Left). – Madam President, in March this year, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) determined that Ireland was in breach of Article 16 of the revised European Social Charter, a binding human rights treaty, for a chronic failure to provide sufficient accommodation for travellers and maintain adequate conditions of existing sites.
The ECSR also ruled that Ireland was in breach of the charter as a significant number of local authority tenants resided in inadequate and substandard housing conditions. Since 2000, EUR 69 million earmarked for traveller housing hasn’t been spent. It continues today. We are still underspending the money that’s earmarked for them.
The questions posed by the Employment and Social Rights Committee to the Commission are good, but it is difficult to have faith in the Commission holding Member States to account given how long traveller and Roma people have had to endure these chronic failures and the weakness of the EU Roma Strategic Framework.
We talk forever in here about human rights. But you know what? Until we start treating all the people in the same way, we should shut up about human rights because we are only been hypocrites.
Mónica Silvana González (S&D). – Señora presidenta, efectivamente, este informe habla de voluntad política y de trabajo coordinado entre instituciones para poner fin a los asentamientos de población gitana.
En Madrid, una de las comunidades más ricas de toda Europa, se encuentra, a solo 14 kilómetros de la Puerta del Sol, uno de los asentamientos de población gitana más grandes de Europa, la Cañada Real. Estamos hablando de la coordinación necesaria de la Comunidad de Madrid para poner fin a esta situación: sí, el Gobierno ya destinó 5 millones de euros para los asentamientos, pero necesitamos que la Comunidad de Madrid también se implique. Por eso le pedimos a la Comisión que exija a la Comunidad de Madrid un trabajo coordinado para, cuanto antes, poner fin al dolor de 7 000 personas, entre ellas,1 800 niños, que llevan dos años sin luz. Lo más urgente es dar acceso a la electricidad a esta población, que pasa el frío, que pasa las nevadas, que pasa los altos calores que soportamos este verano sola.
Por lo tanto, le pedimos a la Comisión que exija coordinación a la Comunidad de Madrid y que, si esta última no lo hace, la Comisión le imponga sanciones, en aplicación del procedimiento de infracción, por vulneración de los derechos humanos de la población gitana en la Comunidad de Madrid.
(End of catch-the-eye procedure)
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, I really wish to thank you for this debate and I want to say that I feel the frustration which many of you have vented during this session. And I think it would be an understatement to say that we must work much harder to improve the unacceptable living conditions of Roma people in settlements, and we can only succeed if we cooperate at all levels.
The Commission will continue to support the efforts of Member States in implementing their national Roma strategic frameworks in line with the EU framework, and in implementing funding programmes that are of direct relevance to Roma. We also need to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations, increase political determination and ensure that Roma themselves can meaningfully participate in this process. I count on your support so that we can jointly deliver a Union of equality for Roma people.
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, thank you for this opportunity to debate an urgent topic. We live in a time of multiple crises, but the long-term challenge of promoting Roma inclusion must not fall off the agenda.
We are speaking here of some 6 million of our fellow citizens, and in times of crisis, it is more important than ever that we come together and show solidarity.
The Council and the European Parliament, together with the Commission, have been close partners in the efforts that have been made at EU level over the past ten years to address the situation of the Roma people. We heard it very clearly during this debate. We must do more to improve the situation of many of our Roma citizens and to close the gaps to ensure that Roma people enjoy the same life chances as everyone else.
For instance, as several of you pointed out, we have to use better resources that are available and far more than that. I believe we all agree that a life of poverty, exclusion and discrimination must not be the automatic fate of any child born in Europe, whatever their ethnic group and social background. Together, we can and must change this.
The Czech Presidency is strongly committed to driving forward the Roma inclusion policy. Later this month, we will host a meeting of the Roma platform in Prague, where stakeholders, policymakers and experts will be able to meet and to work together. I look forward to seeing some of you in Prague.
President. – I have received one motion for resolution tabled in accordance with Rule 136(1) of the Rules of Procedure.
The debate is closed.
The vote will take place tomorrow.
Written statements (Rule 171)
Milan Brglez (S&D), pisno. – Evropski parlament je v aktualnem mandatu opravil več razprav ter sprejel mnenja in poročila na temo boja proti diskriminaciji Romov in učinkovitih ukrepov za njihovo vključevanje v družbo ter gospodarstvo.
Tokratna razprava z ustnima vprašanjema Komisiji in Svetu ter resolucija, ki jo je Evropski parlament pripravil tudi na podlagi izkušenj z našega obiska v marginaliziranih romskih naseljih na Slovaškem, jih nadgrajuje z osredotočanjem na prostorsko segregacijo ter slabe bivanjske razmere v romskih naseljih v Evropski uniji.
Evropska unija in države članice morajo storiti veliko več za spopadanje z diskriminacijo Romov ter za njihovo dejansko vključevanje v družbo, začenši z odpravo prostorske segregacije, getoizacije Romov ter nezdravih in nevarnih bivanjskih pogojev. Slednji se namreč odražajo v neenakem dostopu do izobraževanja, trga dela, zdravstva, oskrbe in drugih temeljnih storitev, visokem tveganju revščine in socialne izključenosti.
Komisija mora ravnati kot varuh temeljnih pogodb in evropskih vrednot, na čelu s človekovimi pravicami in pravicami manjšin, ter preprečiti, da bi se evropska sredstva porabljala za projekte, ki poglabljajo segregacijo in neenakost Romov. Hkrati pa mora sprejeti ukrepe, ki bodo naslavljali pomanjkanje politične volje ali administrativnih ovir, ki preprečujejo, da bi se sredstva EU porabljala za socialno in družbeno najbolj ranljive skupine.
Miroslav Radačovský (NI), písomne. – Navrhovanému uzneseniu o situácii Rómov žijúcich v osadách EÚ sa v podstate nedá veľa vytknúť. Návrh uznesenia je objektívny, vecný a konštruktívny. Bývanie, vzdelávanie, životné prostredie, zamestnanosť musí byť prioritou, nielen pre EÚ, ale predovšetkým pre vlády národných štátov, teda aj pre vládu Slovenskej republiky. Na to sú však potrebné finančné prostriedky a ich správne nasmerovanie.
Finančné prostriedky musia byť nasmerované do regiónov, miestnych samospráv, starostom obcí, teda tam, kde sa problému rómskych osád najviac rozumejú.
Doterajšie financovanie prostredníctvom rôznych splnomocnencov, občianskych združení nesplnilo očakávanie.
Stotožňujem sa s tým, aby sa venovali aj vlády národného štátu, aj vláda SR. A pokiaľ sa chce, tak to pôjde.
Stotožňujem sa s tým, že je potrebné odstrániť rómske osady. Musí to byť civilizovaným a právne akceptovateľným spôsobom.
Ak by teda vláda chcela, problém by vyriešila.
Napríklad:
Súčasná Slovenská vláda dokázala postaviť mestečko s dôstojným bývaním s teplou vodou, kanalizáciou, a internetom pre amerických vojakov. Slovenský Róm nie je o nič menej ako americký vojak. Pokiaľ by sme amerických vojakov umiestnili do rómskych osád v Jasove, Jarovniciach, Kobeliarove a inde, som presvedčený, že v priebehu niekoľkých dní by tam bola voda, kanalizácia, internet a cesta. Takže pokiaľ sa chce, tak problém sa vyriešiť dá.
Guido Reil (ID), schriftlich. – Die Botschaft die hier verkündet wird, ist dass die Roma überall und von jedermann diskriminiert und stigmatisiert werden. Wir sind alle potenzielle Antizyganisten. Sogar ganze Regierungen und Länder stehen unter Verdacht. Wenn wir noch mehr Geld in gescheiterte Projekten investieren, und eine umfassende Roma-Industrie und ein europäisches Überwachungssystem ausbauen, dann würden sich die Probleme von selbst lösen. Erneut verweigert sich das Parlament, die Realität anzuerkennen. Die Realität ist, dass viele Roma einfach nicht bereit sind um sich in unsere Gesellschaften zu integrieren. Eine der größten Hindernisse für eine Integration ist gerade die Ghettobildung in den Siedlungen mit ihren patriarchalisch-feudalen Strukturen. Aus verschiedenen Polizeiberichten geht hervor, dass Bettler aus Roma-Gemeinschaften organisierten Clans mit einer hierarchischen Struktur angehören und dass es eindeutige Anhaltspunkte für die Ausbeutung von Kindern gibt. Statt mehr europäische Zusammenarbeit im Kampf gegen die zunehmende organisierte Bettelei zu fordern, fordert das Parlament aber die Polizeikräfte auf, um vor allem die Roma nicht zu stigmatisieren und zu kriminalisieren. So löst man das Problem natürlich nicht. Es ist Zeit für eine andere Strategie. Ohne Tabus und mit den richtigen strukturellen Lösungsansätzen.
Андрей Слабаков (ECR), в писмена форма. – Bие постоянно се биете по гърдите как посещавате циганските общности. Изглежда, че виждате само това, което ви е политически угодно, но не и грозната истина.
Ето няколко нелицеприятни факта, които вие искате да пренебрегнем. Огромни помощи се изливат в тези общности от десетилетия. Те имаха всички възможности да си помогнат сами, както и със средства от държавата и обществото. Не можеш, обаче, да помогнеш на човек, който не иска помощ.
Цели поколения израснаха на социални и детски субсидии, защото е по-лесно да ги събират, вместо да работят. Децата им не ходят на училище, защото ги пращат да просят. Нищо не спира тяхната интеграция, освен собственият им мързел!
Общности, които нямат желание да се интегрират, нямат място в Европейския съюз! Хора, които не могат да четат и пишат и нямат никаква квалификация, не могат да претендират на каква работа да бъдат назначени! Хора, които живеят от години в незаконни постройки, които крадат вода и ток, които грабят и убиват нормалните работещи български граждани и пенсионери, не бива да бъдат толерирани!
Истината, уважаеми колеги, е, че етническата принадлежност не е привилегия. Всички права са съпроводени от задължения и отговорност към обществото.
Stefania Zambelli (ID), per iscritto. – Ancora una volta l'Unione europea si dimostra fuori dalla realtà. Nel bel mezzo di una crisi energetica senza precedenti, con famiglie e imprese che non riescono a pagare le bollette, la priorità è discutere di Rom e delle loro condizioni di vita. Anziché pensare ad aiuti e sussidi per far fronte al caro energia, siamo qui a discutere che aiuti e che strumenti mettere a disposizione delle popolazioni Rom, per meglio integrarle nelle nostre comunità. Il problema che sono loro stessi che non vogliono integrarsi, preferendo molto spesso vivere di criminalità, che di un vero lavoro. Dunque è inutile continuare a spendere soldi pubblici per la costruzione di case e appartamenti da destinare ai Rom, che, nella maggioranza delle volte, non hanno portato alla tanto sperata integrazione. Cominciamo piuttosto a concentrare le risorse al fine di smantellare i network criminali, in mano ai Rom, attivi nelle maggiori città europee. Grazie.
8. Klíčové cíle pro schůzi CITES CoP19 v Panamě (rozprava)
President. – The next item is the debate on two oral questions on key objectives for the CITES CoP19 meeting in Panama (2022/2681(RSP)):
– the oral question to the Council on key objectives for the CITES CoP19 by Pascal Canfin, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (O-000038/2022 - B9-0023/2022); and
– the oral question to the Commission on key objectives for the CITES CoP19 by Pascal Canfin, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (O-000039/2022 - B9-0024/2022).
Anja Hazekamp, author. – Madam President, I welcome the Commissioner and the Minister. In these times of climate and environmental crisis, we need to urgently step up the protection of the most endangered animals and plants. Crucially, this means that we need to protect more species via the annexes of the CITES convention, and we need to increase enforcement and tackle wildlife crime. I am very glad that my colleagues in the Environment Committee supported the proposal to write this ambitious resolution. This ambition is much needed because, all too often, the European Union made poor choices during the CITES negotiations. CITES was designed to maintain commercial trade in specimens of wild animals and plants, rather than protect them. However, shouldn't CITES regulate the trade, instead of stimulating it?
Today, I would like to focus on the role that the European Union plays. The EU's position is often the key reason for the failure of many CITES proposals. One would hope, with this Commission's loudly trumpeted commitments to halting biodiversity loss, that there would be greater support for the range states when they are making a desperate bid to protect their native wildlife populations at the upcoming CITES CoP. Why doesn't the Commission support the range states’ proposals? For instance, proposals to protect the hippo and the elephant.
At the last CoP, the Commission refused to support the uplisting of the African elephant to Appendix I. Now, six years later, the situation with some of the African elephant populations is dramatic.
At this moment, 10 range states have proposed to transfer the common hippo to CITES Appendix I. These West African countries are bearing direct witness to the decline of this iconic species, and yet the Commission thinks that it knows better and seems determined to not support the hippo uplisting proposal. This Parliament, however, noted the African nations’ concerns and is voicing its support for ending the commercial trade in hippo products in this resolution. We recognise that this will throw a lifeline to the species, which is jeopardised not only by habitat loss and climate change, but also by the trade in its tusks and teeth for ivory. I urge the Commission and Member States to support this hippo proposal. Do not make the same mistake as you made with the African elephant.
The same can be said for the proposal to list glass frogs on CITES Appendix II. These amphibians are becoming increasingly popular in the exotic pet trade. They are protected in many range states, but are collected and traded illegally. Also, these species fell victim to the EU's position at the last CoP.
We know that we can really make a difference when the EU steps up its action. For example, six years ago, the Morocco and the European Union promoted together the listing of the Barbary macaque. This has already borne fruit: we are now seeing the stronghold population in the Atlas Mountains recovering. Staying on the subject of the exotic pet trade, it is good that this resolution reiterates Parliament's support for an EU—wide positive list. This would also limit the number of wild species that can be kept by private owners and thereby reduce a huge amount of animal suffering of species that are unsuitable to be kept as pets.
I urge my colleagues to support the text as agreed by the Environment Committee.
I am hoping that the Commission listens to these and Parliament’s other demands and soon delivers a revised action plan against wildlife trafficking, with real teeth and the funding to be able to tackle the overexploitation of other species. We need to increase enforcement and penalties for wildlife crime and decrease the demand for products from endangered species, particularly hunting trophies and traditional medicines. I'm looking forward to hearing the response of the Council and the Commission to the crucial points I raised and also to hear their answers to ENVI’s questions, in particular, the need to address the link between wildlife trade and the risk of zoonotic pandemics. I would like to hear from the presidency about what they will do to make sure that this CoP, as well as those on climate and biodiversity, will deliver the success that we so desperately need to protect our planet.
I would like to thank, lastly, all the ENVI shadows for the great collaboration on this resolution and look forward to its adoption tomorrow.
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, thank you for inviting me to this debate.
We are witnessing an unprecedented global decline of nature. This is threatening around 1 million animal and plant species with extinction, and it is the direct result of human activity.
Reversing this trend is a major objective for the European Union and its Member States. We believe that CITES is a key international convention for biodiversity conservation and a valuable instrument for our efforts to fight wildlife trafficking.
The Council aims to adopt an ambitious position for CITES CoP19 in line with relevant Union policies and international commitments. As you know, the Union has submitted 13 of 52 proposals for amending the CITES’ appendices that have been tabled for consideration at CoP19.
Our listing proposals are based on scientific criteria, the conservation status of the species concerned and the impact that trade has on the status of that species. We will do our utmost to gather support for these proposals and have them adopted by the CoP19 in Panama.
CITES also plays a very important role in the conservation of forests, and we support stronger and more consistent action between CITES and other forest-related organisations and processes. We have also proposed to add listing of additional tree species under CITES at COP 19.
In addition, the EU supports better protection through CITES of species which are imported to the EU illegally or at unsustainable levels, including various species of reptiles and amphibians, in particular several species of turtles imported to the EU as pets.
As I stated before, strengthening the global response to wildlife trafficking is a major priority for the EU, and we have done much in the context of the EU action plan against wildlife trafficking to address root causes, improve enforcement and strengthen the global partnership of source, consumer and transit countries.
This comprehensive approach should be reflected in the mandate for CoP19. In particular, addressing elephant poaching and ivory trafficking remains a priority for the EU, and our intention for CoP19 is to focus on promoting actions that directly address this problem and on harmonising the conditions for trade in live African elephants.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn considerable public attention to global wildlife trade because of the risk it poses for the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases. And I know you are very attentive to these aspects. We acknowledge the role of CITES’ place in accordance with its mandate in reducing potential risks to the health of animals and people.
However, this is a broader issue that requires collaboration of various organisations dealing with animal or public health, trade, food and transport in line with the one health approach. We strongly support the renewed commitment between the World Organisation for Animal Health and the CITES to work together on animal health and welfare issues worldwide to safeguard biodiversity and protect animals.
Let me assure you that the Presidency, together with the Commission and the Member States, is determined to take an active role to ensure that CITES continues to be an effective tool in attaining its main objectives: the conservation and sustainable management of our natural resources.
We are therefore prepared to conduct the upcoming deliberations in a spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding and joint interests in the protection of species that are threatened by trade in order to maintain a diverse and healthy environment for our future generations.
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, Minister, honourable Members, 2022 is a key year for reinforcing our commitment towards preserving biodiversity. With the Biodiversity CoP 15 in December and the CITES CoP 19 a month before, we have a unique opportunity to shape global efforts to halt and reverse the continued destruction of nature.
The international trade in wild animals and plants is estimated to be worth billions of euros annually and includes thousands of different fauna and flora species. This trade plays an important role in many economies. It ranges from live animals and plants to products derived from them, including food, leather goods, timber and medicines. At the same time, however, we must regulate the international wildlife trade effectively to ensure its sustainability, and to ensure it is consistent with the fight against species extinction. The EU has been actively engaged in advocating for strict global rules on wildlife trade and in the implementation of CITES through the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations. The Commission has also been actively promoting strong EU—wide enforcement of the rules.
Let me now reply more specifically to your three questions. The EU’s main objective for the upcoming CoP 19 in Panama in November is to extend the CITES scope to additional species threatened by international trade. This would be done by including them in the CITES appendices when the relevant criteria are met. For this purpose, the EU has proposed to include a number of animal and plant species in the CITES appendices, and namely several timber and marine species, but also reptile and amphibian species. Demand for some of these species in the EU is significant. So by making proposals for listing, we take responsibility for ensuring that trade is sustainable. We count on partner countries to support the EU proposals.
A second priority is to ensure that the rules in place are transparent and uniformly understood and interpreted. For instance, trade in live elephants can only take place in limited circumstances based on the CITES framework and on transparent and robust scientific scrutiny. The EU has proposed to clarify the framework to ensure that it is as rigorous and as effective as possible. The EU will also continue to encourage building capacities of relevant authorities and strengthening cooperation between source, transit and destination countries.
As regards your second question, the Commission acknowledges that international trade in wildlife may pose a risk for the emergence of zoonotic diseases. At the international level, the EU fully supports the CITES Secretariat in its partnership with the World Organisation for Animal Health and sees the need for CITES to act within its mandate to limit the risks of the transmission of zoonotic diseases in the context of wildlife trade. The Commission has been supporting projects aiming to explore the links between the transmission of zoonotic diseases and trade in wildlife and to limit the risk of these transmissions.
Turning to your last question, we will soon publish the evaluation of the 2016 action plan against wildlife trafficking. This evaluation has found that over the last years wildlife trafficking has clearly risen up the agenda of policymakers, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders in the EU and worldwide. The EU and its Member States have scaled up enforcement measures, for instance, to enhanced cross-border investigations, resulting in more seizures and prosecutions. The EU has also led actions against wildlife trafficking in multilateral fora, notably under CITES, and the EU and Member States’ diplomatic networks have been mobilised, actively engaging in bilateral and regional dialogues. Lastly, the EU has provided substantial funding for local communities’ involvement in the management and conservation of wildlife, capacity building of law enforcement agencies and support for cross-border collaboration to combat wildlife trafficking and dismantle organised crime networks.
Despite these efforts, wildlife trafficking, combined with climate change and environmental degradation, continues to put a serious strain on wildlife, as well as on people’s livelihoods and security. Trafficking routes and trafficked species change, while capacities and resources dedicated to fighting wildlife crime remain limited. This results in a relatively low number of prosecutions and convictions, despite an increase in seizures.
Building on the 2016 action plan and its evaluation, the revised action plan against wildlife trafficking, which we will adopt before the end of this year, will aim to respond to the current challenges in a comprehensive way. It will put more focus on capacity building along the enforcement chain and will encourage coordination and cooperation within and between Member States. It will also renew the EU commitment to fight online wildlife trafficking, harnessing the future adoption of the Digital Services Act to give enforcement actors the necessary tools to tackle wildlife crime online. It will also call for more transparency in decision—making, based on a stronger partnership of the EU and its Member States, with non-governmental organisations, international organisations and the private sector. We aim to establish a more robust framework for monitoring and evaluation of the action plan. This framework will build on existing reporting mechanisms in order to limit the burden on Member States and will take account of the inherent limitations of measuring action against illegal trade.
Lídia Pereira, em nome do Grupo PPE. – Senhora Presidente, os diferentes seres vivos que habitam a Terra são uma das suas maiores riquezas, e a biodiversidade é um bem fundamental que nos cabe a todos preservar.
A pergunta que há a fazer aos governos e à Comissão é se estamos a fazer tudo o que é necessário para salvaguardar o futuro do planeta e não apenas se podemos proteger mais espécies, mas se aquelas que já estão hoje identificadas como em risco e a necessitar de proteção estão efetivamente protegidas.
Não podemos compactuar com o ataque constante à biodiversidade do planeta por parte daqueles que pretendem ter espécies em perigo como animais domésticos apenas para divertimento. Temos de perguntar se, em particular, os animais e as plantas vítimas de tráfico ou comércio ilegal estão a encontrar na ação dos governos e no controlo das suas fronteiras uma resposta adequada, e se os criminosos estão a ser adequadamente punidos. Todos os elementos na cadeia de tráfico têm de ser alvo de uma resposta firme e sem tréguas.
Mais do que alterações de convenções, que são também necessárias, precisamos de reforçar a capacidade de fiscalização e a resposta da justiça.
César Luena, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señora presidenta, doy las gracias a todas las personas, compañeros y compañeras, que han participado en esta Resolución. Pero no seamos ni conformistas ni complacientes, señores y señoras miembros del Consejo y de la Comisión. creo que no es bueno.
Nuestro objetivo es triple: proteger la flora y la fauna salvaje, impedir el comercio ilegal y descontrolado y finalmente, proteger la biodiversidad.
Sin embargo, hay seis aspectos, que voy a mencionar de pasada aquí, en este Pleno, en los cuales podemos mejorar sustancialmente este Convenio CITES.
Primero, las enfermedades zoonóticas: tenemos que abordar los mercados de animales vivos, pero abordarlos de verdad, porque creo que la señal que hemos recibido durante los últimos tres años es bastante evidente.
Segundo, la ciberdelincuencia. ¿Qué es internet en este campo del que estamos hablando esta tarde? Pues es la gran grieta por la que se cuela todo el tráfico ilegal de especies silvestres. Pero tampoco somos ambiciosos. Lo citamos, lo mencionamos, señorías, sí, pero no somos ambiciosos.
Tigres y otros grandes felinos: no podemos permitir que se comercien cuando se crían en cautividad. No lo dejamos claro. Además, los tigres, por cierto, son una especie protegida y deberían criarse únicamente con de conservación, nunca comerciales.
Pregunto: ¿tenemos un marco jurídico claro para el comercio, en este caso, de los elefantes africanos vivos? Tampoco lo dejamos claro.
Por no hablar de que tenemos la obligación de reducir la demanda de animales silvestres vivos y de productos derivados de la fauna silvestre.
Claro, tenemos que decirles a nuestros conciudadanos europeos que hay que reducir esa demanda, que no podemos vivir más con esos modos de consumo.
Y, por último, necesitamos una lista positiva de los animales que pueden tenerse como animales de compañía. Tampoco la tenemos.
Por tanto, estamos dando pasos y podemos estar contentos, pero no son suficientes.
No seamos conformistas y mucho menos, complacientes. Hay que ser más ambiciosos cuando vayamos a Panamá.
María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, en nombre del Grupo Renew. – Señora presidenta, efectivamente, nos encontramos ante una importante y necesaria Resolución. Ya se ha dicho: tenemos que tener en cuenta que el negocio del tráfico ilegal de flora y fauna silvestre, por detrás del tráfico de drogas, el tráfico de personas y el tráfico y la falsificación de productos y monedas, es el cuarto comercio ilegal más grande del mundo y genera más de 23 000 millones de euros. Es, además, un comercio ilegal devastador para el delicado equilibrio ecosistémico.
Por lo tanto, proteger nuestra biodiversidad es absolutamente necesario y, en este ámbito, es preciso que, de cara a la próxima COP, seamos capaces de defender la aplicación de la Convención CITES. Hay grandes amenazas y grandes fallas en este comercio ilegal, fundamentalmente, porque no hay un cumplimiento adecuado de la Convención, no hay prioridad política por parte de las partes implicadas y no hay suficientes recursos.
Por eso pensamos que la Unión Europea, de cara a la próxima COP19 en Panamá, tiene que promover una dotación financiera suficiente, tiene que pedir que se adopte una legislación nacional eficaz, tiene que pedir una mayor coherencia y armonización entre las distintas convenciones, tiene que pedir que se apliquen sanciones disuasorias cuando la Convención se incumple.
También es necesario que la Unión Europea adopte un nuevo plan —un ambicioso plan— de acción contra el tráfico de especies silvestres. Y en este plan tenemos que incluir, ya se ha dicho también, una mejora de la coordinación y de las actividades policiales para luchar contra nuevos sistemas delictivos, como es el tráfico de especies silvestres por Internet. Tenemos que mejorar las actividades de inspección y la cooperación entre las administraciones implicadas, y tenemos que trabajar mucho por la sensibilización de la sociedad.
Ville Niinistö, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, biodiversity loss is an existential threat, and we must also address this challenge. This is not only important to the upcoming COP 15 on biodiversity, but also in the context of CoP 19 on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama.
CITES is an agreement with the aim to make sure that trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in nature. The species listed in CITES are grouped according to how threatened they are by international trade. In the coming CoP, the EU should support proposals for uplisting species to better protect the species. Also, it is worth noting that this still leaves a lot of species outside the scope of CITES where other, often national, tools for data protection are needed and the EU must push for those as well.
There is no way of protecting species without also protecting their habitats. It is good that this resolution notes the importance of key habitats such as forests and oceans. This is important when we are addressing also climate effects to our planet, that biodiversity and species protection goes hand in hand with that as well.
I am pleased that in this resolution we recognise the role of the European Union as a major driver and as a transit and destination point for illegal trade. This must be stopped. There are major gaps in the EU’s own wildlife regulations. Revision of the EU action plan against wildlife trafficking will be a great moment to tackle the role of the EU in driving demand for illegal trade. Not only is nature on the line; the wild and uncontrolled wildlife trade also increases risks for human health. Therefore, our job is now to make sure that wildlife can thrive without us humans threatening its existence and we also support our own future by doing that.
Catherine Griset, au nom du groupe ID. – Madame la Présidente, le nombre d’espèces touchées ne cesse d’augmenter dans le monde. L’existence d’une telle convention est donc une bonne chose, et il faut évidemment la soutenir. Encore faut-il que ce soit l’affaire des États souverains, les mieux placés pour agir efficacement; ne nous trompons pas d’échelle!
Même si certaines populations d’animaux se stabilisent – voire augmentent, en Afrique, grâce aux zones protégées et aux politiques de préservation mises en place par les États –, la plaie du commerce illégal menace ces efforts.
Mais ce n’est pas là la seule menace: la pression démographique et l’expansion des villes et des villages réduisent toujours plus les zones d’habitat des animaux. De même, les troubles civils, les conflits participent aussi à ce déclin, surtout quand ils sont chroniques. N’oublions pas la sécheresse et les problématiques liées à la gestion de l’eau, qui entraînent la dégradation des écosystèmes.
Enfin, il faut améliorer l’état des connaissances sur place, mieux évaluer les populations animales réelles et les enjeux liés aux communautés locales pour gagner en efficacité, et, bien sûr, intensifier la lutte contre le braconnage.
Pietro Fiocchi, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, I have a very practical question for the Commission, and regarding this topic, I will present a separate vote on a paragraph 39, which bans the import of a hunting trophy.
As a person that has worked a lot in Africa for many years, I know the situation very well, and I work on the side of people defending biodiversity. But, for example, in Namibia, trophy hunting, which is legal trophy hunting, is almost 5% of the gross national product and is very important from a biodiversity protection and an economic point of view, because all the meat goes to tribes, part of the money goes to the tribes for schooling, in exchange of not poaching. Because we have to remember that a lot of animal killings in Africa are done by the tribes to protect their agricultural land, for reason, because they need food, also for money. And so this system works; brings a positive economic effect, brings protection of biodiversity. So I would like to believe this is possible.
And by the way, I’m in contact with the ambassadors of Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique, and I would like to bring them here to explain exactly the numbers in their respective countries.
Younous Omarjee, au nom du groupe The Left. – Madame la Présidente, 100 000 euros pour une chasse obscène au rhinocéros, 15 000 euros pour une tête de buffle, quelques milliers d’euros pour une corne d’éléphant, quelques euros pour une planche de bois de rose, et combien pour les prétendues vertus aphrodisiaques des écailles de pangolin?
C’est à ce prix – 195 milliards d’euros par an, presque l’équivalent du trafic de drogue – que s’organise l’exploitation brutale de la nature par l’homme et, disons-le, les crimes de l’humanité contre le monde du vivant.
C’est pourquoi il est temps aujourd’hui, je crois, de pénaliser les acheteurs et les détenteurs des objets de ce trafic, car c’est la demande qui crée l’offre, et le marché, il est en Europe.
Je pense aussi qu’il s’agit là d’une question de civilisation, qui touche à la conception que nous avons de nous-mêmes. Le commerce des espèces dites sauvages est un commerce par nature barbare et sauvage, et je crois qu’on ne réglemente pas la barbarie: on la combat et on la pénalise.
ΠΡΟΕΔΡΙΑ: ΕΥΑ ΚΑΪΛΗ Αντιπρόεδρος
Francisco José Millán Mon (PPE). – Señora presidenta, quiero centrar mi intervención esta tarde en el apartado 87 de la Resolución que hoy debatimos. Me refiero a la inclusión, a propuesta de Panamá, de todos los tiburones de la familia de la tintorera o quenlla en el apéndice II de la Convención CITES, con el fin de dificultar su comercialización.
Esta cuestión ha suscitado mucha polémica en mi país, España, y en mi región, Galicia, donde la inclusión en CITES del marrajo dientuso ya provocó importantes quebrantos a un sector de la flota.
Quiero recordar que los dictámenes científicos no aconsejan la inclusión de la especie de la tintorera en el apéndice II de CITES. Las recientes evaluaciones sugieren que las poblaciones de tintorera no están siendo objeto de sobrepesca y que se mantienen por encima del rendimiento máximo sostenible.
Además, la propia Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura ha señalado que esta especie de tiburón no está amenazada y que no necesita una mayor fiscalización comercial. Advierte también dicha Organización que la inclusión de la tintorera en CITES puede tener un impacto socioeconómico a escala mundial que no ha sido tenido en cuenta.
Al adoptar decisiones en el ámbito de la pesca debemos guiarnos por la ciencia y el impacto socioeconómico, no solo por una visión esencialmente medioambientalista. El sector pesquero europeo lo está pasando mal desde hace tres años. El impacto de los recortes en las aguas y en las capturas o en las cuotas en aguas británicas tras el Brexit, la epidemia de COVID—19, el grave impacto de los elevadísimos precios de los combustibles, imprescindibles para la actividad pesquera, y ahora el veto a la pesca de fondo en ochenta y siete áreas del océano Atlántico.
Dificultar la comercialización de la tintorera supondría un nuevo golpe para un sector de la flota.
Me gustaría que la Unión Europea no siga dando la impresión de que se preocupa más por el bienestar de los peces que por el bienestar y prosperidad de los pescadores.
Martin Hojsík (Renew). – Madam President, Commissioner, Councillor, I am honoured to be part of the EP’s delegation to the CITES CoP19 because the convention is more than just a tool to control trade in endangered species, it is about our relationship with wildlife as such.
Wildlife is a significant part of our heritage, our cultures. Our societies have to finally acknowledge the material and immaterial value that the habitats provide to us and the dependence of the wildlife on its good state. And the endangered species are the symbol of that deterioration.
We have to admit that we, humans, are at the core of this problem. We keep contributing to the habitat degradation. We have led the market of illegal trafficking to flourish and we did not sufficiently punish those involved in it. We still keep trading captive-bred, endangered species, legally in a number of occasions. Just look at the trade in captive tigers. Also in the European Union.
We have to be part of the solution. We finally need to equip the police, the customs officers and the authorities with the means to enforce the convention because they have been seriously understaffed. We have to invest in capacity building and training of enforcement and judicial capacities. We need to strengthen our cooperation by establishing specialised units, focusing on wildlife crime across the Member States. And we have to stop the trade in endangered animals from captive breeding. No more tiger trade. We all can help, also in this House, by sending a strong signal with our resolution on the CITES scope, but also by supporting a strong environmental crime directive.
Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Verts/ALE). – Frau Präsidentin, meine Damen und Herren! Täglich sterben weltweit 150 Tier- und Pflanzenarten – jeden Tag. Wir erleben das größte Massensterben seit über 60 Millionen Jahren. Und wir wissen auch, woher das kommt.
Das CITES-Übereinkommen ist eben international das einzige scharfe Schwert, das wir haben, um den skrupellosen Handel mit gefährdeten Arten einzudämmen. Aber, wie meine Kollegen gesagt haben: Wir schützen damit auch die Ökosysteme, in denen diese Arten eben vorkommen. So beheimaten Wälder weltweit eine enorme Vielfalt an Lebewesen, und sie regulieren gleichzeitig unser globales Klima. Wir brauchen sie sowohl im Kampf gegen die Klimakrise als auch im Kampf gegen das Artensterben, denn artenreiche Wälder schenken uns das Leben.
Eine ambitionierte EU-Position bei der COP 19 in Panama, so wie im Umweltausschuss beschlossen, muss ein wahrer Gamechanger werden. Denn Ziel eines Verbots des Handels mit manchen gefährdeten Arten ist auch, das ausbeutende Geschäftsmodell der Abholzung unprofitabel zu machen. Lasst uns den Grünen Deal beim Wort nehmen und konsequent verhandeln!
Aurélia Beigneux (ID). – Madame la Présidente, il faut évidemment saluer ce texte, qui permet de mettre un terme à des pratiques barbares, qui pourtant existent encore en 2022. Que de temps nous avons attendu, à voir des espèces s’éteindre année après année en ne mettant en avant que des outils de prévention ou presque! Les trophées de chasse qui traversent les douanes, le commerce d’espèces protégées, animales comme végétales, sont autant de scandales qui ne doivent plus rester impunis.
Pénaliser les groupes et les individus est le seul outil qui puisse mettre fin à cette situation. Il faut des règles fermes et des peines qui doivent être appliquées, en liaison constante avec les premiers concernés sur le terrain: les scientifiques, les associations et les politiques.
Cependant, même quand les combats sont nobles, la Commission européenne reste une institution qui a horreur de la souveraineté de nos nations. Ce texte donne des prérogatives qui empiètent une fois encore sur les États membres. Ce sont pourtant les États, ici comme sur les continents concernés par les extinctions de masse, qui sont les échelles de décision les plus démocratiques et, surtout, les plus justes.
Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Szanowni Państwo! Pierwotnie celem Konwencji Waszyngtońskiej było zapewnienie, by międzynarodowy handel dzikimi zwierzętami i roślinami nie zagrażał ich przetrwaniu. Dziś wiemy, że przetrwanie to zbyt skromna ambicja, i powinniśmy zapewnić odpowiednie standardy transportu i warunki przechowywania zwierząt, aby ograniczyć ich stres i cierpienie. Dlatego doceniam tekst wspólnej rezolucji na temat konferencji w Panamie.
Uważam, że nasz głos powinien być silny i jednoznaczny. Musimy nie tylko uszczelnić i ujednolicić prawo zwalczające nielegalny handel, ale również zadbać o to, aby handel legalny był bardzo precyzyjnie monitorowany i by nie dochodziło do łamania prawa.
Szczególnie chciałabym zwrócić uwagę na handel dzikimi zwierzętami i przede wszystkim na transport żywych zwierząt przez wewnętrzne granice Unii. Te granice muszą być bardzo przejrzyste i stabilne. Muszą być ramy kontroli, tak by nieuczciwi handlarze nie mogli dłużej tłumaczyć się nieznajomością odmiennych procedur i nadużywać uproszczeń administracyjnych, jakie daje strefa Schengen.
Unia Europejska, w której standardy ochrony środowiska i dobrostanu należą do najwyższych, ma dziś do odegrania rolę nauczyciela i promotora wobec państw trzecich.
Agnès Evren (PPE). – Madame la Présidente, madame la Commissaire, la COP 19 est un rendez-vous stratégique pour la protection des espèces sauvages et la réglementation de leur commerce. L'enjeu est triple.
Premier enjeu évidemment, préserver notre biodiversité, alors que la sixième extinction de masse a d'ores et déjà commencé, des espèces s'éteignent à un rythme alarmant. Deuxième enjeu, sanitaire, la COVID, à juste titre ou non, a mis un coup de projecteur sur les zoonoses et il nous faut nous en protéger. Enfin, troisième enjeu, sécuritaire, le trafic d'espèces sauvages est une importante manne financière qui alimente criminels et groupes armés. La CITES, mais aussi notre législation européenne présentent encore d'importantes faiblesses dans lesquelles s'engouffrent, hélas, les trafiquants. Il convient donc de les corriger.
Au niveau européen, la révision du plan d'action de l'Union européenne devrait renforcer notre action sur le trafic des espèces sauvages. Il faut bien sûr réduire la demande de produits illicites issus d'espèces sauvages, mais aussi renforcer la répression, ce qui implique d'améliorer nos moyens d'inspection et la collecte de données. Ce sont nos autorités douanières et judiciaires qui sont en première ligne contre ce trafic. Nous devons leur apporter les moyens d'action nécessaires, notamment en matière de cybercriminalité. Car, nous le savons, une partie de ce commerce se joue désormais en ligne.
Anna Zalewska (ECR). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Słuchając koleżanek i kolegów, wiem jedno. Że nasza delegacja ma silny mandat, że wszyscy mówimy właściwie jednym językiem.
To ważne! Będzie miała odwagę forsować te wszystkie rekomendacje, które sprzyjają bioróżnorodności, które są za rozwiązaniami związanymi z zablokowaniem międzynarodowego handlu dzikimi zwierzętami. Dlatego cieszę się, że możemy powiedzieć, że jesteśmy za poprawą egzekwowania zakazów i ograniczeń w handlu chronionymi gatunkami, za przejrzystością, że jesteśmy za ułatwianiem i zabezpieczeniem finansowym we wdrażaniu tejże konwencji. Jednocześnie, że jesteśmy za wzmocnieniem roli Unii Europejskiej w globalnej walce z handlem, dziką fauną i florą oraz zapewnieniem realizacji planu działania Unii Europejskiej przeciwko handlowi, dziką fauną i florą na lata 2016-2020.
Życzę powodzenia i odwagi.
Peter van Dalen (PPE). – Voorzitter, haaien zijn essentieel voor het ecosysteem in onze zeeën en oceanen. Maar helaas, driekwart van de haaiensoorten wordt met uitsterven bedreigd, onder andere door overbevissing. De wereldwijde haaienstand mag niet achteruitgaan, want dan zullen onze ecosystemen gaan wankelen. Wij moeten dus de haaien beschermen. Helaas wordt slechts 25 % van de wereldwijde handel in haaienvinnen adequaat beheerd. Dat is echt te weinig, wij moeten meer doen.
Het is dus terecht dat de Europese Unie en ook gastland Panama bij de komende conferentie over de handel in bedreigde dier- en plantensoorten, zowel de hamerhaaien als ook de mensenhaaien volledig willen beschermen. Door die beide haaiensoorten op te nemen in de bijlagen bij de Cites-overeenkomst, kunnen deze populaties duurzaam worden beheerd en kan ook de handel door blijven gaan. Dus er is voldoende ruimte voor handel, maar er wordt ook voor gezorgd dat de populaties overeind blijven. Dat moeten we doen, want deze soorten haaien mogen niet uitsterven!
Helena Dalli,Member of the Commission. – Madam President, Minister, honourable Members. I’m grateful for your interventions today and for allowing us to have this very important debate. And I will try to reply briefly to some of the main comments which were made.
With regard to the positive list for pets, the feasibility and advantages of establishing a positive list for exotic animals to be kept as pets needs to be carefully analysed as it is a complex issue, of course, cutting across animal welfare, human and animal health, trade and others, with potential implications in all of these areas. So the Commission is ready to conduct a study to look into the issue.
With regard to a regulation on the trade in wildlife, the Commission keeps EU policies under review and is ready to explore the need for added value and feasibility of new legislative and policy initiatives to ensure that EU action against wildlife trafficking remains sufficiently strong and proportionate to the threat posed by wildlife trafficking and the experience in implementing existing legislation, based on the rules of the country of origin, such as the EU Timber Regulation or the US Lacey Act, would need to be considered.
Another question on whether the EU position on the CITES scope is consistent with the biodiversity strategy. The Commission assessed the proposals in relation to the listing criteria and the obligations in the Convention, taking into account the precautionary principle. But ambition cannot be at the expense of not respecting the rules, of course.
So the Commission proposed to the Council to oppose only eight of the 52 listing proposals, and four out of those eight are to reduce the controls on certain species. So these proposals clearly do not meet the criteria in the Convention and the Commission proposal is ambitious as it supports 35 out of the 52 listing proposals. For nine proposals, the available information was not enough to judge the scientific merits, and therefore we proposed an open position, and this is for reconsideration should additional information become available.
Whether the EU should support all the proposals by the range states. For scientists to function effectively and to remain relevant and implemented, it is necessary to ensure that the listing of species is based on the criteria foreseen in the Convention, taking into account the best available scientific information, of course.
But not all proposals by the range states fulfil these criteria. So in such cases, the EU is committed to supporting range states to address the concerns in other ways, using tools that are better adapted than those under CITES, such as, for example, NaturAfrica – an extensive initiative that will support biodiversity conservation in Africa.
With regard to trophy hunting, the EU has been pursuing a balanced approach towards the trade of hunting trophies on which widely divergent positions are held by various countries and NGOs. So legal, well-regulated trophy-hunting programmes play an important role in delivering benefits for both life conservation and for the livelihoods and well-being of indigenous people and local communities living with wildlife.
So ensuring a return of benefits for local communities, certainly in areas where other resources are scarce, creates an incentive for local communities to be willing to live next to the wildlife and to continue to protect these species.
But EU law goes beyond the protection required by CITES for listed species. Permit issuance relies on the positive opinion of the scientific review group, which is mandated to ensure that inputs of listed species are kept at a sustainable level and will not deplete the species’ population.
So the EU intervenes and stops imports when information reveals a threat for the survival of a population. So this corresponds with a precautionary, but also proportionate, approach based on the best available science.
With regard to proposals aiming to stop trade in live elephants, international trade in live elephants, especially when it takes the animals out of their natural range, is a very sensitive issue that generates expressions of public concern as we know.
It is a highly divisive topic amongst African countries, and the EU has submitted for consideration by the parties a working document to clarify the framework for trade in live elephants, taking a comprehensive approach and building a joint understanding amongst all the range states.
So to conclude on this, wildlife trafficking remains a worrying – a very worrying, I would say – global phenomenon, with wide-ranging ecological and socioeconomic impacts. As a source, transit and destination region for trafficked wildlife, the EU has a key role to play in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.
So let me thank you once again for following this topic so closely and for the importance which you attach to it, which is indeed merited.
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, I would like to thank you all for your interventions. They confirm the strong interest of this House in wildlife conservation and your desire for the EU to play a leading role at the CITES CoP 19.
As I mentioned in my initial intervention, the Council is currently working on the Union position for the CITES CoP 19. Parliament will, of course, be duly informed once it is adopted.
I can see great convergence of views on the fact that CITES CoP 19 is an excellent opportunity to further strengthen global efforts against wildlife trafficking, including through new listings of endangered species. The Presidency will do its utmost to have our proposals adopted in Panama.
President. – I have received one motion for a resolution tabled in accordance with Rule 136(1).
Presidente. – Segue-se o período de perguntas à Comissão sobre Combater o despovoamento através do instrumento da política de coesão.
Quero dar as boas-vindas à Comissária Elisa Ferreira para este período de perguntas.
Este período de perguntas durará cerca de 90 minutos. Haverá um minuto para fazer uma pergunta, dois minutos para a resposta, 30 segundos para uma pergunta suplementar e dois minutos para a respetiva resposta.
Recordo que a eventual pergunta suplementar só será atribuída se estiver estritamente relacionada com a pergunta principal. Devemos respeitar esta regra e não aproveitar essa oportunidade para perguntas inteiramente novas.
Se desejarem fazer uma pergunta, convidamos os colegas a registar esse pedido agora, utilizando a função «catch-the-eye» na máquina de voto, depois de inserir o respetivo cartão de voto.
Durante o período de perguntas, as intervenções têm lugar a partir do lugar em que os senhores deputados estão sentados. Convido todos os oradores a respeitarem o tempo de uso da palavra atribuído.
Os colegas poderão precisar de algum tempo para registar o pedido de pergunta, pelo que solicito novamente que apresentem o vosso pedido.
Tomislav Sokol (PPE). –Poštovani predsjedavajući, Europska unija suočava se s velikim demografskim izazovima u vidu starenja stanovništva, pada stope nataliteta i iseljavanje iz ruralnih u urbana područja, a sve to ostavlja vidljiv trag u Europi te dugoročno gledajući, depopulacija Unije postaje i sigurnosni problem.
Glavni uzroci demografskih promjena koje prisiljavaju stanovnike navedenih područja da odsele a druge odvraćaju da se dosele su loša zdravstvenu i obrazovna infrastruktura, slaba prometna povezanost i dostupnost javnih usluga, nepostojanje širokopojasnog interneta te manje mogućnosti za zaposlenje. Depopulacija predstavlja jedan od temeljnih izazova za naš kontinent te je pri osmišljavanju i provedbi programa prednost trebalo dati upravo rješavanju tog pitanja.
Konkretna pitanja: „Planira li Komisija donijeti posebnu strategiju za borbu protiv depopulacije?” i osim toga „Planira li Komisija u budućnosti provoditi analize i procjene učinaka javnih politika na demografiju?”
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, eu gostaria de responder, concordando com a descrição do problema, que, aliás, é feito de uma forma muito correta e, se me permitem, gostava de cumprimentar o Parlamento por isso mesmo, pela vossa Resolução, de 20 de maio de 2021.
De facto, há um despovoamento de uma série de regiões na Europa que tem duas causas principais: uma é o envelhecimento da Europa e, digamos, a mudança demográfica da Europa, que nos indica um caminho de progressivo envelhecimento e de abandono de determinados territórios, e o outro fator resulta da captação que as regiões mais dinâmicas exercem sobre os jovens e sobre os mais qualificados.
Dito isto, a política de coesão tem instrumentos para contrariar ou limitar este fator. Chamo a atenção para o facto de a política de coesão ser uma política que é gerida em parceria com os Estados-Membros e, portanto, é shared management. Nesse sentido, é importante também que, do lado dos países, haja a perceção da relevância estratégica de reequilibrar o território e de contrariar esta perda progressiva de dinâmica numa série de territórios, em particular, territórios do leste da Europa, mas, também no sul e no oeste da Europa, há uma série de territórios que sofre de uma violenta tendência para o despovoamento.
Para isso, é preciso que as estratégias sejam definidas, sejam assumidas também a nível nacional, que haja protagonistas a nível regional e local e, depois, que o conjunto de instrumentos que estão disponíveis na política de coesão possam ser articulados de forma a atacar a raiz desses problemas.
Tomislav Sokol (PPE). –Zahvaljujem na odgovoru.
Demografija u sebi sadrži sigurnosne, socijalne i ekonomske aspekte te smatram da treba biti temeljna okosnica za sve politike Europske unije, uključujući kohezijsku politiku. Apeliram na države članice i regionalne vlasti da za rješavanje demografskih izazova koriste instrumente kohezijske politike u najvećoj mogućoj mjeri, a posebno da promiču koncept pametnih sela i ostalih programa kako bi se u ruralnim područjima zadržalo stanovništvo i privukli mladi ljudi.
Pitanje: „Je li Komisija zadovoljna s primjenom i rasprostranjenošću koncepta pametnih sela? Razmišlja li Komisija o promociji pametnih sela s ciljem sprečavanja depopulacije?”
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, sim, penso que o aprovisionamento de determinadas condições de vida nessas regiões requer uma estratégia em torno do papel dos centros, que não são normalmente nas áreas que sofrem de despovoamento, as grandes metrópoles, mas sim dos centros intermédios e dos pequenos centros urbanos.
É aí que a política de coesão tem também de incidir, através do aprovisionamento de bens públicos básicos, e estou a falar, naturalmente, não só de água, saneamento, tratamento de esgotos, mas também de Internet, serviços de saúde, serviços de educação e também de alguma dimensão cultural, de forma a criar condições para que uma jovem família se sinta capaz de se localizar, de optar por essa localização, beneficiando frequentemente de uma melhor qualidade ambiental e de condições de segurança e de qualidade de vida em geral, muito mais adequadas à educação das crianças e ao estabelecimento de uma jovem família, sem os custos exagerados da aglomeração dos grandes centros.
De facto, na sequência da pandemia e na sequência do uso reforçado de meios digitais, já assistimos neste momento na Europa a uma certa revitalização de centros que estavam numa trajetória de perda progressiva de jovens e de perda progressiva de população. Portanto, há aqui um instrumento adicional e uma oportunidade adicional que requer uma estratégia ao nível desses centros intermédios ou pequenos centros, onde se pode ancorar uma dinâmica de contenção demográfica e de atração de jovens.
Rovana Plumb (S&D). – Commissioner, I am thankful for the commitment shown by you and the Commission on the depopulation issue, in particular, the inclusion in the 2022 Work Programme of the initiative on brain drain.
I was leading the work within my political group to adopt a policy paper to find some of the answers to these challenges. One conclusion was that cooperation with citizens, civil society, small and medium enterprises, research and scientific institutions will be key to unleashing each territorial unit’s potential by making tailored solutions for all the different types of territories.
And my question is: what is the assessment so far by the Commission on how Member States are using cohesion policy and addressing these issues in the partnership agreements? Are enough efforts being made? And can further improvements be made?
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you very much for the question, dear MEP Rovana Plumb. It is, in fact, a concern of the European Commission to address this problem.
This is a reason why the Commission has done a study in 2020 on the demographic trends in the European Union. Later on, we did the long—term vision for rural areas that touches upon this. Also in the Eighth Cohesion Report, we addressed again the problem of what is happening to the different territories. But never in our common history in Europe have we had so many financial means, to address these problems.
So, in the agreements with Member States, we have been putting a lot of pressure for rebalancing growth to be high on the agenda. Because the truth is that with all the movement of young people, and also concentration of skilled and unskilled in the big cities, the trend of certain Member States is to go on concentrating means to solve the agglomeration of these economies.
And so, when we are thinking long—term, and that is the purpose of cohesion policy, it is very important that rebalancing the spatial impact of dynamic and of growth is put high in the political agenda.
So the means are there. We are just starting a new period of financial support, as you know, from cohesion. So, we have serious expectations and positive expectations that in the implementation phase, this objective is also ranked sufficiently high in the internal agenda of each Member State.
Rovana Plumb (S&D). – Thank you, President. Dear Commissioner, I would like to thank you for the work you’ve done, you do, and you will do. And for the answer, of course, I know how many efforts are made. There is no question, but I would like to stress that we need to make sure that the demographic realities, such as depopulation, do not lead to polarisation, and that internal cohesion in the EU is not put under strain.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Well, Mr President, this was not actually a question. I agree with you. I think, in fact, we cannot do the rebalancing of growth if we don’t have this long-term perspective and if we don’t make sure that the different instruments of policies that we have in our hands, in particular, the recovery and resilience plan and also sectoral policies, don’t take sufficiently into account the spatial impact of their action. Because, in fact, when we do trade policy, when we do agricultural policy, when we establish an industrial policy or even energy or digital plans, space, geography matters.
And being aware of where the impacts intervene, what kind of impacts you cause with the different actions that you make in order that we really have a long-term vision of where we want to be in 10 years’ time, is absolutely essential for the adequate and efficient management with creating synergies and not contradictory agendas.
In fact, by using all these diversified instruments that we have in our hands. So, this is what we are asking Member States to do and asking them to refrain from addressing just short-term problems because if that is the case, we will end up with very, very imbalanced spatial situations. Also, these big, big centres are starting not to deliver what they could deliver in terms of contribution to development because they are somehow cornered by the amount of problems that agglomeration creates, from environmental problems to inefficiency in the management of the whole city.
Irène Tolleret (Renew). – Madame la Présidente, Madame la commissaire, le dépeuplement de certains territoires est une tendance inquiétante qui risque de miner la convergence économique et sociale en Europe. Une société vieillissante, un taux de migration élevé, un manque de services essentiels, une mauvaise connectivité sont le miroir du dépeuplement qui affecte surtout les territoires ruraux et éloignés.
En milieu rural, pourtant, nous disposons d'un outil précieux pour garantir le développement rural et combattre le dépeuplement. Il s'agit de LEADER. Ce programme est le meilleur exemple de l'Europe et de la proximité de l'Europe des territoires, de l'Europe, des citoyens engagés. LEADER est un vecteur d'innovation sociale qui permet aux citoyens de s'approprier le développement de leur région, de leur espace de vie et de concevoir des stratégies concertées.
Pourtant, la plus-value de LEADER est trop souvent sous-estimée et le programme n'est pas suffisamment valorisé. Est-ce que la Commission compte envisager un renforcement du programme LEADER d'un point de vue budgétaire? Est-ce que l'approche ascendante typique de ce programme pourrait être étendue à d'autres instruments financiers? Est-ce que les mesures de simplification existantes sont suffisantes pour favoriser l'approche plurifonds qui permettrait au programme LEADER d'être financé par plusieurs fonds structurels et ainsi garantir l'accès de ces fonds à des collectivités de plus petite taille et donc d'être plus précis pour résoudre ce problème de dépeuplement?
Elisa Ferreira,membre de la Commission. – Merci de votre question. Je crois que vous avez tout à fait raison sur la nécessité et le besoin qu'on a d'adresser le problème des régions éloignées, des régions avec une forte dépendance de la ruralité. Bien sûr, LEADER c'est un programme très performant. Nous avons en tout cas la possibilité ajouter d'autres instruments similaires à cette expérience positive.
La question, c'est surtout d'avoir une compatibilité et des synergies entre ce qui se passe au niveau local et les réponses aussi au niveau régional et au niveau national, en relation à une stratégie de redynamisation de territoires.
Vous avez noté, et vous l'avez très bien fait, le besoin d'avoir des structures de gestion qui sont inclusives et qui amènent les agents locaux, en particulier les maires, mais pas seulement les maires, les ONG, les partenaires à être engagés dans les structures de développement. Et on a plusieurs programmes, même au niveau d'autres programmes qui ne sont pas LEADER, qui sont très performants à cet égard.
Alors je suis complètement d'accord. On a essayé de simplifier les mécanismes d'accès aux fonds. On verra, quand le programme pour 21-27 commencera à fonctionner en pratique, comment la simplification qu'on a introduite fonctionne suffisamment ou pas. Mais aussi, je voudrais souligner le besoin que cette simplification soit aussi acceptée et utilisée au niveau des États membres, des régions et des localités. Parce que quelquefois, ce n'est pas seulement l'Europe qui impose des restrictions. Il y a tout un mécanisme qui n'est pas suffisamment efficace.
Irène Tolleret (Renew). – Monsieur le Président, la Commission a mis en avant beaucoup d’initiatives pour combattre le dépeuplement et favoriser le développement rural. La vision à long terme pour les zones rurales, le pacte rural ou encore l’initiative sur le retour des cerveaux en font partie.
Toutefois, ces initiatives ne sont pas de nature budgétaire. Comment la Commission compte-t-elle garantir qu’une portion adéquate des fonds en gestion partagée sera redirigée vers les territoires demandeurs, les territoires ruraux notamment? Une initiative miroir de l’initiative urbaine européenne, qui destine un pourcentage du FEDER aux villes, pourrait-elle être envisagée pour les zones rurales dans le futur?
Elisa Ferreira,membre de la Commission. – Un grand merci de nouveau pour cette question. C'est une question qui est posée très très souvent. Vous avez fait référence à la gestion partagée, alors on préfère avoir, du côté des États membres, une sensibilité, que les députés européens et nationaux peuvent aussi renforcer, de travailler le détail des différentes régions et différentes localités au niveau européen.
En vérité, il y a une diversité si grande que c'est difficile de faire une gestion one size fits all. Parce que vraiment, on a besoin d'avoir un niveau de perception et de définition stratégique qui prend en compte le niveau le plus adéquat, quelquefois c'est le niveau local, quelquefois c'est le niveau régional ou de département, pour établir une vision pour le futur.
On a pas mal de régions avec des problèmes, on a les régions périphériques, on a les RUP, on a les régions en transition industrielle et pour cela on a un fonds spécifique. Il y a des régions qui dépendent de la ruralité mais qui sont très riches avec la politique agricole. Il y en a d'autres qui sont assez pauvres.
Alors l'objectif serait de créer des mécanismes de stratégie de développement qui prennent en compte ce qu'il faut faire pour chaque typologie de problèmes et pas vraiment faire des allocations spécifiques pour les différents problèmes. Parce qu'en fin de compte, on a une diversité d'allocations qui peuvent ne pas être les meilleurs moyens d'assurer la gestion. Il y a une situation que je trouve importante au niveau de la qualité de ce qu'on fait, et pas nécessairement de l'argent qu'on applique à cet objectif.
Álvaro Amaro (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, Senhora Comissária, nesta pergunta que se chama «Combater o despovoamento através de um instrumento da Política de Coesão», na verdade, todos sabemos que o despovoamento, o envelhecimento, o abandono rural, estão seguramente nos principais objetivos políticos da Comissão e dos Estados—Membros.
É, seguramente, uma prioridade europeia, mas como é que o fazemos? Envolvemos as pessoas das regiões, as forças vivas, os municípios, é preciso criar emprego – todos sabemos isso –, serviços públicos, acesso a redes Internet de muito alta velocidade, inovar na mobilidade, preservar a paisagem, a biodiversidade, promover as atividades económicas.
A transição para o futuro tem de ser digital – todos o sabemos –, tem de ser verde, mas também tem de ser demográfica. E na verdade – e esta é a questão –, porque é que nós, Senhora Comissária, não deveremos fazer uma pré-avaliação do impacto demográfico de todas as políticas europeias, em especial na área da coesão e do desenvolvimento rural? Porque se não o fizermos, andamos sempre a pôr dinheiro, mas os resultados não são os que nós esperamos.
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, Senhor Deputado Álvaro Amaro, de facto, eu não poderia estar mais de acordo. Aliás, temos introduzido, de algum modo, nos textos, ao lado de (vou dizer em inglês porque ficou conhecido assim) «dono harm to cohesion», portanto, «não prejudicar a coesão», temos tentado colocar essa preocupação de «do no harm to environment», porque também no ambiente nós fazemos esse tipo de pré-abordagem.
Claro que introduzir uma pré-abordagem desse género formalmente em todos os textos e em todos os textos legislativos poderá ser uma forma de tornar muito complexo todo o processo legislativo, mas penso que, pelo menos politicamente – e era isso que eu estava a tentar dizer –, é muito importante que se trabalhem as sinergias perante um objetivo comum e é importante que, nesse objetivo comum para o desenvolvimento, algum reequilíbrio territorial a nível da Europa, isto é, entre Estados-Membros, mas também dentro dos Estados-Membros, seja tomado devidamente em conta.
Nós, neste momento, começamos a ter casos em que alguns países fazem uma aproximação muito grande à média da União Europeia, muito rápida, mas estão a fazê-lo à custa de grandes desequilíbrios internos. E esses desequilíbrios internos, a médio prazo, acabam por gerar aquilo que no oitavo relatório ficou conhecido como middle-income trap, isto é, «ficar preso no nível médio». Isto porque as capitais e os grandes centros crescem com uma grande dinâmica, mas não são suficientes para arrastar os territórios envolventes e os territórios envolventes, sem terem motores de crescimento, acabam por ficar numa situação de envelhecimento, de estagnação, de perda de dinâmica, que depois pesa na média nacional e, portanto, ter esta visão equilibrada é, em si, essencial.
Álvaro Amaro (PPE). – Senhora Comissária, nós temos discutido muito isso, também não posso estar mais de acordo com a Senhora Comissária e com a sensibilidade que lhe reconhecemos. Mas, repare, quer na Europa e, porventura, em cada um dos Estados—Membros – e falamos do nosso, que conhecemos bem –, é verdade o que a Senhora Comissária disse, que os polos importantes, próximos das grandes capitais, acabam por não se desenvolver, porque a grande capital atrai, e as outras grandes manchas do território, no caso concreto das regiões de baixa densidade? Aí é que existe mesmo a falta de polos de atração, por isso, é que eu acho que as políticas de coesão também deviam ser muito direcionadas e muito claras para esses polos, justamente porque isso ajuda a equilibrar cada um dos Estados-Membros.
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, Senhor Deputado, penso que, de facto, essa estratégia é uma estratégia correta. Isto porque equipamentos de alto nível ou de maior sofisticação, sejam eles universidades, centros tecnológicos, hospitais de nível superior ou intermédio, não podem ser colocados em todas as pequenas unidades territoriais, isto requer que haja uma hierarquia de centros urbanos.
No caso deste – e voltando à pergunta da Deputada Tolleret –, penso que uma série de países, nomeadamente Portugal, neste momento no Programa 21-27, acaba por selecionar uma quantidade de centros urbanos em que voltamos quase a algo que era um conceito do passado, que é a hierarquia de centros urbanos, isto é, cada centro urbano, que funções tem de ter, que funções tem de ancorar, de modo a transformar-se numa referência para a área envolvente e, através dessa qualidade de vida que pode oferecer, incluindo a dimensão digital, a dimensão cultural, a dimensão educativa, as oportunidades de emprego, conseguir captar e segurar população qualificada, a população jovem e as empresas.
Portanto, ter um pouco essa noção de quais são não só as grandes metrópoles, mas também as cidades intermédias e as cidades âncoras das zonas rurais é, em si mesmo, uma estratégia que faz sentido e que reequilibra o território. Penso que, neste momento, há uma grande esperança de que isto seja realizado com estes fundos que foram aprovados em relação à maioria dos Estados-Membros. Nomeadamente, no caso do país que nós conhecemos, Portugal apresenta, de facto, uma estratégia nesse sentido, veremos se somos capazes, em conjunto, de a materializar.
Isabel Carvalhais (S&D). – Senhora Comissária, como sabemos, de acordo com a Expon, até 2050, a população das regiões urbanas da Europa deverá aumentar cerca de 24 milhões de pessoas, ao passo que as pessoas nas zonas rurais, em princípio, terão uma redução de cerca de 8 milhões. Portanto, estamos aqui a falar de uma perda e, se pensarmos que isto acontece muito em particular quando falamos de jovens e de pessoas mais qualificadas, isto coloca as zonas rurais, como bem sabemos, num ciclo vicioso perpétuo de declínio que, em alguns casos, pode até resultar na ausência de capital humano que lhes permita depois dar resposta ao seu próprio desenvolvimento.
Para o combater é fundamental uma boa articulação de políticas. Por isso, indo ao ponto – e eu sei que também é extremamente sensível nesta matéria –, pergunto, em concreto, como é que a Comissão pode, por exemplo, melhorar e simplificar as abordagens multifundos para que haja uma articulação ainda mais eficaz entre as políticas, sendo que este é um dos pontos mais frequentemente destacados por todos os stakeholders que trabalham em concreto com o mundo rural?
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, Senhora Deputada Isabel Carvalhais, de facto, o ponto que está a colocar é um ponto muito importante. No fundo, está a falar da sinergia entre os vários fundos para cumprir um determinado objetivo.
Neste momento, vários países estão a tentar fazer exatamente isso, através de uma imagem, um figurino a que chamamos «integrated territorial instruments (ITI)», portanto, «instrumentos de integração territorial», que procuram subir um pouco a escala a partir do nível mais baixo que, normalmente, na maior parte dos países, é o município, e tentar estabelecer um plano, uma visão e, a partir dessa visão, conseguir convergir na gestão dos vários fundos.
O modo como são geridos os fundos permite uma margem razoável e as unidades de gestão, que é uma opção de cada um dos países, e os países que conseguem concentrar e articular melhor a gestão em torno de uma visão para aquele território – a visão, em si, é essencial –, acabam por ter alguns sucessos e conseguir sinergias, que são aquilo que nós tentamos encontrar.
Relativamente às tendências que temos de defrontar, é evidente que há uma grande onda que é a tendência para a Europa envelhecer, a Europa perder população, mas a verdade também é que esta tendência é diferentemente sentida nas diferentes regiões e nos diferentes espaços e, portanto, os indicadores que começou por mencionar são confirmados também pela Comissão.
Em 2020, nós temos uma em cada três residentes nas regiões perde população, e este valor, em 2040, será uma em cada duas e, portanto, metade da população viverá em regiões que têm perdas substanciais de população como modo e é isso que nós temos de tentar limitar.
Isabel Carvalhais (S&D). – Senhor Presidente, apenas gostaria de agradecer à Senhora Comissária a sua resposta e julgo que ela vem confirmar – se me permite a interpretação livre –, a importância de, num próximo programa de financiamento da União Europeia, termos efetivamente lugar a uma estratégia para o mundo rural, acompanhada, obviamente, de estratégias nacionais e regionais.
Isto porque é muito útil, efetivamente, esta ideia que aqui transmite e que nós sabemos que está a funcionar do integrated territorial instruments. Mas, depois, é importante assegurar ou acautelar que, de facto, a visão daquilo que é o rural e, inclusivamente, até mesmo a definição funcional da área rural não seja perdida. Julgo que aí a estratégia para o mundo rural será extremamente importante.
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, só aproveitava esta oportunidade para agradecer o envolvimento de todos os senhores deputados neste objetivo, porque só assim é que ele pode ser assumido politicamente pelos diferentes Estados-Membros, como um objetivo de desenvolvimento e não de mero crescimento económico.
Penso que também a definição das responsabilidades das cidades, grandes cidades e pequenos polos ou cidades intermédias em relação à área envolvente é algo que precisa de mais atenção, porque os sistemas funcionam ancorados em centros com maior ou menor dimensão, mas temos de ter esta visão estratégica de quais são as funções que cada um destes centros pode exercer, sobretudo quando nós temos também a noção de que o envelhecimento gera necessidades especiais para as populações que ainda resistem nesses territórios.
Essas necessidades têm de estar associadas também àquilo que nós chamamos o digital divide, por exemplo, porque, quando ancoramos todos os serviços, inclusive serviços públicos, em redes digitais, há que criar as condições para que ninguém fique excluído do seu acesso. E, muitas vezes, as populações envelhecidas ou as populações de zonas rurais não têm essa capacidade, essa facilidade e essa flexibilidade de utilizar as potencialidades dos meios digitais. Isto pode acontecer, por exemplo, em serviços de saúde ou em serviços para a entrega das pensões.
Portanto, é preciso pensar o detalhe do modo como essas populações são retidas e como podem aceder a serviços essenciais, como seja a renovação de um cartão de identificação pessoal, o acesso a serviços de saúde, os serviços de segurança social ou até serviços de acompanhamento de prazo longo, no caso de perda de faculdades físicas, motoras ou psicológicas. Portanto, há que trabalhar o detalhe desses territórios de uma forma muito cuidada.
Piernicola Pedicini (Verts/ALE). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, io porto la voce del Mezzogiorno d'Italia, la voce di un territorio che ancora oggi risulta più popoloso della Grecia, più popoloso della Svezia. È un territorio, però, che fa registrare il maggior ritmo vertiginoso di spopolamento negli ultimi anni e non ha uguali questo ritmo in nessun altro paese dell'Unione europea.
Però noi sappiamo che lo spopolamento si concentra dove c'è la povertà. Nonostante anni di politica di coesione, il divario tra Sud Italia e resto d'Europa aumenta ogni anno di più. Allora ci dobbiamo chiedere perché nel Sud Italia la politica di coesione non sta funzionando. Il punto è che non serve destinare sempre più risorse europee nelle aree disagiate, se poi lo Stato membro è libero di annullare la spesa ordinaria in quegli stessi territori.
In Italia da anni si spostano le risorse ordinarie dalla parte povera del paese alla parte ricca del paese, vanificando ogni possibile obiettivo di coesione. E allora lo spopolamento risulta solo una conseguenza della mancanza di controlli da parte dell'Unione europea su uno Stato che agisce in maniera iniqua come avviene per l'Italia.
Le chiedo: la Commissione europea sta intervenendo? Può intervenire? Può controllare? Perché è su questo che dobbiamo riflettere ed è su questo che dobbiamo intervenire.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you for your question, Honourable Pedicini. Everybody that cares about regional development has been working and trying to address the issue of the Mezzogiorno in Italy. And in fact also Italians and the Italian Government have been attentive to it, so attentive that there was a minister for the Mezzogiorno. And I had the chance to speak both with the previous minister, Giuseppe Provenzano, and after I had long discussions with the minister Mara Carfagna.
And this is the big question – how to address the issue of the Mezzogiorno. It has been the object also of a lot of research, of a lot of debates, discussions since the old times of the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, and everything, and cathedrals in the desert. So we tried a lot of things.
In this discussion with these ministers – yes, it’s an European problem, but also an Italian problem – we have focused a lot on the reform of public administration, because we think that the quality of institutions can help.
And answering directly your question, the accountability, the choice of projects, how you manage, and of course, there are funds, there is this Just Transition Fund, but trying to improve the mechanisms by which the funds are managed, it seems to us that it is absolutely crucial. And this was also one of the aspects of the diagnosis from the Italian Government.
So we are supporting, through DG REFORM we are giving a lot of support, and very interested in improving the institutional framework on which the funds are managed to improve transparency and accountability, as well as better choices for the use of funds.
Piernicola Pedicini (Verts/ALE). – Grazie Commissaria, io però le vorrei dire che intanto il nuovo governo ha già annullato il Ministero del Sud, non esisterà più, e questo la dice lunga su quello che avverrà nei prossimi mesi.
Ma a questo vorrei aggiungere anche una questione: da anni la versione dei governi che viene riportata in Commissione, che viene riportata in Europa non corrisponde alla realtà. Perciò io la invito ad andare oltre a quello che dicono e quello che rendicontano gli Stati membri, perché lo Stato membro, come l'Italia, è il principale responsabile di questa situazione. Perciò andate al di là di quello che vi dicono.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – I think, in fact, I take good note of your alert. Of course, cohesion funding is, by itself, more heavily supportive of the regions that need more support. Of course, as a constraint also or a characteristic of cohesion policy, it is managed in partnership with the Member State and we have got to accept the democratic choices of European citizens. In fact, I have not yet met the ministers in charge from the new government. So let’s see what happens.
But of course, from our side, the rules, the principles and the requirements on which we manage the European taxpayers’ money are quite rigid, they are quite demanding, and in fact, we will abide by the rule of law on which the funds are managed. So thank you very much for your alert, we’ll see how things evolve.
But of course for Europe, the development or the getting out of this kind of trap from the Mezzogiorno is essential; not only for Europe, but also for Italy, because – I mean, that’s what I’ve mentioned before – having a big part of the country in demographic terms, and in economic terms, and in geography terms that really doesn’t grow, doesn’t develop, is in itself a problem.
So of course, we are very attentive to this stimulus that we need to introduce and are trying to solve the bottlenecks that may still be hampering the development of an important part of Europe. Thank you very much for your alert.
Krzysztof Hetman (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Szanowna Pani Komisarz! Czy nie uważa Pani, że należy zmienić paradygmat myślenia w kwestii związanej z wyludnianiem się regionów ? Czy takiej zmiany potrzeby nie dostrzega Komisja Europejska, ponieważ mówimy tutaj bardzo dużo o tym, jak zatrzymać wyludnianie się regionów. Natomiast moim zdaniem dzisiaj ogromnym problemem jest to, że duża część regionów w Unii Europejskiej właściwie już się wyludniła. Tam nie ma ludzi. I uważam, że powinniśmy zacząć zupełnie inaczej myśleć, stworzyć programy i możliwości, zachęty do tego, żeby ludzie chcieli tam wrócić, bo nastąpił ogromny drenaż młodych ludzi, mózgów z terenów wiejskich, z tych terenów, które się wyludniają, i oprócz tego, co robimy po to, aby ci ludzie tam zostali, trzeba się zastanowić, w jaki sposób zachęcić wielu innych, żeby wrócili, albo w ogóle żeby chcieli zamieszkać na tych wyludnionych terenach.
I drugie pytanie. Pani Komisarz już o tym mówiła. Na tych wyludnionych terenach przede wszystkim zostali starsi ludzie, seniorzy. Czy nie uważa Pani, że powinniśmy stworzyć specjalny program, specjalną linię finansowania, by stworzyć przyjazne środowisko dla tych starszych ludzi, nie tylko w kwestiach kompetencji cyfrowych, ale dostępności komunikacyjnej, dostępności służby zdrowia, wszystkich tych obszarów, które z punktu widzenia seniorów są niezwykle istotne.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – You talk about a paradigm shift. I think it is a problem of renewal of the political interest in relation to what is happening in those areas, that I would really subscribe.
And you mentioned how you can attract young people to these areas or stop the brain drain. I think the movement of people is something that we really want to respect, but we want people to move because they decide to move, not because they are forced to move because they cannot find jobs in the areas where they were born and where they got the skills.
So for this, we need really to think about how the other policies impact the different areas in a country. So when you decide where you locate, for instance a university, where you locate a technological centre, this is an element, a fundamental element of attraction, of competence, of know-how. Of course, you cannot locate it just from a purely voluntary kind of perspective in an empty area, in the middle of a mountain, you cannot artificially create this kind of infrastructure.
But probably you can spot across the territory where there is still sufficient capacity to anchor these kind of initiatives, these kind of projects, and make sure that when you define your horizontal policies that you locate in those areas the critical elements that can create this kind of environment on which a young person, a young couple can raise a family, can locate, can find a job, and can have a better life.
So I think it is this strategy that we can just incorporate in the normal partnership agreements. It depends also on the will of Member States to implement it or not. But we are trying really to work with them in order to deliver it in that sense.
Krzysztof Hetman (PPE). – Dzisiejsza debata jest w formie pytań, więc czy mógłbym w związku z powyższym poprosić i liczyć na to, że uprzejmie Komisja Europejska, mimo wszystko, zastanowi się w jaki sposób jednak przekierować swoje myślenie na to, aby te wszystkie polityki, które realizujemy na rzecz regionów wyludnionych, realizować w ten sposób, mimo wszystko, aby tych ludzi przyciągać do nich, a nie tylko ich zatrzymywać?
Taki mój uprzejmy apel w formie pytania.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Well in fact you touched upon something that I mentioned, I think in my first answer – how to change the mindset. And that is I think the crucial question, because in fact the mindset is the core of the question. And when I mentioned the number of Member States that really – because they are eager to compete internationally, they concentrate everything in the most developed pole. And now we see that the hyper-concentration of population in those areas kind of limits the capacity of these areas, these developed areas, to jump into innovation, new technologies, more sophisticated areas of value-added, because they are still faced with combating the pockets of poverty in the inner cities, the agglomerations around them and the traffic that this generates, addressing the pollution that it creates and the terrible quality of life of the people that really were kind of pushed out of their natural areas and that concentrate, creating all sorts of problems in security terms, poverty, disenchantment and often even political problems.
So in fact, the mindset – but this is something, and that’s why I thank colleagues, because I think Members of Parliament, politicians, have this capacity to put in the agenda the right topics for the right discussions. And having this discussion here today is in itself something I value very much because this helps to change the mindset and to understand that it is for the good of a country or for the good of Europe not to create a lot of imbalances internally, internally to Europe, but also internally to the Member States.
Marcos Ros Sempere (S&D). – Señora comisaria, la despoblación es un tema de vital importancia. Genera pobreza y sufrimiento y pone en riesgo multitud de tradiciones y formas de vida en las zonas rurales de toda la Unión Europea.
La política de cohesión, además de equilibrio entre regiones, ofrece una oportunidad para luchar contra este fenómeno con herramientas como la Estrategia contra la Despoblación.
Se trata de un problema muy complejo que debemos abordar desde distintas áreas.
Disponer de buenas comunicaciones y telecomunicaciones entre zonas rurales y urbanas es fundamental para fijar poblaciones al territorio y para generar empleo. Las infraestructuras son necesarias para ello.
La movilidad también es un tema clave. Yo celebro el trabajo que la Comisión Europea ha hecho sobre el nuevo Marco de Movilidad Urbana Sostenible, pero me gustaría que ampliásemos el foco no solo a las zonas urbanas, sino también a las zonas rurales.
En ese sentido, quiera plantear varias preguntas; ¿estamos repensando la nueva política de cohesión?
¿Qué acciones tiene intención de desarrollar la Comisión para aplicar la Estrategia contra la Despoblación en los nuevos programas financieros de la política de cohesión?
Y, para terminar, ¿qué medidas tiene intención de adoptar la Comisión para que el trabajo en materia de movilidad urbana sostenible pueda contribuir también a la lucha contra la despoblación en la Unión Europea?
Elisa Ferreira,miembro de la Comisión. – Señoría, estoy completamente de acuerdo con lo que ha dicho sobre el equilibrio entre regiones, el papel de las comunicaciones y, en particular, de la sostenibilidad, y de la movilidad en las zonas urbanas, no solamente en las grandes metrópolis, sino también en los pequeños centros.
Es cierto que la política de cohesión actual financia medios de comunicación sostenibles, en términos de impacto climático, y que esto puede simplificar el funcionamiento de los núcleos urbanos más pequeños.
También hay un problema de sostenibilidad financiera que, en ocasiones, supone un impedimento para que puedan introducirse medios de comunicación más modernos y más sostenibles a nivel de las zonas rurales muy pequeñas. Por tanto, hay que trabajar no solamente en el ámbito de las infraestructuras, en términos de opción tecnológica, sino también en cómo articular un sistema que sea sostenible en cuanto a financiación para las pequeñas poblaciones, los pequeños núcleos.
Pero creo que por eso es importante que haya un fondo, como los fondos FEDER, que pueda garantizar que la inversión primaria sea una inversión cofinanciada —y cofinanciada de una forma bastante interesante— que disminuya la necesidad de que haya una sostenibilidad financiera, lo que sería un problema grave para muchos de los pequeños pueblos o pequeñas ciudades.
Rosanna Conte (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Commissaria Ferreira, il fenomeno dello spopolamento sta portando aree remote e montane ad attrarre e trattenere sempre meno popolazione. Questo perché fino ad oggi queste zone non hanno avuto il supporto necessario e gli strumenti giusti per prevenire questa fuga. È chiaro che se la popolazione e soprattutto i giovani non hanno accesso a servizi, occupazione e infrastrutture, perdono l'interesse a vivere nelle zone rurali e montane.
Per non parlare di altri problemi che diventano al contempo causa e conseguenza dello spopolamento. Ad esempio, la ricomparsa di animali selvatici nei centri abitati, come la presenza sempre più frequente di lupi nel Nord Italia, che ha impatti negativi non solo su allevamenti e aziende agricole, ma anche sulle famiglie locali e sulla popolazione potenziale, ovvero i turisti sempre più scoraggiati e impauriti.
Alla luce di questi episodi e della risoluzione del Parlamento sull'evoluzione demografica, le chiedo: gli Stati membri stanno già adottando misure della nuova politica di coesione per contrastare il fenomeno dello spopolamento? Ci sono stati progressi rispetto alla vecchia programmazione? Allo stato attuale, ritiene che il coinvolgimento delle autorità locali sia ad un livello soddisfacente?
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you very much for your question. I think that if I correctly understand you, you describe the problem in the mountainous areas, rural areas, but then you say, OK, have local municipalities been sufficiently involved?
The organisation of the administrative structure of the management of funds varies from country to country, and the Commission cannot really interfere directly in how countries are organised. Some countries have a regional level, some countries do not have the regional level, and some countries have the municipality or the parish as the most adequate entity to manage the funds.
So the principle of cohesion is that in fact you have got to respect the internal organisation of each Member State, but local entities, regional entities and other entities, according to the partnership principle and stakeholders, have got to be involved. So how you decide, what you decide to implement depends on the internal organisation of each Member State. But in fact it has got to define a vision that takes a bottom—up approach to be combined with the top—down approach so that the funds, the instruments, can converge for the development of the local entities. And of course the local entities must be involved. The level of this involvement varies, as I mentioned, according to the degree of decentralisation that each country adopts. So that’s all in relation to your question.
Ladislav Ilčić (ECR). –Poštovana povjerenice, prilikom međunarodnog priznanja Republike Hrvatske Njemačka se pokazala ne samo kao partnerska, već i prijateljska zemlja Hrvatskoj.
Međutim, u proteklih deset godina Republika Hrvatska poklonila je Njemačkoj 18 milijardi eura. Naime, toliko je Hrvatska potrošila na edukaciju mladih ljudi koji su uglavnom odmah poslije diplome otišli u Njemačku i sada tamo doprinose razvoju njemačkog gospodarstva, a ne hrvatskog gospodarstva.
Kojim instrumentima kohezijske politike možete kompenzirati taj veliki trošak Republike Hrvatske kako sloboda kretanja unutar Europske unije ne bi bila na veliku korist isključivo jednim državama, a na veliku štetu drugima?
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you very much for your question. In fact, the freedom of movement of people is something that we really want to keep in Europe. It is essential for Europe. The solution that I think can be the answer to your question is to define a development strategy.
I just came from Croatia last week to sign exactly the partnership agreement with Croatia for 2027, and I see within this partnership agreement the elements that can really foster the creation of new areas of research, of innovation, poles of development, not only in the capital of Croatia, but also in other areas – and I visited other areas. In fact, if the opportunities are there, people, young people, qualified people will come back, and you can even end up by attracting young people from other countries that may opt to live in Croatia because the quality of life in Croatia is probably much better than in the countries of origin.
So this movement of people going back and forth is part of Europe, and I think we should not restrict it because that would be a big, big loss. But we have to create conditions for people moving, willing to move into Croatia rather than willing to move into Germany or any other country. To create these conditions you have got to organise, together with all stakeholders in Croatia, the strategies that create the opportunities for these people to be there, to work there and to raise their families there. The way we are going in Croatia goes in that direction, with growth, with joining the euro, with Schengen. So I think in fact there is a good prospect for Croatia in that sense. As I told you, we just finished the partnership agreement signature last week.
VORSITZ: OTHMAR KARAS Vizepräsident
Franc Bogovič (PPE). – Gospod predsednik! Hvala za priložnost. Spoštovana gospa komisarka! Da mladi ostanejo na podeželju, potrebujemo kvalitetno infrastrukturo, vključno s sodobno širokopasovno povezavo, in pa delovna mesta. In vse to skupaj smo tudi zaokrožili v konceptu pametnih vasi, v katerem želimo ustvariti pogoje za poseljeno podeželje.
V sklopu tega je kmetijstvo, mobilnost na podeželju, turizem, energetika, skrb za starejše na podeželju, e-zdravje. Zato je tudi iz teh številnih dejavnosti jasno, da potrebujemo tudi različne fonde financiranja. Mi imamo »Leader«, v katerem je pet procentov programa razvoja podeželja, ko pa že za ta program poskušamo pridobiti sredstva iz regionalnega sklada, so na nacionalni ravni težave, se ne odločijo države, niti iz socialnega sklada.
Predlagam, da imamo v naslednji finančni perspektivi poseben sklad, podobno kot imamo za urbana središča, tudi za ruralna območja, v katerem bomo zložili sredstva iz različnih skladov in tudi zagotovili to sinergijo delovanja različnih politik na podeželju.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you very much for your question.
If I understand you correctly, you are suggesting a separate allocation of funds just for rural areas. I think you have rural areas that are quite rich, that benefit from agricultural policy, for instance, and you have rural areas that are extremely poor; you have mountainous areas; you have peripheral areas; you have areas going under transition; you have areas that are just outermost regions.
So, the different problems that we are facing across Europe, they all deserve a special approach. I don’t think the special approach depends on creating allocations of funds. It depends, basically, on fulfilling the principle of the European Union. And in fact, all the rural areas, all the underdeveloped areas, they have per capita support from European funding that is much higher than the per capita financing that is associated with the more developed areas.
Apart from this, I think it is the quality of the instruments, the quality of the vision and policies that each country, each region proposes for each sub—area that can really help these areas to progress. If we segment all the funds into these different kinds of issues that we have to address, I don’t think we can really expect to have more simplicity, more linear access to the funds, and we want to simplify it.
So, accepting diversity is in itself part of the policy and adjusting the instruments to the diversity of the areas, I think that is more adequate, but of course it’s something to be discussed.
Juozas Olekas (S&D). – Gerbiama Komisijos nare, tikrai palaikau Jūsų pastangas ir darbus saugant mūsų gyventojus visoje Europos Sąjungoje. Ir sutinku su Jumis, kad ES valstybės narės turi daug atsakomybės šioje srityje. Bet yra dalykų, kurių valstybės narės negali padaryti, ir tai yra mūsų, Europos Sąjungos institucijų, atsakomybė. Turiu galvoje bendrą žemės ūkio politiką ir tiesiogines išmokas žemdirbiams. Stojant į Europos Sąjungą visiems buvo pažadėta vidutinės lygios išmokos už tą patį žemės plotą. Tačiau šiandien tiek Rumunijos, tiek Portugalijos, tiek mano šalies, Lietuvos, žemdirbiai gauna žymiai mažesnes tiesiogines išmokas ir tai labai atbaido, ypač jaunus ūkininkus, nuo pasilikimo kaime. Ar Jūs sutiktumėte paremti Jūsų kolegos Komisijos nario J. Wojciechowskio pažadą, kad reikia išlyginti tas tiesiogines išmokas ir sudaryti vienodas sąlygas visiems, dirbantiems žemės ūkyje bet kurioje Europos Sąjungos valstybėje?
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you, Mr President, and thank you very much for your question.
I will not discuss the content of the agricultural policy because my colleague Mr Wojciechowski will come if you wish, or you can have him with much more knowledge to discuss the details of the policy. What I would like to underline from your intervention is this call that I already mentioned in a previous answer and that I would like to reinforce here: we have got to be aware of and attentive to the impact that the different horizontal policies in Europe have on the different regions of Europe and different Member States of Europe.
This is valid for the European approach, but it is also valid for each Member State. When you have the smart specialisation strategy, when you define where you locate your universities, when you decide which roads or railways to build, when you decide the most neutral policy, the different realities on which the different policies intervene creates different dynamics in the different spaces.
Being aware of this regional impact of the sectoral policies, and even more, being aware with a strong instrument like the recovery and resilience plans, what the regional impact of each of these plans is, is in itself something to which I would like to call your attention because we cannot have contradictory instruments if we really want to converge to a more balanced and more equilibrium in the growth inside a country or inside Europe. That’s why I thank you for having stressed this issue, because, in fact, it requires attention.
Susana Solís Pérez (Renew). – Señora comisaria, la despoblación es un problema que afecta a toda Europa, pero especialmente a países como España, donde tres de cada cuatro municipios pierden habitantes. Y me refiero no solo a municipios rurales pequeños, sino también incluso a las ciudades medianas.
Por eso era para mí tan importante que se recogiese la definición de zona despoblada en el Reglamento de los Fondos FEDER, porque eso permite que estas zonas tengan un plan de acción integral con el que revitalizarlas y atraer empleo.
Y para crear empleo es fundamental una de las medidas que ahora admite la Comisión y que consiste en permitir una fiscalidad diferenciada, beneficios fiscales a las empresas que estén establecidas en estas zonas. Y estoy hablando, por ejemplo, de bonificaciones a los trabajadores. Sin embargo, vemos que los Estados miembros no están utilizando esta medida. En el caso de España llevamos diez meses esperando y me gustaría conocer su opinión.
Y mi segunda pregunta se refiere al Fondo de Transición Justa, que es importantísimo para evitar la despoblación. También vemos que algunos Estados miembros aún no han presentado su plan de transición justa. Ahora corremos el peligro de perder una anualidad. También me gustaría saber si esto es así, si podemos perder una anualidad de estos fondos y qué tenemos que hacer al respecto.
Elisa Ferreira,miembro de la Comisión. – Señoría, muchas gracias por su pregunta. Sin duda, la definición de «zona despoblada» es un valor añadido que ustedes han introducido en la legislación.
La fiscalidad diferenciada es algo que, en el marco de la competencia en Europa, es posible en el caso de las zonas económicamente más frágiles de Europa.
Nosotros lo sabemos, pero sabemos también que se puede utilizar (y que se utiliza) no solo la fiscalidad, así como que es necesario hacer una diferenciación en materia de apoyo a la producción, a las pequeñas y medianas empresas mediante los sistemas introducidos por los Estados miembros, en particular, el apoyo al desarrollo de pequeñas instituciones económicas.
También es muy importante utilizar de la forma más eficaz posible el Fondo Social Europeo en combinación con el FEDER.
Sobre el Fondo de Transición Justa: estamos trabajando muy intensamente con todos los Estados miembros. Hay diferencias muy grandes entre unos y otros. Algunos, cuatro en particular, han finalizado los planes, que están plenamente en marcha. Otros tienen más dificultades para definir cómo hacer la transición y estamos trabajando en ello. Algunos cuentan con una línea presupuestaria autónoma para el Fondo de Transición Justa. Otros lo han integrado en el Plan de Desarrollo Regional.
Estamos trabajando muy intensamente con los Estados miembros para que los fondos asociados al Fondo no se pierdan.
Laura Ferrara (NI). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, nonostante gli sforzi attuati dall'Unione europea con la politica di coesione, nell'arco degli ultimi otto anni il Mezzogiorno d'Italia ha subito un calo demografico senza pari nell'ambito dell'Unione europea. In particolare, le regioni come il Molise, la Calabria e la Basilicata hanno perso centinaia di migliaia di cittadini residenti.
Sappiamo come la politica di coesione rivesta un ruolo decisivo nell'affrontare sfide demografiche di tale portata e le chiedo pertanto se non ritenga necessario rivedere le strategie elaborate per le aree rurali e periferiche, prevedendo delle opportunità di finanziamento più specifiche, in modo da rafforzare l'occupazione giovanile, l'imprenditorialità, la digitalizzazione, l'accesso alla sanità e ai servizi pubblici.
Le chiedo poi in che modo la Commissione europea intenda tutelare l'attuazione delle strategie nazionali e regionali per le aree interne nel periodo di programmazione 2021-2027 attraverso un uso efficiente delle risorse europee, considerando che, ad esempio, nella mia regione, la Calabria, il finanziamento di alcune strategie territoriali per le aree interne è stato cancellato dal programma a causa dei ritardi nell'avvio di tali strategie.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Thank you very much for your question. Part of the question on Mezzogiorno I already answered when another MEP from Italy asked about it.
I think the development problem in the present circumstances doesn’t depend on ring fencing money. The problem is not lack of money. I’m sorry to say it, but in particular in the case of Italy, if you add together the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the 2021-2027 multiannual cohesion funding, the amounts are in fact quite robust, quite substantial, and you can even add to it what remains to be executed from 2014-2020. And you also have the Just Transition Fund exactly for certain areas in the South.
So I think more than allocating or ring fencing funds to tackle these issues. The crucial issue is to understand what is blocking the development and to address the elements that need to be tackled for that purpose, in particular, to address the instruments that you want to use, how you want to use the money and this plan. I saw it with the Minister Giuseppe Provenzano, with Minister Mara Carfagna, you know, we’ll see, I mean, I didn’t have a meeting yet with the new minister, but the crucial thing is to have a vision, to know what you want to reach, how we are going to tackle it. We are supporting also Italy and Mezzogiorno with the Just Transition Fund. We are supporting Italy also with the public administration requalification. So let’s hope for the best, but the money is there, for sure.
José Manuel Fernandes (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, Senhora Comissária, é essencial que não se perca nem um cêntimo da Política de Coesão 2014-2020 e que se acelere a Política de Coesão de 2021 a 2027. Em Portugal, o Portugal 20-30 corre o risco de, em 2022, não ter um único euro utilizado.
Para além disso, é muito importante ter uma atenção especial aos programas operacionais regionais. Pergunto à Senhora Comissária se tem a informação de que, no caso de Portugal, os programas operacionais regionais, da forma que estão a ser desenhados, vão dificultar ou até impedir os municípios com menos população de acederem a todos os eixos e aos montantes dos programas operacionais regionais? É que, se assim for, vai haver é mais despovoamento, vai haver é mais desertificação.
E pergunto se a Senhora Comissária tem esta indicação e como é que vai atuar? Porque eu sei que não é essa a forma com que pretende que a política de coesão seja executada. E mesmo para terminar, a articulação é essencial, como é que se vai fazer a articulação entre o FEADER e também os programas da política de coesão e os programas operacionais regionais?
Elisa Ferreira,Comissária. – Senhor Presidente, Senhor Deputado, concordo que é importante que não se perca nenhum dinheiro de 2014-2020. Não me parece que, no caso de Portugal, esse risco seja materializável. Para 21-27, também o acordo com Portugal já foi assinado, já é um país que tem um ritmo absolutamente normal ou acima da média em termos de execução.
Relativamente à estrutura do programa que foi aprovado, tanto quanto a Comissão se apercebeu, esse risco que aponta não parece evidente, inclusivamente porque há uma preocupação de criar subespaços e reservar para aquilo que se chama e que eu já referi, os ITI, portanto, «intervenções territoriais integradas». Foi essa a perspetiva que o governo nos apresentou e, com base precisamente na convicção de que o resultado vai ser positivo, foi aprovado o acordo de partenariado e assinado.
É evidente que o momento em que se assina o acordo de partenariado não é o fim de nada, é o princípio da execução e estamos convencidos, com Portugal assim como com todos os outros países, de que aquilo que os países propõem vai ser executado e da melhor forma possível.
Portanto, neste momento em que estamos a lançar os programas todos e já assinamos acordos de partenariado, penso que, neste momento, com 22 países ou mais, temos todos a expectativa de que os grandes problemas europeus e os grandes problemas que cada país enfrente sejam devidamente tratados, porque os meios estão disponíveis e as propostas que nos foram apresentadas são corretas e razoáveis.
Isabel García Muñoz (S&D). – Señora comisaria, ya lo hemos hablado en otras ocasiones; el reto demográfico de la despoblación es un reto democrático que merece la cooperación de todas las instituciones a todos los niveles y, por supuesto, a escala europea.
Usted ha hecho referencia a las estrategias a escala nacional y regional. Pues bien, mi región, Aragón, ha sido pionera al aprobar una Ley de Dinamización del Medio Rural que recoge políticas activas similares a las que proponía la Comisión en la Comunicación para una visión a largo plazo para las zonas rurales de la Unión; medidas dinamizadoras que pretenden luchar contra el desfallecimiento del entorno rural; iniciativas para aumentar el número de empresas y servicios en territorios demográficamente disminuidos; y también otros instrumentos, como la descentralización administrativa o la elaboración de un programa de gestión territorial de dinamización económica que promueva la cultura emprendedora, así como una de las novedades principales, que también habíamos pedido aquí, desde el Parlamento; la aplicación del principio de la verificación rural para evaluar la repercusión de las principales normativas sobre las zonas rurales.
Además de esas acciones a que usted hacía mención, a escala regional o nacional, por separado, mi pregunta es la siguiente: ¿se plantea una estrategia europea común para la lucha contra la despoblación con medidas vinculantes, y, en esa estrategia, incorporar la aplicación del principio de la verificación rural a los Fondos Estructurales?
Elisa Ferreira,miembro de la Comisión. – Señoría, muchas gracias por la pregunta y los ejemplos que nos ha transmitido.
Me gustaría subrayar la importancia de compartir buenas experiencias. Las experiencias que usted acaba de señalar me parecen muy interesantes, porque nosotros podemos, y debemos, compartir instrumentos de desarrollo que materialicen los objetivos que queremos conseguir. Por ello, me parece muy interesante lo que usted ha planteado.
Asimismo, cuando habla de principio de verificación rural,creo que es muy importante para comprender los impactos de todas las políticas no solamente en las zonas rurales, sino en todas las situaciones que encontramos en los distintos países. Hay regiones de carácter rural que sufren de despoblación; otras, son de montaña; otras son regiones periféricas; otras, ultraperiféricas; otras son regiones industriales en mutación; otras regiones adolecen de congestión demográfica. Me parece, pues, muy importante hacer una verificación de la cohesión, e incorporar en este concepto en las distintas situaciones que tenemos en Europa y dentro de cada país.
Me complace escuchar que Aragón tiene efectivamente una convergencia de políticas. Vamos a hacer un seguimiento y ver lo que podemos aprender unos de otros para no reinventar la rueda continuamente.
Muchas gracias por su intervención.
Niklas Nienaß (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, I wish to thank the Commissioner, and thank you all, for this very interesting debate. I really liked the point on change of perspective – how can we bring people back to these areas? I think a lot of young families actually want to go back because I’ve talked to a lot of them and they say ‘I would like to come back, but I don’t have what I need. I don’t have a kindergarten for my children a school or something like this.’
So we know what people need. They need jobs. They need infrastructure like social infrastructure, kindergarten, schools. They need mobility apart from cars, like trains, buses, etc. They need a culture and possibilities to do something. They sometimes just need a fucking pub, you know, to do something and relax a little bit.
I think this is the theory, and we now need to go to the practice. The practice means that every region is different and that we need to listen to the people and ask them, what do you need in your region? We have instruments for that, and that instrument is called CLLD. We have brought CLLD to the attention of the cohesion instruments like ESF and ERDF, but they are rarely used.
So my question to the Commission is, why are the Member States not using this tool that we offered them? Why do the Member States not include that in their policy? And the other question that I have is, how can we bring rural development together with the ERDF, together with the ESF? Because there is economy, there is a social infrastructure in rural areas and it is needed to be improved. So please use this tool also in the future cohesion policy.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Yes, I know how engaged you are with this rural development. And I confirm that in fact there are several instruments. We are discussing LEADER. We are discussing CLLD. And this is a matter, I think, of political visibility, political will, political priority, because you said it, the instruments are there. We have the means, we have the instruments. So why Member States don’t use it – I mean, some do. That’s the kind of good examples that we have. We were just listening to a colleague from Aragon that says OK, we are doing the right thing. I mean, listening to each other. Maybe it’s inspiring, but I think that sometimes when the instruments are managed and thought of at the central level, the bottom—up approach is too distant to be addressed.
And so the important thing also is to make sure that the chain that we have to respect of the administration in each Member State is not such that the initiatives that come from bottom up are not sufficiently taken into account and that there is enough flexibility to adapt the answers at the appropriate level. Probably what you are talking about can be operational and it can make a huge difference in creating some soft infrastructures. But probably if you need to have something else like a school or like a hospital or a technological centre, then you have got to have some listening capacity at the regional level, at the level of the lender or the level of the central government. And this capacity to react and to understand and to listen requires a lot of sophistication in the administration. So that is also part of the political will.
Vincenzo Sofo (ECR). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, solo negli ultimi dieci anni il Sud Italia ha perso quasi un milione di abitanti, quanto il Molise e la Basilicata messe insieme, e secondo le stime nei prossimi nei prossimi vent'anni ne perderà altri quattro milioni, quanto l'intera Puglia. Uno spopolamento che, lo sappiamo, è dovuto a povertà, mancanza di lavoro e servizi che hanno causato immigrazione e un crollo delle nascite del 40 % negli ultimi vent'anni.
Ora non credo e credo che non sia accettabile che la risposta a tutto questo sia quello che la sinistra chiama il cosiddetto modello Riace, che è stato per esempio applicato da Mimmo Lucano in Calabria, cioè compensare queste uscite con l'ingresso di masse di immigrati disperati che arrivano da altre zone con problemi ancora più grandi.
Quello che serve, invece, è un grande piano di sviluppo che porti strade, treni, aeroporti, ospedali, scuole, incentivi agli investimenti, all'impresa, al lavoro, alla famiglia e anche alla vita, a proposito di nascite, e tutto ciò che serve a garantire al Sud Italia quello che viene garantito in altre parti d'Europa.
Il punto è, ed è questa la mia domanda, come mai però la Commissione europea, così tanto attenta alla coesione, non abbia sorvegliato, in fase di definizione del PNRR da parte del governo Draghi, affinché ci fosse quest'attenzione nella destinazione delle risorse per il Sud Italia, cosa che sappiamo tutti non è avvenuta.
Elisa Ferreira,Member of the Commission. – Well, thank you very much. I think, as I mentioned before, the problem in southern Italy is not a lack of funding. It’s probably a process of an historical nature. It’s up to you to tell me what doesn’t work in southern Italy or what has not worked, because in fact, since very early in cohesion policy, we had this concern with southern Italy, since the origin of cohesion policy in Europe. You had the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, you had what then ended up being called cathedrals in the desert and now you have all this financial capacity that is offered for the development of southern Italy, including the Just Transition Fund as well.
I think the issue that we have to address there is to ask you to ask the people that live in the Mezzogiorno, what is the essence, what is the solution, in order to trigger the development that is possible from a financial kind of availability of funds?
So funds are there, Italy has a strong recovery and resilience plan, it has very strong financing for 21 to 27, so it’s not lack of funding. What matters now is to understand what is not working and how we can reverse this spiral or this situation of being stuck in a level of development that is not sufficient to bring in young people, the young generation and to turn the wheel in the other sense.
In fact, I have a lot of hope that with all the work that has been done in previous governments, of preparation and all that, that there is a vision for southern Italy and that we end up solving forever the development problem of the Mezzogiorno. That’s my wish. And grazie mille for your question.
Der Präsident. – Die Fragestunde ist geschlossen.
12. Návrh Komise na opatření podle nařízení o podmíněnosti dodržováním zásad právního státu v případě Maďarska (rozprava)
Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärungen des Rates und der Kommission zu dem Vorschlag der Kommission für Maßnahmen im Rahmen der Konditionalitätsverordnung im Falle von Ungarn (2022/2853(RSP)).
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Mr President, honourable Members, Commissioner, thank you for giving me the floor in this debate to discuss with you a very topical issue that is essential for the functioning of our Union.
The Council welcomes the framework established by the regulation on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget, as there is a clear link between respect for the rule of law and the efficient implementation of the EU budget in accordance with the principles of sound financial management. We are of course satisfied that such regulation saw the light in 2020 with the work of the co-legislators and the strong support of the European Parliament.
It is in the context of the Conditionality Regulation that the Council has received a proposal from the Commission on measures for the protection of the Union budget in Hungary. I can inform you that the Council’s preparatory bodies are currently examining the proposal in detail, both on process and on substance. Apart from discussions at technical level, the EU ambassadors will discuss tomorrow the proposal for a second time. All elements are being thoroughly considered by Member States, including the remedial measures proposed by Hungary. You are well aware of the political sensitivity of the file. Moreover, the fact that this is the first time that the mechanism foreseen in the Conditionality Regulation is put in motion requires Member States to treat this dossier in an even more careful manner.
Allow me to indicate a very important point: the role of the Commission in this process is crucial. We trust the Commission’s role as guardian of the Treaties. The Council counts on the Commission’s exhaustive assessment of the situation to take a sound and well—informed decision. So it is in this spirit that we work closely with the Commission, but also with the Member State involved to make a decision that is the best for the EU budget and for European citizens.
As you know, the time frame provided by the Conditionality Regulation is very strict. The Council will respect all deadlines foreseen in the regulation and act very swiftly. Therefore I can assure you that the Council is and stays fully committed to playing its role in protecting the EU budget as foreseen in the Conditionality Regulation.
Johannes Hahn,Member of the Commission. – Mr President, dear Minister, honourable Members, first I would like to thank you again for your commitment in the constructive dialogue on the enforcement of the Conditionality Regulation. The Parliament was always a very tough and vocal supporter.
As you all know, we have a whole toolbox of instruments with different methodologies to protect the Union budget. Within this toolbox, the Conditionality Regulation aims at protecting the Union budget when breaches of the principles of rule of law affect or risk affecting the Union’s financial interests. Other instruments in the rule-of-law toolbox are dedicated to breaches of the rule of law per se.
As President von der Leyen also confirmed in the State of the Union address, the Commission will use the conditionality mechanism whenever the conditions are fulfilled. As you are aware, at the moment there is one ongoing case. On 18 September, the Commission adopted the very first proposal for a Council implementing decision under the Conditionality Regulation. It proposed measures to the Council for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary. This procedure started when the Commission notified Hungary on 27 April about its concerns relating to breaches of the principles of the rule of law that create a serious risk for the Union budget. To recall, these concerns are systemic irregularities and deficiencies and weaknesses in public procurement. Second, insufficiencies in addressing conflicts of interest and concerns regarding public interest funds. Further, weaknesses in the effective pursuit of investigations and prosecutions in cases involving Union funds. And finally, shortcomings in the anti-corruption framework.
Following several intermediate steps at the end of August, Hungary committed to 17 remedial measures to address the risks to the Union budget specified in the notification. This I explained and assessed in the recent Commission proposal for a Council implementing decision available to the Parliament. With these measures, Hungary has made important commitments in the right direction. I explicitly welcome this constructive engagement, I have to say, even if it arrived at a late stage in the procedure.
So some examples of the remedial measures: a new and independent integrity authority with extensive powers as regards the prevention, detection and correction of fraud, conflicts of interest, corruption and other irregularities affecting the Union’s financial interests; an anti-corruption task force with strong involvement of specialised NGOs and the modification of the criminal procedure code to allow for an effective judicial review of prosecutorial decisions; further, the systematic use of the Commission’s data—mining and risk—scoring tool ARACHNE, which is a comprehensive database of projects combined with public information to help identify risks related to beneficiaries, contracts or contractors; further changes to the Public Procurement Act to clarify rules applying to public interest funds; further reform of the asset—declaration system for high-profile public officials, which means members of government but also MPs.
Our conclusion is that, taken together, the proposed remedial measures could in principle be capable of addressing the issues described in the notification. If – and I stress if – they are correctly specified in the relevant laws and rules and implemented accordingly.
Another conclusion I draw from this is that without the conditionality mechanism none of these reform measures would be in place, and without the European Parliament, the conditionality mechanism would not exist in its current form. Of course, pending Hungary’s fulfilment of these criteria at this stage, the Commission considers that the risk for the budget remains – a reason for which the Commission proposed measures to the Council. Hence the Commission proposed the suspension of 65% of the commitments for three operational programmes under cohesion policy. This amounts to an estimated amount of EUR 7.5 billion, which means over a third of Hungary’s cohesion envelope.
Why those three programmes? Because they will be mainly implemented through public procurement and the Commission considers that they are likely to be affected again by the breaches of the principles of the rule of law.
A second measure is the prohibition to enter into legal commitments with the so-called public interest trusts. The Council has now one month from 18 September to decide on the measures, and we have heard that probably there will be a decision tomorrow, if I was right. But they have to take the decision by qualified majority. So this period may be extended by a maximum of two additional months.
A number of key remedial measures should be implemented by 19 November 2022. And of course we will monitor these key elements very closely in the coming weeks. Hungary has committed to fully inform the Commission about the implementation of the remedial measures, but 19 November is also outlined in the timeline published in our proposal. At that point we will assess the situation again.
So rest assured that, as has been the case since the adoption of the regulation, the Commission will continue to provide you with updates on relevant developments. Our objective is again that the Union budget is no longer at risk and we hope to achieve this as soon as possible through the adequate reforms in Hungary – and not only the reforms but also, of course, more importantly, the proper implementation of these measures.
Petri Sarvamaa, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, Council, this is going to look and sound pretty dramatic because I’m just about to lose my voice. The previous time I was here at a key point in this regulation, I had so terrible neck pain that I almost collapsed. Maybe this shows you how seriously I take, as the co—rapporteur, this historic occasion.
It’s been a long time coming. The Commission’s work was, and is, not easy. We welcome the fact that we are now in the last stages of this particular journey with this regulation. Actually, this journey is completely defined by the regulation itself. A historic responsibility really now lies on the shoulders of the Commission and the Council.
Now, I don’t think that anyone here would want to see any Member State’s budget being cut by the European Union. Personally, it wouldn’t give any satisfaction to me whatsoever. But we are dealing with the utmost important things that are actually the cornerstones of this Union. And the key here will be that the Commission and the Council just simply have to get it right. This doesn’t mean necessarily that they have to cut the budget, but they have to get it right. I am worried, I have to say, because I do not necessarily share sometimes her optimistic view that we can then correct this if we don’t succeed this time. I don’t think there is any going back. We have to get it right now.
My question to you, Commissioner, is how on earth are you going to assess that the changes Hungary makes will be enough to reduce the risk to the EU budget before we actually see any implementation on the ground? So all eyes will be on our new Council and the Commission.
Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señor presidente, señor comisario, señor ministro, han sido muchas las veces que este Parlamento ha condenado sistemáticamente la falta de respeto al Estado de Derecho por parte del Gobierno húngaro. Y, de hecho, en el Pleno anterior adoptamos por una amplia mayoría una Resolución muy contundente a este respecto.
Pero ahora ya es el momento de pasar a la acción. Gracias al impulso de este Parlamento, contamos con el mecanismo de condicionalidad que permite adoptar medidas presupuestarias sobre un país que vulnera el Estado de Derecho de tal manera que afecta a los intereses financieros de la Unión.
Y es verdad que la Comisión podía haber sido más severa en su propuesta. Creo que no le faltan ni motivos ni pruebas para ello. Deberían haber hecho una propuesta que englobara más programas y mayores cantidades. En cualquier caso, tenemos una propuesta y no podemos esperar más. Y no podemos aceptar los compromisos que ahora sí quiere firmar el Gobierno de Orbán como garantía de que las cosas van a cambiar, porque hasta ahora no han hecho absolutamente nada. Así que el Consejo tiene que adoptar las medidas presupuestarias que propone la Comisión y congelar los 7 500 millones de euros.
Y si comprobamos que esos 17 compromisos, a los que Orbán ahora se compromete, no solo se cumplen sobre el papel, sino que además se aplican y son efectivos, entonces y solo entonces, podremos levantar las medidas.
Así que aprovechando que tenemos aquí al Consejo, le quiero pedir que tenga mucho cuidado con lo que aprueba, porque el orden de los factores, en este caso, sí que afecta al producto. Porque no es lo mismo aprobar la congelación de los fondos y revertir esa decisión, si de verdad hay avances, que cerrar el expediente porque nos creemos los compromisos y al final encontrarnos con que el Gobierno de Hungría no hace absolutamente nada.
No podemos olvidar cuál es el objetivo final de este mecanismo, porque no es sancionar a un país; el objetivo es hacer que se respete el Estado de Derecho y, hasta que esto no ocurra, el dinero europeo no puede ser desembolsado. Así que la decisión del Gobierno de Hungría es muy fácil: o Estado de Derecho o congelación de fondos. Y él tiene que tomar esa decisión.
Sophia in ‘t Veld, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, first of all, I note that we are having this debate with the Budget Commissioner, Commissioner Hahn, instead of President von der Leyen, despite the fact that in my view the rule of law is Chefsache. It is not a budget matter. I’m sorry, Commissioner, I disagree with you. This is not about protecting the budget of the European Union: it is about protecting our common values. That’s what the regulation is about. I recommend that you look at the history of the regulation.
Now, we welcome the fact that the Commission proposes to freeze EUR 7 billion for Hungary. It’s a good step, but it’s way too small, Commissioner – I see you’re very busy. They are Austrian friends. Yes. Thank you. Lovely country, Austria! – It’s a good step, the EUR 7 billion, but it’s far too small. And the escape clauses are already built in. And it turns out that the rule of law, after all, is negotiable for the European Commission, because we have here 17 criteria which are clearly falling short of what is needed, allowing Mr Orbán to make mere cosmetic changes. You’re proposing a freeze of – not 65%, Commissioner – 15% of the money due to Hungary, let alone the 100% that should be frozen if we look at the state or the record of Viktor Orbán. So again, the rule of law is being negotiated because Mr Orbán gets extra time.
Now, can we trust the Commission to be tough in its assessment of Hungary’s compliance with the already weak criteria? I’ll be very honest with you, Commissioner Hahn: I am not 100% reassured if I look at the track record of this Commission and indeed that of Mr Orbán for the last 12 years. You are showing a lot of reluctance, to be honest, to apply this strictly. The Commission has been ducking the application of the regulation for two years, almost. And now that you have to apply it, you’re trying to reduce the scope to the bare minimum.
For me, this is the key question. We gave you our vote of confidence in 2019. Your core duty is to uphold the Treaties and enforce the law. And if the Commission bows to kleptocrats, you no longer deserve our confidence. Please, Commissioner, prove me wrong.
VORSITZ: EVELYN REGNER Vizepräsidentin
Daniel Freund, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Frau Vorsitzende, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner Hahn, almost two years ago we gave you a very powerful tool to protect the rule of law and EU money. And yet today we witness that you are dismantling this tool in front of our eyes.
Yes, a couple of weeks ago you announced that you want to suspend EUR 7.5 billion to the Orbán regime, and that sounds nice. But really what you’re doing is you’re breaking the most powerful tool we actually have to protect the EU’s budget from the kleptocrat that is Viktor Orbán and his friends and family.
Dear colleagues, let me tell you why I fear that the Commission is actually not doing its duty. First, and the colleague has just said it, EUR 7.5 billion is only 15% of the EU funds that Hungary receives, so the lion’s share goes untouched and into a corrupt system. Second, if you look at the 17 measures that Orbán now has to fulfil, it’s actually impossible to monitor this over just a couple of weeks. So the Commission will end the procedure in December based on mere promises from Viktor Orbán. And to count on Orbán’s word after 12 years, after time and again having been fooled by him, I think that’s pretty ridiculous now to just trust his word and not his action.
Third, the anti-corruption authority that is the central pillar of the reform has no power to prosecute. So it relies on a prosecutor that we know is politically controlled by Orbán; it relies on courts where we know that they are politically controlled by Orbán. Which brings me to the fourth point, which is in this conditionality procedure on the rule of law, it seems that the Commission has somehow forgotten the rule-of-law part, because there is not a single measure concerning the rule of law, the independence of justice.
So, Mr Hahn, I fear that there is a very small window of opportunity here to use this tool and to do some good and to protect the rule of law in the Union. But if you are aware – and I know you are aware – of the corruption but you do nothing, then I think if this is out of fear to make full use of the tools that you have, well then you might not be the right person to protect the financial interests of the Union. Thank you very much.
Nicolaus Fest, im Namen der ID-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin, Herr Kommissar, verehrte Abgeordnete! Jetzt also wieder Ungarn. Allerdings kann die Kommission gegen Ungarn, wir haben es eben gehört, nicht wirklich etwas vorbringen, was man nicht auch gegenüber anderen Ländern vorbringen könnte. Denn auch in Deutschland, Frankreich, Österreich, Spanien oder besonders Malta ist die Rechtsstaatlichkeit auf den Hund gekommen. Die Meinungsfreiheit ist bedroht, die Rechtsstaatlichkeit ist bedroht, und Korruption ist dort auch überall ein Problem. Aber diese Länder haben komischerweise kein Problem mit der Kommission, denn sie haben auch keine konservative Regierung, und nur konservative Regierungen werden von diesem Parlament und auch der Kommission mit Schmutz beworfen und mit Artikel-7-Verfahren überzogen.
In Deutschland hatten wir immer die höchste Zustimmung zur EU. Diese bricht gerade dramatisch ein, auch in anderen Ländern. Woran liegt das? Ich denke, es liegt auch an solchen Verfahren wie gegen Ungarn. Wir sehen, die Leute haben einfach keine Lust mehr auf die ewige Einmischung. Und wenn wir hier über Einmischung reden, dann insbesondere auf solche arroganten Einmischungen, wie Frau von der Leyen es gerade vor der Wahl in Italien gezeigt hat. Die Quittung ist dann ja umgehend gekommen.
Genau das Gleiche erleben wir ja auch in Ungarn. Gerade Frau von der Leyen, eine ungewählte, demokratisch nicht legitimierte Person, hat die Stirn, den gerade mit großer Mehrheit von den Ungarn wiedergewählten Ministerpräsidenten unter dem Beifall vieler Abgeordneter hier als einen Wahlautokraten zu bezeichnen. Man fragt sich wirklich, ob Sie alle noch die Regeln der Demokratie kennen.
Ich glaube, die Menschen haben genug von diesen Einmischungen, sie haben auch genug von diesen etwas sinnlosen Verfahren, die sowieso zu keinem Ende kommen. Sie leiden unter der Energiekrise, sie leiden unter der Migration, sie leiden unter der Deindustrialisierung vor allem von Deutschland. Ich weiß, Sie grinsen darüber, aber Sie wird es auch bald erfassen. Und ich denke, statt uns über Ungarn aufzuregen, sollten wir uns lieber mit den ernsten Problemen der Menschen befassen.
Jadwiga Wiśniewska, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Pani Przewodnicząca! Szanowni Państwo! Zadziwiona jestem tym, że wnioskodawcy dzisiejszej debaty są aż tak bardzo bezwstydni. W obliczu szalejącej inflacji w Unii Europejskiej, wysokich cen energii spowodowanych uzależnieniem energetycznym Unii Europejskiej od Rosji i wojną w Ukrainie państwo miesiąc w miesiąc nieustannie zajmujecie się Węgrami.
Otóż na Węgrzech obywatele zdecydowali, żeby powierzyć swoją ojczyznę partii Fidesz - Orbanowi i to jest ich decyzja, to jest ich wybór. Ale państwo uważacie, że tam są łamane prawa i wolności, naruszony jest również mechanizm warunkowości. Już państwo grozicie komisarzowi Hahnowi, że zostanie odwołany, bowiem nie spełnia waszych oczekiwań. Chcielibyście Węgry zagłodzić! Polskę zagłodzić!
Przewodnicząca Komisji Europejskiej pozwoliła sobie również na przytyk w kierunku Włochów. Przed wyborami we Włoszech partia Bracia Włosi miała wysokie notowania. I oto Ursula von der Leyen powiedziała, że będzie można im również utrudnić funkcjonowanie w Unii Europejskiej.Państwo się dalece zapominacie.
Dziś kluczową debatą powinna być debata związana z łamaniem zasad solidarności unijnej, jeśli chodzi o sytuację na rynku gazu.
Proszę państwa, Niemcy blokują w Radzie wprowadzenie ogólnoeuropejskiego limitu cen gazu. Również w Parlamencie Europejskim delegacja niemiecka PPE zablokowała wezwanie do ustalenia limitu cen gazu. To Niemcy uzależniła politykę energetyczną Unii Europejskiej od Gazpromu...
(Przewodnicząca odebrała mówczyni głos)
Die Präsidentin. – Ich möchte die Besucherinnen und Besucher auf der Galerie ersuchen, nicht zu klatschen. Unserer Geschäftsordnung entsprechend sind Sie beobachtend hier, allerdings nicht um Zeichen der Zustimmung oder Nichtzustimmung zu geben. Sie sind herzlich willkommen zuzusehen, aber nicht durch Applaus einzugreifen.
Malin Björk, on behalf of The Left Group. – Madam President, I am just back from the beautiful city of Budapest, where we were several hundred people gathered for three days of activism and mobilising for lesbian rights, for women’s rights, for LGBTI rights, for democracy, for equality, for a vision and a future of democracy, where it is restored in Hungary and where it is protected everywhere in Europe.
And we all know that we are 12 years too late, Commissioner. We lost a lot of time. We failed our democratic allies in Hungary. So this time we have to stand more and stronger in solidarity with those that worked tirelessly in Hungary for a democratic country.
So the measures that you are proposing, they are far from enough. And let me be clear, the action proposed by Orbán are far from enough. There needs to be sincere steps to restore democracy in Hungary, rule of law, independence of the judiciary, media pluralism and freedom, fundamental rights. What is happening is not enough.
And we also have to make sure that the attacks on democracy does not spread. Other authoritarian leaders are watching very closely what is happening in Europe. And it will determine whether others also try to walk the path of Orbán where the far-right has approached power, as in my country, Sweden.
Third, this is a test for the conditionality mechanism. It will set the standards and the bar for how it can be used with other countries if we have to. So please don’t fail this one. We cannot afford anything else than restoring democracy. Anything else would be a failure. This is our chance, this is your chance. Council, Commissioner, don’t waste it, do more, do better and ask more from Orbán.
Balázs Hidvéghi (NI). – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony! Minden politikai formáció életében vannak sorsdöntő pillanatok. Ezek gyakran akkor jönnek el, amikor baj van. A jelenlegi válság azt mutatja, hogy Európa nem áll a helyzet magaslatán. A háború és az elhibázott európai szankciók miatt az energiaárak az egekbe szöktek, vágtat az infláció, munkanélküliség és súlyos gazdasági recesszió fenyeget.
Mindez európai családok és vállalkozások millióit érinti, és még ebben a súlyos helyzetben is, az itt ülő szélsőséges képviselők folytatják az ideológiai zsarolást, és széthúzást szítanak. Magyar baloldali képviselőkkel karöltve a legabszurdabb vádakkal állnak elő csak azért, hogy a magyar emberek ne kapják meg a nekik járó forrásokat.
A helyzet az, hogy Magyarország és az Európai Bizottság között korrekt tárgyalásokon megállapodás született az uniós források felhasználásáról. Nem maradt olyan szakmai vagy jogi kérdés, amiben ne sikerült volna dűlőre jutni, de Önöknek itt teljesen mindegy, hogy mi milyen intézkedéseket hajtunk végre, mert Önök egy politikai küldetést hajtanak végre, amelynek az a célja – a saját szavaikkal élve –, hogy kiéheztessék Magyarországot és minden más konzervatív nemzeti politikát folytató kormányt is. Lásd a Lengyelország elleni szégyenletes támadásokat, vagy a még meg sem alakult olasz kormánynak való felháborító üzengetést.
Önöknek semmi sem lesz elég addig, amíg Magyarországon kereszténydemokrata kormányzás folyik, ezért folyamatosan öntik az olajat a tűzre, támadnak, hazudoznak és fenyegetőznek. Mindezt sok millió európai polgár nevében határozottan visszautasítom. Az Önök szégyenletes politikai tevékenységéről pedig majd a következő generációk és a történelemkönyvek fognak ítéletet mondani.
President. – I would really invite those in the visitors’ gallery not to show any sign like clapping or support. According to our Rules of Procedure, our guests are invited to participate and to watch the debate, but not to clap or give any signs. If you do so, unfortunately I will have to ask the ushers that you leave the room. So if there is one more sign of support or noise, I will really have to do that. I invite you to participate and watch the debate – because for us it is very important that the public has the opportunity – but please remain silent.
Jeroen Lenaers (PPE). – Madam President, the EU has long been toothless in the fight to protect the rule of law in certain Member States. National leaders refuse to hold each other to account. And the other Article 7 procedures initiated by the Commission and Parliament failed to deliver real results.
So last year, January was truly a historic moment. Finally some teeth; finally an instrument that makes an impact, both because the language of money apparently is the only language truly understood in Warsaw and Budapest, but also because the European Council can no longer hide behind one or two Member States. So we welcome these proposed measures as a real step in the right direction, even though we would have expected even stricter demands.
We have known Mr Orbán for a long time now, and his past performance does nothing to reassure us about the future. There is a real risk of Hungary ticking the boxes as a paper reality only without really addressing the deficiencies. And this is why we insist on robust verification and monitoring. Only significant, tangible and lasting progress in rebuilding democratic and anti-corruption safeguards should enable the release of EU taxpayers’ money. Declarations, working groups, frameworks: they all sound nice, but they are not sufficient and risk being empty shelves. The Council cannot afford to buy another peacock dance of Mr Orbán.
So two concrete questions to Commissioner Hahn. First, why are the agricultural funds not part of this ongoing process? And secondly, how does the Commission intend to proceed in the case of other countries, in particular Poland?
Csaba Molnár (S&D). – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony! A Magyarországra érkező európai uniós források nagy részét ellopják a miniszterelnök oligarchái. Mivel az Európai Bizottság felfüggesztette a pénzek folyósítását, ezek a kormányközeli vállalkozások megrendelések nélkül maradtak, ezért most a kormány mindent megtesz, hogy újraindítsa az európai uniós forrásokat. Persze nem az emberek érdekében, hanem azért, hogy folytatni tudják a lopást.
Most éppen egy nagy törvénycsomagot terjesztettek emiatt a magyar parlament elé. Például létrehoznának egy olyan, elvileg korrupcióellenes hatóságot, amelynek az elnökét a miniszterelnök egyik emberének a javaslatára a miniszterelnök másik embere fogja majd kinevezni. Független lesz ez a hatóság? Dehogy is lesz független, Hölgyeim és Uraim!
Vagy például elvileg bevezetnék, hogy bárki a bíróságok elé vihesse a korrupciós ügyeket, de ezt a törvényt a megszavazása után egy órával elküldték annak az Alkotmánybíróságnak vizsgálatra, amelynek minden egyes tagját, minden egyes alkotmánybíráját a jelenlegi kormánypártok nevezték ki. Lesznek így majd eljárások korrupciós ügyekben? Dehogy lesznek eljárások!
Ezek a javaslatok csak az Európai Bizottság elkápráztatását szolgálják. Messziről, hunyorítva talán úgy tűnhet, hogy ezek a törvények a korrupció megfékezéséről szólnak. Magyarországon viszont mindenki tudja, hogy ez csak színjáték, ez csak porhintés. A magyar parlamentben pontosan ezért szavaztunk nemmel erre a törvénycsomagra, mert mi azt akarjuk, hogy az európai uniós források a magyar emberekhez, a magyar önkormányzatokhoz és a magyar vállalkozásokhoz jussanak. Az Európai Bizottság átverését szolgáló új törvények viszont pontosan a lopás folytatásának a lehetőségét nyitják meg.
Minket nem tudnak ezzel át már átverni. Képviselőtársaim, Biztos Úr, kérem, Önök se hagyják magukat átverni.
Moritz Körner (Renew). – Frau Präsidentin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, Herr Kommissar! Wenn man der Debatte hier folgt, dann findet wieder das statt, was bei dieser Debatte üblicherweise stattfindet: Die Rechte hier im Parlament verteidigt Ungarn, sagt, das sei alles politisch und so weiter und so fort. Korruption gebe es in allen Ländern der EU.
Zehnmal so hoch, zehnmal so hoch wie in anderen durchschnittlichen Ländern ist der Missbrauch an EU-Geldern in Ungarn! Es geht einfach darum – das wollen Sie verstecken –, dass Gelder von Ungarinnen und Ungarn geklaut werden und in den Taschen von Viktor Orbáns Freunden landen. Darum geht es, und das versucht die Rechte hier im Parlament zu verstecken.
Gleichzeitig – und das muss man sich wirklich mal anhören, Herr Kommissar – loben die Rechten im Parlament das Vorgehen der Kommission! Das ist tatsächlich das, was hier stattfindet bei diesem Mechanismus. Denn wir wissen doch: Am Ende wird kein Geld zurückgehalten werden. Und das wird unter großem Applaus der Rechten und der Feinde des Rechtsstaates in Europa passieren.
Der Zeitplan, den Sie da als Ausrede nutzen – wo Sie sagen: Wir haben nicht die Zeit nach diesem Mechanismus, wir müssen das jetzt beschließen, und dann müssen wir uns die Maßnahmen zu dem Zeitpunkt anschauen –, das ist ein vorgeschobenes Argument. Es ist falsch. Sie könnten genauso gut die siebeneinhalb Milliarden Euro zurückhalten, aus meiner Sicht sogar noch mehr. Und dann hätte Ungarn unter diesem Mechanismus jederzeit die Möglichkeit, Beweise vorzulegen, dass diese Gesetze, die jetzt beschlossen werden – das ist ja gut, das schauen wir uns auch gerne an, aber wir wollen es sehen –, dass diese Gesetze, diese Änderungen tatsächlich in der Praxis etwas verändern, dass Geld nicht mehr in den dunklen Taschen versickert, dass Korruption bekämpft wird. Solange das nicht der Fall ist, sollten Sie die Gelder zurückhalten.
Frau Präsidentin! Ich nehme die Blue Card gerne an, ich wundere mich aber ein wenig, warum ich eben auf meinem Display keine Blue Card angezeigt bekommen habe. Das wundert mich schon. Ich hätte auch gerne den Kollegen Fragen gestellt. Wenn jetzt Blue Card möglich ist – sehr gerne, dann machen wir das in der Debatte, und ich nehme eine Blue Card natürlich sehr gerne an!
(Der Redner ist damit einverstanden, eine Frage nach dem Verfahren der „blauen Karte“ gemäß Artikel 171 Absatz 8 der Geschäftsordnung zu beantworten.)
Die Präsidentin. – Sie haben jetzt gerade eine blaue Karte gekriegt, eine Frage an Sie, und wenn Sie selbst eine blaue Karte stellen möchten, ist das möglich, wenn Sie Platz nehmen. Ich möchte allerdings sagen, dass ich, weil die Debatte sehr rege ist und wir im Anschluss noch andere Aussprachen haben, blaue Karten nur dann annehmen werde, wenn sie nicht von Rednerinnen und Rednern gestellt werden, die ohnehin Redezeit haben, um dann in ihrer Rede Input zu geben. Das sind jetzt die Regeln für diese Aussprache.
Ernő Schaller-Baross (NI),Frage nach dem Verfahren der „blauen Karte” – Herr Abgeordneter, ich wollte Sie gerne fragen: Wenn wir uns schon über Demokratie unterhalten, was denken Sie über die Aussage von Frau Bundesaußenministerin Baerbock, dass sie grundsätzlich die Meinung der deutschen Wähler nicht interessiert? Wenn wir über Demokratie reden, würde ich Ihnen diese Frage stellen.
Und auch in Ungarn haben sich die Wähler dieses Jahr entschieden für eine demokratisch gewählte konservative, christlich-demokratische Regierung. Bitte, Herr Abgeordneter, respektieren Sie das.
Moritz Körner (Renew), Antwort auf eine Frage nach dem Verfahren der „blauen Karte“ – Ich brauche jetzt, glaube ich, keine aus dem Zusammenhang gerissenen Aussagen von Frau Außenministerin Baerbock hier zu kommentieren. Aber ich habe auch in keinster Weise zu irgendeinem Zeitpunkt in meiner Rede über Demokratie und die Frage, ob Viktor Orbán die Wahl gewonnen hat – die OSZE sagt, die Wahl war frei, aber nicht fair –, geredet.
Dass sie wieder auf Demokratie und Wahl gehen, zeigt, dass Sie eigentlich nicht darüber reden wollen, worum es hier geht, nämlich um Projekte, wo Geld ohne Ende in die Taschen von Viktor Orbáns Freunden fließt, wo das Europäische Amt für Betrugsbekämpfung sagt: „4 % aller EU-Gelder werden missbräuchlich verwendet.“ Darüber, über das Klauen von EU-Geldern, über das Klauen von Steuerzahlergeld, wollen Sie nicht reden. Deswegen immer diese Ausweiche, und das haben Sie gerade nochmal bewiesen.
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, I would ask what you do if you want to take big chunks of European money for your own benefit or to enrich those around you? Well, you go into government, then you create very loose public procurement rules – rules that you know you will not respect anyway – you manage to channel most of your funds to your son—in—law, for example, who will not build with this money what he is supposed to build, but he will keep most of the money for himself. This is documented by the European Agency for Anti-Corruption. It is discussed at length in this European Parliament. It is known in all European institutions. Courageous journalists will do reports on it. Then, when the Commission can no longer not take action on this because they have got pressure, when the Commission needs you to find a tweak to allow them to go on not dealing with the situation, that is when you wrap it up all with very good legalistic jargon and you pledge for a fake anti-corruption mechanism. This is when you have managed to legalise a decade of stealing.
Paolo Borchia (ID). – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, torniamo ad occupare i lavori della plenaria con l'ennesima discutibile strumentalizzazione dell'articolo 7, che ormai gli europei hanno imparato a conoscere come la pistola puntata alla testa dei governi meno allineati ai desideri di Bruxelles.
E fa sorridere, ma neanche tanto, che vi dichiarate preoccupati dai diritti delle minoranze quando siete i primi in quest'Aula a non rispettare il pensiero di chi ha un'idea di Europa diversa dalla vostra. Però è tutto drammaticamente coerente con la scellerata uscita della Presidente von der Leyen che, a pochi giorni dal voto in Italia, minacciava di avere strumenti a disposizione qualora le cose andassero "in una direzione difficile". Poi magari la Presidente ci spiegherà dov'è la "direzione difficile".
Io colleghi vi propongo una riflessione: ai fini della tenuta dell'Europa, è più pericolosa l'aspirazione di governi democraticamente eletti di sottrarsi al pensiero unico dei cosiddetti nuovi diritti o piuttosto l'autoincoronazione della Presidente della Commissione a guardiana dei trattati in materie che i trattati stessi non assegnano all'Unione?
Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, probabilmente la democrazia può fare dei passi in avanti in Ungheria così come in tanti altri paesi, ma di sicuro gli attuali vertici dell'Unione europea sono gli ultimi che possono impartire lezioni.
Jorge Buxadé Villalba (ECR). – Señora presidenta, señor comisario, «O votas lo que te decimos o sufrirás las consecuencias» va a ser el nuevo lema de la Comisión y del Parlamento. Desde las amenazas de reducir los fondos hasta el «cuidado con quién pactáis, cuidado con el gobierno que montáis».
Ahora ya estamos en el intento de ejecución de esas amenazas, ya que la Comisión pide suspender hasta el 65 % de algunos fondos en el marco de la política de cohesión a Hungría, solo porque dos tercios de los húngaros votaron a Fidesz y a Viktor Orbán. Eso sí, ni la propia Comisión sabe cuantificar la repercusión en el presupuesto de la Unión, que es el que dicen querer proteger.
Quien va a sufrir la sanción es el pueblo húngaro, en medio de una emergencia económica que ha provocado su fanatismo climático al ponernos a los pies de potencias extranjeras. Basta de utilizar las instituciones para contaminar procesos electorales en los Estados miembros e imponer su agenda ideológica.
Ahí fuera hay millones de europeos que ven el futuro con desesperanza y ustedes ofrecen amenazas y sanciones y lo único que van a necesitar es una manta para taparse del frío en invierno.
Ustedes van de mal en peor. Cada vez están más nerviosos y radicalizados. Pues ya les dije la última vez: si ustedes no saben, apártense. Estamos preparados y dispuestos. Somos la voz de la moderación y la voz del sentido común.
Younous Omarjee (The Left). – Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Ministre, Monsieur le Commissaire, je me souviens d’une époque pas si éloignée où, au Conseil, aucune opposition ne se manifestait lorsqu’il s’agissait de déployer la troïka pour obliger la Grèce, le Portugal, l’Espagne à épurer leurs budgets nationaux pour les soumettre à la doxa autoritaire des politiques «austéritaires» du semestre européen.
Mais lorsqu’il s’agit de corruption, d’indépendance de la justice, de nos valeurs, de l’application de la charte des droits fondamentaux – de l’état de droit, en fait –, alors là, on se tortille, et la marche est très fastidieuse.
Ce que nous demandons aujourd’hui à la Commission et au Conseil, c’est l’application pleine et entière du mécanisme «état de droit» – et non une application au rabais – contre la Hongrie. Et nous demandons aussi des garanties pour l’indépendance budgétaire du parquet européen.
(L’orateur accepte de répondre à une question «carton bleu»)
Bogdan Rzońca (ECR), pytanie zadane przez podniesienie niebieskiej kartki*.– Jak rozumiem, pochodzi Pan z Francji. To jest moje pytanie, ponieważ bardzo dużo Pan poświęcił czasu w swojej wypowiedzi, przed chwilą, kwestiom prawnym i zarzucał Pan różnym osobom różne rzeczy, w swojej wypowiedzi, w obecnej sytuacji.
Ja Pana zapytam tak: czy Pan, jako obywatel francuski, też zabierał głos i zgłaszał zarzuty do pana prezydenta Macrona, kiedy wbrew zakazom kupował broń w Rosji ? Czy Pan też zgłaszał swoje uwagi?
Younous Omarjee (The Left),réponse «carton bleu» – Monsieur Rzońca, je pensais devoir répondre à une question sérieuse, mais je crois que vous m’obligez à m’abaisser à un niveau auquel je ne souhaite pas m’abaisser. Et je veux aussi vous dire que nous sommes, ici, des députés européens, que nous essayons d’embrasser l’intérêt général européen, et que dans le propos qui était le mien je n’ai attaqué personne. J’ai fait des remarques d’ordre général sur le mécanisme «état de droit» ainsi que sur les sanctions qui, je crois, doivent à présent être imposées à la Hongrie.
Antoni Comín i Oliveres (NI). – Señora presidenta, el agravio comparativo entre el trato que la Comisión Europea da a países como Hungría y Polonia y el que otorga a España, no deja de aumentar. Lo que está pasando en los últimos meses lo confirma. A mediados de septiembre la Comisión propuso al Consejo que retuviera fondos destinados a Hungría por valor de 7 500 millones de euros por las violaciones del Estado de Derecho. Un paso muy necesario.
Pero mientras tanto, en España el Gobierno se niega a colaborar en la investigación del caso Pegasus, el Tribunal Supremo ignora la sentencia del Tribunal de Luxemburgo del pasado mes de julio, según la cual el presidente Puigdemont y yo mismo conservamos nuestra inmunidad de desplazamiento; el Tribunal Supremo la ignora y mantiene nuestra orden de detención, etc.
España incumple el Derecho comunitario y más del 60 % de las sentencias del Tribunal de Estrasburgo. Pero la Comisión no dice nada. No hace nada. ¿Qué pasa? ¿Solo se atreven a sancionar a los Estados miembros si son pequeños y del este? ¿Y si son grandes y del oeste, como España, entonces estos tienen barra libre? ¿Es esto?
Señores de la Comisión, el Tratado les obliga a actuar con imparcialidad y neutralidad. Y ustedes están faltando clamorosamente a este deber. La institución que se supone que es la guardiana de los Tratados es la primera en vulnerarlos. Y así es como se dinamita el proyecto europeo.
José Manuel Fernandes (PPE). – Senhora Presidente, Senhor Comissário, Senhor Ministro, caras e caros colegas, já o disse aqui mais do que uma vez, o respeito pelo Estado de Direito, pelos valores europeus não é uma opção, é uma obrigação. E não me sinto bem em estar sequer aqui a falar de um regulamento que nem deveríamos ter e que nem deveria ser necessário. Mas é importante que se diga que este regulamento não tem um caráter punitivo, não tem um caráter sancionatório. O grande objetivo é a prevenção e, em boa hora, o aprovámos, e a Comissão Europeia faz uma proposta e, agora, não nos podemos esquecer, está nas mãos do Conselho.
Senhor Ministro, quando é que o Conselho pensa decidir? O Conselho tem algum calendário? O Conselho tem algum trabalho preparatório nesta matéria? Está convencido de que vai ter uma maioria qualificada? Porque o Conselho também tem de respeitar o Estado de Direito, e só se fala da Comissão e se pressiona e bem. Mas queremos saber, depois, como é que cada chefe de Estado, cada governante no Conselho vai tomar posição em relação a esta importante matéria. E eu espero que a Hungria cumpra, a bem dos seus cidadãos e da União Europeia. Quem entrou na União sabia as condições, deve continuar a respeitá-la.
E termino só, também, com uma pergunta: porque é que o Conselho, que ajudava tanto o Estado de Direito, não aceita uma coisa tão simples como uma plataforma digital, onde todos os projetos aprovados por fundos europeus estejam disponíveis para todo o público? Porque é que recusaram?
Katarina Barley (S&D). – Frau Präsidentin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Es ist das erste Mal, dass der Rechtsstaatsmechanismus angewandt wird. Ich wende mich heute vor allen Dingen an die Kommission und den Rat. Denn ich finde, bisher haben Sie es ziemlich vermasselt: Zwei Jahre gewartet, um den Mechanismus überhaupt anzuwenden, um am Tag nach der Wahl das Verfahren dann endlich zu starten.
Ehrlich gesagt, sind die Argumente, die wir jetzt hören, auf dem Silbertablett serviert, das ist eine halbherzige Anwendung nur für einen ganz, ganz kleinen Teil der Probleme, die wir in Ungarn sehen, und dann sich zufriedenzugeben – offenbar, das vermuten wir alle –, ohne dass man wirklich auf Wirksamkeit kontrollieren kann.
Mein Mann ist ein Coach, ein professioneller Sport-Coach, und ich lerne viel darüber, wie man ein Ziel erreicht und wie man eine Gruppe zusammenhält. Und eins weiß ich: Es ist alles aboutleadership. Wenn man bei den „Leadern“ nicht merkt, dass sie die Werte aufrechterhalten, dann folgt das Team nicht mehr, und dann fällt es auseinander. Ich sehe diese Gefahr hier und jetzt. Wenn Sie das vermasseln, dann verlieren Sie viele, viele engagierte Europäerinnen und Europäer auch hier im Haus.
(Die Rednerin ist damit einverstanden, eine Wortmeldung nach dem Verfahren „blaue Karte“ gemäß Artikel 172 Absatz 8 der Geschäftsordnung zu beantworten.)
Enikő Győri (NI). „kékkártyás kérdés” – Tisztelt Elnök Asszony! Tisztelt Alelnök Asszony! Ön egy elhíresült mondásával ugye azt üzente Magyarországnak és Lengyelországnak, hogy ki kell ezeket a népeket éheztetni. Azért ez nem csengett olyan jól egyik országban sem. Azt szeretném megkérdezni, hogy tudja-e Ön, hogy hány országban létezik egyáltalán integritás hatóság a korrupcióellenes küzdelemben? Majd utána megmondom a számot Önnek.
Illetve azt szeretném még megkérdezni, hogy tudja-e, hogy az OLAF-vizsgálatok hány százalékából lesz Magyarországon vádeljárás, és mi az európai uniós átlag? Ezt is nagyon szívesen megosztom, mert Magyarországon sokkal magasabb számban indulnak eljárások, mint az Unió átlaga.
Katarina Barley (S&D) , Antwort auf eine Frage nach dem Verfahren der „blauen Karte“. – Wieder einmal habe ich die Gelegenheit, das richtigzustellen. Ich habe gesagt, ich will das korrupte System Orbán aushungern. Und genau das ist richtig.
Wenn Sie mir erklären können, wie der beste Schulfreund von Viktor Orbán, Herr Mészáros, an 1,3 Milliarden EUR Privatvermögen kommt, dann glaube ich Ihnen, dass Sie etwas gegen Korruption tun wollen. Sie sind ja noch nicht mal willens, der Antikorruptionsbehörde beizutreten, nämlich der EUStA, der europäischen Staatsanwaltschaft.
Wenn Sie keine Angst haben vor unabhängigen Ermittlungen, dann treten Sie dem doch bei. Das wäre unabhängig! Nicht irgendwelche Marionetten, die Sie nachher in schön aussehende Behörden setzen, in schöne Gebäude. Wenn das alles wieder Orbáns Marionetten sind – wir kennen das doch! In allen Behörden sitzen Orbáns Marionetten, der ganze Staatsapparat ist von denen durchzogen.
Treten Sie der EUStA bei, dann glauben wir Ihnen!
Katalin Cseh (Renew). – Madam President, the European Commission had a historic chance to slow down Hungary’s slide to autocracy. And the tools are there; this Parliament made sure of that. You also said it in your speech, Commissioner. We worked very hard for this.
But frankly, we should be seeing real results by now. Let me remind you, the rule of law mechanism has been EU law since January last year, almost two years – 641 days, to be precise. We should be seeing real credible steps just like my colleague Katarina Barley said. For Hungary to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, there is public support for that on the ground, we collected 700 000 signatures with the support of Akos Hadhazy, a member of Parliament who was denied of taking his oath for many, many months by the government, by the way.
So what we see now are only promises of minor reform by the Orbán government – a government that has shown over and over again that they are not acting in good faith, that they create institutions just to hollow them out when it is comfortable for them and they go back on their promises in a matter of a few days. And don’t get me wrong, we are, of course, ready to support even small improvements. But to think that they will be sufficient is – I’m sorry – an illusion.
So what should be done? Help the people, not the government. Direct EU funds to local governments, to civil society, to schools and hospitals. This Parliament has made multiple calls for it. Commissioner, it is time to make that happen.
Damian Boeselager (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, Commissioner, for three years I’ve been in this house now and every year the situation in Hungary got worse. For three years we have debates here, we have condemnations, we have strong resolutions. And what did Orbán do in this time? He circulated racist rhetorics about mixed races, he had unfair elections and – yes – he continued to steal money every day, European taxpayers’ money.
So now finally you have him. You have him because we gave you the power and the tools to actually hold him accountable. So I ask you now, once again: don’t push the conflict down the road to the RRF milestones and targets; make the money only available if there are actual reforms.
And as a final remark, I have to say, I think this shows us again that we need to elect the European Commission directly, that we actually reform the European Union so that we can hold our government accountable and actually push for change. Thank you very much.
Joachim Stanisław Brudziński (ECR). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Słyszeliśmy już w tej izbie o konieczności zagłodzenia Polski, Węgier. Dziś mogliśmy usłyszeć inne skandaliczne słowa, a mianowicie, że w końcu Komisji wyrosły zęby. Jak rozumiem zęby, żeby zagryźć taki kraj jak Węgry.
Szanowni Państwo, to wasze lewicowe postrzeganie rzeczywistości zaczyna już przybierać kabaretowy charakter i dajcie sobie powiedzieć, że im głośniej z tego miejsca krytykujecie rządy w Budapeszcie czy Warszawie, tym bardziej obywatele tych państw odwracają się właśnie od takiej Unii, którą reprezentujecie.
Szanowni Państwo, co prawda ta dzisiejsza debata dotyczy Węgier, ale była mowa tutaj też o Polsce. Proszę Państwa, Polska jest drugim krajem pod względem transparentności i skuteczności wydatkowania tych środków. I być może tu jest odpowiedź, dlaczego tak atakujecie mój kraj. Boicie się tego, że Polska się rozwija. Ale powiem Wam też: spieszcie się, bo te kabaretowe dyskusje przy okazji każdej sesji, raz Polska, raz Węgry, się kończą. Będziecie musieli dorzucić za chwilę Szwecję, być może Włochy. I straszycie dzisiaj Komisarza. Wcześniej straszyliście Przewodniczącą Komisji odwołaniem, jak nie będzie skutecznie zwalczała rządów prawicowych. Niestety dla was Europa się zmienia. Ten walec zmian postępuje i wy odejdzie do lamusa historii.
Milan Uhrík (NI). – Kolegovia, chcete odobrať Maďarsku eurofondy za to, že nedodržiava nejaký právny štát a európske hodnoty? A ja sa vás tu chcem spýtať, kto rozhodol, čo sú to tie európske hodnoty? Vy ste to rozhodli alebo tuto, pán Šimečka to rozhodol, alebo nebodaj Európska komisia rozhodla, čo sú to európske hodnoty? Rozprávate tu o tom, ale pritom sami dobre viete, že je to čisté pokrytectvo. Ide o obyčajnú zámienku tak, ako povedali kolegovia z Maďarska, o ideologický trest za to, že maďarská vláda sa nechce podvoliť liberálnej agende. Presne o toto tu ide. Rozprávate tu o demokracii, ale nikto z vás, nikto z vás nemá ani zďaleka taký mandát, ako má súčasná maďarská vláda, ktorú zvolilo 53 % voličov. Získal tu niekto viac percent? Nezískal. A to je to, čo vám vadí, že maďarská vláda je demokraticky zvolená a presadzuje vlastné hodnoty. Keď rozprávate o demokracii, bol by som veľmi rád, keby ste ju konečne začali aj rešpektovať. A kolegom z Maďarska v mene konzervatívne zmýšľajúcich Slovákov prajem veľa podpory a veľa silných nervov.
(Rečník súhlasil, že bude reagovať na vystúpenie po zdvihnutí modrej karty)
Sophia in ’t Veld (Renew), blue-card speech. – You just asked, dear colleague, whoever decided on these European values. Well, my question to you is: do you know which country was the first country to ratify the Lisbon Treaty? It was Hungary. And I think all the values were laid down in the Treaties. So don’t you think that Hungary was one of those who decided on the values?
Milan Uhrík (NI), reakcia na vystúpenie po zdvihnutí modrej karty. – Milá kolegyňa, práve preto, že Maďarsko bolo jednou z prvých krajín, ktorá sa prihlásila k tým európskym hodnotám, snáď má právo rozhodnúť o tom, aké hodnoty sú pre ich vlastných obyvateľov najlepšie. A snáď nechcete vy tvrdiť, že to viete z Bruselu lepšie ako samotní Maďari, ktorí žijú v Maďarsku, alebo Poliaci, ktorí žijú v Poľsku. To nemyslíte vážne.
Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE). – Paní předsedající, vážený pane komisaři, vážený pane ministře, tahle diskuze mi trošku připadá jako vystoupení šašků v kabaretu. Jeden šašek si oblékne prostě svůj dres a ptá se nás všech ostatních: Co jsou evropské hodnoty? To opravdu vám přijde normální, že nevíte, co jsou evropské hodnoty? Nevíte, co tady sdílíme? Opravdu vám přijde smysluplné přijít sem před ostatní poslance EP a ptát se na takové základní věci? Tvrdit, že někdo něco diktuje z Bruselu? Pane kolego, my jsme ve Štrasburku, tady není Brusel. Nikdo z nás není z Bruselu. Já jsem z České republiky a určitě bych neradil Maďarům, jak se mají rozhodnout ve spoustě věcí, které nejsou v jejich kompetenci. Ale copak není boj proti korupci základní hodnotou EU? Pokud není, tak tady nemáte co dělat, tak můžete tenhle sál opustit, protože to je základní pravidlo.
Maďarsko udělalo obrovský posun po tom obrovském tlaku, který jsme tady vyvinuli. Ale je potřeba, aby to slyšelo od nás, aby pokračovalo. A já nejsem rád z té debaty, že opravdu tlačíme na jeden členský stát, aby změnil legislativu, ale my prostě musíme ukázat, když chceme poučovat další země, že si sami umíme udělat pořádek uvnitř Evropského společenství.
Eero Heinäluoma (S&D). – Arvoisa puhemies, EU:n täytyy puolustaa omia arvojaan. Unioni ei ole vain rahaa ja taloutta. Se on myös arvoyhteisö, jossa demokratiaa, ihmisoikeuksia, vapaata lehdistöä ja oikeusvaltiota suojellaan. Parlamentti on ollut tässä johdonmukainen. Se on pitänyt huolta siitä, että meillä on uusi lainsäädäntö, joka antaa mahdollisuuden puuttua väärinkäytöksiin.
Komissio on vihdoinkin tarttunut toimeen. Se on pysäyttänyt EU-varojen toimittamisen Unkariin ja tehnyt selväksi, mitä uudistuksia tarvitaan. Jäsenvaltioita edustavan neuvoston on nyt syytä hyväksyä komission päätös. Se on ehdoton minimi. Unkarin hallitukselta odotetaan todellisia uudistuksia, jotta Unkarin kansalaisten oikeudet tulevat turvattua ja budjettivarojen asiallinen käyttö toteutuu. Tiukkaa linjaa tarvitaan myös tulevien sukupolvien oikeuksien varmistamiseksi.
Michal Šimečka (Renew). – Madam President, Mr Commissioner, dear colleagues, this House made it quite clear last month Hungary is no longer a full—fledged democracy. The Council and the Commission should now acknowledge this quite obvious reality, especially when discussing the protection of billions of EU taxpayers’ money.
I have no doubt that the Commission triggered the conditionality mechanism involving up to a third of funds allocated to Hungary. When it did so, it found evidence of a systemic problem, which is exactly why it is hard to believe that suddenly, in a matter of months, the Orbán government would come up with a credible pledge to investigate all the stolen funds, that it would suddenly undo years of building up and sustaining a kleptocratic regime. Because corruption and misuse of EU funds is, unfortunately, an integral part of governing now in Hungary; it is a feature, not a bug.
Therefore, if the Commission is serious about protecting our taxpayers’ money, the requirements must be considerably more robust. Namely, Hungary must and should join the European Public Prosecutor. And, crucially, the conditionality procedure should continue until we see tangible change, tangible results in Hungary itself. In other words, until the country returns to the path of rule of law and democracy.
Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, Council, Commissioner, the Conditionality Regulation is now put to the test. Is it fit for purpose, are the institutions willing to use it? I urge the Commission to pass this test in assuring that Hungary reverses its deep and systemic rule-of-law flaws and that it ends the corruption and the captured judiciary.
As the Commission rightly stated itself, you can’t protect the EU budget without an independent judiciary. The 17 measures cannot solve this rule-of-law crisis, because how can a new integrity body be effective in a dysfunctional system? And how can the improved rules and prosecution be adjudicated fairly by captured courts?
Commissioner, we urge you: be strict and steadfast, progress on paper and on limited issues are not enough. We need a systematic change and the Commission to enforce it. Giving in too quickly will render our most precious tool toothless. The rule of law and, therefore, our European values are non-negotiable.
(The speaker agreed to respond to a blue-card speech)
Lívia Járóka (NI), blue-card speech. – Thank you very much for your speech. I would like to ask you if you know how many other countries have not joined EPPO.
Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), blue-card reply. – I didn’t speak about EPPO. I agree with the previous speaker, so it’s good that he brought this up. There are indeed a few other Member States, and especially while there are so many corruption cases in Hungary, and if Hungary really wants to show it’s working on an independent system and fighting corruption, it would be better to seek cooperation with the EPPO because that would give much more trust than we can have at the moment.
Isabel Wiseler-Lima (PPE). – Madame la Présidente, Ursula von der Leyen, dans son discours sur l'état de l'Union, a affirmé que la Commission protégerait le budget de l'Union en utilisant le mécanisme de la conditionnalité. C'est ce que la Commission fait avec les propositions présentes concernant la Hongrie et sur lesquelles maintenant le Conseil doit se prononcer.
Si les mesures proposées sont destinées à protéger le budget de l'Union, les manquements à l'origine de ces mesures montrent bien que l'État de droit est en danger en Hongrie. L'indépendance de la justice y constitue un problème majeur. En effet, ni les principes de sécurité juridique ni l'interdiction de l'arbitraire du pouvoir exécutif ne sont garantis, ce qui est toutefois essentiel vu les constats d'irrégularités diverses, de déficiences systématiques et de faiblesses dans les marchés publics. Les intérêts financiers de l'Union sont manifestement en danger.
Or, il est inconcevable, d'autant plus dans les conditions de crise actuelles où nombre de citoyens de l'Union ont du mal avec les fins de mois, que des fonds européens soient attribués dans des conditions de non-transparence et dans un cadre de risque accru de corruption et de conflits d'intérêts. Que le Conseil réagisse vite!
Margarida Marques (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, Presidente, Ministro, Comissário, não devia ser necessário lembrar: as democracias europeias assentam em valores fundamentais, entre eles o respeito pelo Estado de direito. Mas, sim, temos de o fazer! Há países que se colocam fora da regra. Tentam mesmo convencer-nos de que têm um conceito diferente.
Mas todos sabemos, Estado de direito é: separação de poderes, independência do sistema judicial, luta contra a corrupção e respeito pelos direitos fundamentais, pelas minorias, pela liberdade de expressão e de imprensa.
Temos uma base muito forte que não nos deixa dúvidas: os Tratados da União Europeia. Este regulamento tem de ser cumprido na íntegra. A Comissão tem de ser exigente e tudo fazer para que as Instituições europeias, o Parlamento Europeu e os cidadãos possam confiar.
Por exemplo, não basta afirmar que a Hungria vai criar uma autoridade independente. Tem de assegurar que essa autoridade é, de facto, independente na constituição e no funcionamento e independente do sistema judicial. Este é o ponto-chave.
Valérie Hayer (Renew). – Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Ministre, Monsieur le Commissaire, chers collègues, le meilleur ami d'enfance qui devient le plombier le plus riche d'Europe, le gendre qui reçoit un juteux marché public pour Noël. Les cas de corruption sont devenus légion dans la Hongrie de Viktor Orban. Une corruption systématique, selon les propres mots de la Commission européenne, une corruption contre laquelle la justice ne veut rien faire, je dis bien, ne veut rien faire et non pas ne peut rien faire, car les juges et les contrôleurs ont été placés dans des organes de contrôle stratégiques par Viktor Orban et son parti justement pour ne rien contrôler et justement pour fermer les yeux.
Alors j'en appelle à la fin de l'impunité. Soit Orban restaure l'état de droit dans ce qui est devenu une autocratie électorale, soit nous coupons les fonds européens. Et je vous alerte ici, monsieur le Commissaire. Que les députés du Fidesz adoptent des réformes sur le papier est une chose. Qu'elles mettent effectivement fin aux atteintes à l'état de droit en est une autre.
C'est donc à l'aune des résultats que nous devrons décider du dégel des fonds ou non. Et il en va de même bien évidemment pour le plan de relance. L'argent de l'Europe et par extension, l'argent des Européens, ne peut pas soutenir des projets antidémocratiques, filer dans les poches d'apprentis oligarques. Si nous ne suspendons pas les fonds, nous nous montrons complices de la construction d'un État corrompu au sein de notre union. Et ça, bien évidemment, c'est hors de question.
Othmar Karas (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin, Herr Kommissar, meine Damen und Herren! Die Sache ist doch eindeutig: Es ist richtig, wichtig und längst überfällig, dass der Rechtsstaatsmechanismus gegen Ungarn in Gang gesetzt wurde und empfindliche finanzielle Sanktionen vorgeschlagen wurden. Und der Konditionalitätsverordnungsentwurf ist der Beweis dafür. Er muss nur umgesetzt werden.
Denn die Feuertaufe ist noch nicht bestanden. Es ist ja auch eine Frage unserer Glaubwürdigkeit und unserer Handlungsfähigkeit, dass wir nach innen wie nach außen Sanktionen verhängen und unser Recht und unsere Werte verteidigen, wenn sie verletzt werden. Wir mischen uns dabei auch nicht ein, sondern wir schützen die Steuerzahler, alle Bürger, die Rechts- und die Wertegemeinschaft.
Der Mängelkatalog ist lang. Die Gefahr der missbräuchlichen Verwendung von EU-Mitteln besteht. Daher ist zu handeln, und es ist das Geld bis auf Weiteres zurückzubehalten.
Aurore Lalucq (S&D). – Madame la Présidente, le 8 octobre 2021, un accord mondial historique est signé sur la taxation minimale des multinationales par plus de 130 pays, dont les gouvernements polonais et hongrois. Il rapporterait plus de 50 milliards d’euros par an, dont nous aurions bien besoin en ce moment. La Commission, dans la foulée, propose une directive. Il y a des négociations, certains pays – Malte, l’Irlande – bloquent, on lève les blocages, on négocie de manière rationnelle.
Un seul pays fait exception: la Pologne. La Pologne, qui ne vote pas pour des raisons fiscales, mais parce qu’elle est en bisbille avec la Commission européenne pour des raisons liées à la question de l’état de droit. Et là, la Commission européenne fait une erreur: elle cède à ce chantage. La Pologne lève son blocage, évidemment, sur cette directive. En revanche, cela donne d’autres idées. Cela donne des idées à un gouvernement, le gouvernement hongrois, qui désormais bloque cet accord, qu’il a pourtant signé au niveau mondial.
Voilà ce qui arrive quand on faillit et quand on faiblit sur l’état de droit. On ne gagne pas du temps: on crée des myriades de problèmes. Le Parlement a voté une résolution cet été pour demander expressément à la Commission européenne de ne pas céder à ce chantage, qui, rappelons-le, est possible à cause de l’unanimité. Rappelons que la meilleure garantie pour notre démocratie et pour défendre l’état de droit, c’est la majorité qualifiée.
Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Madam President, the rule of law is a key European value. Dear Commissioner, the rule of law cannot be negotiated too much. It is a historically proven value.
What we see in Hungary is disrespect to the judgments of the international court, control of the media, of the press, violations of the independence of the judiciary, human rights, minority rights, et cetera. It is irrelevant how many times Mr Orbán was elected – the election cannot justify stealing European money and the violation of European values. The EU budget is supposed to protect the values of the rule of law. European funds cannot help to deny European values. How long do we have to wait before these values are finally protected? Now we finally have a tool with which we can achieve the protection of our values. Money is a tool that an autocrat understands.
Isabel Santos (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, Senhor Ministro, Senhor Comissário, estamos aqui a falar de um longo caminho de denúncias de corrupção, de ataques ao Estado de direito, de ataques à liberdade de imprensa e à liberdade de expressão. E estamos aqui a falar de um longo caminho na construção de um mecanismo capaz de proteger o orçamento europeu deste tipo de ataques.
Chegamos a um momento em que não podemos admitir meias tintas, nem podemos ficar a meio do caminho. É a nossa credibilidade, é a credibilidade de todos nós, da União Europeia, da Comissão Europeia e do Conselho Europeu que está em jogo. Os nossos eleitores, os cidadãos europeus, os nossos contribuintes não nos perdoarão se tomarmos medidas que ficam a meio caminho e que são meras promessas e meras operações de maquilhagem para não cortar os fundos europeus e não proceder à aplicação deste mecanismo.
Meus senhores, o tempo está a esgotar-se. É agora ou nunca!
Pedro Silva Pereira (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, pela primeira vez, desde sempre, a Comissão Europeia propõe ativar o Regulamento relativo à condicionalidade do Estado de direito e suspender o acesso da Hungria a importantes fundos comunitários. A primeira coisa a dizer é que esta é uma iniciativa significativa e muito importante que cria um precedente para o futuro. Só peca, aliás, por tardia.
É preciso que o Sr. Orbán perceba que os valores do Estado de direito, inscritos no Tratado de Lisboa, são para levar a sério e que não basta anunciar medidas. É preciso implementar, efetivamente, as medidas políticas e legislativas necessárias e suficientes.
Este Parlamento, que tanto se bateu pelo Regulamento relativo à condicionalidade do Estado de direito, só pode agora exigir que o Conselho aprove a proposta da Comissão e esteja à altura das suas responsabilidades.
Spontane Wortmeldungen
Łukasz Kohut (S&D). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Ani jednego euro dla Viktora Orbana. To zdanie to płachta na pisowskich byków, którzy bronią tutaj zażarcie interesów przyjaciela Putina z Budapesztu. PiS broni człowieka, który jawnie działa w interesie Kremla. PiS broni człowieka, którego wrogiem jest wolna Ukraina. Co wam obiecał Orban, że stoicie po jego stronie? Może planujecie uciekać przed sądami i Trybunałem Stanu do Budapesztu? Przyznajcie się. Macie odwagę powiedzieć ludziom w Polsce, że bronicie Węgier, które torpedują sankcje na Rosję? Macie przyzwoitość, żeby powiedzieć wprost – człowiek, którego bronimy, sprał zwolennikom mózgi tak, że połowa z nich uważa, że za wojnę odpowiada NATO i USA? Macie tę odwagę, czy jej nie macie?
Ja na przykład Schrödera nie bronię. Wstyd, że nadal jest w SPD, jego zachowanie potępiam, podobnie jak cała nasza polska delegacja. Ale panie Brudziński, Jadwigo Wiśniewska, czy macie w sobie krztę przyzwoitości, żeby odciąć się w końcu od Orbana, przyjaciela Putina?
Irena Joveva (Renew). – Gospa predsednica, hvala lepa. Komisija je v okviru mehanizma vladavine prava predlagala zamrznitev sredstev Madžarski. Končno, ampak nismo še na cilju.
Prvi problem je, da to zadeva le del sredstev. Drugi problem je, da se iz aktualnega proračuna ta trenutek denar na Madžarsko steka nemoteno, korupciji in rušenju vladavine prava navkljub. Tretji problem je, da se s tem očitno ustvarja nek politični dogovor. Kompromisi z iliberalnimi vladami pa niso možni, veste, to bi se EU enkrat res že morala naučiti. V redu, sprejmem, da je mehanizem mogoče sprožiti ponovno ali ga razširiti. Kazen sprejmem tudi in upam, da to drži, da se za neodvisnost pravosodja ali tožilstva uporabi druge vzvode pritiska prek sklada za okrevanje in odpornost. Tu ne sme biti popuščanja, ker dvomim, da bo madžarska vlada kakorkoli spremenila svoja dejanja, kvečjemu na slabše.
Glede predlaganih ukrepov za sprostitev financiranja pa kaže, da se madžarska vlada pretvarja, da sprejema reforme, EU pa se pretvarja, da so te reforme zadostne. Upam, da se države članice tega zavedajo in bodo blokirale vsaj ta del.
Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, so we finally have some proposals now for action on the rule of law conditionality mechanism, though whether it’ll actually come to anything or not is very much an open question. Because, to be honest, there is plenty of wriggle room for Hungary to escape sanctions. So I really will believe this when I see it.
But of course, the escape valves in the proposal aren’t the only notable thing about this; Poland is also glaringly absent. The fact that Poland isn’t even in the crosshairs on this one tells you something, because all along the idea of this regulation was to try and deal with the rule-of-law problems in Hungary and Poland.
But the Polish Government’s abuse of the rule of law, of minorities, of women, of judges, of EU funds and all the rest of it has been conveniently left out for the moment. It’s got its Resilience and Recovery Fund money released in the summer, despite loud protests from civil society and judges in Poland. And Hungary, of course, is not getting its.
The only possible reason for these wretched double standards is a geopolitical one, because Hungary has taken a different attitude to Russia. And I think that is shameful for all of those in Poland who are suffering from violations of rule of law, not to mention those in Spain, Bulgaria and France as well.
Isabel García Muñoz (S&D). – Señora presidenta, la defensa de los valores fundacionales de la Unión Europea y el estricto respeto del Estado de Derecho deben estar por encima de todo.
Nos alegra que la Comisión haya activado, después de tanto tiempo y gracias al empeño del Parlamento, el mecanismo de condicionalidad contra el Gobierno de Orbán. 7 500 millones de euros es lo único que ha conseguido que el Gobierno húngaro se tome en serio las advertencias.
Las continuas violaciones del Estado de Derecho en materia de lucha contra la corrupción y el fraude en la contratación pública, las deficiencias en el tratamiento de los conflictos de intereses y los ataques a la independencia del sistema judicial suponen un riesgo para el presupuesto europeo, por lo que es imprescindible tomar medidas para protegerlo.
Hungría es uno de los mayores beneficiarios de los fondos regionales europeos, por lo que si quiere estar en nuestro club tendrá que cumplir las normas establecidas. No solo se está para recibir ayudas, también hay condiciones que cumplir. Por ahora solo tenemos un compromiso de reformas, así que habrá que seguir presionando hasta que sean una realidad.
En el Consejo, por su parte, solo tienen que decidir si defienden la democracia y el Estado de Derecho o si prefieren mirar hacia otro lado.
Mick Wallace (The Left). – Madam President, I’m not a fan of Orbán, but then I’m not a fan of any other leader either. In fact, I’ve never seen a government that I like.
I think the idea of respecting freedom of expression and respecting human rights is very important.
If there’s things not being done, if behaviour is poor anywhere, we should criticise it, but I think it’s very important that we do so evenly and consistently – and I don’t see that.
Right now today, freedom of expression is under threat in Europe – anyone that criticises the general narrative to the war – and there are people that have been arrested for expressing their opinion when that doesn’t suit the agenda.
Human rights. We talked about the Roma this morning. The Roma have never been given human rights across Europe. We have a housing crisis in many countries of Europe. So many people are being denied the human right to a house. We don’t treat the poor people of Europe well. We don’t respect their human rights. When are we going to become consistent in how we approach these problems?
(Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen)
Die Präsidentin. – Herr Kommissar Hahn, Sie haben mitgekriegt: Es geht ums Eingemachte. Das Europäische Parlament achtet sehr darauf, was die Kommission tut. Ich ersuche Sie nun zum Schluss, uns seitens der Kommission Ihre Botschaft mitzugeben.
Johannes Hahn,Mitglied der Kommission. – Frau Präsidentin! Ich kann bestätigen, auch aus meiner Wahrnehmung, dass dies eine sehr lebhafte, durchaus polarisierende, aber diesbezüglich nicht überraschende Debatte war, was auch dadurch sichtbar wird, dass vergleichsweise viele von Ihnen von Anbeginn an bei dieser Debatte anwesend waren. Das zeigt eben die Bedeutung, die Sie diesem Thema geben. Wir haben uns ja vielfach schon hier ausgetauscht, und deswegen, glaube ich, ist es nicht notwendig, dass ich mich hier repetitiv wieder zu Wort melde.
Sondern ich möchte schon einen Fokus darauf legen: Wir haben nun einen Maßnahmenkatalog, den Ungarn öffentlich angekündigt hat, abzuarbeiten und zu erfüllen. Und natürlich, das ist Ihr gutes Recht, und ich habe auch bis zu einem gewissen Grad rein emotional ein gewisses Verständnis, aber unsere Aufgabe als Kommission ist es, Probleme zu fixieren und idealerweise auch zu lösen. Jetzt schon zu sagen, was immer hier in zwei Monaten oder eineinhalb Monaten geliefert wird, ist nicht ausreichend, würde ich sagen, ist zu früh. Es gibt einen klaren Arbeitskatalog, der ist abzuarbeiten vonseiten Ungarns. Irgendjemand hat von 17 Kompromissen gesprochen. Ich möchte festhalten: Es gibt keine Kompromisse. Wir haben eine klare Vorstellung, was notwendig ist. Wir stellen fest: Ist es falsch, was geliefert wird, oder ist es richtig? Und das jedenfalls ist unser guiding principle dabei, wie wir dann eine Beurteilung vornehmen, auf deren Basis der Rat eine Entscheidung zu treffen hat. Aber ich glaube, wir sollten hier nicht schon a priori aufgeben und sagen, das alles funktioniert nicht. Denn am Ende des Tages muss es unser großes Interesse sein, die Situation in Ungarn in überwiegender Übereinstimmung dieses Hauses hier zu verbessern, zu fixieren.
Deswegen ist es aus meiner Warte zum Beispiel sehr wichtig – und ich bitte Sie, das auch zu unterstützen –, dass sich für diese diese Integrity Authority, wenn sie tatsächlich so geschaffen wird, wie wir uns das vorstellen, mit dieser Unabhängigkeit, mit diesen Möglichkeiten, tatsächlich Menschen finden, die bereit sind, in dieser Behörde ihre Tätigkeit auszuüben, um in der Tat dann auch diese Maßnahmen und diese Resultate zu erzielen, die wir uns erwarten. Also, das wird auch eine gewisse Herausforderung sein, dass wir ausreichend Menschen – ich möchte gar nicht sagen: mutige Menschen – finden, die bereit sind, diese Tätigkeit auszuüben. Aber am Ende des Tages werden wir nicht umhinkommen, festzustellen oder zu akzeptieren, wir schaffen hier – oder Ungarn schafft – Behörden, die aber entsprechend auch zusammengesetzt sein müssen, die auch entsprechende Rechte haben, unabhängig sind etc.
Dann gehe ich davon aus – und ich gehöre bekanntlich zu denen, die das halbvolle und nicht das halbleere Glas sehen –, dass sich die Dinge zu einem Besseren ändern. Wenn das nicht der Fall ist, dann haben wir alle Möglichkeiten an der Hand, dieses Thema wieder aufzugreifen und entsprechende Maßnahmen vorzuschlagen.
Also, zunächst einmal gilt es zu sehen, in welchem Ausmaß hier diesen Vorgaben und diesen Zusagen nachgekommen wird. Dann gibt es eine Beurteilung und auf Basis dessen dann auch einen Vorschlag an den Rat, der schlussendlich die finale Entscheidung zu treffen hat. Aber nochmals sei klargestellt: Das europäische Budget und der Schutz des europäischen Budgets sind nicht verhandelbar.
Letzter Punkt: Üblicherweise reagiere ich ja nicht auf jemanden, der nicht mehr im Saal ist, aber der Herr Fest hat gemeint, Präsidentin von der Leyen sei demokratisch nicht legitimiert. Also wenn ich mich recht entsinne, wurde sie hier in diesem Parlament gewählt, und ich gehe davon aus, dass die überwiegende Mehrheit dieses Parlaments der Auffassung ist, demokratisch legitimiert zu sein. Daher ist auch die Wahl der Präsidentin der Europäischen Kommission eine, die in höchstem Maße demokratisch legitimiert und den Spielregeln der repräsentativen Demokratie gefolgt ist. Das nur Herrn Fest ins Stammbuch geschrieben.
Die Präsidentin. – Alle Institutionen sind gefragt, Parlament, Kommission. Minister Bek, Sie haben das Schlusswort.
Mikuláš Bek,President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, thank you very much for this very rich debate and for all your remarks, which just show how important this topic is for the European Parliament.
Likewise, the protection of the EU budget and the financial interest of the Union, as well as the good management of the EU funds are paramount for the Council. European citizens need to see that the EU money is well spent in every single Member State, without exceptions.
I heard your clear calls for getting the process right, and you can rest assured that the Council will fulfil its role foreseen in the Conditionality Regulation with maximum responsibility. We rely on the Commission’s objective assessment to protect the interests of the Union. As I stated in my initial intervention, EU ambassadors will have the opportunity tomorrow to thoroughly discuss the Commission’s proposal and all relevant elements will be taken into consideration.
To respond to several of you who raised the issue of timing: yes, the Council has a clear time frame. As the proposal was received by the Council on 18 September, the latest day for the Council to take a decision is 19 October.
However, as you know, the Conditionality Regulation foresees that, if exceptional circumstances arise, the period for the Council to adopt its decision can be extended by a maximum of two additional months. In such a case, the deadline for the Council could be extended up to 19 December of this year. Rest assured that the Council will respect the deadlines foreseen in the regulation.
VORSITZ: OTHMAR KARAS Vizepräsident
Der Präsident. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.
13. Smrt Mahsy Amíníové a represe vůči účastníkům demonstrací za práva žen v Íránu (rozprava)
Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Erklärung des Vizepräsidenten der Kommission und Hohen Vertreters der Union für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik zum Tod von Mahsa Amini und zur Unterdrückung der Demonstranten für Frauenrechte im Iran.
Josep Borrell Fontelles,Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, honourable Members, excuse me, I was running from one phone call to a meeting, but here I am, sorry for being late.
Mr President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, it is important to have this opportunity to discuss today what is happening across Iran after the death of a young woman. Mahsa Amini was arrested by the police and was killed during her arrest in the police station.
Let me express my condolences to the family. This is something that has to be said, although it’s not going to be very useful for them. Also, let me express our admiration for the demonstrations – mainly women, and men also – across Iran, protesting about her killing and the repression that they have suffered that has cost the lives of dozens of people. These are facts, they are not opinions. On the streets of Iran the repression of the demonstrators has left behind tens of people killed.
Mahsa Amini was only 22 years old. She was visiting the capital of her country. And the morality police – even the name morality police sounds bizarre to our ears – detained and mistreated her simply because of her headscarf. She ended up in hospital where she died shortly after. These are facts.
Following that, following her passing, or should I say her killing, we have seen a wave of indignation and outrage turning into nationwide protests in Iran. Iranians, and especially young Iranians, have taken to the streets to express their anger, their aspirations for a better future, free from oppression. There are countless testimonies of brave women and men expressing their dissent in their cities. On social media we have seen them chanting ‘Women, Life, Freedom’, three key words. These Iranian women have been the force driving the dissent. They ask for respect, justice and equality. Nothing more, nothing less.
As European Union representatives, we call immediately for the Iranian authorities to ensure the respect of fundamental rights of Iranian citizens. In a meeting in New York that President Michel and I had with Iranian President Raisi, we raised this situation directly with him and called for accountability for the death of Mahsa Amini and restraint in the government’s reaction to the demonstrations. Unfortunately, it did not happen. Numerous reports clearly show that the response of the Iranian security and police forces has been disproportionate and resulted, as we said, in dozens of lives lost. Many more have been injured and detained, including several journalists covering the events. And we have to see clear indications of a credible investigation that could ensure accountability for what has happened. Accountability? Not at all.
Also, the internet has been shut down in many areas of the country. Iranians in the world lost access to information of what was happening there, as well as the opportunity to use online platforms to express their dissent, which is another deliberate violation of freedom of expression in the country.
I think it is important here for the European Parliament to show a strong and united reaction by the European Union. On my side, on behalf of the 27 Member States, I publicly expressed in my declaration of 25 September the widespread and disproportionate use of force against non-violent protesters, and consider it unjustifiable and unacceptable. People in Iran and anywhere else have the right to peaceful protest. It is as simple as that. And it’s clear that this right has not been ensured.
Together with the Member States, we will continue to consider all the options at our disposal, including restrictive measures to address the killing of Mahsa Amini and the way the Iranian security forces have responded to the demonstration. I will raise this at the next Foreign Affairs Council with my colleagues. And when I say ‘restrictive measures’, I am using the wording of the Treaty, because in the Treaty you will not find the word ‘sanctions’. The only thing you will find in the Treaty is ‘restrictive measures’, and that is what I am talking about.
David McAllister, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, Mr High Representative/Vice President, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, the massive protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody have spread to 171 cities in all 31 provinces of Iran. The people are protesting against a deeply corrupt and violent regime that systematically oppresses women and responds to political resistance with brutal violence and repression. The violent crackdown of the mullahs security forces on peaceful protesters must stop immediately.
The Council ought to impose tough sanctions responding to serious human rights violations as soon as possible. Call them restrictive measures, call them tough sanctions – the main thing is they will be adopted; sooner, the better.
The regime in Tehran has manoeuvred itself into a dead end. As our President Roberta Metsola stated yesterday here in the plenary, we as the European Parliament stand in solidarity with the brave women and men and all their democratic aspirations in their fight for women’s, human and minority rights, for the free flow of information and access to Internet, and for a free, secular and democratic republic.
Iratxe García Pérez, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señor presidente, señor alto representante, en pleno siglo XXI, en Irán existe una policía dedicada a vigilar el cumplimiento de las normas de vestimenta y comportamiento de las mujeres. Y esa policía aborda y detiene a una joven porque, según ellos, enseñaba más cabello del que debiera por debajo del velo. Y esa joven ya no sale con vida del centro policial al que la trasladan. Increíble, pero cierto.
Parece una pesadilla, pero es la realidad que viven cada día las mujeres en Irán, que son tratadas como seres de segunda categoría, objetos propiedad de un hombre — su padre, su hermano o su marido—. Si un hombre mata a su hija, será condenado solo a unos pocos años, porque no hay ninguna ley que proteja a las mujeres. Pero si una mujer mata al hombre que la ha violado, por ejemplo, es ahorcada al día siguiente.
El régimen iraní ejerce una represión brutal contra los opositores y las mujeres son, por definición, las primeras opositoras, porque las autoridades intentaron desde el primer momento reducirlas a la nada. Pero ellas lucharon desde el principio y, aunque han logrado pequeñas victorias, no son suficientes.
La muerte de Mahsa Amini ha prendido una mecha que podría hacer estallar un régimen oscuro anclado en la Edad Media, ahogado por las sanciones económicas, contra el que cada vez más iraníes alzan la voz y se echan a las calles para protestar, arriesgando su vida. Según han confirmado las Naciones Unidas, se han producido muchas muertes en estas protestas que han podido no ser admitidas por parte de las fuerzas iraníes.
La renegociación del acuerdo nuclear con Irán que en estos momentos se está llevando a cabo y la especial situación de este país en medio de una crisis energética mundial no nos pueden hacer mirar hacia otro lado para no ver lo que está ocurriendo en Irán. Europa tiene que responder y apoyar a las mujeres, que son las que están liderando estas protestas. Mujeres, vida y libertad. Hermanas iraníes, estamos con vosotras.
María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, en nombre del Grupo Renew. – Señor presidente, Mahsa Jina Amini fue detenida a golpes, golpeada durante su traslado, golpeada hasta la muerte en dependencias policiales. Desgraciadamente, su asesinato no es algo accidental o excepcional. Forma parte de una política de Estado dirigida contra los derechos de las mujeres.
Por ello, hoy Amini está en la valentía y en el coraje de miles de mujeres que han salido a la calle para levantarse contra un régimen que durante cuarenta y tres años ha querido someterlas a la explotación, a la opresión y a la exclusión.
La sociedad iraní ha salido a la calle en apoyo de las mujeres, pero, señor alto representante, sigue ahí, en la calle: clamando por la libertad, frente a un régimen represivo, dictatorial y teocrático. Están pidiendo un cambio real. Están pidiendo un régimen democrático.
La violencia a la hora de reprimir las protestas no es nueva. La impunidad en Irán tampoco. Lo hemos visto en las protestas de 2019, 2021 y en abril de este año. La Unión Europea sancionó, ya en 2019, a Hossein Salami, entonces responsable del Cuerpo de los Guardianes de la Revolución, hoy, su jefe, miembro del Consejo de Seguridad Nacional, responsable de la organización de la represión de las protestas con fuego letal.
Por eso, señor alto representante, necesitamos renovar las sanciones, actualizar las sanciones, ampliar las sanciones. Esta es la forma de acompañar al pueblo de Irán y de reivindicar los nombres de tantas mujeres muertas por su libertad.
Ernest Urtasun, en nombre del Grupo Verts/ALE. – Señor presidente, señor alto representante, los impactantes acontecimientos que se están desarrollando en Irán han alcanzado una magnitud sin precedentes en la última semana. Desde aquí, quiero enviar todo mi apoyo a las mujeres y manifestantes que han tomado las calles en los últimos días en defensa de sus derechos.
Al menos setenta y seis personas han muerto, mientras continúan las protestas en Irán contra la muerte de Mahsa Amini, quien fue golpeada y torturada mientras estaba bajo custodia policial. Han pasado ya más de dos semanas desde su muerte y las autoridades iraníes no han asumido ninguna responsabilidad por estos acontecimientos. Por lo tanto, hacemos un llamamiento a las autoridades iraníes para que permitan una investigación a fondo, independiente y rápida sobre su muerte y detengan la violencia contra los manifestantes pacíficos y los defensores de los derechos humanos.
Amini es otra víctima más de la represión sostenida y la discriminación sistemática contra las mujeres y de la imposición de códigos de vestimenta discriminatorios. Durante las últimas cuatro décadas, las mujeres iraníes han seguido protestando pacíficamente contra las reglas obligatorias del hiyab y las violaciones de sus derechos fundamentales; hoy queremos expresar nuestra solidaridad con todas ellas y con las protestas pacíficas.
Estas protestas, que ahora se han convertido en un movimiento, expresan un profundo descontento. Sí, un profundo descontento de las mujeres y de los hombres iraníes contra un Gobierno que aplica una opresión sistemática de todas las personas disidentes.
Pedimos a la Unión Europea, por lo tanto, y a sus Estados miembros que utilicen todos los canales a su disposición con las autoridades iraníes para poner fin a la represión violenta de las protestas y pedir la abolición de todas las leyes y prácticas que privan a las mujeres de su autonomía y sus derechos.
El respeto de los derechos humanos debe ser un componente central en el desarrollo de las relaciones entre la Unión Europea e Irán. No vamos a parar hasta que los derechos de las mujeres iraníes sean respetados. Desde aquí les queremos lanzar un mensaje muy claro: no las vamos a dejar solas.
Jean-Paul Garraud, au nom du groupe ID. – Monsieur le Président, Mahsa Amini, jeune femme de 22 ans, morte car rouée de coups par la police des mœurs en Iran pour ne pas avoir porté correctement son voile islamique. Hadis Najafi, 20 ans, abattue de six balles par la police pour les mêmes raisons. Comme elles, des milliers de femmes courageuses se battent en Iran pour se libérer de ce voile, symbole de l'asservissement de la femme.
Mais depuis des années, l'Union européenne, elle, participe à la promotion du port de ce même voile en Europe. Et récemment, en novembre 2021, la Commission européenne a cofinancé cette campagne affirmant que la liberté est dans le hijab. En février dernier, lors de la conférence sur l'avenir de l'Europe, est publié ce visuel: l'avenir est entre vos mains et met en scène une femme portant un hijab.
Cet avenir de l'Europe, nos peuples ne le veulent pas. Le 21 septembre, dans le cadre d'une campagne relative à Erasmus+, la Commission a diffusé cette affiche mettant en scène une fillette voilée. Toujours le 21 septembre, une délégation du mouvement Femyso, faux nez de l'islamisme selon une ancienne ministre française, s'est livrée dans les locaux du Parlement européen, à l'occasion d'une invitation du groupe socialiste, à un véritable exercice de prosélytisme en faveur du port du voile pour les femmes.
Mais le soutien de l'Union européenne à cette cause est aussi financier: 23 millions d'euros versés par la Commission à l'ENAR, qui regroupe de nombreuses associations refusant l'intégration à nos valeurs européennes et dont certaines sont reçues ici même pour accuser la France d'islamophobie.
Tout ceci n'est plus tolérable. Les Européens n'attendent pas de l'Union européenne qu'elle les convertissent à l'islam. Que Bruxelles entende les Iraniennes au lieu d'obéir aux ayatollahs.
Der Präsident. – Herr Kollege Garraud! Ich muss Ihnen sagen, dass das, was Sie hier in Ihrer Wortmeldung getan haben, nicht mit der Geschäftsordnung vereinbar ist. Ich bitte Sie, sich auch während Ihrer Rede an die Geschäftsordnung zu halten.
(Beifall)
Assita Kanko, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, dear colleagues, the women who are now rising up against the Islamic brutality in Iran know what freedom is and why we must protect it. Those who defend the headscarf in Europe should take a good look at these women and learn what real courage is: it is not in the veil. It is also not inside a dependent man. A dependent man is a healthy man who cannot cook his own meal, who cannot do his own dishes, who cannot clean his own house, control his own sexuality, do his own damn laundry or be responsible for his own life.
I can understand that men cannot bear children, but I strongly refuse to be enslaved as a woman, refuse to see women be enslaved today, tortured and killed because they want to wear a T-shirt. This darkness that many still carry must stop. Therefore, all men should become independent and self-sufficient. That is your best contribution to the emancipation of women.
An independent man is a healthy man who does all his things by himself and picks the right side in the fight for freedom. It is a man who is not scared of women’s intelligence and potential, not scared of their opinions, not scared of their ideas or sexuality. It is a man who knows that men are responsible for their own sexuality. It’s a man who does not expect his wife or daughter to wear a hijab to protect men from their femininity. He clearly takes their side in the fight against the subjection of women. As women, we must also take our own side and fight to be first, work together to be respected.
The Iranian women are showing us the way. A woman died for freedom. Together, we need to say that we understand how they feel and support them.
Manon Aubry, au nom du groupe The Left. – Monsieur le Président, honte, honte à ceux qui ont assassiné Mahsa Amini et tant d'autres femmes parce qu'une mèche de cheveux dépassait de leur voile. Honte aux milices de la dictature islamiste iranienne qui arrachent aux femmes la libre disposition de leur corps. Honte à ce régime patriarcal obscurantiste qui bâillonne, écrase et emprisonne les femmes et tous ceux qui se mobilisent à leurs côtés. Honte à la théocratie des mollahs dont l'oppression des femmes et l'obligation du voile sont la clef de voûte. Honte à Emmanuel Macron qui serrait la main du président Raïssi quand la police tirait sous ses ordres sur la foule. Honte aux chefs d'État qui regardent leurs pompes quand les Iraniens qui se mobilisent ont besoin de soutien et leurs bourreaux de sanctions.
«Femme, vie, liberté», avec ces simples mots les Iraniennes mènent sous les balles la bataille de toutes les femmes et entraînent à leur suite tout un peuple rassemblé contre la corruption, la dictature et l'injustice. Leur courage nous oblige. Jamais notre solidarité ne doit faiblir. Nous devons lutter partout et tout le temps contre l'oppression des femmes, pour la conquête de leur liberté en Iran, comme pour la défense du droit fondamental à disposer de leur corps aux États-Unis, en Hongrie ou en Pologne.
Et je veux dire ici, quelle hypocrisie de la part de l'extrême droite de venir ici donner des leçons quand vous êtes les premiers à opprimer le droit des femmes à disposer de leur propre corps dans l'Union européenne!
Alors, en hommage au combat des femmes iraniennes, je termine par les vers de la poétesse Mona Borzouei, arrêtée pour ces mots: «Ses cheveux, drapeau que la nuit a souillé, nous les reprendrons à l'ombre de tes griffes. Oh magma de mensonges! Oh toi l'effrayé! Nous reprendrons ce pays de tes griffes.»
Κώστας Παπαδάκης (NI). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, καταδικάζουμε τη στυγερή δολοφονία της Μαχσά Αμινί από το ιρανικό κράτος, καθώς και την άγρια καταστολή που αυτό έχει εξαπολύσει σε βάρος των μαζικών λαϊκών κινητοποιήσεων. Η δολοφονία της Αμινί, οι δεκάδες νεκροί, τραυματίες οι και αναρίθμητες συλλήψεις φέρνουν στην επιφάνεια το όργιο κρατικής βίας, τις οικονομικές, κοινωνικές, θρησκευτικές διακρίσεις που αναπαράγουν τη γυναικεία ανισοτιμία, τις σκοταδιστικές, αναχρονιστικές αντιλήψεις και πρακτικές.
Είναι απύθμενη όμως και η υποκρισία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, των ΗΠΑ και του ΝΑΤΟ, με τις αλά καρτ ευαισθησίες τους για τις γυναίκες του Ιράν, ενώ στηρίζουν καθεστώτα σε άλλες χώρες που επιδίδονται στις ίδιες αποκρουστικές πρακτικές σε βάρος των γυναικών. Στόχος τους είναι να χειραγωγήσουν τις λαϊκές κινητοποιήσεις και να τις μετατρέψουν σε εργαλείο στους εντεινόμενους καπιταλιστικούς ανταγωνισμούς, που κλιμακώνονται την ίδια ώρα στον ιμπεριαλιστικό πόλεμο στην Ουκρανία. Η οργή για τέτοια ειδεχθή εγκλήματα να γίνει ανυποχώρητος αγώνας ενάντια στην αντιδραστική οπισθοδρόμηση και τις σάπιες ιδέες που την καλλιεργούν, στην καπιταλιστική εκμετάλλευση και καταπίεση, για γυναικεία ισοτιμία και χειραφέτηση των λαών.
Frances Fitzgerald (PPE). – Mr President, High Representative, women in Iran are fighting for their fundamental rights, their freedom. The shocking and unlawful death of a young woman of 22, Mahsa Amini, is a stark reminder of the abuse and violence women face every day from the regressive Iranian regime. Women and men have rightly taken to the streets to protest at the barbaric and honestly sickening treatment of women by the Iranian State and their so-called morality police. What morality, I ask? Whose values? Whose morals? Certainly not women’s.
We in this Chamber must join the Iranian people and condemn this use of violence against women. And the continued use of such disproportionate violence against protesters is abhorrent and emblematic of such an autocratic regime. We must support women to have choice in the way that they live. We must support the fundamental rights of all women to live life as they see fit, free from state—sponsored violence.
The stories emerging are really totally unacceptable. They are dreadful, and I urge the High Representative to do everything in his power to take action against the state in a united way across Europe. Like so many of the women of Iran, Mahsa was brave and courageous. We must ensure that her death was not in vain.
Evin Incir (S&D). – Her name was Jina Mahsa Amini. A young Kurdish girl in Iran with her whole life ahead of her, deprived of her life by men and a regime who thinks they have the right to control women.
For over 40 years, women, girls, minorities and opposition groups have lived in horror. The Iranian feminist revolution is a democratic revolution that is taking place right now. The autocratic regime might think that they can suffocate and silence the people, but what they do is to fuel the anger. Right now, Iranian, Kurdish, Baluch and many other groups – especially women and young people – are leveraging their righteous wrath and shouting, ‘The days of the regime are numbered!’
The cruel morality police and all those in the government behind the oppression of the people must be sanctioned. The discrimination laws that constitute the basis of the gender apartheid in the country must be abolished. The murderers of Jina and all those freely demonstrating and protesting must be brought to justice. We need to end impunity!
To be silent is to be compliant. Compliance can’t be the way forward for the international community if we truly stand for what we preach – democracy, human rights, equality and justice. The cause of all women and people in Iran is our cause. Their freedom is our freedom.
(the speaker used a slogan in a non-official language) Women, life, freedom!
Katalin Cseh (Renew). – Mr President, dear colleagues, dear High Representative, please allow me to start my remarks with a message addressed not to this Chamber, but to the women of Iran.
Your courage is breathtaking. As you rise up against injustice, as you dare to defy the oppressive regime, you inspire to fight for women’s rights everywhere. And as you honour the memory of Mahsa Amini, who was brutally murdered, you are teaching the world a lesson in solidarity, so that no women is harassed or killed because of a bigoted dress code ever again. We salute and admire your bravery.
And colleagues, our support cannot be limited only to words. European diplomacy needs to swing into action now. We need targeted personal sanctions, travel bans, asset freezes against members of the Iranian regime, and also including careful and strict implementation of every single existing sanction.
And we also need to help those whose lives are in danger by issuing humanitarian visas. The people of Iran who take the streets, the women who remove or burn their headscarves, they are risking their lives doing so. They deserve help from the European Union and the international community as a whole. Let us show them that we are on their side.
Diana Riba i Giner (Verts/ALE). – Señor presidente, señor alto representante: «Mujer, vida y libertad», mucho más que un grito de lucha y resistencia de las mujeres kurdas. Es una conjura, un aviso para navegantes: no puede existir una sociedad libre sin mujeres libres.
Hoy, en un mundo donde los conflictos, el autoritarismo y las desigualdades van en aumento, la libertad, la igualdad y la esperanza tienen nombre de mujer: Mahsa Amini, Hadith Najafi, Ghazale Chelavi, Hanane Kia y Mahsa Mogoi.
Las mujeres en Irán se están jugando la vida por su derecho a vivir según sus propios términos y por destruir el patriarcado, el Estado y la religión que las oprime, domina, somete y discrimina. Su lucha, su resistencia, es un ejemplo para todas nosotras.
Desde aquí quiero enviarles un mensaje de admiración y solidaridad: estamos a vuestro lado. Estaremos siempre al lado de las mujeres que exigen libertad para ellas mismas y para sus sociedades.
(La oradora finaliza su intervención en una lengua no oficial de la Unión)
Anna Bonfrisco (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor Alto rappresentante, in molti avremmo voluto il coraggio delle sue parole di oggi anche da parte dell'Unione europea nel boicottare la cerimonia di insediamento di Raisi nell'agosto del 2021, perché è sulle azioni che veniamo e verremo giudicati.
Vorrei che lei fosse quindi più chiaro sul perimetro di queste sanzioni, perché siano le più vere e dure possibili, e che sia chiaro anche nel riconoscere tutti i massacri perpetrati dal regime iraniano dal 1988 ad oggi. Più chiaro nel definire un crimine contro l'umanità ogni incarcerazione illegittima e arbitraria, ogni tortura, violenza o pena di morte e discriminazione a cui sono sottoposte donne e ragazze in Iran e tutte le minoranze. Più chiaro nel promuovere indagini internazionali nei confronti del regime di Raisi, il macellaio di Teheran, per ridare giustizia al popolo iraniano. Più chiaro contro un regime che non fornisce alcun contributo all'umanità, solo morte e terrore. Più chiaro nei confronti di quel velo che porta sangue e morte. E quelle ciocche di capelli, i capelli delle donne iraniane, i nostri capelli, nei quali soffia la libertà delle donne, la libertà del mondo e del suo futuro.
Charlie Weimers (ECR). – Mr President, ‘evil empire’ – that’s what President Reagan dared to call the Soviet Union. Remember that? Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky does. He fondly remarked, ‘I remember what a burst of enthusiasm this gave us: when the West finally saw the Soviet Union for what it was, there would be hope for victory.’
Words matter. The Iranian people beg us to be their voice. And we should. But words must be matched by action. And this requires soul—searching here in Europe. Political prisoners and young girls don’t get a burst of enthusiasm when European politicians don hijabs in front of the regime in Tehran.
Iranian—supplied suicide drones to Russia are used to kill Ukrainians. While Brussels clings on to a dead nuclear deal, where are the Magnitsky sanctions against the ruling elite? Will protesters chanting (the speaker used a slogan in a non-official language) – ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ – be given a hope for victory as Liberals and Socialists normalise relations with the murdering mullahs?
Mr High Representative, join me in declaring what the brave Iranian people already know all too well: the Islamic Republic is an evil republic.
Cornelia Ernst (The Left). – Herr Präsident! Tja, was sagt es über ein Regime aus, wenn dieses eine junge Frau zu Tode bringt, weil sie ihren Hidschab nicht richtig getragen hat? Das sagt aus, dass das Kapitel über ein solches Regime geschlossen werden muss.
Wer im Namen Gottes Menschen tötet, ist selbst gottverlassen. Wir werden niemals aufhören, Frauen zu unterstützen, die sich gegen archaische Unterwerfung und erniedrigende Bevormundung wehren. Und wir werden niemals aufhören, Proteste wie im Iran mit ganzem Herzen, mit unserer ganzen Seele zu unterstützen, weil sie gerecht sind. Irans Frauen sind längst ein Symbol des Widerstandes geworden, weil es bei ihnen um alles geht: frei zu atmen, das eigene Leben bestimmen zu können und als Mensch, ja als Frau respektiert, akzeptiert zu werden!
Man kann den Wunsch nach Freiheit, Gleichheit und Gerechtigkeit nicht mal mit einem Beil erschlagen. Diese Idee lässt sich weder ersticken noch verdammen. Der Iran ist ein wundervolles Land mit einer großen Geschichte und Kultur. Aber jetzt ist es Zeit, ein neues Kapitel aufzuschlagen – mit einer weiblichen Handschrift. Denn genug ist genug.
Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó (NI). – Mr President, the Iranian women’s protest is a cry for freedom, for their freedom and for the freedom of the forgotten women of Afghanistan or Africa. We respect the protest for what it is. They rebel against the dictatorship of men who imprison them, bully them, torture them, limit their lives simply because they are women and want to live in equality.
There is a common thread that connects this protest with the protest of previous generations of women who took to the streets because they were not allowed to vote, they were not allowed to be involved in politics, they were not allowed to work within the same jobs as men, they were not allowed to earn the same salary as men. They ask for complete freedom. They ask to be able to live and to do with their future and their bodies what they want, decide their life for themselves, in full freedom. That is why they shout ‘azadi, azadi, azadi’ – freedom, freedom, freedom. And we must listen to this cry. We must help.
Javier Zarzalejos (PPE). – Seventeen days have passed since protests began following the killing of Mahsa Amini in Iranian police facilities. How many Iranians have been killed? Hundreds. How many have been arrested or injured? Thousands. We don’t know for sure. Women are beaten and dragged away by police.
But let us get it right: this is not only about mandatory veiling or the hijab. This is about basic freedom. This is about a regime founded on systematic repression and cruelty against its people. A regime headed by someone fully involved in the massacre of 1988, a crime against humanity that has already come to European courts. A Swedish court has imposed a life sentence on an Iranian official for taking part in this crime.
There is an uprising going on in Iran, and we have not only to condemn repression, but to support the victims of repression. We need to send a clear sign of our concern and condemnation, but also an unequivocal message of support: Europe means pluralism, democracy, freedom of religion, respect for all belief, equal rights between men and women. And those Iranians struggling for their rights, risking their lives, deserve to see Europe firmly on their side. Europe at its best: friendly, supportive and committed.
There should be specific demands to the Iranian Government on the release of prisoners and accountability of perpetrators, no matter how long it takes. But neither the nuclear deal nor the oil resources of Iran can justify turning a blind eye or watering down our response. Appeasement, we should know, never works.
Maria Arena (S&D). – Monsieur le Président, depuis la mort de Mahsa Hamani, cette jeune femme de 22 ans victime de la police des mœurs iranienne et pour avoir mal porté son voile, des dizaines de personnes sont mortes et des milliers arrêtées pour avoir manifesté pour leurs droits. Et contrairement à ce que clame le chef suprême iranien, qui voit dans ces manifestations la manipulation étrangère, ces femmes, ces jeunes, ces hommes courageux ne demandent qu'une seule chose: la fin du régime qui les oppresse, qui les enferme, qui les massacre.
L'Union européenne dispose de leviers de discussion avec ce régime et nous devons les utiliser en exprimant notre solidarité avec ces manifestants, en exigeant la libération immédiate de tous les manifestants mais aussi de tous les défenseurs des droits de l'homme dans ce pays, en soutenant les revendications de ces manifestations, en réclamant les sanctions ciblées et en plaçant les droits de l'homme dans toutes les discussions et dans tous les accords que nous avons avec l'Iran.
Hilde Vautmans (Renew). – Dear President, thank you very much and good evening, dear High Representative, dear colleagues, over 100 deaths and still counting, we all know the brutal story. Public protests in Iran broke out after Amini died in custody after she was arrested for not wearing the hijab correctly.
We cannot close our eyes to these atrocities. We must pursue a clear strategy in which we put women’s rights on the top of the agenda. As Madeleine Albright once said: “there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help women”.
Therefore, Mr Borrell, if you don’t want to go to hell – and I think you don’t want to go to hell – I really urge you: provide access to our European universities, support civil society in their fight for women’s rights, protect human rights defenders and target directly the leaders and people who are responsible for these crimes.
Let’s never give up on women, the life and the liberty in Iran. They need our help.
Alice Kuhnke (Verts/ALE). – Herr talman! Det började med Jina Masha Amini, men de fängslade, de skadade, de mördade har många fler ansikten och lika många namn. Förövarna, mördarna och medhjälparna – de är också många. Men vi vet vilka de är och vad de ska ställas till svars för. Sedan har vi alla oss andra, vi som står vid sidan om. Vi som kan välja att leva våra liv som vanligt eller göra vad vi kan med det vi har.
Fred och frihet kommer inte gratis. De modiga kvinnor, män och barn som runtom i Iran gått ut på gatorna med livet som insats, de visar hur dyrköpt frihet är.
Omvärldens reaktioner och uthållighet kommer att avgöra om deras kamp, om deras död, var förgäves eller inte. Frihetsrörelsen i Iran behöver allt stöd den kan få, samtidigt som vi gör det obekvämt för den iranska mördarregimen. (talaren använder ett icke-officiellt språk).
Teuvo Hakkarainen (ID). – Arvoisa puhemies, kun Iranin uskonnollinen poliisi pieksee naisen kuoliaaksi Iranissa, Euroopan feministit vaikenevat. Ovatko islamin säännöt tärkeämpiä kuin tämän naisen oikeus elää? Kuka häntä olisi puolustanut täällä Euroopassa? Olisiko häntä syytetty jopa islamofobiasta? En ihmettelisi sitäkään.
Eurooppa voi ja sen pitää tuomita Iranin ja islamin harjoittama naisten sorto, mutta muuttaako se mitään. Vaikka nykyinen kiihkoislamilainen pappisvalta kaatuisi, tilalle tulee uusi islamilainen hallinto. Onko se vielä raaempi vai maltillisempi, vain siitä on kysymys. Islam ja sen naiskäsitys eivät katoa mihinkään.
Länsimaisen demokratian vienti islamilaisiin maihin ei ole onnistunut tähänkään asti. Eivät aiemmat arabivallankumouksetkaan muuttaneet tilannetta miksikään. Iranin naapuri Afganistan on pystyttänyt uusimman hirmuhallinnon. Entäpä Euroopan tulevaisuus? Tänne on avosylin otettu vastaan kymmeniä miljoonia tuon uskonnon pakkosyöttämiä ihmisiä, ja tulokset on nähty. Terrori-iskuja joka puolella. Ottaisiko Eurooppa tästä jo opikseen?
Anna Fotyga (ECR). – Madam President, Mr High Rep., Vice-President, Mahsa Amini, the young Iranian woman of Kurdish origin was beaten to death by the so-called law enforcement forces of Iran.
The regime – directly responsible for her killing, as well as for violent crackdowns, murders, violent crackdown of the massive protests that followed this crime – has been led for a few years already by President Raisi, a person directly responsible for judicial killings, a crime against humanity, towards the end of the 1980s.
Stop impunity for this kind of crimes. High Rep., it is high time that we impose, as you say, restrictive measures against those who lead this kind of barbarous regimes.
Jörg Meuthen (NI). – Herr Präsident! Werte Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Die Ermordung der jungen Iranerin Mahsa Amini durch die sogenannte Sittenpolizei ist zutiefst bestürzend, ebenso wie die brutale Gewalt, mit der nun die Proteste im Land erstickt werden sollen.
Es wird von über 100 Toten, Hunderten Verletzten und Tausenden unschuldig Inhaftierten berichtet, Opfer des verbrecherischen, ja mörderischen Regimes im Iran, eines Regimes, das viel zu lange von politischen Kräften am linken und rechten Rand – auch hier in diesem Hause – hofiert wurde. Ich bin beeindruckt vom Mut der jungen Menschen im Iran – gerade dem der jungen Frauen –, die in diesen Tagen ihr Leben riskieren für ein Leben in Freiheit, Selbstbestimmung und Würde und sich dabei nicht von der Gewalt und dem Staatsterror des Regimes der Mullahs und Revolutionsgarden einschüchtern lassen.
Aus dem Iran, liebe Kollegen, tönt der Ruf nach Freiheit. Wir dürfen ihn nicht überhören! Wir dürfen es nicht nur bei schlichten Solidaritätsbekundungen belassen. Als EU müssen wir die Regierung in Teheran und ihr menschenverachtendes System gezielt mit weiteren Sanktionen strafen. Das sind wir den verzweifelten, mutigen Menschen im Iran schuldig.
Željana Zovko (PPE). – Mr President, High Representative, I deeply regret the death of Mahsa Amini. She was arrested for improperly wearing the hijab, a symbol of faith. She had to experience an inexplicable amount of violence by the Iranian morality police, which led to her death. And it’s as if the faith can come from the force. God is not in beating, but in loving.
I strongly condemn the excessive actions by the Iranian authorities against the nationwide protests that have erupted after the incidents. The Iranian people are gathering in the streets to call for freedom – freedom of religion, freedom to exercise their basic human rights. Iran is a party to several international human rights treaties, but they fail to implement the binding principles enshrined in these legal documents.
I call on our European diplomatic services and the international community to monitor this process and to push for objective investigation of all other arrests and incidents related to the protests.
Robert Biedroń (S&D). – Piekło kobiet trwa w Iranie od lat. Bieda, przemoc, ogromne bezrobocie, brak ochrony przed tą przemocą, gwałtami małżeńskimi oraz wczesnymi czy wymuszonym małżeństwami – to codzienność w Iranie. 17 dni temu odważne dziewczęta i kobiety podniosły swoje głowy. Sprzeciwiły się temu haniebnemu reżimowi. Dzisiaj kobiety w Iranie wiedzą, że mają swoje prawa, i nie zawahają się już ich użyć.
Pytanie jest: co my, jako demokratyczny świat, zrobimy w tej sprawie? Dlatego, Panie Przewodniczący, mamy nie tylko moralne, ale także demokratyczne zobowiązanie. Musimy nałożyć mocne sankcje na reżim irański. W każdych rozmowach z tym reżimem musimy podkreślać wagę praw człowieka. Nie możemy zawieść tych kobiet. Kobiety w Iranie muszą wiedzieć, że nigdy więcej nie będą już szły same. To jest nasze zobowiązanie.
Bernard Guetta (Renew). – Monsieur le Président, 500, 800, 3 000 morts ou plus. Nous savons hélas que vous ne lésinerez pas, vous les pasdarans et autres bassidjis pour garder votre pouvoir. Oui, cette révolte populaire, cette révolte de femmes défendant les femmes et la liberté peut sans doute être écrasée par vos armes. Mais ce n'est pas dit. Et attention, attention à vous, profiteurs et défenseurs de ce régime!
Car souvenez-vous, souvenez-vous des foules rassemblées par la présidentielle de 1997 lorsque votre peuple a pu voter pour un candidat du changement. Souvenez-vous des mois de révolte contre la réélection frauduleuse de Mahmoud Ahmadinejad en 2009. Souvenez-vous de l'ampleur des manifestations de 2019 et de 2020. Souvenez-vous des 8 millions de signatures contre les exécutions de prisonniers politiques, souvenez-vous, et vous verrez que la colère iranienne ne cesse de grandir contre votre dictature d'incapables sanguinaires. Souvenez-vous, et vous verrez votre fin s'approcher.
Yannick Jadot (Verts/ALE). – Monsieur le Président, chers collègues, comment qualifier l'extraordinaire mouvement que portent avec tant de courage les femmes et les jeunes en Iran depuis l'assassinat de Mahsa Amini et de tant d'autres depuis?
Certains parlent de révolte. Non, c'est une révolution. Pas cette révolution islamiste, celle des mollahs qui n'est qu'une régression, ce régime de l'oppression et de la corruption, ce régime des assassinats, de l'emprisonnement des manifestants, des défenseurs des droits humains, des journalistes. Ce régime de la peur des femmes, de leur soumission par le voile et par la loi.
Ce que nous voyons avec tant d'admiration, c'est une révolution des consciences, des cœurs et des corps qui n'en peuvent plus d'étouffer et de souffrir. Une révolution de libération et de civilisation où les femmes, en arrachant leur voile, portent l'étendard de la liberté, de l'égalité, de la fraternité, de la sororité.
Alors, l'Union européenne ne doit pas transiger. Elle doit sanctionner les auteurs de ces crimes. Contre celles et ceux qui portent la terreur, soutenons celles et ceux qui défendent la libération des femmes. Les combats et les valeurs qu'elles portent sont celles de l'Europe: «Femme, vie, liberté».
Isabella Tovaglieri (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, Masha Amini, Hadis Najafi, Roshana e chissà quanti altri nomi sono sfuggiti alle cronache di questi giorni. Ma quante donne ancora devono morire prima che l'Europa prenda una posizione forte contro il regime fondamentalista di Teheran e contro il processo di islamizzazione dell'Europa? È giunto il momento che Bruxelles esca dall'ambiguità, se vuole davvero essere solidale con quelle donne che oggi stanno combattendo e stanno morendo per protestare contro il hijab, non può spendere milioni di euro per propagandare in Europa l'uso del velo o di modelli sociali contro i quali queste donne oggi coraggiosamente si stanno ribellando al grido di donne, vita e libertà. Bruxelles non può tradire la fiducia di quelle donne che scappano e che fuggono in Occidente, dove credono di poter vivere libere da ogni sottomissione come Samam. Ora più che mai abbiamo il dovere di difendere con forza i nostri valori europei, perché quello che accade oggi in un paese apparentemente lontano non sia la drammatica anticipazione del nostro futuro.
Veronika Vrecionová (ECR). – Pane předsedající, nejdříve mi dovolte vyjádřit upřímnou soustrast rodině zesnulé Mahsy Amíníové a mnoha dalším rodinám, jejichž příbuzní byli během protestů zavražděni. Íránský lid opět dokazuje, že je třeba v zemi nastolit změny. Současný politický kurz je zcela neudržitelný. Zejména bych chtěla vzdát hold íránským ženám, které vyšly do ulic po celé zemi. Zaslouží si naši podporu a respekt. Musíme udělat vše, co je v našich silách, na podporu opozice a demonstrantů, kteří odvážně bojují proti brutálním represím režimu. Bojují za základní práva a svobody. Bez naší pomoci bude Írán nadále vyvážet terorismus, usilovat o získání jaderných zbraní a ohrožovat okolní země. Je třeba vyslat pevný vzkaz stávajícímu režimu, že jejich násilné represivní činy neuniknou spravedlnosti.
Clara Ponsatí Obiols (NI). – Mr President, do you know who Jina Amini is? Yes. She’s the woman who paid with her life for being free. However, everybody here has called her Masha, ignoring her Kurdish identity. Women in Iran are showing us how to fight for freedom. Sadly, this struggle has also become the perfect platform to show moral superiority without any real action.
This is why nobody mentions that Amini was Kurdish, or that the most brutal repression in this crisis is happening in Kurdistan. These things remain hidden because they expose uncomfortable contradictions, like defending Kurdistan is difficult if one wants to be friends with Turkey.
What is being done to protect women in our countries that are forced by their communities to wear religious garments is basically nothing. We call this religious freedom knowing that religion or freedom have nothing to do with it. The struggle of women in Iran is the new frontier of human rights, of women’s rights. We must rise above hypocrisy to support them with facts.
Radosław Sikorski (PPE). – Mr President, High Representative, colleagues, there are moments in the history of man’s struggle for liberty when only poetry will do. I recommend to you a song called Barai by Sherwin Hajipour, whose lyrics are put together from messages sent by protesters that describe what this is about.
‘For dancing in the streets. For fear when kissing. For yearning of just normal life. For this polluted air. For tears with no end. For this forced heaven. For pills of nerves and insomnia. For women, life, freedom. For freedom. For freedom!’
Dear Iranian sisters, I hope you win this, but you are already our heroes. From the bottom of my heart, I salute you!
Delara Burkhardt (S&D). – Herr Präsident, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Nach der Ermordung meines Großvaters kurz nach Gründung der Islamischen Republik floh meine Familie aus dem Iran nach Europa, um in Freiheit zu leben. Und es ist ihnen zu verdanken, dass ich als junge Frau hier in der Öffentlichkeit stehen kann und sprechen kann. Für Freiheiten wie diese gehen Frauen im Iran auf die Straße. Jahrelang wurden sie unterdrückt, und jeder Griff nach Freiheit wurde bestraft. Der Staat kontrolliert nicht nur das Aussehen, die Religion, die Identität, sondern auch die Information, die Menschen im Iran erreicht, und das, was sie nach außen tragen können.
Wenn wir nicht hinsehen, sind diese mutigen Menschen allein gegen ein skrupelloses, brutales Regime. Unsere Solidarität in Europa muss konkret werden. Wir müssen die EU-Sanktionen ausweiten. Wir müssen Visastopps für Regimeangehörige verhängen. Wir müssen Asyl garantieren. Und wir müssen laut sein, unsere Stimmen nutzen, um die der Protestierenden im Iran zu verstärken. Für Dschina Mahsa Amini, für Frauen, für das Leben, für Freiheit – (Die Rednerin verwendet einen Slogan in einer Sprache, die keine Amtssprache ist.)
(Beifall)
Frédérique Ries (Renew). – Monsieur le Président, (l'oratrice utilise un slogan dans une langue non officielle) – Les femmes, la vie, la liberté»: ces mots résonnent aux quatre coins de l’Iran depuis dix-huit jours maintenant, depuis que Mahsa «Zina» Amini a été battue à mort par la police des mœurs de Téhéran. Elle était jeune, elle était kurde et, selon la loi des mollahs, elle ne portait pas tout à fait correctement son foulard.
Ce n’était pas la première, ce ne sera pas la dernière non plus. Près de cent morts et des milliers d’arrestations en dix-huit jours: ces femmes iraniennes donnent au monde une leçon de courage inouïe, et elles ne sont plus seules, elles sont rejointes par les hommes, les jeunes, les étudiants, les sportifs. C’est l’attaquant vedette de l’équipe nationale de football, Sardar Azmoun, une icône, qui aujourd’hui défie les autorités au nom des femmes. Une colère qui mobilise partout en Iran et dans le monde.
Alors, que faisons-nous, Monsieur Borrell? Sept pays demandent des sanctions supplémentaires, ciblées, personnelles, intelligentes. Je suis ravie de vous entendre soutenir cette demande car notre devoir impérieux est de répondre, et maintenant notre devoir, fort de nos libertés, est de dire son nom: Mahsa Amini.
Terry Reintke (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, human dignity, freedom, democracy – values that we claim to hold very dear in the European Union, values that are the basis of the functioning of our societies.
Now we see a protest movement in Iran that is fighting for exactly these values, led by brave women. A protest movement that has come together, and that can change not only Iran, but the whole region, and eventually the whole world. With a force and determination that is unprecedented, people are going to the streets, and they go to the streets knowing full well that they could sacrifice their own lives doing this. And they rightfully ask us, ‘What are your words, your declarations, your banners worth if now, in this moment, you are not standing with us?’.
So the EU response has to be clear: more sanctions and more determined and louder condemnation of this brutal regime, and amplifying the voices of the people who are protesting and who have sacrificed so much in this revolution.
Jordan Bardella (ID). – Monsieur le Président, nous devons un soutien moral et unanime à la révolte des femmes d'Iran dont le courage a ému le monde. En brûlant leur voile islamique, ces femmes ont dirigé leur colère vers le symbole de l'oppression pratiquée par le régime des mollahs. Ce qui est rejeté par ces manifestantes c'est une société qui fait de la femme par nature, de la naissance jusqu'à la mort, un être inférieur à l'homme.
Mais c'est en réalité la duplicité de la Commission européenne que je souhaite pointer aujourd'hui. Vous condamnez l'obscurantisme en Iran, mais vous lui faites la courte échelle en Europe. J'en veux pour exemple cette communication officielle de la Commission européenne présentant une fillette voilée que vous avez fait disparaître en catastrophe quand des lanceurs d'alerte l'ont à juste titre dénoncée. En Iran, des femmes brûlent leur voile, en Europe, vous le portez en étendard.
Cette anecdote n'est pas isolée. Elle s'inscrit dans un contexte d'entrisme assumé des officines islamistes à qui vous osez offrir l'argent tiré du porte-monnaie des contribuables européens. Je pense à l'association Femyso, émanation des Frères musulmans, à qui vous déroulez le tapis rouge au sein même des institutions européennes. Votre relativisme, votre refus d'assumer l'identité de nos nations, votre soutien dogmatique à une politique d'immigration massive, votre financement déguisé d'associations ennemies mettent notre continent dans la salle d'attente de l'islamisme.
Notre continent, celui de la philosophie grecque, du droit romain, de la raison, notre continent façonné par des siècles d'intense foi chrétienne doit rester celui des hommes et des femmes libres. Cela ne sera jamais celui du voile islamique, de la soumission et de l'obscurantisme.
Dorien Rookmaker (ECR). – Voorzitter, ik heb oneindig veel respect voor de vrouwen en mannen in Iran die opstaan tegen een misdadig regime. Dat vraagt moed. Daar word ik stil van. Het vraagt weinig moed om hier te staan en mijn afschuw uit te spreken over het regime in Iran. In Europa kan ik mij kleden hoe ik wil en ik kan mij uitspreken over wat ik wil. De demonstranten in Iran stellen hun leven in de waagschaal in de hoop op een betere toekomst, een toekomst die veilig is en vrij. Dat is de primaire verantwoordelijkheid van elke regering. De demonstranten verdienen onze onvoorwaardelijke steun, niet alleen nu wij geconfronteerd worden met de afschuwelijke dood van Mahsa Amini, maar zolang het nodig is, zolang het misdadige regime van de ayatollahs in Iran aan de macht is. Aan de vrouwen in Iran en bovendien aan alle vrouwen in de wereld die opstaan tegen onderdrukking, wil ik zeggen: “Ik zie jullie, ik hoor jullie, ik bewonder jullie en ik sta aan jullie zijde.”
Jérôme Rivière (NI). – Monsieur le Président, que d'hypocrisie à l'occasion du débat ce soir dans notre hémicycle. Alors que l'Iran est déchiré par les manifestations déclenchées par la mort de Mahsa Amini, arrêtée et assassinée par la police des mœurs pour avoir refusé de couvrir sa tête avec un voile islamique, la Commission européenne, soutenue par la majorité ici, poursuit la promotion de ce même voile, osant affirmer, et je cite, la liberté est dans le hijab.
Si la diversité est belle, non jamais le voile n'a été ou ne sera un symbole de liberté. En Iran, des femmes sont battues à mort, d'autres risquent leur vie en manifestant et les institutions européennes conçoivent des campagnes de communication que ne renieraient pas les islamistes au pouvoir à Téhéran. Déjà, en 2021, elles présentaient le hijab comme symbole de liberté choisie par les femmes. Des affiches affirmaient: «Mon foulard, c'est moi» ou encore: «Avec le voile, je peux être moi-même sans me cacher».
Que vaut votre soutien aux femmes iraniennes risquant leur vie pour être libres de marcher la tête découverte? Monsieur Borrell, assez de la duplicité de la Commission. Assez d'hypocrisie avec le voile islamique. Il a toujours été et restera un instrument d'oppression des femmes par des hommes.
Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (PPE). – Mr President, the death of Mahsa Amini is shocking, but sadly it’s not surprising. It’s not surprising to the people of Iran whose basic human rights are routinely trampled on. And it’s not surprising to the United States, which is accused by Ayatollah Khamenei of instigating the protests. And it’s not surprising to Israel, which Iran wants to wipe off the face of the earth. It’s not surprising to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which regularly engages in terrorist acts and is now carrying out raids on the protesters.
It’s not surprising, but it actually is terrifying that all of this comes from a country which is building nuclear weapons. It’s even more sad that the European Union’s response is currently basically statements and debates instead of actions. So please, High Representative, please, Mr Borrell, surprise us pleasantly and do something. I call upon you to immediately take steps to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as what it is, namely a terrorist organisation.
Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D). – Senhor Presidente, a morte de Mahsa Amini às mãos da polícia da moralidade iraniana, tão só por ter o véu islâmico mal colocado, é um caso de intolerável e chocante violência e restrição dos direitos mais básicos das mulheres. É um daqueles casos que pensávamos que já não existiam no nosso mundo, tal como a mutilação genital feminina. Mas aqui continuam entre nós.
Mais do que a nossa solidariedade, hoje é o nosso grito que se junta a todas as iranianas e iranianos que, desde então, com grande coragem se têm manifestado pelos seus direitos e pelo fim da repressão no seu país.
Senhor Alto Representante, a União Europeia deve continuar a exigir, no seio das instituições internacionais e em todas as interações que tem com países terceiros, na ajuda ao desenvolvimento ou em missões diplomáticas, o respeito pelos direitos das mulheres.
Como este Parlamento tem vindo a defender, a nossa política externa tem de ser uma verdadeira arma para os promover e defender em todo o mundo.
Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew). – Mr President, three weeks of continuous courage shown by the women in Iran. Persian, Azeri, Kurdish women are paying the ultimate price for freedom – their lives.
This is a courage that has not been met by you, Mr Borrell, when you didn’t take the opportunity during the General Assembly in the UN and take a stand for the woman in Iran.
Enough for the press releases now, enough for the mumbling. It’s time to speak out. It’s time to act. The hands of the regime of the mullahs in Iran are stained with blood. Neither history nor Allah or God Almighty will forgive you for the crimes against humanity that you are committing against your own citizens.
We, the peoples and the citizens of the EU demand the unconditional and immediate stop of all the violence against the women and men in Iran. Until Iran is free our fury will be bigger than the oppressors. Until you, the women of Iran are free, we are going to stand with you: (the speaker used a slogan in a non-official language) – Women, Life, Freedom!
Der Präsident. – Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Es ist bei dieser Debatte sehr schwer, die Rednerinnen oder die Redner nach einer Minute oder einer Minute dreißig direkt abzubrechen, weil sie ja sehr persönliche, sehr emotionale und sehr richtige Schlussbemerkungen haben. Ich muss daher, weil ich hier in der Rede flexibel sein möchte, erstens die Rednerliste für die spontanen Wortmeldungen schließen und Ihnen zweitens sagen, dass ich je nachdem, wie der Zeitplan aussieht, maximal zwei bis drei Personen bei den spontanen Wortmeldungen drannehmen kann. Momentan sind acht oder neun gemeldet. Ich bitte dafür um Verständnis und um die Einhaltung der Redezeit, soweit das der Inhalt der Rede erlaubt.
Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, ‘Women, Life, Freedom!’. I observe with deep admiration the breathtaking courage with which Iranian women stand these days against the dictatorship of Khamenei and his morality police.
The message of the Iranian protests is universal and resonates across the world. It is heard by women in Poland and the US, who are denied the right to their own bodies; it is heard by women in Italy, where ultra—conservative forces are coming to power. It is heard by women everywhere, where the same obscurants under different symbols wait for the nearest opportunity to trap free women in predetermined roles.
That is why I think it is essential that their slogans are heard today in this room over and over again: (the speaker used a slogan in a non-official language).
Simona Baldassarre (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, la morte di Mahsa Amini a 22 anni per una ciocca di capelli fuori dal velo è un orrore inaccettabile. Quel velo che mortifica e uccide, simbolo di sottomissione, ma promosso recentemente dall'UE come emblema di integrazione.
Come diceva Oriana Fallaci, vi sono donne nel mondo che ancora vivono dietro la nebbia fitta di un velo, la nebbia che avvolge il regime iraniano, responsabile di 76 manifestanti uccisi e migliaia di arresti solo nelle ultime due settimane. Tra questi un'italiana, Alessia Piperno.
Sollecito quindi la Farnesina e lei Commissario Borrell a utilizzare ogni strumento perché Alessia e gli altri europei in carcere tornino al più presto a casa. Mahsa Amini e tutte le altre Mahsa vittime del regime iraniano non devono essere dimenticate.
Per questo, Presidente, vorrei aderire all'iniziativa dell'Associazione rifugiati politici italiani e accendere una candela per non lasciare sola la coraggiosa ribellione delle donne iraniane.
Hermann Tertsch (ECR). – Señor presidente, en Irán están sucediendo monstruosidades. La policía del régimen terrorista de los ayatolás mata a una mujer mediante palizas y torturas por enseñar el pelo, por llevar mal puesto ese chador; por llevar mal puesto un pañuelo del cual hace propaganda la Unión Europea y al cual protege la Unión Europea en carteles y en publicidad propia.
Después la policía mata y mata y mata a mujeres y a hombres que protestan contra ese monstruoso régimen. Van más de 300. Y puede ser, puede ser que esto sea el principio del final de ese régimen.
Pero, curiosamente, sale muy poco en nuestros medios, en nuestros medios europeos, tan socialdemócratas y amaestrados, sale muy poquito porque hay otros intereses. En el año 2019, señor Borrell, tuvimos 1 500 muertos en el mes de diciembre. Un mes más tarde estaba usted dando la mano a las autoridades, a los jefes de los asesinos, a aquellos que mancharon todas las calles de las ciudades de Irán de sangre. Detrás, hay unos intereses, al parecer muy poderosos.
La Unión Europea tiene que acabar con los acuerdos con este régimen. La Unión Europea debe dejar de tratar a Irán como si fuera un socio cualquiera; es un socio terrorista, del que no se puede ser socio, en ningún caso. Bastante ha emponzoñado la política europea con sus financiaciones de comunistas españoles que están en este momento en el gobierno.
David Lega (PPE). – Mr President, High Representative, I say to the Iranian women – the changemakers in Iran – we support you. I want to be crystal clear that we wholeheartedly support the aspirations of the Iranian people who want to live in a free, stable, inclusive and democratic country. And we strongly condemn the compulsory hijab law. We condemn the morality police. And we condemn the brutal repression and violence.
But words are not enough. I call on the EU and the rest of the world to take action. We need an investigation and we need accountability. The abusers must be punished. Actions do speak louder than words. That is why I hope that the EU High Representative will never wear the hijab in meetings with Iranian counterparts again. The former High Representative, Federica Mogherini, failed in representing our EU values and that is why I hope the new Swedish Foreign Minister will never wear the hijab in meetings with Iranian counterparts; the former Swedish Foreign Minister and leader failed in representing European values. Enough is enough.
Pierfrancesco Majorino (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, siamo al fianco delle donne che in Iran stanno lottando ogni giorno nel nome della libertà e della dignità. La loro lotta è anche la nostra. La repressione scellerata messa in atto in queste settimane colpisce innanzitutto loro, le donne. Colpisce le ragazze, colpisce chi rivendica il diritto a decidere di sé, come del resto in questi anni già aveva colpito spesso personalità del mondo della cultura, voci libere, cittadini non allineati con la voce autoritaria del regime.
In questi giorni assistiamo a persecuzioni violente, molestie, torture, incarcerazioni, in una repressione inaudita che dopo l'uccisione di Mahsa Amini ha prodotto decine e decine di vittime. Un clima di terrore di fronte a cui le nostre istituzioni devono rispondere inasprendo le relazioni diplomatiche ed esercitando la pressione massima senza farsi intimidire. Le ragazze e i ragazzi dell'Iran, nelle strade del loro paese e in tutto il mondo, stanno ripetendo tre parole che voglio anch'io ripetere qui: "Donna, vita, libertà".
Salima Yenbou (Renew). – Monsieur le Président, Mahsa Amini, 22 ans, est morte à Téhéran. Morte de la brutalité de la police des mœurs pour une mèche de cheveux qui dépassait de son foulard. Une onde de choc féministe s'est répandue en Iran et dans le monde, comme en Afghanistan, où les femmes manifestaient aussi. Une révolte menée par les femmes iraniennes, accompagnées d'hommes et d'enfants face à cette dictature qui bafoue leurs droits, les opprime et les tue. Je salue le courage de ces femmes qui revendiquent leur droit à la liberté malgré les intimidations, les agressions, les viols et les assassinats d'État.
La brutalité de la répression témoigne évidemment de la peur du régime face à l'ampleur des soulèvements. Nous devons étendre et actualiser les sanctions à l'égard d'officiels du régime qui participent aux violences des droits humains en Iran. L'ONU doit ouvrir une enquête sur les violences et meurtres des manifestantes. Nous sommes et nous devons tous être Mahsa Amini. Pour toutes les femmes qui portent l'espoir d'un nouveau monde, levons-nous pour porter les voix de nos sœurs iraniennes: (l'oratrice utilise un slogan dans une langue non officielle) - Femme, vie, liberté».
Isabel Wiseler-Lima (PPE). – Monsieur le Président, la mort de Mahsa Amini est une tragédie. La population iranienne en révolte démontre un courage exceptionnel vu la brutalité de la répression. Je me suis dit que la manière la plus appropriée de condamner les violences des autorités iraniennes à l'encontre de sa population, et des femmes en particulier, était de donner la parole à ceux qui se révoltent. Je citerai donc un de ces jeunes Iraniens anonymes mais déterminés qui se soulèvent et qui mettent beaucoup d'espoir en nous. Ce jeune Iranien avait l'intention de quitter son pays mais a décidé de rester et de lutter. Je le cite en anglais.
‘We believe the world might have a wrong and distorted image from Iranian people, especially over the past decades. But we want to correct it. We are not this government, we hate it. We are Iranians, from a country with more than 2 500 years of history. We believe in love, peace, human rights. We hate brutal Islamic laws. And for this, our children, our young people are being killed by the regime. We might be arrested or killed.’
– Mais, continue-t-il, ceci n'est que le début pour un changement en profondeur. Ils nous demandent à nous Européens de les aider en refusant tout compromis avec un régime qui opprime. Soutenons ces jeunes iraniens dans leur combat.
Evelyn Regner (S&D). – Mr President, I am extremely horrified how the Iranian regime hunts down these brave Iranian women and men. But at the same time I’m proud, very proud, and proud of every single woman standing up for her rights, standing up for the rights of her sisters and daughters. And I’m proud of the many men supporting women’s rights openly.
It is essential that all women around the world know that they are valuable, that they have rights. And these brave women in Iran are the reasons why these rigid structures begin to change. So we, as politicians from other parts of the world, have to show the Iranian government that we will not accept their crimes against their own citizens, not accept their crimes against these brave women.
So rest in power, Mahsa Amini.
SĒDI VADA: ROBERTS ZĪLE Priekšsēdētājas vietnieks
Samira Rafaela (Renew). – Mr President, since the murder of Kurdish Mahsa (Jina) Amini, 92 people have died in Iran. Only because a brave woman stood for her individual choice. And the individual choice of women in Iran is at stake.
And all these women have fathers, just like Mahsa (Jina) Amini had a father – a man. And I’ve been thinking of what’s been going on in his mind. Did I protect my daughter enough? Did I give enough resistance as a man in Iran to the morality police? Is this because of a piece of fabric and her identity that I lost my daughter?
What if all fathers stood up against oppressors of our daughters? Questions like these will continuously go through their minds in Iran. And only when these fathers, together with the strong women in Iran, stand up, they can change the regime of Iran.
Commissioner, we are always clear about what we are against, but let’s also be clear on what we stand for. These strong women currently in danger need a safe haven. And therefore, I’m asking the Commission to investigate whether Europe can offer this to them.
José Manuel Fernandes (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, Senhor Vice-Presidente e Alto Representante, Caras e Caros Colegas, em primeiro lugar, temos de expressar as nossas condolências para com a família e os amigos da Mahsa Amini. Infelizmente, foi assassinada pelo regime iraniano. Há que sublinhar que não é um caso isolado. E também deveríamos perguntar se temos feito tudo para condenar, repudiar e evitar que estes casos aconteçam.
O povo iraniano quer liberdade, pretende, no fundo, um Estado de direito, luta pela democracia. A nossa obrigação é, ou deveria ser, a de ajudar sempre, até porque, como referi, são milhares de iranianos que têm sido assassinados, que têm sido torturados por este regime.
Por isso, impõe-se, e termino, que a Comissão Europeia tudo faça, não só para condenar, mas para ter ações concretas, como sanções ou medidas restritivas, como o Alto Representante referiu.
Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (PPE). – Señor presidente, Mahsa Amini, 22 años, una joven iraní que mostraba demasiado pelo bajo el velo. Motivo suficiente para su detención por la Policía de la Moral, Policía de Prevención del Vicio y Promoción de la Virtud. Ya el nombre es un escándalo. Horas después, Amini estaba en coma y tres días después moría en el hospital.
Se ha desatado una ola de protestas en todo el mundo, que ha conducido en Irán a pérdidas de vidas y también a cientos de detenidos y heridos. Las fuerzas de seguridad de Irán han respondido de una manera muy violenta y hay restricciones en las comunicaciones.
Los agentes allí tienen el poder de dar el alto a cualquier mujer y examinar su vestimenta, examinar los mechones de cabello que tiene a la vista, la longitud de los pantalones o de su abrigo, o la cantidad, incluso, de maquillaje. La pena puede ser de detención, de latigazos, de multa o de cárcel. Eso, sin hablar de la multitud de leyes civiles absolutamente denigrantes. ¿Cómo es posible que la moral de un país entero dependa de si un trozo de tela se desliza accidentalmente o no sobre la cabeza de una mujer?
El mundo está mirando. Cuando se hace una violación contra una mujer, se ataca a todos nosotros. Mujer, vida y libertad.
Antonio López-Istúriz White (PPE). – Señor presidente, señor alto representante, señorías, las protestas de las mujeres y jóvenes se han extendido por todo Irán. Cientos han sido asesinados porque quieren vivir en un país libre, democrático y tener la libertad de vivir sus vidas sin tener que rendir cuentas al régimen de los ayatolás.
El régimen fundamentalista continúa fallando a su pueblo de manera constante y brutal. En lugar de escuchar las voces de la reforma, han optado una vez más por la represión, la brutalidad y la muerte de sus ciudadanos. En lugar de escuchar a las madres e hijas de Irán, el régimen optó por censurar sus voces, cerrando Internet en todo el país y persiguiéndolas. Es nuestro deber arrojar luz sobre lo que le está sucediendo al pueblo de Irán.
Señorías, yo les pregunto: un régimen que no escucha ni respeta a su propio pueblo ¿es de fiar? ¿Es un actor legítimo con el que se debe negociar? Constantemente este Parlamento solicita no negociar acuerdos con uno u otro país por falta de respeto a los derechos humanos. Pero negociamos en la Unión Europea con un Estado fundamentalista y dictatorial, como es el régimen de los ayatolás. No más negociaciones ya con el régimen de los ayatolás.
Maria Walsh (PPE). – Mr President, Mahsa Amini and the women of Iran are incredibly powerful. We’ve seen this at first hand, in large part because of the instantaneous connection we all have through social media, and the bravery of our trusted and free journalists.
The young women of Iran have grown up in an age of digitalisation, of connectivity, and because of this, are connected to the rest of the world in a way that older generations could never imagine. They explore, they learn, they decide for themselves. They hear the voices and see the faces of fellow change—makers their own age. They are powerful.
We are living in a time – thankfully – where young leaders are standing strong for their rights, for their freedoms, for their future. They too see fundamental rights are to be protected. Mahsa Amini should never have lost her life to hateful ideology. Never.
While the Iranian Government works to cut these brave young women off from the rest of the world, we see what they are fighting for. These women will not be silenced. No woman should ever be. Their protests are fundamentally changing the course of history for the generations to come. We here in Europe stand with you in the spirit of Mahsa Amini.
François-Xavier Bellamy (PPE). – Monsieur le Président, le monde entier reçoit une leçon de courage de Mahsa Amini, Hadis Najafi, Ghazale Chelavi, et de tant d’autres qui risquent et perdent leur vie partout en Iran simplement pour ne pas vivre cachées, prisonnières d’un voile qui leur est imposé au nom de l’islam, même quand elles crient ne pas l’avoir choisi.
Ces jeunes femmes, avec leurs 20 ans, donnent une leçon de courage à l’Europe. Et ce continent, qui a porté dans son histoire l’exigence de la liberté de conscience et qui l’a payé si cher à chaque fois qu’il l’a oubliée, doit tout faire pour les protéger.
Vous ne savez pas, Monsieur le Haut-représentant, si le mot de «sanction» est le bon: peu importe, du moment que vous agissez pour montrer aux criminels iraniens que l’Europe ne reste pas silencieuse devant l’assassinat de la jeunesse de leur propre pays.
Mais commençons nous-mêmes par ne pas trahir ces femmes: ce parlement a voté en juin dernier une résolution qui refusait toute interdiction du voile, toute discussion sur le voile, au nom de l’intersectionnalité. Où était la gauche, si prompte à critiquer les religions? Où étaient les féministes, qui chassent le patriarcat dans nos pays et aux États-Unis? Tout le monde a joué l’indifférence quand nous avons dénoncé la campagne, financée l’an dernier par la Commission, qui proclamait que «la liberté est dans le hidjab». Est-ce que tout cela ne nous révolte pas, ne vous révolte pas maintenant?
«Apportez de la joie. Acceptez le hidjab»: c’était là le slogan du Conseil de l’Europe. Dirigeants du Conseil de l’Europe, est-ce que vous avez honte? Est-ce que vous demanderez pardon quand vous penserez à Mahsa, à Hadis, à Ghazale, mortes pour avoir crié que le hidjab, c’est l’oppression?
Il est temps de faire enfin la lumière sur les stratégies d’entrisme et les complicités coupables qui ont conduit à ces reniements terribles.
Ivan Štefanec (PPE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, current demonstrations in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini have been going on for almost 20 days now. These protests, which have spread to all Iranian provinces, have been brutally repressed by the Iranian regime and so far led to 400 deaths and many injuries of people, including college and university students. In reality, the number of deaths could be much higher.
I am also very concerned about the fate of more than 20 thousand detainees where there is no guarantee that their fundamental rights are respected. This reminds me of the brutal suppression of the protests in November 2019.
We all know that the Iranian regime is responding with severe brutality but despite this, the Iranian people are still on the streets. So I do believe that the European Union should act now and call on President Raisi to stop the push back against the protesters immediately and free the political prisoners. People in Iran deserve freedom and respect of basic human rights.
Catch-the-eye procedure
Milan Zver (PPE). – Hvala lepa, spoštovani gospod predsedujoči ! Torej, po okrutnem umoru gospe Amini se je iransko ljudstvo ponovno prebudilo. Ne prvič, nazadnje leta 2019. A tokrat so v ospredju ženske in protesti obetajo spremembe. Toda tudi takrat, pred leti, in tudi danes iranski režim uporablja vse mogoče načine, nasilje, da prepreči upornikom, da bi dosegli demokracijo in svobodo.
Ampak to, kar sem vesel danes, nocoj, je to, da je cel Evropski parlament dokaj enoten – en glas v podporo iranski opoziciji v boju za demokracijo in svobodo. In to je dobro.
Ampak to, kar Evropa potrebuje ta hip, je, da bi vse evropske institucije bile bolj učinkovite. Zadnja leta nismo bili. Imeli smo dokaj medel pristop proti režimu, ki je v tem času ojačal, postal dejansko, faktično, tudi jedrska sila in ki ogroža tudi regijo nasploh. Še enkrat poudarjam želim, da si torej...
(predsedujoči je govorniku vzel besedo)
Margarida Marques (S&D). – Senhor Presidente, há cerca de dez anos estive no Irão. A nossa guia, uma jovem, partilhou connosco o terror em que viviam as jovens. Bastava que uma madeixa dos seus cabelos fugisse para fora dos seus véus. Viviam confrontadas no dia a dia, à saída de casa, à saída da universidade, com os grupos ditos espontâneos de defesa da moralidade.
Não esquecemos o custo da Revolução de 1979 para as mulheres iranianas, quando antes se tinham batido pela liberdade. Hoje assistimos a uma polícia da moralidade, que quer obrigar as mulheres a esconderem os seus corpos, que lhes retiram os seus direitos e liberdades, que as mata.
Alto Representante, a solidariedade concreta da União Europeia para com estas mulheres é fundamental e urgente, assim como para com aqueles homens, mulheres e jovens que, finalmente, com enorme coragem, reivindicam valores fundamentais. Não só os valores assentes na cultura europeia. Falamos de valores e de direitos universais.
Jordi Solé (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, the mullahs – religious fundamentalists – killed Mahsa Amini and the regime’s repressive nature is now killing dozens of protesters, many of them women, who are demanding life and justice, life in freedom and dignity. All authoritarian regimes respond to popular unrest by claiming that they are the result of foreign interference, because they are simply unable to recognise that even under the most brutal circumstances, there are always citizens willing to sacrifice everything to defend human rights, human dignity and freedom.
We have to stand by those protesting against the repressive rule imposed on them. We have to use all the mechanisms at our disposal to get the Iranian regime to stop persecuting dissidents, to stop imposing policies on those that attack the most elementary human rights, and finally open up a country diverse in ideologies, thoughts, religions and minorities, a democratic country where Mahsa Amini would never have become the spark and the symbol that lit the fire of protest.
(Brīvā mikrofona uzstāšanās beigas)
Josep Borrell Fontelles,Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, honourable Members, this long debate justifies your continued interest and engagement on human rights in Iran in particular.