Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, we are entering a troubled period which has devastated the world, but which has particularly shaken Europe, both in the management of own resources, in the management of our borders and in the multitude of restrictions and criteria. The Union needs to reflect, learn from its shortcomings and improve. Europe must act faster and more efficiently, and it must do so with the voice and work of the European Parliament in mind. It is therefore fair to praise the fact that the Commission has implemented two of Parliament's proposals, the applicability of which has resulted in a reduction in uncoordination and insecurity in the midst of the pandemic crisis. I am referring to the Union Digital Certificate and the Covid-19 Security Seal. The balance of summer 2021 in some European tourist destinations was positive. In some cases, such as on the island of Madeira, the occupancy rate went to pre-pandemic levels, largely thanks to the promotion of internal tourism, but also the result of measures and instruments that allowed coordination, security and simplification of documents in European space. This pandemic, on the other hand, has generated an accelerating effect on the digital and environmental transition, priorities of the Union. We know and welcome the commitment of the regions, destinations, companies and tourism agents who, at a time of suffocation, have invested in this twin transition. Commissioner Breton, Europe can and must do more. Union support should not be limited to two or three Union instruments. There is an urgent need to support Member States considering those that have suffered the greatest impact. It is necessary to prolong moratoria, to create direct support. In Portugal, in my country, the industry is crying out for support that has not yet arrived. It is necessary to prolong SURE and to incentivise a fall in the intermediate VAT rate. I will end, Commissioner, with an appeal: Tourism is made by and for people. There is an urgent need to comply with the obligations of passenger rights, for which many complaints are ongoing. We cannot demand more from some than from others.

Mr President, Commissioner, the aviation sector has a significant influence on the European Union's labour market. In Portugal, my country is one of the countries with the most jobs in this sector with a weight of 0.4% in national employment. Concentrating all aid on a single sectoral actor, in the specific case of flag carriers only, is not only wrong but also unfair. We must not forget the companies of handling, maintenance, catering, and many others, including also smaller airlines. These are essential for territorial cohesion and without which it is impossible to offer a quality service. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund has been a tool found by some Member States to ensure the training and retraining of the aviation workforce in many different areas. As we are going through an unprecedented crisis in a sector of enormous competition with State aid to the main flag companies, we run the serious risk that the adjustment will be made at the expense of the weakest link in the entire chain, the workers, and therefore it is urgent to find adequate protection mechanisms, avoiding, of course, the deterioration of working conditions and, in particular, safety issues, and we clearly do not want to include wage decline. Separate labour legislation in several countries further distorts the already distorted air transport market in some situations. The restructuring of the companies which make up this aviation sector and which are undergoing profound transformation requires consistency, the issue of redundancies. It is up to those who have the power to legislate, to those who have the power to legislate, to ensure support for those who lose their jobs and also to comply with labour rights legislation. In conclusion, therefore, I would like to ask the Commission: Is the Commission in a position to guarantee respect for the working conditions of undertakings which have been subject to State intervention? And in view of the restructuring processes outlined by the Member States approved in the Commission, are they able to guarantee the support and integration of workers into the labour market?

Madam President, the approval of the new EMFAF is of paramount importance for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Especially at a time of pandemic and economic crisis when support is scarce. However, I can only deplore the insensitivity and injustice in the position of both the Council and the Commission as regards support for the purchase of new vessels for the small-scale fishing fleet, which has been called for and approved by this Parliament. It is not about fishing more or increasing the fleet, it is about fishing better and sustainably, with better conditions, including working conditions. Only those who do not know the European fleet, its state of ageing, particularly in the outermost regions, can think that modernising existing vessels only and only solves the problem. It doesn't fix it. If there is no support for the purchase, the abandonment of the activity will be an inevitable and dramatic consequence for some coastal communities. In Portugal, sustainable fishing gear may soon disappear. We regret that this situation happens in regions such as Madeira and the Azores, for which sustainable art, fishing gear, is also a form of sustainability and economy.