Speeches

Elsi Katainen, here you say hello to this legal certainty and to the fact that this is going backwards, but also to the fact that it cannot be possible to bring individual buildings to the farms. However, do you also see in this whole that deforestation must also be applied to domestic products imported from within Europe, that is, how, in your opinion, this could have been brought to the finish line in such a way that it would reduce deforestation globally and we would also do our homework in Finland?

Madam President, I’m sorry to be only now here. Physical travel from Finland took a bit longer in France. But this winter, the competitiveness of the European industry and economy have been a great cause of political discussion due to high energy prices, the war on the continent and the upheaval of the global supply chains. We need to enact more robust European industrial policy fit for this challenge in the world to create more decent jobs and welfare. The Data Act is a key element on the regulatory side to give a push for European data innovations and data markets to be created. We need a clear framework to enable fair and open utilisation of data by private businesses, consumers and the public sector. The single market is Europe’s greatest power and the source of the ‘Brussels effect’. So by shaping the emerging data market now, we are showing that the global data market can reflect the European objectives of competition, consumer protection and democratic rules. Dear colleagues, it is a historic day. We will create a new right by legislation. When buying or renting a product that produces data, an enterprise or consumer will not only be a source and object for data collection, but will have a right to the data the use of the product provides. Doesn’t it sound reasonable? Yes, it does. Is it a fact today? No, it is not. So let’s do this and there will be a right for the user to know what data the use of the machine is collecting and providing and have a say how it can be used. This will unleash a lot of data for the new services and hopefully also disruptive innovations. Some estimates say that 80% of this so-called industrial data is unused in silos. I am very happy already to see companies in health and hospitals working for better ways to use data for our good. I was very delighted to talk to farmers who are waiting for this to happen and thinking of the ways they can utilise the data produced in their own farms. Repair services are there to employ more people as we will reduce waste and material use by better repair possibilities. The efficient use of, and fair access to, data will provide a new competitive edge for many SMEs in Europe. I am confident also that this legislation will be useful if something serious like the pandemic happens. There will be well framed rules in place to use data to help society through public sector action to work for the best of citizens. I want to thank the rapporteur, the Commissioner and many colleagues and so many others around Europe who believed in this fair data economy already when we wrote together the brave vision for the European Data Strategy, including these business-to-business data sharing rules. So, colleagues, I urge you all to vote in favour so we can start trilogues as soon as possible.

Mr President, Ukraine saw its first snow this mid—November, just a couple of days after the new wave of missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure had left approximately 10 million people, our friends, without electricity and a warm place. As we speak, organisations are providing generators in coordination with the Ukraine authorities to ensure electricity supply to critical facilities, hospitals, schools and then heating points for people to get together. However, this is not enough and we need to do more to win the war and to protect Ukraine, their own land and their homes. Winter conditions in Ukraine, where the temperature can drop below 20 degrees, brings a new dimension to the humanitarian crisis in the country. As energy is weaponised, we have to stay firm. It is seen in our countries, too, with the unbearable prices homes sometimes need to pay. We need a resistance together with the Ukrainians. We need to act on every level. And I don’t bear any populistic talks in this crisis. Slava Ukraini!

Madam President, dear Commissioner and Minister Bek, it’s overwhelmingly positive that finally the USA is also investing in climate change and engaging for these actions in the Inflation Reduction Act, just as we debated with the colleagues ten days ago in the Congress. Also we see that the third TTC Ministerial was also positive on its concrete outcomes, on digital infrastructure and charging point standardisation among others, and also the new labour dialogue. However, the unintended consequences of this act, the Inflation Reduction Act, undermine this good work. The Inflation Reduction Act design seriously risks drawing investments away from Europe to the USA, and it violates US international trade commitments. If there is no satisfactory solution very soon, the EU response must be swift and it must at the same time respect the principles of our single market, the most powerful tool for our economy and global standing, with the right balance and targeted support for future—proof industries, we should establish retail and supply chains with like—minded allies and lay down the foundation of our own strategic autonomy, alongside – and not against – transatlantic allies.

Mr President, and welcome to the European Parliament. I appreciate this opportunity to have a dialogue and I saw you spoke from your heart. We all know the greetings of the past government, Janša’s government, and we are so happy that only in 5 months and 12 days you have delivered. Not everything can be changed, but you see the government building the common Europe and showing that the small country can play an active role on the way forward on the transition that is so important even in the time of the crisis. Your greetings on the energy systems I could not agree with more. It needs to be a clean transition and we need to get rid of the speculators on the markets. And this day, when the people are seeing the prices of energy, also your government will put a lot of help for their citizens. Dear colleagues, I think what we heard today also on the importance of rule of law, it may not be unanswered that we can send greetings to the Slovenian Parliament. Thank you for giving same—sex marriage rights also to citizens in Slovenia, as we have worked here for the rule of law, it is important the national government is doing the very same thing.

Mr President, Europe has a common and share a common understanding and it’s very clear we stand with Ukraine to help it defend its territory, each square meter, and to stay a sovereign state. We need to make the world see that any threat to Russians is from their own president. It’s not from NATO, the EU or Europe, it’s their president who will threaten their morality, economical stand, and sending men to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians. But in this war we have on our continent, we also need to protect the rest of Europe. Security is the highest priority – whether it’s an energy crisis or is it unbearable prices, the lack of energy because of so much reducing energy from Russia. It is a cold winter to manage if we don’t succeed with the savings too. I welcome the word from the Commission President to raise the protection of all the critical infrastructure. And also I welcome the words and general guidelines for visa issue, the Commission statement that every Member State should take into account the security when issuing visas to Russians.

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.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, the vote on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) revision is a crucial enabler of sustainable bioenergy and clean hydrogen energy. Without them, our industrial decarbonisation and the objective to reach a 45% share of renewable energy from the sources in the energy mix in 2030 becomes unfeasible. We must create a predictable and legislative environment that sets ambitions high for sustainable energy production without hindering the deployment of all non-fossil technologies needed for the Green Transition. A transition of the renewable energy sources and away from imported fossil fuels is also a smart security policy, as we have seen in the first half of this year. To this end, we must ensure that the RED criteria meet both our sustainable objectives and energy needs and distance ourselves from the black and white debate, especially when it comes to the role of primary wood biomasses. So, I therefore support this broad ITRE report to boost our renewables.

Mr President, it is great that this week we are discussing forests, because man must put his life within the constraints of nature. Yet I do not like the black-and-white debate that forests are either used only from an economic point of view or that forests could not be used at all, because we have also learned to use forests sustainably – replanting, protecting biodiversity and using the term ‘sustainable forestry’ in forest management measures. I hope that the good outlook created on the basis of the strategy will also be reflected in the European Union's legislative work, so that we will also have forests that we can sustainably exploit and also see their value above all for biodiversity, because this has been a new vision during this period that must also be used in forest management activities. Determined work takes us far in Europe.

Madam President, I wonder what year it is now. How far back in history do some people here want to take us? Human rights, women’s rights, even girls’ rights. I think Roe v. Wade is not only a concern inside the US, and as we talk here, the title is about ‘global threats’ to a person’s rights. So I think we need to work here for every woman in the world. We need to have free, safe, legal abortion, and when life is mentioned here, we should look at those women who lose their lives without a safe, legal and available abortion. So when we talk about women’s rights, their right to their body, their right to decide on pregnancy, it is not a man to decide it. It is a right that we have to prevail. So I conclude, I stand here with all the women in the world, with you, women in Poland, women in Malta, women in the USA. These are our rights.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, the security environment in Europe fundamentally changed when Russia started the illegal and brutal attack against Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine. But facing situations like this, we need to make progress on the EU foreign security and defence policy as well. We need cohesion and effectiveness of EU external actions and we need European Union and solidarity also among the Member States. The solidarity and mutual assistance clauses in the Treaties, and at the very heart of the Union’s security policy, must not be empty letters. Also, the strategic compass adopted earlier this year provides a very good basis for developing the EU security and defence policy. The consequences have been very profound. It has led Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership, and in May the two countries submitted applications. I hope you can support the amendment calling for a swift adoption of these memberships in the EU countries that are NATO members, as we did already in the vote today.

Mr President, Commissioner Timmermans. You told us well here today that we want more jobs in the industry. I think it is an excellent start because we need work in Europe and we need a sustainable transition to a climate-neutral Europe. The whole package will be voted on in this House tomorrow, but it is already clear that there will be strong support for the continuation of the ETS. We need a price for coal. We need investment certainty for new industrial investments in Europe and we will be able to do this because we will finally have a carbon border adjustment mechanism. The CBAM will no longer allow Europe to turn a blind eye to the fact that we use steel produced elsewhere and do not look at its impact on emissions here. However, I am concerned that the CBAM CBAM did not yet provide a solution for exports. Parliament is also becoming an export-related solution. I would like to encourage Parliament's negotiators to reach a final result, whatever form it takes in the votes. In addition, Parliament also takes account of maritime safety and environmental conditions by taking into account the classification of ships' ice equipment in maritime emission allowances, which is an absolute condition, even though it consumes a little more fuel. I wish you good negotiations.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, getting artificial intelligence right is one of the key questions for the future – also for the European Union. This technology will shape the way value is created in our economy and who wields the power in our societies. We cannot look away from this development and just let it happen. That became clear from our work. We need to sail not drift in technological development. The work of the AIDA Committee was a European push to get artificial intelligence right. I had the honour to serve as the first vice—chair, and I thank the chair and the rapporteurs for this work. I think we worked hard and I am proud of the results. For 18 months, AIDA organised 12 public hearings on different aspects of AI, from tackling the bias of the data to the role of AI in achieving the Green Deal objectives. We debated, different political groups worked together to bring the whole spectrum of AI—based values on the table. Like we condemned AI surveillance in the working place and are concerned that is happening in schools also. In the end, we delivered. The report we are voting on today is a good report that takes steps towards the European approach to AI. We consider, for example, that the imbalance in powers might have negative effects for democracies. If there’s one conclusion I can draw from this work, it is that AI can only be a tool, not an end itself. We should not focus on the specific technologies, but we should focus on what kind of societies we want to see. It is crucial that we see AI as a stepping stone towards inclusive, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable societies. This requires a political effort in directing technological developments towards these goals and help investing in them. I see the report as a sign of Europe taking an active role in the global development of AI. The current AI Act gives the world’s first legal framework for the development of AI, and Parliament has now shown a sign, a strong signal where we want to go. In terms of AI, Europe will no longer be a bystander. Europe will no longer be a battleground. In the future, the EU will be an ecosystem of excellence, trust and purpose that delivers AI to take us to the future we want.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, the Data Governance Act is a key step towards a fair European data economy. Data is a resource that we don’t take necessarily in our hands, and why? Because it is now taken and used by the biggest player leading to the monopolies. This is surely not the most effective way for society to benefit from digitalisation. With the Data Governance Act, Europe is taking an important and concrete step to alternative model. A lot of good can happen on industrial data when it is used by more companies, so the data is not used and benefits only for a few but many. So we pushed for the trusted intermediators and interoperable data spaces. They are key condition to unleashing data’s potential around Europe. I want to extend my gratitude to the rapporteur, co-rapporteurs and all the committees. But I must say we cannot rest yet. There is so much to do. The last piece of the puzzle will be the Data Act. But today, colleagues, we cannot rest also because we don’t have a clue where our data is used. There was today, maybe Commissioner too, there was today published the TG Power study, and that shows that also the politicians are affected by the data used on our data. My mobile was tested. There were other European policy-makers. Please Google hashtag TG Power, because it shows how influence is doing on our data and we don’t have a clue. We have to make rules very quickly. It is also a question of security.

Madam President, the Commission’s RePower EU communication is important. It shows how much we finance the war machine in Russia, which began one month ago today. How much does it mean? 30 times EUR 700 million. I don’t want to count that. But I find it promising that the Commission statement is now working on speeding up the transition, and looking at how the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle can be implemented for next winter, and especially in the years to come, and fast permits for renewable energy could be more binding than just a recommendation. Quick action is needed to diversify the sources, and gas storage obligations are important – or other fuel when suitable in some countries. So let us look ahead to the next winter or two. But let us not waste a single month in speeding up the transition, the availability and production of the heat pumps, solar panels, energy efficiency actions, renovation. All these. Every month counts, and we can reduce export bills.

Madam President, five years went quickly. I am very happy now because I was the rapporteur last mandate. I know the mandate before, we didn't succeed. Last mandate we did and it was thanks to the good work of Parliament mainly that we managed to push down prices. And now I may congratulate the negotiators on the good results, with the right data prices, fair-use policy, even improved quality of service. But today we do have people among us who long for their dear ones in Ukraine. And thanksto the generosity of the telecom operators, as the Commissioner told us, there have been free SIM cards and services and WiFi offered. But I also see, and there has been readiness for the regional roaming agreement, which was due to be signed by the end of the year. I have not seen any news that it took place. Is that the case? We need to help and I want to have concrete measures. We are helping many companies. Can we also not only plead with them to do it for free?

Madam President, I would say to dear Ukraine: you show us what is important in life. It is peace, it is democracy, it is the rule of law and it is friends. We don’t need more authoritarian leaders or violent nationalism, but cooperation and unity. You actually, Putin, made us love the European Union. You made us see the things that we should have done earlier, take the steps that we should have taken earlier. We are too dependent on fossil energy, and we are paying into your war machine. This needs to stop. Also, the Council needs to take brave steps on the Strategic Compass and make Europe more resilient. Sanctions will hit Russia, no question about it. But it is not possible, if we are to continue your energy politics, that we will pay so much. Putin, the blood on your hands will not be long hidden from the people of Russia!

Mr President, we are discussing today a very important topic that concerns a very fundamental general principle of the EU institutions, namely transparency. Trust between citizens and the institutions depends on transparency and how it’s practiced. It is central that all institutions function in a transparent manner, according to the regulation that embodies the rules on public access to the documents of the institutions. That ruling is called Regulation (EC) 1049/2001. Of course, means of communications have changed since then. There is an urgent call to look if that is still unclear, and I think the strong message from the Ombudsman, who accused the Commission of maladministration, is a need to change the situation. So, important content can be a text message and can be something else. But of course, in real life, there are situations when information cannot be disclosed, but even then, these situations need to be well justified and based on EU law, not wrong predictions.

Madam President, batteries are a crucial element for our green transition and the new circular economy. As renewable energy sources become more and more important, batteries have a key role in balancing the grid. They are key in electromobility, transforming the transportation sector to carbon neutral. Demand for batteries will dramatically increase in coming years as the whole energy system is also transforming. As mentioned here, war in Ukraine will have an impact on this as well. How can we guarantee sources when the trade and material chains are breaking globally? I think the Commission has worked hard since the last Commission period and continued today by Commissioner Šefčovič and now, Commission, is still no time to sleep. This is a great piece of legislation with regard to the sustainability and also the source of materials as the best source is recycled once used materials. But have you mapped, have you looked at what we have in our soils? There is a lot of potential. I know in my country there are unused sources for cobalt, graphite and lithium with sustainable working conditions. If we still need to import from other countries, do we now have security that they pay due diligence duties and that it is ecologically and also sustainably sourced so that battery industries can trust that due diligence covers human rights as well? I think Europe can become an important player in the battery industry by creating a battery ecosystem based on the sustainability requirements and excellent research and innovation and by incorporating values.

Madam President, I would like to welcome to the European Parliament the prime minister of a neighbouring country, dear Kaja. In Finland and Estonia, we share the same external border with Russia, the country that brutally, alone, attacked Ukraine. We share historical memories, too. When Sweden decided now to send military equipment to Russia, it was first time since 1939 – when they helped Finland in the winter war. Be sure that we are now discussing several proposals to strengthen the Union and strengthen our security, and this is done in a democratic way. A new era was brutally started by Russia on 24 February. Our sanctions were not enough and our actions were not enough after the occupation of Crimea, and now we see attacks against a democratic rule—based system and against innocent civilians. The two past weeks show that we have not imposed enough sanctions. The attack on Ukraine is not only the concern of a sovereign state, but the horrifying fact that war is in Europe. The concern is also for the whole of humanity. It is important to see that crossing the border and breaking the rules also had causes and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is opening an investigation into the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. The EU has been leading now and transatlantic relations are very important, to be sure. Dear President, in this very room, we will have an opportunity this weekend to build a better, more secure Europe, by the citizens and for the citizens, when we talk in the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Mr President, we must be allowed to build our digital future on the basis of human rights and not let human rights disappear when online. There are many laws to protect people in real life; online life lacks rules and laws. What is illegal offline must be also illegal online. It’s urgent to tackle fake news and hate speech. The internet is global. It is no longer open and democratic, but built on a few private platforms, so these big platforms need rules to guarantee safe, open and fair cyberspace. This legislation prevents the creating of a profile of children on the basis of their online life. It also protects all of us, and prohibits the use of our most sensitive data to fuel targeted advertising. Would you accept everything your children have done online being used to create a profile of them for advertising? Me neither. We need much stronger protection than what we have now. Targeted advertising is not only a question of the consumer and markets; it is about human rights. The EU is not alone in our efforts to govern digital platforms. Yesterday, Democrats in the US Congress proposed the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act. For societies, a fairer economical model is also crucial. Interoperability requirements allow more actors and companies to bring more economic activity; then we can set a level playing field.

Mr President, this autumn we talked a lot about energy because of the prices. Rapid measures are needed, but we may not lose the sight in the horizon. The yearly report of the energy union provides a good overview of what we have reached and what remains to be done. I thank you, Commissioner, for prioritising breaking the dependency, R&D and climate. The Member States also have a big responsibility in the green transition, and the European Union level needs to act too. The EU has to support development and research and the uptake of the clean innovations. New technologies are crucial for the transition to be economically possible. The EU’s climate neutrality goal 2050 means that we have new technologies in place before the regions who only set targets for 2060 or even beyond. Member States know their energy mix; they should act as well, and they should have acted. In Finland, for example, nowadays we have 85% emission-free electricity, and we are among the cheapest countries for the electricity. National law also bans the use of coal by 2029, and in 15 years we have cut the coal usage by 75%. Change is possible, and I want to ask for action.

Madam President, I am glad to see that the 12th Ministerial Conference of the WTO will finally take place after postponement due to the pandemic. We need to keep the world together and trade is a good motivation. The EU remains committed to the multilateralism and open trade with rules. Important talks will be held in Geneva next week and I have three points to raise. First, the worlds need to be vaccinated and the trade and health initiative needs to fly. Second, the WTO established before the climate change and before the digitalisation needs to be reformed to address these important questions. It is imperative that WTO trade rules help to combat climate change and promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Third, the WTO needs to put emphasis on digitalisation. As the standing rapporteur for the Parliament on e-commerce, I hope that the plurilateral negotiations between 86 WTO member countries will advance, to facilitate the uptake of the technological innovations but to prevent forced technology transfers, to facilitate data transfers but in a way that guarantees sufficient data privacy protection. We have a good resolution from the committee. Good luck for the next week.

Mr President, Commissioner, establishment of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) between the EU and United States is highly welcomed. It provides a valuable platform to cooperate on the topical matters of today in tech and trade issues, as well as to strengthen transatlantic relations. We are living in the interconnected world, which underlines the importance of cooperation. To give an example, the world is changing due to the emergence of AI. It is important that we discuss advantages of AI and ensure that it is utilised in a responsible, transparent way in accordance with universal human rights: AI that helps to protect democracy and not counteract it; human—centred AI that improves health and does not cause mental sicknesses. Another example to show that the world can’t afford trade barriers that hinder green tech to help the climate crisis. Because the work of the TTC encompasses topics that are political and dealt with also in the European Parliament, it is crucial that Parliament be informed about progress and the work of the TTC. Let me finish here, as the Vice—Chair for the US Delegation and Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, that committees involved have agreed to establish a subcommittee to follow the work on the TTC to complement the scrutiny work of the committees.

Mr President, the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) science report shows us the harsh truth. Projected scenarios with different emission cutting schemes all show that keeping warming below 1.5°C will be impossible with the current rate. So we have to do more. Seeing all the videos of the fires around the globe, it’s time to speak about the climate heating, because it’s only average which can speak about a rise of some degrees and warming. The United Nations brings us around the same table to tackle the challenge that is common for all the people on this planet: climate change, climate heating. COP26 is an important milestone after the Paris Agreement. Almost 200 countries showed their plans to cut emissions by 2030, but still the report shows increasing emissions from 2010 to 2030. We have to succeed in these negotiations. I have high hopes in front of the citizens that a lot can still be done in Glasgow. I do welcome Joe Biden back to the work, and I think it’s a good sign that China promises to stop financing overseas coal. It’s important, as the Commission said, that adaptation and mitigation, also in the least developed countries and small islands, are taken on board. We cannot heat our globe.