Speeches

Madam President, thank you for giving me the floor one last time as a Member and as Vice-President of this Parliament, because that gives me the opportunity to thank you for the excellent collaboration I had with you and also to recall the excellent collaboration with our dear President David Sassoli. I must also thank everyone for the trust they have placed in me and, above all, for the friendships we have been able to build here in the course of this joint work at the service of the European project. Today, Madam President, is not a day of sadness. It is the day on which, in Portugal, we celebrate, as you recalled here, the 50th anniversary of the wonderful Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974, which restored freedom, democracy and hope to a people tired of war, repression and misery and which then opened the doors of Europe to Portugal, by the hand and impulse of Mário Soares, he also a former deputy of this House. Mário Soares' ambition with the accession of Portugal was certainly to participate in this area of peace and prosperity, but it was also to join a community of values. Let us draw inspiration from this, let us remember these values, because only a Europe that is united and faithful to its values will be a Europe with a future.

Madam President, my last speech as a Member of this European Parliament comes on the day when the Portuguese and all democrats commemorate the 50th anniversary of the wonderful Carnation Revolution which, on 25 April 1974, overthrew the dictatorship and restored freedom, democracy and hope to a people weary of war, repression and misery. It was Mário Soares, hero of Portuguese democracy and former Member of this Parliament, who pointed Portugal at the door of Europe, to participate in this extraordinary project of peace, freedom and prosperity, of course, but also to join a community of values and to make the democratic achievements of the Carnation Revolution irreversible. It is important to bear these fundamental European values in mind, now that the European Union faces such great threats and also when we discuss the challenge of enlargement. Enlargement cannot be treated lightly. The candidate countries must even make the necessary reforms to ensure full respect for the values of democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of law before accession. And the European Union itself cannot leave until later the institutional and financial reforms necessary to be able to absorb new Member States. This is the main message of the report of which I was co-rapporteur and which we have adopted here. It is in fidelity to European values that lies the meaning and strength of the European Union. That generous idea which has excited Mário Soares so much and which I have had the honour of serving over the years, as a Member, thanks to the democratic mandate that the citizens have entrusted to me, and as Vice-President of the European Parliament, thanks to your trust. Thank you for everything. The European Union has a future.

Madam President, the creation of an ethics body common to all the European institutions is an old demand of this Parliament. Finally, an agreement has been reached between the various institutions of the European Union to do what has never been done. And that's positive. The proposal before us represents an important milestone in establishing common ethical rules, strengthening the integrity and transparency of the European institutions. However, the lack of ambition on the part of the Council, which is shirking concrete commitments, is evident and regrettable. It is unacceptable that the Council, wanting to be part of this agreement and take part in the decisions, does not want to be bound by the ethical rules that have been defined. The Council cannot have one foot inside and one foot outside, as if all were equal, but there were some more equal than the others. This calls into question the principles of good cooperation between the institutions. Unfortunately, this institutional agreement is nothing more than the possible agreement, but it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

I would ask you all to stick to the allocated time. Otherwise, we will have a substantial delay in our voting session. I will not be able to allow blue-cards for this debate and now consider closed the requests for catch-the-eye.

The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on anti-money laundering: - the report by Mr Niedermayer and Mr Tang on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mechanisms to be put in place by the Member States for the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing and repealing Directive (EU) 2015/849 [COM(2021)0423 - C9-0342/2021 - 2021/0250(COD)] - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (A9-0150/2023), - the report by Mr Heinäluoma and Mr Carême on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing [COM(2021)0420 - C9-0339/2021 - 2021/0239(COD)] - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0151/2023), and - the report by Ms Poptcheva and Mr Radev on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and amending Regulations (EU) No 1093/2010, (EU) 1094/2010 and (EU) 1095/2010 [COM(2021)0421 - C9-0340/2021 - 2021/0240(COD)] - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0128/2023).

Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honour and I confess that I am also taking over the presidency of the plenary of this European Parliament for the last time today with some emotion. Let me take this opportunity to thank you deeply for your confidence, well reflected in the election and then the re-election as Vice-President of the European Parliament, with the highest position in the hierarchy of this Parliament ever held by a Portuguese since the accession of Portugal. It has been an unforgettable privilege to work with all of you in the diversity that makes European democracy rich. And it has been a great pleasure to cooperate not only with the current President of Parliament, but also with our dear President David Sassoli, whom we so miss. I would also like to thank the secretariat, the interpreters and, in general, Parliament's services for all the support they have provided. Above all, it was an honour to have had the opportunity to serve this extraordinary European project in the vice-presidency of the only European institution directly elected by the free and democratic vote of the citizens.

Mr President, there is no strategic autonomy of the European Union with external energy dependency and there can be no just society if the most vulnerable households and consumers are not protected from energy inflation and energy poverty. These are the lessons of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the energy crisis it has provoked, including the inflationary spiral. Add to that the urgency of the energy transition to tackle climate change and the imperatives of investing more in renewables for the decarbonisation of the economy, and there we have more than enough reasons for the reform of the electricity market that we are discussing here today. As rapporteur for the Committee on Economic Affairs and its opinion, I had two main concerns: defending the poorest from energy insecurity and rising prices, while ensuring that there are no unsustainable market distortions. By including these concerns in the reform agreed between the co-legislators under the Spanish Presidency, we will have a more social, fairer and more up to our challenges electricity market.

The next item on the agenda is: Joint debate on the ten reports related to the migration and asylum package. Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council introducing a screening of third-country nationals at the external borders and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/817 [COM(2020)0612 - C9-0307/2020 - 2020/0278(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Birgit Sippel (A9-0149/2023) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/816 establishing a centralised system for the identification of Member States holding conviction information on third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN) to supplement the European Criminal Records Information System and Regulation (EU) 2019/818 on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems in the field of police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration and amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1726, (EU) 2018/1862 and (EU) 2019/816 for the purpose of introducing a screening of third-country nationals at the external borders [COM(2021)0096 - C9-0088/2021 - 2021/0046(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Birgit Sippel (A9-0148/2023) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common procedure for international protection in the European Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU [COM(2016)0467 - C8-0321/2016 - 2016/0224A(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Fabienne Keller (A8-0171/2018) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a border procedure for return and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 [COM(2016)0467 - C9-0039/2024 - 2016/0224B(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Fabienne Keller (A9-0164/2024) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on asylum and migration management and amending Council Directive 2003/109/EC and the proposal for a Regulation (EU) XXX/XXX [Asylum and Migration Fund] [COM(2020)0610 - C9-0309/2020 - 2020/0279(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Tomas Tobé (A9-0152/2023) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council addressing situations of crisis in the field of migration and asylum [COM(2020)0613 - C9-0308/2020 - 2020/0277(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Juan Fernando López Aguilar (A9-0127/2023) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person, for identifying an illegally staying third-country national or stateless person and on requests for the comparison with Eurodac data by Member States' law enforcement authorities and Europol for law enforcement purposes (recast) [COM(2016)0272 - C8-0179/2016 - 2016/0132(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Jorge Buxadé Villalba (A8-0212/2017) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Union Resettlement Framework and amending Regulation (EU) No 516/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council [COM(2016)0468 - C8-0325/2016 - 2016/0225(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Malin Björk (A8-0316/2017) Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection and for the content of the protection granted and amending Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents [COM(2016)0466 - C8-0324/2016 - 2016/0223(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Matjaž Nemec (A8-0245/2017) Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (recast) [COM(2016)0465 - C8-0323/2016 - 2016/0222(COD)] - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Sophia in 't Veld (A8-0186/2017)

The next item is the debate on the question for oral answer to the Commission on the promise to revise EU animal welfare legislation and European citizens' initiatives related to animal welfare, tabled by Niels Fuglsang, Thomas Waitz, Günther Sidl, Sarah Wiener, Emil Radev, Michaela Šojdrová, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Heidi Hautala, Annika Bruna, Caroline Roose, Pascal Durand, Pierre Larrouturou, Martin Buschmann, Manuela Ripa, Martin Häusling, Maria Noichl, Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg, Grace O'Sullivan, Mario Furore, Rosa D'Amato, Tiziana Beghin, Petras Auštrevičius, Tilly Metz. Anja Hazekamp, Sylwia Spurek, Francisco Guerreiro, Martin Hojsík, Michal Wiezik, Malin Björk, Marisa Matias, Ville Niinistö, Marianne Vind, Christel Schaldemose, Karen Melchior, Alice Kuhnke, Pär Holmgren, Marina Kaljurand, Mick Wallace, Henna Virkkunen, Róża Thun und Hohenstein (O-000059/2023 - B9-0011/2024) (2024/2604(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the inclusion of the right to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (2024/2655(RSP)).

With regard to the joint decision of the AFET and BUDG Committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations pursuant to Rule 71(1) of the Rules of Procedure, announced at the opening of the daily sitting on Tuesday 12 March, no request for a vote in Parliament has been received by Members or by one or more political groups reaching at least the so-called medium threshold. Therefore, committees can start negotiations.

The next item is the debate on the report by Monika Hohlmeier and Nils Ušakovs, on behalf of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Budgetary Control, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast) (COM(2022)0223 - C9-0179/2022 - 2022/0162(COD)) (A9-0180/2023).

Madam President, I would like to thank everyone for their contribution to this debate, and also the European Commission, and I think it is worth remembering at this point that a few years ago, on the occasion of Brexit, some anticipated a domino effect that could implode the European Union. The story was different, today there is no country wanting to leave and, on the contrary, we have many wanting to enter. There are now nine countries that have candidate status. This is a clear sign of the vitality of the European Union, of the hope it represents for many, but it is also a huge responsibility for all of us. It would be a mistake to treat the enlargement process lightly and, therefore, despite what Mr Rangel, who never resists bringing national policy to the European Parliament, said here, the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, was right to draw attention, in due course, to him and others, to the need to take seriously what needs to be done in order for enlargement to be viable and to be a success. This, incidentally, has become a common place, is recognised by everyone and is also recognised by this report. The candidate countries must make reforms to meet the accession criteria, without fast tracks or pre-defined timetables, and the European Union itself must also make important institutional and budgetary reforms in parallel with the accession negotiations. To ignore this would be to sell illusions and would be a dangerous irresponsibility for the future of the European project. So the moral of the story is: everyone has to do their homework seriously in order for enlargement to be possible and for it to be a success. That is the message of the European Parliament with this report, which we will vote on tomorrow, and I count on your support in that vote.

Mr President, the report on deepening European integration with a view to enlargement, which I am presenting here with my fellow rapporteur Petras Auštrevičius, is certainly one of the most important and sensitive on the European Parliament's agenda at the end of this term of office. I am therefore grateful for the excellent cooperation with my co-rapporteur and the contribution of all the shadow rapporteurs. The fact that this report is the result of a joint exercise by the Committees on Constitutional Affairs and Foreign Affairs has enabled the European Parliament to arrive at a final text with very clear and strong political messages on the various dimensions of the enlargement process. Undoubtedly, the challenges posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine have reinforced the geostrategic importance of enlargement, but it is not enough to proclaim that enlargement is important, it is necessary to ensure the conditions for it to be viable and a success. That is why the first message of this report is that enlargement cannot be treated lightly. On the contrary, it can only be a demanding process, without fast tracks and without pre-defined timetables. Candidate countries even need to make reforms to meet the Copenhagen criteria, with a focus on respect for the fundamental values and principles of the Union, human rights and the functioning of democracy and the rule of law. And it's better to take care of it now than when it's too late. It is up to the Union to provide the candidate countries with technical and financial support in these reforms, but it must also sanction stagnation and backsliding, if necessary, by suspending funding or the negotiations themselves. Another strong message of this report, clearly stated for the first time, is that the reforms in the candidate countries must go hand in hand with the reforms that the European Union itself must do in order to absorb new Member States. At European level, institutional, but also budgetary, reforms are needed. It is clear that a European Union of 35 or more Member States cannot operate under the rules of a Europe of 27. Qualified majority decisions need to be extended to reduce the risks of blockages with the unanimity rule, to simplify decision-making procedures, and to reassess the system of weighting votes in the Council. It is necessary to review the composition of the European Parliament without excluding, from the outset, the possibility of a reasonable increase in the size of Parliament, so that everyone can continue to feel fairly represented here. The very composition of the Commission will have to be rethought and we still have to enshrine differentiated integration solutions, exploiting the flexibility mechanisms provided for in the Treaty of Lisbon. Finally, budgetary reform, and let me be absolutely clear, would not be serious to move towards an ambitious enlargement process without first securing a European budget commensurate with the needs and without preventing the consequences on vital European policies such as cohesion policy and agriculture policy. What this report does is to recognise the importance of the enlargement process and that is exactly why it says that the accession criteria are to be taken seriously and that, alongside the reforms of the candidate countries, the European Union itself must reform itself. To ensure that this happens, the European Parliament is keen to have a decisive say and, in order for its voice to be stronger, I ask all of you to support this report.