Debate contributions by Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Passenger rights are not a cost, it's a standard. For years, the European Union has been proud of this standard, of the protection it has provided to air passengers from hours of delays, flight cancellations and denied boarding. Today we hear that this protection must be weakened, because it is expensive. But that's a false argument. The problem is climate policy, not passenger rights. It is the Green Deal that has led airlines to seek savings at the expense of consumers. It is climate policy that enforces the use of sustainable aviation fuels, which are space-expensive. Of course, as MEPs, we will defend the rights of passengers. But it is up to the Commission to decide: Green ideology and killing the competitiveness of our carriers, and at the same time weakening passenger protection, or giving up absurd and ideological ideas of the Green Deal? The Green Deal is killing. The Green Deal kills also the passengers, right?

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, We are in the process of negotiating Regulation 261 on passenger rights in aviation. The Council blocks any Parliament proposal that would extend the scope of protection, and the argument is always the same – this will reduce the profits of European carriers. And - ladies and gentlemen - the Council is right! Airlines are business, and business has to make money. That is the law of the free market. It is not the right to compensation that is the problem. It is not a free place for a child next to a parent or the possibility of taking a wheelchair or a wheelchair on board that causes the costs borne by European carriers to increase. This is the effect of EU environmental policy and sustainable aviation fuel requirements that is at the root of the problem. I already talked about this in this room in 2022, criticizing the goals in this area. They are the ones who raise the costs borne by European carriers, and they pass them on to the prices of tickets and other services. We need a revision of these unrealistic assumptions, which neither airlines nor the fuel industry will achieve. We need the courage to abandon actions that destabilise the aviation market, reduce the competitiveness of our airlines, increase ticket prices and indirectly affect the level of passenger protection. The Green Deal is killing. The Green Deal Kills.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Children are our joy, pride and future. We agree that they must be protected from pathologies, also online. The internet is like a forest. There we can explore the world, rest, spend time with others. But in the forest, as on the Internet, we are in danger. It's easy to get lost in both places. No one imagines that children without parental care will be safe there. In both cases, education, risk awareness and responsibility are needed, not another piece of EU bureaucracy. The idea that the European Commission should prohibit the use of social media from above is contrary to the principle of subsidiarity. Such decisions should always be taken as close as possible to the citizens in the Member States. Teach our children how to use technology safely. Only then, as parents or grandparents, will we be able to sleep peacefully.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Using frozen Russian money to defend Ukraine is, of course, a good but late idea. Today we are talking about the 19th package of sanctions. Nineteen o'clock! Could it be 45th or 56th? We should have given these funds to Ukraine a long time ago. We would not have to give so many loans then, and Kiev would fight Putin for Russian money. But perhaps the problem is that some European leaders from the beginning have preferred half-whist sanctions, hoping that it will be possible to quickly return to the Business as usual. Maybe it was only after blowing up Nord Stream 2 that some understood that there would be no second reset with Moscow. May today's plan not only mean an injection of cash for German, French, Western arms companies that have only recently done business with Russia. Because if this is what European solidarity is supposed to look like, then this war is already lost.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a dozen committees in the European Parliament. They all deal with texts sent to Parliament by the European Commission. But there is one other committee, the Committee on Petitions. We deal with the texts that citizens send to the European Parliament and pass them on to the European Commission, so that some petitions are opened and if the petition concerns many countries, many people, we present a resolution to Parliament. Parliament shall adopt such a resolution. In the last term, for example, there was such a resolution concerning the cleansing of the Baltic Sea from the remnants of ammunition and wrecks after the Second and First World Wars. And what, ladies and gentlemen? And nothing. And nothing! The European Commission's response is usually silent. A few officials will come, nodding their heads – yes, yes, something would have to be done... And nothing happens to it. This petition is followed by a Parliament resolution – and nothing. This is how the European Commission treats citizens. Ladies and Gentlemen, let us learn from this, also in today's vote of confidence in the European Commission. But frankly, all previous European Commissions have treated petitions in the same way.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Poland has been alarming for months about GPS signal interference over the Baltic Sea, the growing threat to shipping and civil aviation – also in the vicinity of my city, Bydgoszcz – and the need to develop monitoring and defence systems. Today's events are another form of Russian aggression. Moscow violated the airspace of my country. Dozens of drones reached the territory of Poland. Some were shot down by the military. I congratulate our command and the soldiers on their determination and effectiveness. Russia is becoming more and more brazen and aggressive and is crossing new borders. It's not just cyberattacks, disinformation or signal jamming anymore. It is an open, physical threat to the security of the Union and NATO. Let us stand in solidarity, let us not underestimate the threat, let us strengthen resilience and respond decisively. Russia understands only the language it speaks to the world.

Mr President, thank you very much. The old Chinese curse reads: "May you live in interesting times". And that's what's happening. We live in interesting times: war in Ukraine and the Middle East, pandemics, blackouts, food disasters, rising prices of raw materials, customs war – this is a long way to go. That is why the idea of improving the capacity to respond to potential crises and securing supply chains is, of course, right. The question is, how to do it? I understand that the Commission would like to avoid the situation from the worst moment of the pandemic, when Member States fought among themselves for critical resources, including vaccines. This was because the inherent feature of the state is that it first protects its citizens and only then helps its allies. For this reason, strategic, medical, technical and food reserves should be stored in each Member State as close as possible to the citizens. We must avoid countries specialising in stockpiling only selected stocks. The European Commission should only have a coordinating role and work closely with Member State governments in purchasing planning.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The Polish Presidency, through Minister Dariusz Klimczak, announced a great success: We have a compromise on passenger rights! And what's it all about? Airlines will be able to charge extra for hand luggage, contrary to the ruling of the Court of Justice, and passengers will only be compensated after four hours, and not so far after three hours of delay. Indeed, it is a ‘great success’ – a pity, but not from the point of view of passengers. It is not surprising, however, that the Minister is proud of himself. A few days ago, he announced as his priority a plan to create a winter railway connection from Poland to Austria and Italy. He forgot, however, that his main task was to eliminate transport exclusion throughout the country, not to care for winter holidays for the chosen ones. Fortunately, the text that we will work out in the European Parliament will actually strengthen the position of passengers in air transport. My amendments will guarantee: hand luggage included in the ticket price, simplifying and speeding up the procedures related to compensation for delay and making travelling children a special passenger, which means that there is no charge for a seat on the aircraft next to the guardian. There are still a few votes and negotiations ahead of us, in which we will show the Council what a compromise means.

Mr President, thank you very much. Well-organized and modern public transport is a prerequisite for safe and cheap commuting to work, school or doctor. It is the only effective tool to combat communication exclusion, which is a real problem in many regions of Europe. We must therefore invest in infrastructure, especially rail and road infrastructure, and modern rolling stock. We have European rail vehicle manufacturers that create innovation and jobs. This is also the case in my hometown of Bydgoszcz, which is home to a renowned manufacturer of locomotives, multiple units, wagons and trams. The next Multiannual Financial Framework must include large funds to support local and regional authorities that want to modernise public transport and buy vehicles or infrastructure produced in Europe. In this way, we can rebuild the potential of our industry, which is dying under the weight of the Green Deal.

Mr President, thank you very much. First of all, I would like to thank Mr Axini very much for representing the ECR Group in this report. The Committee on Petitions plays a very important role in the fight against the democratic deficit in the European Union. That was the case in 2023, and it is the case today. It was also thanks to our commitment that we were able to exert effective pressure on the inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area. It is also worth mentioning PETI's commitment to defending the rights of parents and children to education in Spanish in Catalonia. References to the fact-finding mission on this matter, of which I was a participant, and the aggression we encountered on the ground, must be duly reflected in this report. I hope that today's vote will be able to improve and complete this text in a few more points.

Mr President, thank you very much. For the development of innovation, not only money is needed, but above all friendly regulations and regulations that do not discourage investment and risk-taking. Unfortunately, this is a field where the European Union is notorious for losing global competition. Therefore, the deregulation announced by the Commission cannot be just an empty slogan and another slogan that will not be covered by facts – and so far everything seems to indicate that this is the case. Withdrawal from further work of the draft AI Civil Liability Directive will be the best evidence of sincere intentions in this regard, but the Commission has already been withdrawing this for four months. The European Union in all areas, and especially in the economy, must move away from subordinating its policies to ideological goals. This applies to industry, transport, agriculture and new technologies. Only in this way can we return to the path of development.

Mr President, thank you very much. Infrastructure is the development of the workplace, new opportunities for the tourism industry, but also elements of security architecture. We know that Europe is in danger of war in the old style, with masses of infantry, mechanized divisions and tanks that will move along the communication routes that we will build in peacetime. That is why it is so important that projects of roads, ports or airports take into account the military aspect. This was the goal of the Central Communication Port, first criticized, and today truncated and delayed by the current government in Poland. Provide the ability to quickly move allied troops to Central Europe. Such a role should also be played by Via Pomerania, about which my previous speaker spoke, connecting the war port in Ustka with Bydgoszcz and Inowrocław. These are both military centers. The European Commission should find resources and support the construction of this expressway as an important element of security infrastructure in Poland and Europe.

Mr President, thank you very much. It is great that once again, over the course of six months, we are debating here, as every month, the plans for deregulation and simplification of the European Union. It is, of course, good that the Commission finally realises how far it has gone in its ideas. If it's going to do something, it's better to do it, not with paper straws or fixing bottle caps. The theme of the debate is Cutting red tape. There is another similar password, also with a color in the name, which should also be cut at last. This password is The Green Deal, which is the biggest burden. While we are debating here, in my district, in Janikowo, in the district of Inowrocław, the cost of the Green Deal is paid by residents, local government and employees of chemical plants, which will soon be closed, and thus the entire chain of companies will be closed. People are losing their jobs, and the whole county will soon be a ghost county. This is how the Green Deal works.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, As is well known, the compass is an instrument that we use when we do not know where to go, when we do not know where we are, it will show the way. How wonderful it was to call this commission document the Compass. The first step is to be aware of your problem. I congratulate the European Commission. And as someone who has often questioned the policy of the European Union from this place, he offers some good advice. On the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the ETS, it should be abandoned. Let’s throw away the Green Deal, let’s throw Fit for 55 in the trash – this is the direction that will make the Union finally have a competitive economy.

Of course I can reply, Honourable Member. There has never been any scientific data. And when it comes to, for example, Fit for 55It was an auction here in this room. And why 55? 60, 70, 45? It stood at 55. This climate policy, of course, is not based on any science. It's as clear as the sun. And today even Donald Tusk realized it.

Madam President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, The mechanism we are debating is a harmful and costly absurdity. The Commission is donating money to environmental organisations to lobby EU institutions to support a green agenda that hurts the European economy and pushes jobs out of Europe. Brussels, like the serpent Uroborosa, constantly devours its own tail. In this case, it also devours the well-being of citizens and their economic future. How can there be fair cooperation and balance between the institutions if the Commission influences Parliament and the Member States through the hands of lobbyists, environmentalists and activists? Lack of access to information on how climate policy objectives were created is a major sin of the Green Deal. And today we know that even Donald Tusk believes that his assumptions are wrong and the costs huge. Every euro spent to convince you otherwise is a waste.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. Attempts by our enemies to influence the results of elections in Europe are not a new problem. The internet just makes it a lot easier than it used to be. We have the tools to fight it. We also understand how Russian disinformation works. State services must be more effective in what they have been set up for. However, there is a temptation that many succumb to, consisting in explaining any political failure with disinformation. Young politicians, just starting their careers, are able to skilfully use social media and are envious of it. In response, one tries to use the slogan disinformation as a pretext to fight political rivals. There is no appeal against democratic judgments. Fear of foreign interference in elections must not give the right to invalidate their results unjustifiably. The fact that the election result is not in line with expectations is also, and sometimes above all, the fault of the loser. We in Law and Justice know something about this. Elections in democracies must be able to win and lose.

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, The Union has all the strengths to be innovative: good polytechnics and industry and capital. However, our position in the global digital economy is weak. Our regulatory policy is one of the reasons for this. Complex rules, administrative barriers, unclear legislative process – all this makes it simply unprofitable to innovate in Europe. Not so long ago, we adopted extremely ambitious legislation in the form of the AI Act, and we are already planning another one in the form of the AI Liability Directive. Subsequent regulations are beginning to duplicate, exclude and create labyrinths that are impossible to pass, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. If we do not break this vicious circle, we will be technologically colonised and reduced to the role of consumers of products from third countries.

Madam President, thank you very much. Spokeswoman for O'Reilly! Thank you very much, Mrs O'Reilly, for upholding the transparency and integrity of the EU institutions for 10 years. However, the recent legislature in particular has shown that the lack of transparency in the decision-making process and corruption are real and still unresolved problems. We agree with the concerns expressed by the Ombudsman that the implementation and enforcement of ethical rules after the Qatargate scandal in Parliament may still raise concerns. An extremely important issue is also the difficult process of access to documents and the decision on what to include in this category. E-mail correspondence between the President of the Commission and the Head of Pfizer on the EU contract for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines should also be publicly available. This issue still requires urgent attention and is still not properly clarified.

Madam President, thank you very much. The biggest threat to all of Europe in the Baltic Sea, sponsored by Russia but built by Putin's allies, was Nord Stream. Fortunately, today this pipeline is rusting at the bottom, but there are more and more new threats in this region. We must fight them equally vigorously. The cutting of telecommunications cables or the presence of a ‘shadow fleet’ are elements of a hybrid war that started much earlier than the war in Ukraine. We need to realise that protecting our borders is not only about tackling illegal immigration in the south and east, but also about the security of critical infrastructure and communication routes in the Baltic Sea. This is not a regional problem, but a challenge for the entire Union, which must be met with decisive action by the Union and NATO.

Mr President, thank you very much. The aim of regulation should be to protect citizens and businesses, but overregulation of the European economy has become a threat and a burden on development and innovation. Production in strategic sectors such as active substances and medicines, steel and building materials, shipbuilding and automotive has been fleeing Europe for years due to bureaucracy and impossible standards. The European Commission, arguing that further EU legislation is a remedy for every problem, really wants to expand its competences at the expense of the Member States. Excessive requirements and complex procedures limit the potential and competitiveness of European companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. We knew this without Draghi's report and we hear it here, today, in this room. Now that we have a diagnosis, we need to get treatment. Let's open up the services market, rebuild the pharmaceutical industry, abandon climate policies that are deadly to competitiveness and common sense, and stop deterring investment in artificial intelligence.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Madam Marshal, I'm sorry. Dear Commissioner, Control of one's own territory, including its airspace, is one of the most important attributes of the sovereignty of any state. The possibility of making free decisions in this regard is fundamental. This also applies to the right to shape the administrative system in the field of airspace control or to derive benefits from it. The need for close integration and cooperation on common standards, technologies, procedures or skills of air traffic safety personnel is clear. The same applies to investments in new technologies and the digitalisation of the entire air traffic control system, in which the Union should be involved. However, this must not come at the expense of removing further competences from Member States. As a result of the negotiations, this project is of course much better than the original Commission proposal, but it is still a step towards greater centralisation of power, although much smaller and slower than it was supposed to be. That is why we cannot support this project.