Speeches

– Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would first like to recall that the Council and the Member States attach the utmost importance to our common objective, which is to protect and strengthen the rule of law throughout our European Union. As I indicated at the beginning of our debate, the French Presidency of the European Union has placed the subject of the rule of law on the Council’s agenda on numerous occasions. The French Presidency intervened in plenary and before the LIBE Committee on several occasions to inform the European Parliament about the actions taken in the Council. You have recalled this on numerous occasions: the rule of law is the beating heart of our Union and our democracies as well as of our European construction. We must protect this precious asset, not least because freedoms are under attack at our doorstep. It is therefore important to fully implement the judgments and orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union, including on the Disciplinary Chamber of the Polish Supreme Court. Some of you recalled this: Poland and Poles have shown extraordinary solidarity with Ukrainian refugees. The Recovery and Resilience Facility represents bold and coordinated action at European and national level in response to COVID-19. It has made it possible to move from crisis management to economic recovery. Ambitious policy agendas and proposed funding at EU and national level will help ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery, enabling Europe to achieve the twin transition – green and digital – and become fairer and more resilient. The national plans should contribute to overcoming the challenges identified in the country recommendations, including rule of law issues for some Member States. The Council will continue to monitor the implementation of the Facility and, where appropriate, give political impetus to guidelines to fully exploit the potential of this instrument. It is ready to examine the Commission’s proposal for the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Poland, and will continue to ensure that, as for previously adopted plans, all plans fulfil the regulatory requirements for a positive assessment.

– Mr President, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting the Presidency of the Council to take part in this debate. Our common values, such as democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, are the cornerstone of the Union. And they are even more so in the exceptional circumstances we face due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The French Presidency has placed the subject of the rule of law on the agenda of the Council on several occasions. She has intervened in this plenary and in the relevant committees on several occasions to discuss with you many rule of law issues and to inform you about actions taken in the Council. As regards Poland, we held a hearing on 22 February at the General Affairs Council under the Article 7 procedure. On that occasion, it was recalled, once again, the fundamental importance of giving full effect to the judgments and orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in particular as regards the Disciplinary Chamber of the Polish Supreme Court. We look forward to the Commission’s third annual Rule of Law Report by July, which I once again congratulate on its excellent work. This report will be an important element for future discussions in the Council. The Recovery and Resilience Facility is at the heart of the European Union’s response to the coronavirus crisis. It is a strong sign of unity and ambition at European level on the green and digital transitions. This unprecedented example of solidarity commits us to using the funds responsibly and effectively, based on a sound and credible funding structure. I very much welcome the fact that the Commission has already raised more than €5 billion of NextGenerationEU funds and has attracted strong interest from international investors. The Facility offers a unique opportunity to strengthen coordination of investments and reforms across the European Union. Our goal is therefore that all plans are adopted and implemented as soon as possible. The plans should contribute to overcoming the challenges identified in the relevant country-specific recommendations, including rule of law issues. In addition, all Member States must put in place systems to prevent, detect and correct corruption, fraud and conflicts of interest when using the funds allocated under the Facility. Once a plan has been approved, each Member State concerned must ensure compliance with the related EU rules, in particular the financial regulations and the regulations on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the EU budget. The Council is ready to examine the Commission proposal for the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Poland. The Council will also continue to ensure, as for previously adopted plans, that all meet the regulatory requirements set, including when it comes to respect for the rule of law. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the Facility and work closely with the European Parliament at every stage to ensure its success.

– Mr President, I wanted to express my thanks for this rich discussion, which I followed with attention and interest and which shows Parliament's willingness to engage in a substantive debate on the proposals. Some of you have cited the Paris Climate Agreement, which sets an ambition and imperative for us to keep the average increase in global temperature over this century well below two degrees Celsius. While the annual United Nations meeting on climate change in Bonn began yesterday with the aim of preparing for COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the European Union is once again demonstrating, through this debate, its capacity to address the most complex political issues. Strengthening international cooperation in the field of carbon pricing, for example through the establishment of a climate club in parallel with the carbon border adjustment mechanism, or carbon pricing policies could be discussed and encouraged. As President-in-Office of the Council, I can confirm our determination to make even more progress by striking the right balance between protecting the climate and protecting our societies, particularly in economic matters. What is being played out here through the texts that you are going to vote on and that we will negotiate in a few weeks, what is being played out here and now, is the safeguarding of our future. And the way in which the European Union will shape our common future is decided today in this Parliament. You have also mentioned the texts on land use on several occasions. We need to protect our biodiversity and improve our carbon capture through carbon sinks. And of course, we need to invest heavily to make the energy transition a success and reduce our carbon footprint. This involves electric vehicles, of course, and a revision of the standards of this sector, which we will have to negotiate. I want to make it clear here, at the end of this debate: the energy transition is necessary and should not be seen as a constraint. On the contrary, it is an opportunity and an opportunity to invest and innovate within Europe. Our researchers and companies are already working on this. We must be and we will be there. Many of you have recalled the importance of energy sovereignty. The war in Ukraine was a sign of our dependence. The French Presidency has worked and continues to work tirelessly for our energy autonomy and to make the European Union more climate-friendly. The Council therefore looks forward to the outcome of the impending vote in Parliament and we welcome the prospect of trilogue negotiations in due course.

– Mr President, Mr Vice-President of the Commission, Mr Timmermans, ladies and gentlemen, allow me first of all to welcome your very interesting speeches this morning, which amply demonstrate the political and historical importance of the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package and its complexity. It is clear that we have collectively come a long way and that we will now need to seize the momentum to continue making progress and reach an agreement as soon as possible. I can assure you that the Presidency is making every effort to reach an agreement in the Council and on the end of the files before the end of the month. To this end, we are working tirelessly to advance work on all files in a coherent manner across all relevant Council formations, namely the environment, energy, transport and the economy. From the speeches this morning, let me highlight a number of aspects that I think are particularly relevant. First, the need for an ambitious, effective reform that strengthens the role of the European Union in defining the global rules for a green transition, but also a reform that leaves no one behind and protects the European citizen at a time of uncertainty and a sharp increase in the cost of living. Listening to you, it is very clear that we need an outcome that is both commensurate with the required ambitions and balanced in terms of cost sharing between economic sectors. As co-legislators, we face the enormous responsibility of approving a legislative package that will transform the economies of the European Union for the coming decades. Transformation must be socially just and ensure that support and investment goes to those who need it. This package – and the Social Climate Fund in particular – will help us reduce the EU’s dependence on fossil fuels while enabling us to support business and individual investments in renewable energy and our efforts in energy efficiency. I am sure that our shared vision of the overall goal will help us find common ground. Thank you once again, ladies and gentlemen, for your attention and commitment.

– Mr President, Mr Vice-President of the Commission, Mr Timmermans, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for this rich discussion, which demonstrates the importance of the Fit for 55 legislative package and Parliament's willingness to engage in a substantive debate on the proposals. I was very pleased to see that most of the political groups agree on the importance of the issues at stake in our discussion this morning. Our ambitions for the planet are being followed internationally and I welcome the example we are setting today. Europe, our continent, through the Fit for 55 legislative package, is leading the way towards more climate neutrality. More concretely, we need to link climate justice and social justice. Our compass must be the protection of our citizens, of all European citizens, of employment and also of businesses. We must ensure the competitiveness of our businesses by supporting them in their adaptation. With the war in Ukraine, we have entered a period of uncertainty. In a context marked throughout Europe by the return of inflation, we must protect the most fragile citizens in the face of rising costs of living and in particular in the face of rising energy prices. This is the ambition of the Social Climate Fund. The Council looks forward to the results of the impending vote and we look forward to trilogue negotiations in due course in order to implement these proposals as soon as possible. The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union is playing its full part in this effort. It has already done so with the adoption of the general approach on the carbon border adjustment mechanism last March, which will prevent the risk of deindustrialisation and lack of fairness in international trade. As regards the other proposals to be discussed this afternoon, the Presidency will make every effort to ensure that the Council can adopt its position by the end of the month. Ladies and gentlemen, we must succeed together for our European citizens. We must succeed for our planet. Thank you.

– Madam President, dear ex-colleagues, thank you for inviting me to speak on behalf of the Council during this very important debate on a series of files in the ‘Fit for 55’ package – . Almost a year ago, the Commission presented this transformative package, which affects all sectors of the economy and our entire society, and aims both to reduce European greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and to put us on the path to climate neutrality by 2050. All this while ensuring the future of our economy and ensuring the prosperity of European citizens, without excluding anyone. These concerns were at the heart of the French Presidency’s action, as reflected in its motto: "Relaunch, Power, Belonging". The ambitious reform package we are discussing here must directly address the concerns of European citizens, who are now facing rising costs of living in an uncertain political and economic context. We must therefore be clear: we must have a common objective of a balanced overall result, which will allow us to achieve our climate ambitions, agreed within a framework of fair and cost-effective burden-sharing, where all sectors of the economy contribute, leaving no one behind and protecting both our citizens and the competitiveness of our economies. This year, Europe has already faced two major crises: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and rising energy prices. While these crises marked our discussions on the Fit for 55 package, they never detracted from our overall objective. On the contrary: they have once again confirmed the need to decarbonise our economy and make our energy systems more resilient and independent. Above all, we will need to look for concrete, effective and immediately applicable solutions to address the concerns of our citizens and businesses about the disproportionate growth in energy prices. The REPowerEU plan, which the Commission presented a few weeks ago to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel imports from Russia, is very much dependent on achieving the objectives of the Fit for 55 package. As you know, a whole set of measures will be needed to achieve our climate and energy targets. As co-legislators, we are driven by a sense of urgency to ensure that it is implemented as quickly as possible. Your debate today and the subsequent vote will therefore mark a decisive moment in the course of the package. We welcome Parliament's efforts to make progress on this package. I can assure you that the Presidency is working tirelessly in the Council to take forward work on all its files, in all relevant Council configurations, namely the environment, energy, transport and the economy. During this work, the Council attached great importance to maintaining the coherence of the package. The French Presidency is therefore making every effort to reach agreement in the Council on the end of the file before the end of the month. As you know, the March Ecofin Council reached a general approach on the proposal establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism, a flagship measure to apply carbon pricing of greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes to certain goods imported into the European Union. This will allow us to tackle carbon leakage risks more effectively while respecting World Trade Organisation rules. Last Thursday, the Transport Council reached agreement on the three files under its remit, namely the proposal for a regulation on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, the proposal on sustainable fuels for maritime transport and the proposal on sustainable aviation fuels. On 20 May, a negotiating mandate with Parliament was approved for the decision to notify the compensation requirements of the Corsia scheme. As regards the rest of the files, I am confident that the Energy and Environment Councils will reach general guidelines by the end of June. More specifically, as regards the environmental files that are the subject of today's debate, they are at the heart of the Fit for 55 package. With real ambition, they are also important challenges for us as co-legislators. How can we achieve a result that is both up to the required ambition and balanced in the distribution of costs between economic sectors on the one hand and Member States on the other? How can we achieve a result that stimulates innovation and ensures the competitiveness of our industries without placing the financial burden of climate transformation on the most vulnerable in our societies? While the concrete answers from Parliament and the Council may not be the same on all aspects of these proposals, I am sure that our shared vision of the overall objective will help us find common ground. Thank you for your attention and commitment. I will listen to your debate with great interest.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in Ukraine, women are being tortured, raped and killed by Putin's soldiers, sometimes in front of their children. These humiliations, these unbearable violence against women have a goal: to break the Ukrainian nation. These methods have a name, they are weapons of war. But after fleeing their country, refugee women can be exploited and exposed to violence, even within the European Union: pimps, marriage agencies, pornography sites, etc. Our duty is to welcome and protect these women immediately and unconditionally. I would like to welcome the commitment of civil society to create solidarity networks to rescue, support and shelter Ukrainian women. The European Union must continue to support and finance this fieldwork. We must also ensure that criminals are punished and that justice is done for the victims.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, on this International Women’s Day, I would first like to pay tribute to the courage and strength of Ukrainian women. 2,000 km from here, women take up arms to defend their country. They give birth under the bombs. They go into exile with their children. They're resisting. Our generation is witnessing global crises of unprecedented magnitude that are confronting all of humanity with new challenges: wars, the health crisis, the climate crisis. When you are immersed in the unknown, inequalities resurface and worsen. And when we talk about inequalities, we know that it is women who are the first victims. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us into a new era: increasing precariousness, unemployment, domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies, dropping out of school. According to a study, the crisis caused us to lose 36 years of progress on equality. The climate and environmental crisis has a disproportionate impact on women who suffer the most from the consequences of climate change and natural disasters. In Afghanistan, since the return of the Taliban, women have been deprived of their emancipation and freedom. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in conflict zones, rape is used as a weapon of war to terrorize civilian populations. In Mexico, the fight against child pornography and the sexual exploitation of women and children faces corruption and the machismo of society. In Iraq, Yazidi women have been turned into sex slaves by Daesh and thousands are still missing today. Around the world, girls and women suffer discrimination and violence in their flesh, but do not give up. This is why a new European External Action Plan for Equality is of paramount importance. The GAP III is a major political and financial instrument of the European Union. It strongly reaffirms our commitment to upholding our values of equality in our external action. This is known as ‘feminist diplomacy’. This report is the result of extensive fieldwork, consultations on all continents – Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East. I have had many exchanges with civil society, survivors of violence, activists, ministers, MPs, journalists, diplomats. All contributed with their experiences, experiences and proposals to ensure that the report addressed the needs of women and girls as well as the issues specific to each cause. I would like to express my gratitude to the two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, but also to all those consulted who trust the European Union and this GAP. I would also like to thank the European Union delegations for their valuable support, as well as my shadow rapporteur colleagues and all teams from both committees, FEMM and DEVE, for this excellent collaboration. It is thanks to all of you that today we have a comprehensive and ambitious text with innovative and concrete ways forward. Commissioner, here are some proposals from the European Parliament: Expanding holistic care centres for victims of sexual violence in conflict areas and ending impunity for war criminals who rape and torture women; educating girls digitally; ensuring access to safe and legal abortion, contraception, sex education and maternal health; fund menstrual hygiene schemes in schools, to increase girls’ schooling; generalising gender bonuses to finance the feminist transition and include women in the economy; involving men and boys, who must be protagonists of changes in mentality; supporting civil society actors who are fighting courageously. These and many other proposals make this report a strong message. We must find in crises the determination and strength to build a just and humanistic future. Colleagues, all over the world, we all envy Europe’s progress and values; We need to be all the more demanding with ourselves. No matter where in the world they live, we must accompany the women and girls of the world who want to make their voices heard and be masters of their destiny. There is no political, economic diplomacy without feminist diplomacy. Through the GAP, we invest in human development, in emancipation. We are investing in a future where ‘equality generation’ is no longer a slogan. On 8 March, and in the face of successive crises, I would like to conclude on the importance of including women in conflict resolution processes, bringing them directly to the negotiating table. They are key actors in building lasting peace. Moving forward on the path of peace will only happen with them.

Madam President, High Representative, ladies and gentlemen, renewing the partnership between Europe and Africa: This is the challenge of this summit. The time has come for both continents to hold a discourse of truth, frankness and transparency, each assuming its own responsibilities. We need to be aware that Europe is no longer Africa's main interlocutor. If we want to continue to have this privileged relationship with her, we must change our method. Flexibility, speed and efficiency: Here's how to use our financing instruments to support African solutions. It is also up to Africa to formulate its demands, to propose its solutions and, above all, to choose the development model it wants for its people. Brutality, predation, neocolonialism: the methods used by some of Africa’s partners are not our own. These are not the values of 21st century Europe. We propose to build together a partnership centred on human relations, an area of peace and prosperity for our populations, a Euro-African geostrategic space that has all its weight on the international scene, a partnership that is mutually beneficial and respectful of everyone. The Summit will be an opportunity to exchange both speeches and methods. We must seize them.

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, in this Chamber we are fighting for equal pay, the introduction of quotas and work-life balance. We all aspire to a Union of Equality. But if we really want to achieve gender equality, there is an indispensable condition: respect for sexual and reproductive rights. Let everyone be master of his body, let all decisions belong to him. This is the foundation of women’s empowerment, autonomy and freedom. Sexual and reproductive rights are also indicative of the state of health of a democracy. The limitation of those rights is accompanied by a challenge to judicial independence and respect for the rule of law. The ban on abortion in Poland, natalist policies in Hungary: Examples are multiplying, in the face of which we remain powerless. Ladies and gentlemen, with our progressive majority, we must be more demanding and use all the levers to defend the sexual and reproductive rights of our citizens, starting with this semester of the French presidency. We keep repeating that abortion is a fundamental right, so let’s go ahead and push for it to be enshrined in the Charter, as proposed yesterday by President Emmanuel Macron. Secondly, the Simone Veil Pact, proposed by our Renew Group, must also become a reality. Together, Parliament, the Commission and the Council, we can get the most protective legislation adopted on equality at work, the fight against violence and, above all, on sexual and reproductive rights. We need each of you to carry this pact, to defend it, starting with President Metsola, who is not here this morning. I promise you, we will be vigilant, Madam President.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, 2021 was the year of access to vaccines for Europe and for everyone. Today, vaccines are arriving massively in vulnerable countries, thanks to Covax. More than 300 million doses have been promised and donated by our Member States. This is to be welcomed, but in 2022 there is a new challenge: deployment of vaccines. Because vaccinating populations is not just about delivering doses on the tarmac. Need syringes, fridges, field-trained personnel. The risk is that our vaccines bought with European taxpayers’ money will be rejected by countries or worse, thrown away. If we really want to vaccinate the world and get out of this pandemic, Europe must now provide real logistical support on the ground. So keep our promises to the end: from donating vaccines to injecting them into the arms of citizens.

Mr President, beatings, threats, humiliations, sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, femicide... And the list is unfortunately still very, very long. Realistically, we cannot achieve gender equality as long as violence continues, victims are stigmatised and perpetrators go unpunished. Yet we have a strong and binding instrument, the Istanbul Convention, which sets minimum standards of protection for all types of gender-based violence. While the accession of the 27 Member States of the European Union could change the lives of millions of European women, six countries continue to refuse to ratify it. We call on the Heads of State of Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic to: Do you not consider that your citizens deserve to be listened to, to be believed, to be protected? The recent decision of the European Court of Justice confirms that your apologies are not admissible. And you, Commissioner, have been waiting for two and a half years for an ambitious legislative package against violence and the inclusion of gender-based violence as a crime in European law. You know the song "Words and lyrics and lyrics"; And when is the deed for?

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this debate today is an opportunity to remind everyone: The health of our citizens is at stake in Europe, but also beyond our borders. Addressing this pandemic required a comprehensive, concerted and supportive response. From the beginning until today, Europe has never missed this meeting to protect its citizens and protect the citizens of the world. Concretely, this is what we have done. Already in April 2020, in the middle of the first wave, under the leadership of President Macron, Europeans federated the international community around an unprecedented initiative: ACT-A. The aim of this initiative is to empower everyone to fight the virus, in particular through the COVAX mechanism, whose mission is to ensure equitable access to the vaccine worldwide, especially in the poorest countries. To date, COVAX has delivered half a billion doses of vaccines to 144 countries. We Europeans have become the biggest contributor, with more than €3 billion. But very soon we realised that the financial contributions to COVAX were not enough. Global vaccine production was too low and poor countries were the first victims. Once again, Europe has acted: while vaccinating its population, it decided to give its own vaccines to the countries most in need. But despite our efforts, we are faced with a reality that boils down to three figures: the vaccination rate is 76% in Europe and 46% globally, but only 6% of Africans are vaccinated. These numbers are hurtful. These figures are unworthy. So yes, we have to do a lot more and faster. The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we are to new variants. I'd like to make three appeals. A call to Member States first. You have committed to donate 300 million doses by the end of the year. The watchword is to speed up the donation of doses. We are now at 95 million. We've got a month left. One month to keep our promise, one month to remain credible in the face of countries that need it. In February 2022, we will have the Africa-European Union Summit. The issue of vaccination is creating a deep wound in relations between our continents. We must deliver on our promises and therefore give – give more, give faster and give via COVAX. Secondly, I would like to appeal to the Commission. You've committed to giving 200 million doses. This is to be welcomed, but it is only part of the answer. In the field, there is a lack of syringes and fridges and logistical planning is needed to organize vaccination campaigns. Our doses are at risk of being lost. I therefore call for more resources, as soon as possible, to continue to support COVAX. Finally, I call on the pharmaceutical industry to take its own responsibility. The success of global vaccination also depends on you. Facilitate deliveries and give more predictability and transparency. When and how many doses will come out of your factories? It is urgent to know. Ladies and gentlemen, in a context of unprecedented crisis for humanity, Team Europe has played a historic driving role. So, more than ever, let's strengthen that leadership and vaccinate the world now.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Polish women are not afraid. They are not afraid to put their lives at risk for clandestine abortions. They are not afraid of the death threats they receive, as they dare to rebel. Personally, I don't know what revolts me the most: the authoritarian excesses of the Polish government or our inability to protect our European citizens? The Polish government is freeing itself from all democratic rules and human rights are falling like dominoes. Justice, media, LGBTI people, women, all are persecuted in the heart of Europe. How far will we allow authoritarianism to plague Europe? No, the Polish people are not afraid to defend their rights. So, who's scared? It is you, the Commission, and it is you, the Council.

Madam President, Commissioner, a year ago, the President of the Commission announced the creation of a new European agency to deal with future pandemics, like BARDA in the United States. This agency took the name HERA. Today, HERA the ambitious is transformed into an internal service within the Commission, a technocratic tool. But, ladies and gentlemen, allow me this reference to Greek mythology, because today I feel betrayed. Betrayed like Hera by her husband Zeus, betrayed on ambition and method. A no-appeal decision has been taken and you have chosen to exclude the European Parliament. For the past year and a half, this Parliament has been fighting for the health of its citizens, more ambition, more measures and more transparency. Commissioner, we have worked together throughout this crisis as partners. How can we explain that today President von der Leyen decides to exclude representatives of European citizens?

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, hit, humiliated, insulted, witnesses to scenes of violence, killed, children are also victims of domestic violence, with serious consequences for their development and health, such as behavioural disorders and feelings of guilt, but also on their ability to socialise. In addition, direct or indirect victims are more likely to engage in violent behaviour in adulthood. Too often we have dissociated domestic violence from domestic violence, without taking into account the needs of victims: women and children. There is an urgent need to raise awareness and train more police officers and judges on domestic violence, as our justice systems currently do not take into account the reality in homes and fail to protect victims. Let us then build on the good practices of our Member States. In Spain, the speed of procedures for the protection of women and children and removal bracelets have proved their worth. In France, the government makes the fight against domestic violence a priority. For example, we have put an end to parental authority and the obligation to provide food aid in the event of femicide. Ladies and gentlemen, a violent man is not a good husband and a violent husband is never a good father. So let's protect children, let's protect women, and let's deconstruct this patriarchy.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, two years ago, as you said, the candidate for President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, committed herself to making gender-based violence a European crime. This morning, she announced that a law will be proposed to combat violence against women. An initiative strongly welcomed by Parliament. Now we are waiting for the Commission to show ambition and deliver on its commitments. Because, ladies and gentlemen, how can we claim to fight for equality in Europe when we fail to eradicate gender-based violence? How can we accept, I wonder, that every day in our continent women are murdered because they are women? We must fight all types of violence, together, at 27 and once and for all. Making gender-based violence a European crime means first of all recognising that it is a serious crime with no borders. Making gender-based violence a European crime means empowering ourselves to propose comprehensive legislation to end impunity for perpetrators. Above all, turning this violence into a European crime means protecting all women on our continent. Ladies and gentlemen, the apology period is over. The fight against gender-based violence starts with your vote tonight. Let everyone, then, assume their responsibilities.

Madam President, Mr High Representative, ladies and gentlemen, humanitarian aid is neither a tool for migration management nor a political lever vis-à-vis the Taliban. We must be careful not to mislead the debate in this Chamber. Before talking about the possible influx of Afghan refugees to Europe, let’s talk about those stranded there, in Afghanistan, in catastrophic and inhumane conditions. Let’s talk about these Afghan women, who have the courage to confront the Taliban to safeguard their rights and access to health, education and work. Today, I would like to draw your attention to women humanitarian workers, who play a key role in channelling aid to Afghan women and girls. The urgency and our duty is to protect them so that they can continue their work freely and without fear of reprisals. Mr High Representative, our humanitarian aid must be continuous and, above all, remain unconditional.