Debate contributions by Laurence FARRENG

Mr President, Commissioner, we are urgently calling for a legislative proposal to finally effectively counter the piracy of sporting events and other online content. Piracy is unfortunately on the rise. The Paris 2024 Olympics were indeed victims of five times more cases of piracy than the Tokyo Olympics, only three years earlier. Any piracy is a shortfall for our cultural and creative industries, but live content is special. The value of a football match, a boxing fight, a car race decreases from minute to minute. In France, this gap would amount to 1.5 billion euros in 2024, or 12% of the legal audiovisual market. And this illegal viewing is losing revenue not only to broadcasters and the biggest sports leagues, but also to sports associations in our municipalities and regions that benefit from these sports rights. Indeed, one third of the revenue of each of the football clubs in France comes from the sale of rights. Piracy therefore has a direct impact on their competitiveness and attractiveness. Commissioner, more speed and efficiency is the meaning of the letter we sent to President von der Leyen. DSA is the cornerstone of our digital environment, but it is not suitable for the rapid removal of sports and live content. We therefore need a new legislative proposal to achieve concrete results.

Madam President, Mr President of the Republic, ladies and gentlemen, the Cyprus presidency is opening in a context of major international turbulence. We're counting on you. In the face of Russia, in the face of China and now in the face of the United States, it is time for Europe to fully assume its power. We have the means to do so, but we still have to have the political will to do so. In the face of Donald Trump's threats, we ask you to activate the anti-coercion instrument now. Let us be respected, let us claim our real strengths. No one has any interest in this economic confrontation, our economies would suffer. But we will not give in to the sovereignty of our allies, neither in Greenland nor in Ukraine. The appeasement strategy has shown its limits; it is time to take a firm line in the interests of Europeans. Finally, Mr President, in the face of hostile external powers, in the face of extremes that seek to destroy Europe, you must defend our democracy. It starts with respect for this Parliament. A first strong signal would be to refuse any implementation of the EU-Mercosur agreement until this Parliament has given its opinion.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, Europe is the first political space to have created a rule of law on the internet. The first, with a regulation on the protection of our personal data, the GDPR; with the DSA and the DMA to give particular responsibility to the very large US and Chinese operators; with the act on artificial intelligence. Today, these rules would be too complicated. But for whom? For the Europeans or for those who put us under pressure day after day, on the other side of the Atlantic? This digital simplification plan is a bit like: Donald Trump dreamed of it, the European Commission did it. Our companies have known how to deal with the GDPR for years and you want to put our personal data back into circulation to train AI? The artificial intelligence act is not even in force yet, and you already want to postpone by two years the regulation of high-risk AI and by six months the labeling of content generated by artificial intelligence, at a time of "fake news" and "deepfakes"? Madam Vice-President, we really need to talk about this plan again.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump has an obsession, attacking our European laws to destabilise us. After the offensives on the climate, trade, defense, industry or even our agriculture, Donald Trump persists and signs and now calls into question our cultural model. Last February, the Trump administration, well helped by the "majors" of film and video-on-demand, released a document identifying all the barriers to the proper development of American business. Among the laws denounced is the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the cornerstone of cultural diversity on video-on-demand platforms. It allows us, since 2019, to contribute Netflix, Disney, Amazon and others to the production and distribution of European series and films. The purpose of the resolution we are voting for today is to combat these repeated attacks, which are further reinforced by this new threat to tax 100% of all films made outside the United States. What the American president is attacking is our European cultural model that manages to express its singularity in the face of Hollywood and its hyperpower. In these conditions of cultural war, can we really imagine trusting Donald Trump to keep his word in the trade agreements we are discussing right now? I'm sorry, Mr. President, but we will continue to defend our talents, our Palmes d'Or, our Bears d'Or, our Lions d'Or, whether they are Franco-Iranian, Swedish, Danish, Spanish.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, let us imagine a football match between two Spanish teams taking place in the United States. Does that sound absurd to you? Yet this is the project of the Liga Spanish, and this is one of the last examples of attempts to weaken our European sports model to Americanize it. These attempts are the exact opposite of the model that must be respectful of athletes, supporters and the territories in which clubs and federations are anchored. Economy, health, territorial and social cohesion: Sport-related issues are at the heart of our model of society. The excellent report by our colleague, Mr Bogdan Zdrojewski, is a strong reminder of this. Our European sports model is unique in the world. It must be defended and European policies can strengthen it. It is up to us at European level to support grassroots sport and volunteering through Erasmus+, to counter match piracy through our digital laws and to protect athletes' rights with our Single Market rules. We have all the assets to win this game.

Mr President, I am deeply convinced of the strength of these European university alliances and I am delighted to see that we broadly share this view in Parliament. These alliances represent first of all an intellectual asset, because discovering new ways of thinking, exchanging ideas, developing innovative curricula, bringing together professors and researchers, all this beyond national borders, is crucial in our fight against obscurantism, which, unfortunately, has been expressed during the debates, against scientific disinformation and for the development of critical thinking. More than ever, we need a Europe of Enlightenment. Studying within an alliance is the assurance for a student to benefit from the best teachings in his field and to open intellectual horizons. Alliances, as one colleague said, democratise access to this knowledge everywhere, in the outermost regions and in the smallest towns. I'm in a good position to know. Economically, too, they are strategic because all our current debates revolve around European competitiveness, our sovereignty, our reindustrialisation, the necessary European investment in industry. And this awareness is necessary and beneficial. But, all too often, we forget what is at the root of everything: education. In Europe, however, we have state-of-the-art universities of the highest quality. Alliances participate by collaborating at European level on research and innovation. These collaborations can lead to major scientific discoveries and advances. Commissioner – and we are also very pleased to have, beyondme Mr Mînzatu, who is morally present here, the presence of the Commissioner for the Budget – I heard your commitment, of course, to increasing Erasmus+, but also to the consideration that will be given to this programme of European university alliances. We saw how strategic he was. Once again, I thank you for this commitment, which I hope will come to fruition very soon.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Europe has already been built up by intellectual and academic exchanges for more than 1,000 years, from the founding of the University of Bologna in 1088, to Erasmus' travels in the 16th century and the Grand Tour, the educational journey through Europe undertaken by young men between the 17th and 19th centuries. It is in the continuity of this rich intellectual tradition that the "European Universities" alliances are inscribed. Originally mentioned by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, in his founding speech at the Sorbonne in 2017, the first alliances were created in 2019 under the Erasmus+ programme. They are already 65 in just a few years. This demonstrates the enthusiasm of the academic world for this initiative, this need for European cooperation, which is finally being met. The alliances went beyond the initial idea of networking universities. In addition to joint curriculum mobilities, exchanges of students, professors and researchers, they allow universities throughout Europe to rethink their pedagogical model and move from a logic of projects between universities to long-term cooperation. Far from creating a two-speed university system, as some are trying to make believe, alliances serve as a laboratory for the emergence of a true European Higher Education Area. They are at the forefront of testing and imagining solutions that can then be generalized to all other universities. For example, some alliances are currently testing the European degree project, which will eventually have to be accessible to all universities, whether in alliances or not. I am also thinking of the work of the alliances on the European recognition of diplomas, which has changed the legislation of certain countries such as Spain, to the benefit of the academic world. As I wrote in my report, I believe that from now on, rather than developing the number of alliances again and again, it is essential to deepen those that already exist and above all to diversify and secure their sources of financing in the long term. The Erasmus+ programme alone cannot carry out such a far-reaching initiative. European, regional, national and private funding is needed. I am therefore pleased to see that alliances are mentioned in the proposal for a competitiveness fund that you presented in July, Commissioner, but only hope that the famous synergies, constantly mentioned, between European programmes finally become a reality and not just a term in European fashion. A final point on research and innovation. So far, we have focused on the education component of alliances. It was probably necessary for a few years at the start. I am convinced that we must now strengthen their capacity for innovation and research and allow the alliances that choose to do so to focus on the sectors that are most strategic for our future: of course climate change, new technologies, artificial intelligence in particular. I would have liked the State of the Union speech delivered yesterday by Ursula von der Leyen to mention our need for skills and enhanced education, and the role that the higher education sector must play, especially after a year of competences decreed in 2023 and the findings of the Draghi report on this subject. I am very pleased that we can have a debate on this very important subject of our educational excellence and higher education.

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, on 8 August the Media Freedom Regulation will come into force. This law, the first to provide a clear framework for the structuring of the European press and for the protection of journalists, is now a pillar of our democracy. Why? Because it allows the European Commission to act decisively on media concentration. This is essential because freedom of opinion is not freedom of disinformation and only pluralism guarantees freedom of opinion. That is why Viktor Orban must be prevented from subjecting all Hungarian media to power, as must Vincent Bolloré in France, from indefinitely expanding his media empire by the power of money alone. Once again, the guarantee of pluralism must prevail. There is therefore a need for a clear and swift application of the Media Freedom Regulation, which will have to be backed up by the future democratic shield. And there will be no democratic shield without a willingness to invest massively in our European media, which we will demand in the future budget.

Madam President, Commissioner, in France almost 10% of children are victims of sexual abuse and girls are twice as victims as boys. In France, it is every three minutes that a child is the victim of rape, incest or sexual abuse. This update of the 2011 Directive is therefore a great step forward because it updates and unifies our definitions of child sexual abuse offences and it is a great step forward, but the fight must continue to protect our children, and online in particular. Yes, the web and social networks are now regulated by the Digital Services Act. However, the worst is still happening and that is why I would like to call for further progress, particularly on the strong lines set by the Commission on the protection of minors and age verification, with the establishment of a digital majority at the age of 15 throughout the European Union. And, above all, move forward and conclude this file against online sexual abuse, for which negotiations are dragging on and which is unfortunately still blocked at the council level. Meanwhile, child abuse continues.

Mr President, Commissioner, Radio Free Europe, for millions of Europeans, it is the voice of the West, the voice that has brought down authoritarian regimes and brought down the Iron Curtain. On 15 March, by a simple email, Trump ended seventy-five years of US defence of press freedom and freedom of information in countries where these freedoms are under threat. The announcement was severely criticised, and rightly so, as the court suspended the decision to cut funding. But this is just a few months’ respite. It is up to the European Union to take over. We have the necessary legal framework, with the European Media Freedom Regulation and the Directive against SLAPPs. We have the right framework, with some of the most independent public and private media services in the world. What we lack is a genuine will. We must indeed consider that this time of democratic crises, interference and wars needs a real European budget for the protection of journalists and the promotion of free and independent information.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, ‘freedom is the freedom to say that two and two are four. When this is granted, the rest follows. This quote from Georges Orwell has a particular resonance today in Donald Trump’s America. The search for truth, science based on facts: all this is swept on the altar of Trumpist ideology. For two months, for American universities, it is only frozen funds, layoffs, intimidation. And Trumpists go further into dystopia. Pollution, woman, victim, disability, racism, equality, climate change, mental health: Here are a few words out of the hundred that have been censored by the Trump administration. So many words that scientists can no longer use in their research projects. The United States, hitherto the eldorado of researchers from all over the world, has become a pushback. Of course, the European Union has a role to play in this reconfiguration. It must become a beacon for academic freedom, a new magnet for international scientists. This must translate into an ambitious plan and long-term investments for our universities.

Madam President, Commissioner, promoting our culture also means defending and imposing ourselves. Our cultural compass is our compass of sovereignty. As attacks on our European model multiply, let us not give in to American threats. Abandoning our digital regulation and not defending tooth and nail the recognition of copyright in the face of artificial intelligence would be historic mistakes, the coup de grace for the cultural sector and, beyond that, for our civilization. So let's be uncompromising! On the other hand, Commissioner - I know your commitment - let us give a vision! Consultations are good, but let's give a vision! Promoting multilingualism for the circulation of works, giving a protective status to artists, strengthening co-productions in all arts – from audiovisual to theatre –, empowering cities and local authorities to create together and as close as possible to citizens, and to enhance their local heritage and culture. There will be no Europe tomorrow without European culture.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, the Union of Skills is a real step forward for the European Union. Finally, we implement the Draghi report's recommendations for our competitiveness – because, yes, behind our economies there are mostly women and men who make it work and who need to be trained throughout life. The initiatives announced are progress, and I particularly remember those for the European recognition of diplomas and the creation of a European diploma for apprentices, but also the scholarships to attract high-potential researchers, the observatory to anticipate future skills needs or your commitment to strengthen the Erasmus+ programme. The Union of Skills is a giant step forward for Education Europe, and because it is a national or even regional competence, it is the responsibility of our Member States to coordinate their education policies, raise the level and allow all our talents to compete with the world.

Madam President, Commissioner, to honour the memory of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, seven years after their assassination, is to reiterate the vital importance of the media in our democracies. Their deaths highlight the risk faced by those who seek the truth in Slovakia and wherever press freedom is threatened. I would therefore remind you: the European Union now has a regulation on media freedom and, I would also point out, the far right did not vote for this text. With this text, we strengthen the independence of the press and ensure that journalists can carry out their work without the risk of reprisals. The European regulation on media freedom is also the assurance of reliable media, while we have entered, with X and Meta, an era of post-truth, where we talk about freedom of expression when it comes to pure disinformation and where fact-checking has become an act of subversion. As a tribute to Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, let us remember that the fight for freedom of the press continues, here in Europe and especially in the European Parliament.

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, Commissioner and Minister, ladies and gentlemen, there will be no sovereign Europe without a Europe of competences. That is what the Draghi report on competitiveness says. Major industrial challenges, disruptive innovations like AI are profoundly transforming the world of work and our skills needs, especially in the field of vocational training and lifelong learning. Yes, we must urgently decide on a sovereignty fund to finance the sectors of the future, but we must invest in people. Our delay is significant. The Member States must go beyond their national logic to advance the level of education, to coordinate more strategic training at European level, to finalise the recognition of all diplomas and particularly professional diplomas. I am warning about Erasmus: it has been a new talent provider since the programme opened up to the long-term mobility of apprentices. However, this programme seems to be threatened by the draft budgets that are circulating. Commissioner, Madam Vice-President, I tell you here that we will fight for Erasmus, just as we will fight for the word 'education' to reappear in the name of your portfolio.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, there is a blind spot in the fight against foreign interference: These are our universities and our higher education. That is why I have asked for this debate to be held with my Renew Group. Universities are at the heart of the battle for our European research and competitiveness. While we must of course continue to welcome foreign students and defend academic freedom, let us not be naive. Foreign powers, governments and corporations alike, are trying to capture our scientific discoveries. They also implement aggressive influence strategies through their students to convey positive messages about their diets. Among them, China, Turkey, Russia or the Gulf countries. Some European countries are very complacent towards them; I am thinking, as always, of Viktor Orban's Hungary. So let's assume to defend our academic security and get out of national logics. If we want to ensure our scientific and technological sovereignty in an uncertain world, let us adopt a coherent European approach in the reception of foreign students and our partnerships with companies and strengthen European intelligence.

Madam President, Commissioner, neo-Nazi propaganda has recently become cool. It’s called ‘pop fascism’, it’s flourishing on social media, it’s ready-to-think for young people. A few weeks ago, I was deeply shocked to discover a video clip and a video game on the subject of remigration created by the youth wing of the AfD, a German far-right party of which 14 Members sit here in this Parliament. That is why I have asked for this debate. The images, created by artificial intelligence, use all the codes of Nazi propaganda. We see white, blond, Aryan people dancing to techno music by driving racialized people back into planes. The chorus? "We're sending them all back!" It's intolerable. If racist works invade the internet, I note an escalation here, because this video clip and this video game were created by a political party – the AfD. It is certainly possible to hide behind legislation. Yes, we have the Digital Services Act to make platforms responsible for the content they host – including TikTok, when it comes to young people. Yes, we must make these platforms responsible, but, to my knowledge, this video is still circulating on X. While in France, for example, one in five young people do not know what the Holocaust is, we must go further and effectively condemn all racist content, starting with punishing the enemies of democracy who are already among us.

Madam President, Commissioner, there are clearly still shortcomings in the allocation of Erasmus grants. After the Femyso linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, we are told of a Turkish university receiving European funding and whose rector is said to have publicly supported the Hamas terrorist organization. This is unacceptable. The European Commission must do its job more scrupulously in examining cases. I reiterated this during the mid-term review of the Erasmus programme; I must say that I had been quite alone in this Parliament in invoking the necessary respect for our European values of tolerance, freedom and anti-discrimination. I have experienced the complacency of the extreme left, the ambiguity of the left and the selective indignation of the extreme right, because yes, there are drifts and desires for entryism in religions other than Islam. For me and for the Renew Group, things are clear: No European money without respect for European values. Once again and solemnly, the European Commission has an immense responsibility not to allow education to be used as a tool. Recall that this month, we commemorate the death of two professors, Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard, murdered by Islamist terrorists.

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, our democracy dies every day from disinformation. Yes, there are interferences, there are troll factories, but their fuel is the algorithms that accelerate the dissemination of false content because they are sensational, and the sensation makes money. We have put large platforms face to face with their responsibilities with the DSA and the DMA, but we still have to regain control with the transparency of algorithms and the labeling of content generated by artificial intelligence. Above all, we must guarantee European citizens free, pluralistic and independent information. This is the prerequisite for the great law on media freedom. This objective is also the priority mission of the public media, which must be given the means to exist and to inform. It is no coincidence that they are attacked everywhere by the extreme right, by Marine Le Pen and the RN, who want to privatize them, but also by the AfD in Germany and the FPÖ in Austria, who want to destabilize them. What our Parliament expects is the democratic shield promised by the President of the European Commission, but also a genuine media support strategy that can benefit France TV, Arte, Radio France, France Médias Monde, their European counterparts and, ultimately, democracy.