Speeches

The approval of the final agreement on ReFuelEU, reached by the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, marks a crucial step in reducing emissions in the aviation industry, with a view to achieving the European Union’s climate objectives. It sets strict requirements for fuel suppliers, requiring them to gradually increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The ReFuelEU initiative Aviation safeguards the rights of workers and the outermost regions in this green transition. In view of the need to foster cohesion and reduce regional disparities within the Union, in particular in the outermost regions, pursuant to Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, aviation fuel suppliers from those regions should be exempted from the SAF obligations. At the same time, the Regulation should progressively cover all Union airports and they should be encouraged to comply with the obligations laid down. To support the transition, support will be made available for the development of the necessary sustainable aviation fuels infrastructure at airports in these regions. The exception aims to safeguard the air connectivity of regions with fewer alternative transport options in order not to harm populations and their socio-economic development.

Mr President, this mandate of the European Parliament, which is now coming to an end, has been marked by multiple crises, the largest of which is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ended up changing our lives forever. The European Union responded to challenges and also responded to Europeans calling for more action in Europe, in health. This is how the European Union for Health was born. A dream, a project, a reality still under construction. And the European Health Data Space will be a new and revolutionary fundamental pillar of this construction. This regulation will allow a Madeiran who travels to the continent or even to another country of the European Union and who needs to resort to health services greater accessibility to health care. Doctors will have their health record on time, without delays, without having to ask for repeated exams in their own language. This is estimated to save about 20% of healthcare spending. We have worked here to ensure that no European, living in Madeira, on the mainland or in any other Member State, is left behind and, on the part of Parliament, I am proud to say: mission accomplished.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the invention of plastic has revolutionised our lives, but it has also brought with it an environmental curse and a threat to human health. Microplastics are present in all ecosystems today. They're in the sea, they're in the air, they're in the animals, they're in the vegetables. We find them at every stage of the food chain and they cause hormonal, immunological or even oncological consequences, just to list a few. The Commission's proposal is a step in the right direction, but it is late and lacks the ambition to really solve this problem. And here I welcome the amendments proposed by my colleague, João Albuquerque, on behalf of this Parliament, which go further. The challenge was great, but they succeeded. With this report we go further in preventing and mitigating the risks of microplastics to human health, to environmental health, to animal health. History will judge what we have done or failed to do to protect our planet. We will ensure that the response to the challenge is determined, courageous and committed to a sustainable future.

Madam President, pharmacies with empty shelves, citizens without access to the medication essential for their treatment, for their survival... This is a reality that we do not accept in this European Union! That is why we will pass the pharmaceutical legislation that highlights the best we have in the European project: European solidarity and unity in times of adversity. With this package, the European Civil Protection Mechanism could be triggered to distribute essential medicines in Member States where there is a stock shortage. The pharmaceutical sector will now also have an obligation to report shortages and authorities to monitor them in real time. This pharmaceutical package that we are going to approve tomorrow will be the great guarantor of accessibility to medicines and living proof of the importance that the European project has in our lives.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, France has recently taken a courageous step in including the right to abortion in its Constitution. In Portugal we live for 48 years under the dictatorship and this Sunday, that was exactly the number of deputies that the far-right elected to the Assembly of the Republic. The same extreme-right that is against the right to abortion, along with those who are talking about new referendums on rights already guaranteed. But the more our freedoms are threatened, the louder we will say: They won't pass. And that is why the struggles of the past are also the struggles of the present. The struggles of those who died, who were arrested, have history and we are called to be part of that history, because a people that does not recognize its legacy is condemned to repeat the mistakes of its past. The European Union must reinforce the values that define it and reinvent itself, because including the right to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union means access to health care if women so decide. It means guaranteeing women's right to health.

Madam President, in the European Union we pride ourselves on having the highest quality standards in our products, and toys are no exception. The truth is that every day, children are exposed to their chemicals and some are potentially harmful. The proposal for a regulation on the safety of toys that we are voting on this week is an essential step towards ensuring that children are protected. As the author of the committee's opinion with competence in public health, we have banned a wide range of chemicals that cause cognitive, neurological, immunological and carcinogenic problems. We need to find safer alternatives and therefore all authorised exceptions must be limited in time until they are replaced. In the European Union, we protect consumers – everyone from young to old – and in this case we reaffirm our commitment to lead by example. We guarantee more safety and reduce the danger of toys for all children.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, in any hospital throughout the European Union, patients enter the emergency room in emerging, critical situations. And among doctors, nurses, technicians and auxiliaries, everyone is ready to help. And from surgical gowns, catheters, needles, ventilators and scalpels, all the equipment is little. And the concern is only one, to save that person's life. And at that moment, the gown can't tear, the needle can't break, and the fan can't stop working. The safety of the equipment must be guaranteed and all this equipment of the emergency room, the operating room, consultations and other medical spaces are covered by European Union regulations that guarantee the protection and care of people. But at the moment, Member States need more time to properly implement this regulation. And here a balance is needed between maintaining quality standards and, at the same time, not compromising the production of these medical equipment. And here in the European Union, we pride ourselves on being able to say 'people's safety will always come first'. This is our plan and Europeans know that they can count on us.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, if the five richest men in the world, just the five, spent $1 million every day, it would take about 500 years to go bankrupt. Is this accumulation of wealth morally indefensible or not? Every day, in every sector, we suffer the consequences of this inequity. As the cost of living rises, we also have increasingly poor living conditions, increasingly expensive food, and declining quality of life and mental health. But in OECD countries, corporate tax revenues have halved over the past 40 years. And why? Because big companies find loopholes in the law and it is our duty, as co-legislators, to tackle inequalities and eliminate these same loopholes and tax super-wealths. And the question is: How long will we perpetuate this reality? It is time for us to use these excessive profits for the benefit of the whole of society and not just for the benefit of a few.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the study on cohesion policy in the outermost regions reinforces the status conferred by Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. And looking at their geographical characteristics, socio-economic profile, demographic dynamics and development paths, it is clear that vulnerabilities and disparities persist vis-à-vis the rest of the European Union. And extending the application of this article is essential to adapt existing policies, responding adequately to the realities of the outermost regions, boost competitiveness, stimulate transformative investments and invest in research and innovation, either through, for example, the implementation of pilot projects, but also to improve territorial cohesion, which still has serious shortcomings and which should be done through the introduction of a specific programme for transport, such as POSEI. These are key steps towards a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable future for our outermost regions.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, very few territories can say that they are not yet suffering any consequences from climate change. The reports produced by the IPCC are not encouraging. Global warming will intensify sea level rise, increase the frequency of extreme weather events, among many effects on human health and, fearfully, also losses in agricultural production. Decreasing global temperature by one and a half degrees is still a possible goal, but it is also a goal that becomes increasingly distant. A set of measures with concrete actions is needed to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. This requires urgent changes in the transport sector, more efficient buildings and more investment in clean energy. And to the right, listen to the scientists. And if that doesn't suit you, populism, then listen to the young people.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this disaster bears a bad memory of the tragic accident on the Prestige 20 years ago. Once again, human sloppy action causes an environmental crisis in these territories, and this disaster will have serious consequences and not only for the affected communities. And, contrary to what Mrs Pereira says, this is not a regional problem. This is a European matter. As rapporteur-shadow for the revision of the Directive laying down the rules for ship-source pollution, I advocate stronger sanctions for polluters and tighter enforcement, and the competent authorities should provide for an environmental impact assessment of these disasters and the implementation of preventive measures to prevent future environmental disasters. A final word of solidarity for Galicia and our Galician brothers and sisters and for those who tirelessly work to mitigate the consequences of this catastrophe.

Mr President, Commissioner, Council, ladies and gentlemen, how much does the climate emergency cost? It costs five million lives a year, and it's these frightening numbers that move us. Here, I congratulate the focus of this COP for finally having a day dedicated to health and its effects on climate change. The final COP agreement reinforces this by stressing the need to improve the resilience of health systems and reduce the health impact of the climate emergency, particularly on the most vulnerable communities. But committing to the global energy transition away from fossil fuels is a first step in the right direction, but it's not enough. We have to be clearer. There is an urgent need to phase out fossil fuels, because only then will we be able to achieve the 1.5 degree Celsius target. And we're already very late, let's say. In the European Union, we need to lead by example, with ambitious goals and targets in all sectors, but also ensuring that we leave no one behind, because only then will we ensure a healthy and sustainable future for all.

Honourable Member, my question is very simple, is whether you have actually read this proposal, because what we are talking about in this regulation is the most sensitive data of each person. And my question is: Have you read the proposal? Because, in the European Parliament's proposal, we have consent, we also have opt out for secondary data – which goes beyond what the Commission asks us to do – and we have opt in for data that cannot be anonymised. So my question is: Why are you misinforming people?

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, let us talk about a Portuguese emigrant in France who was diagnosed with a throat tumor that was being monitored. One day, while on holiday with his family in Portugal, when he experienced difficulty in swallowing, he went to health care and this is where this regulation comes into play. The European Health Data Space will ensure that electronic health records are interoperable and will accompany users wherever they are. Upon arriving at the hospital in Portugal, health professionals will have immediate access to their electronic health record and access invaluable information that allows the medical team to make a timely decision, increase the chances of survival and the quality of life of this citizen, while avoiding duplication or even tripling of resources. In addition, your data will contribute to science, innovation and the development of new therapies in the European Union. Naturally, throughout the process, privacy and data security are insurmountable priorities and our proposal ensures that the citizen is in full control of them. Ladies and gentlemen, this story shows how the European Union can and must make a difference. By adopting this proposal, we are creating more effective health systems and higher quality care, while always preserving the privacy, control and security of the most sensitive information we know. This is a major step towards a European Union for Health, where collaboration transcends borders, innovation is driven and where every European can believe in universal access to healthcare.