Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, Secretary of State Michel, we are now talking about a sustainable future together, about economic, social and inclusive cohesion. We are still far from this European Union that many of us want. Romanians are far from feeling together with other European citizens when they wait an hour, maybe even two, maybe even more, to enter the European single market, when goods coming from Romania wait for hours, maybe even days, at the border of the Schengen area. It is difficult for citizens in border areas to feel that they are part of a Union as long as they do not have access to social, medical services in the nearest centres, regardless of which part of the border they are in. For a sustainable future together, dear colleagues, we must ensure that European citizens feel this unity in their daily lives, that economic differences are reduced, that young people have equal opportunities for quality education, for a prosperous future.

Mr Vice-President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Disability Card should only be the beginning of a series of tools at the disposal of citizens with disabilities, to ensure their chance to get involved in society, to be truly part of the European Union. We have a lot to do for these people who can and want to make a valuable contribution to our society. We have a lot to do to ensure decent living, travel and working conditions. In addition to their struggle with various disabilities, in addition to the challenges they struggle with, these people face on a daily basis an infrastructure and social rules that were made without considering them. We have the power and the duty to harmonise the conditions for citizens with disabilities, so that the European Union is also their Union, and our Union, and the Union of all citizens here.

Mr President, for five years, I have said in every debate in this Chamber, in every plenary session in Strasbourg, that Romania's place is in the Schengen area. And I thank you, Commissioner Ylva Johansson, for being here tonight and at this debate, and I thank you for your struggle and for your effort to support this cause of Romania, to be part also with the land area in the Schengen area. Dear colleagues, "leaving no one behind" is the principle behind this particular political and economic construction, which we all represent: The European Union. That is why Romania in Schengen must be one of our objectives, of all of us, of those who represent the European Union. And that's why I want you to support after June 9 this country wish that Romania still has to fulfill: Romania in Schengen and with the land area.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, human rights are among our most important values, of the European Union, and they must apply to everyone. Every citizen must be rewarded for their work, years of training and experience, and these rules must apply to all products, whether they are produced in the European Union or in third countries. This is not just about traditional imports, through traditional companies, but also about all the products that are bought on online platforms. Imposing this condition, banning products made through forced labour is a way to impose a minimum standard of human rights on all our partners, but also a way to create fair competition for European producers. Human rights must be defended by all means available to the European Union. Congratulations, Samira! Congratulations to all the colleagues who have worked on this report. It's a big, big step for us, for the European Union, forward.

Madam President, durable products are not only those that do not pollute, but also the products that we can repair so that we can use them for as long as possible. This is the traditional, normal way of using things. Consumers must have the right and the possibility to repair their products without losing the guarantee. Not long ago, we European citizens were able to change our own phone battery or screen, and our grandparents and parents could fix their radio or TV, and even make small repairs to cars. It was not a major problem to find either spare parts or repair shops, and repair was an option that many people chose. And yes, repairing products must be a viable option, and consumers must buy new products because they need them or want them, not because they have no other option.

Mr President, Romania entered the Schengen area by air and sea on 31 March this year, after many years of meeting all the technical criteria. However, this week, my colleague Eugen Tomac was stopped on his way out of the plane at Vienna airport by Austrian police. Not just him, but all the passengers who were getting off the plane and were ID'd, their passports were checked. The same happened to me on Tuesday morning at Munich airport, when I made a stopover to Brussels. Herr Kommissar Johannes Hahn! Ich freue mich, dass Sie heute Abend hier im Plenarsaal sind. Ich bitte Sie persönlich, dass Sie Ihrem Parteikollegen, dem Kanzler Nehammer, mitteilen, dass Rumänien alle technischen Kriterien erfüllt hat. Unser Platz ist im Schengen-Raum, auch beim Straßenverkehr, nicht nur bei den Flughäfen oder den Häfen. Ich bitte Sie, dass Sie dem Kanzler Nehammer das persönlich sagen. Unser Platz – Rumäniens Platz und Bulgariens Platz – ist im Schengen-Bereich, noch dieses Jahr.

Madam President, Commissioner Ferreira, dear colleagues, I thank first of all my colleague from the United Right, Eugen Tomac, for this initiative on the resolution of the Romanian treasure. It's a problem that's been going on for over a hundred years. Romania signed a written agreement with Russia to keep our country's treasury safe until the end of World War I. The agreement was signed by both states and covered cultural objects, archives, jewelry, as well as 91.5 tons of gold. Russia undertook by treaty to return all these values, but more than a hundred years passed and Romania received back only a part of the cultural and archival values, but not the Romanian gold. The treaties signed must be respected. Romanians have the right to receive back their own treasure. It is inadmissible for a country to seize the national treasure of another state. It is a unique case in the world and must be solved as soon as possible by the full and immediate return of the entire treasury.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest benefits in the European Union is the right of free movement enjoyed by European citizens. In this way, it ensures greater cohesion between different nations, a real cultural exchange and creates that sense of belonging to a large family. Unfortunately, not all European citizens enjoy this right, this experience of being part of the great European family. Romanians and Bulgarians do not have the right to free movement in the European Union, and if a single state can keep millions of citizens at the border of the European Union, I believe that we, the European Parliament, must find solutions to solve this incorrect situation. We, the European Parliament and the European Commission, and I thank you, Commissioner Reynders, for all your efforts, we have repeatedly expressed ourselves, demanding equal rights for Romanians and Bulgarians. It is the case that in the next term, after the June 9 elections, we will find a viable solution for Romania to be part of the Schengen area.

Mr President, Commissioner Reynders, the directive on damage caused by defective products is one of the directives with the longest application in European Union law. For almost 40 years, from 1985 until now, we have been constantly witnessing the evolution, both in the field of products, as well as in the field of commercial relations, of the way of purchasing products. A truly well-functioning single market requires harmonised legislation, even with regard to the damage that products can cause. Although still in place, this legislation needed to be adapted to ensure that all European citizens, consumers and users of products had the same rights. In the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, we aim to harmonise legislation at European level in order to ensure the same quality and safety of products, but also to ensure the same rights for European citizens, regardless of which Member State or region they are in. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt liegt auf einer ausgewogenen Gesetzgebung, die die Rechte der Bürger berücksichtigt, aber auch die Möglichkeiten der Wirtschaft, diese erfolgreich umzusetzen. Gemeinsam mit meinem Kollegen Pascal Arimont, Ko-Berichterstatter des Rechtsausschusses, haben wir dafür gesorgt, dass wir dieses Gleichgewicht wahren, das allen Beteiligten in möglichen Streitigkeiten zugutekommt. The biggest novelty and benefit of this directive, which we will vote on this week here in Strasbourg, is the introduction of rules that will make it easier for potential victims to access compensation. The access to information is one of the main improvements brought by this directive, and reveals that the alleged victims have easy access to the relevant information they need to substantiate their case. Speaking of balance, however, if the responsible economic actors are obliged to disclose information, this obligation will not affect the trade secrets. An important step was to introduce digital data as a product into this directive. This will lead to a unified approach to data in the single market and sets clear rules across the European Union, but we wanted to clarify that personal data is not covered by this directive. The software is also considered to be produced under this Directive and the material damage caused by it will be compensated under this Directive. It is important to underline that the Directive refers to material damage, and immaterial damage remains the attribute of Member States and national legislation. Another important point of this directive is to establish a clear line of responsibility between economic actors, from the manufacturer to the last seller of the product, even if it is online. Selbstverständlich hielten mein Kollege Pascal Arimont und ich es für wichtig, die Richtlinie an die gesamte geltende europäische Gesetzgebung anzupassen, einen möglichst klaren Text zu schaffen, damit die Anwendung auf der Ebene möglichst einheitlich im gesamten Binnenmarkt erfolgen kann. I would like to thank all my colleagues, shadow rapporteurs, from all political groups, my team, led by Cristina Burhan, with whom I have worked on this directive, but also to congratulate the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, the Spanish Presidency, for the open way of working together to achieve the best possible result, which takes into account the rights of European citizens and the needs and capacities of the Single Market economy.

Mr President, Commissioner Breton, ladies and gentlemen, modern technologies are part of our daily lives through the many applications we use on a regular basis. These technologies are, of course, based on essential patents, and it is only natural that they should be paid for, and that those who invent and make these technologies available should benefit from their work. But it is just as natural that when you pay for the right to use such technology, you pay only for the part that is really essential and not for additional applications that you can deprive yourself of. It is therefore necessary to establish clear rules and, above all, transparency in the filing of patents, without in any way restricting the right to intellectual property. We cannot help but notice the disproportion between patent holders, who currently do not have clear transparency obligations and can introduce in the price of the license what they consider appropriate, and the majority of users, whether they are small and medium-sized enterprises or large manufacturers of machines and tools. As in any economic area, I believe that we need to respect the rights of the creator, but we need to ensure transparency and labelling for buyers.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the moment of Romania's accession to the European Union was a moment felt like a celebration by all Romanians. It was seen as a homecoming. However, we still had steps to take, one being that of Romania's entry into the Schengen area, of free movement, the step that allows us to be full Europeans. The way in which this process has been postponed from one year to another, from one Council meeting to another, even if Romania meets all the necessary conditions for accession, has led to increased distrust in the European institutions, which is dangerously exploited now by populist and extremist parties. It is absolutely necessary that the step taken last December, that of partial accession, with airports and rivers, be followed by full terrestrial accession, as soon as the new conditions are met. It will be our duty and that of the European Commission, the European Parliament, to ensure that the interests of populist and extremist parties in the Member States do not outweigh the interests of European citizens.

Mr President, Commissioner, I will not use such a high tone as other colleagues have, but I will be as firm and direct. We are talking about an economic union, but also about a social union, but we see how many people can no longer afford or have never afforded healthy food, varied food, so as to ensure the necessary intake for a healthy life. Clearly, something is not working. Healthy, affordable food must be the norm, not a luxury that only some can afford. If inflation can affect other areas, it is important to ensure that basic food does not become inaccessible to the citizens of the European Union, because each of them, for a sick population, means a Union weakened beyond safety. We need sound agricultural policies that ensure both farmers' jobs and citizens' access to healthy food. We need to go beyond ideology and take a highly pragmatic approach to find the best solution.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Union is an open and honest partner for third countries that want to cooperate with us in the economic field. This is a decision that directly benefits consumers, European citizens, through access to products made in other countries, to a wider range of products. It is natural, under the conditions of a global economy, to have agreements, free trade treaties and more. But it is absolutely necessary that these treaties are adapted to the needs and requirements of the economy, but also of our society. I understand the great importance of the European Commission's specialists and the technical aspects they master very well, but agreements are not pure mathematics. These agreements must meet the demands of European society and our priorities. It is therefore very important that the European Parliament has a decisive say in the negotiation and conclusion of these treaties as the only political institution that directly represents the will of the citizens. It is therefore important that the European Parliament is consulted at all stages of the negotiations in future treaties, both in free trade and in bi- and multilateral programmed cooperation, such as the Horizon programme, one of the most important cooperation agreements in the area of science and innovation. I hope that in the future we will see more collaboration and openness on the part of the European Commission, and that the procedures will respect not only the letter but also the spirit of the European Treaties.

Madam President, dear Minister, dear President, I am honoured that the President of Romania addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Romania is neighboring Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, where Russia does not want to stop exerting its influence. Romania is bordering the Black Sea, where war affects all states in the area and beyond. That is why it is very important for Romania to remain a truly democratic country, anchored in European values. This is Europe, this is the topic of our debate today, and Romania has been part of the European Union for 17 years. We constantly see the development and modernization of our country, to which the 90 billion euros of European funds have contributed significantly, but also the fact that Romanian citizens have access to a single market, to the European economy and culture, even if we are not yet fully members of the Schengen area. This is where we should press the accelerator harder, and I am glad that you said it loud and clear today in this House. Romania has demonstrated that it has European values in its DNA and promotes them. Even when Romanian politicians made the wrong decisions, citizens fiercely defended and still defend European values, democracy and the rule of law, and Europe means the rule of law. And this formula has a terrible weight in the lives of each of us. We all have a set of rules, and no one, no matter how high their function, is above those rules. If we are talking about rules, maybe it would not hurt to remember that rules are rules when it comes to elections, and the confidence of every European citizen in the European institutions will be even greater if we manage to explain openly, step by step, not only what they can do for Europe, but also what Europe does for them every day. We will not be able to do this if the debate in Romania is trying to be moved elsewhere, at the same time as the European elections of the same year.

Madam President, dear Minister, dear colleagues, European citizens have become much more cooperative than the governments of the Member States. It adapts more easily to change and accepts to move for work anywhere in the European Union. This strong fluidity in border regions where citizens live in a country and work in the neighbouring country, where they go shopping on either side of the border, and their social life runs on both sides of the border, needs to be improved. Under these circumstances, it is natural that Member States make the necessary changes and work together to adapt legislation to the real needs of citizens, even if it means adapting education systems, public health systems or adapting legislation and procedures in local government. We, as MEPs, must draw attention to the fact that European citizens need change and start a real dialogue with the Council of the European Union to make this change. Thank you, Mr. Colleague, Gozi, for this report!

Mr President, Commissioner Adina Vălean, I am glad that you are here tonight in this debate. Dear colleagues, it is vital, especially this year, not to give reason to extremists to use and increase anti-European sentiments. It is important that all European citizens feel that they have the same rights in the European Union, that we are all equal and that we, the European Parliament, are here to defend the interests of all citizens of the Union. Equality of rights is not yet achieved at the level of our Union, and the fact that Romanian and Bulgarian citizens, although European, do not have the right of free passage, like all other Europeans, is heavily exploited to increase the anti-European wave. I have heard speeches by some of my colleagues in this regard. We must ensure that no country can override the will of the majority when it comes to our citizens, our rights.

Vice-President, Commissioner, Schmit, honourable representatives of the Council of the EU, quality jobs mean jobs that allow people to live a decent life, regardless of their field of activity: a payment with which he can cover his expenses, pay his bills, not worry about tomorrow. For quality jobs, however, we need a quality education, adapted to the needs of the individual, but also connected to the demand for labour. There is a need for an education system that prepares young people for the labour market, but also provides continuous training for adults. However, quality jobs also depend on a number of factors to be taken into account. We cannot ignore the fact that what was a quality job 30, 40 years ago in the European Union, for example, no longer allows a man the same quality of life. We need a real analysis and a cold and clear analysis of the labour market as a whole, Commissioner, and this should be a priority for all of us at European level.

Vice-President, Commissioner Reynders, ladies and gentlemen, consumer protection is one of our priorities in the IMCO Committee, and this report is intended to ensure that consumers are properly informed and not misled into buying products that claim to be environmentally friendly, without this being true. It is important that those who choose products that protect the environment are sure that they are not deceived by false advertisements. It is normal to set clear standards and targets for a product to be called environmentally friendly, and a single criterion is not enough. Of course, the entire economy will be engaged in achieving the objectives of the Green Deal, but it must do so honestly, and our consumers in our countries must be able to make informed choices, because that is the only way they can influence the market in the desired direction.

Mr President, at the end of December, the Council of the European Union decided that Romania and Bulgaria would partially join the Schengen area. Although all the conditions have been met for more than ten years, the two countries to be full members, they are stopped by a government that has put new conditions on our states. Dear colleagues, Commissioner, the reluctance to respect the European Treaties is worrying. The fear of other Member States is pure nationalism, very dangerous for our development, of the European Union. I am convinced that Romania and Bulgaria will also meet the new conditions, but we, the European Parliament and the European Commission, must ensure that when these new conditions are met, Romania and Bulgaria will receive the immediate positive vote to enter the land area, the Schengen area. The European Union must grow, develop and we must not allow it to be stopped in these times by nationalism, populism and individualism.

Madam President, Secretary of State Navarro Ríos, Commissioner Breton, colleagues, the events of recent years in the world, but also in our immediate neighbourhood, have made it clear to us that the European Union needs a very serious programme of investment in the defence industry, but also a common strategy and an army that can ensure our safety, that of the Union. This programme must take into account the need for all equipment, ammunition to be produced here in the European Union, but also for the industry to be able to adapt to the needs at different times. This program must pay attention not only to classical armaments, but also to the needs of new technologies, even new types of war. We are not only talking about a classical war, as we know it from the history books, one in which the latest technologies are used, but also about the information war that third countries have already started. We cannot always rely on others to produce the ammunition we need, to provide the defence we need, to counteract the information attacks we face. We need to start relying on ourselves.

Madam President, Commissioner, Mrs Jourová, Mrs Šuica, protecting democracy means more than just following the law, especially now that disinformation and fake news are being used massively as a weapon against us, against the European Union, against democratic values. We are witnessing a reversal not only of values, but also of scientific reality and truths. Opinions, which we encourage as a democratic exercise, cannot undo the years of study and hard work on which the progress of our society is based. How to try to turn the image of the war in Ukraine into an unjustified attack on an independent state (and I am glad that colleague Tomac also mentioned this) into a simple territorial dispute in which the attacker is portrayed as a hero; the manner in which attempts are made to annul and conceal the suffering of so many generations who have suffered under dictatorial regimes; this is all the more dangerous as our young people, the future of the European Union, are the target. We must recognise that these disinformations are real attacks on democracy, our countries and the European Union, and we must act accordingly.

Mr President, Commissioner, rapporteur, ladies and gentlemen! Digitalisation has been one of the priorities of the European Union, together with the Member States, since the beginning of this mandate. The justice system must follow this policy line, as digitalisation can make both the administration of justice and access to justice much more efficient. When we talk about judicial cooperation between neighbouring countries in border regions, this digitalisation is all the more necessary, as interoperable systems can give citizens access to the judicial process without, for example, having to travel to the neighbouring country, thus providing citizens in border areas with new tools when they need to turn to the judiciary. However, it is extremely important that specialists in this field are directly involved in the digitalisation process, taking into account the specificities and challenges of the compatibility and interoperability of such digital systems.

Mr Vice-President, Madam Vice-President of the Commission, ladies, gentlemen, more than 50% of the population of the European Union, some 225 million people, are women. In our century, in our time, when we have adopted democratic values, when we recognise human rights as the basis of our society, we are still talking about violence against women, as a massive, real phenomenon that affects far too many women: from physical abuse to economic dependence, to traditions and customs that still teach women that they must forgive them, and even to places that do not provide security for women who want or have to walk alone in the evening. All these can, and must, be considered forms of violence against women. We can pass laws, we can impose them and we do this, but in order for violence to stop being a massive phenomenon, we need to change mentalities. We must educate boys and men that violence against women cannot be and is not accepted by our society, by all of us.

Mr. Reil, last time I asked you a question, I used your language, but now I want you to make an effort to listen to my language. It is a pity that you, in this debate, bring this hate speech and this hate generates that violence of which you speak. It is a great pity for this House and for this day to bring the debate into disrepair. I'm sorry about your performance.

Mr Vice-President, we have all seen that when the three European institutions, Parliament, the Commission and the Council, choose to debate in order to find solutions to the various problems, these solutions can be found and implemented very quickly. This is the spirit we should have in all situations, including the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. And yet, we find ourselves in the incredible situation where the European Parliament recommends accession through the multiple resolutions that we have adopted here in recent years. The European Commission notes that all the criteria are met and recommends the accession of Romania and Bulgaria and, moreover, all Member States, with one exception, agree with it. So we could say that the Council, in its great majority, agrees. But we cannot reach agreement between the three institutions. I am urging Chancellor Nehammer to give a mandate to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and to the Council of 5 December - Justice and Home Affairs Council - Austria to no longer oppose the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area.