Speeches

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on forging a sustainable future together: economic, social and territorial challenges for a competitive, cohesive and inclusive Europe (2024/2705(RSP)).

Dear Sylvie, as a member of this great family of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, I would also like to thank you for your commitment and above all for your courage.

Thank you very much, dear colleague Agnes Jongerius, and thank you for your 10 years of engagement in this House. I’m sure you will continue your work with a lot of competence for a just Europe in different arenas than this Parliament.

The next item is the debate on Council and Commission statements on the La Hulpe declaration on the future of social Europe [2024/2707(RSP)].

The next item is the debate on – the oral question to the Commission on the European Parliament’s right of inquiry by Salvatore De Meo, Domènec Ruiz Devesa, Rainer Wieland, Maite Pagazaurtundúa, Damian Boeselager, Helmut Scholz, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (O-000006/2024 - B9-0013/24) (2024/2598(RSP), and – the oral question to the Council on the European Parliament’s right of inquiry, by Salvatore De Meo, Domènec Ruiz Devesa, Rainer Wieland, Maite Pagazaurtundúa, Helmut Scholz, Damian Boeselager, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs Commission (O-000007/2024 - B9-0014/24) (2024/2598(RSP).

The joint debate is now closed. I thank all the speakers for their input, and also the Commissioner and everyone who took part. The vote will be held today at 17.00.

Thank you very much, Mr Tang. Your ten years here have been very much appreciated by all the colleagues. Good luck for the future of your career.

The next sitting is tomorrow, Thursday 11 April, at 9.00 in the morning. The agenda has been published and is available on the European Parliament website. I would like to thank all the interpreters, the ushers, all the Secretariat members, all the staff of Parliament still here, and all the Members who are still here.

The next item is the one-minute speeches on matters of political importance (Rule 172). I would like to inform you that for the one-minute speeches you are invited to take the floor from your seat.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, for many years, European citizens have been asking for a revision of the EU animal welfare legislation. Some 84% of Europeans believe that the welfare of farmed animals should be better protected, and 90% consider that farming and breeding practices should meet basic ethical requirements. And at the same time, millions of signatures have been collected for the Citizens’ Initiatives ‘End the cage age’ and ‘Fur-free Europe’. And the message that these citizens are sending us is very clear: the current EU animal welfare situation must change, and it is regrettable that the Commission has failed to implement such important instruments of participatory democracy, and that it has given priority to business interests. The way we treat animals mirrors the kind of humans we are. Animal welfare is essential for a civilised, healthy and sustainable society, and the European Union needs to push for the highest possible standards. Time is running out. It is time for the Commission to deliver on their promises. To conclude, I would like to pay tribute to my friend Tilly Metz and all the colleagues who participated in the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport.

The next sitting will take place tomorrow, Thursday, 14 March, at 9.00. The agenda has been published and is available on the European Parliament website.

The debate is closed. I have received one motion for a resolution1 to wind up this debate. The vote will be held tomorrow. _______________ 1 See minutes.

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on the time the European Commission takes to deal with requests for public access to documents (2023/2941(RSP).

Thank you very much, Commissioner. I thank all the colleagues for this debate. I thank those who stayed in the room for the whole debate. I also thank those who reminded us of Zach Kostopoulos, whose mother was here, and brought a petition to this House – to the Committee on Petitions – drawing attention to the killing of her son and to police impunity. The debate is closed.

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement on rising anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric and violence: recent attacks in Thessaloniki (2024/2654(RSP).