Speeches

Madam President, the pot is almost empty, and without resources there is no room for improvement. The cultural and creative sector has a strong capacity to improve European competitiveness: more than 7.5 million people work in the cultural world, which today accounts for more than 5.5% of the European Union's gross domestic product. However, its funding is insufficient and, even so, there are those who propose to reduce the money we put in that pocket for the next budget. Do we want to build a more competitive society? Do we want to build a more resilient society? Do we want to strengthen European values? A strong cultural sector will help us to achieve it, and we can only achieve it by betting on it. We need at least 2% of the next European budget for Creative Europe; sufficient background to create an effective cultural compass. We need to invest in the cultural hub to strengthen the European Union.

Madam President, Mr Executive Vice-President, the three years of invasion of Ukraine are also three years of resistance in border regions, European Union territories close to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus suffering the consequences of Putin's invasion: less investment, less tourism, less employment, more economic hardship. One piece of information: Since the beginning of the conflict, almost six million refugees have fled the war, most of them to these border regions, an unprecedented request for asylum. And now we, with the budget review, need more measures to support these regions, and cohesion policy can also be a tool: economic support for countries hosting refugees, cohesion policy funds to help refugees and infrastructure, economic incentives for countries bordering the war. Mr Executive Vice-President, the European Commission must commit to these measures so that we all emerge stronger from this conflict.

Madam President, Commissioner, competitiveness is the way to build a strong Europe – today more than ever – on the global stage we live in. A strong and competitive Europe can only be achieved with competitive cities and regions. Far from centralising cohesion policy, we need to be very aware that only the involvement of cities and regions in the design and implementation of cohesion programmes will guarantee us more competitiveness. And as the Draghi report points out: more decentralisation to make the most of the potential of each territory. And if we want to be more competitive, we need the most prepared in the European Union: Investing in training is the way, preparing our workforce for the technological changes that are already here. The green and digital transition, better trained workers and more co-governance of regions: These are the keys to the European Union's competitive success.

Madam President, do we want European talent to lead changes in the labour market? We need to strengthen the role of the European Union in quality education and training, there is no other way. One of the most important elements is equal opportunities: it is crucial to ensure that all young people, regardless of their gender, background or situation, have access to quality education and training. Just today, in addition, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we must commit to continue working to eliminate gender gaps in education: we need to encourage women's equal participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These areas are particularly important to address the green and digital transitions. Education and training are engines of equality and social progress, and that is why we need more investment. If we want better European talent, we have to give training opportunities regardless of the origin of those who receive it.

Mr President, three years of war, three years of invasion, three years of confrontation between Putin's authoritarianism and European values over the resistance of Ukrainians. From the European Parliament we continue to support the Ukrainian people with measures such as the Ukraine Facility – €50 billion until 2027 – or the financial assistance framework, which will be financed from the profits generated by Russian assets frozen in the EU. But we need more: more military, humanitarian and economic aid. Ukraine has to be reborn after the war: a country that looks to the future and has the resources to cope with post-conflict reconstruction and modernisation. Now that the global geopolitical context pales in the face of populist drift, the European Union must be more than ever the bulwark of democracy and human rights, and the place to which Ukraine must turn.

Mr President, Commissioner, democracy is still under threat in Georgia. This has already been said by the European Parliament's observation mission to the country: alerted of cases of vote-buying, double voting, before and during the elections. A Parliament elected in an election of dubious validity has now elected a new president and the escalation goes further: the rise of political violence, attacks on opposition leaders... I would like to recall here expressly Giorgi Gajaria, one of the leaders of the opposition, who had to be hospitalized after the aggression of the violent. There is still a long way to go before Georgia can become a member of the European Union. This is the path that Georgian Dream wants to interrupt, it wants to slow down Georgia's progress and advance towards Europe. Georgian citizens deserve transparent elections and to be able to elect a president that is consistent with the will of the Georgian people. A democratic Georgia moving towards a more united Europe.

Madam President, Commissioner, it is as if an atomic bomb has fallen on Mayotte. This is how the victims of the devastating cyclone Chido describe the situation. Cyclones of this nature occur once every hundred years. But we are seeing the extraordinary become the norm. We must denounce climate denialism from here. Ignoring reality, putting sticks in the wheels of the green transition only makes these disasters worse. The European institutions have responded quickly to other disasters with the RESTORE Regulation, a rapid response mechanism, with aid for the reconstruction of the affected sites and for assistance also to victims: humanitarian and emergency aid. The outermost regions also need our full attention and affection. But it's not enough. It is not enough to resort to emergency mechanisms. Faced with an increasingly frequent situation, we need to be able to create a dedicated, robust and sufficient fund to address the consequences of these natural disasters, accelerate the green transition and prepare for disasters. There are many lives at stake.

Mr President, Commissioner, social media brings the world closer to young people. For them, they have a similar effect as television had in my generation, with the addition of the introduction of a greater number of voices to the political debate. But among these voices, actors sneak in with the sole objective of manipulating and spreading disinformation for their own benefit: We've seen it on X or TikTok. We must establish mechanisms so that electoral integrity is guaranteed on social networks: increase transparency and political guidance for communicators and introduce measures to combat disinformation in real time, despite the speed of content. In addition, we must provide young Europeans with media and digital literacy that allows them to develop critical thinking to access verified and diverse information. There is an urgent need to properly implement the Digital Services Act adopted in this Parliament. If we want to preserve the quality of democracies, it is essential to ensure safe and healthy social networks for our young people.

Madam President, Commissioner, catastrophe happens in minutes. Suddenly, the flood produced by the torrential rains bursts into your house with overwhelming force. In a moment, the water has devastated your entire life and, sometimes, without anyone notifying you. The European institutions must respond to tragedies with the same forcefulness and speed. Herein lies the importance of RESTORE. It is a source of pride that we have acted soon and that we are responding to those affected by the natural disasters that have occurred this year throughout the European Union – with the ERDF or the European Social Fund – to rebuild infrastructure and to provide food, health support, cleaning materials or what is necessary to get ahead. On many occasions those affected by these disasters have lost everything: his house, his car, his job. At this time more than ever, institutions must stand by their side to ward off the specter of anti-politics. I want to send strength and encouragement to those affected by DANA in Valencia, Letur and other parts of Spain. Let them know that we don't forget them. The European institutions will give the answer they deserve. A response that adds to the more than 16 billion euros that the Government of Spain has already committed for reconstruction. We will shine again with the same strength as before the storm.

Mr. President, autonomy and freedom. These are the pillars of our universities and we must preserve them if we want to maintain higher education and research, which are the spearhead of social progress. We need to strengthen our competitiveness and strategic autonomy in order to be able to cope with great powers such as China or the United States. And this path passes through free and autonomous universities. We must defend them from outside interference by foreign powers that seek to weaken our democracy, undermine the integrity of our academic institutions, and censor our intellectual diversity. There must be academic cooperation in the European Union and more transparency in the funding of research. The European Union should explore – together with the Member States – measures to protect academic research and ensure our democracy and academic freedom; measures which, in addition, have the appropriate budgetary allocation.

Mr President, Commissioner, children and young people are the future, we always say so; But this future is determined by the opportunities we offer them. Do we want an unequal future or are we going to work towards a just and equal society? To do so, we need to give young people and children the tools they need to develop fully as people. Education and health are the drivers of equal opportunities. All children should have access to free, compulsory and accessible education. The economic, gender, social or cultural situation at the outset cannot be an impediment to their opportunities. In addition, we must protect their physical and mental health and well-being: bullying and cyberbullying stalk children in classrooms and impede their normal development; and, now, this problem is increased twenty-four hours a day by the mobile phone inside the pocket. Let's address these issues for a better future.

Mr President, suspicions of voter fraud are very worrying. We in the European Parliament have a great tool for auditing the performance of elections: election observation missions. Precisely, in the case of the one held in Georgia during the elections of 26 October, the existence of many facts that concern us has been confirmed. During that mission, observers noticed cases of vote buying, double voting before and during the elections – especially in rural areas – and also that the presence of chambers inside polling stations contributed to creating a climate of pressure during the votes. We would like to address the Georgian authorities: We believe in the country's path to becoming a full member of the European Union, but its government has many tasks to solve. Citizens have the right to become – and the duty to transit to become – citizens of the European Union, but the government has to resolve; it needs better instruments, more budget and better institutions to become a geopolitical actor comparable to those that make up the European Union. The findings of the mission's report raise doubts about the quality of the elections before the elections, during the elections and during the recount. The Government of Georgia needs to clarify doubts so that relations with the country and its authorities are based on respect, trust and institutional normality. Suspected voter fraud is unacceptable.

Mr President, Commissioner, talking about youth is talking about the future, and for the future to be bright we need to strengthen its powers. The intentions are good: the test is a future Executive Vice-President dedicated to these competences in the new European Commission. But, nevertheless, the data is darker: young people’s performance indicates a skills gap, and projections for 2035 suggest that this gap will increase. We must act. We need a European strategy to reduce the skills gap at all stages of education. We need to provide our young people with tools to develop, improve and update competences during adult life, and the automatic recognition of academic degrees and competences to improve understanding and mobility between Member States. 2025 is here, and it is the date we set to call for the implementation of the European Education Area. Let's make it happen, let's make the future of our young people shine.

Mr. President, we are perceived as far away and we have to change it. The citizens who walk the streets of Rome, Athens or my city, Murcia, feel that the European institutions do not come close to their daily problems: that is why cities and regions must be the protagonists of this legislature. The changes that we need to implement and that drive cohesion policy directly affect them: more sustainable mobility, more energy efficiency, more affordable housing. 70% of the population of the European Union lives in urban areas and cannot be left out of the implementation of these changes: cities and regions must remain at the heart of cohesion policy. Commissioner, I am disturbed by rumours of a recentralisation of the management of the Cohesion Fund; I ask you to speak out clearly against it here today: If we want ordinary citizens, those who walk the streets of our neighborhoods, to be interested in the work we do here, we must take them more into account. And that means putting regions and cities at the heart of the management of cohesion policy, and the way forward is to advance the implementation of the urban agenda and the European territorial agenda. Only in this way will we achieve our goal: balanced, green and socially just local development.

Mr President, Commissioner, there is no welfare state without a place where we can be well. The pillar of our political system is shaken by the very serious housing crisis we are going through: a crisis suffered by all citizens, but especially the youngest, who cannot develop their life project. We must act. I am proud to say that, thanks to the work of the Socialist Group, we will have a housing commissioner and a commitment to a European housing plan. But we have to go further: we need to reform cohesion policy to help finance the construction of affordable housing and expand the public stock of rental housing. There is also a need to set up a dedicated European fund to invest in affordable public housing and allow state aid. But I am not talking about any housing, but housing that offers quality of life, solves energy poverty with energy efficiency and is affordable. That is, we must follow the principles of the New European Bauhaus. This problem is drowning citizens; We need to throw him a lifeline.

Madam President, Commissioner, the window through which we look at the world has fogged glass. An international movement of extreme populisms with large economic powers that finance it is responsible. They have contaminated our glass with fake news, disinformation and hate messages. We can see the result in Austria, in Germany, in Italy and throughout Europe: far-right parties that go against the very essence of the European Union and achieve power by inoculating the virus of hatred of citizens with lies. We must fight it by defending quality journalism. That is why we need a swift and proper implementation of the European Media Freedom Regulation with sufficient funds. Reality is not how those who stain the window through which we look at the world with hatred pretend to show it. To preserve our democracy we must ensure the existence of free and independent media. Let's cleanse the glass of hate.

Mr President, Commissioner, there are almond trees drying out: In my land, the lack of rain is killing even the rain-fed trees. Farmers in the Region of Murcia are suffering more than ever the effects of drought: The effects of climate change are already here. We need long-term solutions and preventive measures, and the answer is European funds: the common agricultural policy and cohesion policy aligned with the Green Deal can mitigate the impact of these droughts, can promote sustainable agricultural practices and can ensure the adaptation of our communities to climate change. The Commission should adopt a water resilience strategy to provide a comprehensive and stable response: We cannot react impromptu to every drought. In my land, while the leaves of the almond and olive trees dry showing a desolate landscape, and the regional government does nothing to prevent it, only the Government of Spain approves aid. The European Union must also rise to the occasion.

Mr President, Commissioner, cohesion policy is a pillar of the European Union, a pillar that strengthens growth, equal opportunities and solidarity. A weapon to improve the development of all regions of the European Union. We are now in the moment to think about how we want to manage the structural funds in the next decade with an idea in mind: leave no one behind. Two regions with the same gross domestic product may have very different needs. We have to look beyond this indicator to distribute the funds, to worry about environmental or socio-economic issues, for example. The management of European funds cannot be an administrative maze. We must make access to resources easier, more flexible and involve municipalities and regions. In addition, it is necessary to think about the territory, not only the urban. And to do so, we must enhance the role of the Territorial Agenda of the European Union. Make plans thinking about regions, territories with common needs, address disparities within regions and fight against depopulation. And, of course, we can't get all this if there are no funds. The budget for cohesion policy needs to be strengthened in the next negotiation. In short, we must focus on ordinary citizens, think about all the people who have benefited from these funds for decades and improve them for the new generations. Design a cohesion policy that is the basis for equal opportunities between the different territories of the European Union so as not to leave anyone behind.

Madam President, Commissioner, we must look to the past to boost the future. Cohesion policy is a pillar of the European Union. It is based on the deepest pro-European values – equality, solidarity, balance between regions – and has made it possible to accelerate the development of territories that were in line and to incorporate all of us into a European train that is moving steadily and at a good pace. Now, this review of the previous period comes at a time when we are already working on what the cohesion policy of the future should be and we need to learn from the past in order to grow stronger. We need a cohesion policy that looks beyond gross domestic product to allocate and use resources; socio-economic and environmental aspects also need to be assessed. We must strengthen co-governance: the closest governments know better the needs of the territory. It also simplifies administrative procedures, streamlines processes and increases transparency. We need a cohesion policy that strengthens the green transition and the digital transition. A cohesion policy that contributes to a just transition in all regions. Cohesion funds should also combat depopulation in some regions of the European Union and enhance the role of the European territorial agenda, an integrated vision of the territory. A cohesion policy, too, with solid funding other than the piggy bank to turn to every time we have a crisis. In short, a cohesion policy focused on citizens. Thinking about those citizens who studied in schools, went to hospitals and have driven on roads financed with these funds and thinking about the new generations and how to improve this policy to reduce inequalities, balance territories and promote a more digital, greener and more sustainable European Union. In short, a cohesion policy to offer new generations more and better opportunities. To offer them a better life.

Mr President, Commissioner, the citizens are watching us. The climate crisis is already a reality. We went through a crossroads. The new generations will judge us by the decisions we make now in all areas and also in our buildings. Improving their energy efficiency will have a significant impact on the quality of life of citizens and will mean social, economic and environmental improvements. We must focus our actions on the areas that are vulnerable and linked to energy poverty, on those who need it most. Fossil fuel boilers should be phased out, energy rehabilitation promoted and insulation improved in our buildings. These are actions aimed at providing decent, profitable homes in line with climate demands. The adoption of the proposal for a directive on the energy performance of buildings is crucial for improving the buildings where we live and work, reducing energy poverty and polluting less. It is a necessary step to leave a decent world to the next generations.

Mr President, today we are living through a key day, another step towards a genuine revision of the multiannual financial framework, a prerequisite for the creation of the Ukraine Facility, 50 billion in financial support by 2027, a fund for post-war reconstruction and modernisation needs. We need the reconstruction of Ukraine to be sustainable and inclusive and this fund will allow Ukraine to advance in regional policy and in coordination of structural instruments. In addition, with the green light to the establishment of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) we will take a great first step towards the strategic autonomy that we demand so much for the European Union: a sovereign fund for the European Union that will foster synergies between existing European programmes of funds and promote complementarity between cohesion policy and other sources of European Union funding. We need a strong cohesion policy for the future, adapted to the consequences of future crises.

Mr President, Commissioner, quality education is the engine of the European Union, the engine of equal opportunities. It is an engine that only works by putting teachers in the place we deserve in society and offering decent working conditions. As a teacher, it is my duty to defend the rights of our collective. Future generations, and therefore the future of the European project, depend on us. We must ensure optimal working conditions and adequate remuneration for all teachers. Only if we increase the interest in teaching will we improve the quality and alleviate the shortage of teachers that affects some territories. One of the dimensions of the European Education Area focuses precisely on teachers, trainers and educational staff. It is a project that should provide more opportunities for them, but it will only do so if we get its real implementation in 2025. The date's coming up. Together with students, teachers and educators, we must be at the heart of education policies. The classroom should be the axis. The European Union is also built from the classroom, with teachers who defend and transmit European values, teachers who must have decent working conditions.

Mr President, Commissioner, being young should not be a reason for discrimination, nor should it mean having fewer opportunities or not being paid for your work. From the European Union we have been promoting quality education for years. But all this is of no use if then there is no transition to an honest and inclusive world of work that respects the rights of young people. We are talking about the problem of not receiving compensation for the time spent on the internships, but also about the expense that each young person incurs in doing them. A cost that they and their families must bear for the benefit of the companies that profit. We have come to celebrate the European Year of Youth and we need to look after its legacy. There would be no better legacy than to adopt at once a directive for quality practices as soon as possible. Traineeships must be remunerated. President von der Leyen should know that this directive does not stand any more excuses or delays. Young people are waiting.