Speeches

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries, on the implementation of the Regulation on the common organisation of the markets in fisheries and aquaculture – Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 (2023/2049(INI)) (A9-0406/2023). Since we are relatively late and we had three almost identical debates, including the spontaneous speeches, with almost identical speakers, I would refrain from the spontaneous speeches. So you don't have to speak.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Niclas Herbst report, on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries, on the EU action plan: Protection and restoration of marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries (2023/2124(INI)) (A9-0437/2023).

Thank you, Mrs in 't Veld, you could easily have dressed this comment as a question to Mr Papadimoulis, then that would have been without any problems. Otherwise, what you said was a statement on the Rules of Procedure, and you could have also made a statement on the Rules of Procedure.

The minutes of this meeting will be submitted to Parliament for approval at the beginning of the next meeting. If there are no objections, I will forward the resolutions adopted at today's sitting to the persons and bodies referred to in those resolutions.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the oral question to the Commission on improving the strategic approach to the enforcement of EU law by Dolors Montserrat, on behalf of the Committee on Petitions (O-000047/2023 – B9-0038/23) (2023/2886(RSP)).

Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen! Before we get to the last vote, I have a special message to make: An official of this house, Mrs. Aino Salminen, is about to retire. This is their last session. Mrs Salminen is also unaware of this mention. (Applause) Mrs Salminen has been dealing with the minutes of the plenary and has been working for Parliament for almost 29 years, mostly for the plenary sessions, and we all know how difficult it is to draw up the minutes afterwards. I would like to thank Mrs Salminen warmly for her contribution to the work of the plenary. I can perhaps extend my thanks to all those who have made our work easier this week. We are at the end of this plenary session. As long as everyone is still there – before I do it this afternoon – I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. A relaxing time, contemplative time between the years and a good start next year for all of you. (Applause)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Tonino Picula, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on EU-US relations (2023/2126(INI)) (A9-0372/2023).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the environmental impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the need for accountability (2023/2991(RSP)).

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found a solution. Commissioner and Vice-President Dombrovskis will take over the statement of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative, because it is indeed the following: He's been here for four and a half hours, no meal, and there's two more debates. We are grateful for the flexibility. What is necessary for the explanation, Mr Dombrovskis will now try to do just as well as Mr Borrell Fontelles, and then we can do so.

Commissioner, I was not aware, up to now, that the next two debates are also with you. So you are sitting now four and a half hours. So we can have a short technical break, but we are already at 22.20. So if you need a short break, but we cannot afford a long time. So I put it into your discretion.