Debate contributions by Rosa SERRANO SIERRA

Mr President, the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan is key for Europe to continue to lead in sustainable fuels for aviation and maritime transport. These sectors are essential for our connectivity and competitiveness, but they are also the hardest to decarbonise. ReFuelEU and FuelEU give us the opportunity to keep moving forward, but their success depends on the sustainable fuels market growing and being produced on a large scale. Europe leads in research. Now, we need investment to turn this leadership into green jobs and strong industry. We celebrate the mobilization of two thousand nine hundred million euros until 2027. We need this support to continue to grow in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. And a single Europe is not enough. We need strong international frameworks at IMO and ICAO aligned with our standards. Clear and predictable rules will give certainty to investors and accelerate our transition because there is no need to go out and lead the transition; We need to win it, and to do that, we need a firm commitment, institutional, public and private.

Mr President, Commissioner, from the Socialist Group in the Committee on Transport we are defending a European budget that strengthens the Connecting Europe Facility and completes the European transport network. We need to accelerate cross-border projects and ensure that mobility reaches rural and peripheral areas. Next year's budget should take into account transport-related poverty. The Social Climate Fund will enter into force in 2026, and we want to ensure sustainable, affordable and inclusive mobility. We believe that dual, civilian and military mobility is essential in the political context in which we find ourselves. That is why we support restoring their funding and strengthening investments in dual-use infrastructure to provide security and cohesion. And we cannot forget that transport workers need accompaniment towards a more sustainable and competitive economy. That is why we demand more investment in retraining, especially in strategic sectors such as the automotive sector. And, once again, we call for a specific budget line for sustainable tourism. Because a more connected and fairer Europe is also a Europe that moves forward together.

Madam President, 2024 was the hottest year on record in Europe. We have experienced episodes of historical droughts and extreme heat and also, at the same time, we have suffered the largest floods since 2013. These natural disasters are no longer an exception and have a clear cause: the climate emergency, the consequences of which – as we have seen – are increasingly severe. Reducing the impact of climate change on Europe has to be a priority and for this, our territories need resources. The next budget and the new European plan for adaptation to climate change will have to have a sufficient budget allocation and, in that context, fighting denialist discourses is a political responsibility, because today we know that prevention saves lives and socialists will always be faced with the absences of those who refuse to take on this task. We will always be on the side of our territories, of the people and of the productive fabric.

Madam President, Commissioner, the Council's agreement on air passenger rights is an unjustifiable setback. Instead of moving towards stronger and clearer protection, we take steps back, allowing airlines more leeway to default without real consequences. Raising compensation thresholds to four hours is unacceptable. How and what do we tell citizens? That your time is worth less now? As socialists, we believe in the Europe that protects and this agreement hinders compensation rules, does not guarantee automatic compensation and does not alleviate the burden on those who try to claim their rights. On the contrary, it complicates, delays and silences. We cannot leave those who have less voice in this negotiation, such as passengers, stranded. That is why, from Parliament, we are going to work to reverse this approach, because travel is not a privilege, it is a right and rights are not negotiated downwards.

Mr President, Commissioner, public transport is not just a matter of mobility, it is a tool of equality, cohesion and social justice. In Spain, the bus represents 60% of passengers in collective transport. It connects cities and towns and also guarantees the right to move to all people, wherever they live. We have a model that works. An affordable model, of quality, stable in prices and with a very exemplary public-private collaboration. Europe must look at this model as an example. In fact, the European Commission acknowledges, in its 2024 report, that Spain’s public transport promotion policy is an example to address transport poverty. That is why the European framework must strengthen and strengthen systems such as ours that guarantee territorial cohesion. And financial instruments such as the Social Climate Fund should also serve to strengthen public transport as a tool and a key piece in the puzzle of sustainable, affordable and efficient mobility. Affordable and quality mobility is talking about equality and equality is the basis of our European project.

Mr President, I would like to begin by congratulating the rapporteurs on the work they have done. Our message to the Commission is clear and firm: the Single Fund proposed by the Commission puts at risk key programmes, such as the Connecting Europe Facility, which have been key to boosting large cross-border projects in transport, energy or military mobility. The next transport budget needs more resources and, above all, more Europe: more European cooperation to take forward the rail corridors and strengthen critical infrastructure such as our ports; more European energy interconnection projects, and also more Europe in the future military mobility plan, because military equipment and humanitarian aid must arrive unhindered and quickly when there are situations in crisis. That is why it is necessary to strengthen civilian infrastructure for defence use. And we do not forget tourism: the next budget should include a specific item to implement the future European strategy for a sustainable future.

Mr President, investing in the European transport network is about security, economic development, social cohesion and employment. Objectives that are more essential than ever to strengthen the single market and increase our competitiveness. The movement of our goods and people also depends on all this. A vital aspect especially for peripheral countries such as Spain and cross-border regions such as Aragon, which need quality infrastructure to connect with neighboring countries. And, in such a complex international scenario, investing in adapting civilian infrastructure for military use will be key to preparing for possible crises, thus ensuring the security of European citizens. Ultimately, investing in transport is not only about building infrastructure, it is also about building Europe's future and security. That is why, Commissioner, we urge you to include more funding for civilian and military projects in the future military mobility plan and in the next European budget.

Mr President, I would like to add an important point for the next European port strategy linked to the ocean pact. For some time now, we have been observing that ships that used to go to European ports are diverted to third States to avoid complying with European ETS regulations. This continues to generate pollution since emissions do not understand borders and also negatively affects the competitiveness of our ports and economic activity in port regions, with the possible loss of thousands of jobs. A clear example is the port of Algeciras, which faces increasing competitiveness with Tangier Med, just fourteen kilometres away. It is estimated that this and other North African ports will grow by 20% by 2027. Therefore, we call for the future European port strategy to address this situation, include a protection framework for port workers in the European Union and take measures to prevent the privatisation of ports and prevent European funding...

Mr President, Commissioner, to talk about a strong and competitive Europe is to talk about reducing economic, social and territorial inequalities. To work for a resilient Europe is also to work so that each and every region reaches its full potential, because that competitiveness of which we speak so much cannot be an end, but a tool that helps to improve the lives of citizens. Cohesion policy remains our best response. That is why this revision has to lead to a modern and reinforced policy that puts people at the centre. Commissioner, we see political priorities being added to the agenda. It is clear that global challenges are becoming more complex, but in some places the problems remain the same. Our regions, especially rural ones, need investments in connectivity or in basic services that are dying. Tell us how you will ensure that future cohesion policy continues to respond to the needs of our territories and that management reserves the voice of local and regional authorities.

Madam President, Commissioner, the automotive industry in Europe is facing an unprecedented crisis. In Aragon, where it accounts for almost 31% of industrial employment and 35% of exports, the impact is evident: daily production at the Stellantis plant in Zaragoza was below half its potential in 2024 and is projected to fall by 22% in 2025, and close to a thousand workers have lost their jobs – temporarily or definitively – in one year. The Automotive Industrial Action Plan is a first step towards revitalising this sector – and we are glad that it includes incentives to demand electric cars, to facilitate the installation of recharging points and to boost Europe-branded batteries – but it falls short on the social dimension. We need a just transition directive for the most affected regions and to make the funds deriving from the new Clean Industry Pact conditional on the protection of workers, as well as measures to support training and reskilling. Europe must be competitive, but with social justice.

Mr President, in the last three years, the price of agricultural land has increased by 14% in Aragon. This increase is due to the worrying presence of large investment funds that acquire large agricultural areas in Spain. Access to land for small and medium-sized farms is becoming increasingly difficult, as is the incorporation of young people into the sector. This new model of land ownership in rural areas can pose a threat to the family farming that forms the backbone of the territory and compromise its future and that of our citizens. We cannot remain impassive, we need a fund and a framework of incentives so that ownership – and therefore profit – remains in the territory, remains in Aragon. Only in this way will we achieve a more sustainable development model that guarantees the profitability of the family farming of our peoples and, ultimately, also of the food security of the European Union.

Mr President, demographic decline is one of the greatest threats to the prosperity of the European Union. The ageing trend in Europe makes it essential to take into account the territorial dimension of demographic changes. 80% of the European territory is rural, but only 30% of the population inhabits it. Therefore, talking about demographic decline is talking about birth policies, but it is also about giving resources to citizens so that they can develop a full life, in their origins, in their territories. This tool is a good start, Commissioner, but ambition is needed. We need a cohesion policy that takes into account indicators such as the demographic challenge and it is also important to reject hate speech. Let us understand, once and for all, that migration is a matter of solidarity and dignity and that in a context of demographic decline it can also be an opportunity to channel that much-needed labour migration into the economic sectors of the European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, this debate shows that we are on the right track. Tourism has gained prominence on the European agenda and we must not miss this opportunity. Following the strong impact of COVID on the sector, this Parliament called for more European governance. We need more Europe to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of a sector that energises the economy and accounts for more than 10% of GDP in the European Union. We must consolidate Europe's tourism brand based on economic, environmental and social sustainability. In my land, in Aragon, the Sustainable Tourism Law has been what has boosted tourism. Regions such as Sobrarbe, Andorra or Cinco Villas have been pioneers to balance that economic growth and also environmental protection, also promoting the local economy, employment and respect for communities and their cultural heritage. Commissioner, as legislators, we must ensure that a future European tourism agenda incorporates these good practices.

Madam President, Commissioner, climate disasters are unfortunately becoming more frequent. We saw it in Europe: in Portugal, recently in Spain, affecting autonomous communities such as Castilla-La Mancha, Aragón or Valencia, where it has cost lives and also material losses. With this emergency instrument, from the institutions we try to give answers to the crisis of the present, but, nevertheless, we cannot deny a reality: climate change is an emergency that has come to stay, that sweeps away everything, with lives, and that there is also an extreme right that denies it. That is why, in the face of this denialism, we need agile responses, we need financial flexibility and more resources. It is time to move from words to deeds to address tragedies that have increasingly devastating consequences and that hit, especially, our peoples, our fields and our rural areas.

Mr President, Commissioner, strengthening the cohesion of the European Union is a priority task that must start from our peoples and our regions. Europe starts at the local level, at the village level, and only in this way can we guarantee truly balanced development, leaving no territory behind. Our regions can and must be engines of progress. We have to remember that it is in rural areas where we guarantee our production and our food security, where natural resources are managed, where climate change is mitigated and cultural heritage is protected. And, all this, despite the great challenges they face: depopulation, lack of infrastructure and difficult access to basic services. There is already an urban agenda for the European Union that addresses the challenges of cities in the green transition. Why do we not develop a European rural agenda, a European strategy supported by rural, regional and national plans, that helps our territories overcome the difficulties of the transition and that also offers them opportunities for a better future?

Mr President, access to housing is a challenge common to all EU countries, but particularly critical in rural areas. Homelessness in these areas poses an additional challenge to the demographic challenge and in many cases denies the right to remain in one's place of origin. The data reveal that difficult access to housing is already one of the main causes that lead to leaving our villages in Aragon. The severe shortage of job opportunities and difficult access to public services, too. We are facing a challenge that we have to address from all institutions and hand in hand with the territories: A challenge that must be a priority in the future European Affordable Housing Plan. That is why we have before us that opportunity and that responsibility to fight against this landscape of increasing abandonment. Setting a population and, even more, a young population will be an impossible task if we do not start by guaranteeing the right to decent housing.

Mr President, 600 workers have lost their jobs at the Stellantis plant in Figueruelas after the summer. A difficult and worrying situation reflecting a deeper crisis affecting the automotive sector across Europe. The automotive sector in Aragon accounts for more than 30% of industrial employment and 35% of regional exports. We are living a crucial moment of transformation in the automotive sector at European level with great and necessary challenges such as sustainability, innovation and global competition. But these changes should not be traumatic for workers. Social justice and climate justice can and should go hand in hand. We share the need for a European action plan to address this transformation of the automotive sector with a clear social pillar that integrates specific measures that protect employment and support training and reskilling. We will continue working so that workers in the automotive sector of Aragon continue to contribute their effort and talent to that transformation and also to contribute to a fairer transition for all.

Mr President, Commissioner, the storms of these days have left devastating images in Central Europe, with enormous material and even human losses; tragedies that, unfortunately, are becoming more frequent and we see how they hit rural areas especially. My region, Aragon, suffered a few days ago from major floods that have caused serious damage to infrastructure, housing and livestock and agricultural holdings, with estimates of millionaire losses. The current European funding and coordination mechanisms are not adapted to the severity of these natural disasters, whose main cause is the climate emergency that many still deny today. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism or the European Union Solidarity Fund created 20 years ago was a success, but they fall short in the face of this climate crisis. The President of the European Commission acknowledged that climate adaptation is a European priority and announced the development of a plan to address this challenge. That is why now is the time for this Commission to commit to increasing resources in the next European budgets because we must move from words to deeds in order to help territories prepare for and coordinate a better response to this climate emergency.

Mr President, the heavy rains of recent days have caused very serious damage in the Pyrenean area of the province of Huesca, border with France, and have caused the closure of two priority cross-border crossings such as the Bielsa and Somport tunnels. Both closures are a major impact on the daily lives of hundreds of people who cross the border to work and study, and also for all productive sectors, especially for transport, local commerce and the tourism sector. The Spanish side expressed its solidarity with the French side and stated that the priority should be to restore the passage as soon as possible. However, we are concerned about the estimates made by France, which has announced a six-month closure for the passage of Somport: a measure that will undoubtedly harm socio-economic development and generate significant losses in these key sectors for the Altoaragonese economy and also for the Aspe Valley. We ask France to justify the estimated duration of the closure and to ensure that the works are carried out quickly. If it is not justified, we will ask the European Commission to intervene to demand the reopening of the crossing.