Speeches

Madam President, I'm sorry. In recent years, energy prices have reached a historically high level, with the result that the EU population is facing extraordinary increases in energy prices. While the Commission has only looked, Member States have taken the path of action. Tax cuts have been implemented in several countries, and there is a Member State where consumer energy price increases have not materialised at all. This Member State is my home country, Hungary, where a consistent policy of reducing overheads remains the best tool to keep consumer prices at a low level. Commissioner, misguided EU policies have created a scarce supply in the energy market. In addition, the European Commission's sometimes over-ambitious climate package has added to the gravity of the situation. Now is the time to act! Ensure that people and businesses have access to affordable energy at EU level. Without it, EU energy policy is doomed to complete failure.

Mr. President, please. Europe is facing unprecedented environmental and climate challenges that threaten our future. While environmental debates are only one hour away this plenary week, a number of issues of national competence have been put on the EP agenda. There are endless political debates on baseless rule of law issues, and we have seen a multi-hour debate on child protection measures in Hungary, reinterpreted according to liberal needs and falling within the competence of the Member States. Mr President, instead of these debates, Hungarian citizens want the EU to take action to ensure a cleaner environment and cleaner air. According to the latest European Commission survey, nine out of ten people consider climate change to be the most serious problem. We must therefore take responsibility and accelerate the green transition.

Madam President, I'm sorry. ‘Nothing lasts forever!’, they say, but where and when will the coronavirus pandemic end? Due to the spread of different mutations, we can see the need for better and faster solutions for successful crisis management. In order to improve EU coordination in response to health emergencies, it is important to strengthen the role of the European Medicines Agency. At the same time, I am concerned that the paragraphs of the proposed legislation concerning the provision of information on shortages of medicinal products would unduly increase the burden on Member States and European businesses. Only nation states have been shown to be able to act quickly and effectively, as the purchase of vaccines at EU level has not performed well either. It is therefore important not to add new tasks to the management of epidemics in the Member States.