Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, we are here to debate the Data Act. Data is the primary resource of digital technologies. The development of the cloud, big data, AI and quantum are inextricably linked to the availability of data. And with the development of the IoT, the increase in data will be exponential. By 2030, the global value of IT services could reach up to EUR 11 trillion. And we know from the Commission that 80% of industrial data is underused. Clearly, Europe is not reaping the full value of data. In this context, the Data Act that we will vote on today has the potential to be an absolute game changer if it can create a data-agile ecosystem that enables easy access to an almost infinite amount of high quality industrial data. In economic terms, this regulation is expected to create EUR 270 billion of additional GDP in the EU by 2028. This is of paramount importance for the EU’s competitiveness at a time when data will mainly come from connected things. And we must not forget that anything that can be connected will be, in fact, connected. In other words, data – and especially industrial data – is a growing competitive asset for Europe, an asset that we cannot afford not to optimise. Let’s not lose sight that what our international competitors are doing – in the US, for example – not only exhibits for more dynamic industrial investment, but it is developing policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act that will further increase disadvantage. Dear colleagues, although the EU’s share in global manufacturing exports has declined by nearly 7% since 2004, we still have an outstanding global competitive position in manufacturing. This is why we have urgently to provide the best tools to reinforce our industry, and precisely the Data Act can be instrumental for our competitiveness in the global markets. The new rules will empower consumers and companies by giving them a say in what can be done with the data generated by their connected products. And here is where the biggest potential of the Data Act lies for the EU: this regulation will contribute to optimising existing business models and processes, boost the development of new ones and, by doing so, create new values and jobs. We are determined. We are reinforcing this idea constantly. We are determined with our strategic sovereignty. In that sense, during this term, we are adopting a very comprehensive package of digital files: the Data Governance Act, the Digital Service Act, the Digital Market Act, the new review of the NIS Directive, the Artificial Intelligence, the Electronic Identification Regulation and the CHIPS Act are very clear examples of this. This has been a great achievement for all the institutions. We have the Commissioner here. We have also to congratulate the Commission and congratulate especially our Commissioner. Sovereignty is, in any case, very much about our capacity to compete and innovate. And the Data Act is precisely that. What it is about is competition and innovation. If we have to define with two single words what the Data Act is about, we can clearly say ‘competitiveness and innovation’. At noon we will be voting on Parliament’s position on the Data Act – a report that was adopted without one single vote against in the ITRE committee due to the excellent cooperation with the shadow rapporteurs and with the opinion-giving committees, as you know, LIBE, JURI and IMCO. But also it was such a success because of the clear awareness in this Parliament of the importance of this dossier for Europe’s future.

Madam President, Commissioner, we are talking about boosting industrial competitiveness. This means, first, we have to foster the green and digital transition, but at the same time increase our competitiveness on the global market. We cannot only focus on building windmills. We are leaders in the chemical sector, we have a competitive manufacturing industry. All important sectors of the competitiveness must be included in an industrial strategy. Second, we have to ensure fast permitting procedures and predictability to set up new projects while reducing the administrative burden to a minimum. Third, we need affordable prices for energy. The reform of the electricity market will be instrumental, but equally important will be to kick—start the clean hydrogen market to include low—carbon hydrogen as a transition energy. Lastly, we need to avoid fragmentation in the single market, and any European fund must be integrated in the MFF after a clear assessment of the costs and investment gaps.

Madam President, Commissioner, Madam President-in-Office of the Council, international competition today is very intense and the European Union must act with intelligence and determination. Some of our partners are already doing so, as is the well-known case of the United States with the Inflation Reduction Act. Our goal must be to strengthen competitiveness and strengthen our industry. Action must be taken at multiple levels, for example through a significantly more integrated energy policy, eliminating administrative obstacles and speeding up the granting of permits to create new industries and, in this way, attract investment, and also through the increase of aid of different types to the most strategic sectors. But not only for its start-up, but also for its medium-term operation, when necessary. This week we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Single Market, one of the great milestones of the European project. The future Clean Tech Act should take this into account and avoid distortions that could result from the different indebtedness of the Member States.

Madam President, Mr Vice-President, this morning we discussed the fourth revision of the Directive on energy from renewable sources, even before the third is agreed and adopted. This new proposal is a response, as we know, to the energy crisis caused by the Ukraine crisis which aims to further accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in the European Union. To this end, it is proposed that the target for the use of renewable energy in final consumption by 2030 be 45%. However, its added value lies not in proposing a greater objective, but in proposing measures that contribute to achieving it. I would like to mention two of them that I find fundamental: the first, the commitment to regulatory testing environments that allow the development of innovative technologies in the field of renewable energy; secondly, the reduction of bureaucratic burdens and of maximum times for national authorities to issue the necessary permits. In the identified areas, the issuance of permits to produce energy based on renewables may not be extended by more than nine months. Both measures should also be applied to other areas that are very necessary for growth and competitiveness, and not only to this issue of renewable energy, which is, however, so important.

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, the European institutions are making a continuous effort on cybersecurity. The creation two years ago of the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre is a good example of this. Now the NIS 2 Directive goes one step further, and how does it go about it? By addressing the security of supply chains, by strengthening coordination between national authorities and by also simplifying business obligations. Cybersecurity challenges are, on the other hand, as dynamic as digitalisation itself. By 2025, there will be more than 75 billion connected objects, which requires improving prevention and surveillance capacity on an ongoing basis. There is a need to step up coordination and cooperation at all levels (national, European, international) and therefore the opportunity to strengthen coordination with the United States through the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) instrument should be seized.

Mr President, Commissioners, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, we know that there is a great deal of concern about the exorbitant rise in prices. That is why we need decisive action by the Commission and the Member States to enable immediate action to be taken by means of temporary measures. The Commission and the Council discuss imposing a solidarity contribution on companies in the fossil fuel sector. It is essential that such an exceptional measure meets its objective and that funds go directly to the consumers and businesses that need it most. In addition, contributions should focus on benefits, not billing. They are two very different concepts. There is also a strong need for measures to enable industry to finance gas prices with tax credits, lower levies and a reduction in VAT. Our industry must be helped, because the first objective of the European Union and governments must be to preserve employment.

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, citizens are very concerned about the exorbitant rise in energy prices and are asking us for decision and unity of action. We need decisive action by the European Commission and a coordinated reaction by the Member States. We must be cautious when designing mechanisms of a fiscal nature that can compromise investments in our energy system. In addition, all energy sources must be available at this time. There can be no taboos in that regard. There is also a need to limit swings in the CO2 emissions market and to have more flexibility to help industrial sectors. Commissioner, with regard to the proposal on limiting the revenues of renewables and nuclear energy, my question is: how will it be ensured that this will effectively benefit consumers?

Mr President, the development of renewable energy is a key part of the European Union's energy policy. But if we are truly determined to reach the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, gas and nuclear power are indispensable. This is what the European Commission understands in the delegated act to be voted on tomorrow. There is no doubt that nuclear energy is emission-free and that the industrial technological capacity to produce hydrogen on a large scale requires gas installations. In addition, however, the Commission does not propose a blank cheque. In the case of natural gas, only new installations to produce electricity that replace more polluting ones would be considered sustainable until 2030. As for nuclear energy, only those plants that have a fund for its decommissioning, as well as waste storage facilities, are considered. For all these reasons, and also taking into account the energy, economic and social situation in which we find ourselves, I believe that the Commission's delegated act should be supported.

Mr. President, Mr. Vice President. Solving the trilemma of prices, supply and environmental policy is not easy. But in this equation it is vital not to increase costs for people, industries and SMEs. Especially in a context marked by the war in Ukraine and a historic increase in electricity and gas prices. That is why, in tomorrow's vote, we should support the stabilisation of the price of CO2 by injecting some of the rights from the stability reserve into the market. In addition, it is crucial to give more time to be able to adapt the border adjustment mechanism before limiting the free allocation of allowances. Finally, as we approved in the Committee on Industry, the Social Climate Fund should be available to all SMEs, especially those affected by the new emissions trading rules. Do we need to respond to the challenges of climate change? Quite frankly, yes. But it must be done without adding costs that suffocate the economy.

I'm not going to ask the second question, if you don't mind. I renounce my subsequent thirty seconds and want to conclude this question: projects of common interest are there, it is a formula to enhance the development of infrastructure. Midcat was a project that had all the guarantees and, on the other hand, the Commission did not consider it. The question is: Will the Commission include the Midcat project as a project of common interest? And, if so, when?

Madam President, Commissioner, Europe, for energy purposes, could be represented as a chained giant. That is, a global actor with the ability to compete strategically, but limited and burdened by being chained in the absence of strategic autonomy in energy matters. That is what has made clear to us, among many other, much more unfortunate issues, the war in Ukraine. We must act on urgent measures, but we must act in a direction contrary to the one that had been taken, which, instead of promoting strategic independence in energy, has been promoting dependency for long years, which now must be resolved. As regards gas, it should not be forgotten that the Commission, together with energy from nuclear energy, has regarded gas as an environmentally sustainable energy source during the energy transition period. There are very concrete ways to resolve and at least initiate the resolution of the lack of interconnection between the Iberian Peninsula and the continent... (Chair interrupted the speaker)

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, congratulations to the rapporteur Axel Voss and the shadow rapporteurs and also to the President, who has played a key role in the development of this Special Committee. Artificial intelligence has become a key driver for any economy that wants to be globally competitive and therefore has decisive strategic importance. Its impact is economic and also social and, of course, geopolitical. That is why this report we are debating today offers us an all-encompassing view of the potential, needs and risks posed by artificial intelligence. It analyzes aspects central to its development, ethical principles and, in particular, the centrality that people must have, the need to increase our investment in R&D, cybersecurity, the ability to train and retain talent in Europe or the future of employment. I am going to refer specifically to two conditions that are sine qua non for its development: data and infrastructure. It is essential to eliminate legislative fragmentation in data and to promote equal access to such data. Secure data, reliable data, data that can be shared. In that sense, we have recently adopted the Regulation on European data governance and in that sense we are now also starting to discuss the Data Act, whose focus is on the internet of things and industrial data. But we must also put an end to our shortcomings in digital infrastructure in the European Union. We remain dependent not only on third-country processors, but also on five non-European providers for the cloud infrastructure market. Finally, the development of artificial intelligence in Europe will have a major impact on the competitive capacity of our economy and on the progress of society in all areas: Education, health, transport, energy, etc. This is an opportunity that we must take good advantage of and we have a huge responsibility to do so in the European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, the war in Ukraine has exposed the structural weaknesses of the European Union in such a critical energy sector. For years, instead of walking towards greater independence, we have done the opposite: walking towards increasing dependence. And now we have the highest prices in the world. In recent months, gas prices have seen historic increases, up to 400 %, and already represent a suffocating cost for industries, companies and households. We must act immediately, starting with lower prices. We have room for manoeuvre through reductions in VAT, electricity taxes, or the elimination of special levies. There is an immediate need, as soon as possible, to diversify territorially the sources of supply and there is an urgent need to develop new interconnection projects for gas and hydrogen. The Commission should extend the list of projects of common interest, including the STEP project between the Iberian Peninsula and France. In short, it is imperative to build at once an interconnected Europe that allows for the free circulation of gas and electricity.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, the regulation we are debating today will apply to platforms with a very significant impact on the market and which are the gateway for communication between businesses and consumers. It is pioneering legislation by addressing competition in digital markets and, in addition, it does so in a novel way. A key aspect is that national regulators will no longer have to demonstrate potential anti-competitive practices on a case-by-case basis. A number of obligations are laid down for the gatekeepers This is to put an end to certain anti-competitive behaviour before it causes any harm. That is, it is a regulation ex ante. On the other hand, the European Commission will be the only competent authority to implement the regulations, thus avoiding legislative fragmentation, which is not a minor thing. In short, it is a regulation that lays the foundations for a competitive, transparent and innovative digital market economy. Thank you very much and congratulations to the rapporteur and also to the shadow rapporteurs.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, the United States, by its history and values, is a natural ally of Europe. Our economies are already very intertwined, but the need to strengthen that relationship has become greater as the world has become more global; the Trade and Technology Council has opened up new expectations to strengthen this alliance, especially in an area as crucial as digitalisation. I would like to focus on five areas where a common effort is urgently needed: seek solutions to the semiconductor supply crisis; promote the development of trust-building artificial intelligence; developing coordinated cybersecurity policies and actions; work in an area as crucial, as decisive, as standards, and move towards a transatlantic data space that allows our researchers and our companies to realize their full potential. A few days ago a delegation from the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy was in Washington, D.C., and it became clear that there is renewed interest: This momentum cannot be lost, Madam Vice-President, and the Trade and Technology Council has to start delivering results.

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to begin by congratulating the rapporteur, Your Honor Carvalho, because she has really done an excellent job. There is no doubt that the scientific study of measurement is fundamental to all productive activities. Measurements have to meet international definitions and standards, must be accurate and must build trust. We need to modernise the metrology system in the European Union. And how to do it? Well, essentially, through research and innovation. As regards digital more specifically, national metrology institutes need to have the most advanced measurement capabilities because this really contributes to generating innovative digital services and developing emerging technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Finally, we hope that the European Metrology Association, which has funding of up to EUR 300 million, will be able to achieve these objectives.

Madam President, Commissioner, energy prices are experiencing extraordinary increases - as we know - which are seriously harming consumers, businesses and industries and which, moreover, are causing damage because the rise in inflation is also largely due to it. Winter is coming and the situation is going to drag on. The increases are explained by factors such as the sharp increase in demand, the problems of global supply chains, dependence on the outside, high CO2 prices, which have skyrocketed, and the low level of natural gas reserves. In the short term, the energy dependencies that we have limit, and a lot, our margin for action, but they do not make it impossible. We can mitigate the impacts through compensatory measures such as tax cuts or exemptions for some types of consumers, monitor free competition between operators and eliminate charges and concepts from electricity bills that are not linked to energy. This last aspect is very relevant and in Spain it constitutes an important part of the invoice that raises the price a lot and seriously harms individuals, industries and companies, so it is important to solve it. In the long term it is necessary to create an investment-friendly climate, make good use of the recovery mechanism, increase interconnections, promote further digitalisation of the sector and, crucially, make an energy transition in a flexible way that allows our industrial capacity to be strengthened and the competitiveness of the economy also.