Speeches

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to give the floor very briefly for one minute to the longest-serving Members of this House, Mrs Constanze Krehl.

The next speaker on the list of speakers is Ms Maite Pagazaurtundúa. There is a blue map of Ernő Schaller-Baross, but I will not give you the floor, for the reason that the blue map system is, according to our method, intended in response to a speech. However, you pressed the button and contacted us before more or less the Vice-President started her speech, so in this case you will not get the blue card, but we will continue with the next speaker, Mrs Maite Pagazaurtundúa.

I would just like to announce to all participants of the debate right now that from now on I will only accept blue cards from those Members of the European Parliament who don’t have a regular speaking time. So those who are on my speakers’ list will not get the opportunity, because otherwise this debate won’t end. So we just go on like this. And inviting all those other Members not having speaking time to come to the room and to raise a question via a blue card.

There is a second blue card from Mr Kohut. Again, I would just urge you – otherwise we can’t go on with the blue cards in this way – to ask your question.

I understand you completely, Mr Rangel, that you also answered longer than the question was taken, but I just simply would recall the rules to all of you – 30 seconds when there is a blue card, and 30 seconds also for the answer. It’s good the debate is lively, but we should respect our rules.

Sorry, I have to intervene. You are speaking too long. Simply to explain the rules: 30 seconds for blue cards, so come to an end. I simply would like to remind all Members present in the room and wanting to raise a blue card, you have 30 seconds for your comment or question, not longer.

Thank you very much, rapporteur. You have exaggerated enormously, so I will deduct those 30 seconds from your speaking time at the end of the debate. I say this at the very beginning of the debate. I assume that it will be a very interesting one, a very moving one, so I really ask you to stick to the speaking times, and I would like to announce already now that at the latest ten seconds after the end of the speaking time I will knock with the hammer and then, if it is 15 seconds, really evade the word, so that everyone who can speak can really put their message accordingly.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a Council decision under Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union establishing a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded (2018/0902R(NLE)) (A9-0217/2022).

The minutes of yesterday's meeting and the texts adopted are available. Are there any objections? I don't see that. The minutes have thus been approved.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the EU response to rising energy prices in Europe (2022/2830(RSP)).

In accordance with Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure, six motions for resolutions were tabled*. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Thursday 15 September 2022. _______________ * See Minutes. Written declarations (Article 171)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, As the European Parliament, we have already shown the Red Card on Atomic Energy and Gas, and we must do so again now. The taxonomy is an important tool for achieving climate goals, but the current proposal jeopardises the credibility of the taxonomy. Greening natural gas and nuclear energy means that we are not only losing people's trust. We are clearly missing the real aim of the regulation. And it's about even more than the environmental aspect: Questions from the world of work, the social partners, civil society. We don't just want the fundamental rights of the environment and people to be respected, no, we want and we demand social progress. This can only be achieved with a holistic approach to sustainability, involving trade unions and European civil society. This is the only way to create a taxonomy that we really need and really want.

Madam President, Dear Commissioner, Abortion cannot be prevented. Point. Only safe and legal abortions can be banned, putting women's lives at risk. Roe vs. Wade has an impact on us! In 2021, arch-conservative anti-choice groups from the US pumped millions of US dollars into Europe to limit our rights here. The Austrian industry alone has received nine and a half million US dollars. This is controlled interference in our democratic system. We must therefore defend our values. This is the right to self-determination over one's own body, the right to basic medical care and access to safe legal abortions. Our grandmothers, our mothers, have campaigned loudly for the right to abortion and fought for it. We have to defend this – we, these are women, these are men, young and old. We need to make sure that society evolves. And therefore: Pro-choice for every woman, also in Europe.

Just before we go on with the debate, I remind all Members who are participating in this lively debate that when you are raising the blue—card, it’s not one minute, it’s 30 seconds you have in order to ask the question, and 30 seconds to answer. So please respect your speaking time.

Thank you very much, Maria. There is a blue card again from Karen Melchior if you’re ready to accept it. I think it is great that we have such a lively debate where there are questions asked and Members are answering, so we are just doing exactly what everybody wants: a lively debate. But I also ask you, and this is something that applies to the ongoing speakers, not to raise the blue card more than once, otherwise the debate is taking longer and longer, as I indicated already. So Karen Melchior gets the floor, but we don’t continue like this.

Do you accept a blue card from Malin Björk? She would like to ask you a question. I will give her the floor, but first say yes, symbols are not allowed to be carried in the room. As chairing, I said that to those Members who I realise they are wearing a scarf, and I didn’t accept it. And Ms Reintke left the room right now. So I just repeat it to everybody: don’t wear symbols, even if you have a sore throat or something else.

The next person to speak is Mrs Simona Baldassarre, but I would just like to ask all the Members who are sore today to organise other scarves, especially when they come to the lectern.

Dear Frances, there is a blue-card, are you willing to accept it? I just look from whom it is coming. It’s from Malin Björk – and sorry, really with a heavy heart I have to ask you to remove scarfs that are symbols, so please follow that. So, are you ready to accept, Frances?

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the global threats to the right to abortion – possible abolition of the right to abortion in the US by the Supreme Court (2022/2665(RSP)). I would like to remind you that, with the exception of the first two rows, which are reserved for the chairmen of the political groups, there is a free choice of seats. After inserting your voting card into the voting machine, you can then use your voting machine to request spontaneous interventions and blue cards. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that interventions in the Chamber will continue to take place from the central lectern, with the exception of spontaneous interventions, blue cards and comments on the application of the Rules of Procedure.