[ParlTrack]

I am disappointed to see a majority of my colleagues persisting with this model that grants big business an exclusive judicial forum to challenge government policy-making whenever they think decisions taken in the public interest will interfere with their profits.The Investor Court System, which the EU executive champions as an important reform to a dispute settlement, actually maintains the all the perverse features of this flawed approach.We are willingly taking our own governments hostage to a maximalist doctrine of ‘legitimate expectations’ from the business sector which can and does chill regulation, on pain of extortionately expensive litigation.By pushing this model, particularly among developed countries, we are effectively undermining our own legal and judicial institutions, where the same legal standards should apply to all under the same conditions.There is a groundswell of frustration and anger against the unequal dividends of globalisation among the general public.Those who claim to defend it are actually undermining open societies by turning a deaf ear to their legitimate concerns.

2016/11/22

It is clear that more efforts are needed in all areas of Roma integration in Europe. The resolution today is asking that the next Commission make Roma inclusion one of its priorities, as a follow up to last year’s Report on the fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism.Last year the Parliament asked for Member States to end statelessness, to ensure access to all the essential basic services, including healthcare, housing and education. However, since then very little progress has been made. Furthermore, Member States and the Commission should also ensure deeper involvement of Roma representatives in the development and implementation of this EU strategic framework.Lastly, the Parliament is now asking for a wider set of priorities, clear targets, timelines and indicators for monitoring to be established so that, in the future, progress can be clearly evaluated. We sincerely hope these recommendations will be taken into account seriously and with urgency.

2016/11/22

The unequal involvement of men and women in care and domestic activities remains a persistent challenge. The average amount of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work is more than three times higher for women than men. One year has passed since EU leaders signed the European Pillar of Social Rights and ye, there is little sign of progress as many of the legislative files falling under the Pillar have been stalled in the Council.With an ageing population, the demand on care services is increasing year on year and the existing approaches to care are no longer suited to new models of work such as zero-hour contracts or night shifts.It is a positive step that some Member States have introduced fiscal incentives for companies that provide childcare for their employees in order to improve work-life balance. However, new solutions are still lacking in many Member States. Furthermore, the Commission needs to ensure that the European Institute for Gender Equality possesses adequate resources to monitor the development of care infrastructure and the implementation of work-life balance policies.

2016/11/22

Today’s vote is a crucial demand to improve diagnostics and treatment for Lyme disease patients. Lyme borreliosis is a bacterial disease transmitted to humans by the vector of a tick bite. The symptoms can often go unnoticed but if left untreated it can affect the skin, nervous or musculoskeletal system, leading in some cases to permanent damage. My colleagues and I have called for increased efforts to tackle the spreading of the disease to humans and to improve early treatment through reinforced awareness-raising measures, development of appropriate guidelines, and by ensuring sufficient financing for research that can improve the detection and treatment of Lyme disease. Currently Ireland cannot test for Lyme disease accurately as the Elisa blood test is only 50% accurate.Accurate testing and effective treatments need to be available in Ireland and other EU Member States equally so patients can avoid having to travel to Germany and America for treatment at a huge cost.

2016/11/22

The decarbonisation of road transport is a very effective way to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement and to help reduce air pollution. These changes, which we want to make today, would contribute toward curbing the increase of global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.Currently, the CO2 emissions of heavy-duty vehicles represent about 6% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions. If we don’t act fast, this share will keep on growing.We want to urge the Commission to act on the Parliament’s stance in order to contribute to better air quality in our cities by introducing public procurement obligations. Parliament is pushing for a binding target of zero-emission urban buses in a manufacturer’s fleet of 75% of new vehicles by 2030. Our citizens are demanding better air quality, and we must deliver.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Ethnic and national minorities are still experiencing discrimination in the EU in everyday life situations. Today, my colleagues and I pushed for widening the scope of the text and for stronger rights for people belonging to minorities in different aspects of everyday life.Any policy should be discussed and decided on with the full involvement and consultation of the different minorities. Moreover, we urge the Commission to come up with a common framework of EU minimum standards for the protection of minorities. In the face of persistent discrimination, violent attacks and hate crimes happening across Europe, it is vital that Member States strengthen the rights of minority groups and rectify policies which lead to the marginalisation of small communities.

2016/11/22

I welcomed the European Parliament report on the import of cultural goods as another example of a due diligence system that the progressives on this side of the house have led. In the case of the import of cultural goods at risk of illicit trafficking, we have succeeded in including a full list of mandatory due diligence requirements that lacked in the proposal issued by the Committee responsible.Fighting tax avoidance and tax evasion is vital: we cannot afford to lose billions of euros due to the lack of proper implementation by Members States of the Union Customs Code.Today, I supported a move to establish a more thorough procedure for the import of cultural goods by means of import and export certificates which would shift the responsibility to prove licit ownership onto businesses with the least possible burden.

2016/11/22

This proposal will help deliver clean air for our cities by putting cleaner and zero-emission buses on our streets. This is because the Directive would determine how Member States can toll vehicles for their use of the road.Public authorities should be at the forefront of the transition to zero-emission mobility, setting an example to the rest of the economy. Furthermore, smart tolling would allow for tolls to improve logistic efficiency and promote cleaner trucks. Trucks in Europe are responsible for external costs of EUR 143 billion annually, only 30 % of which are covered through taxes and tolls.The European Commission and governments should ensure local and regional authorities get enough funding to accelerate this transition and build the necessary infrastructure in order to achieve cleaner and better energy-efficient road transport vehicles.

2016/11/22

The only way to address climate change is for every Member State, region and city to play their part. However, colleagues on the other side of this House ignore the need for more climate action. They praise the work achieved at the Paris Agreement, but when it comes to implementing concrete reduction targets in order to prevent a further temperature rise by 1.5°C or above, they stall.The Special Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed that the next ten years are crucial for defining our future. Current 2030 emissions targets (NDCs) must be drastically improved by 2020, and global emissions need to be reduced to zero latest by 2050.The European Union Institutions and Member States must take responsibility and take a united and ambitious stance at COP24 in Katowice.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Plastics are killing our marine life and the environment. Today we voted for provisions in this directive targeting the main sources of macro-plastics found in seas and beaches, which account for 70% of marine litter. This marine litter includes 10 single-use plastic products, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear and there is no system in place to prevent further environmental damage.Furthermore, plastic waste is the highest type of product found littering the streets in Ireland. In Dublin alone, over EUR 25 million is spent on street cleaning and litter management. We calculate that taxpayers pay around EUR 600/tonne for the clean-up and disposal of single-use packaging where under the current extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, producers pay EUR 89/tonne.It is vital that clean-up costs are covered in the EPR schemes, which is included in this directive. At the moment, the external economic, social and environmental costs of plastic pollution are being borne by local authorities, taxpayers, affected industries such as fishing and tourism, and even absorbed by volunteers.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Everybody agreed that decades-old EU water quality and safety standards had to be brought up to date with scientific knowledge and environmental goals. Unfortunately, not everybody in Parliament agrees that vulnerable groups such as the homeless have a right to access to water. The first successful European Citizens’ Initiative ever called was precisely for European action to ensure water remains a public service and a public good. About a million people in 21st century Europe lack access to water, with close to ten times more lacking sanitation.This review was a wasted opportunity to listen to the voice of our citizens and enshrine universal access to drinking water in European legislation. I was part of a progressive, cross-party coalition which pushed amendments to strengthen this proposal, and counted on the efforts of many colleagues such as my Dublin counterpart, Lynn Boylan, and the UK’s Rory Palmer.It is unconscionable to see the cornerstone of those efforts scuppered by the commodifying mentality that, in Ireland, cost us millions in consultant fees that could have gone to works on atrocious leakage rates.

2016/11/22

Over the past 10 years, more than 25 homes in Khan al-Ahmar have been demolished by the Israeli authorities. The village has more than 160 structures, including a school, a mosque and a clinic, mostly made of corrugated metal and wood.Last month, the Israeli High Court allowed the Israeli authorities to proceed with the plans for the total demolition of the village.We are calling for the Israeli authorities to immediately halt the demolition, the subsequent forcible transfer of its population as well as reversing their settlement policy. We cannot remain silent about this occupation, including the geographic fragmentation of the West Bank, segregation of its Arab citizens and the oppression of minority communities.It is utterly deplorable that peers on the other side of the House voted against this resolution today. We should not need to remind our colleagues that forcible transfer of people under occupation is a serious breach of the IV Geneva Convention.

2016/11/22

. ‒ A transition to a circular economy, whereby all products are designed to be recycled, re-used or remanufactured, is the only way we can curb plastic waste and prevent more ‘garbage patch’ zones in the world’s oceans. Currently, 100 000 tonnes of micro-plastics are floating in our oceans, putting animal and human health at risk. Unless we act urgently, in order to reduce our dependency on plastics, these numbers will continue to increase.The EU Plastics Strategy is a necessary step forward in the Union’s transition towards a circular economy, and a crucial tool towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of preventing and reducing marine litter.Today we have endorsed the Commission’s objective to make all plastic material reusable by 2030. We truly hope that the Commission now acts on this decision swiftly and implements the measures as soon as possible.

2016/11/22

I am deeply disappointed with the outcome of today’s vote. I have had serious doubts about the implications of this copyright proposal for the online environment and for the freedoms individual users enjoy. Unfortunately, even the attempts we made since to safeguard right-holders without causing widespread damage to the interests of individual users were rejected by a majority.As adopted in Parliament today, draconian provisions on liability for copyright infringement by individual users will force most platforms to preventively apply uploading filters so as not to fall afoul of the law. Likewise, this proposal fails to give users and platforms the legal certainty they need in order to quote and share snippets of news.I fully appreciate and support all creators’ right to remuneration for their work, but similar attempts in national jurisdictions have failed to make them better off. It is now the turn of EU national governments to have their equal say on this proposal. I hope they will revisit these issues and listen to the many academics and internet experts who oppose it, as I cannot support it in its current form.

2016/11/22

With this report, we are finally recognising that work-related stress is a growing problem in Europe.We call on the Member States to introduce new and progressive legislation to ensure that workers who suffer from temporary, chronic and terminal health issues and disabilities are adequately protected and can remain in employment if they are able and if they choose to do so.Against the background of an ageing workforce, more efforts should be made with regard to preventive measures, including individual working arrangements.Any investment in this regard will help to cut spending on costly reintegration measures later on.Furthermore, we expect the Commission to finally come forward with legislative proposals which will aim to protect workers from stress related diseases and musculoskeletal disorders.

2016/11/22

Sexual harassment and mobbing are two of the most extreme and widespread forms of gender-based discrimination, with 90% of the victims being female. It is endemic across many EU Member States. That is why voting on this report today is a positive step towards establishing a clear and comprehensive definition of harassment so we can then put in place strategies at EU level in order to tackle this in the workplace and elsewhere.Today, we are calling on the Commission to submit a proposal for a Directive against all forms of violence against women to ensure that legal loopholes will not result in impunity. We believe that at Member State level, something also needs to be done. For example, introducing measures to prevent and combat violence and harassment at the workplace through policies which set out prevention measures, effective, transparent and confidential procedures. There needs to be systems put in place to deal with complaints for victims and impose sanctions on the perpetrators.

2016/11/22

Today, we voted to put this draft law on hold and allow for further scrutiny and amendments rather than green-lighting it in its current form and taking it to the negotiating table with the Council of EU Member States. I am relieved to see that a majority of colleagues heeded the call of those of us who see great danger in arts. 11 and 13 for the internet as we know it. This piece of legislation has been the object of an extraordinary lobby battle on both sides. While I understand the legitimate demand that creators be properly remunerated for their work, this is a wrong-headed expedient. Big media conglomerates have been pushing for neighbouring rights of dubious benefit to the journalists who toil for them, at the expense of the ways we share information with each other online. Also, we would be effectively compelling online platforms to pre-emptively screen all user uploaded content on pain of being held liable for individuals’ copyrights infringements. Platforms would be forced to police and censor individual uploads and, if in doubt, block them to stay on the right side of the law. I hope we will reverse course after summer.

2016/11/22

Today we have voted for improving the European citizens’ initiative as an instrument of participatory democracy in the Union.Reinforcing citizenship in the EU and enhancing the democratic functioning its institutions requires straight forward means to exercise the right to participate in the democratic process.Several rules currently governing the European Citizens Initiative Regulation are too complex and burdensome for the ECI organisers, signatories and competent authorities in the individual Member States.We have also committed to change the rules of procedure of the European Parliament in order to allow citizens to directly shape the debates which are held in the Parliament.Following the public hearing of a successful citizens’ initiative in the European Parliament, the institution should hold a plenary debate, and if appropriate, pass a resolution addressing the concerns it raises.

2016/11/22

. ‒ It is estimated that there are over 370 million indigenous people living in 70 countries worldwide. They are all too often targets of discrimination, and have their rights tossed aside when it comes to land appropriation by governments and private entities. Deforestation and land—grabbing by extractive industries are often the cause of human rights violations across the world. We urge the Commission and the Member States to renew their commitments and obligations to safeguard the human rights of local and indigenous communities.We should put in place an EU grievance mechanism to guarantee indigenous peoples’ access to justice and strengthen protection mechanisms to support those who stand for indigenous, land and environmental rights.

2016/11/22

. ‒ In order to better cooperate in the fight against global warming and achieve a just transition to a low-carbon economy, Parliament wants to see a reinforced climate diplomacy.Achieving the COP21 targets will be hard enough if we don’t try to integrate the issue of climate change into the work of the European External Action Service and EU delegations in partner countries. The EU must remain an active actor in climate diplomacy.The sooner we all realise that climate action is a matter of improving security and living conditions worldwide, the sooner we can press the EU to be more proactive in alliance-building with the aim of implementing the Paris Agreement.We shouldn’t forget that climate change is driving people from their homes at an increasing rate. In 2016 alone an estimated 23.5 million people were displaced due to extreme weather-related disasters. And yet, people who migrate for environmental reasons do not benefit from refugee status nor from the international protection granted to refugees. This report wants to change this as well as to raise EU citizens’ awareness of the connection between climate change and migration, poverty and conflicts over access to resources.

2016/11/22

The last eight years have been extremely difficult for young people trying to enter the job market, with many of the Mediterranean Member States reporting an average of 30-40% youth unemployment. Following the financial crises, the job market has become very tough, driving down conditions, remuneration and the quality of offers. The report aims to see this addressed for the future by defending young people’s social rights within the new forms of employment in the labour market. Our side of the House has worked hard to make sure this strategy involves young people by consulting with them, and that it reflects their needs, ambitions and diversity, and that dialogue occur with young people from different backgrounds and minority groups.

2016/11/22

EU legislation regarding materials in relation to ecodesign is becoming quickly irrelevant as time goes on, due to the vast new ranges of products that enter the market year after year. If this is kept up to date, it will enable more sustainable methods of construction and hopefully reducing millions of tonnes of waste heading for landfill and incineration. Overall this would help to drive down greenhouse gas emissions, for which we know we are far exceeding targets. Especially since COP21, we need to look at more innovative ways of designing homes and work spaces in order to integrate environmental aspects of our surroundings. When taking into account a circular economy, products and materials should not only be assessed by their insulation properties but also by their composition, durability and recyclability. Information on ecodesign is not as readily available as we would hope today so we would like for the Commission and the Member States to engage more actively with stakeholders to improve people’s understanding of this piece of legislation.

2016/11/22

We understand that criminal law varies greatly from Member State to Member State and that therefore it makes it very difficult to implement regulations, especially with regards to victim protection.In many countries still, reporting a crime as a victim is very difficult, not to mention if you are in a foreign country and you don’t speak the language. In many cases, interpretation services are not readily available and today we aim to change just that. Through this own-initiative report, Parliament is taking a stance on providing further support for the victim by way of accessing victim support services, also making sure that the victim receives information in writing about the progress of the case and acknowledgement of the formal complaint.

2016/11/22

The original Directive, approved in 1996, was designed with good intentions, trying to ensure that workers would be protected and to prevent unfair competition. However, over time, it started to have the opposite effect, in practical terms, firms would work around the system and often abuse of the status of posted workers by giving people very low paid jobs with very little social protection. This increased the pressure on local workers and drove their salaries down in turn. As it becomes easier for EU citizens to travel within Europe to work, there are increasing numbers of posted workers every year, now ranging the 2.05 million. The changes to this Directive will hopefully prevent situations of exploitation from happening and we urge the Member States to ratify these changes as quickly as possible.

2016/11/22

Many children embark on perilous journeys to Europe to flee from war, persecution and terror. Member States in the European Union have a duty to protect these children, provide them with sustainable and safe homes and integrate them into our societies.At the moment, different countries have different policies on migration, and the practices vary in success and efficiency. There is a wealth of knowledge and good practice in the Member States on the protection of children in migration, which needs to be shared at local and national level. If this were to happen, children in migration would receive a fairer treatment, whether they arrived in Greece, Italy or Ireland. Furthermore, if there were enhanced cross-border cooperation, the sharing of information could be a potential benefit for family reunification and improve on the tragic number of children who go missing.It is of vital importance that children fleeing from countries at war are provided with shelter, access to health care, including psychological support and access to education, not to mention crucial guardian support, as soon as it is possible.We deplore Member States which still carry out systemic detention of migrant children in clear violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2016/11/22

In the EU, animal testing for cosmetic products was banned in 2004 and for cosmetic ingredients in 2009. It has also been illegal to market any cosmetic products in the EU that contain ingredients that have been tested on animals. However, 80% of the countries around the world still perform animal testing for cosmetics.As Europeans, we feel really strongly about establishing high welfare animal standards, and that is why today we are taking the first steps to ask the European Commission and the Council to promote a global ban by 2023 via the United Nations Framework and to ensure that future World Trade Organisation negotiations do not allow for any opportunity to water down existing animal testing bans.Furthermore, we ask that regulatory authorities and companies set up a monitoring system open to regular, independent audits to ensure industry suppliers comply with a full ban on animal testing for cosmetics.Europe has been thriving and becoming very innovative in the cosmetics sector and the ban has been a positive boost for the industry. It has increased research efforts on alternative processes and improved the quality of cosmetics. We believe other countries around the world should follow suit and stop animal cruelty.

2016/11/22

. ‒ In recent years, there have been many high-profile disclosures of disgraceful behaviour on a global scale, including on tax avoidance. Yet, the most significant impact we have seen on people’s lives has been that suffered by the whistle-blowers and journalists in courts of law. We can no longer tolerate a legal regime that safeguards commercial secrets and at the same time leaves whistle-blowers vulnerable to retaliation and even prosecution.Media freedom and pluralism are included in the rights and principles enshrined in the European Charter on Fundamental Rights and in the European Convention on Human Rights. And yet, people’s jobs, reputations and even life and limb are at risk when they decide to expose wrongdoing. The horrific murders of Daphne Caruana Galizia and of Ján Kuciak and his partner Martina Kušnírová are just the most extreme and tragic example of this. That is why we want to see greater protection for investigative journalists and whistle-blowers.

2016/11/22

Widespread vaccination has, among other breakthroughs in public health, eradicated smallpox and made Europe polio-free. All EU countries recommend vaccination against serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases. However, some vaccines remain undervalued and under-utilised. Diseases such as rubella and measles, which were thought to be eradicated, are now returning in small outbursts, due to a significant drop in the use of vaccines. Rates of immunisation vary greatly from country to country due to national vaccine policies and the increasing costs. A more harmonised schedule for vaccination across the EU and an increase in its support for national vaccination initiatives would vastly improve the current situation.Furthermore, inequalities of access persist, even when means of primary prevention – such as the vaccination against human papillomavirus – exist.Indeed, while HPV causes multiple cancers in both sexes, vaccination is only accessible for girls in most European countries. This hampers the control of HPV-related cancers in both sexes in Europe. It is not acceptable to leave women and men to suffer from preventable HPV-related cancers when vaccines are already available in Europe. Men should have an equal access to protection from such preventable diseases.

2016/11/22

The appointment of Mr Selmayr as Secretary-General of the European Commission shows the hallmarks of a bureaucratic coup, which Juncker and Selmayr have proven adept at in the past.While I fully endorse Parliament’s express criticism of a procedure that was devised to respect the letter of the law in the strictest sense, while running roughshod over any notions of propriety and ethics in public administration, I wish I and like-minded colleagues had mustered a majority to call Mr. Juncker’s bluff.Naked political appointments of this kind undermine the spirit and legitimacy of the civil service and are a blow to the morale and career prospects of those who do their jobs day in, day out, in our institutions without resorting to party political manoeuvring.We need to clean up our act within our own house if we are to enjoy the legitimacy and moral authority that should accompany our role in bringing the Commission to account. I fear this is why we didn’t dare to go further as a Parliament on this occasion.

2016/11/22

. ‒ I am disappointed to see this regulation on greenhouse gas emissions come short of what the future requires of Europe.We are talking about 30% reductions, by 2030, in sectors that account for almost two thirds of emissions on our continent. This is not enough to flesh out our commitments in the UN Paris Agreement.Recently, we passed long overdue reforms of the EU’s Emissions Trading System, to deal with the glut of carbon allowances that cheapened the production of emissions in the heavy industry and energy sectors.Today we haven’t come even near the 40% target in reductions we achieved then.Member State governments choose to drag their feet and protect the tired old ways of doing business at home.They remain blinded to ever clearer and present risks by the demands and short-term interests of preferred constituencies.Even in Ireland, we have started to feel the human and social costs of more extreme climate phenomena. There isn’t just opportunity in a proper, full-scale energy and industrial transition, but also resilience and survival, if we stay below catastrophic levels of global warming.Business as usual is not an option. The planet won’t wait for us to face up to the facts we need to act upon.

2016/11/22

Our society is showing many unconscious biases and discriminatory norms and attitudes, in many aspects of our lives, in employment and especially in the media sector. This is because up until now we have failed to address gender inequality.Funding should be set aside specifically for training, social campaigns and awareness raising to promote egalitarian practices and values. Action is also required to ensure that existing rules on equal treatment in employment are enforced.We should be able to grow a cultural atmosphere in which women feel better supported to disclose their experiences, so that cases are not left unreported; harassment policies should also be clearly outlined and be such as to reach the highest possible standards of fairness, clarity, and transparency.

2016/11/22

Europass is an excellent tool which allows citizens across the EU to express their achievements and capabilities in a clear and easy way, and the standardised system enables citizens from different Member States to avail themselves of a structured curriculum vitae that is very useful when looking for a job or placement. However, the site needs to keep up with rapidly changing technology, so there are adjustments to be made. It has also been highlighted that people with disabilities encounter disadvantages when accessing the tool. The tool remains web-based and it will remain free of charge, whilst guaranteeing that the data entered into the system will be securely stored. In the new and improved version, citizens will have more freedom when it comes to deciding how their personal data will be collected as well as being able to restrict access to their data.

2016/11/22

It is of utmost importance that we guarantee citizens’ rights, and avoid a hard border in Ireland.The United Kingdom should not use citizens as bargaining chips in order to establish a trade deal that works to the best of their advantage.This House stands united in ensuring that a future EU-UK relationship post Brexit does not lead to a race to the bottom on regulations and standards.Furthermore, we will not let the peace process in Northern Ireland be destroyed by allowing the UK to set up a hard border across the island of Ireland and compromise citizens’ access to cross-border health care and other vital services.So far, shared regulatory frameworks between the UK and the EU have been crucial in providing patients with access to medical treatments. Furthermore, harmonised EU regulations for medicines and medical technology ensured that patients are guaranteed a high level of safety. Up until today, the UK government has not promised to safeguard these standards.

2016/11/22

When a trade deal is agreed, its provisions have many implications in our lives and in society. A key drawback is that, so far, trade agreements have not taken into account disproportionate implications in terms of gender, in job opportunities, salaries, pensions and rights, for example.We need to stop overlooking this impact in all trade related policies. There should be binding and enforceable commitments on Trade and Sustainable Development Chapters. This is essential in order to ensure respect for human rights, including gender equality in many aspects of our society such as the labour market, environmental protection, sustainable development and poverty reduction.We ought to set an example with the EU Trade Agreement with Chile, which should include a chapter dedicated specifically to promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

2016/11/22

According to research led by Amnesty International, since the failed coup attempt of July 2016, criminal investigations have been launched against over 150 000 people. In the last year alone, more than 180 media outlets have been shut down and an estimated 2 500 journalists and other media workers have lost their jobs. More than 120 journalists and media workers are imprisoned pending trial. Furthermore, a large number of imprisoned Turkish citizens are denied access to legal services. Today, the progressive side of the House pushed for a resolution condemning the repressive measures used by the Turkish authorities to silence journalists. As a candidate country of the European Union, Turkey is in clear breach of democratic values and human rights.

2016/11/22

Today’s decision to clear the way for a special committee to probe the EU’s decision-making process on pesticide approval is a very positive step forward.In the wake of the Monsanto Papers’ scandal, the leadership of the European Parliament’s political groups has decided to support the establishment of a special committee on pesticides on foot of pressure from progressive representatives and civil society groups.The revelations of Monsanto’s manoeuvring to influence the scientific assessment of glyphosates and ensure the renewal of its EU authorisation mean that we need to reassess how the EU does its own work in this field.This probe will enable us to examine not only how the European Food Safety Agency and the European Chemicals Agency have discharged their responsibilities to assess the safety of glyphosates but also how pesticides are allowed into the EU markets in general.This is crucial for the environment and our citizens’ health. It is no less important in terms of public trust in our institutions and in the evidence, they seek to inform the decisions they make on our behalf.

2016/11/22

While this regulation will not entirely end discrimination based on nationality, place of residence or establishment, it will somewhat facilitate access to goods and services from other Member States. Therefore, it will foster cross-border trade and e-commerce, while taking into account the specificity and sensitivity of certain sectors.Furthermore, Parliament’s negotiators inserted a ‘review clause’ in the regulation, which requires the Commission to assess how well it is working in practice. This clause has been inserted with the aim to then expand the scope of the ban on geo-blocking.

2016/11/22

We are used to seeing this policy described as the EU’s flagship on the fight against climate change, but the fact is that it has been plagued by an overabundance of allowances.Big corporate polluters were granted free allowances to offset competition from those who face no emission penalties abroad. It turns out they not only had plenty to use for production, but ended up selling these free allocations and pocketed the profits.The pricing signal has been too low to incentivise decarbonisation, which calls into question the very purpose of this scheme.I have been part of previous efforts to removing allowances from the market, and I welcome the higher rate at which the available quantity will be reduced, even if it is lower than what we need. It will need to be corrected at the earliest available opportunity.The necessary shift from carbon-intensive activities in our economies will affect a number of sectors, so this reform rightly includes funding mechanisms to support innovation and transition to sustainable energy production.Sadly, reckoning with the price of environmental disasters is something governments have yet to properly do. Lets hope the same does not keep happening to the price signal of our carbon allowances.

2016/11/22

We wanted to stress the need for a regulatory and financing framework for energy innovation that is coherent with the EU’s energy roadmap 2050 and its commitments under the Paris Agreement, which requires the efficient and sustainable use of all energy sources.Furthermore, this report was a chance for us to take a stance on unemployment arising from the discontinuation of old energy resources such as coal. Specifically, we ask that the Commission and the Member States to assist regional and local councils to address this impact in areas which are now suffering from coal and fossil fuel phase-out and to better prepare labour markets and to increase funding for education programmes.

2016/11/22

Youth unemployment is still an ongoing problem in most EU countries and today’s report reflects on the progress that the Youth Employment Initiative has made on tackling the serious difficulties young people face in the labour market.In order to improve the functioning of this tool we believe it is essential to establish one-stop-shops which would make sure that all services are easily accessible and free-of-charge.On this side of the house, we believe that the Initiative has made a positive impact and that the funding should continue post 2020. However, an emphasis on defining the quality of offer beyond the mere matching on the candidate’s profile is necessary. Furthermore, it is vital that the ‘good quality offer’ spells out decent working conditions and adequate remuneration.

2016/11/22

. ‒ What we got through today is the most that conservatives in Parliament allowed themselves to support, bearing the interests of powerful agri-business lobbies in mind.Yet it is the very least we must do to avoid catastrophic climate change and to stick with the commitments made in the Paris Agreement. We will be forced to improve matters such as sustainability criteria to make sure they are fit for our purpose, which is no less than tackling existential risk.I am heartened to see the ecologically disastrous use of palm oil phased out from our renewable fuel mix. The freezing of old-school, food-crop-based biofuels at current Member State levels is also progress, even though I had proposed a full phase-out.Our future cannot be fuelled on carbon. I hope Member State governments, with whom we will now have to negotiate on this legislation, will not dilute it even further. Simply increasing the targets of 35% by 2030 was just not ambitious enough.

2016/11/22

It is absolutely crucial that eliminate loopholes which allow member States and other agents to avoid fulfilling their obligations to save energy. If we do not, we will continue to lose half of the average savings we should be making.Furthermore, as a political group, we stand firm on the issue of energy poverty. Energy poverty affects around 54 million EU citizens (that is an equivalent of around 10% of the EU population). This means that 54 million people were unable to heat their homes properly. This is why we are pushing for the requirement of energy efficiency measures to be prioritised among low-income households and those at risk of energy poverty.

2016/11/22

As part of a progressive family, I am happy that today we were able to vote on this report which included some of our key priorities; namely that climate and energy targets within each Member State are monitored and that these are then followed up by extra measures and that a strategy to tackle energy poverty is included.We cannot say we have done enough to tackle energy poverty to this day. This is because, still, today 1 in 4 Europeans lives in energy poverty, which equates to 125 million EU citizens. What is worse is that those affected are most likely vulnerable people, such as pensioners, single-parent households and children. There is no doubt that the austerity measures implemented in many states around Europe, since the 2008 crash, have had a massive impact on the quality of people’s lives, which includes a combination of rising energy prices with a dramatic fall in household incomes.

2016/11/22

Women are often impacted disproportionately by climate change compared to men. At the same time, they face limitations when it comes to participating in climate policy.We recognise the importance of gender equality in climate change and we are pushing for the Commission to focus part of its development work on supporting rural areas in adapting to climate change, and specifically work with women.We use legal frameworks to improve gender equality in other policy areas and should likewise acknowledge the massive impact that EU climate policy can have on protection of human rights and the promotion of gender-responsive climate policies globally.

2016/11/22

This vote today signifies a political will on the part of the European Parliament for the EU to play a positive role in Africa’s development. By focusing development budgets on investing in quality education, improving and developing skills, building the capacity within the administrative structures and empowering women, we can help build a future for citizens in Africa. Encouraging the participation of more women in decision—making spaces is also very important; there is hope that an increase in women’s participation will improve democratic governments and socio—economic progress. Along with my colleagues on this side of the House, we also continue to raise awareness and provide support for LGBTI people and their human rights, which are too often compromised.

2016/11/22

Today, I am proud to be voting in favour of this report. A right wing majority has dominated the EU’s political sphere and focused for too long on the interests of the elite, the super-rich and the big corporations. This approach has allowed and contributed to the increase of inequalities among our society in Europe. This report strengthens our Europe—wide position on banning zero—hours contracts, establish a living wage index for each region, taking steps to reduce child poverty, further promote the Youth Employment Initiative and take action against tax fraud and tax evasion. I hope that these political stances will influence change by getting rid of austerity measures which have only caused detriment to people’s quality of life.

2016/11/22

In Europe, around 25 500 people die on the roads every year. It is estimated that 135 000 people survive but are seriously injured. Often fatal injuries occur to people who are not driving a vehicle, as they are either cycling or walking on the footpaths. Some things must change to make vulnerable road users feel safer and to prevent such high rates of fatal accidents.For example, mandatory installation of safety related driver assistance systems can be a key contribution to improve and correct behaviour conducive to human error, which could improve road safety in terms of crash avoidance, crash severity mitigation and protection and post-crash phases. Furthermore, implementing the use of alcohol interlocks for professional drivers and drivers who have caused a traffic accident under the influence of alcohol and have been convicted for drunk driving offence as a way to introduce rehabilitation measure within the system, could prove to be an effective tool.

2016/11/22

Today, we have debated at length an issue which happens even within the walls of this institution. A tough line and zero tolerance for sexual harassment and abuse has been adopted, furthermore requiring external expert assessment and putting in place whistleblowing structures so that the victims are not at risk of losing their positions or their livelihood. A zero-tolerance approach must become the norm in any situation, not just at work.We know that cases of sexual harassment and bullying are significantly underreported to the authorities due to relative persisting low-social awareness of the issue and insufficient channels for victim support and yet better systems are not put in place in order to improve the situation. A specific example is the delay, of 13 out of 28 Member States, in ratifying the Istanbul Convention.The Convention requires all ratifying states to adopt a framework to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence. It is high time the Irish government ratifies of the Istanbul Convention on violence against Women.

2016/11/22

Today, we took a step in the right direction by pushing the European Commission to update the legislative framework around work-related exposure to harmful substances, namely by introducing stricter limit values for chromium VI and hardwood dust.Hopefully, this step forward will contribute to a better prevention of work-related cancers and other serious illnesses and save at least 100 000 more lives. However, there are many more elements workers are exposed to which are yet to be worked on.Predictably, recent studies show that outdoor workers have double the risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer compared to the general population. With a workforce of over 14.5 million spending at least three-quarters of their working time outdoors in Europe alone, attention on occupational ultraviolet-induced skin cancer has been surprisingly low for a long time.As a matter of health, prevention and early intervention and care are essential to safeguard our quality of life and good health, whilst also preventing productivity loss and making savings in healthcare provision costs.

2016/11/22

Today, we voted through a reform of fertiliser regulation at EU level, imposing stricter limits on the levels of cadmium allowed in mineral phosphate fertilisers. Cadmium is a heavy metal that accumulates in the environment, endangering human and animal health, through its ingestion with food. Although I would have liked to see a faster phase-down in its levels, there will be a decrease from 60 mg/kg to 40 mg/kg in 6 years, further reduced to 20 mg/kg in 16 years.The legislative reform also aims to facilitate an increased production of organic fertilisers thanks to the recycling of waste, which could in the future account for a third of the current market for mineral fertilisers.Use of cadmium has been significantly curbed by EU law in other industrial applications, so it is high time for the agribusiness lobby to come to terms with the need to cope with fertilisers that contain lower levels of this cancer-causing heavy metal, and embrace more sustainable, organic fertiliser solutions.

2016/11/22

Today, a majority of us voted in opposition to the Commission proposal to extend the authorisation to use glyphosate for 10 more years. This is the most widely used herbicide compound worldwide, and we want to see it banned immediately for non-agricultural use, with a 5-year phase-out in agriculture.The chemicals used in pesticides are approved at EU level by the European Commission, on foot of a vote by a committee made up of EU Member State experts, prior to these substances being authorised at national level. While our say as parliamentarians is not binding on this technical matter, a majority of us oppose it as, two years ago, the World Health Organisation’s cancer research agency classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans. The EU’s own agencies on food safety considered it safe but serious questions arise about their criteria of selection of research documentation as opposed to the ones used by the WHO’s cancer research agency.Together with the colleagues in my political group, the Socialists and Democrats, I believe we need a special committee to thoroughly review the approval process for such toxic substances and the way EU agencies operate and use scientific research to support their highly technical assessments.

2016/11/22

There has been a litany of high-profile disclosures of disgraceful behaviour on a global scale in recent years, including on tax avoidance. Yet, the most significant impact we saw on people’s lives was that suffered by the whistle-blowers and journalists at the dock, as we saw with the Luxleaks trials. When egregious misconduct happens not to be explicitly prohibited in legal terms, not only do we often end up with impunity for the perpetrators but also condemnation for those who had the courage to point the finger at them. We can no longer tolerate a legal regime that safeguards commercial secrets and at the same time leaves whistle-blowers vulnerable to retaliation and even prosecution. People’s jobs, good names, and even life and limb are at risk when they take the step to expose wrongdoing.Sadly, in Ireland, we are no strangers to this reversal of the scales of natural justice at the hands of the organisations put on the spot. I was disappointed to see my conservative colleagues attempting to withhold protection from whistle-blowers who reach out to the media in good faith, and then rejecting this motion altogether.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Every day we come into contact with endocrine disrupting chemicals – which interfere with our hormone systems – by breathing, eating and drinking or via skin absorption. They are present in a vast range of items, from food and drink products and their packaging to cosmetics and toys. Pregnant women, babies and children are particularly vulnerable to their effects.Years back, Parliament legislated to ban such substances, with no exemption for pesticides, and to set scientific criteria to safeguard human health and the environment. The criteria set by the Commission have been criticised by the endocrinology community as exceedingly narrow, allowing many chemicals to slip through the net. I am happy to see that a majority of my colleagues came to agree with that view and with us, in the Environment and Public Health Committee.The Commission has dragged its feet over the years, it was even taken to the European Court of Justice over its failure to act on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and still it is failing properly to implement the legislation we have approved here. We need the EU executive to get back to work and propose scientific criteria which will effectively contribute to protecting us, the environment and future generations from the harm these chemicals cause.

2016/11/22

Today, we are calling for Member States to consider and act upon the issue of child marriages and to strengthen policies around women’s empowerment while we face appalling attitudes from the other side of the Atlantic. Trump’s policy to cut family planning services through the reinstatement of the Global Gag rule is utterly appalling. Ending the funding for the UN population fund (UNFPA), as one of the biggest financial donors, has huge consequences on the delivery of projects focusing on women’s services. This organisation performs vital work, providing reproductive health services to 12.5 million women in more than 46 countries worldwide.Moreover, we are calling for EU development funding to compensate for the decision by the US Government administration and provide services to women and girls in developing countries, and to curtail child and early forced marriage.

2016/11/22

The first three rounds of negotiation have seen very little in the way of progress on the initial three topics of citizens’ rights, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the exit bill. Today, Parliament has taken a stance and affirmed its wishes to see substantial progress, prior to discussing the parameters of a future trade deal.It is imperative that the withdrawal agreement contains the full set of citizens’ rights, which EU residents in the UK and UK residents in the EU currently enjoy. It is vital for the European project that there are no discrepancies and legislative gaps so as to avoid possible discrimination and inequality.The UK Government has showed just how much of a failure they are, creating so much disruption and uncertainty for citizens living in difficult times. Concrete proposals are yet to be heard, never mind discussed, on cross-border issues. The Good Friday Agreement cannot be seen by the UK Government as toy which they can take away whenever they please. Equally the UK cannot use citizens’ rights as bargaining chips in order to conclude their financial settlement and a future trade deal with the EU.

2016/11/22

. – Today, we made yet another step in the direction of achieving equal pay. We are pushing for Member States to step up and come up with concrete legislation in order to tackle the gender pay gap and to enable women to equally participate in the labour market. EU Member States need to act swiftly to implement the International Labour Organisation’s recommendations to reduce the scale of precarious work. Employment security is deteriorating year on year, affecting the most vulnerable in our society the hardest.Furthermore, it was extremely important for this side of the House to make a stance with regards to the detrimental effects which austerity has had on women in the workforce. Women represent around 70% of the public sector workforce and the devastating impact of cuts to the public sector in many EU countries has been diminished to a shocking effect. The gender pay gap is at around 16%, meaning that there is an even bigger pension gap, at around 40%. This form of discrimination simply cannot be tolerated.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Today, we secured a majority on an ambitious proposal aiming to improve access to a wide range of products and services for people with disabilities. Thanks to the hard work of my colleagues on this side of the House, the Accessibility Act will have a broad scope, applying to people with temporary functional limitations, such as pregnant women.The quality of life for citizens with disabilities in the EU needs major improvement. This report voted through today will, hopefully, help to push service providers to make public spaces and infrastructures more accessible. However, the report covers not just public services and products but also a wide range of private-sector tools such as computers, consumer telephone equipment, self-service terminals and a range of online and offline services, including transport, banking services and e-commerce. In order for people to be able to live independent lives, these services need to be tailored to a wider range of needs, and the report works toward achieving this.

2016/11/22

Today, we have made some significant progress on a file which was stalled by the conservative side of our House and eventually rejected by them, even if they failed to muster a majority to block it.Parliament has committed to a legislative footprint system, which allows the public to see which interests lobbied the decision maker on each piece of draft legislation. My focus within this file was on safeguarding the public interest against regulatory capture by large corporations.Sadly, the opposition managed to amend our proposals to keep former MEPs off the hook when it comes to cooling—off and disclosure of the corporate jobs they land through the revolving door after their mandates expire.We keep throwing stones at the Commission on this front but refuse to replace the glass ceiling over our House. This robs us of much needed moral authority to keep on pressing for accountability and integrity in the EU institutions.Worst of all was the unedifying hijacking of this file, by the other side of this House, with amendments proposing that NGOs be denied EU funding when they oppose the EU institutions’ line, which thankfully was quashed.

2016/11/22

I am glad that the vote today for this file has gone through. Members on this side of the House helped guarantee that some crucial policies were included in the report. A few of these include: paid internships and apprenticeships with adequate workers’ rights and social protection, paid training leave for all workers, and finally, measures assessing, recognising and validating the skills and competences of third country nationals.When we see such large numbers of workers in Europe lacking basic skills like reading, writing and numeracy, policies focusing on investing in training and education are vital in order to make a difference, especially when it comes to adapting working skills to digital technologies.It is important that human competences are fostered and nurtured, not only to be competitive in the labour market but also for our own personal development. Education also plays a very important role in tackling unemployment, social exclusion and poverty, and I am glad that the report voted through today acknowledges that, without funding, this becomes a significant challenge. Everyone should have the right to have real access to skills, at every stage of life, in order for them to acquire fundamental skills for the 21st century.

2016/11/22

Today, the majority of this House voted in favour of a project which will help improve network accessibility in the EU. That is because every European citizen should be able to benefit from Wi-Fi connectivity, no matter where they live or how much they earn. A sum of EUR 120 million will be mobilised over three years from the Connecting Europe Facility for grants and financial assistance in order to set up Wi-Fi connections in public buildings and public outdoor spaces. Ensuring access to high-speed broadband services that are free of charge is key for building a digital union that leaves no one behind. Access to the internet can help with an unlimited number of things, such as e-services, information and education. Furthermore, it is a massive investment for future generations.The only problem in successfully implementing this project stems from the usual suspects. We may see some stumbling blocks arising due to the fact that the Council refused to support the project financing for more than three years and also refused to support local businesses.

2016/11/22

Our work in this House will not stop until we have achieved zero tolerance on violence against women. Gender equality is a core EU value, and the right to equal treatment and non-discrimination is a fundamental right enshrined in the Treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, but full equality between men and women is yet to be achieved in the EU.Today we asked that Parliament be fully engaged in the monitoring process of the Istanbul Convention following the EU’s accession and that the Member States allocate adequate financial and human resources to prevent and combat violence against women and gender-based violence.Ireland is one of the few Member States to have signed the Convention, but has not yet ratified it. Furthermore, the rate of violence against women is still very high. Around 209 Irishwomen have suffered violent deaths over the past two decades, and those are the recorded incidents. Many incidents happen and are never reported due to fear and stigmatisation. Without these records, little can be done to track patterns and put proper strategies in place.

2016/11/22

Since 1996, Europe has isolated Cuba and established a ‘common position’. This has only created disfavours between Cuba and European Member States. Just as the relationship between Cuba and the United States was improving, it has frozen again under Trump’s administration. This does not serve the interests of our citizens nor of those across the Atlantic. Freezing up communication will not help Cuban citizens achieve a better quality of life, or job prospects. In recent years the European Union has been the main customer and supplier for Cuba and we hope that through dialogue and understanding we can achieve a positive relationship.

2016/11/22

Today, I voted in favour of pushing the European Commission to come up with a plan to tackle the rise of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis epidemics in Europe. These have been on the rise and those people who are affected by the epidemics are most often the most vulnerable in our society, not to mention the severe consequences such as stigma and discrimination people face in Europe. There are very big concerns about the taboos associated with these infectious diseases, and there is a great lack of educational programmes around these issues which has a direct link to the increasing number of young people catching these infections. Not to stress the massive burden on overstretched health care systems in Europe. That is why we are urging the Commission to come up with a comprehensive EU wide strategy today.

2016/11/22

Not only is it an achievement that this report has been approved today but that it even made it to the vote. Many conservatives and liberal peers are still in denial about the damaging effects which precarious employment has on workers all over Europe. It has been on the rise for the last 20 years but since the financial and economic crisis, many public and private entities have shifted to subcontracting, outsourcing and temporary contracts. Furthermore, workers’ rights to secure employment have been eroded, especially since the introduction of zero-hours contacts. This means that come Sunday evening, a worker will not know whether they will be able to bring in a full week’s pay or not, making it impossible for people to have a mortgage, pay household bills or think about next month’s spending. An end to all zero-hours contracts has to start now, and under any circumstance and not just in some as the Irish Government is claiming. In the financial services and telecommunications sectors where standard contracts are still the norm, performance management systems are introduced to phase out employees.

2016/11/22

I strongly rejected this proposal pending a proper review of all available science on the risks of glyphosate, the world’s most used herbicide, to human health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified glyphosate as a ‘possible human carcinogen’. Other concerns exist with regard to this herbicide’s hormone-disrupting and genotoxic risks, not to mention that this substance is often used in combination with other chemicals, with unknown effects to human health. However, the EU agencies in charge have deemed glyphosate safe, in contrast with IARC, having relied on industry-sponsored research. It is not enough for the European Chemicals Agency and the European Food Safety Agency to say that the discovery of Monsanto’s manipulation does not change their conclusions, in light of the information available. These revelations only add to the need for more transparency, rigour and accountability in the way these agencies conduct their work, so as to safeguard the credibility of scientific input to our policy decisions. It is clear that we need to conduct a proper enquiry and get more answers on the process and substance of decision making before we grant glyphosate 7 more years of free reign on our environment.

2016/11/22

As a consequence of the gender pay gap, the systemic discrimination and segregation that exists in the labour market, we are today facing a 40% gender pension gap in the EU. In Ireland, the gender pension gap is even higher that the EU average, currently at 41%, according to the European Commission.Resistance to effective policies which are more fitting for all of our citizens needs remains sadly pervasive. We are failing to take into account that women are the primary carers for elderly members of their families and for their children. This means women often work part time, as they need to keep more flexible working hours. Very few Member States have adjusted their maternity and paternity rights accordingly.Welfare budget cuts also affect state pension systems, which compounds the widening income gap as women age. Leaving increasing numbers of women at risk of poverty will not help the sustainability of our welfare system.

2016/11/22

Cohesion policy is vital for investment and economic growth in all EU regions and Member States. In its last round of funding we’ve seen 1 million jobs created and we hope that, in the next one, this number will increase further. Moreover, there has been an estimated EUR 2.74 return in growth for every euro of cohesion policy funding invested. This has helped isolated and rural regions to a great extent, especially areas in the Member States which were most deeply struck by the 2008 crisis, and which reduced national investment programmes dramatically.

2016/11/22

. ‒ The latest round of cohesion policy funds has been a success and that is why today I voted in favour of renewing this approach beyond 2020.Investing in quality education and vocational training, promoting social inclusion and improving the labour market, so as to generate quality jobs and tackle youth employment, are key to achieving a successful cohesion policy post 2020. Sustainable economic development is essential in the long term, and when allocating funds this also needs to be taken into account. That is why it is vital that we invest in sustainable environmental efforts concerning clean and renewable energy production, water supply systems and wastewater projects.In order to produce an ambitious proposal for the next round, the Commission must start working on it promptly.

2016/11/22

In today’s Europe, use of portable devices such as tablets and smartphones has become ubiquitous. Yet, still today, we are not able to access local or national news videos or online content abroad because of cross-border restrictions.The European Commission estimates 29 million people in the EU will potentially benefit from the lifting of geo-blocking. This is one step closer to achieving better access to the Digital Single Market, adapting legislation to today’s technological challenges.Furthermore, the new legislation ensures that IP verification will only be used to check the location of the online content user and their data will not be stored or shared for any other purpose.Hopefully the Commission will be prompt in removing the obstacles to cross-border portability and we will see changes coinciding with the ban on roaming charges next month.

2016/11/22

We have empowered the Commission with determining which jurisdictions warrant enhanced surveillance under EU legislation tackling money laundering and terrorist financing.This came with the expectation that it would do better than merely doing a copy—paste job from the assessments of loose intergovernmental bodies which need to put diplomacy compromise ahead of effectiveness.The exclusion of Panama from this list is just one of the most glaring omissions that speak volumes about the Commission’s approach. It is hard to understand how this third version of the EU’s blacklist was presented to us with a serious expectation that we would rubberstamp it.We have the means to conduct an independent, expert—based EU evaluation to create an EU list that is effective in the combat against corruption, financial crime and terrorist financing.That is what our citizens expect of us and that is what we have to deliver.

2016/11/22

I am pleased that today, a majority of MEPs in the house voted to object to import of products from genetically modified maize and cotton.These GMOs are used in combination with herbicides which have endocrine-disrupting properties, posing major risks to human health. Almost 60% of EU consumers have serious concerns with the safety and the long-term implications of genetically modified organisms. We must take these concerns seriously and it makes sense allow EU countries to ban GMO feed and reform the approval process in the EU accordingly.

2016/11/22

The notion of ‘one job for life’ was long gone before the economic crisis. We face diminishing labour rights through austerity measures and through companies and public services facing major economic shifts.I believe that, at EU level, we can really help tackle this challenge by creating effective structures for lifelong learning across all Member States. This is especially beneficial for young people who are facing extremely high unemployment rates, but also for those who have been made redundant due to industry relocation and closure.We must improve the recognition of all formal and non-formal European training and education qualifications across the EU, and we must thoroughly explore possibilities to recognise qualifications obtained from outside of the EU. This is particularly important if we want to enable labour market access for migrants and refugees who are not able to work because of bureaucratic obstacles.

2016/11/22

In Europe, we waste an estimated 20% of our food. Over half of this waste happens in our own homes, after production and supply.This amounts to close to 90 million tonnes of food lost annually, and almost twice that weight in carbon emissions, at a cost of over EUR 140 billion.In Ireland, we waste 216 kg of food per person every year, compared with an EU average of 179 kg. This is a tale of colossal inefficiency and moral failure.We want to see this mountain of waste halved by 2030: we know it can be done.Many of our citizens are confused about the meaning of, and the difference between, ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ labels, and end up consciously discarding perfectly edible food.In many EU jurisdictions, there are too many administrative hurdles and not enough financial incentives to food donation.We would like to see the Commission change VAT rules to explicitly exempt food donations from tax, and to see the EU food aid funding mobilised to cover the logistics of donating food that already exists.

2016/11/22

I welcome today’s decision on abolishing roaming surcharges by 15 June 2017. This agreement owes much to this Parliament’s longstanding commitment to European consumer rights.The caps approved today in Parliament are significantly lower than those proposed by the Commission. Making sure consumers have affordable phone prices rather than getting hit with massive bills at the end of the month, after travelling abroad, contributes towards erasing yet another invisible border in the single market.Wholesale fees for data will be capped at EUR 7.75, from a previous value of EUR 50 per gigabyte; prices continuing to fall so that customers will be charged a maximum of EUR 2.50 per gigabyte by 2022.Citizens in Ireland and Northern Ireland stand to enjoy these benefits. However, since the UK’s referendum to leave the EU, there is great uncertainty over whether these caps will be maintained after the UK formally leaves the EU. If the British Government fails to secure a deal on this as well as access to other vital services across the borders, the negative consequences will be felt by everyone on both sides.

2016/11/22

Getting overwhelming agreement on a common position among elected representatives of all citizens across the Union, today, was no mean task.We want a fair and amicable approach to what is our first ever-departing member, and to reconcile this with the problems and dangers this separation poses to individual Member States and the Union as a whole.Parliament’s resolution expresses special concern about it, with a crucial need to safeguard peace and the preservation of the Good Friday Agreement, which has been anchored on the EU’s involvement and active support. It insists on the absolute need to ensure the continuity and stability of the peace process, that a hardening of the border must be avoided by all possible means.Countless families, including my own, have members on both sides of these islands, who have watched this past year’s developments in fear of getting caught in the middle, against man-made barriers to nationality.For the sake of all the citizens who have so far availed of their present rights in good faith, we should expedite solutions that will safeguard their enjoyment.

2016/11/22

Today, after years of painstaking negotiations and two rounds of readings between the European Parliament and the Council of EU Member State ministers, Parliament gave its final approval to a long awaited reform of the EU rules governing medical devices.Scandals with faulty breast and hip replacement implants in recent years had laid bare the inadequacies of a regulatory regime which dated back to over two decades.Traceability is essential to ensure that a picture of any complications can be drawn quickly - with mandatory reporting to the competent authorities - and acted upon, by restricting the device if necessary.The national bodies in charge of compliance are themselves subjected to reviews and EU-level coordination to keep up with the best international standards and practice.National governments can demand liability insurance from manufacturers, and there are mandatory financial capacity requirements for manufacturers, to ensure patients are compensated if necessary.It was back in 2012 that the EU Parliament reached its own position but national governments spent years grappling with their differences over this file before coming to the table with a common position, to negotiate with Parliament in 2015.

2016/11/22

I regret that today a conservative majority shot down the amendment to set up an independent EU-level agency with the authority to perform ex-post controls to impose vehicle recalls, type-approval withdrawals and administrative fines.This is the only way to stop the big car companies getting away with emission cheating practices, especially in light of the failure by the Commission and national authorities to act upon documented suspicions of industry cheating; we would need an agency funded from fees per car sold in Europe.Consumers’ rights are not being respected as these big companies are refusing to compensate them. Worse still there are severe health issues we have to face. Around 90% of all Europeans living in cities are exposed to polluted air and almost half a million citizens in Europe die every year prematurely from polluted air.

2016/11/22

The scale of the palm oil industry has increased massively in the last number of years, and with deteriorating and harmful effects to the environment and wildlife where palm fruit is grown.Palm tree production in large scale demands that the land be stripped and cleared of rainforest in Africa, Asia, North and South America. The World Wildlife Foundation estimated that the equivalent size of 300 football fields of rainforest is cleared each hour to make way for palm oil production. Many animal species, such as the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger will become extinct within the next 3 to 10 years. Moreover human rights abuses are committed to clear out remote land inhabited by indigenous communities and plantation workers suffer exploitation.This is why palm oil should be responsibly and sustainably sourced. The only way to ensure this is by implementing mandatory minimum standards and a certificate for production and trading. The EU shares a global responsibility in achieving a sustainable palm oil production and today we are pushing the Commission to increase the traceability of palm oil imported into the EU and to consider applying customs duty schemes which reflect its true costs to the environment.

2016/11/22

Many among us have been defrauded as consumers, and all of us carry on sustaining the damage to health and the environment inflicted by cheating diesel emissions of nitrogen oxides that go up to 40 times above the level engineered to appear in lab testing.We will now see stricter rules on access to information, and more responsibilities and powers for the EU Commission to control the work of national authorities in charge of approving new vehicles and those monitoring compliance with legislation, with third party auditors selected by EU public tender.Fines of a level commensurate to that practised in the US will be imposed for future breaches – up to EUR 30 000 per car, and a minimum of 20% of the car types on the road will have to be subjected to compliance checks.Given the failure by the EU Commission and national authorities to act upon documented suspicions of industry cheating, we would need an EU-level, independent surveillance agency funded from a fee per car sold in Europe. Unfortunately, a conservative majority shot this amendment down.Based on their past record, I fear the Council of Government Ministers will further water down the proposals we agreed today.

2016/11/22

Consumers have been made increasingly aware of product sustainability, especially when it comes to food and clothes. However, we all have smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and a myriad of other electronic devices we use every day. In the last few years, we have come to realise that blood minerals and appalling labour conditions contribute to the kind of products we buy.We still have a long way to go to fully clean up global supply chains. However, now we took action to ensure that products which will be sold in the EU will not fuel armed militias or foster human-rights violations in conflict areas.Conservative colleagues would have been quite content with voluntary guidelines and for these to be managed through industry schemes. This would have not sufficed to reassure our constituents who want to know that the every-day goods they buy are not fueling armed conflict and human rights abuses in other countries.The regulation will cover at least 95% of the volume of conflict minerals as well as their metals imported into Europe.

2016/11/22

Four years on from when Ireland and the UK found themselves at the epicentre of the horsemeat scandal, we have come to an agreement between Parliament and the Council of EU Member State governments to tighten up food inspections, improve the traceability of products and fight fraud. In the interests of consumer health, safety and confidence, we have revamped over a dozen separate sets of EU rules and consolidated them in a single, directly applicable EU regulation governing food and feed safety and animal and plant health. Many of the former rules were either overlapping or allowed too much leeway for implementation at national level. This update will tighten enforcement, with a clearer regime for the whole of the agri-food chain, providing for unannounced inspections in all sectors and an improved system for external border checks. Penalties have also been made tougher. However, safeguarding the rights and expectations of consumers and compliant producers alike requires that the national authorities enforcing EU rules on the ground be adequately staffed and resourced.

2016/11/22

The EU legislation we overwhelmingly voted through today brings Europe into line with a United Nations convention on mercury pollution. Mercury is not only highly toxic, but its emissions also spread far and wide through air and water, respecting no borders and lingering indefinitely in the environment. Only half of the mercury found in Europe actually comes from emissions generated here. This requires action on a global scale to control pollution from what the World Health Organisation ranks as one of the top 10 most dangerous chemicals for human health. For most of us, exposure actually comes from eating seafood, with mercury levels rising up fast in animals higher up the food chain.While it could have been more ambitious, this new regime adds important new measures to the EU’s existing export ban. These include import and manufacturing bans on mercury itself and products containing it above certain levels. The use of mercury in dental amalgam is also further restricted, and proper disposal required in all dental practices, in line with requirements for the correct permanent storage of overall mercury waste.

2016/11/22

We persuaded a majority of colleagues to push for a level of ambition that is commensurate with the heaps of waste we generate.In Ireland, we recycle 37% of our waste and landfill 38% of it. We are under performing the EU average on both counts.With this resolution, Parliament is doing no more than restoring the Commission’s original proposals made back in 2014. High as they may sound when compared to our present capacities, they are not beyond our reach if national governments do not waste their time and ambition.In order for us to be able to live with the finite resources at our disposal on earth, we cannot just change the way we dispose of our things.We look forward to seeing the EU Commission’s proposals for industrial requirements that will keep as many of our recycled materials in the production loop.This is what we mean by a circular economy, and it is an imperative for the environment as well as the economy, as there is proven job creation in sectors where recycling beats waste.

2016/11/22

To this day, we are yet to achieve gender equality in the labour market and in access to, and supply of, goods and services. Employers continue to be influenced in their decisions to employ a woman because she may become pregnant in the near future and take maternity leave. We still see billboards or ads on TV which are derogatory toward women. The LGBTI community is also discriminated in many ways, across sectors.This report highlights the gaps and inconsistencies across Member States in the implementation of the 2004 directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services. These gaps are evident in sectors such as transport, insurance and banking sectors. It is disappointing that my Conservative colleagues outright refused to even include recommendations on this issue for the media, advertisement and education sectors. There is still a lot to be done on this issue, especially when we witness fellow MEPs such as Mr Korwin-Mikke claiming that women should be paid less than men because they ‘weaker, smaller and less intelligent’.

2016/11/22

We have minimum EU standards for the protection of animals, specifically pork, poultry and veal, so I am simply dismayed that my Conservative colleagues believe proper rules cannot also apply to the rabbit industry.I absolutely agree with my colleague, Stefan Eck, on the need to introduce legislation on this specific issue. Had the amendment on proposing legislation passed at Committee level, I would have voted positively on it today in Plenary.Farmers should ensure a high degree of animal welfare for rabbits as they do for other animals. This cannot happen without EU binding rules. Studies clearly show that limited and cramped space, a lack of straw and hay in battery cages cause mental and physical stress. In such conditions rabbits develop inflammations, diseases and injuries. There is no denying this is simply animal cruelty.The Commission’s reasoning for refusing to consider legislation on the topic, that rabbit production is mainly concentrated in Italy, France and Spain, simply is not good enough. If the same reasoning were applied to any other policy, we would have almost no existing regulation in the EU.

2016/11/22

The EU’s response to the popular upheavals sweeping Western democracy should lean much more strongly on the side of social cohesion.Yet, the conservative forces which dominate policy-making in Europe remain stuck with the pre-crisis world views that were employed to solve the crisis they themselves hatched.What should be clear is that those who have suffered the brunt were the least responsible for it, and that public resources were by and large depleted to prop up the financial and banking sectors, which promptly exploited the Eurozone’s flaws to profit from a public debt crisis of their own making.Progressive-minded colleagues are pushing hard to make sure we have the fiscal firepower to counter some of the contradictions and economic forces that have been pulling EU countries apart.Yet conservatives persist in equating European cooperation to the tightening of screws on budgetary governance, with arbitrary limits that tie our hands to stimulus which are tantamount to a constitutional ban on Keynesian-style economic policy.Our economies are structured in diverse ways, and faith in a one-size-fits all formula for a currency with no resources to absorb shocks has failed us both before and after the crisis.

2016/11/22

Tariffs on trade between our blocs are no longer a critical obstacle, and there are merits to coordinating the way we regulate markets so that we can trade and put our trust in each other’s products. However, the way to do this is not through secretive negotiations between trade negotiators, resulting in thousands of pages of obscure provisions which our parliaments can only say yes or no to. This is one of the many reasons why I voted to reject CETA today.The risks to hard-fought-for health and environmental safety standards in Europe are many, as were the red lines crossed today, any of which would individually warrant a rejection from my viewpoint. Furthermore, realistic economic modelling forecasts negligible benefits to our GDP at best, and the loss of thousands of European jobs at worst. For all the superficial changes made to the ISDS, we are simply seeing the institutionalisation of an exclusive judicial channel that investors alone can invoke or threaten to sue governments when they act in the public interest. Social rights, our health and the environment are not simply obstacles to trade to be chipped away in bilateral cooperation schemes.

2016/11/22

Pesticides that can cause harm to human beings and the environment should not have a place on our markets. The health of EU citizens is of paramount importance and yet policies to protect our health are often disregarded. Pesticides are known to cause cancer, harm our hormonal systems (as is the case for endocrine disruptors) and can be highly toxic.For the time being, there are only seven ‘low-risk’ substances approved in the EU market, which leaves very few options for farmers who want to switch to non-conventional substances in order to adopt more sustainable practices to minimise the risks for human health and the environment.Even though the Commission’s revised legislation from 2012 moves a step closer to banning dangerous substances and recommending reductions in the use of pesticides, these products are being removed from the market at a painfully slow pace.That is why today I agreed, along with the majority of my peers, to call on the Commission to hasten the submission of proposals to amend the existing legal regime.

2016/11/22

I voted in favour of urging the Commission to come forward with proposals to guarantee a minimum level of protection to whistleblowers across the EU.In Ireland, we are very familiar with the corrosive effects of suppressed wrongdoing in public life and that of individuals. The unedifying developments we have been witnessing with the plight of Sergeant McCabe, just to mention the latest example, show how entrenched institutional cultures can turn on those who shed light on crime or misconduct. These predatory and immoral behaviours are often spurred on by a misguided and self-defeating attempt to prevent damage to reputations. This is an approach where everybody loses, even when the facts eventually come to light. Institutions lose public trust, whistleblowers are slandered and victimised, and the original victims denied justice.This is why Parliament wants to see legislative action to protect those who reveal misuse of EU resources anywhere in the EU, be they EU civil servants, citizens or journalists. It is also why we acknowledge that whistleblower protection of a general scope is also needed, irrespective of whether wrongdoing happens in a public or private organisation.

2016/11/22

A vast majority of MEPs today agreed to reaffirm that the EU’s development policy is centred around poverty eradication and fighting inequalities. Some good proposals within the text push for a progressive agenda, promoting fair tax systems and tax justice to help fund development projects, as well as recognising the major constraints developing countries face in raising tax revenue in order to better fund vital public services and countering very damaging corporate tax evasion schemes and illicit financial flows. One way to tackle this is to push for Member States to establish compulsory country-by-country reporting on multinational companies, to make sure that companies pay their fair share of tax domestically as well as overseas, where profits are made.Furthermore, appropriate resources must be channelled to tackle the root causes of migration focused on overall development, an incomparably better investment than when it is eventually allocated to stop refugees from seeking asylum in Europe.

2016/11/22

In Ireland, one in four people will suffer from mental health problems at some stage in their life, and mental health illnesses are likely to affect people for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives, if not tackled through timely and adequate care. The risks are even higher for LGBTI persons, those with disabilities, among other marginalised groups. With the refugee crisis, we are seeing an increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers desperately in need of access to mental health care, which is outrageously underfunded. It is vital that mental health services across the EU provide sufficient access and care for mental health issues and put protocols in place that are sensitive to gender and ethnicity, for example.This is a most welcome report, which highlights the present challenges faced in the majority of our Member States, where mental health care is crumbling mainly due to austerity cuts, with a devastating impact on our citizens’ health and lives.

2016/11/22

It is deplorable to see the many challenges still faced by women, day in and day out. One third of women worldwide are estimated to have faced physical violence in their lifetime.Parliament is sending an important message today in order to push the EU Council to put forward a progressive position for women’s empowerment at the UN Conference in New York next month.I was glad to support my peers, and in particular my colleague Maria Arena, in taking a stance against one of Trump’s first legislative changes, banning NGOs from receiving US funding for family planning and access to sexual and reproductive rights in the US and elsewhere. This Global Gag Rule, as it referred to, is already having a negative impact on NGOs working towards eradicating HIV/AIDS, but for also women’s health, family planning and safe abortion services.Gender equality and empowerment means ensuring equal human rights, responsibilities, opportunities and treatment for women and men, especially freeing women from gender-based violence. This cannot be achieved without the funding required for NGO work and citizens initiatives on improving gender equality and women’s rights.

2016/11/22

. ‒ Erasmus+ is an invaluable instrument to foster positive integration and social inclusion among young Europeans. It has been bringing young generations together through cultural, academic and professional exchanges, and deepening ties between people, countries, universities and professions. In this report, however, we recognise that the programme does not reach out to everyone. We cannot consider it fair and accessible to all when the application forms are not available in all EU languages.The Commission needs to set and monitor higher quality requirements for the various entities which are awarded Erasmus+ contracts, to ensure the participants are provided with meaningful and enriching experiences. In addition, the heavy expenses incurred for young people upon acceptance to an Erasmus+ programme can often deter those who do not have the financial means to shoulder them in full or while awaiting reimbursement. In order for these issues to be tackled by the Commission head on, the budget has to be increased so that mobility across the EU can truly be achieved, and more opportunities can be offered to the youth of Europe, who have been facing the worst unemployment crisis in the 21st century.

2016/11/22

93 Written explanations of Nessa CHILDERS

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