Plenary focus - February 2023

In view of the tax breaks in the US, we must not let companies hold a gun to our heads. The EU should not throw money at big industry and its shareholders without strict conditions. We need a targeted and active industrial policy for the 99%. Investments and subsidies for a carbon-free industry must be linked to social conditions for good work. During a subsidy, the distribution of dividends must be stopped.

Request for a debate: Monday at 17:00 Major political groups refuse to act on corruption in the European Parliament. At the conference of presidents, the liberals, the right and the far right buried the majority of the 15 reforms they adopted hand in hand in December. President Metsola has presented us with her 14-point action plan. A plan that abandons most of the measures widely and democratically adopted in the December resolution. Determination in front of the cameras, betrayal behind the scenes! Renew and the right-wing even refused our proposal for a debate and resolution to transparently follow up on the measures promised in December. On the independent ethical authority that we have been calling for for years, nothing is moving forward. Let’s sweep the Qatargate dust under the carpet! The lack of transparency in the discussions in the conference of presidents is a reflection of the general opacity that is so damaging to the institutions. I will therefore publicly hold the other groups to account from Monday at the opening of the plenary session!

In any other country the prime minister would have resigned. This has been a big political embarrassment for this Greek government and a very big embarrassment for Mitsotakis, personally, in the EU.

Market-based policies weakened Europe’s industrial base. Strategic public initiative, on the other hand, guaranteed several European actors a globally leading role in key segments of the Chips value chain. Focusing on subsidies and flexible rules for private actors, this Chips Act fails to draw the right lessons. Even during emergencies, the Act does not offer public authorities the necessary tools for decisive action.

Violence against women is one of the most serious problems in the EU. One in three women are subjected to physical or sexual abuse. The Istanbul Convention is the most powerful international tool against this kind of violence. It is therefore extremely important that all member states, and the EU itself, ratify the convention.

Any government would be overwhelmed in the face of such a major catastrophe. But what people are outraged about is that the regime doesn’t realise that its own structures are far from sufficient and that it is still sticking to its bureaucratic hurdles out of political calculation. We need to mobilise all kinds of aid. The EU must ensure that the aid in Syria and Turkey reaches those affected quickly and effectively.

The UK’s Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade Agreement are only the first stone on which a new relationship is being forged. In order to protect the interests of both parties, both agreements have dispute resolution mechanisms, but it is logical and necessary for the EU to also have an agile and efficient procedure to enforce the agreement, that is, to protect citizens’ rights in the event that mechanisms do not work.