Dan NICA

Policy topics Dan NICA is active on

What Dan NICA has said (28)

• 2026-06-16 “Thank you chair. Commissioner AI Needs to support people. It has to be in their favor, not against them. And that means that we should in no way accept any possibility that AI. Might lead to a loss of jobs on the one hand, but also it shouldn't be a threat to people's privacy. So at the same time, this package is welcome because it should set very strict rules. Clear rules. First of all, what is the sovereignty bit and what is the integrity bit. What should we control? Who should be controlled? Ai centers and people. And for member states, we should have an obligation to have a national plan for cloud, for AI expertise and excellence centers. And we should have a very clear message in Galatz in Yash, but also in Brussels. Tech sovereignty is extremely important. Thank you.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you, chair, commissioner. AI needs to support people. It has to be in their favor, not against them. And that means that we should, in no way accept any possibility that AI might lead to loss of jobs on the 1 hand, but also it shouldn't be a threat to, people's privacy. So at the same time, this package is welcome because it should set very strict rules, clear rules. 1st of all, what is the sovereignty bid and what is the, integrity bid? What should we control? Who, should be controlled, AI centers and people? And for member states, we should have an obligation to have a national plan, for cloud, for AI, expertise and excellence centers, and we should have a very clear message in Galati, in Iasi, but also in Brussels, tech sovereignty is extremely important. Thank you.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• “Thank you. Chair. Mr. Dan Jorgensen, you are the Commissioner for energy. We are all really hopeful that one of the main causes for the lack of competitiveness of the European industry would find a solution. You said it very well. The values of the European Union and how important it is to show that we are the world's strongest entity, both economically and politically. Now, economically speaking, Commissioner. The Draghi report and many others say that the energy is the cause of our lack of competitiveness. On the other hand, people who pay high bills back at home are dissatisfied and rightfully so. Additionally, we have this very odd situation. Four years ago we produced energy, nuclear energy, hydro energy. You said that now it's the first time that renewables exceeded coal produced energy, but the price is two times higher. So the question is what changed? Why the price is so much higher? And I just did something change within the structure, or did only the profits, um, become higher? Because if that is the case, it is not right and we cannot understand. Why not? Why we cannot decouple the energy price from the gas price. It is not alright for the energy price to be set by the gas plant.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you. Chair. Mr. Sigourney, you are the vice president of the European Commission. You are the commissioner responsible for industry. And together we made a number of decisions, including the one that we're talking about today. We wanted to know what we can do to make sure that European, the European industry has access to critical materials. We adopted the regulation, calls for projects were launched. And let me tell you what's going on in my country, in Romania. Projects were submitted. Roma submitted a project to extract graphite in Romania. I have to mention that in Romania, more graphite is being produced than in Norway, and two more projects on magnesium and copper. Unfortunately, these projects are as frozen as they were the year before. There is no financing and this is because the European Investment Bank, Mr. Vice President of the European Commission, does not have the measures and mechanisms necessary to apply the projects that you, um, declared to be strategic, which means that this is all strategic on paper. So then we're complaining that China is not giving us access to critical and strategic raw materials, but we're doing nothing to extract our own. Romania has 16 of the 32 critical raw materials necessary for the European Union. However, unfortunately, these measures are not applied. And if I were you, I would send in a task force to handle these projects in every EU member state so we could see why nothing's going on and then we could understand what is happening.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Thank you very much, Madam President. One of the priorities of the Cyprus presidency will be the price of energy. Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus are seeing energy prices, which are prohibitive for citizens. The temperatures in Romania are -20 and the prices are over €150 more than elsewhere, which harms people's lives. Which people have to choose between food, medicines and paying their energy bills at the same time? Companies have problems of competitiveness. Companies are laying workers off in the. We're proposing a solution to one of these solutions. The lack of interconnection means that we should take measures, which means we can have a European grid. Our commitment together with the commission, uh, that's something we need to do, um, quickly, because people need that quickly.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “President. Commissioner Jurgensen, you're responsible for energy in the EU and you have a mandate with very many challenges. The EU energy market is in a very worrying situation in my country, Romania. We reached a very high level of the problems. We've had a situation where there are lower prices in other countries and there needs to be urgent action because there is a very worrying situation for the economy. For example, in Romania. 70 companies are considering relocating because of the high costs of, uh. Of electricity and gas costs. And over 300,000 people may face losing their jobs. Energy and natural gas is expensive, and sometimes people have to choose between that and other vital items. We need rapid change. Furthermore, we must know what is going on. With the cases under investigation where there has been fraudulent action. Commissioner, we need an energy market with total transparency for gas. Who is selling? Who are the shareholders? What is happening with these windfall earnings that are becoming a regular feature in the EU? If you can do that, then you'll have my support and that of the European Parliament. We need swift action without any hesitation. Thank you.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you. Chair. Commissioner Zaharieva, you are responsible for research. Therefore I'd like to focus on some aspects as a message from representatives of universities and research companies in Romania. These are issues that are shared by other entities in the US as well. Simplification. On the one hand, the simplified access to funds is absolutely mandatory. Researchers believe that they should focus exclusively on good research projects on projects that bring added value. They don't want their time to be consumed with drawing up papers or finding the good experts to put together consortiums, for instance. And I believe this is very easy to correct. I understood that DG R&D understood that there's a new orientation. They need to change their attitude and be more proactive. I used to be a rapporteur for Horizon Europe and together with my colleagues, our goal was to increase access to programs financed with EU funds for the universities, for research institutes and for companies doing research and innovation. So we didn't focus on this bureaucratic part. As you said, they have to fill in 27 different documents, things that are done by people who should focus entirely on research, on innovating and doing things that change our lives for the better. Then there's this obsession, if I may call it this, this idea with discrimination.”
  EU research funding
• “Yes. Thank you so much, dear chair. On behalf of the S&D Group, we'd like to ask for a secret ballot on this candidacy. Thank you.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “The crisis in the Middle East has led to an increase in the prices of energy. Petrol. Diesel energy is. Prices are reaching unprecedented levels in Romania. Now we're hearing talk about new supplies, new ways of using energy and ensuring that we can have energy available in the EU. But, uh, Commissioner, What we absolutely need is a windfall tax on energy profits here. It's not fair that when things go badly, some people profit from it. Now, Mr. Weber, you were talking about the Romanian Prime Minister. He refuses to leave power in spite of his political support having been removed. I mean, he has impoverished millions of Romanians via his austerity policies. Economic activity has been put under massive stress in Romania, and we've decided to support the 90% of Romanians who want to see an end to those policies. The decision of the Social Democrat Party is clear. We want to see a pro-European coalition. Now, Mr. Weber, I'm afraid you've got it wrong in what you said. Thank you.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Yes. Executive Vice President. The most important question is those who are working in the sector throughout the supply line need guarantees. They need to know that the EIB will provide the necessary access to cash, and they need to have access to the funds which have been allocated for decarbonisation process. Up till now, the EIB has refused to take this type of project on board as a priority project. Secondly, we're still very unhappy to see that the price of electricity is still coupled to the price of natural gas. Let me repeat. We cannot. Behave in the same way, for we cannot allow a source of energy that represents 20% of our total energy supply to determine the cost of electricity. We've got the highest prices in the world. So your explanation is unacceptable. And then thirdly, whether we're talking about gas or electricity, we need absolute transparency. We need to know who is selling what and under what conditions. We need absolute transparency for all market operators. It is unacceptable for there to be an such enormous profits for these operators.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you. Commissioner. Commissioner Jorgensen, in Romania, 2 million citizens are unable to properly heat their homes because the price of energy is much too high. So they either have to give up buying medicines, food or choose to heat up their home. This is something that threatens their health and their way of life. You visited Bucharest recently. Thank you for doing so. I'm glad you came to Romania to see yourself a country that has the highest price of energy in the EU. And you noted that there is a reason for this the lack of interconnection between Hungary and Austria, the flow of energy, cheap energy that should come to Romania when we need it is seriously distorted. And you came up with this, um, grid proposal for which I have to congratulate you. You say that if countries do not act properly and distorted the EU market, you will step in. You have my support and the support of the EU Parliament. I believe that this should not be left up to member states, even if there's two of them. A few days ago we adopted the directive. There are 444 cases where the EU legislation was violated and various EU companies manipulated prices 444 cases, €200 billion roughly. Do you know how many cases were prosecuted by Acer so far? Only nine. Only nine were investigated. This is unacceptable, Commissioner. If it's tough, it should be tough for all of us. We shouldn't allow some people to speculate and to cheat and lie and make a profit. Thank you very much, Commissioner Jorgensen.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Please. Yes. Thank you so much chair. So uh, on behalf of the S&D Group, I would like to be the. Our candidate will be Mr. Giorgio Gori. He's an important MEP coming from the from Italy and he will make a difference in our committee. It will be a very good member of our committee. So therefore I will strongly recommend to be elected as a vice chair.”
  Recruitment policies in the EU
• “So we will. It will be a mess. So that's why we prefer to settle everything in a very, uh, let's say, a very good manner of working together because it's a common interest. That's my interest. That's the interest of business bosses. I think it's the interest of the older members and members to have a coherent position of the European Parliament, because it will be difficult, will have difficult negotiations. You'll be there the most, probably as a chair. And if you are not united and we don't have a strong and unified position, it will be difficult to negotiate with the council. Uh, In the last sentence about the ECF, everybody is looking like a fountain of miracles. The miracles. They are not in the ECF, they are very few money and we have to deal with the mess created by the Commission putting everything in one basket. So everything which was referring in 15 different projects. Now we have to deal with them in the ECF so they are not money there. We should expect that the people will be unhappy because there are many opinion giving committees asking for money and the money. They are 260 whatever half of them, they go to the defence space and the national security and for the industry, Competitivity and all the other important issues is roughly €100 billion. Not enough. It is a joke for the next seven years, but we have to deal with what we have on the table and that's the existing situation. And thank you so much for being so kind in letting me speak a little bit, Mr. Chair.”
  Size of EU budget
• “(10:58:00 – 10:59:30): you, president. 2 months ago, Romania received bad news, unfortunately. It learned it was paying the highest price for electricity relative to its purchasing power, 2 or 3 times more than other countries in Europe, and this for a very simple reason. Because the electricity market in Europe is fragmented, it doesn't work. We are decoupled, and we cannot get the cheap energy which is produced in Germany because Austria and Hungary refused to build an interconnection that would transfer this energy. And this has happened for the past 10 years. So it's obvious that we need harsh measures because if somebody makes a mistake and don't doesn't want to do things right, the price should not be paid for or should be paid by Romanians who have to sacrifice their bills or their medicine to buy food. You know, we had a lot of unfair competition cases in Romania, dozens of billions of euros, and, a lot of investigations because, the energy bills were inflated more for companies and for consumers. So we need a European electricity exchange for transparency. So please, vice president Sejournet, do what's necessary.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “I have a question for the European Commission. And it also of interest to those working at the steel plant in Galluzzi. What concrete measures will there be in place to deal with the energy prices, which is a serious problem for steel and other industrial plants in Europe, and bad for their production. Secondly, you talk about competition at a time where the import codes are based on prices that cannot be justified for any producer in the European market from Vietnam or Russia. 1.7 million tonnes of steel from Russia and at an unrealistic price. Do you think There is any rationalism behind the pricing. We've seen us losing 20 million tonnes of steel capacity, and at the same time, in Europe, we are effectively sponsoring these imports through our subsidy policy. Their imports take no account of the environment, and we're seeing unprecedented levels of carbon. I think measures need to be taken now. We're expecting a steel action plan, uh, as soon as possible. When's it coming? What will it be? Tangibly. What will it mean in terms of decarbonisation? Uh, it's going to be a huge cost. Decarbonisation? Billions of dollars. What about the funding for it? Uh, this is going to be very difficult for industry in Europe. Who will benefit China? India? Russia? Thank you.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “You should find a solution to this as soon as possible. Then we are talking about gas. This market oversight is very important. Everyone knows wants to know that they pay the right price. This means that gas purchase price plus profit margin. This should be the price. No one accepts exceptional profits. What happened with the remit investigation for market manipulation and for the fraud. There were hundreds of cases. We our last update is from one year ago. Thirdly, Commissioner, it is very important to find all the conclusions of the Draghi report in all the measures that the Commission will take unless we take decisive measures. The European Union will become weak both economically and politically. We know the challenges, but I also know that you are able to solve them. We are here to support you. Please make sure you take the measures necessary to make the energy market a functional one, to make sure that the prices are fair and you don't leave any loopholes for those who wanted to make profits that have nothing to do with the economic activities and with the European citizens. Thank you.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you so much, dear chair. So, dear colleagues, uh, we've been to an admission of admission to Ontario, uh, in, uh, mid September. Our main focus was to, to visit and to see the projects of the small modular reactor. I've been together with the strongest team of, uh, colleagues. Uh, and I think I can, um, uh, talk on behalf of the, my colleagues also that we very pleasantly surprised with the fact that we've seen the first summer in reality. So the work started there. It was not just pictures, not videos, uh, and, uh, that was, uh, highly appreciated because we have we we could have, uh, now a clear idea about the services. Uh, we've been assisted by a very strong Secretariat team, and they made a very good program, although it was very tough. So the next time, be sure that you stick with eight hours of working, uh, working hours, uh, and not 14. Uh, and, uh, I would like to say that, uh, uh, I have to, to finish to mention one is the, the Canadian way to decarbonise their economy. They use, uh, they use nuclear, they use smrs. They started the construction of the for smrs facilities. Uh, they use uh, micro, uh, nuclear reactors, which is the range of tens of megawatts and kilo nuclear, which is very small. Modular reactors, extremely small just for the very remote areas. The aim is to replace all the production energy production facilities based on coal and gas, and they do that by using nuclear facilities.”
  Nuclear energy
• “Yes. Thank you so much, dear chair. On behalf of the S&D Group, we'd like to ask for a secret ballot on this candidacy. Thank you.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Thank you president. Two months ago, Romania received bad news. Unfortunately, it learned it was paying the highest price for electricity relative to its purchasing power, 2 or 3 times more than other countries in Europe. And this for a very simple reason. Because the electricity market in Europe is fragmented, it doesn't work. We are decoupled and we cannot get the cheap energy which is produced in Germany because Austria and Hungary refused to build an interconnection that would transfer this energy. And this has happened for the past ten years. So it's obvious that we need harsh measures, because if somebody makes a mistake and doesn't want to do things right, the price should not be paid for or should be paid by Romanians who have to sacrifice their bills or their medicine to buy food. You know, we had a lot of unfair competition cases in Romania, dozens of billions of euros and a lot of investigations because the energy bills were inflated both for companies and for consumers. So we need a European electricity exchange for transparency. So please, Vice President Do what's necessary.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you. Madam president. Commissioner, it is good to have this action plan to revitalise the European automotive industry. The situation is difficult. This is what people need. This is what people are expecting. The there is an internal market which is flooded with Chinese and and other foreign products. And it's obvious why. Uh, it's obvious why their cars are cheaper. Because our manufacturers have to pay taxes and emissions duties. Others don't. We need to we need to obviously help battery manufacturers in Europe. We have research programs and this is good. And all of this has to enable us to be able to deliver affordable cars.”
  EU industrial funding
• “Yes. Thank you so much, dear chair. On behalf of the S&D Group, we'd like to ask for a secret ballot on this candidacy. Thank you.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Thank you very much, chair. This is a legislative act we've been waiting for. We've been expecting for a long time. We've witnessed a string of failures that have affected the economies of the member states, especially when it comes to the steel industry, aluminum, fertilizers and so on and cement. On the European market, we had two categories of product: Made in EU, which were more expensive because they had to pay the CO2 taxes and products that were imported from outside of the EU that were cheaper by 15% because they didn't have to pay these taxes. We introduced CBAM, but this measure is still unenforced, and it doesn't produce any effect. For that reason, this new act that we are discussing today, we will have to reestablish equal conditions for the European market. Second of all, we have to introduce the European preference, definitely. Otherwise, we will not have a basis to protect ourselves. And to the people who are counting the number of panels produced in China, I have one thing to say. The dominant player on the market makes the rules. So if we don't have that minimum condition of production in the European Union, then we will be submitted to economic blackmail and to conditions that are hard to predict right now. Today, we should rely on European products in certain strategic and critical sectors. Third of all, together with Mr. Butka, I went to the US, and we received a warning regarding the increase in prices of oils that are refined in the European Union. The prices in the carbon directive and the fact that the Commission has not adopted any regulations regarding the independent assessor will increase prices by $9. That was the estimate before Hormuz closed. This might be 15% today, and that will have a huge impact on the oil industry in Europe. Please identify that matter and take all the necessary measures. Thank you.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) · "Buy European" provisions
• “European Parliament The European Council should focus on the EU's competitiveness. Unfortunately in Europe, in Romania, in my country, we all see that we pay the highest price for electricity. Yesterday €150 for megawatt hour, five times more than in Spain, three times more than in France, 40% more than in Germany. This is why Romania's economy is gravely affected. Because all this is then felt in terms of our competitiveness. We lose jobs and we face a difficult situation. Why? Because we refuse to interconnect Romania with the West. This is similar for Hungary and Greece. We don't yet have the interconnection between Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary. So this lack of action from the European Commission is very damaging for Romania. And this is why extremism is on the rise and people are so unhappy. The only thing we can do to solve this is to take decisive action now before it's too late.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you very much. Chair. Mr. session, as executive Vice President of the Commission and responsible for EU industry, I'd like to say that I'm very happy to hear that. As of tomorrow, a plan will be an energy plan for Europe will be adopted. That's something which we've been waiting for for a long time now. The situation is somewhat different. Difficult, because thank you for that. But I'm about to criticize you for something that doesn't even exist yet because it will only be adopted tomorrow. We're talking about an investment plan 100 billion for EU industry. I'm very pleased to hear it. But what I'm not happy with is that there are no sources of finance or rapid sources of finance are listed in EU. Industry finds itself in a tricky situation across the board, and we need a number of guarantees to ensure the necessary cash flow. Next, I'm very happy to hear that as of tomorrow, you will be adopting a trade measures in order to put a stop to or reduce imports from outside the EU, which do not respect a carbon quotas. This is unfair competition, uh, vis a vis EU steel production. But all of these measures are coming at a very late stage. Perhaps you could be a little bit clearer. What exactly will you be adopting and when will you be adopting these measures? Once the plan itself has been adopted, because these imports from third countries are drowning the EU market, then? On trade countermeasures. I don't fully understand when you talk about exporting waste metal or scrap iron, it seems that we haven't got any bans on the import of this scrap. Can you explain why? Why do we not ban the export of scrap metal? Iron? Aluminium? Stainless steel? When the export of such materials in primary or secondary state is banned?”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “Yes. Thank you so much, dear chair. On behalf of the S&D Group, we'd like to ask for a secret ballot on this candidacy. Thank you.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “You talked about the measures necessary. The European Investment Bank has offered guarantees, but the electricity price is very volatile. Unfortunately. This is. It's too volatile. Whatever your sector. We have problems with production and inter. We have intermediaries who are making a killing without doing anything. There is a great deal of manipulation of the market. You can't have, on the one hand these things happening without anything being done. But you are the organization that can deal with price manipulation. Why are we why are we having this electricity market? We we need transparency on the market. Why don't we have an electricity bus like we have for, uh, other, uh, sectors? I think these are things which are within your power. There are things that the European Commission could do. I'd be interested to know if you would support that.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you very much. Chair. Mr. Mehra, you are an EVP of the European Commission. And I would like to ask you a few things related to horizontal coordination when it comes to the clean industrial deal. There are measures that need to be taken in collaboration with the other commissioners. I would like to know, first of all, what are the main challenges? How will you ensure that the gas price and electricity prices will allow us to still be competitive at a European industrial of European economic level? Secondly, are you in favour of introducing stock markets for electricity and gas in order to ensure traceability and transparency, and in order to make it clear who it is that sells electricity and gas, and who it is that benefits from the huge benefits that are in this, um, in this field. Thirdly, Mr. Bearer, it is obvious that we need to take a series of measures. We cannot, on the one hand, have imports affecting the strategic industries of the European Union from countries that do not respect environmental standards at all. So we cannot do this and bring European industries to the Bank of to the brink of bankruptcy, as we see that is happening with steel chemical industry and others. Are you considering putting a stop to importing waste? That is to be used in European economy? And I would also like to ask if you want to introduce clear criteria when it comes to green procurement criteria that would allow those that wish to invest in a green economy to thrive on the European market. And especially when will you take such measures and what will they be? Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you so much, chair. Thank you so much for inviting me and accepted to be today with you. Uh, I had a conversation with your rapporteur with Mrs. Boss and the team also from the Budget Secretariat. Uh, with me, it was the president also Mr. Heller, who just came here. Uh, and we try to, uh, to sort out a little bit the way how we are going to move on. And I think just referring to the. Mr. remarks that it's very unclear, just not make it complicated and refer to other issues. Like if we agree with badge, what will happen if another opinion giving is going to challenge us. I will challenge not only to challenge our agreement. So the rules of procedures, they are very unclear and very disturbing. So we what we did, we tried to present a very clear, let's say, way of working moving forward, because the deadline is Monday and we expect to have anywhere between 10 and 12 amendments. And we have to know who is going to be responsible for the amendments, because they refer to an article or a paragraph. And we have to to everybody. They have to take care of their own amendments. So the competences of badge, you have to be responsible as rapporteur from from committee, and we have to do the same on our on our side. And I think we'll be able to sort it out rather sooner. I'm not in favor of giving or stepping into that. What you mentioned at the beginning, the the prerogative of the chair to declare inadmissibility, because if you declare inadmissible something coming from Italy, which will, I hope will not be the case, then what will happen if the chair of Israel declared inadmissible amendment of by.”
  EU political integration