Robert BIEDROŃ

Policy topics Robert BIEDROŃ is active on

What Robert BIEDROŃ has said (34)

• 2026-06-15 “Thank you very much. Thank you, chair. I will speak Polish because, this is a special occasion, and I will speak Polish. Anjay, I have to tell you that, we've been waiting, above, party divisions, and we've been waiting for you for for too long. But, finally, you were free. You were a free man. This is a very important moment. I also wanted to thank you for your fight, for your fight above party lines, above divisions. We've been fighting. We we would like for people like you to be able to perform their profession without any repressions, without without persecution. You're a symbol of such people. There is more people like you in Belarus. Officially, we talk about we are talking about 900 political prisoners. And during this session, we will adopt a resolution on Aleksandra Polinovich, a 16 year old girl that was imprisoned by Lukashenko. She was in an isolated cell, and she's on the regime's blacklist of terrorists and extra extremists. And Svetlana Chyhanouska, a couple of years ago when she talked following the war the start of war in Ukraine, she said that the Belarusian people is the last forgotten people in Europe, and we should do everything to change it. The Belarusian case should be always on the European agenda. We should never forget about Belarus. We should never forget about what is happening. In Belarus, we have camps where people are being imprisoned, where people are tortured, where are kept in solitary confinement cells, that people are being killed, and we must talk about it. This is our obligation as politicians. And hence, a question to you, Anjay. Sitsitwana Chernoskaya as the leader of the democratic, Belarus says that the sanctions work. Sanctions against Belarus work, and we must introduce sanctions because only sanctions work against the regime. I would like to ask you whether our decisions, our voice, the voice of the European parliament, of the European Union are heard in Belarus. Do they bring a real real effect, real results? And if not, or if yes, what else can we do for you? And one more question. When you met prime minister Tusk, Tusk said, welcome home, my friend. To Anjei, I would like to tell you, welcome to your European house, to your European home. This is your house. And, hopefully, one day in the future, the Belarusian language will be will be also an official language over the European Union. You will never you will never walk alone. We will always fight for Belarus. Thank you.”
  EU-Belarus relations
• 2025-09-25 “E-003728/2025 Answer given by Mr Síkela on behalf of the European Commission All contracts signed by the EU include human rights clauses that allow the Commission to take adequate measures in case such clauses are not respected. Each individual situation must be assessed based on substantial evidence and its own merits, before any decision to suspend or terminate the agreement is taken, to guarantee a proportionate and appropriate approach. The Commission’s external actions are firmly rooted in a human rights-based approach. Safeguarding protection for those in need and ensuring respect for the human rights and dignity of all migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are fundamental principles to be respected in all Commission’s initiatives, including in EU-funded projects related to migration. The Commission ensures that EU funds are disbursed in line with contractual obligations to respect human rights and pays special attention to ensure that EU’s support, also when targeted at reducing irregular migration, is always designed to uphold the rights of migrants and refugees, including the right to human dignity. The Commission publishes its tenders and grants at the EU Funding & Tenders Portal 1 . More specifically, and to further reinforce transparency, migration related projects and documentation can also be found at Migration and forced displacement Commission website 2 . 1 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home. 2 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-forced-displacement_en.”
  EU development aid (migration conditionality) · EU policy on Sahel and Sudan
• “Yeah, we wait two minutes. Okay. Thank you. So we start in three minutes. Thank you. Okay, colleagues, please take your seats because we will continue our committee meeting. We have very distinguished guests at this part of the committee meeting. As always, we have excellent guests. But this topic will engage really important personas too. So we start our point 11 on agenda. From research and innovation to multilateral action how EU leadership can help end Aids. Colleagues, I'm pleased to open today's exchange of views on a topic where global leadership, scientific progress and development policy converge. How the European Union can help turn breakthroughs in HIV research into real world solutions that reach everyone who needs them. In recent years, research and innovation have delivered remarkable progress. New long acting treatments, advances towards effective vaccines, and promising pathways toward a functional cure. Those achievements demonstrate that ending Aids is no longer an inspiration, but a realistic objective. Yet the gap between success in the laboratory and access to patients in the Global South remains unacceptably wide. Far too many people still cannot benefit from those innovations because health systems are overstretched. Production capacity is limited, and above all, funding is insufficient to move new products from clinical trials to large scale deployment. This is precisely where EU leadership is essential. We must support HIV research not only through traditional grants, but also through innovative financing tools that reduce investment risks, accelerate regulatory processes, and foster partnerships between public institutions and private innovators and global health organizations. Blended finance, advanced purchase commitments and reinforced support for international initiatives can help bring new treatments to market more quickly and ensure that they are available, accessible, and affordable for all.”
  Global priorities for international development
• “Do you see opportunities in maybe among non-traditional actors in the field of global health, including HIV Aids to step up and share this responsibility with us, and not to leave so much burden of responsibility on our, uh, our shoulders. As it was noticed by the minister. He is responsible. Trust for predictable partner. But we especially in this shaky world. Now we need more predictable, uh, trustable, uh, responsible partners, uh, and where we should look for them also in the field of, uh, investing in research, uh, which, uh, in this era of fake news, of undermining scientific research on limiting the financing, on research on issues like Aids, HIV through the governments is a real challenge. So how should we how should we share this responsibility with others? And who are the other actors we can share with, uh, with this? Maybe first we go to the professor. To for for your, um, intervention. And then I go back to, uh, distinguished Minister of health from Nigeria. But before. Yes, before that, my colleague. Signal me that DGs maybe will provoke us for more comments. Is there with us today, Mr. Zacarias? B3 there he is. Deputy head of unit in G4. I just present you social inclusion and protection. Health and demography. We wait for your provocation then. And comments. Thank you.”
  Global priorities for international development
• “Now it's not clear. Colleagues. I see you voting and I close the vote. And it's rejected. Amendment 87. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 88. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected compromise. Amendment 16 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Adopted amendment 92. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 93. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 94. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I check, I open the vote. 94 yes, colleagues. 94 I close the vote. And it's adopted. Thank you. Amendment number three, who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 95. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 96. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 98. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I think it's adopted by. I will check I open the vote. I close the vote. Yes. You voting to close is adopted. Thank you. Colleagues 99 Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected 97 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 100 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected a compromise. Amendment 17 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Adopted amendment 105. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check it. Colleagues. I open the vote. 105 I close the vote and it's rejected.”
  Digital euro
• “The vote. And first, we will check the voting machines. We will answer the question will be, is there a committee? The best committee in the world? Yes. No. Or abstentions? The vote is open. Yes, I see voting. Some abstentions. You will be in trouble even against two. Okay. To choose not to vote. Very diplomatic. Eye closed the vote. And of course, it's the best committee in the world. Thank you very much, colleagues. So we proceed with the votes. I hope it will go as smooth as with our vote.”
  Activities of EU Ombudsman
• “The findings of the paper are highly relevant, since the topic comes up again and again in our debates, be it on the rollout of Global Gateway, on the implementation of the SDGs, or on our critical raw material partnerships with low and middle income countries. We also plan to go to Bolivia, by the way, to discuss this issue. By the way, I notice the coverage of the Bolivian cover a beautiful one. The upcoming negotiations over global Europe will also be crucial, since the regulation will define how the EU engages with local stakeholders and how it integrates the human rights dimension in development cooperation. Once again, I want to welcome our authors who inform me that it's their first time here. So please be nice to our great researchers. They're super professional, but it's their first time. Both are working at the Institute for Environmental Studies at the Free University Amsterdam in the Netherlands. So we look forward for your presentations and recommendations. And who wants to start? You both have ten minutes. You can share it. Mr. Blundell?”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Are there other colleagues wishing to take the floor. If not, I will allow myself also to ask a question. Uh, and thank you very much for all of you, for your interventions. My question would be on, uh, I agree that we don't have the situation which fits for fits for all, and of course we should always implement it to the context, local context, social context, sometimes even religious context. And I agree with Miss Gauchesca, uh, on that. But they are still countries. And I think the framework for us should be this convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities should which should be a fundament, a compass for navigating. But the issue is, as I understand, that there are still countries which even did not sign the convention, like United States and Pakistan. Many of them, including member states, did not ratify the Convention on Persons with disabilities. Uh, my question would be, um, uh, in this context of collapsing multilateral, uh, worlds, how should we build these fundaments where there is agreement, at least on some fundamental issues concerning rights of persons with disabilities? And second question would be, you have mentioned a lot of issues concerning leaving, uh, for this daily, even issues of people with disabilities.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “Okay. Colleagues, we proceed with our committee meeting. It was voted this morning the best committee in the world, so I welcome everyone. This ninth point of our meeting, presentation of the joint Communication on Humanitarian aid. And this is the presentation of the joint Communication on Defending Values, driving reform, delivering impact, the US humanitarian action in a shifting global order, which covers specific commitments in the areas of international humanitarian law and humanitarian diplomacy, effectiveness and resilience of humanitarian system and fragility. Five years after the last humanitarian communication, we welcome the presentation of the Joint Communication on Humanitarian Aid by the Commission and the High Representative of Foreign Affairs. Given the dramatically evolving global context and the increasing pressure on humanitarian system. A renewed commitment to humanitarian aid and its principles is both timely and necessary. We are facing unprecedented humanitarian needs worldwide, while at the same time humanitarian funding is under severe strain due to major cuts by donors, including our own EU member states. We welcome, therefore, the opportunity to be briefed by both DG echo and the Eeas on the joint communication. We are particularly eager to understand how this communication will go beyond business as usual, how responsibilities across the relevant Commission degrees, in particular DG impact, the DG, NSS, as well as the FBI and others and the Eeas will be clarified. What concrete implementation plan is foreseen, and how the European Parliament can be meaningfully involved in the follow up and implementation process. Without further delay, I give the floor to Mr. Hans Daas, who is the Deputy Director in DG echo, and you director. We are very generous to DG echo because you have eight minutes, which is a record. So eight minutes for you, director. And welcome once again.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you very much, sir. You are nasty. Of course you are, son. Matthew says shoulder last. Uh, so the last shall be first. It says the Bible. So I'm not a believer. But this should be my destiny. Probably. Anyway, thank you very much and thank you very much for being with us today. I my question will be short. I remember I read ten years ago the former CEO, Mr. Seth Berkley, on difficulties with contributions from the member states. Uh. And he was complaining that besides, of course, the champions at this time there was UK, France, Italy. I remember Germany, there are so-called new there were so-called new member states who were not engaging enough or not at all in contributing to, uh, your work. Has it changed? And if yes, could you elaborate more about the Member States contribution and the scale of this contribution? Uh, and I know that we celebrate the word, uh, Immunization week. So prosperous week and I wish you all the best. Thank you.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you very much, Anna. Thank you for your initiative. Your group can raise it at the coordinators meeting. The issue. So you can refer it to your advisors who are great. Anyway yes. So we have six minutes left. If commission wants to comment, of course I can give the floor to commission if you were wishing our experts, do you want to comment on any of that? You are free not to comment to her. Yes. Do you want to comment?”
  Activities of EU Ombudsman
• “Do you want it to be read out. Yes. Yes, yes, it's in the file but I will read it. Oral amendment. Replace the words notably in countries in the global South with the words, notably in low and middle income countries. This is the oral amendment and there is no disagreement. So we vote on that. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Adopted one amendment 132. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Compromise. Amendment 20. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 136. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 137. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check it. I open the vote. And I close the vote and is adopted. Thank you. Colleagues 138 who is in favor? Who is against. Abstentions rejected. 139. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check it because it was not clear for me. I opened the vote. It's super clear now. I close the vote. Thank you colleagues. And unfortunately to Miss Gosiewska is rejected. Amendment 140. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions adopted 141 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 142. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 143. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 144. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 145. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected one and the final vote is by roll call. Vote I open the vote.”
  EU climate aid for global South
• “Thank you very much to both of you. Are there any colleagues wishing to make a comment or any additional questions? If it's not the case, then we move to European Commission, which was several times already asked to take the floor. So without further ado, I will give the floor to Miha Ramaekers, Deputy Head of Unit for Gender Equality, Human Rights and Democratic Governance at DG. The floor is yours and welcome.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Women are not solely victims of war and crisis. They are also leaders. They are peacebuilders. If they are excluded from negotiations, peace will not last and we have many examples of that. Alarmingly, unfortunately, women represented Stationed among UNled peace negotiations, dropped from 16% in 2022 to just 9% in 2023. That is why the EU must strengthen gender responsive diplomacy in line with the UN resolution on women, peace and security. To sum up. In every humanitarian crisis from Afghanistan to Iran, and we heard it again today, we must ask ourselves if girls and women are truly reached by our aid. Since 2021, Afghan women have been erased from the public life. They have been banned from schools. They have been banned from work and even public spaces. Behind each statistic is a real girl that is being denied education and a women, real women silenced by violence and oppression. What is happening right now is nothing short of a gender apartheid. We must recognize it as a crime against humanity. Empowering women and girls is the right thing to do. But it's not enough. We have to restore dignity, justice and long lasting peace. Thank you very much for having us today.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much, both chairs, for having us here as a committee. And thank you for holding this meeting. And I want to I look forward for the discussion. So thank you for the panelists for sharing your views on the EU strategy to promote and protect the human rights of women worldwide. And this I must say in my first words that this discussion is very timely. Across the globe, gender equality is under threat while cuts to development aid are hitting women and girls the hardest, especially in the most vulnerable countries, which we also heard this afternoon. Uh, it's unfortunately repeating pattern when any crisis occurs. Girls and women paying the highest price, uh, of that. Uh, today I'm speaking on behalf of the development committee, and I want to underline that without gender equality, the gender, uh, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which as we know are are the greatest achievement on humanity we ever developed on cooperation, international cooperation. 193 countries developed these SDGs on different levels. So this Sustainable Development Goals will simply remain out of the reach. Gender equality accelerates progress on poverty reduction, education, health, food security, climate action, just to name a few. Yet the current pace UN women estimates it will take nearly 300 years, 300 years in the pace.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Then it's rejected. Amendment 285. Who is in favor? Who is against? Abstentions. I need to check again. I open the vote. One missing. I close the vote. Is adopted. Amendment 286. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check. I open the vote. I one missing. I close the vote. And is adopted. Amendment 21. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 22 is in favor. Who is against abstentions? I need to check this. I open the vote. That's clear. Yes. I close the vote and it's rejected. Thank you. Amendment 23. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 24. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 25. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 27. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 26. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 28. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 29. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected. Amendment 30. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Compromise. Amendment 12 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Adopted amendment 33. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected. Amendment 34. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected amendment 45. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check it. I open the vote. Two missing, one missing. I close the vote.”
  Digital euro
• “Thank you very much, Mr. Blondeau. Super interesting and I think super helpful for our future plans of the work of the committee. Besides going to Bolivia, we have different projects, including Global Europe. We are working on Global Gateway. So very interesting. Okay, we start now the debate Q&A session. Colleagues, who wants to take the floor, please indicate it clearly. We start with Udo Bullmann from SMD.”
  EU relations with left-wing Latin America
• “All of you want to vote? No. Then I close the vote. One is not voting and is adopted. Congratulations to our colleague. Well done. Compliment. Grazie, Tante. Okay. Thank you, colleagues, for this vote. Well done. Thank you. So we continue. This is a single vote. If approved, the question of the Joint Communication on Humanitarian Aid, which was adopted by the College last week, will be submitted by the chair on behalf of the committee for an oral reply by the Commission in a plenary session. The chair has asked me to appeal to the political groups Once more to support this question actively at the Conference of Presidents, so it may be included in the draft agenda of the plenary session and followed up with the debate and resolution. And this is a single roll call vote on joint humanitarian joint communication, on humanitarian aid. Our rapporteur in this is our great chair, Barry Andrews, whom we miss. So I open the vote now. It's a roll call. Vote. I open the vote. Please vote. Colleagues, all of you voted. I close the vote. And congratulations to to Barry and all people working on that. It's adopted. Thank you very much, colleagues. Then we go to another file. The strengthening global health resilience resilience in partner countries. Barbara Andrews This is a single vote. And again, it's the same question. I will not read it again. This is the ask of Barry to all of us to support him on this in our political groups. This is a single roll call vote. I open the vote. Thank you. Colleagues. I close the vote, and it's clearly adopted. Well done. Thank you very much, colleagues. And with this, we finish the voting session. Thank you very much. One minute, one minute break.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “I have very short questions provoked also by Charles Guerin, who had excellent questions on humanitarian aid. The the global financing for humanitarian aid, as it was said, is shrinking and the needs are rising. You said, director eight times during the last 20 years. We have less money with more needs. So on that, my question would be, how do you plan to, to deliver on that, having in mind all these challenges we have? And shouldn't it be a priority for humanitarian aid to access the cushion proposed in the. In the Global Europe proposal. Then the. The. There is a visible shift in the approach towards looking partnership prioritizing partnership with private sector. So when the private sector steps in, the question is what will be the role in humanitarian aid also? Is there a role for them? But if there is a role, what about NGOs and or traditional partners? We don't have more money. We have less money with more actors, including private actors in the field. So how do you want to solve this issue? And the third issue is, I fully agree. The growing attacks on humanitarian workers should be our concern. And lack of accountability is a serious issue. And you have mentioned you will be advocating Against an international human rights violations. What it will mean while there is no consequences of that, we are seeing the deaths, but there is no consequence on that. So how effective will we be on that? And with that, I only give each to you two minutes and there will be a new player in our discussion. The floor will be also to Miss Sabine Swanepoel. I'm sorry if I misspelled your head of the unit. Resilience, peace and security DG in Paris. Implementing partner excellence into implementing partner. So do you want to start first with your comments for two minutes? And then we come back to our great guests. Okay. Dg Inpa.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you sir. And I want to congratulate you for handing over to you the presidency from the politicians as a whole. And I wish you all the best. And thank you for mentioning security. Security was the the also important for us. And on that I want to talk about the opposite to enlargement reduction. You did not mention the Greenland and the expansion is declarations of Donald Trump on Greenland. Would you like to comment on. How do you want to handle this dental issue of on that and on that also on Iceland. Iceland one plans a referendum on the reception of the EU membership negotiations concerning enlargement. How would you comment on that taking into account the instability in the Arctic region? Thank you very much.”
  EU enlargement
• “Thank you very much. Very interesting. And with this, we continue with Mr. Martin Willi Herrmann, the managing director for Multilateral Relations, Human rights and Democracy in Eeas. The floor is yours for five minutes.”
  EU foreign policy approach
• “We acknowledge, therefore, the Commission's guiding principle of creating more flexibility to adequately respond to new developments. At the same time, we maintain the predictable and long term funding. We believe that maintain the predictable and long term funding is crucial for successful development programmes. Also, increased flexibility cannot come at the expense of ambitious targets, the very targets that represent our European values. We need to better understand the impact of moving those targets to the performance regulation, before deciding whether it's the right approach. Speaking on behalf of the Committee on Development, I believe it is crucial to underline that all of our actions need to be in line with article 208 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, which sets union development cooperation policy should have as its primary objective the reduction and in the long term, the eradication of poverty. Therefore, are also, therefore are also have some concerns regarding the reduction of Oda from 93 to 90%, and we would like to understand better why the Commission believes it needs to have the right to a delegated act to change its percentage in the future. As per article six, paragraph six of the proposal I finish. Equally, we have concerns about the disappearance of article 30, paragraph two from Nike, which states that the commitment should return to the budget line of origin. We are to construct one of the most important global instruments, but we are also sending a message to the world that we are predictable, reliable and responsible partner. Thank you very much.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you. Thank you very much, Barry. Thank you very much, chair. And thank you very much to Concord for being with us and working together in this great partnership already so long on sustainable development and international cooperation. When we talk about reliable partners, you are the ones. At least this is how I consider you and thank you for your work. So, um, I fully share your concerns, uh, presented. And I'm very happy that this is the heating up before our discussion on global on global Europe and, uh, future and, uh, the concerns on, uh, on all of these on also the feeling of exploitation we are traveling around. And we also have sometimes these echoes on flexibility or on the strategic flexibility. Uh, all of these concerns we hear. Also interesting point on the need of the global citizen education and a new instrument. Very important. My question would be on, can you give us specific examples on how, uh, the changes to civil society funding in the new proposal, uh, might negatively affect not only the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, but also the strategic interests of European Union. Uh, because they are, of course, and we are very much concerned, Concern, uh. Uh, all that. So if you could give us some examples so we can picture the dangers, the threats from your experience in the ground. And once again, thank you very much for being with us today.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you. Thank you, dear colleagues. NYes, thank you very much. It's a coincidence. I'm also a member of this great committee of, uh. In this capacity, I would have a question on, uh, to our distinguished speakers because we see the demand on, uh, protecting human rights of women is rising. Uh, we heard it during today's interventions that there is more and more expectation that European Union will step in and will take action and take leadership, which I fully support, as I said, and I see that there is agreement and expectation on among speakers that we will be, uh, uh, on the leadership position. Uh, and we see also that the traditional, uh, structure of engagement to promote women's rights globally is falling down. Uh, I speak about us and many some other countries, and it's also in the context of development. Odors are being cut. Us aid has been cut, uh, and in the context of Iran and Afghanistan, it means hundreds of millions of dollars of the budget of US aid altogether. So the repercussions of that will be tragic. Women and girls will pay the high cost, high, high price for for that.”
  EU development policy (gender conditionality)
• “Okay, colleagues, we continue our committee meeting. Please take your seats so we can we can start the meeting and we go to point number ten. In the framework of the 2025 European Disability Rights Week, we will have, uh, an exchange of views on global partnerships for inclusive employment and ending segregation of persons with disabilities, a very important topic. Uh, colleagues, uh, uh, I'm very pleased to open this exchange of views, uh, during this European Disability Rights Week. And of course, for us as a committee, it's a very important issue as, uh, we often dealt with that issue. Today, we will address this crucial question for our committee, how global partnerships can promote inclusive employment and add the segregation still faced, unfortunately, by persons with disabilities in our partner countries in the Global South. In many developing countries, persons with disabilities continue to encounter major barriers to work limited access to education and training in accessible workplaces, discriminatory hiring practices, and deeply rooted stigma. Those obstacles result in exclusion from the labor market, reduce autonomy and loss of potential for entire communities. As the Committee for development, we are committed to promoting the development policies that address those structural inequalities. Employment is not only a source of income, it is a human right, a driver of autonomy, and a foundation for full participation in society. When persons with disabilities are excluded from the labour market and their communities lose talent, innovation and social cohesion. Global partnerships must therefore put inclusion at the centre. This means supporting partner countries to adopt and implement disability inclusive policies, strengthening vocational training systems, investing in accessible infrastructure and empowering organisations of persons with disabilities as key development actors.”
  Global priorities for international development
• “Please take your seats. We start the committee meeting. Good morning everyone. We start with the adoption of the agenda. If there are no modifications to propose to the draft agenda, I understand we leave it as it stands. No modification proposals. So we leave it. Thank you. Chair. Announcements. Yes. So first, of course, of course. Thank you for joining the meeting. It's already a great success. This is my first announcement. Then the second one is we will have active interpretation thanks to our great interpreters provided for this meeting in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese. Polish. Swedish, Lithuanian, and Hungarian. Then coordinators. Decisions. By number three, they met 5th of May and you may found the decisions super interesting decisions and important of course for our committee in the documents you received. Then point number four, adoption of the minutes of our meetings can be also found in electronic meeting dossier. If you have no remarks, I will consider if you have remarks, I understand that you have to send them by midday today. Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, midday. If there are no comments, it will be approved by then then we go into point number five and now we will be voting on on the draft opinion on establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028, 2034 and repealing regulations 2021, 817 and 2021 888 for the cold committee. I will first give the word to the rapporteur, Miss Carolina Morace. If she would like to say a few words to us. You're sitting over there. Welcome. And the floor is yours for two minutes.”
  EU volunteering programs
• “Thank you very much. It's extremely difficult. As you know, you just mentioned the agreement with Emirates. And so anyway this discussion and this presentation will, will shape the future of humanitarian aid. So it was very important. We'll be working on this proposal together. And thank you very much for, for your presentation. And with this, we go to point number ten. Any other businesses? Are there any other businesses? If not, I will be very happy because we need to run to point. There is no thank you. A point number 11 colleagues. Next ordinary meeting will take place on Thursday 25th of June. In the morning before that, we will have a joint meeting with the Environment and Fisheries Committee for an exchange of views with the EU Commissioner for oceans, Costa Caddis, on the EU Ocean Pact. One year after the UN Ocean Conference of three committees had a joint mission to Unog, which took place in Nice in June 2025 and the EU launched its Ocean Pack there. This joint exchange of views will take place on Tuesday 21st of June from 830 until 945 in the room until four Q two and you're all invited. And in 30s we will start our coordinators meeting in camera. So no all non authorized people please leave the room now. Thank you very much.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Thank you. 106 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 107 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 108 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 109. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Rejected 110. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 113 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 112 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 114 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 111 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 115 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 116 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 117 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 118 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 119 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions rejected. 120 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check it. I open the vote. And I close the vote. And it's carried 121. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Rejected compromise. Amendment 18 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Adopted compromise. Amendment 19 who is in favor? Who is against abstentions. Adopted. Amendment. Yes. Amendment. Yes. Amendment 131 with oral amendment. Is there objection to this oral amendment? How do they. Do they. If there is no objection, we vote on it. There is no objection. So we do. I need do we need to read it out?”
  Digital euro
• “We are doing it now to achieve full gender equality worldwide. And we should, and we cannot accept this. The EU has long been a front runner in promoting women's rights with the Gender Action Plan free as our main tool in 2022. Resolution on Gap free, for which I had the honour and pleasure to be co-rapporteur. We stressed two priorities criminalising all forms of gender based violence and ensuring direct, flexible funding for women's rights organisations. This is critical and crucial, especially as less than 1% of global gender equality funding actually reaches them directly. On Monday, I had the honour to take part in Afet hearing on promoting an EU feminist foreign policy. Together with ambassador who I want to welcome again and congratulate her for her position. We broadly agreed that the EU must adopt a more ambitious approach, one that places gender equality at the heart of foreign policy. More women means more peace under the Ndic. Global Europe recognition 85% of all EU external interventions are expected to prioritize gender equality as a primary or subsidiary goal in de facto. Face of backlash against women's rights in developing countries, it is vital that we deliver on that and we must defend this ambition in the future. Negotiations on the next Global Europe instrument, EU must lead by example and stay ambitious.”
  EU development policy (gender conditionality)
• “Thank you very much, chair. My question will be about the credibility of the Hungarian government and presidency. I want to be clear on what side of the democracy, the world you are standing on. During this discussion, we heard a lot of examples of the lack of respect to human rights, democracy and the rule of law of the Hungarian government. I will not come back to that. But for me, the question is whether your presidency will strengthen you or will strengthen Russia and China with the visits of your Prime Minister. I want to be clear that we share the same values, and we have the same approach towards the world. Since EU is the, as you said, the biggest contributor to the development aid, and this development aid is based on certain values which are not shared by Russia or China or Russia. So I want to be clear that US leaders for the EU for the six coming months, you share the same values as we do here in this House and this institution.”
  EU foreign policy approach
• “Thank you very much, Mr. Trommel. And, uh, with this, I think we heard all the interventions and speakers, and I want to thank you all for participating at this exchange of views on the important topic during this Disability Rights Week, which we celebrate, uh, among not only commissions, delegations, but, uh, in this House with the excellent experts, we could hear, uh, the challenges and the barriers remain. Unfortunately, in this context, in this multi crisis world, uh, we need to prioritize and we need to find the appropriate strategies to, to to things. I'm very proud, of course, that EU, uh, ratified the convention, but we need to find the ways how we can implement it. Reality the are the rights signed in the convention. I understand this is also the goal of the network which we are part of. And one of our colleagues is is a member of. We take these recommendations made by you with us. We will work on that. I want to assure you we will look for, of course, the solutions and I wish you all the best. Thank you for being with us once again. And, uh. And the work is in progress. Thank you very much. Uh, with this, I think we can go to another point. Can we. Can we move? We have three. Can we, can we move.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “My question would be then, uh, what is uh uh, first of all, uh, the outcome of the cut of US aid in, in Afghanistan and Iran? Uh, there was this project in Iran of the Near East, uh, uh, uh, regional, uh, Democracy Fund. It has been closed down by US aid. There were other projects. So maybe the question to our colleague from our guest from Amnesty International. How does she assess this financing situation? And to our guests from EAA and DG impact on how are we going to build the new, uh, uh, structure of funding together with our partners while US has withdrawn from this responsibility and engagement? Where are we looking for partners? What is the while we are speaking about strategy? What is the strategy of EAS for building new partnerships and engagement? Because I understand we as EU will not be able to hold all the responsibility, especially financial or on that. So that would be my question for our guests and I really appreciate being here today. Thank you very much. Both chairs.”
  Funding for EU Neighbourhood
• “46:37 – 17:48:04): Thank you very much sir and I want to also thank Urmas for his important work as always excellent cooperation also given the growing strategic importance of the Arctic as it was said already today. I would like to highlight four short points on that. First on Greenland, we fully support the right of its people to decide their future free from external pressure while respecting the existing constitutional framework within the Kingdom of Denmark and in this matter precision is very much important. Secondly, the second point, we must put climate and local communities at the center of our approach. The Arctic is on the frontline of the climate change and many and any EU engagement must prioritize environmental protection, sustainable development and the rights and well-being of local populations. The third point on the references to possible EU membership, we should be cautious and respectful in this point. Our main role is to listen and to build partnerships not to force any outcomes. And finally, let us keep this opinion focused and avoid expanding it to other regions which may dilute its core message. And I want to thank all my colleagues for their work and excellent cooperation. Thank you.”
  EU policy on the Indo-Pacific region
• “We can. We can do it by show of hands, of course. And we vote. Compromise. Number one. Who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? Adopted compromise. Amendment two is in favor. Who is against abstentions? Adopted compromise. Amendment three who is in favor? Who is against abstentions? I need to check that I open the vote.”
  EU political integration