Tsvetelina PENKOVA

Policy topics Tsvetelina PENKOVA is active on

What Tsvetelina PENKOVA has said (28)

• 2026-06-17 “(14:59:40 – 15:00:53): Dear president, commissioner, colleagues, Europe cannot electrify its future with grids built for the past. This is especially true in South And East Europe. From Bulgaria to Greece and Romania, our region has enormous potential for clean power industry and cross border trade. But potential doesn't lower bills, potential does not power factories, and potential does not reach citizens unless the infrastructure is there. Today, too much clean energy is blocked by bottlenecks, delayed by weak grids, or made too expensive by outdated tariffs and charges. So the electrification action plan must be a plan of delivery to build the grids, to fix the tariffs and charges, to put storage flexibility and demand response in the center, and to protect consumers because cost cannot be transmitted to households and industry. Electrification is not an ideology. It is your approach to, affordable energy and to industrial strength. Thank you. Can we move to the next speaker, colleague Andrei Knoedek?”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• 2026-03-11 “Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission 13.5.2026 Written question 1. The Commission has taken and continues to take every opportunity to stress the importance for the remaining nine Member States [1] to join the unitary patent system as soon as possible, which has also been highlighted in the Draghi report. The Commission has underlined this objective in several of its recent Communications (for instance COM(2025)270 [2] and COM(2025)500 [3] ). Moreover, the Commission is actively communicating the advantages of the unitary patent system for users, and its successful operation since the launch in 2023, including in terms of high uptake by EU businesses. In 2026, the Commission intends to deliver a report on the functioning of the unitary patent system, which should provide a solid basis for Member States’ reflections on joining it. 2. The Commission is actively supporting the Council in the ongoing negotiations on the reform of supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) . The European Parliament has adopted its position on the reform back in February 2024. Discussions in the Council are still ongoing. The Commission remains committed to deliver on an SPC system that is effective, legally sound and ensures accountability to EU institutions. [1] ES, HR, PL, GR, IE, CZ, CY, HU, SK. [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0270. [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0500.”
  Intellectual property rights (IPR)
• 2025-08-06 “E-003193/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission recognises the urgency of the water crisis and the need for sustainable, equitable water management across Member States. The 2025 Water Resilience Strategy 1 addresses water loss, reserve management, and crisis preparedness by promoting infrastructure modernisation and digital solutions. While not imposing binding standards, it encourages water-smart practices and offers guidance on drought and scarcity. It links water crisis response to the Critical Entities Resilience Directive 2 , enhancing risk assessments and contingency planning. The EU Preparedness Union 3 and Stockpiling Strategy 4 also prioritise water resilience, with initiatives on international cooperation and securing water treatment chemicals. Implementation is supported by EU funding, notably through the current and upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 5 , including the Cohesion Fund 6 , European Regional Development Fund 7 , European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 8 , Horizon Europe 9 , and a new EUR 15 billion European Investment Bank 10 Water Programme. Cohesion policy has already allocated EUR 13 billion (2021–2027 period) for water infrastructure and €10 billion for climate adaptation related to water challenges. A recent Commission proposal to amend the cohesion policy related regulations introduces measures to accelerate investment in secure access to water, sustainable water management and resilience 11 . These measures aim to contribute to securing a resilient and sustainable water supply across the EU, though the implementation relies on Member States’ authorities managing the funds to present proposals for increasing investments in water. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/environment/water-resilience-strategy_en. 2 Directive (EU) 2022/2557 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on the resilience of critical entities and repealing Council Directive 2008/114/EC, OJ L 333, 27.12.2022, pp. 164–198. 3 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_856. 4 https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/stockpiling_en. 5 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/eu-budget/long-term-eu-budget/eu-budget-2028-2034_en. 6 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/cohesion-fund_en. 7 https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/european-regionaldevelopment-fund-erdf_en. 8 https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/european-agriculturalfund-rural-development-eafrd_en. 9 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-andopen-calls/horizon-europe_en. 10 https://www.eib.org/en/index. 11 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/communication/mid-term-review-2025/regulation-proposal-midterm-review-2025_en.pdf.”
  EU policy on water management · EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
• 2024-12-09 “E-002831/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The Bulgarian transposition of the concept of ‘body governed by public law’, for the purposes of the Public Procurement Directive 2014/24/EU 1 , introduced a derogation from public tender obligations with regard to private hospitals whose activities are financed by more than 50% from public funds, exempting them from the obligation to hold public tenders where twothirds of their capital is in private hands. This exemption represents a breach of Directive 2014/24/EU which was not addressed by the amendments introduced in the Bulgarian Public Procurement Act in 2023. While the infringement referred to by the Honourable Member was originally launched on the Commission own initiative, following transposition checks of the 2014 Public Procurement and Concessions Directives, it also takes into account further information received later on through complaints. It should finally be recalled that these rules are without prejudice to the freedom of national, regional and local authorities to define, in conformity with EU law, services of general economic interest, their scope and the characteristics of the service to be provided, including any conditions regarding the quality of the service. 1 OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65–242.”
  Public and private sectors role in healthcare services
• “(16:31:31 – 16:32:38): Thank you. Thank you, chair the commissioner, Jorgensen. Thanks for being here today. As the 10 year repertoire, I'm working towards ensuring that we actually have a grid that's stable, secure, flexible, and provides low price electricity in every region of the EU. But, of course, this needs very long term structural investments in order to ensure that this is what our businesses and citizens are gonna be receiving in the long term and sustainable future. However, everyone needs answers and measures now. We do appreciate the electrification plan. We do appreciate the Accelerate EU, and that has been presented. And I have a very specific question here. How is the commission ensuring a strong follow-up with the member states so that the implementation is not uneven and the citizens, industries, SMEs in all parts of Europe would be benefiting from those short term measures that we need to urgently undertake now? Thank you.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you. Thank you. Chair. Dear Commissioner. Um, it's, um, it's very reassuring. Uh, the messages and the plans you are sharing. So, uh, we're glad to hear and to see the Greece package already on the table, especially in this decisive moment for Europe's energy transition, which is it's key for the European Energy Union. Uh, credibility. It's not a new topic, but it was about time that we actually started implementing it. Uh, for the send, the message is clear. Without a strong and interconnected resilient grid, uh, there will be no affordable energy, uh, no competitive industries, no fair electrification across Europe. I'm not going to repeat what my colleague from Romania had already said, but still to emphasize that electricity prices vary dramatically across the EU and our industries and citizens are constantly expecting us to do something. To do something about it. And this is largely due to the insufficient cross border capacity and delayed grid investment. This is not a failure of renewable or market integration. It is a failure of US modernized and interconnected network. That must have been done, uh, back in the days. So, uh, I have a very similar public question to many you're going to hear today, but how do you plan to ensure that the EU coordination is in line with the regional and national plans to make sure that we all work together, uh, in the in the direction of the common targets and goals to achieve them in a timely manner, because we need that physical infrastructure now.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you. Thank you chair. Dear Commissioner, first of all. We do we do appreciate all the important milestones that are set by the clean industry. Audio. Uh, it's no surprise that most of the questions in the room today were coming from the energy perspective, because of course, the high energy prices are forcing a lot of our industries to be, uh, moving away or to be cutting jobs, which, of course, we shouldn't be allowing. And we need to address that issue. Of course, we need to be decisive about the energy intensive industries, about the infrastructure, um, which is energy related connectivity. So we see there are a lot of long term strategy. However, uh, a lot of the industries are asking us for the low energy prices now and how we can guarantee that. So how can you ensure that there is going to be enough leadership to prioritize some of the long term strategies? And how would you do that to have like some real actions that the people in different member states can see. And second, do you have an idea if, um, you're looking at the strategic advantages and strengths of the specific member states? Because if we speak about EU competitiveness, we need to acknowledge the experience, the raw materials, the production capacity that each one of the member states has, uh, has specifically, uh, within their region. So it's not about competition among member states, but actually building a common competitiveness among the EU. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Colleagues. So we proceed with the exchange of views with the Commission. Dg Gro, on the role of women in the European industry and industrial transition. I would like to thank, Madam Agnieszka, Policy Officer in DG Gro at the European Commission, for being here with us today for the exchange of views on the role of women in the European industry and industrial transition. Our exchange review is taking place in the context of the European Gender Equality Week, and we will start with the short video message from the president prepared for this occasion. Let me just give the setup for the debate. So we're going to have approximately 45 minutes for this discussion, which will be held in the HD format. So I invite all the members who want to take the floor following the initial interventions to put their nameplates vertically so we can, um, take count on them. I remind everyone to stick to their time, and now I would like to give the, um, sorry to pass the the time for the video from the president.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you, thank you. Chair. Uh, I'm going to deliver the message. Uh, the key message from, uh, my colleague who apologizes that she couldn't be here with us today. So, um, dear colleagues, this regulation updates and strengthens, uh, co-design requirements for local space heaters and related controls. In other words, the heating systems that keep our rooms warm but also consume a disproportionate share of energy and emit greenhouse gases. Local space heaters account for nearly 1.7% of the EU total energy use, and this share risk is stagnating without new standards that push manufacturers to innovate. This regulation requires products to perform more efficiently, be more repairable, and generate less waste. Spare parts must be available at reasonable prices, and maintenance information must be accessible to professionals and consumers alike. By increasing repairability, we slow waste generation, conserve critical materials like copper and rare earth elements embedded in these devices, and help to ensure that products don't become another statistic in a waste stream already rising faster from formal recycling can keep up with. Crucially, the regulation protects consumers and the climate by banning practices that manipulate test conditions by ensuring that performance data reflects real life use rather than artificial testing environments. It also safeguards that software updates never worsen declared environmental performance. We must hold industry to high standards while giving everyone in Europe access to more efficient, durable and transparent heating solutions. This is not just a bureaucratic text, it is a statement of our values, environmental stewardship and consumer empowerment that go hand in hand. It is a practical step towards a more sustainable future for every European household. Thank you.”
  Ecodesign & durability
• “It was a central example which did reinforce the EU leadership in setting the global standards for a trustworthy AI. The second achievement from our side was fostering inclusion in bridging the digital divide. Inclusion emerged as a recurring theme across sessions, and our delegation emphasized the importance in investing in digital infrastructure, especially in an underserved regions, and fostering partnerships to address disparities. Initiatives like the EU's Digital Services Act and collaborating with the African and Latin American representatives, underscored our commitment to inclusivity. The third achievement was the youth and digital governance. Empowering young voices in policy making is a key priority for us. We had, as always, Wace, a youth led delegated session where we highlighted the role of the youth generation in shaping a sustainable digital future and discuss the mechanisms to institutionalize their participation in the internet governance. One of the last key topics we discussed was on cybersecurity and digital trust. The European Parliament shared its forward looking strategies for addressing cyber defense challenges. We emphasize on the global cooperation to combat online harms and ensuring secure and resilient digital ecosystem. I will spend the last couple of minutes on the future goals and recommendations we did have. So looking ahead, our vision is to build a digital future that's inclusive, ethical and sustainable.”
  EU policy on accessibility of digital infrastructure
• “Implementation is the first step to understand where we stand. Furthermore, we need more top down EU approach to coordination and planning of new projects, especially cross-border interconnection. In addition, we need more cooperation, synchronization and interoperability between Tcos and Tcos to ensure the adequate integration of renewables and electrification. Easier tendering and digitalization of permitting, better planning, cooperation and data sharing will help the development of flexibility connection agreements as enshrined in the EMD. As a constantly developing sector, we want to recognize the future innovations. Another key topic is resilience. Resilience assessment should be carried out from the inception of new projects and taking into consideration several elements such as cyber, physical and climate risks. And lastly, we need to ensure that the European value chain of electricity grid remains here, where the leaders in this technology and we cannot afford to lose another technology race in the clean transition. We need more cooperation between system operators and grid technology manufacturers to ensure that the estimation of the equipment needed in the coming years can be done accurately and at minimum level of interoperability of equipment. This is the message from the S&D shadow rapporteur Bruno Tobback. We are proceeding further now with our shadow rapporteur from the Patriots for Europe, Andreas Georg.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you. Thank you Sean. We're a bit generous with time, but this is an important report. So we're marking that from the S&D perspective. The shadow is Bruno Tabak. And he's unfortunately couldn't be here with us today. So I will be speaking on behalf of the S&D shadow rapporteur with with of course the the insights he's provided me based on his work. So the draft report prepared by MEP Sterk is a good initial proposal that points towards the right direction in terms of where we want to see this report going, Link, which, as you know, will fit into the commission's greet package that would be presented next year at the beginning of next year. The electricity grid is key for the clean transition, insofar as it is the vehicle for electrification of the EU economy, and we have not been investing enough. This misbalance will only increase. This is why the report must send clear signals for the continued development of the infrastructure, putting value both in CapEx as well as OpEx investments, and using all the potential of the EU financing to unlock private capital. It is just as important to ensure that these investments do not end up in full in the electricity bill of our consumers, so anticipatory investments and de-risking mechanisms are going to be crucial. They are already foreseen in existing legislation such as the EMD and Redd.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “All righty, guys, we're just about to start. Uh, because at 1030, we have two other ministers from Denmark coming to present the priorities of the Danish presidency. So we don't want to be late. And we have, uh, four more items on the agenda for the remaining 15 minutes. Uh, item 11. I'm switching the agenda now because I don't see the speaker of item 11 in the room. So we are going to start with item 12. Um.”
  EU political integration
• “Perfect. Thank you. And I will just add a brief comment or question at the end, and then I'll pass you back the floor for three minutes each. And we're perfectly on time today. So we've spoke a lot about the grids package. The expectation is it's probably going to come during the Danish presidency. And it's very important legislation as it's connected to both industry and energy. At the moment, we observe still quite large price disparities across the union. Sometimes electricity is ten times more expensive in parts of the EU compared to others. So the grids package and the proper connected network is of key importance to ensure the European competitiveness, to ensure that we hope our households and our industries. Um, my comment here is we still have some concerns from Member States who are in the northern part of Europe who are opposing to that energy connectivity across the EU. Would you be willing to take a bit more strong political will, uh, to be the mediator of that conversation, because it is of crucial importance to not have another fragmented network and a lot of, um, funding spent in not the most efficient way. When we're speaking about the, uh, the energy network, thank you so much. And now I'm passing you back the floor. We have, uh, Minister and Minister Agat. Which way do we want to start with addressing the questions from the last round and concluding remarks. Minister Bosco, thank you.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Madam Commissioner. In the report we initiated in our commission over the previous mandate on the need for stronger support for startups. By the way, this is a report that was adopted with great majority. Then we outlined those priorities. And now we can see that in the working programme of the Commission. There are no are no concrete actions to guarantee that start ups remain in Europe, and that we're not going to lose young talents. So I've got two questions to you. What are the measures you are planning to include in the measure for startups? And then the Innovation Act further on, in order to create really good conditions favorable for startups in Europe. And the next question, how do you plan to harmonize all those rules and regulations in the EU as soon as possible? Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Um, we saw how the entrepreneurial education, venture capital, public and private capital work together in a collaboration to actually turn the innovative ideas into, uh, into reality. We visited Marble Fusion and the Max Planck Institute, uh, where they showed us their, there, um, quite high level, uh, advancement in laser driven and magnetic fusion research. And, um, at the end of our visit, uh, we visited the European Patent Office, uh, where we will showcase how the unitary patent, actually, that was introduced in 2023, is supporting SMEs and micro-enterprises in the EU in terms of ensuring that their innovation and technological advancements are well protected within our union. At the Helmholtz Munich um, we saw a scientific excellence that meets our public health needs, uh, research, public financing and quite strong support of the municipality that leads to groundbreaking research. And we should ensure that this is accessible to all member states. The Commission to Munich confirm that Europe has the talent, the institutions and the vision to lead globally in science and innovation. But this potential can only be fulfilled through strategic investments, policy alliance and ambitious partnerships. Thank you for all the colleagues who are part of this mission. I'm turning back now to questions or comments if anyone has some.”
  Intellectual property rights (IPR)
• “Thank you, thank you, Mr. Coles. Um, I would just like to announce the committee will vote on this provisional agreement on the 20th of November. Thank you. Now we move to the next item on our agenda. The phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving and improving monitoring of the potential energy dependencies, and amending regulation 2017 uh dash 1938. So, um, the first trilogue on the phasing out of Russian gas imports took place on the 6th of November. We have five minutes for this, um, item. Uh, unfortunately, the, um, rapporteur is not with us today, so we're going to have, uh, our colleague, um, who is working on this on the behalf of INTA. So I would like to, to give the floor to Madam Vadera on this point. Thank you.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Dear chair. Mr. Minister, I would foremost point out that before we talk about the green industry pact, we should first focus on the industries of each individual member state. If we are not aware of it, then we will have competition between the member States. I would like to give you an example. Bulgaria is ranked sixth in production and treatment of non-ferrous metals. More than 40% of those metals come from Bulgaria. For silver, More than 60% of it is produced by Poland. The Clean Industry Pact is going to be presented in February under your presidency. Will it be amongst your priorities to underline the strengths of each Member State in terms of resources, expertise and existing industry? This is the only way we can preserve jobs in Europe and have a strong economy. Thank you.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Thank you. Thank you, chair, and thank you to the Commission representatives for being here with us today to share the findings of the survey. As a shadow rapporteur on the Late Payment Directive, since the last mandate, um, I've closely followed the negotiations and the European position that was accepted in April 2024 to actually strengthen the timely payment and protect the European SMEs. However, based on the survey that the Commission presented today, we can still see that the late payments continue to hinder business growth and stability across the EU. So I have two short questions for the Commission and the plans ahead. First of all, uh, how do you intend to use the evidence that you've presented today to make sure that the file and the legislation move forward, particularly given that the progress at the moment is stalled at the council. Second, in light of the blockage, is the Commission considering actually withdrawing this proposal? And if not, we would need some timeline because our SMEs and citizens are expecting us to have, like some specific targets ahead of us. I think the Parliament has proven many times, uh, that, uh, we want to ensure the best environment for our SMEs to grow and flourish. And I think it's the commission's, uh, kind of, uh, opportunity to ensure that the lessons from the survey translate into stronger and more effective enforcement of the SMEs across Europe, especially if you push for the progress of this legislation rather than allowing further, uh, further delay. So we really need clarity on the next steps and the expectations going forward. Thank you.”
  EU rules on late commercial payments
• “So I would like to ask you to allow the the commissioner to respond directly. And to raise the question then.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Mr. Chairman, Mrs. Commissioner, dear colleagues, it is key to reduce spending on energy sources. We must invest in our grids. Countries like Bulgaria can be leaders in the European Union because we have European corridors going north, south and east west through our country. Building a just and stable energy system requires a combined approach. We must invest in energy infrastructure and build a balanced energy mix based on different sources, including nuclear. That is the only way to lower the bills for consumers and guarantee the competitivity of our industry and reduce the risk of blackouts. We see huge disparities within the European Union. Countries in southeastern Europe are paying ten times higher energy bills than northern Europe. This must stop.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Elizabeth. So now I would like to invite the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Mr. Costas, and the Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr. Jorgensen, to take the floor for their initial remarks for three minutes each.”
  EU support of rail transport
• “So the forum tries to show the example of power of exclusivity and the multi-stakeholder engagement. This year, there were four critical themes discussed at the IGF. The first one is the harnessing innovation, innovation and balancing risks in the digital space. Second, enhancing the digital contribution to peace, development and sustainability. The third topic was advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age. And the fourth, improving digital governance for the internet as we want. The European Parliament actively contributed to the discussions on digital government, governance, ethical AI and access to digital technologies. The key topics included in the regulation of artificial intelligence, fostering youth Involvement and tackling cyber defence challenges, particularly in developing economies. We held several bilateral dialogues with the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ICC and the African delegations. Our colleagues from Latin American delegation, Internet society. We exchanged the perspectives on the AI governance and the digital rights, showcasing the EU's transparent and democratic approach to legislation and the future EU and global initiatives. I will list a few outcomes and achievements that we've managed to accomplish during our delegations. The first one is advancing AI governance. Of course, the EU is the leading um is the leading union when it comes to AI governance, governance. We did spend quite a lot of time with our colleagues and respective stakeholders discussing the implementation of the AI act.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• “Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Anna. It's good to see us all more or less united on a topic which underlines the importance of it once more. The deadline for tabling amendments is the 20th of March at noon. So that's in two days, colleagues. And now we proceed with the next item on our agenda, which is still in the debate of the electricity grid segment. And it's the presentation of an external study that's been requested by the Committee on the increasing flexibility in the EU energy system. It was published last Friday, it has already been distributed to our members, but in case you haven't gotten it, you can get a copy on your way out and get yourself familiar with the study. I'm very pleased to, uh, to welcome here two of the authors for today's session. So we have in person, Mr.. Um, Joanne Gorenstein and remotely we have Miss Cabin. So we have approximately 15 minutes for this agenda item. And I do invite the members who would like to pose questions or comments after the presentation of the experts. Please put their cards vertically. And now I would like to start with giving the floor for five minutes to Mr. Gorenstein for his presentation.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you. From my side. Based on the recommendations that you have presented, it seems that there is somehow of a risk in the overlap between the European and the national authorities in terms of their responsibilities. Did you have the chance to assess that, and like any recommendation of how this could be addressed? Because we've seen that in your recommendation, you are calling up on us to be very active. But in that case, some of the some of the responsibilities and some of the tasks might be considered as an overlap with the national authorities in each one of the respective states. Thank you. I think the floor is yours. Now for response to to you, Mr. Dziedzic, and to Miss Bennett. If she wishes to comment on some of the questions posed, she is remotely connected with us.”
  Jurisdiction conflicts between EU and national courts
• “Thank you, thank you, Mr. Beredsen. If you allow me just a minute to conclude this very important debate. Um, I'm happy to see that we all agree on the need for working clean industrial audio. Um, this is to say the least, as it was mentioned many times, an urgent matter. We have to be realistic when we are assessing the issues as well, because, um, many of our industries are struggling not due to the lack of innovation, but because, um, they face energy prices, which are sometimes 2 to 3 times higher compared to some of the global competitors. So as it was mentioned by many speakers, our first priority remains to ensure a predictable and stable and as low as possible energy prices for our industry, which requires an urgent investment in the energy infrastructure and connectivity across the EU as well. And a second important point, um, which we should we should understand is the clean industrial. The EU must create equality, um, new jobs, high, high paid jobs. And it should also support all the sectors which are key and crucial for the green and for the digital transition. This, this is from steel to semiconductors, from battery production to construction. We should really be very strategic in in allowing the resources, both financial and human resources at this point. Thank you so much for, um, for the fruitful debate today. Uh, good luck to the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs. And this concludes today's meeting. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Zaharieva, for presenting the ambitious. Proposal for horizon 28. 34. We do welcome the strong focus on research, innovation, start ups and the increased budget for horizon, uh, which is almost doubled now. Um, the proposal rightly aims to boost Europe's innovation ecosystem through the EIC and chose Europe for science initiative. Uh, but how will the Commission make sure that those instruments are actually truly benefit early stage innovators and startups, and not only the well-established ones? Thank you.”
  EU research funding
• “Thank you, Mr. Chair. The energy crisis in Europe has once again shown us the need for interconnectivity. If we are to have a functional energy union and market. Regrettably, the prices in Europe, electricity prices are several fold higher than those in other parts of Europe. We need serious investment in the network, in the grid, in order to guarantee a lowering of the electricity bills for households and industry in the entire union. Two questions. How would you persuade some of the northern countries, who are against the idea of a functional electricity grid in the European Union, and what negotiations you are conducting with countries which are at the beginning of building such a grid, such a network. A case in point is Bulgaria, which is at the at the beginning of the corridor, east west, and is beginning to build such a grid because of the geopolitical situation.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration