Manuela RIPA

Policy topics Manuela RIPA is active on

What Manuela RIPA has said (24)

• 2026-02-23 “P-000754/2026 E-000785/2026 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of reports that play sands may be contaminated with asbestos and takes this matter seriously. Such contamination can occur naturally, primarily during the extraction of raw materials. Play sands designed for children fall under the Toy Safety Directive 1 . The Commission has received several notifications in the EU Safety Gate about measures taken against dangerous play sands with traces of asbestos 2 . National market surveillance authorities responsible for toy safety are actively investigating these products within the EU. In some Member States, recalls have already been issued. The Commission is working closely and coordinating with these national authorities to ensure a consistent approach. This includes monitoring the presence of contaminated play sands in the market, exploring the most effective testing methods for detecting asbestos fibres in these products, and implementing necessary restrictive measures where required. Under the Toy Safety Directive, all toys, including any chemicals they contain, must not pose a risk to the health or safety of children. Market surveillance authorities can take measures under the Directive to withdraw and recall any toys posing a risk. The Toy Safety Regulation 3 that will start applying on 1 August 2030 will strengthen the protection of children from harmful chemicals in toys and allow for additional measures to be taken against categories of toys that pose a risk to children. Furthermore, the Commission is working on the revision of the Market Surveillance Regulation 4 to strengthen enforcement on products imported from third countries and to reinforce cooperation mechanisms between Member States to ensure more effective cross-border enforcement. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009L0048-20221205. 2 See alerts SR/00653/26 and SR/00665/26 already published in Safety Gate, the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products: https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/search?resetSearch=true. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202502509. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R1020-20240523.”
  EU policy on novel foods · Mercury
• 2026-01-29 “P-000369/2026 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 1. In the Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), there is a dedicated unit (SANTE.G.3) responsible for animal welfare 1 . The work of that unit, which currently counts 14 members (including two seconded national experts) insofar as animal welfare-related matters are concerned, is presented in the Directorate-General’s Annual Activity Reports 2 . As for any cross-cutting policy area, other Directorate-Generals contribute with their staff to the Commission’s work on animal welfare-related affairs. In the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, there is a policy assistant responsible for animal welfare and a Member of Cabinet following animal welfare related dossiers from the European Parliament 3 . 2. The allocation of human resources is decided on an annual basis, based on how the needs develop in the respective policy areas, with the evolution of external – and sometimes unforeseen – factors considered, such as pandemics and other crises. It is therefore not possible to provide a prediction of how the resources allocated specifically to animal welfare will evolve in the coming years. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/277adfe3-745d-40ad-b530450af9d715e2_en?filename=organisation-chart-dg-sante_en.pdf. 2 E.g. the 2024 Annual Activity Report: https://commission.europa.eu/publications/annual-activity-report-2024-health-and-food-safety_en. 3 https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/college-commissioners/oliver-varhelyi/oliver-varhelyisteam_en.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• 2025-07-30 “E-003149/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission A project such as the extension of a car manufacturing plant is subject to the required evaluation and assessment under EU legislation. This principle equally applies to supporting infrastructure such as new rail tracks and stations, as well as road infrastructure. It is primarily for the competent national authorities and courts to ensure that EU environmental law, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 1 , the Habitats Directive 2 or the Water Framework Directive 3 , is correctly applied. The Commission is aware that the permits related to the car manufacturing site in Grünheide were subject to national court proceedings in 2020 and 2022, including requests for interim measures which were granted by the German courts. The Commission is following the developments at national level based on information publicly available and has no evidence that the EU law requirements are not met in this case. As regards the emergency measures and planning which may be required under EU law, such as under the Seveso III Directive 4 , it is primarily for the national authorities to ensure that the requirements are fulfilled. At this stage the Commission has no evidence of its own that the EU law requirements in this respect are not met in this case. For these reasons, there is currently no ground for the Commission to carry out an investigation in the context of the planned extension of the production site in Grünheide. 1 Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, pp. 1. 2 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, pp. 7. 3 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, pp. 1. 4 Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on the control of majoraccident hazards involving dangerous substances, OJ L 197, 24.7.2012, pp. 1.”
  Industrial emissions directive (IED) · EU policy on water management
• 2025-06-04 “E-002234/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission Traders must provide consumers with information about their identity and geographical address 1 and about the main characteristics of the products that average consumers need for taking informed decisions 2 . EU consumer law does not require the indication of the geographical origin for all products but, subject to a case-by-case assessment, Member States’ competent authorities and courts could qualify the omission of such information as an unfair commercial practice 3 . Directive 2011/83/EU requires online marketplaces to disclose their default ranking parameters in online searches but does not impose specific methods of ranking. Specific requirements on the indication of origin exist in EU law for certain food products and certain imported non-food products 4 . Under Regulation (EU) 2023/988 5 online marketplaces shall not allow a product to be listed unless the trader has provided all information related to product safety and traceability as specified in the Regulation. Manufacturers must indicate their name and a postal and electronic contact address on every non-food consumer product covered. The contact details of the responsible economic operator in the EU should also be indicated. Article 31 of the Digital Services Act 6 requires online platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance contracts with traders to ensure that their interface is designed so as to enable traders to comply with pre-contractual and product safety information obligations under applicable EU law, e.g. information to identify the person responsible for the sale, manufacture or import of the products and information on labelling and marking when 1 Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on consumer rights, amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directive 1999/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 85/577/EEC and Directive 97/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 64. 2 See also Article 7 of Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’), OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 22–39. 3 That would be the case, subject to a case-by-case assessment, if such omission is likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision that they would not have otherwise taken. 4 Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (recast) (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 59–209, https://eurlex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R1223. 5 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC, OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1–51. This Regulation entered into application on 13 December 2024. 6 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a SingleMarket For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act)The EU’s Digital Services Act. https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digitalage/digital-services-act_en.”
  EU competences on consumer protection and product standards · EU restrictions on unfair commercial practices
• 2025-06-04 “E-002262/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is committed to ensuring a coordinated and consistent implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) 1 . Member States were required to incorporate this Directive into their national legislation by July 2021. The Commission is currently verifying their compliance. All Member States were required to inform the Commission about their transposing provisions. The Commission has assessed the completeness of these notifications and has initiated infringement procedures against several Member States. This process will continue in 2025 and 2026. By 30 June 2025, Member States had to report to the Commission for the first time data on post-consumption waste of filters for tobacco products under the SUPD. The Commission is currently evaluating these data. They will feed into the evaluation of the SUPD, which is due by 3 July 2027. The Commission will use available data and evidence to determine if the Directive’s objectives have been achieved and measures have been effectively implemented across Member States. The evaluation will cover existing and potential new measures, in line with the Better Regulation Guidelines 2 . 1 Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, OJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1–19. 2 https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/better-regulation/better-regulation-guidelines-andtoolbox_en.”
  Microplastics · EU policy towards plastics
• 2024-11-22 “P-002637/2024 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware that a non-governmental organisation is collecting signatures against the project. However, it is not involved in its approval procedure which is under the responsibility of the competent national and regional authorities. As already stated in the reply to written question E-698/2024, according to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive 1 , the competent national authorities can agree to a project only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the Natura 2000 site concerned, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects. Article 6(4) of the Directive sets out that projects may be approved even if they have a significant impact on Natura 2000 sites, but only in the absence of alternative solutions and for imperative reasons of overriding public interest; in those cases, Member States must take all necessary compensatory measures and the Commission must be notified about them. In case the priority habitats or species are affected, the only considerations which may be raised are those relating to human health or public safety, to beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment or, further to an opinion from the Commission to other imperative reasons of overriding public interest 2 . As Germany did not submit a notification or request for an opinion related to this project in the context of application of Article 6(4), the Commission has no indication that the project would significantly affect the Natura 2000 sites concerned. 1 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p.7. 2 The provisions of Article 6 of the ‘Habitats’ Directive 92/43/EEC: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail//publication/11e4ee91-2a8a-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-07-18 “P-001380/2024 Reply With the exception of Spain, all Member States have ratified Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2018/994 of 13 July 2018 amending the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage. Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2018/994 is based on Article 223(1) TFEU, which states that the European Parliament shall draw up a proposal to lay down the provisions necessary for the election of its Members by direct universal suffrage. The Council, acting unanimously in accordance with a special legislative procedure and after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, shall lay down the necessary provisions, which shall enter into force following their approval by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. Article 223(1) TFEU does not set a time limit for the approval by Member States. The Council has examined the main elements of the European Parliament's proposals contained in the legislative resolution of 3 May 2022, discussing them on several occasions at both technical and political level. The political discussions in the Council are public. As expressed by the Presidency of the Council at a European Parliament Plenary debate on the matter held in June 2023, the European Parliament proposal implies a complete overhaul of the European electoral law and aims at greater harmonisation in a field that touches upon Member States’ electoral traditions. It is therefore a complex matter that requires a thorough assessment, which has been carried out within the Council since 2022, with some Member States presenting alternative proposals. Due to the need for an unanimous position of all Member States, compromises remain difficult to reach in this field.”
  EU political integration (free access)
• “Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the health dangers of our time. Many of these illnesses are avoidable, and that's good. A key part of that is healthy eating. But that must not be a luxury. If we want to prevent illnesses, we need to make healthy food more affordable fruit and vegetables, for example, and heavily processed food that's very unhealthy needs to be tackled because these harm our bodies. And therefore everybody and particularly children need to be protected. And we cannot have targeted advertising to these people. Children need to learn what does them, what's best for them and not what sells best. And we also need good food labelling about nutritional values in food if people want to buy healthy food. And and social media. Studies show that constant scrolling and digital stress are key risks for depression and concentration problems for children. Therefore, we need to urgently ensure that children are better protected and this means more education at school, but also raising awareness among parents. Talking about platforms and these addictive algorithms, which really can lead to significant illnesses in children. It healthy living begins with the right political framework and also education. Thank you.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you. Um, I can reshape our world in a positive and a negative way we can. We have learned today new, positive ways, new possibilities for artists. Um, so my first question would be here. Wouldn't it also be fundamental to label that it is also created with AI I content and um but I also raises fundamental legal questions. We mentioned it already the copyright issue. And we have to keep our European values high. And that is why I'm very thankful for Mr. Ulvaeus, who said it very clearly. Europe should not should lead and not backslide. I think this is really something fundamental. But, um, the key question is how can we help the culture and the creative producers, um, to that their rights are respected. I mean, there were things mentioned, the content, um, the consent of the artist, the the remuneration of the artist, the transparency. But there was something in your presentation that triggered my attention and that was, um, shouldn't I have the possibility to learn to forget? Wouldn't that also help to uphold the rights of the artists? Because in the end, and then I stopped there, We should use I, but it should should not use us. Thank you very much.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “We don't need to beat around the bush the concentration of power and data in the hands of a few tech giants from China and the US is is endangering Europe, is weakening us through its algorithms and disinformation. It's undermining democratic discourse. Therefore, it's high time to find competitive moves from Europe for AI, cloud services, secure data protection and storage made in Europe that meet our standards and provide societal added value. It's very important that this does not mean 1 to 1 copying the American model that is based on data monetization and advertising. On the contrary, the European model should be based on fundamental rights and common good. In order for this to become reality. We have to find European alternatives that are supported and used from day one. And this is a call on politicians, EU institutions and everybody else to make sure that you use this for your communication rather than X or any other American models. A sovereign Europe starts here.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• “Many people have them and they don't even know that they are endangered species. But we need to make sure that there's clarity on that. We need to fight, trade, illegal trade in these species because that needs to be part of our environmental policies. We need to look at this as a cross-border issue and recognize it as organized crime. And something that's very important here is to make sure that species that are illegally imported into Europe must not be allowed to be sold on. Further, there can't be any loopholes. There is strong legislation on this in the US, and that was something that was introduced in 1900. Protecting wild fauna and flora is a win win for the entire world. It's not only for the environment, but it's also for the economy. We need to value these plants and animals because they contribute to biodiversity, which is crucial for our survival. Cop 20 gives us a chance to lay down a roadmap here to make sure that we protect these endangered species better, such as the coral and rhino, for example. We can tackle the trade that's illegal both online and offline. We need to make sure that Cites is fit for the challenges of our day times. We need to protect biodiversity. That's why we're asking for your support here. We need to be able to go to Uzbekistan with strong demands for Cop 20. Thank you.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mrs. Schumacher, for your presentation. The adoption of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was a historic achievement. However, as we approach Cop 17, the central question is no longer what we agreed on, but whether we are implementing it fast enough. We just had this discussion with Commissioner Roosevelt in the previous meeting. The information currently available shows that the world is still not on track to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Many countries have adopted targets, yet implementation and financing remain insufficient. In this context, I would like to raise four points. First, from from from the perspective of the Secretariat, which targets of the global biodiversity framework are currently most at risk of being missed by 2030? And where do you see the largest implementation gap? Second Cop 16 delivered important outcomes, including progress on biodiversity finance and the establishment of the caliphate. You talked about the importance of making it work. What additional steps are needed before Cop 17 to ensure that biodiversity finance become predictable, long term and sufficient to meet the ambitious ambitions of the framework? And do you see a role for the European Union to lead by example in establishing stable and effective mechanisms that make the successful? Third, ecosystem restoration will be essential if we are to achieve the global targets. The restoration of wetland, peatlands and floodplains is among the most cost effective measures for biodiversity protection, water resilience, climate adaptation and disaster prevention. Do you believe these ecosystem are receiving the political attention they deserve, and should they become one of the defining priorities of Cop 17? Fourth, the credibility of the global biodiversity framework depends not only on setting targets but also on accountability. What mechanisms does the Secretariat believe are needed to ensure that parties effectively implement and deliver on their commitments? Also on adequate reporting on progress towards the What's the 2030 targets? Ultimately, the success of Cop 17 will not be measured by new declarations, but by whether we are able to accelerate implementation, close the financing gap and deliver measurable improvements for nature before 2030. Thank you very much.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “We can't trade away cultural policy, and nor can we trade away our right to defend it in the US. I realized that many envied us because we are, um, promoting cultural diversity instead of leaving it at the hands of the market. The AV means that you have access to cultural works. It protects our languages, our media pluralism and more. Working together with European, with American partners is important, no doubt about that. But let's not be naive. We're not talking about protectionism. We're talking about, uh, setting our own path for culture. It's about a level playing field, and it's about respect for those creative individuals who create these works. We're not just consumers of cultural goods. We are the guardians of this cultural content. I say to the commission, let's defend our European cultural model together. The Avms is not something that is just a bargaining chip. We owe it to those creative individuals we're talking about and to Europe as a whole.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “But for it to be successful, it needs to have political will and clear targets. So that's why we're asking the commission very practically, which key strategic targets is the EU going to be following and aiming for at the conference? And what are we doing to fight Illegal trade. What progress are we aiming for? To address these loopholes and be effective. Along with my Social Democrat colleagues, we will be part of the delegation to Cop 20. And this is a delegation that was supported with a majority in the committee. And we're going to be having a vote tomorrow. And that means we will have clear demands. Endangered species need better protection. We need binding instruments to fight trade in ivory. Until now. There have been too many rules that have been voluntary. We need to share data better. We need to talk about checking imports. At the moment there are far too many overlaps. So that means we need better traceability of Cites lists species through traces, traces for example. We need to look at having an effective EU system to address this illegal trade. We need to work at international level on agreements. We need to work more on the Montreal agreements. And if we make these demands, it's only that way that we'll be able to make sure that we don't have these species just kept at home as pets.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Now, at the same time, the trade in wild animals can threaten our own health. In other words, zoonosis, the zoonotic diseases can threaten humans, especially where people are getting too close to the natural world and their systems. And we've seen that painfully in the past. So it's very important not to endanger biodiversity. Now CITES, most people are not aware of this, and when you're looking at all the animals in the world, there are 15 times more wild animals than there are domesticated animals. So now if you look, we simply can't lose any time concerning biodiversity. Now strengthening CITES, the EU has to sweep before its own door. You have to have better control at customs. We have to have much more information when we're looking at the CITES documentation. And we have to have better collection of data, better exchange of data among member states. Also taking into account rejected import declarations. That would save time and money. So we have to look at the online trade as well. And one other thing that would really help, if we had a list of animals that are allowed to be kept as pets, this would also support biodiversity, but also simply prevents dangerous encounters with wild animals, for example, poisonous snakes. So I think it's important that we have to understand that not all the rules currently exist are binding rules. So supporting and protecting these animals, it's a win-win for the entire world. We have to preserve ecological systems instead of killing animals. And I think, briefly, wild animals have to be appreciated. They provide an enormous benefit for those of us who are simply dependent on biodiversity. We really have to take action.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, dear Jessica. I think the seventh national report makes one thing very clear. While the European Union has adopted ambitious biodiversity targets, the real question is whether we will achieve them in time. In the end, Cop 17 will be the first true test of the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global biodiversity framework. One of the key achievements of Cop 16 was the establishment of the caliphate. If the European Union wants to demonstrate global leadership, it should move beyond voluntary approaches. Can you elaborate more on how the Commission intends to support a reliable and practical European framework that secures long term contributions from European companies, while providing legal certainty for research and innovation? And Commissioner, you mentioned it. Biodiversity loss is alarming. Therefore, we have to talk about biodiversity. Harmful subsidies significant public funds continue to support activities that contribute to biodiversity loss. How will the commission ensure that public spending is consistently aligned with the EU biodiversity objectives? And you mentioned also the nature restoration with the Nature Restoration Law. The European Union has set a global benchmark. The challenge now is the implementation. Restoring peatlands, wetlands and floodplains is among the most cost effective measures for biodiversity protection, flood, flood prevention, water resilience and climate mitigation. What priorities will the Commission give to these ecosystems on the road to Cop 17, and how will it ensure even help that Member states implement the Nature Restoration Law? Finally, we continue to witness a dramatic decline in pollinators without wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators, both biodiversity and food security are at risk. What additional measures does the commission plan to take to reverse this trend by 2030? To conclude, Commissioner, you said it and I agree fully with you. We need more action. Europe will be judged at Cop 17 not by its promises but by its results. We therefore need to demonstrate that we are prepared to deliver on financing, restoration and biodiversity protection. Thank you very much.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Dear Commissioner, I would also like to address a sport team. And this is the Special Olympics. My home region, the Saarland in June will host the National Special Olympics. There will be among the 12. The participating delegations includes Malta. This has a societal added value. There are many long term projects, but unfortunately the the games don't have enough funding. That's why co-financing and support from the EU is necessary. There is many different projects that it could profit from and in the future EU funds could be used. But not just that, we also need more awareness raising for the importance and the added value of the Special Olympics at a national and European level. That's why my question to you, Commissioner, is that can we continue to count on your support and your financial support, and what more can you do for the awareness raising of the Special Olympics? The games take place during a plenary week in Strasbourg, so it would be really nice if you could come to Saarland and participate in these games. Thank you.”
  EU volunteering programs
• “To go, authorities in Brazil carried out a major raid against wildlife traffickers. They have seized more than 700 exotic animals and rescued them from smugglers. The shocking thing, according to estimates, is that around 90 percent of the animals captured in this trade die before they ever reach the market. Only 10 percent survive. All this is not only a tragedy for biodiversity but also a brutal reminder that wildlife crime is one of the cruelest and fastest growing forms of organized crime worldwide. It drives species towards extinction, degrades ecosystems, fuels biodiversity loss and criminal networks, and poses real risks to public health through zoonotic diseases. If we want to tackle wildlife crime effectively in Europe, we need stronger tools. That is why a new equivalent of the US Lacey Act would be so important. At present, traffickers can bring, for example, a pregnant animal illegally into the Union and then sell the offspring as legal. These loopholes undermine conservation and make the EU market attractive for traffickers. On legislation, we need an EU-wide harmonized approach to prevent loopholes. Your study just showed that until we get there, an EU-wide information system could help. Therefore, my question to the authors on the study is: what would be the most effective way to build the EU-wide wildlife trade information system in practice? That could be a game changer. We have TRACES and we have CITES. How can we combine these two better? Wouldn't we need also legislation at EU level where a list would indicate European consumers which wild species can be kept as pets legally and safely? I think it's crucial to help citizens not to become unknowingly part of the illegal trade chain.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “Thank you very much. Dear colleagues, as co-chair of the European Parliament's delegation, I would like to thank the Commission for the excellent cooperation during the Cop 20, in Samarkand. This conference clearly showed that multilateralism delivers real results for biodiversity protection when the international community acts together. Our delegation greatly appreciated the Commission's daily briefings. Many thanks to Cristina de Avila from the European Commission for that, which allowed us to act in a well-informed and united manner. Looking ahead, a practical point for future meetings. Providing the Parliament with a dedicated meeting space would facilitate our work in bilateral meetings on the spot. There's a lot to say about the Cites conference, but as I only have two minutes, I concentrate on a few points. What was very clear during the conference and our talks that we had, especially with the International Consortium and Combating Wildlife Trade, is that wildlife crime is one of the most profitable forms of organised crime worldwide. Similar to human trafficking or drug smuggling, it fuels corruption. It destabilizes regions. It drives species to extinction. Another issue that became crystal clear during the conference, the site and secretariat needs sufficient financial and human resources to carry out their work effectively. This is urgent, especially now as actors such as the US cut dramatically international contributions. Also, the Commission needs more support in this field. Let me raise a few questions. To tackle illegal wildlife trade, we need an information system for better data collection and sharing. In the EU we have traces, but it must be extended to society. Species and non cited listed species. Will the Commission expand and strengthen the tracing system? Second, enforcement requires stronger coordination. How can the Commission support closer cooperation between Europol, Interpol, customs authorities and other relevant bodies and other relevant national authorities? Third, what is the state of play regarding possible EU legislation inspired by the US Lacey Act, which prohibits trade in wildlife taken in violation of foreign laws? And last, what does the Commission intend to do to safeguard the European yield? This is highly endangered as we didn't succeed. So at the Cites conference. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “(16:58:30 – 17:00:52): Thank you. Thank you, chair, and thank you very much for your presentations. The reports clearly show that climate change is already affecting the daily lives of Europeans through heat waves, droughts, floods, and water scarcity. At the same time, I would like to stress that the climate crisis is also a biodiversity crisis. Healthy ecosystems are our 1st line of defense against climate impacts. Wetlands reduce flood risks. Forests cool our landscapes and store water, and biodiverse forests help stabilize local climates. Healthy soils increase resilience against droughts, to name just a few. Protecting and restoring nature is therefore not only an environmental objective, it is a key adaption strategy. At the same time, many municipalities and regions are already struggling with the consequences of climate change. They need practical support, planning certainty, and sufficient funding to strengthen their resilience. And resilience also mean preparedness. Citizens increasingly experience climate impacts directly and often don't know what to do. We must ensure that adaption measures reach also vulnerable groups, rural regions, and municipalities that often have fewer resources. Therefore, I would like to ask some questions. Which nature based solutions currently offer the greatest adaption benefits, the highest return in terms of resilience and cost effectiveness at European level and should be prioritized? It is certainly not a long term solution if all in a city use air conditioning. Just think of the urban heat island effect. How can biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration be better integrated into the future EU adaption policy framework, also as a core adaption tool rather than treating them as a separate policy areas? 3rd, what additional instruments would you recommend to help local and regional authorities implement adaption measures more rapidly and effectively, particularly in areas facing entreats, increased droughts, and water stress. Thank you very much.”
  EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
• “Dear Commissioner, I would also like to address a sport team. And this is the Special Olympics. My home region, the Saarland in June will host the National Special Olympics. There will be among the 12. The participating delegations includes Malta. This has a societal added value. There are many long term projects, but unfortunately the the games don't have enough funding. That's why co-financing and support from the EU is necessary. There is many different projects that it could profit from and in the future EU funds could be used. But not just that, we also need more awareness raising for the importance and the added value of the Special Olympics at a national and European level. That's why my question to you, Commissioner, is that can we continue to count on your support and your financial support, and what more can you do for the awareness raising of the Special Olympics? The games take place during a plenary week in Strasbourg, so it would be really nice if you could come to Saarland and participate in these games. Thank you.”
  EU volunteering programs
• “President. Commissioner. Minister. Colleagues. The Cites Cop 20 Conference on International Biodiversity is just as important as Cop 30 on protecting the environment, because protecting biodiversity and the climate are interlinked. Without healthy ecosystems, you don't have a stable climate, and without biodiversity, you can't have a future. The Cites It's convention that will be 50 years old. This year is the most important instrument that we have to fight the decline of biodiversity across the world. Without that agreement, many species would already have died out like tigers and turtles. Because Cites regulates trade in more than 40,000 endangered plants and animals, and that represents billions of dollars and hundreds of millions of examples. It's about living plants and animals, but it's also about other products such as leather and wood. Illegal trade in species is increasing. Today, it is the fourth largest type of organised crime across the world. It's destroying ecosystems, it's ruining living areas and it's causing biodiversity to decline. And there are a lot of new risks here. We therefore need to modernize sites. We need to make sure it is fit for the new challenges. We have a particular role here as one of the biggest markets for legal and illegal products from nature, and we need clear rules and strong enforcement. International trade. Trade in these species needs to be traceable and done sustainably. Sites is not only an agreement that protects, it's also an instrument for fair, transparent and sustainable trade that strengthens local communities without destroying nature.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Um, just two weeks ago, in your presence, we had a very important and timely plenary debate focusing on digital sovereignty. And, um, I expressed that we need a European answer to large US and Chinese platforms. We need European alternatives that meet our standards and create an added value for society. So I here like, would just like to urge the commission to come to help create more made in Europe when it comes to cloud services, AI systems, digital infrastructure and services, and secure data rooms. But my question I would like to address to you today has another aspect that is winning back trust and high quality media, because promoting high quality content with public value and giving citizens secure access to trustworthy information is paramount, paramount for our democracy. At the same time, we are unfortunately seeing a preoccupying decline in trust in established media and public service media that work according to high journalistic standards and what possibilities? So my question would be, what possibilities do you see for winning back trust? And do you see a chance of reaching people who are stuck in their filter bubbles on social media platforms? Thank you very much.”
  EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
• “(11:28:03 – 11:29:38): Yeah. Thank you very much. We already heard it from the previous panel, and we heard it from this panel that it is essential that the upcoming reforms strengthen the credibility and the predictability of the ETS because investment decisions in climate neutral technologies were made on the basis of a reliable and predictable policy framework. And I agree with one of the speakers that high energy prices and uncertain political debate on ETS and CBEM are poisonous for industry. In my home region, Zaland, the steel industry has launched unprecedented investments in climate neutral steel production supported financially by the federal and the state government with the approval of the European Commission. So it has to be clear that early movers must not be put at a disadvantage when they are already driving the transition today. And my questions are the following, and it would be great if the commission could answer them as well. How can the ETS reform ensure that companies who have already made substantial investments in climate neutral technologies are not disadvantaged by the reform? We heard contracts for difference, but should also other instruments be considered, for example, by linking the allocation of free allowances more closely to proven investments in industrial decarbonization or to long term offtake agreements for carbon free raw materials. Thank you very much.”
  Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme