EU Policymakers · ATLAS

Zoltán TARR
Member of the European Parliament · Hungary · EPP
Policy topics Zoltán TARR is active on
What Zoltán TARR has said (12)
- 2026-02-11 “P-000603/2026 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is closely monitoring the matter and assessing the information available. The Commission is committed, within the remit of its competences, to ensure that fundamental freedoms, such as the free movement of capital, and fundamental rights, as established under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 1 , including the right to freedom of expression, the right to property and the right to non-discrimination, are upheld. In accordance with Article 51(1) of the Charter, its provisions only apply to Member States when they implement EU law. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/treaty/char_2012/oj/eng.”
Rule of law and democracy in the EU (political compass) · Disinformation & online freedoms
- “Mr. president, Commissioner, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. And thank you very much for the support, the support for our amendments on Erasmus+, which are now included in the draft. That should mean that the budget in this area is increased by €5 million. So thank you very much for that. It's important to remember that we need ambitious plans in Europe. We need knowledge, creativity and solidarity. And that is why it is concerning when we see that the council proposal sought to cut the budget of Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. Young people play an important role when it comes to shaping our future in Europe. Erasmus+ takes forward the dreams of young people. They're more important than the dreams of politicians and we need a shared future. The party will be helping to work for this future phase.”
Public funding for education
- “Mr. president. Madam Prime Minister, honourable members, the European regulation on Media freedom is a vital element in order to preserve our European identity and national identities. The provision, which will enter into force in less than a month, sets out the minimum framework to ensure media freedom. The issue of media freedom is not just a matter of legislation, but also a measure of a healthy democratic society. I come from Hungary so I can see exactly what it's like when the government takes control of the public media and influences the press by distorting the advertising market. I'm also aware because I experience it on a daily basis, what it is like when those in power use the media and its employees as a weapon to force their own narrative on us with false questions. This is precisely what this regulation does not allow. This regulation is about ensuring that public service media is not the mouthpiece of a single political camp, but truly serves and informs the public and creates opportunities for debate. Those who hold power but fear. Questions from the media are actually afraid of their own people. I believe that a freedom of information is the lifeblood of a nation. Therefore, we support this legislation. Thank you.
**Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Chair: Mr. Hyde. The next speaker is Hyde.”
EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
- “Thank you very much, Madam Commissioner. It was very good to hear you, and you have touched upon many, many very important issues. And I'm very glad to hear that there are progress on practically on all of them. This is really good to hear. And there are many details, I'm sure, that we could talk about, and if we would have more time, you could go into more details in with respect to practically all the all the issues. I personally really find the artificial artificial intelligence as a remarkable, uh, fruit of human creativity. So this is also something which, uh, if we take it, take it in a good sense, uh, this is something which is, uh, a result of, of human creativity. But obviously there are dangers, uh, when we start use, uh, start to use AI. Um, there are two issues which I would like to focus on. Uh, I'm not saying that these are the most important ones, but these are the ones I would like to just choose for now. First one is the, uh, deskilling. In cultural and creative sectors, there are many creators, uh, editors, uh, who are who are in fear because they slowly become just post editors of, of machine created, uh, content or creative output. It affects them quite, quite strongly. And this is not just something in the future, it is already happening.”
Research priorities within the EU
- “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Uh, listening to this discussion, it's quite, quite difficult, I think, to come to a conclusion, uh, we all have very differing views and very differing understanding of what we mean by media and media freedom. I'm coming from Hungary, where normality practically disappeared from the public discourse. And, um, we are suffering from it. And in such an environment, rebuilding trust in public discourse is incredibly difficult. Media resilience, I believe, are something which must go hand in hand with strengthening citizens ability to critically engage with media content. So media literacy is not a side issue, I believe. My question goes to miss, if I may. Um, in countries where media systems have been gradually hollowed out through political control and polarisation, how do you see the path to rebuilding media resilience and public trust, especially when institutional safeguards are weak or absent, like in the case of Hungary? Thank you.”
Rule of law in Hungary
- “Thank you for your question. I think we have heard quite enough about how the Commission and how we at the members of the EPP are really trying to do something against so many things against illegal migration. Our chair, Mr. Weber, was also talking about it. So I think there is ample evidence that this is a serious issue, and we are fighting against illegal migration as much as we as we can.”
Asylum & border control
- “Thank you very much, president. Madam Commissioner. At today's debate, we're not talking about a theoretical issue. Unfortunately, it's a very real problem that we all have to deal with. One of the problems is that in one member state of the EU, in Slovakia, people can be discriminated against because of their origin or their ethnic minority if it's not the same as the rest of Slovakia. In Slovakia, they continue to refer to historical laws to confiscate people's land and properties because they're not Slovaks and the Slovak parliament last week adopted a law which is about which criminalizes open speech about these the these phenomena. For us, this is particularly sad because it affects the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. We are also disappointed because the outgoing Hungarian government has not actually mentioned this problem. Because. Because there is a friendly relationship with Robert Fico in Slovakia, and because of this friendship, the Hungarian community in Slovakia have been let down by the Hungarian government. We saw the same thing happen in Romania last year. We want to make it clear here in Parliament that minorities, including Hungarian minorities rights, are not up for negotiation and not just if they fit certain political ambitions or goals.”
EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
- “Thank you, Mr. President. Well, those who dispose of revenue from advertisements, they dispose of the media. And this is a modern risk concerning media freedom. And Google's case has shown how dangerous this is. If we have one single giant who decides where this money flows to? And then this way, it can influence what media sources stay alive and what disappear from the market. And that is why it is important what the European Commission has decided, and that it has decided to issue a 3 billion fine. The messages. These powers cannot grow above the rules. In Hungary we see a different distortion. It's not big tech companies, but the government that has captured the market and the government and its satellite companies have built up a system where loyalty counts more than truth and facts, where independent media are regarded as enemies. And therefore we Europeans have a double task. We need to stop these tech giants. And we need to also stop state propaganda machines. And this is for what we are fighting in Hungary, and we are fighting for the same causes here in the European Parliament. This is the only way to keep the freedom of information and the essence of democracy. Thank you.”
EU rules on digital competition
- “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank you very much for this valuable presentations. I'm very glad that we have this hearing, because I do think that, uh, That if you don't take this issue seriously and we do not act together, we risk watching democracy being dismantled before our eyes. Piece by piece. Headline by headline. And I'm coming from Hungary. So, you know, you probably understand why I'm saying this. I have two questions. One question for Mr. Kerr. In cases where the independence of public service media has been significantly weakened over time, how does the European Broadcasting Union see its role when it comes to supporting future efforts to rebuild that independence, if and when the conditions allow? And my second question is to Michel, if I may, can you share insights on how media organizations in Austria have navigated challenges to press freedom and lessons learned that you would encourage for others? Thank you. I hope it's not my fault that the screen went.”
Rule of law in Hungary
- “President. Thank you. Um, we need proposals that will make life easier for farmers and help them with their supply. Uh, we need to have a proper system of incentives that will support, uh, supporters to continue to produce sustainable, healthy products. We also need proper support for SMEs and to see an increase in this support, as well as an increase in support for young farmers. However. The proposal doesn't go far enough in terms of simplification. It does not reduce administrative burdens for farmers, and this is something that we have been asking for. It's not enough. It's for there to be checks every year. We need to have, um checks at at at national level. We want, uh, written contracts to be taken into account. But it's also important to adjust all these to reality and the reality in each member state.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank you very much, Madam Commissioner. It was very good to hear you, and you have touched upon many, many very important issues. And I'm very glad to hear that there are progress on practically on all of them. This is really good to hear. And there are many details, I'm sure, that we could talk about, and if we would have more time, you could go into more details in with respect to practically all the all the issues. I personally really find the artificial artificial intelligence as a remarkable, uh, fruit of human creativity. So this is also something which, uh, if we take it, take it in a good sense, uh, this is something which is, uh, a result of, of human creativity. But obviously there are dangers, uh, when we start use, uh, start to use AI. Um, there are two issues which I would like to focus on. Uh, I'm not saying that these are the most important ones, but these are the ones I would like to just choose for now. First one is the, uh, deskilling. In cultural and creative sectors, there are many creators, uh, editors, uh, who are who are in fear because they slowly become just post editors of, of machine created, uh, content or creative output. It affects them quite, quite strongly. And this is not just something in the future, it is already happening.”
Artificial Intelligence
- “So my question is how will the Commission ensure that AI deployment does not structurally weaken Europe's creative workforce? And the second question is that are you considering a stronger transparency obligation on training data and meaningful safeguards to prevent the erosion of professional standards in cultural sectors? The second one, which you also talked about AI, literacy and media freedom. Um, if AI systems shape what citizens read, watch and believe, AI literacy becomes a democratic necessity, as you also said. Um, we know that people are not very good in distinguishing whether a content was created with AI or without AI. Literacy itself is not enough, but it's very important. I'm coming from a country where we are constantly confused by AI content, especially in this campaign season, and people are not really clear which which what to understand and how to understand how you will ensure that AI systems and platforms are designed in a way that supports citizens ability to recognize AI generated content and manipulation. How will you work with other commissioners? You have mentioned already that you are working with some commissioners on AI literacy across member states, in a way that genuinely strengthens strengthens democratic resilience? These are my questions. Thank you so much. Thank you.”
Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content