Malika SOREL

Policy topics Malika SOREL is active on

What Malika SOREL has said (27)

• 2025-03-05 “P-000941/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The Commission’s adequacy decision on the EU-United States Data Privacy Framework is based on Executive Order 14086 (EO 14086) adopted by the US President 1 . This Order introduced safeguards to ensure that the collection and use of personal data of Europeans by United States intelligence agencies is limited to what is necessary and proportionate in pursuit of defined national security objectives. Moreover, the Order established a Data Protection Review Court, with binding investigatory and remedial powers, to which EU citizens have access. EO 14086 continues to be in force and applicable 2 . The Commission refers to the Honourable Members to the answers given to parliamentary questions E-000520/2025 and E-000540/2025 3 , where the Commission has addressed the issues raised. As explained in those answers, the Board has been established by a law adopted by Congress providing that it is composed of five members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It also requires bi-partisan membership as no more than three members can be of the same political party. The Commission is closely following the developments concerning the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) and will continue to monitor relevant developments in the United States As also explained in those answers, for any adequacy decision, the Commission has the power to propose its suspension, amendment or repeal if it concludes that the required level of protection is no longer ensured. 1 Executive Order 14086 on ‘Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities’. 2 Its requirements and safeguards have also been recently assessed in the Commission’s report of 9 October 2024 to the European Parliament and the Council on the first periodic review of the functioning of the adequacy decision on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework COM(2024) 451 final: https://commission.europa.eu/document/256951778073-4ce3-bf81-eb816dc6b468_en 3 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/-ASW_EN.html”
  EU-US data transfers · Privacy & digital economy
• 2025-01-23 “E-000294/2025 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission In accordance with the Treaties, it is a prerogative of the Member States to determine the volumes of admission of third-country nationals coming from third countries to their territory in order to seek work 1 . The Commission cannot determine how many third-country nationals may enter and legally reside in Europe. In 2023, Member States issued more than 3,7 million residence permits to non-EU citizens from more than 170 countries 2 . Other than residence permits issued for work (33%) and education (14%), the rest of the permits was granted for family reasons (26%) and other reasons (26%), including international protection 3 . The Commission has no information about the profiles of the persons who have obtained residency permits for education in the Member States. Member States are not required to provide information to the Commission about the profiles of international students, what type of university education they have received in their countries of origin, and what level of degree they aim to obtain in the EU. 1 See Article 79(5) Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 2 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/migr_resfirst/bookmark/table?lang=en&bookmarkId=66195d4d -e3d8-444d-956b-55e8faca4038 3 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Residence_permits__statistics_on_first_permits_issued_during_the_year”
  Legal migration
• 2024-10-21 “E-002186/2024 Answer given by Ms Mînzatu on behalf of the European Commission The amount of EUR 140 million corresponds to the overall allocation of Horizon Europe 1 funds to support more than 400 projects in the Western Balkans in the first three years of the programme, from 2021 to 2023. It was awarded on the basis of open and competitive calls for proposals. Legal Entities from the Western Balkans supported by Horizon Europe (412 by now) can be found on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal via the Horizon Europe Dashboard (Country Profiles) 2 . The Commission is bound to ensure that no individuals or entities will receive EU funding if they are involved in criminal or unethical practices, terrorist financing, terrorist offences or offences related to terrorist activities, or other activities incompatible with EU values. This check takes place by collecting, counterchecking, and assessing the facts in case of allegations or suspicions concerning the above mentioned practices, offences and activities. Regarding the higher education institutions referred to in the Honourable Member’s question: the Commission is currently conducting such check following allegations in the press concerning Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University. Such check is done in cooperation with the national agency in charge of implementing Erasmus+ in Türkiye. Should these facts be confirmed, a course of action will be decided accordingly, with a view to protecting EU values and budget. Measures that potentially can be applied include the suspension of payments of EU funds and the recovery of funds already paid. Concerning the Faculty of Islamic Sciences-Skopje, the Commission is not aware of any allegation of practices incompatible with EU values. 1 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-opencalls/horizon-europe_en 2 https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/qs_digit_dashboard_mt/public/sense/app/1213b8cd-3ebe-4730-b0f5fa4e326df2e2/sheet/0c8af38b-b73c-4da2-ba41-73ea34ab7ac4/state/analysis”
  EU-Turkey relations · EU relations with Western Balkans
• 2024-10-07 “P-001972/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Vestager on behalf of the European Commission The Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 establishes obligations that are addressed to providers of very large online platforms (VLOPs) and very large online search engines (VLOSE). These provisions apply irrespective of whether the entity exercising decisive influence over the online platform or search engine is a natural or legal person. On 25 April 2023, X was designated as a VLOP. Following a thorough investigation, on 12 July 2024, the Commission adopted preliminary findings against X for potential breaches of the DSA in relation to obligations concerning dark patterns, advertising transparency and researcher’s access to data. The provider of X is responsible for complying with the obligations established under the DSA. According to the DSA, potential fines are calculated on the basis of the total worldwide annual turnover of the provider and the definition relies on well-settled notions of EU law. All actions taken by the Commission on the basis of the DSA, including in the context of the proceedings against the provider of X as well as all other enforcement actions in relation to other VLOPs and VLOSE, are undertaken within the limits of its supervision and enforcement powers and follow due process, in compliance with the principles of good administration, legal certainty and respect for the rule of law. All acts and decisions taken by the Commission based on the DSA are subject to judicial review. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act), OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102.”
  Disinformation & online freedoms · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2024-09-12 “E-001696/2024 Answer given by Mr Reynders on behalf of the European Commission The Urban Decolonisation Walks project (UDEW) is funded under the call for proposals for European Remembrance 2023, as part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. The CERV programme aims to protect and promote EU values by supporting and developing open, rights-based, democratic, equal, and inclusive societies based on in the rule of law. In this framework, the European Remembrance call highlights the importance of mutual understanding and tolerance by raising awareness among European citizens of their common history, culture, heritage, and values, enhancing their understanding of the Union’s origins, purpose, diversity, and achievements. The general objective of the UDEW project is to foster a deeper understanding of our shared history, by addressing the topic of the heritage of colonialism and imperialism and by mapping relevant public spaces across four cities. The project involves educators, civil society organisations, local communities as well as public authorities such as municipalities and city councils, in developing awareness activities that address current perspectives of past colonialism. By involving diverse target groups and diaspora communities, the project ultimately seeks to enhance the awareness and memory of Europe’s colonial past, encouraging debate and reflecting on Europe’s unified history. The EU contribution to cover public space mapping activities in Belgium, referred by the Honourable Member, should not exceed EUR 4.000.”
  EU engagement with youth · EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination · EU engagement with civil society
• “(15:46:30 – 15:47:55): commissioner, we must succeed. I would like to make some observations and a proposal in many member states. Our citizens are concerned when it comes to mass migration. The migration debate has become a symbol of a deeper question and a question of whether public authorities can deal with migration. This is a topic that is fueling extremist movements throughout Europe, And we cannot be in denial. Mister commissioner and mister minister, I commend your stance, and I have a proposal going forward. For decades, our European citizens don't understand asylum solidarity. And on a daily basis, Europeans are saying that societies cannot integrate or welcome migrants. It is high time to open up the debate to make sure that asylum rights are placed at the center. We must welcome political dissidents. This is what has happened in the past. Europe would continue to defend freedom, democracy, fundamental rights whilst giving visibility to a system that welcomes migrants. Thank you very much.”
  Asylum & border control
• “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd just like to speak to Mrs. Biala here. I'd like to address this point to her. Madam, you're a Proposal. Your statement saying, as a white woman, I probably shouldn't have come as a person of color should have come in my place. And I think a statement based on race is totally unacceptable. I don't want you to look at people through their skin color. This approach was criticized even by Barack Obama. I'd like to communicate what he said on this. I'll stay in touch with you. And, uh. Barack Obama said that racial division is real in a state of imprisonment. I'll let you know what he said. I met Gary Woodson, who was an act with Martin Luther King, and he pointed out that all municipalities in the U.S., which were led by black people, saw no improvement of the situation for black people. In fact, the contrary. So we've got to explore this further. And I must say here in the committee, I myself have been a victim of harassment and racial harassment. And I'd like to make an appeal to you, because last week in Strasbourg, somebody took a picture of me. I'm turning to the commission. I'd like an investigation on this. When I came out of the hemicycle, I was photographed. I was discussing somebody because I met Rima Hassan and I was having a discussion with her. We were discussing substantive issues in a very civil, courteous way, and one of the MEPs took a picture and sent it to the far right. And that raised a wave of racial hate, racist hatred against me, which could really be dangerous. An investigation should be made for the that they took this picture and sent it to the media because they, he knew, would, uh, trigger off a wave of hate. And we've got to investigate this, and we've got to discuss with all other MEPs. We have the right to do that. Thank you.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• “The EU is haemorrhaging its talent. So what can we do to bring back our researchers who have gone off to enrich labs in the US? What can we do to stop this loss of young people who are leaving? I don't think we take this strategic subject seriously enough. It's very important for our strategic autonomy. I think it's important to look at the incoherencies that we have. We take talent from the macro countries, from the southern hemisphere, and many of them then stay in Europe, which has a negative effect on these regions and means that poor people end up migrating and coming to the EU. And that's something that rightly we're trying to stop. It doesn't make a lot of sense. Colleagues, so I would ask everyone to act with more coherence in our policies. Thank you very much.”
  Research priorities within the EU
• “Well, it seems to me, Mr. Williams, that it seems that in the European Union we're facing two forms. You refer to three groups. I think we already have organized groups which are opposed to states. And then we have filtered groups which have started to filter into into states. But we don't have yet this third group. Could you tell me what you think about the actions we carry out through Europol? Eu-adr. What activities are the most important in your view? I saw in Libya we're working on drugs related matters, links to prostitution, arms trafficking, money laundering, VAT fraud. What's your view on all of this? We in the European Union are also signing agreements with a number of countries, countries which are where drugs are originate from, but also countries through which the drugs transit. So we are criticizing all of this, but we haven't reacted appropriately. Where are we right now in the European Union? Is there anything that we could qualify as a narco state, or are some countries on their way to becoming such a narco state? What's your opinion on those points I've just raised? And also, could you give us a comparative analysis of what exists? How can we combat within the European Union, within other countries? If we had some sort of comparative analysis across these countries to see what has worked, what hasn't worked? Because, as you said, we're taking a lot of action in repression and law enforcement, but this is afterwards downstream. We'd need something upstream, the prevention side. Could something be done there? And this would be my concluding point, because in the European Union, it seems to me you might contradict or not agree with my point of view, but it seems to me that we have major problems with drugs. Do you think that tackling the consumption of drugs could be a way that we could tackle this problem? Thank you.”
  EU law enforcement cooperation in criminal matters
• “Yeah. Thank you. Colleagues, I'd like to understand something. Last week in Parliament, we voted to create a European talent pool. Now, obviously, the term should be a foreign talent pool rather than European because it is surprising. If you look at what we're trying to do, we're trying to suck up all of the talent from the Maghreb, and then we're going to spend hundreds of billions over the years to come to help these countries develop and curb migratory flows. There seems to be a contradiction there in what we're trying to do. So I just wanted to flag that, and I'm happy if you can point out the inconsistencies in my thinking.”
  EU development aid (migration conditionality)
• “(17:32:18 – 17:34:09): No. So far, at least, we don't have any evidence that tech companies help them, at least big tech. But, of course, as they explore and you see that availability of technologies is very low. So it means that actually with a simple €20 subscription, you have LLMs. Actually, the latest encyclopedia of the vault in your pocket and you can ask whatever question you want. Second thing is that actually criminals, in many cases, operate from different jurisdictions. In many cases, outside the European Union. That's why if you want to arrest them or deter them, you need to approach this country. And we know that not all countries are cooperative there. Also, there are some legal barriers. So if you need to approach with mutual legal assistance, it takes at least one month. And then actually depends on this host country what they will and how they will react. So in this case, I completely agree that we should weigh how to prevent it instead of investigate everything. But in this case, the whole concept of Internet, there are no borders at all. And each digital service is freely available except illegal one. But illegal one is more or less a declaration. So we don't have hard ways how to mitigate all of these. So as I said, digital vault is a bit different. We still try to apply rules of physical one, but it doesn't work in this way. And as I said, barrier is low, extremely low. So it means that me, I am not a technician, but if I need to code right now, I can use LLMs. I can code. I create nice websites. I can create nice apps. I can create databases, which was impossible 3 years ago. So for the time being, we need to rethink how to address this.”
  EU law enforcement cooperation in criminal matters
• “Thank you very much for your excellent presentation today. I have a question. Can you tell us how do we find out if we are being spied on? Secondly, when we have exchanges with professionals and technical experts. Uh, they're not really sure about what's the best way to to protect ourselves against this. So what's the best way? And then you've talked about preventing people who carry out spying activity onto our territories. Firstly, we had the NSA who spied on Angela merkel and other European politicians. And secondly, you have the Pegasus affair, where you had Israel who had provided the software to spy on political decision makers. So would you ban them from entering the European territory? Thank you.”
  Surveillance equipment & spyware
• “Thank you Chair. I don't have any specific questions but I am indeed very interested by this topic. I'm not sure I wasn't aware of what was happening in Slovakia but I do think it may be is the case in other member states. I did notice some contradictions in what was said and this reminded me of issues relating to migration. On one hand we want full entire identity to be accepted. You spoke about language there and then on the other hand if we want real integration then oftentimes there are things that aren't possible and we need to strike a balance find a happy medium. I think it's very difficult it's a complex issue. I think something you didn't mention while you spoke a lot about local populations. In France we have a huge issue relating to very nomadic populations that don't remain in one place and therefore they don't necessarily want their children to go to school. So do you have an opinion on that issue that does affect other member states? Thank you.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• “The EU is haemorrhaging its talent. So what can we do to bring back our researchers who have gone off to enrich labs in the US? What can we do to stop this loss of young people who are leaving? I don't think we take this strategic subject seriously enough. It's very important for our strategic autonomy. I think it's important to look at the incoherencies that we have. We take talent from the macro countries, from the southern hemisphere, and many of them then stay in Europe, which has a negative effect on these regions and means that poor people end up migrating and coming to the EU. And that's something that rightly we're trying to stop. It doesn't make a lot of sense. Colleagues, so I would ask everyone to act with more coherence in our policies. Thank you very much.”
  Research priorities within the EU
• “Well, I'm going to add my voice to those who have congratulated you, Commissioner. I'm very pleased to see that a number of issues have been taken into account. Rather better this time. On the question of the return rates, we feel that there should be some kind of automated procedure. So if countries do not take back their citizens, then the following year we would reduce the number of visas issued. That would allow third countries to recognize that there are rules, that there is no subjectivity, because we do need to make sure that the EU is respected in its approach. And I'm not sure that I agree with what Pedro Sanchez has said. How can we have people who are who are applying for visas and who comply with our rules at the same time as we have a whole number of illegal immigrants? What we want to do is attract talent. We. But the danger is that we would actually attract all of the talent out of Africa. And I personally feel that we need to remember that we have a responsibility to allow the North Africa and Africa as a whole to develop.”
  Legal migration
• “(15:55:34 – 15:56:14): I will start. You're absolutely right that the trust in the app is essential. And how can you be sure that there is no data stored? Well, a specialist can go and look at the at the at the code of the app, actually, that there is no data stored. That is also a strong point of of open source. You can see what happens with with the data, and the data is not stored on the app. So you don't have to trust me, but an expert can go and and look at the at the code of the app.”
  Promotion of open-source softwares
• “Dear colleagues, protecting children is a major challenge. Let us recall, though, that according to Unicef, the majority of abuse does not take place online and the child often knows the perpetrator of the abuse. Um. Establishing general surveillance of private communications to identify criminal minority would be disproportionate and harmful to fundamental freedoms. Let us act where it's sufficient. Let us tighten up criminal sanctions. Let's protect minors by limiting their exposure to exposure to the internet. Generalized surveillance of private communications would be disproportionate and harmful to fundamental freedoms. Removing encryption would open doors to hackers, hostile states, and criminal networks. This encryption also protects our banking transactions, our medical data, and diplomatic communications. The challenge is clear we need to protect children without sacrificing our fundamental freedoms under a system of rule of law. This is an indispensable balance. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “The EU is haemorrhaging its talent. So what can we do to bring back our researchers who have gone off to enrich labs in the US? What can we do to stop this loss of young people who are leaving? I don't think we take this strategic subject seriously enough. It's very important for our strategic autonomy. I think it's important to look at the incoherencies that we have. We take talent from the macro countries, from the southern hemisphere, and many of them then stay in Europe, which has a negative effect on these regions and means that poor people end up migrating and coming to the EU. And that's something that rightly we're trying to stop. It doesn't make a lot of sense. Colleagues, so I would ask everyone to act with more coherence in our policies. Thank you very much.”
  Research priorities within the EU
• “Commissioner McGrath. Colleagues, there is a solution that could change everything. And that is the solution of my friend and former French education minister Luc Ferry. His idea was to end anonymity on digital platforms and on social networks that would considerably reduce the hatred that is currently destroying our societies. That would also considerably reduce disinformation, and it would enable us to deal with robots, with bots, excuse me, and trolls. So I think this would be an excellent idea, Commissioner, and you should really go for it. That would really help our democracy shield to be robust. And let me give you an example of what's happened to me so that you can understand how we're manipulated. I signed up to Republicans against Trump, an internet network. And immediately my internet, uh, my computer was made invisible, and I could no longer get visibility on the internet. Thank you.”
  Disinformation & online freedoms
• “Good morning madam. I wanted to ask a question here, because it is my impression that there's a lot of overlap between what different EU agencies do. And that includes the EU chair. There's so many overlapping competences that can make the system rigid and sometimes bring it to an entire standstill. What kind of methodology can you come up with for risk identification? You talked about working on such a methodology. I was rather shocked by that. But surely there are risk identification Methodologies are out there that you can draw upon. You don't need to draw up a new one. Can you reassure me on those two points?”
  EU political integration
• “Here in the European Parliament. I was photographed which that that was then sent to the media and it unleashed a wave of racism online. For weeks, my family were scared that I would be attacked in the street. My only fault was that I walked past Rima Hassan. So then I was unfairly accused of working on behalf of Algeria, of being paid by Algeria, a country that I've had no contact with for several years. And they knew what they were doing. Because in France, thanks to the War of Independence, there's a lot of tension around people from Algerian origin. There was an investigation opened by the parliament, and they found all the names of those people. And I hope that actions will be taken and sanctions applied. This Parliament has the duty to set an example.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• “Ai generated sexual deepfakes are organized violence. Clicks are turned into profits. New defying people and humiliating them is not an isolated form of abuse. It is a lucrative market based on an attack on human dignity, which thrives on being anonymous and going viral. We have tools to sanction platforms, but this will remain insufficient as long as we do not address the central issue that of impunity. We have a choice here. Are we going to protect victims or protect impunity? Freedom of expression does not mean you have the right to cause harm with no consequences for you. Dear colleagues, we must lift anonymity on social media. That's what will massively reduce toxic behavior, hate messages and harassment. And it will also hit the platforms in the pocket. It's better than sanctions. On the other hand, we must refuse and reject the scanning of private messages, the weakening of encryption, and the violation of the confidentiality of communications as this constitutes an unacceptable attack on freedom. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “The EU has a particular voice to express itself on the international stage, and we're too often fearful, submissive. But here we have an amazing window of opportunity. President Costa Emmanuel Macron is right when he refuses the invitation of Donald Trump to join his peace border, when he has scorned the UN and violated international law. I think that it's important to say that France opposed the invasion of Iraq, which destabilized the whole of the Middle East. And we were right. The commission president has to decide what our fate is going to be. We are in this House together, so we are also involved. If the United States purchases or conquers Greenland, we are involved. What we are going to be seeing is an Anschluss, and we have to refind our place in history. We have to refind our consistency, our power, and also we have to look at the countries of the South.”
  EU foreign policy approach
• “Thank you. Colleagues. The citizens have understood that this is a highly strategic issue. 90% of them want us to increase our investments in research and innovation. We are dependent on and dominated by foreign powers, and that makes us vulnerable. We need to put an end to the exodus of our engineers and bring back those who are filling the coffers of American tech. Yet use incentives. Europe is neglecting its engineers and researchers. We have to put an end to the fixation with réglementation. When the our UK colleagues came to visit in the Parliament, they wanted to construct AI with us and no longer depend on the United States. But we said no, let's regulate beforehand. So they turn their backs on us and they've just signed with the United States. My final point as societies are weakened by hatred and hybrid attacks, including interference in democratic processes to put an end to that, and at the same time to weaken the people who are profiting from our misery. There is a solution. We have to remove anonymity on social networks. Thank you.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• “Ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner. This directive constitutes clear progress and should be welcomed in order to protect children. However, we have to do more. First of all, services provided by platforms in their terrible algorithms are arms that entrap children and can't be compared with products. They should be defined as such. We need to mobilize our legal arsenal for products that don't work or that are wrong. Telephones, especially smartphones sold to children, should be locked until an age, say, of 15 years old. And finally, as soon as we're dealing with children, we have to ban any idea of the the concept of consent in The Little Prince. Saint-exupéry showed us that all older people were once children, but few of them remember. And there's a challenge there to remember how you were as a young person, so that the innocence of children can be preserved. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “(15:53:47 – 15:55:34): Thank you. Well, I have several questions. The first is for the European Commission, Mr. Volman. These colleagues have mentioned this and the question is still not very clear about open source and whether it's going to be improved. Seems to me there's a problem of trust on the part of the users as regards putting out their personal data. You talk about destruction of the information, but how can we be sure that it will be destroyed? And a second question, the Commissioner Verkunen has said we have to neutralize VPNs. Do you confirm that statement on the part of the Commissioner? Because your French colleague has said that this is not a big issue, the fact of VPNs. And Mr. Tobiana, a question for you. On the fact that each of the parties has only a part of the information, how do you check that? You spoke about a study where the people said something about threats. I'd like to know more about this interesting study. And finally, on parents. I'm a parent. I don't understand why you are so reluctant about this, so sensitive about this. Why cannot we need their cooperation. You're talking about it being rather cumbersome. Well, But having children means having responsibility. So you have to have the courage to say that. Madame Sorrell, you take it.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Ministers. I absolutely agree with your roadmap. I'd like to make some proposals. I wonder what you think of this. You said, quite rightly that nothing could be done without human beings, without talent. It won't be possible to have strategic autonomy or competitiveness. What do we do? To bring back those engineers that have gone to work in the US, and to encourage our youngsters not to leave Europe for the US. This is something that Mario Draghi mentioned in his report. We haven't done anything about it. And what about protecting minors online? What's being done is good, but it's not enough. I think we have to do away with anonymity on the social networks. If we did that, we would see far less, um, anti-social behavior. She is an EU country. It is partially occupied. What ministers do we need to do to ensure that your presidency puts this question on the agenda? It is strategic. What do we need to do to liberate Cyprus? Thank you.”
  EU-Turkey relations