Thomas PELLERIN-CARLIN

Policy topics Thomas PELLERIN-CARLIN is active on

What Thomas PELLERIN-CARLIN has said (51)

• 2026-06-17 “(16:04:21 – 16:05:37): Here in Europe, we have enough wind and sun and heat so that all men, women, and children can live in comfort and dignity. But our leaders have chosen oil dependency to submit to oil dictatorships, to pollute our air. That's what oil costs. Europe doesn't have oil, but it does have electricity. So electrification is clearly the solution. Imagine the calm, the comfort, the freedom. Silent electric cars driving around, properly insulated schools and hospitals in in summer and in winter, everyone feeling happy and comfortable at home where our bills wouldn't be going into the pockets of Trump and Putin, but to villages in Piketty with wind farms and solar farms in Normandy. This future is something that we can achieve. Let's build it now. Thank you very much. And now we have madam Frigou.”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2026-03-03 “Answer given by Mr Kubilius on behalf of the European Commission 11.5.2026 Written question Advanced storage technologies from batteries to supercapacitors have important dual civilian and military use. Establishing a strong and resilient battery supply chain while reducing external dependencies is therefore of strategic importance for the EU, as reflected in the Battery Booster Strategy [1] . The EU also supports technological innovation and innovators ecosystems in the Strategic Energy Technology Plan [2] and in the Startup and Scaleup Strategy [3] . In terms of defence policy, the European Defence Fund [4] supports defence sector interoperability in energy-efficient solutions and green technologies that meet NATO and EU standards, notably energy storage systems like customised batteries, fuel cells and multi-source energy systems. The BraveTech EU initiative [5] established between EU and Ukraine will also contribute to this objective by considering the lessons learnt in the battlefield. The European Defence Industry Programme [6] supports resilient European defence supply chains through cross-border industrial cooperation, procurement actions, strategic reserves and industrial reinforcement actions. It includes measures to anticipate and mitigate serious disruptions in the supply of defence and non-defence products, which the Commission is currently implementing in consultation with Member States through the Defence Security of Supply Board. In addition, the Commission is working with Member States, industry and civilian standardisation stakeholders to prepare a landscape and gap analysis for defence and dual-use standardisation, to further reinforce the efficiency and interoperability of the EU defence market. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/682/oj/eng. [2] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/research-and-technology/strategic-energy-technology-plan_en. [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0270. [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/european-defence-fund-2021-2027.html. [5] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/bravetech-eu_en. [6] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/2643/oj/eng.”
  "Buy European" provisions · Defence spending
• 2026-03-03 “Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission 5.5.2026 Written question The European Union continues to address climate change issues, including its security and defence implications, through various initiatives and studies. The EU regularly commissions research and reports on the security and defence risks posed by climate change. This is part of its broader strategy to integrate climate considerations into security, foreign and defence policy frameworks. The first European Climate Risk Assessment [1] (EUCRA, 2024) considered the repercussions of climate change for the European Union. It identifies 36 climate risks that pose a threat to Europe’s energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and people’s health. In the next EUCRA report, due for 2028, security may be addressed more directly. The Commission is currently preparing a comprehensive risks and threat assessment under the Preparedness Union Strategy [2] , foreseen for summer 2026. The EU recognises climate change as a threat multiplier that impacts resource scarcity, migration, and geopolitical stability. The Joint Communication ‘A new outlook on the climate and security nexus: Addressing the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security and defence’ [3] was adopted in 2023 and continues to guide the Commission work [4] . The focus on security and defence aspects is often reflected in the work of the European External Action Service and other relevant agencies that collaborate on assessing climate-related security threats. [1] https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/eu-adaptation-policy/key-eu-actions/european-climate-risk-assessment. [2] https://commission.europa.eu/topics/preparedness_en. [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023JC0019. [4] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/joint-communication-climate-security-nexus_en.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• 2026-02-23 “Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission 8.5.2026 Written question The Commission recognises the very positive role of labels as a way of certifying and promoting sustainable practices in different policy areas. The certification envisaged under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) III [1] and secondary legislation aims at ensuring that the fuels certified comply with the applicable sustainability criteria. The process of certification takes into account all available information at the level of the economic operators concerned. Therefore, a label being awarded to an economic operator on some of the elements of the RED sustainability criteria would facilitate or have a positive effect on the process of RED certification. However, accepting a label as equivalent to a RED certification would be possible only if the criteria and methodology used as well as the certification process established under that label are the same as the criteria, methodology and process used for the certification of the same material or fuel under the certification framework established under the RED. The Commission is in principle open to consider, in cooperation with the certification schemes, whether existing labels could qualify and be fully or to some extent considered under the RED certification. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023L2413&qid=1699364355105.”
  EU framework for voluntary quality and sustainability terms in food marketing
• 2026-02-06 “P-000483/2026 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission 1. A balanced development towards a multimodal, smart and sustainable mobility requires adequate investment in all transport modes, including roads, at Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), national, regional and local levels to meet mobility needs of citizens and businesses. Cohesion policy funds can be used within the framework of regional development programmes to finance roads, including sections of the TEN-T that do not cross borders. However, financing roads is not an investment priority in the 2021-2027 programming period, as increased capacity for individual motorised transport might lead to more congestion and pollution from private car use, especially in urban environments. New infrastructure can be financed from the cohesion policy funds where this is in line with the specific objectives of the Funds and the objectives of the programme, for example to address objectives relating to balancing out regional disparities for connectivity, road safety, etc. While support has been granted under the Connecting Europe Facility to certain road projects 1 notably concerning cross-border sections or the upgrading of sections with poor safety record on the TEN-T, projects concerning motorway infrastructure in urban areas are not eligible under the Facility. 2. The selection criteria for cohesion policy co-financed projects are decided by programme managing authorities and monitoring committees and therefore depend on local circumstances and regional development strategies. 1 https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/qs_digit_dashboard_mt/public/sense/app/3744499f-670f-42f8-9ef30d98f6cd586f/sheet/d2820200-d4d9-4a26-b23b-58e323c803c2/state/analysis.”
  Road transport environmental policy · EU funding for transportation
• 2025-04-08 “E-001428/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission For all waste destined for disposal, or in the case of hazardous and most mixed waste destined to recovery, the prior notification and consent procedure applies. This means that an operator planning such shipments needs the prior consent of all authorities from the countries concerned (from origin to destination, including transit) before the shipment can take place. The new Waste Shipment Regulation 1 will simplify this process and move away from a paper-based approach to an electronic one. A central EU system will ensure the smooth operation of this exchange from May 2026. The Commission will develop a central hub that will allow the exchange of information and documents between the central system and local system operated by some competent authorities as well as software offered by commercial software providers. The Implementing Act on interoperability of systems for electronic submission and exchange of information and documents is intended to be adopted in the coming weeks. Related to recycling, Article 72(3) of the Batteries Regulation 2 sets the clear and strict condition that waste batteries or fractions thereof exported from the Union shall only count towards the fulfilment of obligations, efficiencies and targets laid down in Articles 70 and 71 of the Batteries Regulation if the exporter of the waste batteries or fractions thereof provides documentary evidence approved by the competent authority of destination that the treatment took place in conditions that are equivalent to those required by the Batteries Regulation and in accordance with other Union law regarding human health and environmental protection. Together those provisions will improve the economic model for recycling black mass within the EU. 1 Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on shipments of waste, amending Regulations (EU) No 1257/2013 and (EU) 2020/1056 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, OJ L, 2024/1157, 30.4.2024. 2 Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC, OJ L 191, 28.7.2023, p. 1–117.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials · Circular economy · Sustainability of batteries regulation
• 2025-04-02 “E-001358/2025 Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission acknowledges the importance of stable, predictable and affordable electricity prices for consumers. To this purpose, the Commission adopted the action plan for Affordable Energy on 26 February 2025 1 . This plan presents measures to reduce energy costs for industry and households and help build a genuine Energy Union that delivers competitiveness, security, decarbonisation, and a just transition. As part of this Plan, the Commission will propose a Citizens’ Energy Package to increase citizens’ participation in the energy transition and strengthen the social dimension of the Energy Union. The implementation of specific tariff schemes such as regulated tariffs for the sale of electricity (TRVEs) are framed by Article 5 of the Electricity Directive that provides that suppliers are free to determine the price at which they supply electricity to customers. It also provides that Member States may derogate from this provision and implement public interventions on price setting under specific conditions 2 . The Commission is required by 31 December 2025 to review and submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of Article 5 together with or followed by a legislative proposal, if appropriate. This report will be based on the reports submitted by each Member State and on a study on the post-crisis retail market which the Commission is currently steering. It is not possible for the time being to prejudge any of the conclusions of the study or the report. 1 https://energy.ec.europa.eu/publications/action-plan-affordable-energy-unlocking-true-value-our-energy-unionsecure-affordable-efficient-and_en. 2 Defined in Article 5 of the Electricity Directive (EU) 2019/944 - https://eurlex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/944/oj/eng.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• 2025-03-13 “E-001093/2025 Answer given by Ms Zaharieva on behalf of the European Commission The EU is a safe and attractive place for global researchers, and the Commission is working to further enhance the attractiveness of the EU as a place to conduct cutting-edge research. For example, by supporting the implementation of the new European framework for research careers 1 , including the new European Charter for Researchers 2 , with a view to retaining EU talents and attracting international ones, including from the US 3 . Several initiatives are in the pipeline to further attract international talents. This includes a new ‘Choose Europe for Science’ Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) 4 already in 2025 to provide excellent researchers coming to Europe with pathways to stable employment 5 , increasing the funding for European Research Council (ERC) 6 grantees who move to Europe from abroad, as well as a visa strategy. At the same time, EURAXESS 7 continues to provide personalised support to incoming researchers, covering topics such as visas, relocation, career development, pensions, and family integration. Furthermore, the European Research Area (ERA) Talent Platform 8 as a one-stop-shop for researchers ensures the visibility of the attractive environment of European careers, and a Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO) 9 will provide as of mid-2025 data from EU Member States and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries on research careers to support additional evidence-based policies. Targeted communication activities are currently being assessed. 1 Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe, OJ C C2023/1640, 29/12/2023. 2 https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward/european-charter-researchers. 3 Measures include for example a Mutual Learning Exercise (https://projects.research-andinnovation.ec.europa.eu/en/statistics/policy-support-facility/psf-challenge/mutual-learning-exercise-researchcareers) under the Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility supporting the exchange of good practices by Member States, a Horizon Europe Talent Ecosystems pilot call https://ec.europa.eu/info/fundingtenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-0203?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094503,31094502&frameworkProgramme=43108390&callIdentifie r=HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02&order=ASC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=identifie supporting attractive careers for early-career researchers, the HR Excellence in Research award https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward to improve working conditions in organisations employing researchers, based on the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, and the enhancement of the RESAVER https://www.resaver.eu/ complementary pension scheme for researchers. 4 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_657. 5 The MSCA also provide a wide range of training, mobility and career development opportunities that are already available and open to researchers of all nationalities, including US researchers. See https://mariesklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/ 6 https://erc.europa.eu/about-erc/erc-glance 7 https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/. 8 https://ec.europa.eu/era-talent-platform/. 9 https://ec.europa.eu/era-talent-platform/reico/, developed in partnership with the OECD with Horizon Europe support.”
  Research priorities within the EU
• 2024-09-16 “E-001721/2024 Answer given by Ms Simson on behalf of the European Commission Already in 2014, with the European Energy Security Strategy 1 , the Commission emphasised the need for all EU operators to have a diversified portfolio of fuel supply and for fuel supply diversification to be a condition for any new investment in the nuclear sector. In response to Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU decided to phase out its remaining dependence on Russia. The REPowerEU Plan 2 emphasises further the need for diversification and securing alternative sources of uranium, and boosting conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication capacities. The Commission and the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) have been engaging with concerned Member States to assess dependencies and ensure security of supply in the nuclear value chain. Utilities have taken steps to diversify their supplies, increase stockpiling of nuclear material and fuel, and prepare for potential disruptions to supplies. The electricity produced in Soviet-designed reactors (dependent on Russian fuel supply) accounts for about 10% of EU gross nuclear electricity capacity. Utilities operating these reactors in Bulgaria, Czechia, Slovakia and Finland have signed supply contracts with alternative fuel suppliers and are moving forward with the licensing process for the new fuels (already tested by several utilities). Meanwhile, mothballed uranium mines in the United States (US), Australia, Canada and Africa have returned to operation, and additional conversion and enrichment capacity is being developed in the EU, United Kingdom, US and Canada. The Commission and ESA continue to monitor the market and the supply situation and engage with utilities and national authorities to ensure the diversification of supply in the civil nuclear industry. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0330&from=EN 2 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal/repowereuaffordable-secure-and-sustainable-energy-europe_en”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Mr. Vice president, you're aware of the difficult situation for ArcelorMittal in Germany France, Belgium, Spain. Mittal has suspended all their investments in green steels. This is not just a French problem. It's a European problem, a problem for industry and the clean industrial deal for Europe. Because ArcelorMittal accounts for 50% of steel production in Europe, 50%. That is, if we are if we fail to make this transition for ArcelorMittal, we will have failed to make a transition in the European steel industry. Though we reformed the ETS, we've got the tax, carbon tax on the borders and we've got the clean industrial deal and the French, German and Spanish governments have It devoted billions of euros of state aid. Are you going to come to Dunkirk to express your support of ArcelorMittal? Are you ready to meet with the trade unionists, the French trade unionists who are wage earners, who are concerned? What measures will you take to discourage the current plans of dislocating to India? What are the trade aspects in European reference points that you can use? This is an emblematic case for the industrial clean. Industrially, we want to produce green steel in Europe rather than importing steel from the entire world produced by Indian or Russian carbon. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, some of the questions that I was going to raise have been made. But when you look at automation, when you were talking about the automation plan, you've made a very good first step. I think some of your actions were more ambitious. But we have to see what do the following steps will be? One companies are closed down. But certain fines have been made more flexible. But we haven't solved the problem of the automobile industry. Their problems haven't been. Haven't been sold. We have to keep moving forward and continue on the path.”
  Carbon leakage support
• “Madam president, I have a simple question. In 2021, there was no green deal. Nothing was affected. And yet the gas price went from €20 per megawatt hour to €100 per megawatt hour in. By December. So from February to December. Who did that? Wasn't it, uh, due to Putin, Marine Le Pen's friend. So how do you want to reduce gas prices? Is it by being best mates with Putin?”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “2021 inflation was the scourge of Europe. People were suffering. Companies were worrying. Millions of Europeans were facing an abyss. This inflation was no accident. It was the direct result of political choices, choices that made Europe dependent on Putin's gas before he launched his tanks on Kyiv. So we are now saying never again, never again will we be dependent on Russian gas. Never will we finance Putin's wars. But let's not be naive. Shale gas bought from the US is also increasing our risks. So our sole choice is to is the choice of European sovereignty. We call on member States to continue their investments in energy efficiency and renewable energies, and finally start an energy policy which provides us with sovereignty. It's not an option. It is the foundation of our liberty itself.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you, Mr. Commissioner. So before becoming a politician two years ago, I was an energy researcher. And academics have actually a word for the historical moment that we are living in. And they call that mid transition. And indeed we are currently in the middle of a transition where we both have fossil fuel system and a clean energy system that could exist. We see that today with oil and electricity. We have the fossil fuel system where we rely on imported oil, and where the price paid by the caretakers and the factory workers is influenced by the decision of bullies like Netanyahu, like Trump, like Ayatollah Khamenei. We also have the clean energy future that is already partially there in my home region in Normandy. We have at home nurses, people who drive 100km a day as nurses to go to the to the home of people that they care about. And most of the nurses over there in my region have already moved towards an electric car, of course, because it is cleaner for the air, for climate, but also because it is cheaper. And so we have that coexistence, and we know from academic research that it is precisely at that moment now where the old system is fighting back when the Empire Strikes back, if you allow me that that reference.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “(17:03:43 – 17:04:40): I've been listening to to to our debate i'm a bit disappointed to be honest maybe just to refer to the to the three interventions by the pfe and the bbb speakers we are not talking about the life program today in general we are not talking about ngo advocacy funding we're talking about strategic projects which you would know if you had just took the time not even to read just to skim through the bloody report and look at figure two like there is a drawing explaining there is a drawing sir that is explaining what we are talking about so of course the eca i mean those projects because they focus on governance because they focus on the softer dimension the governance dimension they are more difficult to assess and i say that as a former researcher that was involved in similar work on nonlife related elements so i think it would be good for the next time that we have the discussions that we all collectively make an effort to make sure that our discussions are a bit more informed than what they were today”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget
• “He is. So you caved on CO2 standards for cars. He wants you now to cave on sustainable aviation fuels. And then he it will come back to destroy the ETS. So by rewarding the laggards, you are telling polluters that they should not invest in clean tech, but that they should invest money in lobbyists in Brussels because if they put enough money on the table, you will surrender without a fight. So my question is, why are you doing nothing at all on social leasing? If you look at the public consultation that you yourself did, one of the first priorities by European citizens, a third of them said that they want social leasing. The word socialism does not even appear in your regulation. You did not even bother to do a recital. So why are you choosing to ignore socialism? While this has been a long standing priority of the Social Democrats for the last three months, and why this is supported by the public, but also by everybody in this room, including our friends from the ECI and the EPP, who know that social leasing is one of the key ways to create demand for European battery electric cars and show that we are here to deliver a concrete progress for the people, especially in rural areas.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “And so we need to stop the uncoordinated policies. And sometimes I hear commissioners telling me that electrification is the future, and then I see a CO2 standards for cars proposal that proposes to slow down electrification. So you've heard today that a part of this House believes in fossil fuel nostalgia. They want to bring back the internal combustion engine. They want to bring back coal. You also see that there is another part of this House that believes, like you, I think, in clean energy abundance. So you were very clear, Mr. Commissioner, on the ETS, on heat pumps and renewables. Can you please provide me with the same level of clarity on electric cars, and especially by saying, what would you say to people that in this House believe that we should save the internal combustion engine and watered down even further the CO2 standards for cars regulation? You proposed last December when oil prices were two times lower than they are today.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “The price of electricity is different there. And so we know, for instance, that the price for electricity in our industry in France is cheaper than in New England and in other US states. So we need to have that that more, let's say, granular understanding. And what we know is that some EU member states already are better in terms of electricity prices for the industry than some US states, and the US electricity price will increase because Trump is banning offshore wind, which makes no economic sense whatsoever. That's just ideology. And because the Americans have a very bad electricity grid, there is a lot of power cuts that are harmful, obviously, for the industry and also for the digital sector. So what we need to do in the context of this resolution and more globally here in the European Union is to increase electricity supply, wind, solar, geothermal, ocean energy, osmotic energy, nuclear. For the countries that use it, we need to have innovative pricing system, and the resolution is very good on that. On that regard. Ppa power Purchase agreement contract for difference. And we need obviously to invest in our grid. So to conclude, to save our industry we need more electricity.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Andrack, and he told me that Belgium wanted to help Ukraine by sending substations and transformers to Ukraine to replace those that were destroyed by the illegal attacks that Russia is waging on on Ukraine. And they actually discovered that for technical reasons, those Belgium substations could not be used in Ukraine. Why, for instance, the police substation could be used. So that also means that if at some point there is an extreme weather event and that we have a big part of the European electricity grid that is destroyed with transformers that are being burnt, we cannot be we cannot show solidarity because of the technical measure. And that is something that needs fixing in order to make sure that solid European solidarity is not impeached by technical differences in components that we can easily standardize. Final point I second the points on the Connecting Europe facility. I think it's also time to have a serious discussion of whether the EU should also invest in grids using equity, because that would be a way for the EU to be not only a regulator, but also a shareholder of TSOs that are a European public good, and therefore it will make sense for the EU to be more active there, including by developing a program that we could call equity for grids. Thank you.”
  EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
• “Thank you, Madam Director general. Um, last week I went to a factory in Normandy, my region. And they make captures for these hybrids and electrics. And 90% of the production is for Europe and most of the manufacturers are in Germany. And for the team there and for the team, so are the Made in Europe. Objective is essential when it comes to these companies competing with China because they are being undermined by Trump's measures. So I'd like to encourage you to be as ambitious as possible, and we look forward to the proposal at the end of the month. My question is about the battery booster. You said that €1.5 billion is substantial. I quote now, as a former academic, I'd like to give you some comparison figures as well. As you talked about, 1.5 as being 2 billion is just one program for buying shares in one company for BMW for example. So 15 billion. So ten times as much is the contract that was signed yesterday by energy for supplying cathode material for these batteries. So let's look at this. 1.5 billion is better than nothing, but it's not substantial. It's significant, and we need to see how we can use that money well to have efficient investment and go further. My question is simple why not have a very simple system where you would say, for every color what battery produced in Europe, you would get €10, and then you could get €10 from state aid for the area where the factory is located. Why don't we make a simple proposal like that?”
  State Aid
• “(17:23:08 – 17:24:46): Thanks, Jeff. Last week, France had the earliest heat wave ever. At least 7 French citizens died in that heat wave in May, which was worsened by climate change. So you can imagine how angry I am, chair, when I hear National Rally in France and German far right question the scientific data that scientists have presented to us today. Let's have our feet on the ground for reality. Workers, people working in buildings, people working on the fields, farmers, people in industry. In Normandy recently, I was listening to the employees of those building Renault engines. And in the smelt there were people who obviously have to face hot conditions. That's normal. But when you step out in the street, it's 30 to 32, 34, 36 degrees in May, that's all worsened. We're not talking about this happening once in a blue moon or once in a decade or something like that. Happening all the time, day after day, week after week, several months a year. So working conditions. What can the EU do or how can the EU improve its legislation on working conditions to protect workers against climate disasters and heat waves in particular? Thanks.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• “Thank you. Chair. Thank you very much, Mr. Commissioner, for your introductory words. Indeed, the only way for European nations to remain free is to stand together as those very dark hours. Yesterday, with my EPP colleague Raisa Yurkevich, we hosted an event here in Parliament to understand why we still have Russia that is able to earn €250 billion per year in fossil fuel revenues. We know that one small part of the solution for achieving Ukrainian victory and protecting Europe from Russian imperialism is to consume less gas. So my question is therefore, on one critical sector, which is heating in buildings and heating in industry. My question can you confirm yes or no, that there will be a heating and cooling strategy announced as part of the Affordable Energy Action Plan? And can you commit to deliver on that new heating and cooling strategy this year?”
  Energy performance of buildings
• “Thank you, Madam President. Just two words. Ecology, economy. They're so close. But a lot of people seem to want them to be totally opposed to one another, especially the far right. And I can see that there is a total absence of all the MEPs from the Patriots group, which says an awful lot about their interests for our industry in Europe. So, colleagues, let's begin by agreeing, agreeing on a simple truth, something very basic. We are poor in fossil energy with 87% of the petrol, the oil and a huge percentage of gas. We're very poor, but we have a lot of resources that are renewable. We have the wind, we have the seas, we have the sun. We have to have in innovative approaches we need in the 21st century. We know that the ecology, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. Renewables, recycling these are pillars of our economic welfare and prosperity in the future.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “I am stepping in for my colleague César Luena, who is delayed due to a transporter issue. Cities is essential for biodiversity conservation as it regulates international trade of wild species. It is therefore crucial that it adapts to new threats such as illegal trade, digital trafficking and global health risk. First, the S&D Group wants to reiterate our call to the Commission to finally present a positive list of species allowed as pets in the EU. The Parliament has repeatedly requested this and we wonder when the Commission intends to respond to this request. Second, I am concerned about the growing cybercrime linked to wildlife trafficking. It must be addressed with the same seriousness as other forms of cybercrime that threaten security, health and the economy. What concrete proposals will the Commission bring to COP20 in this area? Third, legal domestic ivory markets still exist, such as in Japan, which continue to full poaching, including inside Europe. Currently, your rules are non-binding and unevenly enforced. Why has not the Commission yet transformed this into fully binding legislation? And how will the Commission ensure effective implementation by Member States? Fourth, given the growing demand for live wild animals and derived products, I would like to know if the Commission plans to launch any specific demand reduction initiative and how it intends to address this issue at COP20. Fifth, we want to remind you that cities also play a key role in preventing future pandemics. The EU must lead in integrating the One Health approach that links human, animal and other mental health together, and the EU must do that across all its wildlife trade policies. I urge the Commission to actively promote this approach in all international fora, including the COP. Finally, urgent action is needed against the illegal trade of totoaba fish and similar products which is pushing the vaquita to the brink of extinction. Fewer than 10 individuals remained in the Gulf of Mexico, their only habitat. I call on the Commission to support the dedicated city's resolution to strengthen protection and act immediately in response to the threat to both the totoaba and the vaquita. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “Thank you. I think it's important in a democracy to be honest about what's happening. Um, so what is happening on cars is simple. Everybody that has some basic understanding of economics knows that the future of the car is electric. That's what von der Leyen said. Yet the commission chose to listen to the diesel lobby and to sacrifice the industry's future for quarterly profits of some companies. So what's happening is that you showed political weakness and you made three historical mistakes. First one, by making this proposal, the commission has created Regulatory instability precisely at the moment where we need to provide predictability. You've destroyed that. You've destroyed that by opening a regulation that was adopted 18 months only before you opened it. Again, that is a tragedy. That is a violation of the mandate on which you were elected as commissioner. Second thing, you are punishing the first movers. Every car company, every supplier, every battery manufacturer that made an investment based on your promise. So the profitability of that investment diminish. Punishing first movers is not the way to win the clean tech race. Third, you are rewarding the laggards. The message that you sent was clearly heard by Patrick Pouyanne, the CEO of Total Energy, who said that last week in Davos in the World Economic Forum.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “(16:36:58 – 16:38:42): Thank you Mister President. We are in a—we are seeing the greatest extension of living species since an asteroid hit the Earth killing off most of the dinosaurs. Protecting biodiversity is one of the fundamental objectives of the LIFE program. Today eighty percent of biodiversity is in Europe in our outermost regions yet these outermost regions do not feature in your report.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Uh, and therefore, there could be a way to, uh, uh, at least economically, not physically close the loop of CO2 emissions from the aviation sector. If we manage to capture those CO2 emissions and use that CO2 to produce these fuels. Final question. Uh, what do you what have you seen in your study as being the role of, um, beccs or bioenergy carbon capture and storage, especially for the cement sector? Uh, because we know that when we produce clinker, uh, there are processes, process emissions, uh, that happen, those process emissions need to be captured. This is a sector where CCS is absolutely vital. But if the, the the oven uh, of the clinker, um, let's say manufacturer, uh, I mean, they need to reach 100, sorry, 1800 degree of heat. Uh, they can do that by burning pretty much anything. Uh, but if they do that by burning bioenergy, uh, we can have only one single CCS system that is able to capture the process. Emissions from the clinker manufacturing, but also the emissions coming from the bioenergy that is being burned, uh, to produce the energy, uh, to produce a clinker. Uh, so is this something that you've seen already, in your study. And if no, then I will have a few a few suggestions, maybe for deepening the research at a later stage. Thank you.”
  Carbon capture storage and utilisation
• “Like Winston Churchill. And therefore we need to stop importing Russian energy. Now the second priority for my group is energy efficiency. We know that the best way for us to be energy secure is to reduce energy demand. We've been doing that for more than for more than actually two decades through a lot of legislation, smart regulation, but also investment coming from the public and the private sector. And so we Europeans need to play to our strength and become even more energy efficient. The third priority renewable energy is freedom energy. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are two bullies who have the power to cut gas supply to Europe, but none of them have the power to stop the wind from blowing in Gdansk, or the sun from shining in Madrid, or even today in Brussels. And therefore we need to invest in all forms of renewable energy, obviously wind and solar PV, but also solar heat, biomass, geothermal, ocean energy, osmotic energy, all those energy sources that are relevant for our present and for our future. Fourth and final point we need to act in a in a spirit of European solidarity, especially when facing energy security threats and using market based principles, but also national cooperation in order to make sure that when the next energy crisis will hit us, we will be more prepared. And so, and I'm ending on that. The spirit of the social democratic group is to work with all pro-European and pro-democratic political groups in this report to send a clear message that we Europeans are stronger together.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Dear colleagues, once again we're seeing new hikes in oil and gas prices in Europe. We don't have oil and gas. And yet for decades, our leaders have chosen to keep our dependence on fossil fuels. Today, once again, two thirds of our final energy consumption comes from oil and gas. We all know the consequences of this inflation once again. 1973, 2003, 2026. Pollution. Each hour, 30 Europeans die from pollution. Then we've got climate change, droughts, flooding, public debt. €600 billion is what's been spent out of public funds to maintain our dependence, and then our submission to Trump, to the ayatollahs. So let's be clear. We need to move away from fossil energy. We need greater energy efficiency. We need more electric vehicles. We need more renewables. This is how we will be able to protect our purchasing power, our environment, and our freedom.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “The future of the car will be electric and we cannot allow China to take over the market. This was a common sense sentence spoken by the European Commission a few months ago. But today we're seeing this Frankenstein coalition from the diesel lobby. The combustion engine people and various others want to block this access to the future of electric cars. Slowing down our access to that transition is to condemn our car industry. China is ten years ahead of us, and this is not the way to beat China. So what do we need to do? Let's guarantee legal certainty. Let us invest. Let us invest to produce green batteries which are affordable in Europe. Let us invest in social leasing schemes so that small cars built in Europe can be used. This is the only way that we can make sure that the European car industry can remain great.”
  Chinese clean tech competition: trade barriers and investment caps vs. open market · Road transport environmental policy
• “Colleagues. Colleagues. Once again, we are in a historical moment where a party on the right wants to make a pact with the far right In the European Parliament. The far right wants to cancel the Green Deal. Is we as if we are not going to catch up. Uh, the delay compared to China on electric cars and batteries. We won't make up that delay by slowing down this green deal. We shouldn't cancel it. It should be added to with a European plan for investment in research, innovation and battery production in Europe. Today, I call on my right wing friends to remain, uh, true to their heritage and the that of the founders, Schuman and, uh, Adenauer, uh, know about the right and the far right. They know about their little calculations and when they eat into the sense of duty.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Um, second question is on the as I understand that you took the GRC 2020 data when it comes to, let's say, the the life cycle analysis in terms of carbon, uh, but that relies a lot on Russian gas and on Norwegian gas, while now increasingly we rely on US shale gas as a feedstock or as an element in the process. So I would urge you to look at this, because we know that US shale gas creates a lot of methane emissions in the USA, and we know that this is getting worse as a result of the cancellation of de facto cancellation of the EPA, uh, and related legislation in the USA. Final point, Points, uh, which I would like you to answer already. Now, if possible, is the question on the economics of the different type of electrolyzer technology. Last time I checked, uh, when I was a researcher, two, two years ago, uh, understood that PEM and alkaline tech had very different types of business models. Uh, and so I would like you to be a bit more granular there to see if we might have an interest in having, uh, let's say an electrolyzer that runs, uh, a few thousand hours a year, but with very cheap electricity, or whether it makes more sense to have an electrolyzer that may be a bit more costly, and therefore we'll have to run 6 or 7000 hours a year. Thank you.”
  Low-carbon hydrogen
• “Um, I want to also thank the rapporteurs for the work that we've been doing, um, the entire staff and also the other shadows. And we really I mean, to me, I felt very proud yesterday. I think this is Europe at its best with pro-democratic forces that are working together in a constructive fashion, um, in order to make the world a slur and to make Europe slightly more secure and the world a little bit less unfair. Um, we will have to celebrate, obviously, but we have to continue our work. Um, as you know, Russia is investing €140 billion per year in its military budget. And they can do that only because they have oil and gas money. Um, Russia last year had 250 billion of Russian oil and gas money. So it is by reducing the Russian oil and gas revenues that we can actually achieve victory and a true long lasting, just peace. That regulation is one step further on that path. But we need obviously to continue to work there and it is through clean energy, through energy sufficiency, through renewables, through the solid electricity grid that we can actually continue this work for us in Europe to reduce our consumption of oil and gas, and as a result, reducing global oil and gas prices. And we need to do our work at home in the coming weeks. I'm obviously obviously having the electricity grid package in mind here, but we also need to make sure that we increase our clean energy sovereignty by also working globally. We now need to work with India, with Japan, with South Korea, all those countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas because we Europeans can provide them the European clean tech that they need in order themselves as India, as Japan, as Korea, to reduce Russian oil and gas so we can have more work and more days like we had yesterday, where we work together as pro-European forces to defeat Vladimir Putin.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Uh. Yesterday, um, and I'm going to ask a few questions that I think that hopefully you can answer either now or in the final analysis, because some of them, I'm assuming, will require data. First, let me start with a political message. Um, as Europeans, we cannot lag behind in the development of electrolytic hydrogen. I'm looking at at what is happening in the USA despite, let's say, Trump's view on environmental protection, it still has continued with the $28 per kilowatt hour of renewable electricity combined with the $3 per kilogram of electrolytic hydrogen, which essentially will mean that electrolytic hydrogen in the US will be de facto free because of the subsidies. By the end of this decade. That means in 3 or 4 years, which is a big challenge for industry. So we need to react. Um, the first element that I understand has been discussed today already is the difference of price between electrolytic hydrogen and fossil gas hydrogen. I urge all of my colleagues to look at page 34, where we see the importance of the price of gas there. I see that you have put three scenarios €20 per megawatt hour of gas, then 40, then 60 colleagues, €20 per megawatt hour of gas is I mean, it's a Christmas miracle, I guess, because that is a price that we have not seen and will not see. And so we need to look as politicians more into, let's say, the 35 to €100 per megawatt hour. And I would therefore urge you to also look at 80 or €100 per megawatt hour cost, because that is sadly a cost that we've seen a lot in the EU gas market recently and that we will see in the future because of our reliance on LNG and therefore on global price shocks that come as a result of that.”
  Low-carbon hydrogen
• “Madam president. Thank you, Madam Chair. Our car industry is experiencing a tough time because of Donald Trump's customs tariffs and unfair competition from China. We have talked at length about. The carmakers. But what about the suppliers? Mid-size companies, small companies. But suppliers are the heart of the European car industry. They produce the car parts, all of the parts that go into the production of a car in Europe. Now, to support our suppliers, we must absolutely adopt measures ensuring local content. At least 80% eight 0% of the value of the car must come from European components. So in the future initiatives by the European Commission, culture, gender and so forth, we will fight to ensure that there is 80% of European local content and especially regarding European social leasing, which to make small European electric cars truly accessible to all Europeans who need them. Thank you.”
  "Buy European" provisions
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to second the point that was made by the previous speaker on the importance of EU, UK relations when it comes to the electricity grid, and to share with all the colleagues in the room the fruitful discussion we had yesterday in the EU, UK delegation, where we talked with with MPs from the House of Commons and the House of Lords from all parties, but with the fact that now we have the Labour government and for the first time since Brexit, a rational government on the side of the UK. We should really seize that opportunity in order to make sure that we can have concrete cooperation with the EU and the UK. And I think electricity grid is a topic that is big enough to matter politically, and therefore we can serve on that political willingness for reset of EU, UK relations. And it's also an area where we have clearly, as the previous speaker said, a win win scenario. My second point is on the need to make sure that in this report, we call for the commission to go a step further when it comes when it comes to the standardisation of components of the European electricity grid. To share one example I was discussing three weeks ago in Ukraine with with the minister, the energy minister of Ukraine, Mr.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Brazil. I would like to first warmly thank the rapporteur for her draft report. It is indeed a very good basis for us to start the negotiations, and it clearly highlights the main priority of this report, which is a clear and concrete way to phase out Russian fossil fuels. That is a top priority, and I'm happy that during the first shadow meeting, we saw that six out of the eight political groups. So the six groups representing more than 80% of the European Parliament, all agreed on the necessity to immediately phase out Russian fossil fuels. Indeed, this report is happening in a specific context where we need to learn the lessons from the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine and how Russia has been weaponizing energy to divide us. I'm thinking about the debates we had in this house on Nord Stream a couple of years ago, but also how Vladimir Putin understands the way he can weaponize energy and directly target through cyber attacks, through military attacks on the energy system in Ukraine. And I was myself, together with other MEPs in Kyiv, in Ukraine three weeks ago to do just that, to learn from the Ukrainians how Russia is attacking them and how Russia might or may attack us directly in the near future. So the priorities for me and for the social democratic group is first phasing out Russian fossil fuels. And I want to be clear, we know that among EU leaders there is at least one traitor, Viktor Orban. But we know also that there are other leaders that maybe sometimes talk like Winston Churchill, but act like Neville Chamberlain. And I'm thinking of the president of the French Republic, since I am French myself, and therefore we as parliamentarians need to show in a big show of unity that when we do speak like Winston Churchill, we actually intend to also act like.”
  Fossil fuels
• “Marseille is on fire, and the far right is averting its gaze. I therefore have in my thought the firefighters in Marseille continuing to battle the flames. I also think of the people of Marseille, my friends, L'Atelier, Christophe Pascal. And I feel deep anger because for 30 years now, scientists have been warning us about the danger of climate deregulation, disorder intensifying forest fires. I mean, it's not just a TikTok video that will save Marseilles from the flames. Rather, it is the courage of the firefighters and indeed our courage as politicians to tackle the root cause of this scourge, namely climate change. Just today, the majority on the right and the far right of this Parliament have rejected our demand for an urgent European law on the climate. Colleagues, we must act before it is too late. We must act before we end up in a world in which the courage of firefighters is no longer enough to save Marseilles from the flames.”
  Climate efforts
• “(16:39:34 – 16:40:41): Commissioner, Donald Trump declared an illegal and pointless war and is now determined to interfere in European affairs and threatening to intervene in the methane reduction regulations. Now this regulation is crucial for two reasons. Firstly, to slow down climate deregulation. And after the heat wave that hit France and killed 7 people last week, this is particularly necessary. Methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas. It's incredibly dangerous and heats up the climate in an unprecedented manner and in reducing emissions absolutely crucial to tackle climate change and global warming. Secondly, the methane regulation means we are less dependent on Russian oil and this makes the energy market extremely opaque. We need to introduce transparency here, which is crucial both to protect the environment, but also to stop Vladimir Putin from getting around the laws that we wish to enforce.”
  Natural gas
• “Today, the extreme right is showing us once again that they have no sense of responsibility. Let's be clear the future of cars is electrical, as the researchers have been saying this for years, and it's so obvious that even the right in Germany is recognised through von der Leyen. However, the right here is is refusing to face facts. Are you too influenced by the diesel lobby, or are you scared that Vladimir Putin would find himself short of funds to fund you? Faced by the responsibility of the extreme right? What should we do? Well, let's stick to stability in our legislation and let us invest in Europe. Let us invest in the production and recycling of small cars adapted to the real needs of real people. I hear you saying that the the electric cars are too expensive and not accessible to poor people, and that's because you don't want social leasing. Because what we want is an electric car at €80 per month.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “Thank you. Chair. Today we're discussing how we can reduce energy prices. This is a key challenge in order to reduce bills and improve purchasing power, to protect the environment and protect our sovereignty, among others. But once again, I see here that there is a complete absence of members from the PFA group in this debate. There are 22 MEPs from that group sitting in this committee, but exactly zero of them are here today to talk to, to talk about reducing energy prices. But back to the topic at hand. How can we do this? The International Energy Agency research reminds us that thanks to renewables efforts over the past few years, we have managed to reduce electricity prices on the wholesale market in Europe by 8%. Therefore, we know a part of the solution will be investment in renewable energy production. We are aware of the solution and now it is up to us to act and to invest in renewable energy production and in connecting up the European network in order to build the electricity system that Europe needs.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “President, European industry is suffering because it depends on fossil fuels. Our predecessors made a choice. They put the future of our industry in the hands of Putin in 2021. Putin turned off the gas tap and that created a gas shock. In May 2021. We were talking about €20 per megawatt hour. Six months later, €100. By 2022, there had been Russian defeats in Kyiv and Chernihiv, and Putin basically cut off the gas. Today. Prices are high and are volatile between 40 and €60. The follow up, The Next Chapter, is a chapter that we can write. We can have prosperous industries if we have renewables coming from Europe. That's why I support this resolution from Mr. Giorgio Gori, because only if we have a European energy resolution will we be able to save our industry. Thank you.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “That's why I did ask to have an E3 hearing precisely on this, to have a foresight hearing that projects us into the into the future, and when we will realize that gas prices will increase in the future for Europe, we don't know to what extent there will be different scenarios, but this will be always bad scenarios in terms of gas prices. And in the US, gas prices will remain very low because Trump is in power. It drills baby drills, doesn't care about the environment. It doesn't care even about American citizens, just care about drilling gas. And so therefore, in that situation, Trump will also use our dependence on liquefied natural gas to threaten us and therefore lead to even higher gas prices. In Europe, however, electricity prices in Europe are still largely reasonable for the industry. That's another thing that I did ask in order to have an analysis, not EU, US, but the 27 member states and the 50 states in the US because the US, ladies and gentlemen, does not have there is no American electricity grid. There are different American electricity grids. Texas is not connected to the rest of the US.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Mr.. Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing your true colours. And thank you for showing clearly what is your political project? Negation of science, climate chaos and human suffering. I know of at least one of the men who likes your report and his name is Vladimir Putin. Why? Because a world, a world that seriously tackles climate change is also a world where Russian oil and gas lose relevance. A world where Russia becomes weaker. Given the close ties that there are between your group, the so-called patriots and the Kremlin, I understand why you are here protecting Russian interests by trying to cancel the 2030 climate target locally in this Parliament. There is still a vast majority of members of the European Parliament who, despite their political differences and they are care about adopting good public policy. So let us now work together as the coalition of people who care about democracy in Europe, who care about protecting the interests of our citizens. And when we do that, let's remember one thing we humans live currently on one single planet in a space that is vast. We are on Spaceship Earth that Spaceship Earth relies on one life support system and it is our environment. Let us therefore conserve what makes human life possible on earth. Thank you.”
  Climate efforts
• “Chair, colleagues, I won't repeat what my colleague and friend Mister Volgin has just said. I fully agree with everything he said, of course. But I do want to reiterate the general idea of this report. The future of cars must be electric. It must be affordable, and that needs to be reflected in the market. Indeed, the entire life cycle for electric vehicles is already 10 to 15% lower than hybrid or conventional vehicles. Yet we spend fossil fuels, and that has an impact on fuel on gas prices. For freelancers, for health care workers, prices are skyrocketing to 405,100 euros a year, and that's unsustainable. In light of this, our electrical market is ready. In France, it's up to 30% compared to 20% last year. That's a 10% increase. Just think about how quickly we will move towards electric vehicles. So we need to help our industry to move towards electrification, bringing an end to the increasing costs of new cars, which are inaccessible for middle class workers. We need to decrease costs for the working class, moving beyond our reliance on fossil fuels, and we need to mobilize corporate fleets. Now why? 60% of sales of new cars are corporate cars, and then 3 years later, they're much cheaper on the secondhand market. This is a powerful tool to provide vehicles to households with lower income. In light of the increasing gas prices and Trump's actions, we must act. And so I want to reiterate that we should set national binding electrification targets for vehicles from large companies, bringing an end to subsidies for combustible engine vehicles starting in 2030 and providing public subsidies to made in EU vehicles, which can stimulate industry and jobs in Europe. Of course, this could be improved to make things more accessible for low income workers and households. That's why we want to have special conditions for small vehicles made that are made in EU. Often, vehicles are far too expensive, so they're inaccessible. So we need to bring an end to this market. Company bikes is also something that we're not running counter to in this text. Rather, we encourage major corporations to propose e-bikes to their workers, and 5% of the target in the annex can be covered by this. So electrification isn't just about cars. We often hear that electrification will be expensive and that the state coffers are empty. But every year, we provide €110,000,000,000 in fossil fuel subsidies in the EU. That's incredible. €330,000,000,000 to third party countries to import fossil fuels. And look at the price we are paying for these imports, so the money is there. Our proposal is to just shift some of that money towards more electric vehicles, more sovereignty, and more European jobs in the future, thereby lowering the cost of mobility for the most vulnerable. So concretely, we want to bring an end to subsidies for combustible engine vehicles in 2028, and we want to go further because the market is ready. Europe must be truly energy independent in 2032. Every cent of public money should be going towards 100% electric vehicles. And that's why we would like to have a compromise amendment with other political groups. I'm we discussed this with the shadows, and I appreciate their work. And we've stand here strongly convinced that we need to electrify corporate fleets to make e-vehicles accessible because without electrification, we've got the working class on the one hand and corporate companies on the other hand. And every day, they're paying the cost for these combustible fuel engines.”
  Corporate fleet electrification: binding zero-emission quotas vs. voluntary approach
• “Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Putin has been waging a hybrid war on Europe. His aim is to re-establish the Russian Empire. His method is political destabilisation. His weapons financing for extremist parties, information warfare and what the commission has rightly referred to as an energy war. Over 20 years, Europe has become increasingly dependent on Russian oil and gas. And even before. Even before his attempt at total invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin used our energy dependency against us by reducing gas deliveries. In the summer of 2021, he created a real gas shock in order to destabilise European economies. Today, we as Europeans declare our independence from Russian fossil fuels. No further Russian energy should reach Europe as of the 1st of January 2027. Not a drop more oil. Today we know that we're able to do this thanks to the green energy revolution, because it is through energy sufficiency, energy efficiency and renewables that we will be able to reclaim our energy sovereignty and with it, our freedom. It is in this spirit that we socialists and Democrats, Europeans, will continue to contribute to the major pro-European coalition that we've built in this Parliament, and we support this text. It is with this same determination that we will negotiate step by step with Member States, so that Europe finally frees itself from Russian fossil fuels. My thanks go to all the colleagues from all the political groups that supported this agreement, and particularly my colleague Co-rapporteur and Minister for showing leadership during these negotiations. You can count on us till the end.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “(14:44:32 – 14:50:03): Thank you, chair. Let me first start by agreeing with one key element that was said by the rapporteur, Massimiliano Salini. Indeed, we have a very big challenge in front of us. I also think we need to take into account the new reality where we are. This proposal from the commission was made last year, and the world has changed significantly since last year. We need, therefore, to have a discussion that takes into account the new geopolitical reality, the new economic reality, but also the uptake of technologies that we've been seeing since February 2026. So let me make eight short points to make sure that we have a factual discussion in the coming month ahead of us. Point number one, the Islamic Republic of Iran is blocking 15% of global oil production. If this continues, and it has been continuing for more than three months, we will start discussing, as experts already do, about managing oil shortage. Second point, as a result of the Islamic Republic of Iran's choice to block the Strait of Hormuz, European citizens who still rely heavily on petrol cars are exposed to very expensive oil. A lot of our member states have been spending money subsidizing oil purchase as a result of this, and we now need to fight inflation. We have an inflation crisis again in Europe, provoked by an oil shock as a result of our choice to continue to depend on petrol cars. Third, this may materialize into an energy security crisis because we only produce 3% of the oil we consume while we produce 100% of the electricity we consume. Therefore, the debate that we have on petrol versus electricity is not only a debate about the future of cars, but about the future of Europe. Do we want to continue to rely on an energy source that we do not have and that is controlled by bullies? Or do we want to choose sovereignty to have cars that run on European energy? Fourth point, we see an increase of the shares of the sales of battery electric cars all over Europe. And I know some of us in this room believe that this is only a wealthy country thing. Obviously, Denmark is leading the way. In Denmark, 80%, 80%, 80% of the cars sold today are battery electric cars. But if you look even at poorer countries, Romania has a higher share of battery electric cars than Italy, even if Romania is much poorer than Italy. So we see that increase all over Europe, and we need to take into account that new market reality. Point number five, we do need biofuels and e-fuels for our military and for our civilian aviation. And I think as an ENVI committee, as a parliament, we need to have a strategic discussion and be mindful of the fact that we have a limited feedstock for both biofuel and e-fuel, and we need to make sure that this goes into the strategic sectors. Everybody, at least everybody who believes in European freedom, the vast majority of this European Parliament want to make sure that we have domestic European energy for the military as a strategic priority. Point number six, the future of the car is electric. I would like more people to say that, and I'm really happy that this is not only a social democratic point. This is not only the vision of Renew. This is also the vision of Ursula von der Leyen, the EPP elected president of the commission, who said that to us in this parliament last September. She said last September that the future of the car was electric. She's right, and she's still right today. Point number seven, the car industry has heavily invested in the transformation. And I think in this room, we should have a compromise that is built around the idea that we need to reward the people that are the pioneers. We need to reward the people that made the efforts. There are a lot of companies, big and small, that have invested in the change towards battery electric cars, and we should not adopt a regulation that would threaten those investments by the people that make an effort. So any regulatory loophole that threatens this is extremely worrying for us and for the future of industry. The last point is that we should not make the same mistake as Donald Trump. We know exactly what it is to have petty politics around cars. That is what happened in the US last year. It led to the US federal government making a U-turn against electric cars, and it led to a destruction of jobs in the US car industry. One major OEM, Stellantis, even lost €6,000,000,000, sorry, $6,000,000,000 as a result of the Trump policy against electric cars, and I hope we can learn from this US mistake, this US choice for the past, and therefore focus on investing in the future. So to conclude, what we want as social democrats, we want cars that are made in EU by EU workers and cars that run on European energy. We want a negotiation that leads to regulatory stability, that is making sure that we, in this parliament, can deliver the type of regulatory predictability that our companies, that our investors, that our workers, that our regions need. And it is in this spirit that we will be working to find a compromise with the platform in order to make sure that we have a debate that is based on fact, that is based on data, and that delivers a democratic support to a compromise that provides regulatory stability for the future of our industry. And here again, the future of the car is electric.”
  Fossil fuels
• “Last week, a heat wave hit Europe. At in Turin, it provoked blackouts because of the use of, because the use of, air conditioning caused the disruption in the power, grid. And in France, it's dilated the railway the railways which provoked train, lake trains. And as every year, we're we're going to have, forest fires throughout Europe, which are going to cause lots of damage. Climate change is destroying infrastructure all over Europe. Pilots are ripped out of the earth by storms. Things are being damaged. We know that there is a a high financial impact of climate change, €45,000,000,000 in damage. But for us to deploy solutions, we need to create a an adaptation reflex as scientists call it. We need to start thinking about the climate future, so 2040, 2050, and beyond so that the infrastructure we build now can stand up to the climate realities we need to face tomorrow. In that spirit, the SND are proposing a simple principle, climate resiliency from conception. Not €1 of public money needs to finance infrastructure, which is not adapted to, climate futures. This is true for the CEF, but also all other European funds. This is just common sense, and it's also essential to protect the safety of Europeans and security of Europeans. Thank you.”
  EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
• “Um, and a lot of uncertainties have come up. The dialogue, the strategic dialogue process has to be opened up in this action plan. But we have no information on this. But we'd like to know about the necessary evaluation of the emissions regulation, which we hope will start as soon as possible. And we really need to require the commission to start practicing the principle of technological neutrality, to make sure that the best technologies can contribute to achieving this necessary objective of reducing emissions. And most of the Parliament wants to do this. So how are we going to begin the revision of this legislation. Thank you. Mr. Commissioner. Relaunching. Simplification. Competitiveness. No. You are using words which are like an admission of failure. If you look at simplification, the plans that you voted on are suffocating our and stifling our industry and you're just giving yourself more power. You're saying that Europe is offering crucial predictability. And like we're coming back to legislation which was only adopted last year, now you're shifting of attitude is a proof that you haven't actually anticipated events and you are fixing setting unrealistic objectives in the automobile sector. The reduction of CO2 emissions is only just a bandage to try to stop some of the damage. I know we need to gain victory against your punitive ecology, but you will keep thermal engines by after 2035. But you want to do away with customs duties on electric vehicles. But are you really defending European interest? Let me ask you, if you'd have the political courage to change this dogma that you've been promoting, like all electric and overregulation, or will you continue tinkering with reforms where our industries and jobs are disappearing and going by the wayside? Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “Thank you. Chair. Thank you to the rapporteur, Giorgio Gori, for for the effective work that he's doing. And also thank you to all the esteemed colleagues for the quality of the debate we are having this this morning. I want to focus on the issue of energy prices. We need to face reality. European gas prices have always been more expensive than American gas prices, and this is due to one thing that we as MEPs, cannot change geology. Germany is not Texas. There is no vast quantities of fossil gas. The US is the number one producer of oil and gas in the world. There will remain so for the next decades, for this, most likely for this entire century. To be honest, while our gas reserves are going down, we are now importing 90% of our gas and 97% of our oil. The price gap between the US and Europe. The price gap when it comes to gas has increased, especially since the summer of 2021, and it has increased because of one man, Vladimir Putin, who chose to cut gas supply to Europe to create inflation, to weaken our industry, to weaken our democracy, to weaken our resolve, to stand with whoever is standing against Vladimir Putin, first and foremost, Ukraine and the future when it comes to European gas prices will be worse.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “€200 billion. €200 billion is the amount of money that the Europeans have given to Vladimir Putin since 2022. To buy oil and gas from him. Today, still, the European Union is the main buyer of Russian gas. Well ahead of China and amongst the Europeans. It's my country, France, which is the primary buyer of Russian gas. Last April we were looking at €1.5 billion of European money going to Russia. That is money that Putin is using to finance his war, to recruit thousands of soldiers who are going to die in Ukraine. To bring a close to this situation, this shameful situation. We have to act. I'd like to warmly thank the European Commission and especially Commissioner Dan Jorgensen, for the work that you have done over the past few months. Finally, you are putting on the table a clear plan for us to look at so that we can work together. We, the representatives of the European peoples fighting for freedom together. Let us turn this plan into reality. Together, let us free Europe from Russian energy. Thank you.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you very much for the work that you've been doing. Five years ago I was not an MEP. I was still a researcher. Sure. And one of the reviewers of the International Energy Agency, Energy Technology Perspectives 2020. So it's good to see the evolution also of those technologies and how some text well, let's say to scale down, I guess the latter. In order for those technologies to be more mature. Um, a few months ago, we organized, I co-organized with, uh, the EPP MEP, Peter Lisa, uh, working lunch on, uh, on those, those technologies. Uh, we also had a discussion with a so called exergy, which is one of the examples that, uh, you are, you are looking at. One thing that struck me in the discussion is that there is little appetite inside Europe to buy those, uh, let's say those those negative emissions. And so currently we are doing a lot. And this is bought by a lot of us individual and companies. Uh, which I mean, it's fine. I'm happy that the US is funding, uh, director culture in Europe. But in your view, in your view, do you think this is, um, let's say, a reliable model to scale, or do we need to find a way to ensure that European individuals, especially, uh, wealthier ones that care about the environment, like, let's say, the European versions of Bill gates? So to say, uh, also put their money where their mouth is. Um, and the same question for European companies. Uh, two last questions on specific sectors. Have you seen any, uh, use of, uh, direct capture, um, to capture CO2 that can later be used especially for fuels? Uh, we know we have a strong mandate in the European Union for sustainable aviation fuels.”
  Carbon capture storage and utilisation