Branislav ONDRUŠ

Policy topics Branislav ONDRUŠ is active on

What Branislav ONDRUŠ has said (34)

• 2026-06-15 “Colleagues, mister commissioner, reducing customs duties for American products to 0 while we have to pay 15% would be acceptable for some time if we also reduce our dependency on the use, but that's not happening. Now we're doing what the corporations want us to do. They say that they will accept these customs duties. But at the same time, these corporations want us to support their competitiveness by reducing other costs, costs related to the people who work for them, higher customs duties in The U. S, European corporations want to compensate this or for this by reducing social rights in Europe, by reducing their wages and so on. So let's support European export, but not by making sure that this money all goes to the profits of European companies. Instead, we should, for example, have a new regulation where we will have access to public orders in Europe or state aid only to those companies which respect trade unions, which have give good wages to their employees, and that would be good.”
  EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains
• “(11:51:30 – 11:52:33): Colleagues, if the EU single market requires that all European companies be treated equally in every member state, then I demand the same for employees. Trade unions in the banking sector in Slovakia face disregard and rejection from the banking association, which refuses to engage in sector wide collective bargaining. The and in Austria, Intesa and UniCredit in Italy, and key KBC in Belgium would not dare even secretly consider refusing to negotiate collective agreements. They wouldn't dare to toss collective agreements proposal into the treasury's out in response. Yet their subsidiaries banks in Slovakia have been doing just that for several years. They ignore trade unions, and some of them even prevent the formation of trade unions. They simply treat their Slovak employees as second class workers, humiliating them in a way that would be unheard of in Austria, Italy, or Belgium. Therefore, when you speak of strengthening the single European market, I demand equal rights and equal standing for employees, not only for corporations.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity for this important discussion. Because agriculture products and food represents a vital part of international trade. However, it would be a big fail if we will take it as business as usual, because agriculture and food is particularly very sensitively taken by the public. And if we are House of democracy, we need to take into consideration the importance of food and agriculture products for people. It is visible that there are very huge differences in a field of standards for farming, as well as for food production, or particularly for live animal transport around the world, and I appreciate that. The Europe is a front liner in a quality standards because it contributes to high quality of food, to preserving nature, to preserving animal welfare. However, it is visible that it creates unfair trade conditions and unfair trade environment for European farmers and food producers. It is particularly visible regarding the two agriculture and food product products trade between EU and Mercosur or EU and Ukraine, and this is very dangerous because in general, I. I agree with Mr. Winkler that that international trade couldn't be an enemy for for agricultural, agriculture and food production. However it is if we are failing in preserving fair rules and also in enforcement of fair rules for EU farmers and EU food producers. This. This led to distrust of EU farmers and EU producers to EU European institutions. And that's very dangerous trend. That means, colleagues, let's take fears of EU farmers and food producers, and also of environmental organizations and general public very seriously. And let's prioritize their positions and requirements over interests of multinational companies. And finally, there is a quite large mutual mutual understanding that we need to improve strategic autonomy and independence in key areas. And I really believe that besides energy, food security is a crucial for every country that means for European Union as well. Therefore, I believe international trade with agriculture and food production should serve to strengthen EU food security. Thank you.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU
• “Colleagues, on Friday, the 2nd of November in 2012, four workers died during the construction of a highway bridge near Germany in eastern Slovakia. No one provided them with protection at work because they were not employees, but self-employed workers hired by a company that were subcontractor of a subcontractor of a subcontractor. There were fifth in the supply chain, which means the main contractor didn't even know that these people were actually working for him, according to the European Confederation of Construction Contractors. 94% of construction companies are in fact small contractors at the end of a subcontracting chain. But in Slovakia this approach is also spreading to other sectors. I have found many such subcontractors on the premises of industrial companies, and the only ones who is profiting are the large companies. At the beginning of the chain. They are avoiding responsibility, passing on costs and above all, risk. The outsourcing of pandemic is a cancer on labour market. Therefore, we must act for the benefit of workers. That means restriction of subcontracting and direct responsibility of the main. In the whole entire chain.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• “Commission colleagues. Trump's trade war is backed by ordinary Americans because international trade does not bring fair profits to working people and their families. It doesn't do this in Europe. And that is why, in addition to the negotiations, we must start to systematically promote production and consumption in our country at home. If the EU is the richest market in the world, it must benefit our producers and our workers and their families, our elderly and disabled. We need to support the purchase of our products and services by promoting. Educating customers or through public procurement rules. Every single euro spent in this way must be linked to social and environmental requirements. We must not contribute to greater corporate profits, but to make a contribution to better working conditions, higher wages for workers, greater tax revenues from wealthier companies. It is enough for this Parliament and the governments of their member countries to change the rules so that the economy benefits people, not just corporations. This is something we want to do, not just talk about.”
  "Buy European" provisions
• “Thanks a lot, Madam Chair. Continuing or continuing the Johanns Johanns intervention? Dear colleagues, I would like to share with you information that on 19th January that means less than ten days ago, Amazon Slovakia dismissed the leader of trade union shortly after announcing of its establishment in the company. Even if it is clear violation of Slovak labor code. Mr. Jan Mizrak has been fired. At the day he came back to the work, after a period of paternity leave, he worked as an analyst for the software team in Slovak. In the Slovak Amazon. He told media that he had been hearing complaints from from colleagues about various problems in the company for a long time, and had also perceived an atmosphere of fear. Amazon's communications department responded that Mr. Mizrahi's dismissal was part of a workforce optimization process that was to affect multiple positions across various areas of the company. Amazon calls it a business decision made prior to the establishment of the trade union, in accordance with Amazon's internal procedures. Just for your information. Establishment of trade union has been announced in September. Mr. Mizrahi has been dismissed in November. Unfortunately, the case of Amazon of Amazon is not unique in Slovakia. In the last two years, I worked on more than ten similar cases when what represents huge rise of such companies behavior? Amazon's did did it. Despite the fact that all similar cases have been recognized as illegal by labor courts and opposite, there is no one court judgment in favor of employers. Finally, I can assume I can summarize that Amazon in Slovakia joins the group of multinationals behaving in Slovakia like in the colony, ignoring our labour law and disrespecting trade unions. Thanks a lot.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “Does it work? Yeah. Okay. The problems come from within and not from outside. And is a problem for workers and their families. Is this is one of the biggest problems spending our armaments is going up and armaments company. Are making huge profits with all these investments. Rather we must invest in housing so that housing is possible. From a young age where people are founding starting their families. We'd like to support demography. If young people don't have a roof over their head. We should invest in social housing. Housing and mortgages. Burden young people throughout their lives. We need to have public controls so that. That Europe serves workers and those in need can be strong.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you. Commissioner, colleagues, this proposal is motivated by legitimate anger, legitimate intention. However, I think that it has an economic economic that it has an economic rationality about and also is environmentally damaging. The will deepen dependence on selected suppliers and reduces our credibility in word. Why? To argue by violation of international law is hypocritical. In Gaza, Israeli soldiers killed 800 people in humanitarian aid distribution centers in the last six weeks. But the commission is not proposing to cut off trade relations with Israel, arguing reality is embarrassing. The U.S. is the most unreliable trading partner in the world today, using its economic power not only for blackmail by but, but also for unprecedented coercion. And you and the union representatives still call us strategic partner. Arguing with dependencies falls, as the commission itself argues that Russian gas imports already account only for 13% and the share is still decreasing. And the proposal. Finally, the proposal will mean an increase in import of LNG by ships from all over the world, which will lead to increasing harmful gas emission and pollution of seas and oceans.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Thank you. Colleagues, I fully understand the rationale of this already published legislative proposals, and it lies in a result of the fact that we found ourselves trapped. Consequences of decreasing of tariffs as proposed will be negative on certain European industries. But what is much more important? These proposals are parts of comprehensive decision which deepens our dependency on US aid. That means on the most unreliable and non-credible trade partner on the globe, which openly uses trade as a weapon against everybody and does not distinguish between allies and enemies. Therefore, in general, this is a step in the wrong direction. It's obvious that being trapped we have just few options, however. Therefore, the Commission should present a credible strategy on how to escape from this trap. For example, if the world comes to transform to multipolar, European international trade must be multipolar as well. And finally, since international relations, political, military and trade becomes more and more unstable and unpredictable, I want to see credible strategy of improvement of economic autonomy of the European Union.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “We must make European funds independent up to principles. No money for defence. No financing for future wars. The investments go into modernization. Improving quality of education. Health care. We must support integration of people with disabilities. And. Farmers and food producers must be supported too. Every euro in subsidies and European tenders from the European budget must mean fair wages and employment terms for workers and collective agreements. That means that European financing will contribute to fair development for peace.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “First of all, to me this is a very balanced discussion, and I really appreciate the selection of panelists because I think that they did offers us very balanced approach, very balanced picture on what is related to or what issues are related to the to EU Mercosur trade agreement. Um, I would like well, when we had, uh, the first meeting of uh, uh, Fair Trade Intergroup, uh, which is, uh, led by Ben Lange, uh, Ben, uh, by by offering us coffee, uh, joke that, uh, after a few years of asking, uh, uh, parliamentarian service to apply Fairtrade, uh, uh, principles on, uh, procuring of coffee. He didn't succeed with this requirement. And so for me, and I believe that also for us, I think that is absolutely fair. Um, not to trust that this fair, this trade agreement automatically will contribute to improvement of living and working conditions of people in Mercosur countries, because if so, why it is so big problem to incorporate, uh, free or fair trade principles to our public procurement, at least in the in this House. So I think that this discussion is absolutely fair, that it is absolutely fair to to ask the question. And I want to finally, I want to underline that we need to take into consideration relations of our trade policy with other policies, for example, public procurement policy. We now are in the period of assessment of public procurement rules. The Commission will propose some revision of public procurement rules. So let's to incorporate fair social and environmental standards to the to the public procurement rules. Let's make them obligatory for public procurers. And then the then also such a fair such a trade agreements can contribute. But if, if we have a problem to, to incorporate absolutely visible and transparent fair trade principles to our public procurement rules. I think that the the question if really this EU, Mercosur trade agreement will contribute to improvement of working and living conditions of people, there is absolutely fair. Yeah.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Colleagues, it's quite clear that European steelmakers are facing unfair competition. The importers do not have to abide by the strict rules that go for our producers. This is not about protectionism. We need to make sure that our industry can survive. We need to modernize the system so that the conditions are fair for European exporters. We need to bring down the energy prices so that we prevent other foreign companies making money on this instead of our companies. We need to also support the circular economy. The 19 million tonnes of scrap will have to be reused at the latest by the end of end of next year. I will never agree for us to bring down our social standards. I do not want us to help companies instead of our workers or the environment. This is why we need to really name what is the real problem of our steel industry. That is insufficient protection of our producers against the unfair competition. The Commission needs to act immediately so that protect our workers.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “Colleagues, we must spend taxpayers money more responsibly through public procurement. We will increase the value for money if public procuring authorities are required to apply the principle of social benefits in every public contract, not just to buy the necessary goods or services, for instance. No company can be awarded a contract if it does not sign a collective agreement or does not pay higher pay or average pay in the country or in the sector, nor a company that outsources most of the contracts to subcontractors and does not care about the conditions in which their employees work, simply said. Social and environmental criteria must be a mandatory part of every public contract. A low price cannot be the only criterion. Let's not be afraid to give preference to domestic companies. If foreign companies cannot demonstrate compliance with our social and environmental standards. This is about the European legislation. **Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Chair: Thank you. Mr. Pablo Arias Echeverria has the floor.”
  EU policy on social criteria in public funding
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Well, colleagues, you know me. I'm a radical socialist from two background, so my position is absolutely clear. And I want to thank you, Johann, for a great job you've done. However, I have two ideas. Maybe I will submit it in the form of amendments, but I'm not going to elaborate it now. I will do it in written, maybe personally clarify what I want to stress or what I want to describe now is how vital is the need to regulate subcontracting chains in any form. Um, let me to add, uh, to, to to the, to the example which, which was delivered by Johann. Another example from Slovakia. Very similar situation happened in Slovakia as well a few years ago. However last week I conducted a meeting with trade unionist, my colleagues from machinery industry. And probably you can't imagine how extended is use of subcontracting in this sector. For example, we have a companies which fired workers and they moved them to subcontracting suppliers to subcontractors. Let's say even if they continue to work at the same place doing providing the same job. You can't imagine that inside of factories we found a chain of subcontractors.”
  EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains
• “Quite often speak about CMS, small medium enterprises, like something, let's say special, um, to two companies. I mentioned, for example, this Areva, which is operating in many European countries or is formally registered in every country like medium enterprise, medium enterprise, in fact, with one owner somewhere in, in, in other countries. So unfortunately, I must say that these practices are visible in also in a, in a companies which are formerly um labeled as a, as a medium enterprises and therefore simply what we need, we need to improve position of Representatives of workers. We need we need deeply to change legislation on public procurement. We need to stop or to limit supply chains. What what we talk with Oliver and and in Europe are already already few months. So these, um, these solutions are, um, proper answers. Proper response to what we what we face now in in in Europe.”
  Due diligence in supply chains (environmental and human rights)
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Well, dear colleagues, honestly, I'm not shocked. I'm not surprised because this is a picture I know very well from my meetings with, uh, with trade unionists and employees of many companies, many foreign companies operating in Slovakia. Yeah. What I want to ask you is not to think that this is exclusive issue with the Amazon, and this is not an exclusive issue with so-called multinationals. Last Saturday, I met workers and trade unionists from two in Slovakia operating companies. Alibaba's. This is in Netherlands. Registered American owned company operating bus lines around Europe. And booster precision components. This is Germany owned company in machinery industry from Slovakia. And I must say that these, uh, these problems, um, these people in these companies faced the same problems, even if not necessarily connected with the use of, of AI. But the approach of owners is absolutely the same. The problems with occupational safety and health, for example, and other issues are absolutely the same. I want to remember to to remind you that just a few months ago, we voted on Parliament's position on revision of directive on European Workers Council. Dear colleagues, Madam Clerk and Madam, this year I want to remind you that it were ECR and Patriots who challenge the position which which was adopted by this committee on the plenary session and two thirds of EPP members, half of renew all of ESN, ESR and patriots voted against improvement of position of European Working councils. So that's that's the issue. That's something particular concrete example which is in our hands. And that's example Which which offer us to show if we are on the side of of multinationals or on workers. And finally, I want to I want to stress that, that.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “If the EU single market requires that all European companies be treated equally in every member state, then I demand the same for employees. Trade unions in the banking sector in Slovakia face disregard and rejection from the Banking Association, which refuses to engage in sector wide collective bargaining. The state and Raiffeisen in Austria, Intesa and UniCredit in Italy and KBC in Belgium, would not dare even secretly consider refusing to negotiate collective agreements. They wouldn't dare to toss collective agreements proposal into the trash without any response. Yet their subsidiary banks in Slovakia have been doing just that for several years. They ignore our trade unions, and some of them even prevent the formation of trade unions. They simply treat their Slovak employees as second class workers, humiliating them in a way that would be unheard of in Austria, Italy or Belgium. Therefore, when you speak of strengthening the single European market, I demand equal rights and equal standing for employees, not only for corporations.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “Madam Didier, please come back and look to the. To the result of votes on improvement of directive of European Working Councils, Patriots and ECR challenged this. This voting for a plenary and Patriots did everything to block improvement of position of ordinary workers in multinational companies. So in fact, what you did and it is absolutely visible and you can check it publicly available. What patriots did they stand up with multinational against nationally working people.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “We have been able to strengthen this, uh, proposal. A lot of people from the right of this house couldn't really understand how this would work for multinationals and how this in in East Europe, you know, we want to strengthen the, uh, large businesses. Now, those of you who are calling for competitiveness, the Patriots are the conservatives. Uh, uh, you are trying to, uh, subjugate workers to the businesses. But, uh. We also need to improve working conditions and improve salaries, uh, for those who are involved. Uh, that's why we're seeing, uh, for example in in Slovakia and improvements in this area, this, this uh, obviously the this proposal is an improvement. Things could be improved even further.”
  Minimum wages harmonisation at EU level
• “I'd like to mention the practical impact. The Slovak oil refinery covers our needs, and it's also supplying the Czech and the Austrians as well. So it's the biggest supplier of oil products in Ukraine. And that would all end in 96 days if we ban Russian oil, because the capacity of the alternative pipeline is 12 million tons, but we need 14 million tons elsewhere. It's 15 years old and it's only been used 15% capacity. So imagine you've got a 40 year old car in your garage and then you want to you're only traveling 2000km a year with it, and then suddenly it must do much, much more every week without even stopping. And then the Croatians would be charging four times in terms of the transits. Think about what would happen if you're looking at a pipeline from Italy to Germany, and then you would also have Ukraine. They're going to be asking for half of these costs. So this is going to be €100 million per year for Slovakia then. So I'd like to ask you to not be voting against these young, these small people in the workers.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Yes.Thank you very much. I'll be speaking in Slovak. Thank you very much. And I apologise for asking for the floor at a very late time. I would like to react. Certainly it's not our interest to stigmatise farmers. Quite the contrary. We take it very seriously. What kind of impact it would have if the market with Ukraine were to open up. And I definitely want to speak in favour of taking a very rational approach and taking into account individual sectors and perhaps even commodities, each by their own, so that they are not threatened, or that there is no damage to the European economy. Because, colleagues, we can't ignore that the US are offering peace to Ukraine for robbing their natural resources. And we are at a situation where we are supposed to pay for everything to the US, for example by irrationally removing barriers to trade. Apart from that, it has to be said that if we want to be fair towards our producers and regardless of whether it's in agriculture or producers in any other area, if we want to be fair towards our people, we want to be just as strict when it comes to observing social and environmental standards towards Ukraine as we are towards our own producers. And I take those worries very seriously, and we should all take them very seriously. Nobody wants to isolate Ukraine. It Ukraine, it would be a huge mistake that would turn against the European Union. But I want that opening up the door to trade with Ukraine would not harm significantly the agriculture or any other sector for the European producers.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Well, I must say that I am very skeptical regarding extension of use of artificial intelligence. Last week, for example, AI of Elon Musk praised for Adolf Hitler and blamed Jews for organization of migration. So honestly, I expect huge damages to be, let's say, delivered by AI to the entire society. However, um, I'm aware that, uh, that I will extend because it's, it's capitalists and especially multinationals. So therefore, regarding to the world of work, consider as the most important to ban any use of artificial intelligence algorithm or anything like that for decision making in the field of management of human work and people in general. That means no use of AI for evaluation of performance, labor efficiency or remuneration for recruitment or dismissal for disputes, etc. I mean strict ban on decision of on people by AI without any exceptions, and at the same time, the position and competences of trade unions to co-manage must be improved in order to take under effective control the use of AI in companies. Thank you.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• “Thank you very much. Well, it should be clear by now that Trump isn't and never will be an ally. His America continues a huge geopolitical, economic and cultural shock to Europe. We are becoming a US protectorate. Right. Josep Borrell Fontelles, Guy Verhofstadt and Dominique Ruiz de visa in latest issue of Politico. So, um, I, I think that the most important is to, to recognize that that maybe we are looking for a lie on the other side of the Atlantic, but there is no lie anymore. And I would like to, to to stress that these proposals, these two legislative proposals could be somehow maybe not acceptable. But let's say, uh, this could table, if they would be a part of a comprehensive strategy, how to decrease our dependence on USA. But but it isn't. And I would like also to ask one technical technical question, what are guarantees or how how looks Guarantees that that us will do what they signed under the this this let's say political EU, US trade agreement. Because as I as I stressed on on Monday's technical discussion, uh, us um declared uh, that will decrease, uh, decrease tariffs for cars, uh, by the first day of the month when European Commission will start legislative process, legislative process with these two legislative proposals started by the end of August. That means by the 1st August, we expect introducing of decreased tariffs for European cars. Now it's 24 or 20 4th September and White House didn't announce nothing. So I want to I want to know if I should vote on that. When, when we when the US will do their job.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Thank you very much. We're having this debate to look at ways of improving competitiveness, increasing well-paid jobs and good working conditions, and also protecting our environment. European competitiveness should not just lead to increasing value of multinational companies. We rather need to take an approach that we advantage or give advantages to European companies, and we can do that through public procurement. The signing of collective agreements and ensuring that they make commitments to perhaps go beyond their legal obligations. I think that the. Erosion of wages and working conditions, as well as bogus self-employment that have arisen in the age of technological progress, is something that we need to look at.”
  Platform workers
• “Even even, for example, move of components on forklifts is subcontracting and the sight of of machinery machinery company. Uh, so that means this in in Slovakia I can speak about subcontracting pandemic, uh, throughout the sector. And it is really not just construction sector, which is hit by this, by this pandemic. So unfortunately, this proposal will not serve to improve working conditions but to repair how how deteriorated working conditions are. And therefore it is of vital importance. And I welcome it and I want to ask you to support it. So finally, I just have one question, maybe, maybe clarification regarding the process once the report will be adopted since draft if submitted by Vice Chairperson of Ample Committee, I want to ask if I understand correctly that it falls under under the competencies of Vice President, because if so, I hope that we can successfully press on her team to speed up legislation work once the report will be will be adopted. Uh, dear colleagues, final final sentence. Believe me that it is also this technical issue is crucial because believe me that regarding this issue, the time is very important, is very important role. Thank you.”
  EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains
• “Al Musi. Bit. Modern. Dialogues. European. France. President. Emmanuel. Macron. Süddeutsche. Zeitung, Le. Monde. Financial. Times. And. El. Pais. Renew. Europe. Dialogue. Europe. Palestine. Israel. Usa. I was. A terrorist. A night. Europe. A. Miu. Miu. Ukraine a. Ukrainian. European.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you very much. I'm aware that this is a public hearing gone into committee. However, also my colleagues raised the question of, uh, improvement of production of semiconductors in, in the territory of the European Union. So I would like also to ask this direction, uh, how to, uh, assess how do you evaluate availability of qualified workforce for possible improvement of production of semiconductors or quantum, let's say production in Europe. Um, do we have specialists? Do we have qualified people for, uh, improvement for for extension of production at the territory of the European Union or, um, if we want to, to improve, to extend production in Europe? Do we need somehow to mobilise qualified people, um, out of European Union?”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• “Uh, colleagues, I support all measures that will deliver cleaner air to breathe. Cleaner water to drink, and cleaner soil in which we grow food. However, even the current restrictions on combustion engines have not delivered the expected results, and what I would like to see is a fair assessment of the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of cars, from the production of each component all the way to its disposal. On the contrary, there is ample evidence that the senseless pace and unfair methods of promoting electromobility are having a serious negative impact on the number and quality of jobs in Europe. Last year's global emissions of harmful carbon dioxide were the highest in history. That's why I reject the suffocation of our industry and most of all, the flooding of our market with foreign products that are produced in conditions that are appalling for the environment and for workers. I reject the promotion of electromobility, which benefits multinational companies at the expense of taxpayers. That is why the senseless ban in place from 20 to 35, must be abolished and replaced with fair and effective environmental protection that will not be paid for by workers and their families and will not benefit multinational corporations.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “Thank you. Well, um, I would like to say to Mr. Caspary that, uh, if you say, uh, lies, uh, quickly and if you say it fluently, doesn't mean that lies turn to the, to the trousseau and to your intervention. Unfortunately, your intervention was full of lies. And I would like to ask you to respect us and not to provide such visible lies to, to us on, on in particular in Israel. Well, and, um, I think that, uh, that it is absolutely visible and it is absolutely no doubt that, uh, conditions for immediate suspension of association agreement and for Imposition of any sanctions against Israel are met. So I think that this discussion has has no sense if, uh, if we will not, um, impose sanctions, uh, including trade sanctions against Israel. I want to call on the commission to do it immediately. And this is the only way how we can secure the rest of the credibility of the European Union in the world. Thank you.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Sorry. Okay, so I will speak in Slovak. Just very briefly, so that you understand why we have these doubts. Uh, I represent a country that has a strong automotive sector. And the problem that we have to face is the major differences when it comes to wages, to salaries that are paid to workers in Slovakia and the top managers in the headquarters of these international corporations. For example, in 2022, one of these companies in Slovakia paid uh to their workers an average salary of €32,000 per year per year. But the members of the board of this automotive company, they earned 7 million annually. So, um, here comes the question. I understand that, uh, this deal would allow us to increase, uh, exports. Uh, when it comes to automotive companies, which are also present in Slovakia. But what we're focusing on is how do everyday workers profit from this? And that's where the doubt is. Will the increase in trade really bring about good profit. Good benefits for our workers. Thank you.”
  EU policy on labour exploitation in global supply chains
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Yes. I want to confirm that social economy is important for every European member state, including Eastern European. Even if I must say that that this importance is not recognized properly yet in. In many Eastern European countries. However, regarding to the mid-term review, the first. My remark is focused on public procurement. What I'm missing in. In mid-term review is something like clear pledge of the, of the Commission to Improve Social Economy, the position of social economy entities and support of social economy entities in the revision of public procurement legislation, which is which is now drafted and the commission and is to come probably it will be published in next weeks, I hope so, as it was announced by the Commission. So what I would like to see in in the Mid Term Review of Social Economy Action plan is clear. Pledge that the Commission will take into consideration the importance of public procurement and incentives under the public procurement for further development of social economy. And my second question, second point is just to not repeat but underline, as already Colleagues mentioned the preparation of draft of new MFF. I must say that draft of new MFF and especially the draft of NRP. Shows that unfortunately, in my view, European Commission, let's say, doesn't take into consideration the importance of social economy for improvement of European competitiveness. So I would like to see also in this Commission's document a clear message sent to us and to European public that MFF will take into consideration the importance of social economy for for the improvement of, of, of European economy competitiveness and the, and that MFF will allocate proper funds to improve for the development of social economy. Thanks.”
  EU policy on social criteria in public funding
• “Thank you very much. Hello, Maros. I have one question I would like to ask on the process. In the Parliament. We talk a lot about how member states will co-decide on this agreement. We are talking about split votes and so on. So I would be very happy if you could explain the Commission's idea how the process should look. You have already mentioned the council. So how member states will be included in the codecision. Thank you.”
  EU political integration
• “Thanks a lot, Madam Chair. I also want to turn the attention to to Osh inspectors, uh, to inspectors, which who are delegated by the trade unions according to the ILO rules. We implement the system of Osh inspectors delegated by by the trade union itself. And I think, um, that, uh, we should focus also on enforcement of rules. So, uh, I have also doubt, uh, if there is a quite a large room for improvement of, of the legislation maybe. Yes. And, and I think that every one of us will welcome any suggestion in that direction. However, enforcement is is in my according to my experience is much more important. And and since I also have a doubt what we can do from the European position, from the European level in order to improve uh operations of National Labour Inspectorate, I would like to ask you, according to your experience, if if we can do anything to improve position of occupational safety and health inspectors who are directly representing trade unions, uh, if you if you think that that we can somehow improve their competences positions at the, at the workplaces, at the company level, uh, or through collective bargaining, competences of trade unions or whatever. So, so my question is if, uh, if you suggest or according to your experiences, if we some in any way can improve the position of Osh inspectors representing trade unions. Thank you.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• “I'm convinced the competitiveness of our businesses must serve the employees. And if we are going to talk about how we're improving and enhancing competitiveness, then we need to understand that the enterprises that are involved need to pay a fair wage to workers, and we need to support that. And that's why I'm very much in favor of public procurement processes, selecting companies that have signed fair wage agreements. And if we're financing the market, we need to ensure that it ends up in the hands of fair employers. And that's why I believe we need to act on public procurement to ensure that we incentivize this kind of behavior. So including contracting.”
  EU policy on social criteria in public funding