- 2026-06-17 “Commissioner. Madam Minister, Lithuania is a small country. Maybe, but the example, what we learned from its example is very important. Most likely, the Russian intelligence was behind the data leak in Lithuania. They wanted to obtain sensitive data on a member state. So it may have happened in Lithuania, but it is a problem for Poland, for any other member state and for the entire EU, because this was an attack that could have happened anywhere. Lithuania has been exemplary in resisting Russian attacks, and it deserves our solidarity, and it deserves also specific measures taken on the European level in order to counter any cyber threats in the 21st century. Sovereignty is not only about defending our territory, it's also about defending the security of our institutions and citizens. Thank you.”
Surveillance equipment & spyware
- 2026-06-17 “Thank you, chair. Commissioner, madam minister, Lithuania is a small country, maybe, but the example what we learned from its example, is very important. Most likely, the Russian intelligence was behind the data leak in, Lithuania. They wanted to obtain sensitive data on a member state.
So it may have happened in Lithuania, but it is a problem for Poland, for any other member state, and from the entire EU because this was an attack that could have happened anywhere. Lithuania has been exemplary in resisting Russian attacks, and it deserves our solidarity, and it deserves also specific measures taken on the European level in order to counter any cyber threats.
In the 21st century, sovereignty is not only about defending our territory. It's also about defending the security of our institutions and citizens.”
Surveillance equipment & spyware
- 2026-06-16 “President, ladies and gentlemen, what happened on Friday in the case of anthropic caused shock and disbelief and I couldn't believe it myself. But we as politicians were not elected to be shocked. We can say clearly that this is no. Accident. It is just another example of transactional policy using dependencies as a weapon of mass destruction. It doesn't matter whether we talk about AI or ammunition. It's a new world we live in and well, we should accept it as a reality. Our next step should be a discussion of what we can do about it. Europe must build its. Digital sovereignty step by step. Perhaps what the Commission proposes is too weak, especially when we look at the resolution from January of this Parliament for which I was co-rapporteur. But we need to start with open source first and creating demand for European cloud services, and then we should move on. We should strengthen the European digital players. It is enough to make us feel more safe.”
EU digital & tech sovereignty
- 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much for this question. I think that everyone, each customer, should have a choice whether these customers are private or public. What happened on Friday with anthropic was a precedent, but it is easy to imagine that closed source might be the subject of a similar decision. For instance, we might be deprived of the use of our office software, so that's why we need to support alternative solutions that are provided by European companies. So open and closed solutions at the same time.”
Promotion of open-source softwares
- 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much for this question. I think that everyone, each customer should have a choice whether these customers are private or public. What happened on Friday with Anthropoc was a precedent, but it is easy to imagine that closed source might be the subject of a similar decision. For instance, we might be deprived of the use of our office software. So that's why we need to support alternative solutions that are provided by European companies. So opened and closed solutions at the same time.”
Promotion of open-source softwares
- 2026-06-16 “Dear president, ladies and gentlemen, what happened on Friday in the case of Anthropic caused shock and disbelief, and I couldn't believe it myself. But we as politicians were not elected to be shocked. We can see clearly that this is no accident. It is just another example of transactional poll policy using dependencies as a weapon of mass destruction. It doesn't matter whether we talk about AI or ammunition. It's a new world we live in, and, well, we should accept it as a reality.
Our next step should be a discussion of what we can do about it. Europe must build its digital sovereignty step by step. Perhaps what the commission proposes is too especially when we look at the resolution from January of this parliament for which I was co rapporteur. But we need to start with open source 1st and creating demand for European cloud services, and then we should move on. We should strengthen the European digital players. It is enough to make us feel more safe.”
EU digital & tech sovereignty
- 2026-06-15 “Andre, we are proud and we are happy. We are happy that you're with us. And as was said, before, we are, proud that, we can act and we can be happy above all the political divisions, not only in Poland, but also in the European parliament.
We managed to build a majority, so that it was possible for you to get the Sakharov price. We are happy, and I am happy that it was possible.
And being here with you, I would like to ask you a simple question. Do you need to return to Belarus? Really? Because everyone is afraid. We are concerned with your health, your life.
You said that in September this year, you want to return to Belarus. This is maybe incomprehensible to some of us and a question, don't you see a role for you for you as a person who could talk, who who could be the ambassador of Belarus also outside of the borders of this country.
This is also a mission, to be to be had. Svetlana Chernoskogia is doing this, but we simply need you. We need you to be free. We need you to still keep on fighting.
So my question, do you really really need to go back to Belarus?
And the second question, what would you expect? What actions on the part of Europe, European Commission, parliament would you expect? Do you think we should open a dialogue with Lukashenko right now like Americans did also, which led to the release of a number of prisoners?
So what actions would you expect of us? Thank you.”
EU-Belarus relations
- 2025-07-09 “E-002805/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Annex III, Section VIII, Chapter VII, points 1 and 2 to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 1 provide, inter alia, that frozen fishery products are to be kept at a temperature of not more than -18°C in all parts of the products, while fresh fishery products are to be kept at the temperature approaching that of melting ice (around 0°C). Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1141 2 provides that, where frozen fishery products need to be at a temperature higher than -18°C to permit the use of machines that slice or cut fishery products, they may be maintained at such technologically required temperature for a period as short as possible and in any case not exceeding 96 hours. The Regulation did not change the well-established temperature requirements for storage and transport of frozen and fresh fishery products, but only clarified the existing legal situation. Therefore, no impact assessment was carried out before its adoption. The Commission carries out controls in accordance with a multi-annual plan, aimed at monitoring the implementation and enforcement of EU legislation on food safety. During an EU audit in Poland in 2020, non-compliances were identified where the temperature requirements for frozen fishery products were not in line with the EU rules on storage of frozen fishery products (e.g. around -10°C instead of -18°C). The work programme with the audits carried out in 2024 and 2025 is publicly available 3 . The audits foreseen in 2025 (from July to December) are publicly available 4 . 1 Available at http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/853/oj and https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2875/9883828. 2 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2024/1141/oj. 3 https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2875/963872. 4 https://food.ec.europa.eu/document/download/7b379fb9-f02c-4671-90153b8aa3297255_en?filename=hfaa_prog_en_2025_07-12.pdf.”
Environmental regulation of fisheries
- “Thank you very much. I would like to start by thanking you. For all the preparatory measures the presidency is putting in place, everything really started extremely well. I would like to thank you for the presentation for our group. The new industrial policy is of utmost importance. Our companies suffer through low competitiveness. Their counterparts in the US or China are in a better position simply because of much lower energy prices. I hope that you will guide the discussions in the Council to put this issue in the spotlight, and encourage the Commission to come up with a even more concrete and radical measures as a matter of urgency. We don't have time to waste. We need to act now or we lose our industry. The clean industrial deal should be the key part of the EU response. The expectations are very high and very broad. Renew Europe expressed our demands in a position paper published this morning. We believe that the clean industrial deal should consist of targeted measures and should focus on five pillars that are one secure, affordable and clean energy for our industry to support the uptake of clean technologies. Three provide serious financing measures here. American IRA should become our benchmark. Four ensure a level playing field for EU companies vis a vis third country players. And five simplify the rules permitting and access to EU funds. I want to ask, Mr. Minister looking at this list, what would be the presidency priorities here. And last but not the least, let us not forget about our space policy. You already mentioned this in your initial remarks. Please try to work closer with European Space Agency. Let's be the first ones on Mars. Thank you.”
EU competences on space policy
- “Thank you. Commissioner. Some time ago, President Zelensky heard at the white House the following accusation you are gambling with World War Three. Let us be very clear. The man gambling with global stability is not the leader defending his country, Ukraine. The man responsible for escalating tensions is Vladimir Putin. It was Putin who chose the war. He started it. He fires it every day. And he alone. Alone bears responsibility for its brutal continuation. And now we see another cynical chapter, the recruitment and trafficking of non-Russian nationals to fight in his war against Ukraine. What does this tell us about the value Putin places on human life? He drags people into his war from wherever he can. From North Korea to Cuba to African countries, often through deception, coercion or exploitation. This confused and misled recruits are not treated as soldiers but as disposable tools of war. This is not only aggression against Ukraine, it is the industrialization of human exploitation for the war. Europe must call it what it is and hold Russia accountable. Thank you.”
EU-Russia relations (from March 2022)
- “I'm not sure if I fully understood your question, frankly speaking. Perhaps because it was not a digital one. Um, but as I said, I do believe that we have no other choice than to develop our own digital solutions and that we have to do it now, do it immediately. Because, as drug reports stated, we are so much dependent that we are fully not independent when it comes to the digital solutions. So I know and I can hear the populist voices. This is not about the censorship. This is about our digital existence. That is the real issue on the table. Thank you.”
EU digital & tech sovereignty
- “Madam president, Madam Commissioner, the annual report of the European Ombudsman for 2024 largely reflects the work of the previous mandate. Still, I am glad that after just one year, we can already see that under the leadership of Teresa Engineer, the citizens of the European Union are in good and caring hands. The Ombudsman is one of the key guardians of trust in our institutions and I truly appreciate the effort that has already been made. Because as we have seen in this House, the Ombudsman sometimes has to face pressure from all sides. Some of the far right have tried to turn this process into yet another ideological battlefield, using it to claim that the union is somehow fundamentally broken. The best answer to that is very simple transparency, professionalism and fairness. But scrutiny must go in every direction. The Ombudsman must also be ready to challenge the institutions themselves, including the European Commission. For example, when procedures like urgent legislative processes risk being overused at a time of growing Eurosceptic sentiment, we must show that the European Union is close to its citizens. That is transparent, that is accessible and that it works for the people. That is a huge task, but an essential one for the credibility of the union. I also hope that the Ombudsman will continue raising the issue of geographical balance in the EU institutions. Too often we still see imbalances in the representation of different member states. My country, Poland, remains one of those underrepresented in the EU administration. A truly European administration should reflect the diversity of the whole of the Union. 22 years after accession is the highest time to achieve this goal. That is all. Together, we support this mission and count on the Ombudsman's determination to continue building a more transparent, fair and citizen focused Europe. Thank you.”
Activities of EU Ombudsman
- “Thank you. Chair. Colleagues. Energy imports in Europe are fueling Russia's war machine. We should take all possible steps to stop buying from Russia and its friends. I am proud of our itre and committees for making first big step beyond sanctions, which have their limits with unanimity rule being in place. Special thanks to my colleagues and Ljubica Karavayeva, who fought tooth and nail to make sure that the phasing out from Russian energy imports comes faster than initially planned by the Commission. On top of it, I am also happy that my proposals of strengthening the enforcement giving Member States specific tools when it comes to introducing penalties and extending the scope of entities covered by the rules, were fully supported. But this job is half done. Now we need to expedite negotiations with the council and convince our colleagues in the capitals that expanding the scope of the regulation also to oil and petroleum products from Russia is possible, even if we still need to introduce some exemptions. I think it is worth to make this first step ahead. Russia's war cannot be any longer financed by us.”
EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
- “Thank you. Chair. I'll be speaking in Polish with my colleagues. Ministers, welcome to the meeting of our committee. We are really glad that we have this opportunity to meet here and talk about issues that are of utmost importance. Have been of utmost importance for years now, but especially now, in view of the geopolitical situation. My question to Minister Hennis-plasschaert are for ETS to, you know, the position of the Polish government critical when it comes to the introduction of ETS two. What actions are you taking now to convince other member states to introduce delays in the ETS two system. Do you see any will among other member States to go towards your opinion, which is basically that the new system should be definitely delayed. Its implementation should be delayed because if it's introduced soon, this would mean a lot of costs for the end users. And my question to Minister Charnetski a nuclear Poland is very much delayed when it comes to developments when it comes to nuclear energy. So my question is what's your agenda? What's your time frame? Are you planning to do more to launch the first power plant that that is to be built at the Baltic Sea shore? And I know that the first one is to be built with the with an based on an American technology. So my question is, in view of geopolitical, geopolitical challenges again, and growing difficulties when it comes to relations with the with Trump administration, would you consider to have a different technology used for the second power plant from outside the EU? Thank you colleague.”
Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme · Nuclear energy
- “Thank you. Colleagues. There can be no doubt whether our digital rules should be properly enforced. There is no place for bargaining when it comes to the interests of our citizens and our businesses. Presidents, also, the US presidents, come and go. As a person who worked many years on developing transatlantic relations. I can tell you keep calm and make Europe competitive. Us will be back. Our relations have to be based on mutual respect and equal treatment. In the meantime, we have to focus on our own digital economy. We need an ambitious vision for building European digital ecosystem from connectivity through AI, semiconductors, cloud infrastructure and data centers. We need a comprehensive industrial policy, investments in the base layer of digital infrastructure, and driving demand for the European alternatives to the hyperscalers. It is key that we keep competitiveness in the heart of this process, and we do it together with our own digital industry. That is why we need to embrace the euro stack concept and make it finally happen. Thank you.”
EU digital & tech sovereignty
- “Thank you. Chair. Um, thank you, doctor Murek. Music, Doctor, Mr. Mishmash and Doctor Webber. Thank you for your extremely interesting presentations. Also shocking to me to hear about the state of the security of your premises. I want obviously, we need to make sure that you are as secure as other key European institutions. Let me say that these days, ahead of the Digital Networks Act proposal is very important to all of us to exchange with you and discuss how the telecommunications rules should be reshaped. You mentioned your considerations on the DNA, and I would like to follow up on this. I agree that simplification should not necessarily mean deregulation. At the same time, if the telco operators and other players in the sector are to become strong, globally competitive tech companies, we might need to think how the whole architecture should be adjusted. Competition between big and small operators, keeping consumer prices low and encouraging investments has to be at the heart of this legislation. This is our European model and we need to keep it and make it more efficient. But we also need to see how we can encourage better growth of the industry in the context of new geopolitical challenges and the need to better take into account the tax sovereignty perspective. So we need to make our operators great again. We also need more single market in order to create the situation where scaling up of the European market will become much more beneficial for the operators. My question is, how do you think Barack role could evolve in the near future? Would it be ready to assume more responsibilities not only in regard to the monitoring of the new market, but also in regard to the enforcement of the rules or in assuring its more uniform application across the EU member states. Thank you.”
- “Thank you, Chair. Mr. Director General, on behalf of Renew Europe Group, thank you for being with us today. I must say, I'm specifically happy because as a Polish MEP, I can say that we are waiting impatiently for the mission of the Polish astronaut to the International Space Station, hopefully in June. This will be the second, only second, Polish astronaut in history after, let's say, half a century break since the Soviet mission of the Soyuz shuttle. Now, the European space sector is facing multiple challenges, and your presence before the European Parliament is absolutely essential. It allows us to ensure democratic scrutiny of the actions undertaken by the European Space Agency. So let me begin with a first straightforward question. How can we strengthen the European added value of our space programs? In recent years, we've seen a growing interest from member states in space, particularly space applications for defense. This reflects an increased strategic awareness, which we welcome. However, we are increasingly concerned by a trend toward fragmentation. Several member states are launching their own small-scale satellite constellations, often duplicating objectives or technologies. How do you assess the long-term impact of this trend? Wouldn't it be more efficient, both financially and politically, to build larger, truly European programs, rather than a patchwork of national ones? My second question concerns the consequences of the US budget cuts on space science. As you know, ESA is a major partner of NASA in this field. One of the most emblematic examples is ESA's contribution to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch in 2026, but now at risk due to American budget constraints. What concrete impact do you foresee on ESA's science and explorations missions? And do you plan to recommend to member states a reinforcement of the agency's own science budget to compensate for the potential loss of data, especially in key areas like the climate science? Thank you very much.”
EU competences on space policy
- “Thank you very much. Madam president. Commissioner, Minister. What happened in the Iberian Peninsula left us all stunned. The chaos caused by the massive blackout makes us realize two things. First, how important is the climate policy and infrastructure for energy? Secondly, how important it is to ensure the safety of our society to pass on the information on how to act in emergency situations and to build civil defence systems, we have to build our infrastructure wisely. Our systems must be better connected with interconnectors. It should also be as decentralised as possible. As the war in Ukraine has already proved, what we need is cheap and green energy, but also some tools to help us stabilise our energy systems in the short term. The energy supplies cannot finance the criminal regime of Putin. I am very happy that we have a roadmap for becoming independent from Russian oil and gas. Minister, I wish you luck in these matters. I think no European country can solve it on their own. We need cooperation. Thank you.”
EU energy infrastructure integration
- “To me, there are five important elements. First, we cannot just afford another directive with the lengthy transposition process of the code that we experienced in the past. This is not an option for achieving a single market. Secondly, I believe that competition between big and small operators. Keeping consumer prices low and encouraging investments has to be at the heart of this legislation. Thirdly, we need much more harmonisation in order to create the situation where scaling up on the European market will become much more beneficial for the operators. Fourthly, we need to get out of the silos. Telcos, cloud providers, data centres. All different elements of the digital ecosystem have to be seen together. And last but not least, there needs to be a simplification of the rules in the telecommunications sector. I fully agree that we are not talking about telecom monopolies anymore, but we should not forget about regulators and berec. If we are limiting ex-ante rules, we should equip these bodies well so they can act when there is a need to ensure high level of competition and consumer protection on the market. Director viola, what are the next steps in the preparation of DNA? We are awaiting this piece of legislation. Eagerly, as you might expect. Thank you.”
- “Thank you. Honourable members. Russia's imperial ambitions of forcing suffering on the Ukrainian people. We are seeing generations of traumatized children growing up living in fear. We have adopted a fresh package of sanctions. We've also agreed on a support loan for Ukraine. Those are important steps, but not enough. We need to ensure accountability for war crimes, crimes. We cannot allow impunity for you, for Putin. We also need to ensure financing for Ukraine, support Ukraine long term. What about reconstruction? We need to plan financially for reconstruction of Ukraine. Finally frozen Russian assets. That is not something we can ignore. They will be key to financing reconstruction in Ukraine. If we allow political calculations and short term interests to take over. We will never achieve this. Thank you. Mr. president.”
Russia-Ukraine conflict (10th term)