João COTRIM DE FIGUEIREDO

Policy topics João COTRIM DE FIGUEIREDO is active on

What João COTRIM DE FIGUEIREDO has said (18)

• 2026-06-17 “(09:55:13 – 09:56:29): Thank you, mister chairman and minister of one, commissioner Serkovic. I only have one minute for a very long agenda in the council, so I'll concentrate on competitiveness to once again ask for speed and urgency. On speed, okay, Europe is moving a bit faster, but the rest of the world is moving at warp speed. And we keep falling behind, basically, because we are massively underestimating the gigantic impact of AI in its exponential growth massively. The events of the past few weeks should be a wake-up call. I'm not sure they were. And this is where boldness comes in. If competitiveness is really a priority, we cannot put AI as a sub sub sub point of the council agenda or a footnote of recycled funds in the MFF. AI should be the main point of the agenda because AI's challenge is essential for Europe and should be treated as an emergency. Therefore, I urge this council to make bold choices now, change the MFF to multiply investment in AI and remove regulatory barriers that make it impossible to train AI models in Europe. It is hard. I know. It means making tough choices about the MFF. Some things we like, we'll get less money so that the things we need get more money. It is Europe's long-term relevance. I did a stake. Sorry. Be bold. There is still time.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• 2025-08-15 “P-003245/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission The Instituto para a Democracia Multipartidária (IMD) and the Fundação Mecanismo de Apoio à Sociedade Civil (MASC) are independent civil society organisations (CSOs) with extensive experience in capacity building, outreach, and political processes. These organisations were mandated by the Technical Commission to facilitate the implementation of the Political Commitment for a National Inclusive Dialogue. Support from the EU and its Member States (Germany, Sweden and Ireland) was channelled through these CSOs which act as an additional safeguard to foster inclusivity in this important national process. The EU has consistently supported dialogue and advocated for an inclusive, meaningful process, even prior to the adoption of the Political Commitment. Such dialogue was called for by Mozambican civil society and subsequently formalised in law (Lei nº 1/2025, 11 April 2025). This EU project is funded under the 2025 Human Rights and Democracy thematic programme allocation for Mozambique. As with all EU support provided to CSOs, rigorous financial management rules and monitoring mechanisms apply to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of resources. On 15 August 2025, Venâncio Mondlane’s party was formally approved, an important step that opens the way for his participation in the National Inclusive Dialogue. Through its support to the Political Commitment, the EU seeks to foster the necessary conditions for a constructive participation of all relevant stakeholders. The EU is in contact with all parties, including opposition forces, as demonstrated in meetings such as with Venâncio Mondlane on 20 August 2025.”
  EU policy on African region
• 2025-06-24 “E-002538/2025 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission As part of the commitment undertaken in the ProtectEU Strategy 1 to follow up on the recommendations of the High-Level Group on access to data 2 , the Commission announced in the Roadmap for effective and lawful access to data for law enforcement 3 to carry out in 2025 an impact assessment with a view to updating EU rules on data retention as appropriate. The impact assessment launched in May 2025 aims at identifying policy options for possible action at EU level, both of non-regulatory and regulatory nature, to ensure the availability of certain categories of non-content data for the purpose of carrying out successful criminal investigations and prosecutions, while protecting fundamental rights, preserving cybersecurity and the integrity of the EU single market. In line with procedure, a decision as to a legislative proposal will be taken following the completion of the impact assessment. Concerning the ePrivacy Directive, the Commission has announced in its work programme 2025 that the proposal for a Regulation 4 will be withdrawn 5 . The Commission is currently assessing the different options for any future action concerning rules on the privacy of communications data. 1 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-presents-protecteu-internal-security-strategy-2025-0401_en. 2 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/networks/high-level-group-hlg-access-data-effective-law-enforcement_en. 3 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-presents-roadmap-effective-and-lawful-access-data-lawenforcement-2025-06-24_en. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52017PC0010. 5 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/7617998c-86e6-4a74-b33c249e8a7938cd_en?filename=COM_2025_45_1_annexes_EN.pdf.”
  Privacy & law enforcement
• “(10:26:02 – 10:27:32): Thank you, madam president, mister Vasquez, president of the commission. Dear colleagues, today, I want to talk about madness. Because 33 years after the creation of the single market, we are still imposing tariffs on ourselves. It's madness because Europe's competitiveness crisis is fundamental fundamentally a single market crisis. Another sign of madness. While 10,000,000 sit idle in European bank accounts, our startups move to The US for funding often with European money. Europe does not lack capital. Europe leaks capital. So it's madness not to complete the Capital Markets Union. It is also madness that our trade in services within the with the rest of the world grows faster than between our own member states. And why? Because our companies are lost in a maze of 27 national jurisdictions. It is madness, and it is because we insist on resisting harmonization. And finally, it is madness madness that this happens because certain national governments are too blind to see the obvious that their national interest depends on the success of the European project, specifically on the success of the single market. It's madness not to see this. So for those of us who are not mad, the choice is simple. 1 market instead of 27 alibis. Thank you. Thank you very much, mister Arias Chevarria. Thank you”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you madam president, mister commissioner, minister. Today we say it is time to complete the single market but that implies we're almost there but are we really? Let's take a look. We should might now have the twentieth regime but we don't. What's blocking it? We should have a European energy market but we don't. Is the French nuclear lobby blocking it? And European telecoms market, we should have it but we don't. What's blocking it? We should have a capital markets union but we don't. Are the national market supervisors blocking it? Or a complete banking union, we should have it but we don't. Are the in Germany blocking it? We should have harmonized labeling or recycling rules but we don't. What is blocking it? We should have our academic and professional qualifications recognized across Europe but we don't. Again, what's blocking it? Because without a true single market Europe is blocked either by selfish economic or national interests or by own infuriating slow pace and bureaucracy. No wonder we don't have any European company in the top twenty-five most valuables anymore. No wonder our young talent prefers to go work elsewhere. We can and must unblock Europe. We will. It will take courage and speed but let's unblock Europe.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you. Chair.And very brief. Gracias. Thank you Commissioner. I fully share your comments on Mercosur and the importance of it. The European Parliament, from my point of view, made a serious mistake in renouncing its prerogatives and leaving decision making up to judicial bodies which are removed from political decision making. As curious as you say, But in this case, at least, we've decided that, at least temporarily, someone else will be making that decision. I was going to ask you. Whether the commission, in parallel with that mandate will apply this provisionally. And if if you if I were asked what the chair asked you, I would also say I'd apply it immediately. But I would also say apply it when the Mercosur states are prepared for it. My question then would be if we're going to wait to apply provisional measures until everyone is prepared and has notified their ratification instrument, or would it be possible to apply it? Gradually, given that some member states are much further along than others? Thank you.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Thank you. Madam Minister. Mr. Commissioner, the present EU, US trade environment is so bizarre that today, the 9th of July, the only source of relief is that we did not receive a letter. But it is only a temporary source of relief. In three weeks we will be anxious again, waiting to receive another letter or perhaps reach a personal agreement, or perhaps a late night post telling us which tariffs will apply. This would be laughable if it were not so serious. We are the largest commercial partnership in the world. We represent some 30% of global trade and 43% of global GDP, and we depend on whether the letters arrive or not and on the whims of an unpredictable administration. In the meantime, the existing tariffs, the 10% baseline, the 50% on steel and 25% on cars are strangling our growth. And the same is true for the relentless appreciation of the euro. 14% since the beginning of the year. Equivalent to another hidden tariff. Now we have a political agreement. We need to move to sectorial agreements. Speed is important, but we will not be able to close all files by the 1st of August. So let us be smart and not start with those like aircraft parts and medical equipment in which the EU has some leverage in time. A deal is possible as well as urgent. Also, urgent is closing other free trade deals around the world and making them come into force much, much faster. The benefits of free trade for our citizens cannot, so to speak, We lost in translation.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Vice President of the Commission, dear colleagues, today I want to talk about madness because 33 years after the creation of the single market, we are still imposing tariffs on ourselves. It's madness because Europe's competitiveness crisis is fundamental, fundamentally a single market crisis. Another sign of madness. While 10 million, trillion trillion euros sit idle in European bank accounts are start ups move to the US for funding, often with European money. Europe does not lack capital. Europe leaks capital. So it's madness not to complete the Capital Markets Union. It is also madness that our trade in services within the. With the rest of the world grows faster than between our own Member States. And why? Because our companies are lost in a maze of 27 national jurisdictions. It is madness, and it is because we insist on resisting harmonization. And finally, it is madness. Madness that this happens because certain national governments are too blind to see the obvious, that their national interest depends on the success of the European project, specifically on the success of the single market. It's madness not to see this. So for those of us who are not mad, the choice is simple. One market instead of 27 alibis. Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Mr. president, madam Commissioner. If we don't have a modern infrastructure, we won't have an energy transition, competitiveness or future. This is the backbone. The electricity grid is the backbone of the EU energy system. It is fragmented and it is not prepared for the kind of increases in demand that we're likely to see that experts forecast. We need more investment, more technology, more Investment by 23,584 billion to deal with increasing demand and improving interconnectivity. Lower prices, higher competitiveness. Families and companies paying €40 billion. This could would be the benefit to families and companies. This could happen every year. This is liberal techno sustainability. But we need clear rules, rapid solutions, private investment, digital solutions, electrification of Europe, which is not bogged down by red tape or subject to national protectionism. The kind of problem that led to the blackout in Spain. With the interconnection to France. We need a simple solution. We need to be courageous because otherwise we'll be dependent and will be unable to compete.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you. Chair. I'll be quick, because I renew does not have any objection to the application of the simplified procedure in this case. But as a liberal and a shadow rapporteur on this, we do object to the fact that there wasn't any sufficient discussion on two issues that may affect the liberal principles, the first one being the limited role of government, the limited role of government, which is normally in favour of an increased role of the private citizens and the private companies, and in this case, the way this interpretation is supposed to work does, in fact increase the power that the European Union, in this case a superstate, has over private citizens and private companies. And that has not been sufficiently discussed, especially because the second principle of fact based policymaking has also not been totally respected, because we know very little about the instances in which these cases have been brought to trial, their amounts and their effectiveness. As Mr. Nick has already explained here and tried to ask here as well. Those amounts, those cases could have justified a greater exception to the limited role of government principle. So, as I said, we have no objection that this simplified procedure is applied in this case, but it should be obvious to everyone that in future cases, the principle of what the European Union is trying to do and what it's trying to get out of a bad deal that it freely entered into years ago should be taken in much more consideration. Thank you.”
  EU political integration
• “Thank you, chair, and thank. You.Representative of the Commission, for a very comprehensive and insightful report of what happened in the latest high level economic dialogue. I think the world is watching as different economic regions and blocs adopt different approaches to trade. China remains a Communist Party controlled state capitalism country that uses trade trade as a political tool. The US has embarked recently on a protectionist and arbitrary trade policy route, which nobody can understand, and nobody knows where it's going to lead. None of them are good models for us. And conversely, what is happening with our partnership with Japan is a good model has shown that comprehensive trade deals, driven by regulatory alignment and market openness, can deliver and have delivered tangible results. In this context, I have three questions for the Commission. What specific actions are? Are intended to be put in place to remove the remaining non-tariff barriers between the EU and Japan. Secondly, how can we guarantee that the cooperation between the European Union and Japan on strategic sectors such as digital tech, green innovation and critical raw materials remain based on market principles, avoiding costly and distorting subsidy led approaches. And finally, this successful free trade agreement, does it provide key lessons that we can adopt in the implementation of other free trade agreements regarding the effectiveness, efficiency and competitiveness of our trade agreements with the the current countries or future countries with which the European Union may reach those agreements. Thank you.”
  Trade relations with Japan
• “Mr. chair, thank you, Mr. Commissioner. I fully support the Commission's proposal. That's not a surprise. I'm one of the VP's of renew group. So this clear sign of political resolve not to keep financing Putin's war is obvious. But I do think we can be more ambitious because the deadline to ban the short the long term contracts is too long. The war started 40 months ago and we are now saying it will take another 30 months for us to stop giving any cent to finance this war. I know it's going to be an inconvenience for some member states and for some companies, but it's not going to be a bigger inconvenience than the one that the Ukrainians are suffering. And as long as member states or companies individually in Europe can promote their own self-interest more than than the solidarity they should have to somebody that's being attacked. We should not be surprised that our foreign policy is not taken seriously. So I urge you to anticipate 912 months, even the deadline for the ban of long term contracts. Thank you.”
  EU-Russia relations (from March 2022)
• “Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Commissioner. Mr. Minister. The competitiveness compass has finally set Europe in the right direction. The direction of growth by creating the conditions to make the most creativity of our citizens and the strength of our companies and the direction of simplification. Yet another attempt to cut red tape that tape that is strangling our families and our businesses. But let's make sure this time we make it work. But if the competitiveness compass is not to be just another pretty strategy document gathering dust in some Brussels shelf, and to avoid what Draghi calls Europe's slow agony towards economic and political irrelevance, we need decisive and urgent action, and we need to change. And we are all aware that change always faces resistance resistance from those who benefit most from the current state of affairs, vested interests, bureaucrats, rent seekers and resistance. Also from those who say always yes, but they agree in theory, but they always drag their feet in practice and thus ensure that nothing gets done. As liberals, we are glad to confront them all and we urge the commission to do the same. We will be supportive and constructive, but we will also be watchful and hold the commission to account if we fail, because Europe's future depends on us winning the race and at the at the moment we are struggling to reach even the starting line.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, president of the Council. The message is clear, was clear. Europe is losing ground on growth, on productivity and innovation. So President Costa does well to convene leaders for urgent talks about competitiveness and as well to invite Mario Draghi, Enrico Letta to be there. Let us hope their presence serves as a wake up call. Let us hope that it can be agreed at some urgent action, because the truth is, 18 months after the drug report, its implementation is painfully slow. According to the European Policy Innovation Council, over 60% of the 383 drug recommendations are basically untouched, and those include most of the important reforms that would truly help European growth. In fact, we have little to no progress to show in crucial reforms such as Such the reform of the single market, the reform of state aid rules, the capital Markets union, and the liberation of energy policy from national politics. So because you serious about reforming Europe, we reaffirm our three main priorities, set out in a letter we sent to the Council on these. We must have clear and actionable conclusions tomorrow and the upcoming council in March. First savings and investment union. Europe has huge savings and tiny investment, which is absurd. Time to end fragmentation and eliminate barriers. Have a single strong supervisors. We need private capital financing Europe's future. Not sleeping in bank accounts. Secondly, the issue of energy sovereignty. Affordable, clean and secure energy. A real single energy market, integrated grids, more storage and less dependency. National interests cannot block this reform anymore because no economy can be competitive if its energy is expensive. And finally, to reduce our technological dependence on things like AI, cloud computing or cybersecurity. Europe must stop outsourcing its digital future. But please, please do this without falling into the protectionist trap of those who think every sector is strategic. It is just not true. So it is time to act quickly. But it is also time to act smartly. Thank you very much.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “President. Commissioner. Surgeon. Today you published a communication on the single market strategy. 13 months after the letter, nine months after the Draghi report. The European Union is still not breaking any speed records. And I think what Mr. Draghi had to tell us was no surprise that barriers within the single market cost us 10% of GDP. If we could get rid of these barriers, we could jump forward 6 or 7 years in one go. Getting rid of these barriers would be equivalent to getting rid of a 45% tariff on goods. And it would certainly be a good resource if we start a tariff war. Sorry. Now the scorecard with lots of indicators sounds good. Product passports. There are a lot of good measures that would simplify, uh, bureaucratic burdens here. But the most important part of the single market is harmonising rules. And all too often, these are prevented by the short sightedness of member states and parties here in this parliament. And there will be no single market if we don't overcome this. Now it's time to take a clear sighted approach and think of the common good. Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Commissioner. Mr. Minister, Europe's so-called competitiveness crisis is in fact a single market crisis because our potential is huge. For 150 million inhabitants and €18 trillion in GDP. But we don't make proper use of it. Example a today there are €10 trillion in savings in European bank accounts. While our start ups had to us for financing. Some say Europe lacks capital. I say Europe leaks capital because we have failed to build a proper market to retain capital here. That is why the saving investment union can help achieve example B. Did you know that since 2020, our trade in services with the rest of the world has actually grown faster than the trade between our own member states? This is amazing and slightly depressing. We find it easier to trade with external markets than with ourselves. We neglect our own home market, where companies are lost in a maze of 27 different national jurisdictions. We need the 2028 regime to do this. There are dozens of other important measures I can mention, from the recognition of qualifications to the integration of the energy and telecoms market, from the gold plating to the review of ring fencing, from labelling rules to letters. Fifth, freedom, innovation and knowledge. So much to do. And this Parliament has an important role to play. But national governments matter more. Why? Because most are too selfish and short sighted to see that their national interest is ultimately always aligned with European interests. The choice is simple do you want a single market or do you want 27?”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “I don't know who can force us to do something that we didn't like, like like it happened last year because we were too dependent on certain things. Where are you going to draw the line? What is the political process? Third topic Mercosur. Not on just a provisional application. I urge you the commission to do that. Mr. Lomborg was very, very clear about that. I second his words. I'm going to do something. It's a pity he is not here yet. Because her outburst forces me to have my own outburst. Because. Provisional application. I'm not going to discuss the deal itself, but the provisional application. Those who are against the provisional application, the only arguments they use are formal or legalistic arguments. It's the treaties. It's the role of Parliament. It's the procedures. Fine. That is of great importance to us. We are guardians of that. But those that are for provisional, the provisional application of this agreement are talking about the economic benefits, cultural affinities, geopolitical necessities, things that matter to the people outside and their day to day lives. And that is why some people outside look at this Parliament and ask, what's the Parliament for? Can it be overridden? Can it be ignored? Perhaps it can if all it worries about is legalistic, informal things which do not care for the people. I still remember the time when the left cared about the well-being of the people, and not just formalistic or legalistic arguments.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Thank you, Madam President. Von der Leyen. Allow me to address you directly. To remind you of the great wisdom of Spider-Man. With great power comes great responsibility. You have great power. You lead the executive unit of our union. And I had a chance to talk to you and also to Council President Costa, before your mandate began. Do you remember? So I'll ask you again today what I asked you at the time. Show leadership. That means decide exactly what needs to be done and then actually doing it, forcing it through. Show courage by treating what is important Better than what it is urgent and not trying to please everybody, as you've seen. It's not going to be possible. And show speed, please show speed because you know we can move faster and we know we are running out of time when we didn't need Draghi to tell us this, that we're running out of time and also that we run an existential risk. So I say again, you have great power. You have the great responsibility to reform the EU before it is too late. And there are four years left in your mandate. Use them to show leadership, to show courage, to show speed. Renew Europe will be here to help you, but the primary responsibility is yours. For Europe sake. I wish you success and good luck.”
  Von der Leyen