Ewa ZAJĄCZKOWSKA-HERNIK

Policy topics Ewa ZAJĄCZKOWSKA-HERNIK is active on

What Ewa ZAJĄCZKOWSKA-HERNIK has said (20)

• 2026-06-17 “(15:46:36 – 15:48:04): The commission is proposing more bureaucratic measures, and this time, it calls it affordable energy action plan. Some in Poland might remind, might be reminded of communism. You are creating new problems, taxing fossil fuels more, and then you are surprised that it makes the price of energy go up. EU has almost the highest energy price in the world. You are really not connecting the dots. If you are taxing energy from fossil fuels more, then the end price of energy for consumers goes up. And what you want to do? You want everything to be electrified from the sun and from wind. This is so stupid. It just I really can't understand. This is opening the floodgates to poverty coming to Europe. The rich will be able to drive electric vehicles and be privileged, and the rest of us are going to get more bans, more, pry more higher prices and less possibility to heat their homes in winter. You are also scrapping jobs for the most vulnerable. This is it. Thank you very much. I would like to ask colleagues, please just keep an eye on the time. Miss Timgrim, please. Thank”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• 2025-10-22 “E-004173/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) 1 strengthens the competitiveness of the EU, as highlighted in Draghi 2 and Letta 3 reports and the Competitiveness Compass 4 . It will support projects, innovators and companies helping the EU build a competitive edge in strategic sectors delivering high EU added value. The proposal does not include dedicated national funding envelopes. Polish businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will benefit from support under the 4 ECF policy windows and the entire financial toolbox, including grants, guarantees, equity and loans. Through project advisory and business support, including EU4Business Network 5 , the ECF will provide dedicated support, especially for SMEs and in less-developed regions. Instruments, such as the value chain builder, will allow to integrate suppliers, manufacturers and innovators from different Member States. The ECF InvestEU Instrument, to be deployed by the European Investment Bank Group and national promotional banks and international financial institutions, will allow to address specific financing needs of EU Member States. The ECF proposal does not indicate funds available for grants and loan financing to ensure companies and projects can have access to the most appropriate form of support, however, it indicates minimum support delivered through the ECF InvestEU Instrument of EUR 17 billion. This amount shall be increased by contributions from work programmes under the ECF policy windows and the maximum amount of the budgetary guarantee will be EUR 70 billion. Polish businesses will also benefit from consolidation of the current 14 funding instruments into one framework of support for the EU competitiveness, which will result in simplified access to funding. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/european-competitiveness-fund_en. 2 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/competitiveness/draghi-report_en. 3 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/ny3j24sm/much-more-than-a-market-report-by-enrico-letta.pdf. 4 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/competitiveness/competitiveness-compass_en. 5 building on the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Cluster Collaboration Network https://eu4business.eu/.”
  Size of EU budget · EU industrial funding
• 2025-09-19 “E-003645/2025 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission The Commission proposal for a Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse 1 (the Proposal) relies on a thorough and publicly available impact assessment 2 . The provisions on detection orders included in the Proposal are targeted and are issued by a judicial or independent administrative authority balancing all the rights at stake and after a thorough assessment of their necessity and proportionality. The Proposal includes safeguards that ensure a fair balance in the protection of all fundamental rights impacted. It is now for the co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council, to determine their own positions on this topic and, based on these positions, to find a common approach. The Commission notes that the European Parliament and the Council have both adopted their negotiating positions at this time. The Commission will continue its support of the Council and the European Parliament in the interinstitutional negotiations to achieve permanent and effective protection of children against child sexual abuse online. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52022PC0209. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022SC0209.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• 2025-08-13 “E-003236/2025 Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission has not yet issued a proposal for new ecodesign requirements for space heaters and boilers. Since Article 7 of the Ecodesign Regulation 1 provides for a revision of existing measures, the Commission has launched a dialogue with industry and other stakeholders, including a Consultation Forum and a call for written input to prepare an impact assessment. For the impact assessment, the Commission draws on several sources, including data from industry and experts (e.g. test results, stock estimates, and information on technology, costs, and pricing), and uses the previous impact assessment and its preparatory study, as well as various publicly available scientific studies. Information from recognised environmental bodies and agencies, such as the European Environmental Agency, is also taken into account. The assessment of the effectiveness of the requirements in Regulation 2015/1185 is still ongoing. In accordance with the applicable procedure, the final impact assessment is only made public at the time of publication of the revised regulation. Nevertheless, the Commission is transparent about the sources used. It also maintains dialogue with stakeholders and will continue involving the Consultation Forum for Ecodesign and Energy Labelling, including to validate key assumptions and findings of the techno-economic analysis. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/1185/oj/eng.”
  Energy efficiency · EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• 2025-04-07 “E-001405/2025 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission Directive (EU) 2021/1883 1 applies to all Member States except Ireland and Denmark, in accordance with Protocol No 21 2 and Protocol No 22 3 , annexed to the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Consequently, Denmark is not bound by EU legislation in the area of legal migration (optout), while Ireland has chosen to not opt-in to the Directive. Directive (EU) 2021/1883 harmonises the conditions of entry and residence for third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. Member States are required to put in place the necessary procedures in line with the relevant provisions of the Directive and they remain competent to assess applications for an EU Blue Card. In all instances, in accordance with Article 79(5) of the TFEU, Member States retain the right to determine the number of admissions of third-country nationals seeking work in their territory. Regarding family reunification, Directive 2003/86/EC 4 applies, subject to some specific derogations. Article 4 of that Directive enumerates the family members who are entitled to family reunification subject to compliance with the conditions laid down in this Directive. These are the Blue Card holder’s spouse as well as minor dependent children, including adopted children. In addition, Member States may choose to authorise the entry and residence of other family members, including dependent ascending relatives, adult unmarried children, unmarried or registered partners with their dependent children in compliance with the conditions laid down in Directive 2003/86/EC. 1 Directive (EU) 2021/1883 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2021 on the conditions of entry to and residence in the Union of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment, and repealing Council Directive 2009/50/EC, OJ L 382, 28.10.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2021/1883/oj. 2 Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Protocol (No 21) on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, p. 295, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/treaty/tfeu_2016/pro_21/oj. 3 Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Protocol (No 22) on the position of Denmark, OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, p. 299, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/treaty/tfeu_2012/pro_22/oj. 4 Council Directive 2003/86/EC of 22 September 2003 on the right to family reunification, OJ L 251, 3.10.2003, p. 12.”
  Legal migration
• 2024-10-17 “E-002149/2024 Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) aims to boost national capacities and improve procedures for migration management, as well as to enhance solidarity and responsibility sharing between Member States. Poland’s AMIF programme 2021-2027 was approved in 2022 1 and sets out how the fund should contribute to these objectives, including by supporting the integration of third-country nationals. The total allocation for Poland under AMIF 2021-2027 amounts to EUR 236.87 million, and this is being reinforced by an additional EUR 27.85 million. Actions under the programme’s specific objective ‘Legal migration and integration’ include setting up a network of centres for the integration of foreigners (‘one-stop shops’). A call for an indicative amount of EUR 100 million was launched in March 2024 for this purpose. According to Poland’s AMIF programme 2021-2027, 150 000 participants would be supported by actions for integration under the programme by 2029. Moreover, the sixteen regional cohesion programmes for Poland for 2021-2027 allocated a total of EUR 229 million from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to support integration of third-country nationals in Poland. Some of the activities also concern these centres, ensuring synergies with AMIF funding. Since these programmes are implemented in shared management, the responsibility for implementing the individual actions planned lies with the Polish authorities, who can provide more detailed information on these individual actions. 1 Implementing Decision C(2022) 9060 approving the programme of Poland for support from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the period from 2021 to 2027.”
  Legal migration · EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• 2024-10-11 “E-002029/2024 Answer given by Ms Simson on behalf of the European Commission Buildings are the largest energy consumer sector in Europe. Improving their energy performance require investments, but over time improvements pay back and show multiple benefits, including contributions to energy security, energy and climate goals and lower energy bills. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is key for a zero-emission building stock in the EU, together with other parts of the enabling framework e.g. the Renewable Energy Directive, Energy Efficiency Directive, Ecodesign, and Energy labelling 1 . As regards the EPBD, it does not impose mandatory renovations for residential buildings. Instead, Member States shall adopt a national trajectory to reduce the average primary energy use of the residential building stock by at least 16% by 2030 and 20-22% by 2035. Member States have flexibility to choose how to achieve the targets. The EPBD has contributed to energy savings amounting to 57 million of tonnes of oil equivalent in the residential sector between 2006 and 2022 2 , making housing more affordable. Investing in energy renovation of buildings and high-performing new construction pays off through lower energy bills and better-quality housing. It is essential to support renovation investments. The EU has significantly increased financing to support renovations, with more than EUR 100 billion from the EU budget. The Commission is monitoring the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/1275, which includes a review clause due in 2028. The Commission President-elect has tasked the future Commissioner for Energy and Housing to put forward a European Affordable Housing Plan, a European Strategy for Housing Construction and a pan-European investment platform for affordable and sustainable housing. 1 Renewable Energy Directive (RED; EU/2023/2413, Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) EU/2023/1791, Ecodesign/ESPR EU/2024/1781, Energy labelling EU/2017/1369. 2 https://www.indicators.odyssee-mure.eu/energy-saving.html”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-10-10 “E-002011/2024 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission Under Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code 1 Member States may temporarily reintroduce internal border control in response to serious threats to public policy or internal security. Regulation (EU) 2024/1717 2 has amended the Schengen Borders Code, providing clearer deadlines and stricter monitoring and reporting obligations for both Member States and the Commission. The Commission, through the Schengen Coordinator, is in close contact with all the Member States that have reintroduced internal border control, and the Member States affected by them. Under Article 27 of the Schengen Borders Code the Commission may, on its own initiative, or shall, at the request of a Member State directly affected by internal border control, establish a consultation process. In addition, any Member State may issue an opinion if it has concerns as regards the necessity or proportionality of a reintroduction or prolongation of internal border control. 1 Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders; OJ L 77, 23.3.2016, p. 1–52, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/399/oj/eng 2 Regulation (EU) 2024/1717 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/399 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders; OJ L, 2024/1717, 20.6.2024, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1717/oj”
  Asylum & border control
• “So it just shows us how far away we are from reality. Uh, now, uh, the the normal people on the street have been detached completely from this entire process. And, uh, all of these particular issues of the climate, targets. Let's listen to the people finally what they need. When? When this. Let's not forget that this green agenda is simply destroying, uh, agriculture industry. And at the same time, the UK, China, uh, the rest of the world, India, they have their own policies and they're moving right along. Fine. So I think it's absolutely clear that, uh, there's been no debate, there's been no discussion, no deliberation whatsoever, no consultation. This zero emissions Europe is a pseudo ideology. It cannot be reality. Let us. Leave us alone. Finally. People need to be able to live their lives, and they can't be in a position where they're constantly renovating their house or finding some sort of a car that doesn't emit anything. So let's stop talking about all this rubbish.”
  Climate efforts
• “Ladies and gentlemen, here we should see the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. But I think she had such a good time at the party in Paraguay that she hasn't had the time to come, or she doesn't care about democracy. She will be poisoning EU citizens with food that is prohibited in the EU. This is a shame. The commission has lied to the farmers, has lied to the consumers. There are no safeguard clauses in the agreement. This is your rule of law and you are trying to teach other countries in Europe. Who pays you for steamrolling the agreement with Mercosur? The Russian producers of fertilisers or drug cartels? What will be sailing from South America to Europe? Toxic food or cocaine? How is it possible that the president of the European Commission thinks at all, since the production of our food here is not environmental, but the imported food from South America meets all the requirements. You are killing the European production of food by the Green Deal and unfair competition. I do hope that the president of the European Commission will finally go to jail, and that will serve her right. So first step is the motion of censure and sending Ursula von der Leyen to the garbage of European history, and that will serve us all.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “The production of fertilizers in the EU is already 19% lower than 2019, and the prices have increased by 70% in the last few years. And this is because of the new Green Deal. This is what the farmers are paying for and the consumers are paying for. And the commission should tell us who earned here, because not the farmers who are protesting now. Ursula von der Leyen is making Europe depending on imports in every sector. She is talking about ecology, but she's destroying European industry and making us more and more dependent. You are fighting with Russia, but Russia gives us 30% of fertilizers. You are fighting the carbon footprint, but you are bringing fertilizers from so far away. And instead of supporting its production here, some of the MEPs were saying that we should give away ETS. But you were voting for it. You are treating us like idiots. Listen to the farmers protesting. Now get rid of the Green New Deal and ETS. If you don't do it, people will see the truth.”
  Use of fertilisers
• “The European media freedom act. Well, every time in any EU act or resolution, there is a mention of freedom. I am getting scared. I have goosebumps because what does freedom mean for your censorship? Excessive control, surveillance and punishing those who have a different definition of freedom. You have long forgotten what liberty and freedom are. First and foremost, free thinking. You are not capable of independent thinking, and you are bothered by those who are still capable of doing this. Therefore, you are creating tools for censorship of the media space. Msa will be used to. Dsa will be used to censor internet and MFA will be used to censor the other media. What you have provided for here is wishful thinking when it comes to countering the concentration of the media. But through the back door you want to exert pressure on medium media, media freedom operators. You are being Orwellian. Those tools have a beautiful name, but in fact you want to torment ordinary people. You are guilty of different dirty deals you want. You don't want the media to control you. But if something is getting out of hand, you are introducing censorship by way of prevention. You are corrupting NGOs and journalists. And when it becomes public, you are upset. So what is democracy for you? You want to have full power over what people are doing. This is not the EU we have signed up for in 2004. Thank you. **Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Chair: Thank you. I'm not sure if I understood you correctly. You said that colleagues do not have the ability to think freely. I think everybody has the ability to think freely in this room. And now Mr. Zoltan Tarr has the floor.”
  Disinformation & online freedoms
• “The situation on the, New market in the European Union is tragic in 2003. Almost every 10th person spent 40% or more of their income on housing. The availability of housing in Poland is one of the lowest in Europe, and suddenly Eurocrats realized you can't hide it anymore. So typically, in a Brussels way, they try to solve the problem. They specify a plan, new debts for investments, new tasks for themselves. While it's the Eurocrats who led to the tragedy on the housing market, according to analysts, full adjustment of Polish buildings to new EU standards of the building directive will cost 2.5 billion Polish zloty because of European climate policy. The prices of energy are growing, which is a problem for housing in the whole continent. A year ago, I submitted an application to give up on the housing directive. It was rejected. Now I am asking the citizens to sign a petition, and the best way to solve the problem on the housing market in Europe is to send Eurocrats and a housing directive and the Ets2 to the space. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• “At the latest summit, world powers shouldn't be shouting from the rooftop about liquidation of fossil fuels. Nobody wants this. Nobody wants to destroy economies of whole countries, uh, to favor, uh, wind turbine industry from Germany and the Netherlands. Only the EU and very few other countries were in favor of doing away with fossil fuels. The EU is responsible for a mere 6% of global emissions. If we all ride bicycles, if we, uh, give up warming our houses, we will not have any impact on worldwide emissions. Other countries will not listen to us. They will not admire your naivete, and they will not support, uh, windmill industries in two countries in the EU. If we want to reduce emissions, we should use nuclear energy. But this is something you don't want either, because you don't care that Europeans pay more and more for electricity bills. So I want to appeal to those Europeans who are suffering more and more due to the European climate agenda. Resist. Give up this nonsense. Do not allow our economies to be destroyed by the lobbying of a small group to the cost of the whole Europe. **Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Co-Chair: Next is Mr. Pittella.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you. You want to eliminate the, the fact that that, uh, people are, um, homeless, but you keep talking about an increase in prices, 60% increase. Look at the eyes in the eyes of young people, young people who can't afford to have their own, uh, accommodation because they are hostages of your sick policies. So what are you going to do about VAT because of your regulations and renewal and renovation of a home is going to be costing as much as building a castle. That is ridiculous. Especially that provision on, uh, the entire renovation of homes. That is just a sign of arrogance. I think we need to reject ETS two on behalf of 60,000 poles that signed my petition. People wanted to live normally. They don't want to live in your museum, uh, protected with climate protection. So we need to normalize this.”
  Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
• “Dear colleagues, this is a another silly resolution which is going to lead to a dead piece of legislation. You're you're talking about a freedom on the internet, a sovereignty of countries. You're talking about protection. But there's only one aim and target of this, i.e. deeper surveillance of citizens. The age verification means that even more sensitive data is going to be collected theft, identity theft, and greater control over our lives, as access to the internet and social media is a decision that has to be taken and depends on parents. We bring up our children and it is we that have responsibility for our children. The European Union cannot replace parents. This resolution shows the total lack of contact with reality. It wants to introduce bans and, uh, the children will get around it more quickly than the regulation comes into life. So the reply is simple. This is not a question of protection, but a further attempt at centralisation. You are not able to. You're trying to limit access to internet and you're trying to do this through this resolution. Resolution. We're going to defend a freedom on the internet and the sacred right of parents to bring up their own children. Never are we going to give up parent ship into the hands of European bureaucrats.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “You have just said that parents are not in a position to be able to monitor their children 24 hours a day. The European Union should not have the right to do this. I to monitor and to observe children 24 hours a day. This is the responsibility of parents to look after the safety of their children. And we're not going to allow European Union to have greater competences in order to be able to monitor and control our children. They want to introduce this piece of legislation in order to be able to control what is published on the internet or not. You're not you. This is the problem. You don't. You're not looking after the good of children. What you want is control of the internet and content that is appearing on the internet, and we don't agree with that.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Thank you. You want to eliminate the, the fact that that, uh, people are, um, homeless, but you keep talking about an increase in prices, 60% increase. Look at the eyes in the eyes of young people, young people who can't afford to have their own, uh, accommodation because they are hostages of your sick policies. So what are you going to do about VAT because of your regulations and renewal and renovation of a home is going to be costing as much as building a castle. That is ridiculous. Especially that provision on, uh, the entire renovation of homes. That is just a sign of arrogance. I think we need to reject ETS two on behalf of 60,000 poles that signed my petition. People wanted to live normally. They don't want to live in your museum, uh, protected with climate protection. So we need to normalize this.”
  Energy performance of buildings
• “Ladies and gentlemen, 100 days of the new term of office of the Commission have gone by. And what are the results? Zero real reforms on the regulation. Zero real reforms on limiting the Green Deal and zero real reforms on withdrawing from the migration pact. Usually, governments after the first 100 days are held accountable for the first reforms, first solutions and first actions, while we have had 100 days of the European Commission, and we can only judge or hold accountable the Commission for debates, for social media posts or various types of PR tricks that the European Commission wants to use to hide their helplessness. The European Commission of Ursula von der Leyen pretends that they see the problems with the competitiveness of the European Union and dresses them up as into PR tricks. But you are creating problems and you are trying desperately to fight those problems. This is the sequel of the European Commission of Ursula von der Leyen. It should be summed up by the following words more bureaucracy, more debt of the EU, more illegal migrants and a higher cost of the Green Deal, as well as more threats for our economy, for our society, for all Europeans. Thank you.”
  Von der Leyen
• “Well, as usual, you very heroic about fighting for issues that you created as problems in the first place. Fertilizers prices went up up because of the Green Deal. They went up because European production is not competitive. They went up because we have Cbam ETS and Green Deal, and it's cheaper to import fertilizers rather than produce them here in Europe. What we should do is to make sure that our farmers secure our food security, and to do that, we have to produce fertilizers in Europe. And you can't do this without rejecting Cbam or ETS.”
  Use of fertilisers