Marco SQUARTA

Policy topics Marco SQUARTA is active on

What Marco SQUARTA has said (9)

• 2026-06-15 “(17:39:07 – 17:40:06): President, colleagues, we're talking about European economic independence, but what we don't want to talk about is numbers. We're talking about factories switching off the lights, businessmen who don't invest, workers who go home and wonder whether they'll still have a job the next day. For too long, Europe has been asking those who produce for sacrifices. We've been building links while we've been building establishing problems while others build industries. Now if we really want to be independent, we have to produce more, be more independent. We have to believe more in our businesses and our workers because without industry, there's no well-being. Without energy, there's no freedom. And without competitiveness, there's no future. Europe shouldn't be telling people how they should live their lives. We should be helping them to build their future. That's genuine economic independence. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• 2025-06-16 “E-002413/2025 Answer given by Mr Micallef on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is deeply concerned about the impact of the current situation on access to education and academic continuity for young people in Gaza and in the region. The Commission does not envisage extraordinary instruments at this stage as students and staff from Palestine are eligible for mobilities under the international dimension of the Erasmus+ programme. The Commission has received several requests for support from students selected under Erasmus+ who cannot exit Gaza. The Commission maintains close contact with EU Delegations in Israel and Palestine * to provide support and, wherever possible, assist students in obtaining permissions to leave Gaza. It also provides opportunities for universities in Gaza, such as through its international Capacity Building in Higher Education action under the Erasmus+ programme. This initiative primarily focuses on strengthening the capacities of universities. The Commission will continue to flag to its national agencies implementing the Erasmus+ programme that force majeure can be applied to cases where unforeseen situations appeared during the implementation of mobilities. The Commission remains committed to upholding the right to education and promoting academic resilience and cooperation, even in the most challenging circumstances. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide support wherever possible. * This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.”
  Governance of academic priorities within the EU
• 2025-02-13 “E-000679/2025 Answer given by Mr Micallef on behalf of the European Commission The Commission has demonstrated a strong commitment to building a Union of Equality, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for all, notably through the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 1 , LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 2 , as well as through funding programmes such as Erasmus+ 3 . As announced in the President of the Commission’s Political Guidelines 4 and in the 2025 Commission Work Programme 5 , the Gender Equality Strategy and the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy will be renewed beyond 2025. The Commission also adopted the Roadmap for Women’s Rights 6 on 7 March 2025. Based on the core principle of autonomy of sport, it is for each sport and its governing body to decide on the participation of athletes in sport competitions. The Commission notes the International Olympic Committee’s Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and NonDiscrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations 7 , that offers a 10-principle approach to help sport organisations to develop criteria applicable to their sport. The Commission’s commitment to equality and inclusion alongside the evolving policies of sports federations, plays a key role in shaping a fair and inclusive environment for women’s sports. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0152 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52020DC0698 3 https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/ 4 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf 5 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/7617998c-86e6-4a74-b33c249e8a7938cd_en?filename=COM_2025_45_1_annexes_EN.pdf 6 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/0c3fe55d-9e4f-4377-9d1493d03398b434_en?filename=Gender%20Equality%20Report%20Chapeau%20Communication.pdf 7 https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Beyond-the-Games/Human-Rights/IOC-Framework-FairnessInclusion-Non-discrimination-2021.pdf”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• 2025-01-30 “E-000422/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a key instrument to support the green transition by channelling resources to help Member States implement reforms and investments that increase the share of renewables in the energy mix, modernise and expand grid infrastructure to support electrification, improve energy efficiency, boost innovative green technologies, and support sustainable transport. These measures contribute to affordable prices and to reducing EU external dependencies, while addressing country-specific challenges. The Commission’s reply to the Special report 14/2024 of the European Court of Auditors’ (ECA) 1 reflects the Commission’s views on the ECA’s findings. It should be noted that part of ECA’s findings stem from the application of a methodology and from coefficients that are different from those agreed by the European Parliament and Council when approving the RRF Regulation 2 . The Commission is bound to follow the approach agreed by the co-legislators. While it is too early to provide a detailed and final assessment of the effects of recovery and resilience plans, the implementation of the RRF has already resulted in important achievements for the green transition, as presented in the RRF mid-term evaluation 3 , the RRF Annual Reports 4 and the information available on the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard 5 . 1 https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/publications/SR-2024-14; https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECAReplies/COMReplies-SR-2024-14/COM-Replies-SR-2024-14_EN.pdf 2 Annex VI of the RRF Regulation OJ L 057 18.2.2021, p. 17. 3 SWD(2024) 70 final. 4 Latest annual report available: https://commission.europa.eu/publications/recovery-and-resilience-facilityannual-report-2024_en 5 https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/recovery-and-resilience-scoreboard/index.html?lang=en”
  Climate efforts
• “Europe today is old, slow and trapped. It lives in a world that no longer exists. While the US and China are running, we are stood still, blocked by rules and bureaucracy that hampers us all. We lose competitiveness. We lose jobs. We lose our future. Companies cannot invest. Young people are escaping. Families can't cope. We need a different Europe. Less red tape, less prohibition that gives oxygen to people who produce people who work, and those who keep our society on its feet. I won't accept this week distant Europe. I want a Europe that leads, that can take its action to protect its people. Because if it doesn't change now, it will be. Destroyed and weak. Europe needs to invest in its future.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Honourable distinguished colleagues. This report tries to transform the EIB into a politically significant instrument by broadening its original scope. If we have solid projects which are market oriented, then they ought to be green led. Now, 50% of its investments, €50.7 billion went to climate based projects. This is an ideological approach centred on the Green Deal, which has turned into an instrument for propaganda rather than for economic growth. That's why we need a change. Yes, of course we do need to have green energy, but we find ourselves subsidizing, um, agriculture that is not very productive and also squandering resources in Africa. That is why it is important that there be coordinated actions with national policies, such as the Mat plan, as has been demonstrated by the Italian government. And what we want is a serious and autonomous bank that invests wisely, not something that is ideological and which makes pointless investments.”
  EU policy on sustainability criteria in public funding
• “Thank Madam president, we all agree that minors must be protected online, but we cannot use this as a reason to create a central system that tells everyone how young people should access the digital world. This problem is complex. A single European solution could become even more complicated and intrusive. A fixed digital age or strict automatic tools cannot replace the role of parents, teachers and adults. Limiting access may help, but is not enough. Real protection comes from guidance, education and strong support for families. If we want a safer digital online space, we must start from people, not from one uniform system. We need balance, not more distance between rules and everyday life. Protecting minors is not about technology alone. It is about responsibility and trust. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “President, colleagues, the 7th of October was a horrific date. Israel was attacked. A bloody, bloody terrorist act which in an attempt to erase Israel from the map. But we cannot we cannot ignore what is going on right now. Children, women, destroyed, mutilated food distributed as if it were some sort of luxury. Good. A totally unacceptable situation. And I think the moral voice of Europe ought to be raised at this point. We have to suspend immediately these particular bombardments, and Hamas must release the hostages. Innocent lives have to be saved, and to the two sides ought to be able to live in dignity without fear. And it is only there that mothers, Israeli and Palestinian mothers will be able to have any hope whatsoever for their children in the future. Thank you.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you. I have two questions. The first, how come more than half of the RF f transfers is on 37% of the aims that have been achieved? The. What does the NFF take account of the acquisition of the RF? Thank you.”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget