Ivaylo VALCHEV

Policy topics Ivaylo VALCHEV is active on

What Ivaylo VALCHEV has said (18)

• “(10:20:08 – 10:21:42): Madam president, mister vice president, the single European market is at the heart of the union. It is the greatest economic achievement of this union. Today, years after the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, this market is incomplete. It's overly complex. It's stifled by bureaucracy, by cumbersome regulations. European businesses, especially SMEs or startups, do not want subsidies. They want clear rules. They want predictability. Europe has the talent to innovate. Too often, it does not have the conditions to keep this talent. Today, companies spend more time in filling out forms than in innovation or in manufacturing or in creating jobs. We have regulations for sustainability, ESG, but these overlap, they create burden for companies with huge administrative costs. This leads on a decrease in competitiveness. This is just an example of excessive regulation. Let's restore competitiveness in the European economy. In order to do so, we need more cohesion. Cohesion not as a financial policy, but as a real economic cohesion between regions. An entrepreneur in Sofia must have the same chance to succeed as 1 in Berlin, in Paris, or Amsterdam. Thank you. It's necessary to to respect. Missus Gaseous Pihovic. Good”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Thank you, Mr. Micallef. Last week I was in London as part of a mission of the Code Committee to London, and we met with representatives of the government, parliament, the academia And the creative industries. We heard very clearly that there is the political will to cooperate, but there are certain practical hitches, uh, in the area of touring artists. The issues are very systemic visas, permits to get employment, the 9180 days rule, cabotage, carnets for their instruments, for small institutions. This makes life difficult. And for smaller companies this may be fatal. As a person who has more than 30 years experience in music, showbiz and TV. I know that this is not an abstract issue. It is a very real issue for real people and real productions and real Audiences, so we instead insist to find some working solutions, perhaps some kind of special derogation in the area of cultural exchanges. Do we have the will to start such a debate? Have you considered this issue and have sought solutions for it? Thank.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Dear Madam president, dear colleagues, the priorities of the Cyprus presidency demonstrate clearly that the European Union is in a phase where we cannot allow ourselves illusions. We need to be more sustainable, more competitive, more realistic and more autonomous in our actions. For Bulgaria, this means policies that strengthen the economy, the energy security and strategic autonomy without undermining the role of member states. The union's strategic autonomy will be achieved not through more centralisation but through stronger member states. And this is precisely why the Cyprus problem is not a regional problem. It is a test for the union itself, whether it is capable of defending its members and its values. If we want a union that is stable in sight, we need to go back to realism, responsibility and defending national interests. We cannot ignore the Cyprus issue and the ongoing illegal occupation of the island. It is a duty of this Parliament to preserve European solidarity and the Union's ability to defend its members, and the principles of international law. Bulgaria is on your side. We support your efforts for liberation, your efforts to live and move freely in your homeland like all other Europeans. Thank you.”
  EU-Turkey relations
• “Violence against children is a problem that cannot be solved through legislation alone. If that were the case, we would not be having this discussion because European law already provides a legal framework for this in the form of directive 20 1193. But our new generations are growing up in front of screens. The internet provides opportunities for education, communication and development, but at the same time, it has opened up new channels for abuse, exploitation and manipulation of our children. Now, unfortunately, we only start discussing these issues when something terrible happens, something that harms the children. Now, when institutions, technology and society are not enough, and when parents throw their children into situations and places beyond their reach and control and effectively abandon their responsibility to be parents, it becomes an issue. Now in Europe, there is no safe place for people who harm children, nor should there be neither on the internet or offline. But we need the full force of the law and public outrage, and it's our duty to protect children rather than seek excuses for their abuses. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “We must make sure that there are regulations and programmes in place that aim to protect minors, while they access and use the internet. We need to strike the right balance between safeguarding children from harm and advancing their rights to full participation in the information society. This is a crucial issue for US policymakers. As you might be aware, the first BIA k plus evaluation discovered that children and youth have identified increased exposure to harmful content online, such as hate speech or explicit, uh, contact. Furthermore, minors are an easy target for online scammers and phishing. The prolonged usage of social media we know that often is a pathway to detrimental, uh, mental health effects uh, privacy violations, including hacking and misuse of personal data. The list of hazards for kids and adolescents is not exhaustive. Um, the threats, uh, are becoming, uh, real. Somehow we have witnessed how. Novel threats, uh, come with the exposure of minors online, and they transcend the online environment. Radicalization and cyberbullying are two of the most shocking examples in this respect. Uh, I hope that, uh, the cult opinion on the protection of minors online will successfully contribute to the relevance of, uh, the report of the late committee. And to this end, I will work constructively with my colleagues, some of whom are here in the room, um, so that we can have a very good, uh, report.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I'll be speaking on behalf of Miss Margoni. Unfortunately, she won't be able to attend and that is why I will read her statement to you. Madam chairman, first of all, I would like to highlight a positive aspect. Our committee has shown unity in clearly supporting the increase of funds allocated to programmes under our remit. These programmes that the most effective and best functioning programmes in the Union. This internal consensus demonstrates the recognition of the value and impact of these initiatives on the future of citizens in Europe. For this reason, however, I strongly expressed my opposition to the cuts proposed by the Council, especially as regards Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. These programmes already today suffer from severe over enrolment. This leaves out a significant proportion of aspiring participants. Further reduction in funds would only exacerbate an already critical situation. It would limit valuable opportunities for young people, for students and European citizens. It is therefore essential to invest more in these instruments. The importance of adequate support is not limited only to education and culture. I'm an athlete, says Miss Magoni, so I need to highlight the negative impact that such cuts would have on sport. Despite its crucial role for social cohesion, for inclusion, for social development of skills. The funds currently foreseen are insufficient and there is a risk of permanent marginalisation of sport at the European level. Let us defend these programmes. This means investing in the future of young people, culture, sport, European cohesion. We will ensure thus real and lasting opportunities. That is why I believe it is of crucial importance for the European Parliament to maintain a clear and firm stance against these cuts. Thank you.”
  Public funding for education
• “Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, we are facing a worrisome truth. Devastating wildfires that southern Europe has experienced, which have devastated homes and the livelihoods of millions of people as well as Earth, are not just a natural disaster, but a common European challenge which expects our necessitates our solidarity. Answer only this year, in Bulgaria, over 300 hectares and deckers of earth have been destroyed in Bulgaria. And even currently we have dangerous situations with wildfires, fires in our highest mountain. We would like to thank each and every firefighter and each and every volunteer who participates in putting out on the putting out of wildfires, but they need the option to work professionally. Uh, they shouldn't be forced to become heroes. In order to respond to the devastation, we need to invest in modern technologies. Additional trainings of firefighters and to improve coordination. Besides all of these measures, the National Syndicate of Firefighters in Bulgaria supposed that proposes that we need more people as well. Uh, in order to, uh, restore. We need more, uh, we need more money to restore the regions. Thank you.”
  EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Commissioner, colleagues, let's be honest. There is no single European recipe to protect children across all member states. Europe is a mosaic of different cultures, values and child rearing philosophies. We need to respect that. So this cannot be merely about imposing more bans. The truth is that this is a problem not addressed by penalties, but by by discussion, by social consensus. We need parents, teachers, young people to be heard in the public discourse instead of just expecting them to follow orders. If we want a safer online environment, we need greater social engagement. We do have some important rules the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. It has clear rules for the protection of minors. We also have the revised Better Internet for Kids Plus strategy, which promotes quality content, safer platforms and effective reporting mechanisms. So what I would like to ask you to do is let's give Member states space to make decisions that make sense in their realities. Let's support the process instead of imposing a framework. Protecting children is not a question of restrictions and penalties. It's a question of wisdom, dialogue, and common goodwill. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “I'll speak in Bulgarian. Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner Verheugen, In light of what you said, that we would do whatever is necessary to fund small, local and independent media. I have a very concrete question. What will be the guarantee that all the beneficiaries would be on an equal footing at a level playing field? What is the guarantee that the priorities set forth by the European Commission shall not be used for ideologically fuelled selection, and that it wouldn't bring forth the pushing away of communities who do not share the official priorities of the Commission. That's my first question. Regarding the second question, speaking about the European Media Freedom Act. There are some interesting clauses in recitals 17 and 19. You know that already. They are investigating journalists who say that these recitals entitle them to use special investigative means for surveillance, without any preliminary authorization in the course of their investigations. I can't quote the recital precisely right now, but I'm talking about recitals 17 and 19, stating that journalists can use protected channels and protected means in the course of their investigations. Do you think that further clarifications are needed on the definition of these recitals, in order to prevent giving journalists more rights than the investigative authorities in any given member state? You know that for police, for investigative authorities, they need a court order to use such means. But currently there are journalists who are convinced that these recitals entitle them to use such means without court order. Thank you.”
  EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to start by thanking the rapporteur for the work done thus far. Of course, we all agree that we have to protect children in the online environment, but we have to be careful. This protection should not be, um, too much of an intervention. We should not take the responsibility away from the parents or to shift national responsibilities to Brussels. Together with the colleagues from my political group, we suggested several amendments which are in that respect for greater proportionality. And this was already said. We have a lot of legislation, the various. Regulations and acts that we have in place. We have to concentrate on implementing them rather than creating new. The parents and the teachers should be at the centre of any strategies for the protection of children. Voluntary instruments that notify the parents when their children have access to dangerous content are more important than any other solution. We also underline the need to protect the freedom of expression in our amendments. We think protection of children should not be a pretext for censure or mass. Um uh uh uh. Observations. We have to also turn to practical solutions rather than excessive regulation. Europe should be in moving the direction of common sense rather than too much legislation that very swiftly loses its, um, uh, actuality. And I would like to look forward. I also look forward to our further work.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to start with gratitude for the rapporteur and her team and everyone who made such an effort. This is a very important topic, very vulnerable topic. Of course, the social media creates risks for the young. More and more youth lives online and we see the consequences. We see anxiety, um, sleep disruption, emotional problems. And this is an area where the institutions need to work in partnerships with the parents and, uh, the teachers and everyone who supports children in their digital environment. But when we talk about solutions, they need to be feasible, proportionate and not to create new problems. This call for effective implementation of the Commission's guidelines is actually an example to the contrary. The guidelines are, by definition, legally non-binding and cannot and should not be used as means of extending the regulatory framework. The same goes for harmonized ideas and restrictions and centralized checks that, uh, for the age that actually raise real privacy concerns, and they actually introduce a unified model for all countries without taking into account their legal and cultural contexts. The proposal for personal responsibility of the senior management is also disproportionate, because it could create significant barriers for the business without having proven effect on the actual protection of minors. And finally, the text contains still elements that are not directly linked to the topic, including Ideal ideas, concepts and appeals that overshadow the centralization and put pressure on the member states. We need to have proportionate, technically feasible and, um, solutions that respect the fundamental freedoms and the powers of the Member States. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Madam president, Mr. Vice President, the single European market is at the heart of the Union. It is the greatest economic achievement of this union today, years after the creation of the European Coal and Steel community, this market is incomplete. It's overly complex. It's stifled by bureaucracy, by cumbersome regulations. European businesses, especially SMEs or start ups, do not want subsidies. They want clear rules. They want predictability. Europe has the talent to innovate. Too often it does not have the conditions to keep this talent. Today, companies spend more time in filling out forms than in innovation, or in manufacturing or in creating jobs. We have regulations for sustainability, ESG, but these overlap. They create burden for companies with huge administrative costs. This leads on decrease in competitiveness. This is just an example of excessive regulation. Let's restore competitiveness in the European economy. In order to do so, we need more cohesion, cohesion, not as a financial policy but as a real economic cohesion between regions. An entrepreneur in Sofia must have the same chance to succeed as one in Berlin, in Paris or Amsterdam. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Thank you, Mr. Micallef. Last week I was in London as part of a mission of the Code Committee to London, and we met with representatives of the government, parliament, the academia And the creative industries. We heard very clearly that there is the political will to cooperate, but there are certain practical hitches, uh, in the area of touring artists. The issues are very systemic visas, permits to get employment, the 9180 days rule, cabotage, carnets for their instruments, for small institutions. This makes life difficult. And for smaller companies this may be fatal. As a person who has more than 30 years experience in music, showbiz and TV. I know that this is not an abstract issue. It is a very real issue for real people and real productions and real Audiences, so we instead insist to find some working solutions, perhaps some kind of special derogation in the area of cultural exchanges. Do we have the will to start such a debate? Have you considered this issue and have sought solutions for it? Thank.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you. Chair, one more time I present our excuses that Madame Margoni cannot be here today. So on her behalf, I will. I will read the note that she prepared on this opinion. So, Mr. President, honourable colleagues, the Social fund must be a concrete instrument to support quality employment, vocational training and social inclusion, not an additional layer of bureaucracy or centralization. In this context, it is also important to strengthen the link with European investments in knowledge and innovation, such as those foreseen under the Horizon Europe programme for the period 2830. For Research and innovation play an essential, essential role in developing skills, supporting education systems and forcing the growth of cultural and creative sectors. Employment policies work when they are rooted in local realities. It is regions, businesses, universities and local communities that truly understand the need of workers and young people. For this reason, the new partnership framework must ensure flexibility, administrative simplification and genuine involvement of local actors. Also, enabling universities and.”
  Funding for vocational training
• “Thank you chair. I will express myself in Bulgarian. Honourable members. First of all let me thank Mr. White for his contribution and his draft. Thank you very much indeed. Yes, North Macedonia is beginning to feel tired. I know what it is like to be kept waiting a long time. I come from a country that's used to that. But the North Macedonian government continues to look for an external enemy in order to solve its domestic problems. And President Witkowski's um, comments are particularly problematic in terms of really hardening the rhetoric. They're doing that vis a vis the opposition and vis a vis the critical media. And I think really that undermines good neighbourliness, which underpins the European project. And it also runs counter to the principle of the European Union. Now on combating corruption, no significant progress has been made. Corruption remains rife, and we're not seeing any binding rulings when there are prosecutions. And that really does undermine the strength of the state. So now my. Also on the former prime minister Nikola Gruevski. People are being told are hearing that he's close to President Murkowski. Apparently he's hiding in Hungary. There's no real independence of judges and the judiciary and prosecutors. But without an independent judiciary, we cannot have the rule of law or protection of fundamental rights. So this leads to political polarization, which in itself then causes a so-called identity problems. And I think North Macedonia does deserve a place in the European Union, but not at any cost. The constitutional reforms that had been agreed are still not there, and I think it shows a lack of political will, and there seems to be a lack of strategic vision as well. A European perspective for North Macedonia is there, but there needs to be effective fight against corruption, de-escalation of political tensions and good neighbourly relations, protection of human rights and respect for European values. Now, without this solid foundation, we cannot move forward. We cannot make progress without creative solutions that without this basic foundation, we really cannot make any steps forward. Now let me stress once more North Macedonia does have its place in the European Union, but it will depend on the country itself to forge that path. Thank you.”
  EU enlargement
• “Thank you for giving me the floor. This is an extremely interesting hearing and we hear about these aspects of both cognitive and ethical. I have asked myself the same questions that we heard here. However, I'm concerned to hear that people who know more than I do, and we do also have questions, even more questions than I have. I have some questions too, Professor Holmes. My question is, do we have real control on the data gathered on pupils? Who is gathering these data and is there in. Is there a risk of profiling people starting from very early age and through this profiling someone would know who knows what, who does what. And so these profiling will lead to some targeted approaches to people. Then maybe governments, national governments should introduce some specific norms, some specific rules that would regulate the use of the artificial intelligence in schools. Two professor Haris, I have some questions to you too. How can we understand where is the dividing line and who is to draw it? Between the artificial intelligence helping a teacher and the artificial intelligence replacing the teacher? And what is the role of the legislator here? Next question. Is there a risk of teachers losing their authority, their credibility. If it is the AI which assesses evaluates the pupils. Two. Professor Kunta, do we have a statistical data which we could use as evidence that the frequent use of AI reduces the capacity to think independently and to all of you. How could we avoid creating generations that rely more on answers rather than asking questions? And how could we optimize education thanks to AI, but also at the same time, we will develop the capacity for critical thinking of pupils. After all these future citizens, future European citizens who are supposed to make their own independent decisions. So how could we preserve the human in human beings? This is a philosophical question. Thank you.”
  Governance of academic priorities within the EU
• “Dear Commissioner, I would like to ask a question and I hope you can answer the question is the following. You as a commissioner who. Is a representative of what is the government of the European Union in effect? What is your opinion on the exchange of information and the leakage of information related to the. Report on North Macedonia. We were working on certain amendments here. I made an amendment and already the day after the president of the Republic of Macedonia was discussing it. Isn't this foreign interference? And isn't it best to stop all work on this report until it is clear how this information is leaking? Thank you.”
  Foreign interference in Europe
• “Thank you chair. I will express myself in Bulgarian. Honourable members. First of all let me thank Mr. White for his contribution and his draft. Thank you very much indeed. Yes, North Macedonia is beginning to feel tired. I know what it is like to be kept waiting a long time. I come from a country that's used to that. But the North Macedonian government continues to look for an external enemy in order to solve its domestic problems. And President Witkowski's um, comments are particularly problematic in terms of really hardening the rhetoric. They're doing that vis a vis the opposition and vis a vis the critical media. And I think really that undermines good neighbourliness, which underpins the European project. And it also runs counter to the principle of the European Union. Now on combating corruption, no significant progress has been made. Corruption remains rife, and we're not seeing any binding rulings when there are prosecutions. And that really does undermine the strength of the state. So now my. Also on the former prime minister Nikola Gruevski. People are being told are hearing that he's close to President Murkowski. Apparently he's hiding in Hungary. There's no real independence of judges and the judiciary and prosecutors. But without an independent judiciary, we cannot have the rule of law or protection of fundamental rights. So this leads to political polarization, which in itself then causes a so-called identity problems. And I think North Macedonia does deserve a place in the European Union, but not at any cost. The constitutional reforms that had been agreed are still not there, and I think it shows a lack of political will, and there seems to be a lack of strategic vision as well. A European perspective for North Macedonia is there, but there needs to be effective fight against corruption, de-escalation of political tensions and good neighbourly relations, protection of human rights and respect for European values. Now, without this solid foundation, we cannot move forward. We cannot make progress without creative solutions that without this basic foundation, we really cannot make any steps forward. Now let me stress once more North Macedonia does have its place in the European Union, but it will depend on the country itself to forge that path. Thank you.”
  EU relations with Western Balkans