David CASA

What David CASA has said (5)

• “(15:25:51 – 15:27:15): Thank you, chair, and thank you, colleagues, this exchange. I believe we all acknowledge the importance of the European Social Fund, especially now in times of pressure and uncertainty. And while I note the position of the commission, by and large, I have to say that this is not the approach shared by this committee. When it came to flexibility with other areas like agriculture and fisheries, there was no resistance for a stand alone with other committees, with other sectors. I really cannot understand the resistance by the commission with us coming from the ample committee. And this resistance is that this resistance is not only coming from this committee, but now from all plenary in the interim report. So I think within this committee, there is an excellent basis for cooperation in the coming months. And I am happy to note that in many areas where we do agree and where we are further apart, we should find a way how to how to come closer together to find a common position and that parliament can be proud of. I really thank colleagues for their suggestions. Of course, we will continue to be closer together when it comes to to amending this report now. I look forward to your amendments, and thank you for today, madam chair.”
  EU expenditure on social policy
• “(15:05:33 – 15:09:10): Thank you, chair. Dear Marit and dear colleagues, as European Social Fund is a file that is very close to my heart, in the last legislature as ESF report, I negotiated with the council for the regulation in force today. And today, together with my co rapporteur, Marit May, we are presenting the draft report on the future European social fund. In recent months, Marit and myself, we consulted with stakeholders at the European and national levels. The consensus has been very, very, very, very clear. A strong ASF with clear objectives that provides predictability for beneficiaries and that secures guaranteed investment, where it matters most for our citizens. Now this is a position also taken by the parliament that has restored the budget line for the upcoming ESF and called for a separate a separate standalone program. Now, colleagues, this is the approach we proposed in our draft report. On the budget, I am pleased that the parliament has taken a strong position, and not only restored the budget line, but we proposed an increased envelope of €124,000,000,000. With this money, we we want to see the investments for the current ESF Plus to continue, and the ESF regulation should retain its own objectives, and we are proposing to expand, this list in order to be more inclusive when it comes to disability rights and chronic illnesses and, of course, to tackle ongoing European priorities like homelessness. The current ESF plus regulation ring fences funds for priority areas. This is something we will restore based on the parliament's report for the future of the ESF from from last year. We want we want guaranteed investment for young people for fighting social exclusion and for supporting the child's guarantee. The draft reports departs from the commission proposal because while there is a merit to having a flexible EU budget, flexibility is not the message we want to send. Why? Because we have 19,500,000 children in Europe today who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. To conclude, we want to ensure that the ESF measures are designed as they are now with the participation of local and regional governments and of civil society organizations, especially those delivering the investments we are speaking about today. So, colleagues, I really want want to thank you for your support. Every group I spoke to in this in this parliament agrees on a stand alone. Every group. There is not 1 group in in Ampil that is against I think this is actually the only issue that is con have call ever a consensus in in in Ample. So this is really good. And I I congratulate every every group for understanding the situation that we have today. And I look forward to keep on working with Marit. She is the best colleague you can have as a co rapporteur. We work very well together, and I can assure you that in future, together with the with the shadow rapporteurs, all of which are extremely good people, we will give you the best support we can ever give to the European Parliament. Thank you.”
  EU expenditure on social policy
• “Thank you president. There have always been strange ideas about the own resources, but this is amongst the worst that I've ever heard of. A new tax will be disrupting licensed companies in the European Union. It puts them at a competitive disadvantage. It encourages them to relocate to third countries and encourages clients to prefer non-EU illegal operators. This ensures impunity where they can't, they don't have to pay taxes and the most basic consumer safeguards will not be applied. I must emphasize that this sector contributes to more than 10% of Malta's GDP. The same sector sector follows strict consumer protection standards and creates high quality jobs. No member state is as exposed as Malta. The Maltese people will be bearing the brunt of this flawed policy. Policy that kicks out companies from the European Union. Let's not waste time. The own resources require unanimity. For us, this proposal is a non-starter. I can't speak on behalf of the current government. This is since the idea is being promoted by the socialists. But I must be clear. A future nationalist party government will use the veto without thinking twice. Let's do ourselves a favour. Let's. Let's treat this subject as a subject that has the Member States competences only. We don't have the competency to change this. If we don't understand this argument, then we will understand nothing.”
  Own EU resources
• “Mr. Negrescu, I've agreed on your proposals in the past, but I must be honest with you. The importance of this sector cannot be stressed upon. This multi sector is stressing to me that this is crazy. You can. You cannot understand this sector. If your country does not respect the sector enough for us, this is a very important sector. We will not let anyone dictate our terms. On Malta. Malta will decide on this market, especially from those from the Socialist Party.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Raquel. I want to thank you both, actually, for your excellent work, for your defence of the Parliament's mandate and also the work of the Secretariat in coping with with this very ambitious timeline. I am pleased that we are making progress with Council, as the president just said. It is finally. Council is finally showing us that it is willing to find a compromise. So I am becoming more confident that we will have a law by the end of the year, and that it will be a very strong one. We still have important issues to resolve, of course, issues that the Commission is taking very seriously as well. For the EPP, it is especially important to find acceptable texts regarding amnesties for corruption offences, and I am convinced that we will find a landing zone on this point two. So once again, thank you, Rachel. And thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your guidance. Thank you.”
  EU Supervision of the Rule of Law