Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN

Policy topics Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN is active on

What Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN has said (26)

• 2026-02-11 “E-000591/2026 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Food Information to Consumers Regulation (‘the FIC Regulation) 1 sets out the principles and requirements for food information, ensuring that consumers can make informed choices. Food additives must be indicated in the list of ingredients by their functional class, followed by either their specific name or E-number. The use of E-numbers is not mandatory; operators may choose between the specific name or E-number. Substances or products causing allergies or intolerances listed in the Annex to the FIC Regulation must be clearly indicated and emphasised in the ingredients list. This also applies to food additives listed in the Annex as well as to food additives derived from substances listed in the Annex. If an allergen from which a food additive is derived is present in the finished food, even in an altered form, it must be declared, ensuring adequate consumer protection without the need to specify the raw material source. The EU allergens list is based on scientific opinions 2 by the European Food Safety Authority. These substances represent the most common food allergens, and there is ample evidence for their inclusion. This list may be re-examined and, when necessary, updated considering the most recent scientific knowledge. Allergic consumers are primarily concerned by specific allergens rather than broader source categories of additives. Therefore, the Commission considers that the current legal framework adequately addresses allergenic concerns and does not necessitate the introduction of mandatory E-numbers or the disclosure of raw material sources. 1 OJ L 304 22.11.2011, p. 18: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj/eng. 2 The EFSA Journal (2004) 32, 1-197 and EFSA Journal 2014;12(11):3894.”
  Food labelling harmonisation at EU level
• 2025-11-12 “E-004477/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission considers the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 1 as a cornerstone of the global effort to protect biodiversity and to combat the illegal trade in endangered species. These objectives are central to the European Green Deal 2 , the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 3 , and the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking 4 . The Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy closely followed the preparations for CITES CoP20. The Commission actively engaged with Member States and international partners to ensure that the EU speaks with a strong and united voice, and to promote an ambitious and balanced outcome. The level of EU representation at CoP20 was higher than at the previous CoP, with the participation of the Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Environment, on behalf the Commission. This reflects the importance that the Commission attaches to the issues at stake and to the success of this important meeting. 1 https://cites.org/eng. 2 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en. 3 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en. 4 https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/env/items/773992/en.”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2025-10-13 “E-004010/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 1. Animal welfare is a key priority for this Commission, and the Commission is committed to a comprehensive approach that ensures that the EU maintains high standards in this area. The exact scope and content of the upcoming legislative proposal on on-farm animals remains yet to be decided, based on the outcome of broad stakeholder consultations and a thorough assessment of the economic, environmental and social impacts of different potential policy options. 2. The European Food Safety Authority has in recent years delivered a series of important scientific opinions on animal welfare. The revision of the EU animal welfare legislation will be based on this new scientific evidence, as well as on research projects, including the European partnership on animal health and welfare 1 . The revision will also take into account the socio-economic impact on farmers and the agri-food chain, in order to arrive at wellbalanced, evidence-based and future-proof solutions. 3. A public consultation has been conducted from 19 September 2025 until 12 December 2025 2 to gather the views of farmers, citizens, businesses, national and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations, and other interested parties on the revision of the EU legislation for on-farm animal welfare. Preparatory actions for the impact assessment are also ongoing, including stakeholder interviews and targeted surveys, and will conclude in the first half of 2026 3 . 1 https://www.eupahw.eu/. 2 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14671-On-farm-animal-welfare-forcertain-animals-modernisation-of-EU-legislation/public-consultation_en. 3 For further information: https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/animal-welfare/evaluations-and-impactassessment/revision-eu-animal-welfare-legislation_en.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• 2025-09-15 “E-003538/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Commission recognises the importance of ensuring availability of medicinal products to patients as well as the importance of reducing proportionately the negative environmental impact of pharmaceutical waste. The pursuit of these objectives must, however, under no circumstances compromise the safety of patients. Member States shall ensure appropriate collection systems for unused or expired medicinal products 1 . The reuse of medicinal products that have already been dispensed to patients creates serious risks. The pharmaceutical legislation 2 lays down rules to ensure a secure supply chain that preserves the identity, authenticity, and quality of medicinal products cease to apply once the products have been dispensed to the patient. The above objective, as well as the objective of avoiding pharmaceutical waste, is supported by the Commission in its legislative proposals for the revision of the pharmaceutical legislative framework 3 , notably with a framework for prescription practices and packaging requirements. 1 Article 127b of Directive 2001/83/EC as amended by Directive 2004/27/EC of 31 March 2004. 2 Regulation 726/2004 and Directive 2001/83/EC. 3 COM/2023/193 final and COM/2023/192 final.”
  Pharmaceuticals regulation in EU · Government stockpiling of critical medicines
• 2025-06-24 “E-002533/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu on behalf of the European Commission Informal carers, mainly women, face significant challenges due to the disproportionate burden of unpaid care responsibilities, lack of formal care services and insufficient recognition for their crucial roles. This has negative consequences on their private and professional life, and their economic security. The European Care Strategy 1 , the Council Recommendation 2 on access to high-quality longterm care and the Recommendation on early childhood education and care: Barcelona targets for 2030 3 provide a framework for reforms and investments to improve care services, address workforce challenges, and support informal carers. Implementation at national level includes policy measures to provide training, counselling, improved access to social protection, including financial support, and work-life balance measures. At EU level, the Commission is for instance, cooperating with the World Health Organization to develop an online training course on self-care and care competences for informal caregivers of older people with care needs. Building on these and taking stock of the results of the implementation of the European Care Strategy and the Long-Term Care Council Recommendation to date, the Commission may consider further policy action to create a more coherent framework for addressing long-term care workforce challenges. The planned social policy initiatives, including Quality Jobs Roadmap, the European Pillar Action Plan, the Gender Equality Strategy and the AntiPoverty Strategy, as well as the recently delivered ones, such as Union of Skills 4 , will contribute to this objective and help strengthen long-term care and childcare systems. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5169. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2022_476_R_0001. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2022_484_R_0001. 4 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/union-skills_en.”
  Support for families · EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• 2025-05-21 “E-002018/2025 Answer given by Mr Brunner on behalf of the European Commission The Commission presented a proposal for a Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse 1 , that would require certain types of online service providers to systematically identify, assess and mitigate the risk of use of their services for the dissemination of child sexual abuse material and solicitation of children (‘grooming’). If preventive measures are not sufficient, providers may be obliged to detect online child sexual abuse if ordered to do so by a judicial or independent administrative authority. The proposal contains a series of safeguards that ensure the strict necessity and proportionality of detection orders. The proposal is technology neutral and applies regardless of whether the services are end-toend encrypted. Providers may choose detection technologies appropriate to their services, including artificial intelligence-based tools, provided that such technologies comply with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation 2 , the ePrivacy Directive 3 and the proposal. 1 Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse, COM(2022) 209 final. 2 Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation, OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88, https://eurlex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32016R0679. 3 Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (‘Directive on privacy and electronic communications’) (OJ L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37-47).”
  Artificial Intelligence · Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• 2025-04-30 “E-001732/2025 Answer given by Mr Kadis on behalf of the European Commission The communication on the marine action plan (AP) seeks enhanced cooperation amongst all the stakeholders involved to achieve the most sustainable use of fishery resources while minimising the impact of activities in the framework of existing legislation. The roadmaps are a suggestion on how the Commission envisages that Member States could plan their activities with the objectives of the AP in mind. As identified in the in the mid-term review of the 8th Environment action programme 1 , few Member States delivered roadmaps. Their submission by the Member States is not a legal requirement. The Commission is directly involved in constant dialogue with the Member States to adopt the most appropriate fisheries management measures for the sustainable use of marine resources. Progress has been made on both the Commission and Member State sides. The absence of roadmaps for some Member States should not detract from the progress towards the objectives proposed by the AP. The Commission will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with Member States to adopt robust measures that are fit for purpose, with or without a national roadmap in place. Dialogues include Member States through several Commission expert groups 2 , as well as other stakeholders in the framework of the Joint Special Group established under the AP. Following the outcomes of these groups, and taking into account other relevant policy developments, the Commission will continue to monitor the situation in the context of whether further measures or proposals are necessary to work towards the objectives of the AP. In addition, the Commission now counts on the Nature Restoration Regulation 3 , with clear targets and objectives, to complement the ambition of the Action Plan. 1 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/environment-action-programme-2030_en. 2 Such as the Member States’ Fisheries Regional Groups, the Marine Expert Group and the Marine Strategy Coordination Group. 3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869, OJ, 29.7.2024.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries · Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• 2025-03-05 “E-000923/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The EU priorities against crime for the next European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) cycle 2026-2029 will be identified on the basis of the findings set out in the 2025 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment report issued by Europol 1 . According to this report, environmental crime, including waste and pollution crimes, are a threat to the natural environment and the economy as well as to the health and safety of EU citizens. Europol supports and strengthens the actions by the competent authorities of Member States in relation to environmental crime. Environmental crime is a priority in the current EMPACT cycle. Europol set up the Analysis Project (AP) EnviCrime in 2017, which currently consists of 5 staff members and 2 short-term Seconded National Experts. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) plays an active role in the fight against environmental fraud and works closely with customs authorities to support cross-border investigations. The Waste Shipment Regulation 2 has further broadened the scope for the Commission’s and OLAF’s involvement in the fight against environmental crime. As announced in the Communication ‘The road to the next multiannual financial framework’ 3 , the Commission intends to present its proposals for the next multiannual financial framework in July 2025. At this point, the Commission cannot prejudge the content, scope or timing of future legislative proposals. As per Commissioner McGrath’s mission letter, the Commission will launch reflections on areas where the EPPO requires more powers to look at cross-border serious crime. This will be done notably under the High-Level Forum on the Future of EU Criminal Justice where also representatives of the European Parliament participate. 1 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025 (EU-SOCTA), 18 March 2025, https://www.europol.europa.eu/publication-events/main-reports/changing-dna-of-serious-and-organised-crime 2 Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on shipments of waste, amending Regulations (EU) No 1257/2013 and (EU) 2020/1056 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, OJ L, 30.4.2024. 3 Communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions, The road to the next multiannual financial framework, COM/2025/46 final.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “I think the best way of fighting cancer is to stop it occurring in the first place. And if you look at the heart, the heart of the EU beating cancer campaign, that is essentially that 40% of cancers are preventable. And so that's why I have a question on the recommendations coming from the EC. Can you state that the you know, you were saying that we've got a good plan here in terms of screening as a prevention measure. Also vaccination and the plant has important measures against for instance, tobacco. That's all part and parcel of the plan. And then you are saying that measurable preventative benchmarks are lacking and actually measurable indicators in terms of prevention. So I would like to hear from you whether you could expound on this. So what do you believe needs to be done on the part of member States so that these avoidable cancer cases can be reduced to a bare minimum? Thank you.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you. Three points. Firstly, we need create a credible data that we can trust that is reliable and that is comparable to make right investments. Secondly, do no significant harm needs to be also the downstream. And it is just the idea that you do not create, for example, for biodiversity, the excessive harm when you are using bio products or mining goods, so forth. And third point, and this relates to do no significant harm. It is if you call a dog a cat, it doesn't change it to be a cat. If you call something to be sustainable by following the regulation, it means someone is not the criminal because you are supposed to follow the regulation, not that it is a state. And the voluntary taxonomies idea is that we channel the finance to best. Class of investments and not on the side tracks. And what we are doing now is the. Owning this idea and actually it is downstreaming our funds to business as usual investments and calling a dog a cat. But it doesn't change its nature that it is more or less business as usual.”
  Green Taxonomy
• “It is extremely painful and happens on a daily basis and prevents you from living daily life because of the pain caused by endometriosis. This is something that 10% of fertile women suffer from. It's also a significant cause of infertility. It's underdiagnosed, under researched and undertreated. I hope that this debate really works as a wake up call. Because we can clearly see the gap in healthcare treatment between men and women. Women go to. The doctors are less and tend to be in better condition, but they're often not treated because their symptoms don't aren't well understood. Men are more reluctant to go to the doctor. And yet the result is often different. Men receive better health care, but both men and women should be receiving good health care. And so that's why I hope that this debate really works as a wake up call. In future, the commission has to continue working on women's health. We need to have a health care program for women. We need specific efforts when it comes to research, treatment, diagnosis for women. This all, of course, will require training and better general knowledge about women's health amongst professionals. Women are underrepresented in healthcare, so we need to see a shared political will to tackle this problem, and I hope we will find that from this commission.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you. There's quite a lot of issues that deals with the gender and health, and that's why the priority is to demand the commission to come up with women's health strategy, and that the member states should have respective national strategies. Why? Well, we heard quite a lot already. Thank you. The rapporteur. But research. Male and female bodies and other sexes are different from stem level level up on. So what that means as an implication to medication to symptoms to proneness to. Some diseases all that we need to put a lot of research. Then it is the medication. The impacts effectiveness the effectiveness side effects of medications. It is how different treatments work and how do the hormonal cycle impact different conditions like heart conditions, blood pressure, medications, or diabetes, for example? And yes, this needs to be reflected on education of all levels of health professionals. And we do need, I guess, at least momentarily, this kind of women's and LGBTQ health centers to get the best treatment to, as this kind of a resource center, have the focus on research and hands on on new types of treatments and diagnoses. And indeed, we need a lot of work on socio economic factors, because there's a great bias between men and women on on here, and we can see it. And that includes the culture and age as overall factors. Also, we need the gender budgeting when we look how we put our budgetary, public and private resources on here and of course, sexual and reproductive issues. And issues that are related directly, like menopause and endometriosis is included. And I would to conclude at the accessibility of different kind of digital health devices for there's a big group of women with the memory disabling diseases and lower socioeconomic status. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you. The point is to collect the right data for ECB to fulfill its mandate as smartly and as effectively as possible, so that we can enhance and secure the European banking system stability. And now we need to update the reporting approach up today because of digitalization, GDPR and the new challenges for sustainability, for example, that we are facing. So we need to ensure at the same time that the same information doesn't need to be reported in several times inside the central banking system. And this goal is achieved in in the presented proposal and supported by the rapporteurs. So thank you for your cooperation.”
  EU regulation on financial data access
• “Thank you very much. And, uh, your work, the rapporteurs work on the opinion. Gives very good and solid grounds for further developing our opinion. And firstly, we of course need Needs need much better gender aspects on poverty, and this should be taken into account on the Commission's next steps. Then the first line is the definition and understanding of the poverty. It's not only exclusion on financial resources and economic poverty as UNDP and UN frames it. It is a lack of money. It's lack of social, political and cultural inclusion. It is lack of services. It is a broader perspective, considering all the aspects of the society where people are excluded and not being able to fulfill themselves equally. That is such as education, housing, health, access to education, different types of social services and their special needs to be taken into account. Then we take the point that the poverty is a human rights issue. So it is our obligation as part of the rule of the law to act against poverty. Okay. What then to emphasise. We'll try to take this kind of an overarching opinion and try to avoid too many details, because then if you put too many details, you are a contrary saying these and these and these and these groups and issues are very specific and important. Saying a contrary, these are not so important. And this is the balance that we need to try to work out together how to make it so that we do take different ethnic groups and vulnerable groups into account, but not sort of leaving someone buy that way away.”
  EU competences on social policies
• “Then one core issue is the affordable and inclusive public services. It is the health. It is education. It is different type of social services like long term care, support for informal carers. It is childcare. Then the second one is of course homelessness and especially how it impacts women much harsher than men and especially vulnerable groups like uh migrants, LGBT plus plus people, people with disabilities and so forth. And that these vulnerable groups should be supported by universal service grounds, because if we have this kind of Pro-Poor aspects, and we do not impact on those policies that increase poverty and exclusion. We do not have the means, only try to catch the people falling into poverty. So this kind of an idea of universal services, universal basic income, universal good levels of salary are the cornerstones that we would need to fight for and fight for a stronger EU competence and work on on that field. Then of course, work is a big part. The wage gap. We urge that, of course, the transparency of the salaries and the intersectionality. What we have in salaries. You always pay better for fixing the cars than fixing the people should be a priority on member state level to to tackle and be part of the work is underpaid care work as we know we should tackle that one. And then how to take care that when most of the people working in the care sector are female, we take that gendered aspect into account there as well.”
  EU competences on social policies
• “(15:14:17 – 15:17:18): Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank you wholeheartedly commissioner for bringing up the women's health issue. That sort of ticks the box out of my intervention, because you laid the grounds there very strongly. So there's the whole support of the parliament on this aspect and the report coming as you know. Secondly, we have health threats that can happen separately or simultaneously. We can have an infection and deficit of medicine, for example, at the same time. We have health issues that are interacting, happening at the same time and having impact, let's say, on women, poorer condition to start within their health, and then a virus or bacteria infection and the vulnerable groups are hit hardest and paying the prices as you mentioned. But then there's the synergistic health threats why we need this One Health approach. As a good example is, of course, the climate and biodiversity loss. When we have heat waves, we have simultaneously poor nutrition. We probably have infections. We might have new AMR cases, and there is an energy shortage in hospitals, and they are interacting with each other. And I'm afraid we are not very well prepared as a community in EU, not to talk about globally about this. And that's why the parliament is trying to raise its point on this health preparedness on prevention and calculating also the cost of inaction because the member states all only see the fact that, okay, this is quite a lot of demands for them to invest on, climate change prevention, to invest on restoration of the nature, to invest on better health resilience, and health force. Okay. What I'm hoping is that EU could support on the next step a proper analysis in EU on global level about what is One Health resilience. And hopefully, it could be combined together with the coming climate adaptation plan and then to have the synergistic point of view what this means on resources from intensive care to prevention and promoting good health and good environment for all. We can't solve it in separate silos. And so my last question is, what action do you envisage or see as possible to take from the commission on this approach? Thank you.”
  Antimicrobial resistance
• “We know that the climate change worsens the biodiversity threat, and we have the coming biodiversity framework to actually prevent the loss of biodiversity. So these two factors need to be fed on sites in the future on science based approach when judging the species. And I hope EU could go in front of this. Second point is the better enforcement. What the council and the commission already showed out. This needs more resources. This needs resources also on the upcoming MFF. And we need a special targeted resources for online crime. Better engage engagement of Olaf on EU base to search the cases. Also when it comes on transit. Last but not least about traceability. The trophy hunting is one dangerous factor in wildlife crime. It catches on wild to breed. So I just appeal to the commission to enforce the ban on trophy hunting. And any trophies to be transferred, to be transited through EU or to be taken to EU. The EU needs to lead in ambition.”
  Environmental crimes and justice
• “Thank you. There's quite a lot of issues that deals with the gender and health, and that's why the priority is to demand the commission to come up with women's health strategy, and that the member states should have respective national strategies. Why? Well, we heard quite a lot already. Thank you. The rapporteur. But research. Male and female bodies and other sexes are different from stem level level up on. So what that means as an implication to medication to symptoms to proneness to. Some diseases all that we need to put a lot of research. Then it is the medication. The impacts effectiveness the effectiveness side effects of medications. It is how different treatments work and how do the hormonal cycle impact different conditions like heart conditions, blood pressure, medications, or diabetes, for example? And yes, this needs to be reflected on education of all levels of health professionals. And we do need, I guess, at least momentarily, this kind of women's and LGBTQ health centers to get the best treatment to, as this kind of a resource center, have the focus on research and hands on on new types of treatments and diagnoses. And indeed, we need a lot of work on socio economic factors, because there's a great bias between men and women on on here, and we can see it. And that includes the culture and age as overall factors. Also, we need the gender budgeting when we look how we put our budgetary, public and private resources on here and of course, sexual and reproductive issues. And issues that are related directly, like menopause and endometriosis is included. And I would to conclude at the accessibility of different kind of digital health devices for there's a big group of women with the memory disabling diseases and lower socioeconomic status. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much. And most of us are on board and realizing the same problems at the moment. We are severely lacking behind USA and practically the China in development of the treatments of rare diseases. The member states can't do it alone. It is the research and development. It is the orphan medicines, it is the care models for the patients. And we would need to have a package both to act. And this is of course the funding for R&D in different fields. On MFF, it means a justified access for patients to to seek the therapies and treatment in other member States. Because it is rare, you can't have all the knowledge in all of the member states. It means the joint procurement of orphan medicines and yes, indeed the reimbursement. That means that then when it is accepted, when it is funded by the. Joint procurement fund, everybody all over the Europe should have it. It's a big change. Not only plan, strategy, white paper or whatever won't deliver it. So it needs to be next step, and we should be pushing the commission to act on this direction to pressures the member States.”
  Joint EU procurement of medicines
• “Thank you, Commissioner, for your introductory remarks. I would only touch two issues. The first is that when we are talking about resilience and the future, we would need to take into account, as you mentioned, the one health aspect and the planetary health, uh, approach that I hope that you would put on your list on the resilience, because we know that, uh, via new infections, via climate change and the impacts, we are going to face new kinds of threats, uh, for the health as well as through, uh, endocrine disruptors and so forth. The second point is about, uh, the women's health. Thank you for raising this topic up. And very briefly, I do hope that the Commission will come up together with the strategy of women's health. That would include a research. We know that we have a lot of unknowns that we need to research. Then the methods of diagnosis, the methods of education of professionals, the differences in treatment, medical testings. And there's the socioeconomic huge differences that are even bigger around female elderly population than than male because of the numbers. And then of course, uh, the uh, issues, uh, how concretely we could put that. And one example of that would be the special units, uh, for women's health, both, uh, for the research and on, uh, practices where the lessons learned could be provided in member states and in EU level. Besides, of course, sexual and reproductive health is part of the women's health. That goes without saying.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “I think the best way of fighting cancer is to stop it occurring in the first place. And if you look at the heart, the heart of the EU beating cancer campaign, that is essentially that 40% of cancers are preventable. And so that's why I have a question on the recommendations coming from the EC. Can you state that the you know, you were saying that we've got a good plan here in terms of screening as a prevention measure. Also vaccination and the plant has important measures against for instance, tobacco. That's all part and parcel of the plan. And then you are saying that measurable preventative benchmarks are lacking and actually measurable indicators in terms of prevention. So I would like to hear from you whether you could expound on this. So what do you believe needs to be done on the part of member States so that these avoidable cancer cases can be reduced to a bare minimum? Thank you.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “I think the best way of fighting cancer is to stop it occurring in the first place. And if you look at the heart, the heart of the EU beating cancer campaign, that is essentially that 40% of cancers are preventable. And so that's why I have a question on the recommendations coming from the EC. Can you state that the you know, you were saying that we've got a good plan here in terms of screening as a prevention measure. Also vaccination and the plant has important measures against for instance, tobacco. That's all part and parcel of the plan. And then you are saying that measurable preventative benchmarks are lacking and actually measurable indicators in terms of prevention. So I would like to hear from you whether you could expound on this. So what do you believe needs to be done on the part of member States so that these avoidable cancer cases can be reduced to a bare minimum? Thank you.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “The Belém was underachievement, but now the EU needs to lead bravely among the hundred countries that have committed to act on climate change. Because when science and politics collide, science will always win when facts and opinions collide. The facts do not change, and if opinions don't, the result is going to be bad. The costs are tenfold more than any investment. What we should be doing at the moment for slowing down climate change. We would need to ban, of course, the use of fossil fuels. We would need to speed up circular economy. We would need to act on super grids and renewable energies in Europe. So we know the problem. We know what to do. And we even have the money because only less than 5% is in sustainable finance. Now the question is, is the commission bold enough and brave A good enough to act against the political populism. **Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Co-Chair: Dear colleagues, we have four minutes for catch the eye. I do not want to be late for the votes, so I start right away. Maria Grapini one minute.”
  Fossil fuels
• “Then, of course, there's the link to child poverty that we would need to focus. So this is intergenerational gap. And another what you mentioned is the pensions because of the unpaid, uh, home, uh, interruptions, because of the informal care, be it children or relatives or whatever. Women tend to have a multiple layer of poorer pay that then, uh, ends up with, uh, for, uh, poor, uh, pensions. And I would like to see that. Then the elderly women are having a special focus because they are the biggest single group of people in, uh, in, in excluded or being in the risk of exclusion in all terms of the poverty. And we can't sort of avoid seeing this. Then of course, the link to gender based violence, the issues like, uh, right to be forgotten. There are a lot of issues will go in more in detail in different ethnic groups or the issues of. People and so forth. And of course, the global scope, climate change is disproportionately affecting the low income countries and people, and in all countries, especially the women. Human trafficking, labor exploitation and others. And then last but not least is the data collection. How to better capture the gendered aspects and the root causes of poverty, so that we actually know if our policies are effective or not. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you. There's quite a lot of issues that deals with the gender and health, and that's why the priority is to demand the commission to come up with women's health strategy, and that the member states should have respective national strategies. Why? Well, we heard quite a lot already. Thank you. The rapporteur. But research. Male and female bodies and other sexes are different from stem level level up on. So what that means as an implication to medication to symptoms to proneness to. Some diseases all that we need to put a lot of research. Then it is the medication. The impacts effectiveness the effectiveness side effects of medications. It is how different treatments work and how do the hormonal cycle impact different conditions like heart conditions, blood pressure, medications, or diabetes, for example? And yes, this needs to be reflected on education of all levels of health professionals. And we do need, I guess, at least momentarily, this kind of women's and LGBTQ health centers to get the best treatment to, as this kind of a resource center, have the focus on research and hands on on new types of treatments and diagnoses. And indeed, we need a lot of work on socio economic factors, because there's a great bias between men and women on on here, and we can see it. And that includes the culture and age as overall factors. Also, we need the gender budgeting when we look how we put our budgetary, public and private resources on here and of course, sexual and reproductive issues. And issues that are related directly, like menopause and endometriosis is included. And I would to conclude at the accessibility of different kind of digital health devices for there's a big group of women with the memory disabling diseases and lower socioeconomic status. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you. And thank you very much for the presentation and the lessons learned so far. There were at least two very important notions. One is that we do not have the effective system of reporting of the outcomes. So we actually do not know how effectively the money is used. And the second one about, uh, that we would need more ambitions, ambitions, uh, in projects. And that means, of course, more systemic approach. And then, uh, the question is, what do you think that is a reason why we do not have more ambitious projects. Is it the unwillingness? Is it the preparedness of national authorities? To and capability to administer them? Or what could be done on this side then? Other significant differences between member states in this area. And finally, about the fact that now when we are discussing the new multiannual framework and up to one third of the EU budget could be implemented following the RF like structure, and the results are also a bit alarming. So how well would you assess that this kind of follow up system and support system could actually supervise and take care that the money is properly used and the member state structures are effectively changed for future future challenges in digitalisation and supporting the green transition that is substantial in all parts of the Europe. Thank you.”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget