Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ

What Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ has said (12)

• 2026-06-17 “(10:31:05 – 10:32:06): The council, the summit, is upcoming, and they will be talking about competitiveness and defense. But we can't just, look at economic indicators. We also need to look at the European social model. We're talking about 1 Europe, 1 market. We mustn't forget that the EU can never be built while neglecting workers and their rights. More competitiveness also means more investment in people. The problem we're grappling with is that even when people, have a job, they can't afford to own a home. They can't save. They can't plan for the future. We need to have an ambitious agenda for high value jobs so that employers throughout Europe have, fair wages, collective bargaining, social protection on a on an ever changing, labor market. That is not a burden for us, but it is our basis.”
  EU housing policy
• 2026-06-17 “Thank you, president colleagues. We are living in a time where data theft, cybercrime and disinformation campaigns have become an integral part of Russia's hybrid war against Europe. In recent months, we've had drone incidents across the eastern border of the European Union and NATO in the Baltic Sea. We've had disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks, but these actions are not random. The goal is to weaken our security and to sow distrust in Europe. Therefore, we must not look at data breaches only as a violation of privacy. But in fact they are matters of national and European security. Of course, this leads to a data breach leads to justified concerns among citizens. We have to strengthen public data systems. We have to have access checks, and we have to continue to check our public data systems. It's very important today to not get political about this and to just point fingers, but in fact, to make sure that in Lithuania and all of Europe, cyber security is insured. Thank you.”
  Surveillance equipment & spyware
• 2026-06-17 “Thank you, president. Colleagues, we are living in a time where data theft, cybercrime, and disinformation campaigns have become an integral part of Russia's hybrid war against Europe. In recent months, we've had drone incidents across the eastern border of the European Union, NATO, in the Baltic Sea. We've had disinformation campaign and cyber attacks, but these actions are not random. The goal is to weaken our security and to sow distrust in Europe. Therefore, we want must not look at data breaches only as a violation of privacy, but in fact, it's are matters of national and European security. Of course, this leads to a data breach leads to, justified concerns among citizens. We have to strengthen public data systems. We have to have, access checks, we have to continue to check our public data systems. It's very important today to not, get political about this and to just point fingers, but in fact, to make sure that in Lithuania and all of Europe, cybersecurity is ensured.”
  Privacy & law enforcement
• 2024-12-20 “E-003075/2024 Answer given by Mr Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission The reform of the EU fiscal framework approved in April 2024 1 recognises the need for increasing defence capabilities and investment in Member States while maintaining sound and sustainable public finances. In particular, the new EU fiscal framework recognises that increasing defence capabilities is a common priority of the EU and the legislation provides different elements to accommodate an increase in defence expenditure. - The new Regulation 2024/1263 (preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact) 2 allows for a more gradual fiscal adjustment (up to seven years instead of four years) when it is underpinned by a specific set of reforms and investment, including the build-up of defence capabilities. - The amended Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/97 (corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact) 3 explicitly indicates that an increase of investment in defence is one of the relevant factors when assessing the existence of an excessive deficit and, when an excessive deficit procedure is opened, this increase can be taken into account in the recommended corrective path. The Commission has already applied these provisions in the fiscal package of 26 November 2024 4 where relevant and it will continue to do so in future assessments. 1 https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-and-fiscal-governance/evolution-eu-economicgovernance/new-economic-governance-framework_en 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1263/oj/eng 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A31997R1467 4 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2025-european-semester-autumn-package_en”
  EU competences on defence · Defence spending
• 2024-12-11 “E-002851/2024 Answer given by Ms Albuquerque on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware that applications to open basic payment accounts are sometimes refused, for example due to a lack of specific documents, the need to demonstrate a genuine interest or ‘de-risking’ practices 1 . The situation differs between the different Member States. Whereas Article 16 of the Payment Accounts Directive (PAD) 2 obliges Member States to ensure that consumers legally resident in the EU have the right to have a basic payment account, irrespective of their place of residence, it also includes some derogations 3 . In addition, Article 15 of the PAD prohibits discrimination as regards the conditions to holding a payment account with basic features. However, a different treatment by credit institutions may still be possible in case there is an objective justification. Member States have a primary responsibility to monitor the application of the relevant legal provisions and to take the necessary steps for enforcement. In its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission monitors the situation and may decide to take appropriate action. It has opened a number of pre-infringement processes with Member States and follows up on citizens’ complaints. Recognising the importance of the issue of access to payment accounts and aiming to enhance its application, the Commission services also discuss issues related to the Directive, including the right to a basic payment account with Member States in different expert groups, including the Single Market Enforcement Taskforce 4 . The Commission has also issued a report on the application of the Payment Accounts Directive 5 and is reviewing the Directive to assess whether legislative changes are needed. 1 See the Report on specific payment account related data from Member States as required by Article 27, COM/2023/248 final (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023DC0248&qid=1736174762840 ) and the Report on the application of Directive 2014/92/EU, COM/2023/249 final, (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023DC0249). 2 Directive 2014/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on the comparability of fees related to payment accounts, payment account switching and access to payment accounts with basic features Text with EEA relevance, OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 214–246. 3 For instance, Member States may require that consumers show a genuine interest to open a basic payment account. Also, anti-money-laundering rules may prevent the opening of a basic payment account. 4 Examples of expert groups include: Government Expert Group on Retail Financial Services: https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=2021; Financial Services User Group: https://finance.ec.europa.eu/regulation-and-supervision/expert-groupscomitology-and-other-committees/financial-services-user-group-fsug_en; The Single Market Enforcement Taskforce: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/single-market-enforcement-taskforce_en 5 The report is based on external studies on the EU payment accounts market and tools to facilitate account switching and cross-border opening of payment accounts (see the Study on EU payment accounts market: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/0854f727-6117-11eb-8146-01aa75ed71a1/language-en and the Study on tools designed to facilitate switching and cross-border opening of payment accounts on the EU payment accounts market: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/70d1fcb7-f338-11eb-aeb901aa75ed71a1/language-en”
  Financial regulation
• 2024-12-04 “P-002746/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission and the High Representative released a Joint Statement on the damaged electricity and data cables in the Baltic Sea 1 . Critical infrastructure protection is a task of the Member States; the Commission supports them at various levels. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Baltic Sea Allies Summit, the Commission announced concrete measures to enhance critical infrastructure resilience, emphasising urgent action. A key element is strengthened cooperation with partners, namely NATO, including its recently announced ‘Baltic Sentry’ initiative. The Commission is following up on the Recommendation on Submarine Cable infrastructures 2 , particularly improving security and resilience through governance and funding. The Critical Entities Resilience 3 and Network Information and Security Directives 4 cover the security of critical infrastructure. The revised EU Maritime Security Strategy 5 and the Common Information Sharing Environment 6 enhance the surveillance and protection of critical maritime infrastructure. Through the Connecting Europe Facility projects, the EU is investing EUR 420 million in submarine cables deployment, of which EUR 35.6 million in the Baltic region. EUR 540 million are planned to be invested between 2025 and 2027 to reinforce the EU’s connectivity backbone, including better detection through smart cable systems. At regional level, Member States are following up on an energy sector stress test, along with dedicated training activities. After recommending 7 the assessment of cables’ criticality and redundancy, and emphasising the need to improve threat detection, Member States are intensifying regional cooperation to strengthen offshore energy protection and resilience. 1 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/joint-statement-european-commission-and-high-representative-investigationdamaged-electricity-and_en 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202400779 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AL_202400779 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2557/oj/eng 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2555/2022-12-27/eng 6 https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/ocean/blue-economy/other-sectors/common-information-sharingenvironmentcise_en#:~:text=The%20common%20information%20sharing%20environment%20%28CISE%29%20is%20an, and%20national%20authorities%20with%20responsibilities%20in%20maritime%20surveillance 7 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/risk-assessment-report-cyber-resilience-eus-telecommunicationsand-electricity-sectors”
  EU policy on screening foreign investment in strategic sectors and critical infrastructure · Cybersecurity investments for critical infrastructure · Scope of EU cybersecurity obligations
• “Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues for more than 15 years, the EU anti-discrimination directive has been stuck in the council. This means that millions of Europeans still do not have equal protection from discrimination in their daily lives in education, health care, in housing and when using different services. We Social Democrats have consistently supported this directive because equality and dignity are not negotiable. But as long as unanimity is required in the Council, progress remains hostage to political affairs, and arguments about administrative and financial burdens often hide their unwillingness to acknowledge that discrimination is still deeply rooted in our societies, social and strong. Europe cannot be built on double standards. We cannot defend human rights beyond our borders when we fail to guarantee them within the European This embodies. This directive does not offer any privileges. It ensures equal protection to all. It is time that we show to the Council political courage and ten European values into reality.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• “You madam chair. First of all I would like to thank Ms Schiele for your visit to parliament and to your active contribution to the shaping of gender equality policies and for your real support. I would like to ask you a couple of questions. Maybe you are noticing some structural changes in labor market or in social security systems which should be implemented in order to really implement the work life balance directive. How should we encourage employers and society to recognize that a more active participation of men in the family life in childcare would have a direct impact on our competitiveness? Do you think that we have made use properly of the social dialogue in implementing this directive? Are we supervising well enough the implementation of the directive? Three years have passed since its adoption and the situation in member states is far from satisfactory. And I'm also looking forward to the gender equality index you will present in December. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you, Madam Chairman. Colleagues, the single market is one of the biggest achievements of the European Union. But this market should be also for the purpose of people, not only for capital or of companies. Yes, European companies have to know, have to work in transparent and predictable conditions. But workers also have to. Have good labor conditions and decent salaries. Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU should be in favour. Should work in favour of the citizens. Now 90 million people in the European Union are in poverty and 16 million face disadvantages, so single market should be followed by social Europe. High quality jobs and fighting poverty. Fighting poverty.”
  EU expenditure on social policy
• “Thank you. President, Commissioner, colleagues, subcontracting chains and intermediaries must not become a means of circumventing workers rights and to exploit them. However, today we see the opposite too often lower wages and safe working conditions and the exploitation of workers. This is a matter of social justice when responsibility is fragmented through long subcontracting chains, workers remain without real protection, whereas responsible employers face unfair competition. This report makes it clear that the EU must ensure that workers rights should apply to everyone, regardless of how many intermediaries stand between the worker and the final employer. We need joint responsibility throughout the subcontracting chain, as well as greater transparency and effective controls. We must achieve this by creating an EU level legal framework.”
  EU policy on employment subcontracting
• “First of all, I would like to remind everyone that the initiative of Youth Guarantee and the Child Guarantee were born here at the European Parliament. And this was the initiative, these were the initiatives of the European Parliament. I would like to ask the Commissioner for support when it comes to funding of the European Child Guarantee, because here at the Parliament we have expressed our position, our opinion, that we need at least €20 billion in the new financial, um, in the in the new Will you support this initiative? Because if not, we won't be able to coordinate the positions of Member States and the budgetary funds which are invested into our children will not be coordinated, and we can end up with a lost generation of our children. One more thing. We've spoken a lot about work with the youth and the Youth Check Initiative. What do you what do you do? Don't you think that a permanent youth advisory mechanism would be quite a good idea? Because we really need the voice of youth in our policy shaping.”
  Public funding for education
• “(10:38:45 – 10:39:56): You, madam chairman, colleagues. The single market is 1 of the biggest achievements of the European Union, but this market should be also for the purpose of people, not only for capital or of companies. Yes. European companies have to know have to work in transparent and predictable conditions, but workers also have to have good labor conditions and decent salaries. Ushulaf on the line said that the EU should be in favor, should work in favor of the citizens. Now 90,000,000 people in the European Union are in poverty and 16,000,000 face disadvantages. So single market should be followed by social Europe, high quality jobs, and fighting poverty fighting pro poverty.”
  EU competences on social policies