During the plenary session in Strasbourg, Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, (S&D,ES), Group Leader holds a press conference to present her group's priorities.

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plenary session

press conference

GARCÍA PÉREZ, Iratxe (S&D, ES)

Press conference by Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ, (S&D,ES), S&D Group Leader - S&D Press briefing

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&Iacute;A P&Eacute;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), S&amp;D Group Leader, Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming. I'll take you through the main items on the plenary agenda this week. But before I start, I'd like to make a couple of references to other important matters. One, a point of information. As Group President, I travelled to the Balkans, North Macedonia and Albania. So I'd like to comment on that and the COP in Egypt. North Macedonia and Albania first.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, I believe that it is a priority for us to send out a clear message from our political family, but also from the whole of the EU to those two countries to say your future is in the EU. You are examples in your region and in terms of the citizenship, their citizens will be able to help us fight the crises which we're currently facing geopolitically.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, We've met with their parliaments, their politicians. We've sent that message out to them and we very much hope that we'll be able to continue working with them in a spirit of cooperation and a good faith as we move towards accession. In a couple of weeks the S&D will be meeting in Vienna and on that occasion, we'll have a progressive summit on the Western Balkans.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, All socialist leaders of the six countries have confirmed their attendance on the 8th of December, so that will be a wonderful opportunity for us to continue with that cooperation. COP Egypt. You know what happens. As two weeks of debates and negotiations, the S&D thinks it's a bad agreement, but at least has the merit of being an agreement.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, And we believe that the loss and damage fund is just in terms of climate justice for the countries who have suffered the effects of climate change without having contributed to the emissions. Now we have to finance the fund. Kept 1.5 alive more or less. But the wording. It's been watered down that shows that some wish to lower our level of ambition.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, COP has also made it clear that there is a problem with human rights in Egypt. It's drawn attention to that and that's something we'd like to raise it. Now plenary Agenda. The key points over the next few days are as follows. Hungary, rule of law. We need to be very firm. For the last few months in the S&D, we have been very firm, very clear on the conditionality regulation point.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, We haven't seen the necessary reforms, so we believe that the Commission should not pay out the money to the ARP because of the conditionality, regulation and rule of law. We can't let the citizens of Hungary down if reforms have not taken place. We cannot disburse funds and we call on the European Commission to use all instruments available to it to ensure respect for rule of law in Hungary and all Member States.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, Because it is its duty, it is the duty of the European Commission to do that. It needs to act firmly. It needs to be firmly committed to rule of law, and that is what we expect from the European Commission over the next few days and weeks. If it fails to do this, that will be a failure to respect one of our fundamental, principles and values in the EU. So we very much hope that the Commission will do the right thing.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, This group's position and the European Parliament's position will be very firm in relation to the resolution to be approved this week. Migration It is time to act because otherwise we will see growing a bad spirit between member states. We need solidarity with countries. And we need solidarity with people migrating. People forced to leave their countries. We need to bear that dimension in mind, too.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, You can't have one without the other. You can't have one kind of solidarity without the other kind of solidarity. They need to go hand in hand. Search and rescue in the Mediterranean. That is a European common responsibility. It's not a security issue. It's a humanitarian issue. We talk about saving people's lives. Every life matters. We need to provide financial and material assistance to those countries who are facing the greatest pressure at present.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, But that has to be under a European umbrella. We need a common EU position. The European Commission is going to present an action plan. I hope it will present a strategy with clear application that won't leave it for a case by case resolution that will have a clear legislative framework and an EU wide approach, not case by case, because every time we face a situation such as the current one will have to run through all of this debate again.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, If we had a common European position, we would not be facing the situation which we are facing today. So I think that's very clear. I also wanted to refer to the Schengen area. I hope that on the 8th of December Council will finally react and listen to this Parliament and the European Commission. And let Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia enter Schengen. Once and for all they comply with the criteria and the requirements.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, Parliament has said it. Commission has said it. Council has to accept it and Council has to accept it as a package. They cannot play divide and rule and say yes to one and no to another. All three countries meet the conditions. All three countries should be in Schengen. That is the position which we have always defended in S&D and we will continue to defend it.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, On the financial crisis and the need to reduce debt. The Council will be adopting measures, but we have not yet seen anything tangible being proposed. As a group, we will continue our work on this. As you will be aware, we have launched a campaign to look for Europe wide solutions to face the problem of inflation. This is something which is hitting the most vulnerable and SMEs more than others.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, In the S&D what we're saying is you have to keep up the pressure both on Commission and Council. What we need is a European investment plan that will allow us to give support under a European umbrella for this overall support mechanism for families, businesses. And that requires fiscal reform to EU wide because we need to find the resources to do that. And that means we need an EU tax system.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, It cannot all be left to national tax systems and member states. So we will continue calling for movement in that direction. Gender based violence is also a key issue for us 25th of November is the European World Day against gender based violence. The EU needs to send out a clear message of solidarity and support, but also of commitment. We stand with the women of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, We stand with the fight against gender based violence. And we say to victims, You are not alone. That is EU legislation to work on this and to avoid and prevent further deaths of women in this context. It is this fundamental. This is vital. We are talking about the greatest scourge facing the EU right now. Our commitment on this has to be clear, firm and robust.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, We have to send out a clear message of unity to the EP stands together. This debate cannot be used to divide and splinter different groups. That doesn't help. When you have an issue that requires common action cut up. World Cup has drawn attention to the realities of that country and other countries in the region. This is an opportunity for us to bring everyone together to promote freedom, equality, human rights.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), S&D Group Leader, It was an opportunity, but we that it was a missed opportunity. Qatar has taken a few steps, but it could have done much more in terms of respect for women, workers conditions and the LGBTQ community. But FIFA chose the country. It could have taken those steps before doing that. So I hope this will be a wake up call for FIFA, too. Those are the points I wanted to raise, but I'd be delighted to take any questions.

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