On 1st October 2019, Stella KYRIAKIDES, from Cyprus, Commissioner-designate for Health, is heard by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) in association with the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) of the European Parliament in Brussels to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. On this occasion, Stella KYRIAKIDES has the opportunity to make an opening statement. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brussels

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

hearing

2019 Commissioners' hearings (T)

KYRIAKIDES, Stella (CY, EC)

hearing of Stella KYRIAKIDES 2019 (T)

Hearing of Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health: Opening statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Dear Chair, honourable members of the ENVI and AGRI committees, Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a great honour for me to be here today before the democratically elected representatives of the people of Europe to seek your approval as Commissioner for Health. But allow me please to start with a few words in my own language, Greek.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: It is a great honour for me to be here today as commissioner designate. We all know that health issues are of the utmost importance for everyday citizens for European citizens and their daily life. This is going to be my compass during my term as commissioner. If approved by the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Dear friends and colleagues. European citizens expect the peace of mind that comes with access to health care safe food to eat and protection against epidemics and diseases. They deserve this. We have some of the world's highest standards on Animal and Plant Health and the most affordable accessible and high quality health systems to deliver on these expectations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: To do away with inequalities the underlying Commission wants to lead a European Union that does strive for more. For our generation Europe puts it was a project built to bring peace unity and prosperity for our children. Europe needs to be much more. They tell us loud and clear about their strong desire to live a natural and healthy environment on a green and sustainable planet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: I have spent my life serving public causes. I have been elected three times to my national parliament and that was I had the honour of being elected to be president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. 27 years working with children and adolescents. As a clinical psychologist in public hospitals on mental health.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: For those among us who are frequently forgotten. I know firsthand the importance of well functioning health systems and that collective health of our societies depends on the individual health of every single citizen. But that alone is not enough. It depends also on the general health of our planet. I am here before you today ready to commit all my energy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: All my knowledge and all my skills to serving these European causes as commissioner for health for the next five years. Dear friends. Health is an area where the European Union should strive for more. We cannot be complacent by what we have achieved. We see transformations in climate in technology and in demography which change our societies and our ways of life. Europe must lead the transition to a healthy planet and the new digital world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: These are challenges that all impact our quality of life. They impact social cohesion competitiveness and economic growth. We can only deal with them successfully with a one health health in all policies approach. The Green Deal is an opportunity to address these challenges holistically. It places good health and sustainable nutritious affordable food under a single policy umbrella. Also climate neutrality and zero pollution.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: I am delighted that my work on food safety animal welfare and Plant Health will be a significant part of this agenda and I am thrilled to lead our work on a new Farm to Fork strategy on sustainable food. It will address every single step of the food chain and reach every actor within it. Putting Social Inclusion at its core. These are challenges I recognize but I am not afraid.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Taking them on knowing that you will be a key partner in this process. As a parliamentarian myself I recognize the crucial role played by these committees and I look forward to working closely with you in the coming years. I have met many of you in the last two weeks and it is clear to me that we share common ground on many issues protecting citizens from risks like endocrine disruptors reducing our dependency on pesticides promoting animal health and animal welfare are issues in which I want to join forces with you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: At the same time I will work closely with national governments knowing very well that implementing and enforcing EU rules in this area is something we can certainly improve on. It is vitally important we avoid the damage that is done to consumer confidence and public health. When rules aren't followed. Building trust is imperative if we are to succeed.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Transparency and honesty need to be our beacons. We need to clamp down on issues such as food fraud that undermine the single market and the trust of our citizens. I want to ensure that we have the right means to keep our citizens healthy. And for this a steady stream of affordable medicines is vital. The EU pharmaceutical system has given citizens access to high quality and affordable medicines for decades.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: I will focus on implementing a modernized and more robust legislative framework for medical devices. This needs to be done in order to improve patient safety and consolidate the EU's role as a global leader in this field. Digital technologies artificial intelligence need to be leveraged in this effort as they can bring concrete benefits to patients and to healthcare professionals.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: I want to maximize this potential and I see the creation of a European health data space as an important step in the right direction. On all these issues. Europe has a special place to play on the world stage. A European Union that strives for more simply cannot afford to look inwards. The scope of our access should be global and multilateral reaching far beyond our borders.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Antimicrobial resistance is a danger happening both in Europe and in the world. The clock is ticking. We need to act now. Europe should lead this global effort. And I will advocate for an international agreement on the use and access of time to microbicides for that main reason. I will also prioritize the implementation of the European one health action plan against anti-microbial resistance.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Ladies and gentlemen. I will close with cancer. A flagship priority for the next commission and very close to my heart. Europe's beating cancer plan. 40 percent of us will face cancer in our lives. There are not many families who have not been in some way touched by this disease. This in itself is reason enough. For cancer to be one of the top priorities in the area of health. Beating cancer will require all hands on deck and a truly horizontal health in all policies approach.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Everything from the food we eat the lifestyles we lead the medicines the care the technology we have access to are highly relevant to beating cancer. Each is a link in the chain that has one aim only to reduce the impact of cancer in Europe. I see are beating cancer plan touching upon all the actions in my mission letter Farm to Fork the Green Deal anti-microbial resistance innovation affordability of medicines.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: It needs to address prevention diagnosis treatment research survivorship and palliative care. It needs to involve sectors and industries beyond the health sector including education and environment. I have worked with the European Parliament on cancer in the past. In my capacity as president of Europa donor the European Breast Cancer Coalition. As a patient advocate always working in partnership with the medical community industry government and parliaments.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: I was in fact one of those involved the passing of the first resolution of breast cancer in this Parliament in 2003 making a difference in the life of cancer patients has always been my guiding principle and speaking from personal experiences. I can assure you that it will continue to be my guiding principle in my current mission. If I am confirmed as a commissioner.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Ladies and gentlemen being commissioner will empower me with the opportunity to uphold principles I've believed in and worked passionately for all my life. I will work with the European Parliament with member states stakeholders my fellow commissioners to improve public health and secure a sustainable future for Europe where we diagnose weaknesses in our systems. We must come together to deliver a cure.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: Working with energy ambition and commitment building partnerships based on trust honesty transparency and accountability. Many of you asked me in Strasbourg what I hoped to achieve in the next Commission's mandate and this has been in my thoughts from day one of this journey. In five years time. I want us to look back and say we delivered an ambitious Cancer Plan and reduce the suffering caused by cancer.

SOUNDBITE (English), Stella KYRIAKIDES, Commissioner-designate, Health,: We provided healthier and greener food for our citizens. We improved public health and patients access to healthcare. We reached out to European citizens everyday lives. We made sure Europe works for all its citizens in the area of health. We took up the challenges and we delivered. And this is why I am here before you today to ask for your support in reaching these goals together. Let us join forces to inspire to fulfil our promises to future generations.. L'union fait la force. Thank you