Γραπτές αιτιολογήσεις ψήφου Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

I voted in favor of this discharge, which is accompanied by a resolution containing the European Parliament's observations. The financial year 2022 carried the burden of the EU's continued support to the Member States in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and it's economic and social consequences. It was also the year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and our unity in support of Ukraine and its people. The Union supported Member States in hosting Ukrainian refugees, helped Ukraine to care for its citizens, addressed energy challenges and managed food supply chains, among other things. These actions required redirecting existing funds and finding ways to raise new ones. The future challenge is to repay the EU's debt, for which the Commission must present a clear and realistic roadmap.

In 2022, we abandoned the strict working methods imposed during Covid-19 and faced new challenges due to Russia's war of aggression and exceptionally high inflation. The European Parliament's administration imposed such austerity and solidarity measures with Ukraine as setting moderate temperature levels for heating offices and reducing lighting in buildings. I welcome innovative approaches that contribute not only to financial savings but also to reducing our impact on the climate. The European Parliament's annual budget of over €2 billion is very generous, about 70% of which is spent on human resources, including pensions, and on buildings, equipment, energy, communications and information technology. I voted in favor of the discharge of the 2022 budget and I encourage the European Parliament's administration to continue to optimize spending and also to address security threats, in particular attempts to embed spying technology in MEPs' communication and IT equipment, and to carry out thorough security checks on visitors, trainees and new staff.

I voted in favour of this report because I believe that this reform will simplify and improve the functioning of the European Parliament, the only directly elected European institution. This is important in order to ensure that its activities are understood by citizens and that they take a greater interest in them. Furthermore, I strongly support any initiative that strengthens the European Parliament’s role as a co-legislator and confirms its legitimacy as a budgetary authority and control institution. I am a firm proponent of these reforms and their implementation.

I welcome and supported with my vote this historic regulation on the management of asylum and migration, based on shared responsibility and solidarity between Member States. It has taken a decade to reach agreement on such a regulation, which will normalize and standardize the procedures for analyzing asylum applications and introduce burden-sharing of migration between Member States. In my view, such a regulation is an unprecedented expression of solidarity between Member States in the north and south of Europe, where the latter is under constant migratory pressure. The solidarity mechanism will allow these countries under pressure to benefit from four forms of solidarity according to their needs: relocation of applicants, capacity-building measures, financial assistance and, as a last resort, transfer of responsibility. Member States will be able to choose how to contribute to the solidarity mechanisms - by receiving migrants or by contributing financially to the mechanism. This regulation is not without its shortcomings and could be improved in the future, but it is a much needed compromise accepted by all Member States.

Transport is the only sector where emissions are still rising in the EU, with heavy-duty vehicles accounting for around 6% of total emissions. A review of the existing EU emission standards for trucks and buses is therefore necessary to bring them in line with the EU’s new 2030, 2040 and 2050 climate targets, which are also part of the “Fit for 55” package. Updated standards are also needed to meet Member States’ national climate targets, which will also contribute to better air quality. Therefore, I voted in favor of this report. In addition to the arguments already mentioned, I would add that cleaner trucks and buses will also have a positive effect on air quality. The EU has a strong heavy vehicle manufacturing sector, and this legislation is designed in such a way that it provides the right incentives for the EU to lead the way in the transition to clean vehicles.

I voted in favor of amending the Breakfast Directives, which are more than ten years old and no longer meet consumer expectations. These Breakfast Directives concern the composition and labeling of certain breakfast foods such as honey, fruit juices, jams and preserved milk. I am pleased that the updated Directives will give consumers more accurate information about the content and origin of foods. For example, all honey labels will now have to list all countries of origin in descending order. Composition criteria have also been introduced to ensure, for example, that honey has not been heated, which destroys the natural enzymes. I am confident that the implementation of these Directives will benefit consumers by helping them to make informed and healthy choices.

I voted in favor of the extension of this derogation for a further twenty months purely out of necessity and out of the position in which the European Parliament has been placed by the inability of the Council to adopt its position on a long-term harmonized legal framework to combat the sexual exploitation of children in the digital world. The temporary derogation to the e-privacy Directive allows certain communications providers to continue to use child sexual abuse detection technologies, which I believe are key to protecting children. I urge the Council to finalize its position without further delay so that this will be the last extension of the derogation.

Ensuring a clean and healthy environment is a top priority. Healthy soil is a crucial part of this. Soil is a living asset under our feet. It purifies water, regulates the climate and puts food on our tables. Without soil, we have no future and farmers have nothing to live on. But 70% of soils across the EU are unhealthy. That is why we need to build resilience to natural disasters, help achieve climate neutrality, and halt biodiversity loss. For this reason I voted in favor of this report, which focuses on the definition of soil health and on establishing the basis for a soil health monitoring programme. The Member States are obliged to collect data on soil health and to assess it within five years, in accordance with a defined methodology. Given the great diversity and the geographical, natural and climatic characteristics of the soils of the different Member States, data from soil samples collected on site will be used to maximize the information available at the time of extraction or in the future, as well as for further research and innovation.

Transfer pricing is the pricing of transactions between companies in the same group operating in different countries. A large part of world trade consists of the international transfer of goods and services, capital and intangible assets within multinational enterprises. There is currently no single set of rules in the EU for this. Instead, each Member State has its own rules. This inconsistency constitutes a serious tax obstacle for companies operating across borders, encourages profit shifting and tax avoidance. Simplification is essential for the growth and competitiveness of the EU economy. However, 27 different national tax systems make it difficult and costly for companies to comply with tax requirements. This discourages cross-border investment in the EU, putting European companies at a competitive disadvantage compared to companies in other parts of the world. That is why I voted in favor of this report, because it will increase tax certainty and reduce the risk of litigation and double taxation. It will also reduce the potential for companies to use transfer pricing for aggressive tax planning purposes.

Another example of Russia’s refusal to comply with its international obligations is its refusal to return the Romanian national treasure entrusted to it for safekeeping.
I voted in favour of this resolution, which calls for more proactive efforts by the EU to assist its Member States in protecting and recovering cultural assets and national treasures.
Romania is not the only country to have suffered from Russia’s criminal looting. My own country, Lithuania, as well as other neighbouring countries that lived under Soviet terror and even before, have suffered cultural and historical losses that are now stored and displayed in Russian museums. This injustice must be rectified.