Arba Kokalari
Member of the European Parliament · PPE · SE
“Madam President, building a company in Europe today means 27 rule books. Unfortunately, many see it as 27 reasons to move to the US. So we need to make it easier for European companies to stay in Europe. We must make it easier for them to scale in Europe and not just scale the paperwork.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, a strong Europe starts with the single market, where a German florist can work in Sweden as easily as in Germany, where a Swedish start-up can build and scale in Poland, where that start-up can raise funding from a Spanish investor instead of leaving Europe. Europe has talent.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, we are having this debate because the chatbot Grok on X has allowed users to create AI-generated sexual images of women without their consent, including the Vice-Prime Minister of my country, Sweden. There were even reports of minors being sexualised. This is clearly, clearly illegal.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, you would think that by this time that fundamental human rights are protected and respected in the European Union. But this is not the case. That is clear in this debate tonight. I want to tell you about Agnieszka from Poland that was pregnant with twins.”
“What do you think about these new AI tools that are basically a mix of image-generating AI and social media, like Vibes – and there are others – where basically your whole feed is generated by AI? There's no more, let's say, actual video content. Do you see that there are increased risks for fake news?”
“Herr talman! Att spara på börsen handlar faktiskt inte bara om investeringar till företagen. Det handlar också om att människor kan förverkliga sina drömmar om ett bättre liv, om att spara till sin första bostad eller till drömresan med familjen eller att sätta guldkant på pensionen.”
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Every one of 13 lines we hold for Arba Kokalari, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“Madam President, building a company in Europe today means 27 rule books. Unfortunately, many see it as 27 reasons to move to the US. So we need to make it easier for European companies to stay in Europe. We must make it easier for them to scale in Europe and not just scale the paperwork. That is the ambition that we should set for 'EU Inc.': one European company form, one rule book, one single market. 'EU Inc.' companies must also offer good employee stock option programmes and be easy to list in European stock markets. We have a unique chance to make Europe a single market for real – that will make us competitive globally and that's what's going to make Europe rich and prosperous in the future. So let's make 'EU Inc.' happen and let's make it easier to become an entrepreneur in Europe. 4-0166-0000”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, a strong Europe starts with the single market, where a German florist can work in Sweden as easily as in Germany, where a Swedish start-up can build and scale in Poland, where that start-up can raise funding from a Spanish investor instead of leaving Europe. Europe has talent. We have the ideas and the capital, but our rules are too fragmented, and the costs of our fragmentation can be equal to 45 % tariffs on goods and 110 % tariffs on services. We need one market in Europe, not 27. We need to cut red tape for real. We need to lead on digitalisation. We need to simplify our rules, so that Europe can be the best place for businesses and people to thrive. So we can become the best continent to live in, in the world – for now, for us, for our children and for the future. 3-0063-0000”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, we are having this debate because the chatbot Grok on X has allowed users to create AI-generated sexual images of women without their consent, including the Vice-Prime Minister of my country, Sweden. There were even reports of minors being sexualised. This is clearly, clearly illegal. Sexualised content without consent, whether it is real or AI-generated, is exploitation and an act of violence. And we have actually laws for this in Europe, and we should not be afraid to use our laws. If the online platforms don't put safeguards in place, we should hold them accountable. The images may be fake, but the damage is real. And let me be clear here: sexual images without consent is not innovation, it's an act of violence, it's unacceptable and it must be stopped now. 2-0038-0000”
“So, colleagues, please stand up for human rights. Stand up for every woman's right to abortion and vote yes to the resolution on 'My voice, my choice'. 2-0534-0000”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, you would think that by this time that fundamental human rights are protected and respected in the European Union. But this is not the case. That is clear in this debate tonight. I want to tell you about Agnieszka from Poland that was pregnant with twins. After one foetus died, she was denied an abortion and forced to carry the dead foetus. Doctors acted only after the second foetus died. But by then it was too late, also for Agnieszka. She died, leaving behind her husband and three children. Agnieszka is not alone. Being denied abortion is the reality of 20 million European women today. So if you are really pro-life, help us save women's lives. And thanks to this citizens' initiative, 1.1 million signatures across the EU, we now have a chance in the European Parliament to send a clear message.”
“Så tack kommissionsledamot Albuquerque och kommissionsledamot Hoekstra för att ni har levererat, för europeiska småsparare och för en bättre ekonomi i Europa. 3-0420-0000”
“Herr talman! Att spara på börsen handlar faktiskt inte bara om investeringar till företagen. Det handlar också om att människor kan förverkliga sina drömmar om ett bättre liv, om att spara till sin första bostad eller till drömresan med familjen eller att sätta guldkant på pensionen. Sedan alliansregeringen införde investeringssparkontot, ISK, i Sverige har börsen demokratiserats. Åtta av tio svenskar sparar i fonder och aktier i dag. Det har blivit enklare och billigare för fler svenskar att spara och förbättra sin privatekonomi. Moderaternas vallöfte i EU-valet var att exportera ISK till Europa. Därför är jag glad att EU-kommissionen nu lanserat ISK som en rekommendation för alla EU-länder att införa. Det pratas ofta om hur mycket EU påverkar Sverige, men nu gör vi EU lite mer som Sverige.”
“So I think that technology is the key for a better society as well. We cannot only be afraid of AI, but I think AI is the solution for those problems. 3-0332-0000”
“What do you think about these new AI tools that are basically a mix of image-generating AI and social media, like Vibes – and there are others – where basically your whole feed is generated by AI? There's no more, let's say, actual video content. Do you see that there are increased risks for fake news? 3-0331-0000 Arba Kokalari (PPE), blue-card answer. – I'm not really sure which apps you are talking about, but we have already decided in Europe that transparency is one of the key things in AI regulation – that users and consumers need to understand whether what they see on the screen is AI or a real picture. That is an important principle. But I also think that in Europe we have been focusing too much on being scared of the new technology and scared of AI, because AI will also be the key to combat fraud, illegalities and deepfakes.”
“We need to have simplification of the rules, we need to invest in digital infrastructure, we need to enable more data sharing and have faster AI adoption. Because this is what is going to make Europe richer, this is what is going to make Europe independent and this is what is going to make Europe globally competitive. We must understand that we need to work with the technology, not against it, because tech is the future of Europe and AI is the future of Europe. (The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 3-0330-0000 Damian Boeselager (Verts/ALE), blue-card question. – There seems to be unhappiness about the debate. I just wanted to ask you the same question that I asked Mr Benifei.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, Commissioner Virkkunen, I think it is time for Europe to focus less on other countries and more on helping European companies to grow. Because this is our market, it's our rules and it's our responsibility. Our digital policies play a key role for Europe's competitiveness. With the DSA and the DMA that we are discussing here, we are creating one set of rules across Europe instead of 27 different sets. We're setting a global standard on user rights, on transparency online, on freedom of speech online and on open markets. Now we need to enforce these laws that we already have in place, but we also must become much bolder and faster in creating a business environment in Europe that makes start-ups and tech thrive on this continent.”
“Herr talman! Viktor Orbán har i åratal begått brott mot rättsstaten, nu senast genom ett förbud mot hbtq-personers rätt att träffas och mötas. Rätten att leva sitt liv öppet och tryggt suddas sakta ut i Ungern. Mitt i allt detta, och under brinnande krig, har Orban närmat sig diktatorn Putin. Det här är ett svek mot det ungerska folket och det är ett svek mot EU:s grundläggande värden. Det är ett svek mot alla de européer som har kämpat för fri- och rättigheter i generationer. EU är ingen fritidsklubb där man kan komma och gå som man vill. EU är ett åtagande för demokrati, för rättsstat och alla människors lika värde. Mänskliga rättigheter och demokratiska principer är inte förhandlingsbara. Så Viktor Orbán: det är dags att agera nu eller möta konsekvenserna i domstolen. 3-0235-0000”
“Herr talman! Lukasjenkas diktatur i Belarus är en skam för Europa. I 30 år – i 30 år – har han hakat sig fast vid makten genom att begå systematiska övergrepp mot mänskliga rättigheter, genom att fängsla journalister och oppositionella. Han har gång på gång stulit presidentvalet, och nu är det dags att EU sätter hårt mot hårt, för det är Svjatlana Tsichanouskaja som är den rättmätiga presidenten i Belarus. Vi måste ha hårdare sanktioner mot Belarus. Lukasjenka måste ställas till svars för sina övergrepp och våldet mot sin egen befolkning och för sin inblandning i Rysslands krig mot Ukraina. Putinkramare och diktatorer har ingen plats i Europa, och friheten måste försvaras varje dag. Det är vårt ansvar för det belarusiska folkets kamp för frihet. 2-0451-0000”