Brussels, my love? Watch or rewatch the best bits of the season including the fights over the nature restoration law and the French baguette making global news.
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00:00 Hello and welcome to Brussels, je t'aime, Euronews' weekly talk show about European
00:18 affairs. On Brussels, my love, we take a look at some of the stories making news across
00:24 the continent. Find out what's in store for you and for Europe. My name is Maeve McMahon
00:29 and this week we have some disappointing news for you. We're going on a well-deserved summer
00:35 break and in the meantime we're playing some of the best bits especially for you. So coming
00:39 up in this edition, we take you back to Strasbourg where MEPs met back in July for the last session
00:47 before the summer recess. On the table was the much debated restoration law, the nature
00:53 restoration law, a binding proposal from the European Commission that saw a major spat
00:58 break out between the Conservatives and the Socialists in the European Parliament who
01:02 normally go in lockstep together to make sure bills get across the line. So here you can
01:07 take a look back at a discussion between the German Conservative MEP Peter Liese, Mohamed
01:13 Shaheen, the Dutch Socialist and the Finnish Left MEP Sylvia Modig.
01:18 Lovely to see you all. How are you? How was your week?
01:22 Peter, you can start.
01:24 How are you feeling, Peter?
01:27 I have mixed emotions. You know, this nature restoration law, I really thought it's good
01:34 to stop it and ask the Commission to do something better because people feel, especially in
01:41 rural areas, we are asking too much from them and it would be good to have a clear symbol
01:48 that we listen to them. But on the other hand, the outcome of the vote is not so bad. It
01:55 has nothing to do with the proposal of Franz Timmermans.
01:58 Peter Liese, let's elaborate in just a minute. But I want to explain to our viewers why you
02:02 had that nervous laughter right now and how dramatic that big vote was. There were so
02:06 many votes and so many amendments on that nature restoration law. But before we hear
02:10 more from you, let's just get our viewers up to speed, shall we? Ellie Laliberté has
02:14 more.
02:17 After a long year of political wrangling, the nature restoration law survived a major
02:21 hurdle this week. The law that aims to rehabilitate damaged nature across the EU passed with 336
02:27 votes in favor, 300 against and 13 abstinations. The right-wing party had long opposed the
02:33 law, claiming it's unrealistic. They say stakes are high for farmers who would lose land and
02:38 industry which fears economic shock. But the clock is running out. Over 6,000 scientists
02:44 are begging politicians to act. In the EU, 80 percent of habitats and 60 percent of species
02:49 are in poor conditions. This week's vote marks another lap for this long-awaited decision.
02:55 But the question is, how strong is the text now?
02:59 Ellie Laliberté reporting for us there. So you both voted in favor after those 136 amendments
03:06 in favor of the text. Are you pleased with the final weakened text? Mohamed, let's start
03:10 with you.
03:12 I am pleased because I think at the end of the day, it's also about the signal. I mean,
03:16 from the beginning of this whole charade, I didn't understand why the EPP walked away
03:22 from the negotiation table, because I think they could have gotten what we voted for yesterday,
03:28 and then they would be part of the negotiation team. Because at the end of the day, the most
03:33 important thing, knowing that 80 percent of the habitats in the EU are not that good,
03:38 the Netherlands is even 90 percent, to commit yourself to a target where you say, somewhere
03:43 in the future, we will take restoration of nature seriously. I mean, that's, I think
03:49 it's a very important statement, and I think a well-needed statement. And now we have a
03:54 text because we did listen to the farmers, we did listen to industry. Already, I mean,
04:00 many of those, I think, fair comments were included in the compromises. And what I think
04:08 is really cynical, I was listening to some colleagues of Peter Liese, were saying on
04:11 camera that they liked, they even liked the text, and then they still voted against. That's
04:15 something that's a bit strange for them.
04:16 Well, Peter Liese just said that as well earlier in the programme, but before you elaborate
04:19 on that, Peter Liese, let's just hear from the left.
04:21 I am pleased that we got the text out, because the other option would have been that EPP
04:26 would have succeeded in rejecting the whole law, which is a necessity for us if we want
04:31 to achieve the Green Deal, because this is one of the foundations of the Green Deal.
04:35 You cannot build a house without building a foundation for it. So that's how important
04:39 this law is. So I'm very happy that the rejection failed, and we have a text, which we will
04:43 try to improve in the trialogues. But the text became a lot weaker, significantly a
04:50 lot weaker. The biggest problems there I see is that agriculture and peatlands are out
04:55 from the Parliament's position. And this is extremely important. If we look at the peatlands,
05:00 that's 3% of our agricultural land in Europe, but 25% of the emissions of our agriculture.
05:06 So come on, it's common sense to try to tackle those parts where we can get the most for
05:11 the less investment. So I'm very disappointed with that. But I have no clue on what the
05:16 EPP position is, because they did not want to negotiate. They went out from the negotiations.
05:21 Then they say afterwards that we wanted rejection all along, so you were not negotiating in
05:25 good faith, you just wasted everybody's time.
05:28 We don't have Manfred Weber, your leader, around the table, but we have you, so we're
05:31 delighted to have you. There was 21 rebels, I think, as well in your group that voted
05:34 against the political line. You stuck with the line of the group and you voted against,
05:40 but yet on our programme here today you're saying that actually it was so weak you might
05:43 have voted another way?
05:44 No. I think it's very important, really, also for the audience. I have never, never in my
05:53 many years here in Parliament experienced such a difference between the perception at
05:59 home in my constituency, I come from a rural area, and the perception in the Brussels bubble.
06:06 You know, in Brussels 90% of the people think this is a good thing, it sounds good and we
06:11 need to do it. At home, 90% of my people, not only farmers, mayors, forest owners, people
06:19 that have hydropower, they say, what are you doing here? You know, 80% of our nature is
06:26 in bad circumstances. When I go with people in my constituency, they don't see this. And
06:34 it's also a very shaky definition. What is a good circumstance and what is not? So I
06:38 think we have a problem here, we have a problem with different perception, and we have in
06:44 fact the problem that people rightly say, you are doing so much, you are asking so much
06:50 from us, but you don't give us support.
06:52 But it's interesting because we saw mayors from Euro cities were in favour of it, we
06:56 saw as well 6,000 scientists were writing in favour of it, and we also saw big companies
07:01 like Nestle.
07:02 Do you know why the perception is so different? Because EPP has been spreading disinformation.
07:07 You have to go against science, you say that this is a threat for our food security, when
07:13 all the scientists say that the nature...
07:16 Sylvia, all of the scientists...
07:18 Not all.
07:19 The vast majority of scientists, you know Peter very well that you are talking against
07:25 science, against the scientific advice.
07:27 No, no, that's not true, that's not true, and I hope I have the opportunity to clarify
07:32 this.
07:33 So food security is not relying on biodiversity, oh come on Peter.
07:36 It is of course.
07:37 That is taught in schools in the first grade.
07:39 But you cannot deny, when you force farmers to do...
07:43 You don't force these obligations out of the member states, not on the farmers. This is
07:46 another disinformation that you are spreading.
07:48 No, I just wanted to say something.
07:50 But it's worth Peter Lise pointing out that the member states will also have to draft
07:53 up their own plans.
07:54 And I'd like to just bring in the young voices, because I mentioned earlier the climate activists
07:58 of course from all across the continent.
08:00 They travel by train here to Strasbourg to put pressure on you all and tell us what was
08:04 at stake for the environment.
08:05 And we had the opportunity to speak to one Belgian activist and also to the Swedish activist
08:09 Greta Thunberg, who of course started the Friday for Future strikes back in 2018 and
08:14 mobilised thousands of people all across the world.
08:18 One of our slogans is "No nature, no future".
08:20 And I think that tells it all pretty much.
08:22 All of our climate, all of our environmental ambition are not going to be achievable if
08:26 we don't have a nature restoration law.
08:28 But it's beyond that.
08:29 It's actually food security that's at stake as well.
08:31 It's Europe's resilience to massive climate events.
08:34 And it's also farmers' livelihoods at the end of the day.
08:36 So it affects us all.
08:37 They keep asking for postponement for every environmental regulation.
08:40 Let's do it later.
08:41 Let's do it later.
08:42 We have time.
08:43 Clearly the weather here today shows that we don't have time.
08:44 We need to act now.
08:45 But they're not willing to listen.
08:47 Our message to the politicians is to choose nature and choose people over profit and greed.
08:51 If we don't protect nature, if we don't protect people, it's that countless of people are
08:56 going to lose their lives and livelihoods.
08:58 And it's the natural world that is at stake.
09:00 Greta Thunberg there.
09:01 She was also in the plenary as the vote came out and she was a little bit disappointed,
09:05 she said, because it was weakened.
09:06 And you had the opportunity as well to speak with these activists.
09:09 How did that go?
09:11 Unfortunately, Greta didn't have the time to speak to EPP.
09:14 I don't know what happened.
09:15 She was announced, but she didn't come.
09:18 I spoke to these young people.
09:20 And for me, it's very important to make a difference between the Green Deal, our climate
09:25 agenda and this law.
09:27 And there's many reasons for that.
09:29 You know, to have renewable energy, to have hydropower, to have also hydrogen, we need
09:36 space.
09:38 And sometimes you have to decide that if we want to be industrialized and I want us to
09:45 be industrialized also in the future, because only then we are a good example.
09:49 And to be climate neutral, sometimes you need to have compromises and not the last bird
09:55 can avoid a wind farm and other important projects.
09:58 And that's why I'm for the climate neutrality.
10:01 And the second point, especially to my two friends, because we were together in the discussion
10:06 on climate, on the ETS and on the social climate fund.
10:11 The ETS only gets such a big majority in the parliament because we also gave the money
10:16 for the poor.
10:17 Here, we ask people to do something, but no answer.
10:21 Where does the money come from to do all this?
10:24 The EPP amendments say that there should not be able to use agricultural funds.
10:29 The cash money will not be used.
10:30 You have made yourself amendments which restrict use.
10:33 I have other ideas.
10:35 I have other ideas.
10:36 And your group is against.
10:37 That's so contradictory, Peter.
10:38 This is crazy.
10:39 Where the money should come from.
10:40 Mohamed.
10:41 I have two comments that I would like to make.
10:42 First of all, I respect Peter Liza.
10:45 And of course, Peter Liza has been a champion in the past, definitely on ETS, on climate,
10:50 fighting for climate.
10:51 I mean, I've been I saw how hard he works.
10:55 The complexity that I have here is that nature is part of the same metal.
10:59 It's the other side.
11:00 We need healthy ecosystems in order to get our Paris agreement.
11:03 And then when you say to me in my rural area, 90 percent are against.
11:07 They say nature is going well.
11:09 You're a physician.
11:10 You know, when you look at me, if people look at me, maybe most of them will say I'm healthy,
11:15 but you're a physician.
11:16 If you look inside, probably you will find all kinds of elements that are not OK.
11:20 I mean, we need to listen to experts and not people looking at grasslands and say how nice
11:25 green they look like.
11:27 Hence, it's going well with biodiversity.
11:29 The last comment that I really want to make, if you go to people and tell them this is
11:33 a bad law over and over again, they, of course, believe that it's a bad law.
11:38 I have seen elements taken out of out of context, put it on Twitter in the campaign of the APP
11:46 that were not on the table anymore.
11:48 We've listened to farmers.
11:49 A 10 percent landscaping of agricultural land was already deleted in the compromises and
11:53 envy and still APP was saying we are going to take away your land.
11:57 I mean, this is not something I would.
11:59 And Mohammed, you were very brave.
12:01 I saw you this week.
12:02 Did you get up on stage and speak in front of the farmers?
12:04 Why not?
12:05 I spoke to hundreds of angry farmers.
12:08 I speak to the activists, he speaks to the farmers.
12:10 I think they were booing you.
12:12 Seriously booing you.
12:13 I think they were booing me at the end because I said nature restoration law.
12:16 Yes.
12:17 Nature restoration.
12:18 Yes.
12:19 But before that, I was making some elements.
12:20 I think people were really thinking, like, is he now for us or against us?
12:24 I'm for farmers.
12:25 We need more farmers in the EU.
12:27 Let's bring in a farmer because we had the opportunity.
12:29 We were also there among the crowds shouting to the farmers and we spoke to one.
12:32 He's a Danish man.
12:33 He's not just a farmer.
12:34 He's also an MEP.
12:35 And he despises this law.
12:36 He tells us why.
12:38 I know a lot about nature.
12:40 I know a lot about biodiversity because I live in that.
12:44 And the proposal from the commission, it's totally crazy because it will bring us back
12:49 to 1952.
12:51 It's the first time in the history of parliament has been so divided in two blocks.
12:56 So we must find a new road to nature restoration and biodiversity.
13:01 I know what's happened on my ground.
13:03 I know what's happened in my field.
13:04 I know what's happened in my wetlands.
13:06 I know what's happened in my new forest.
13:09 Came out and look.
13:11 Asger Christiansen there, a Danish MEP, inviting us all and activists as well who are on the
13:15 other side protesting to visit his farm.
13:18 He made just a mistake there, which is not in the law.
13:20 The law does not take us back 60, 70 years.
13:23 If you have read the law, you know that it says that documented losses within the 70
13:27 years.
13:28 And it's not the same thing as taking us back in time 70 years.
13:30 That's ridiculous.
13:31 This is one of the disinformation EPPs.
13:35 Even that reference is deleted in the compromise.
13:37 And that's my question.
13:38 Who actually right here has read the whole law?
13:41 Who has read the whole law?
13:42 I did.
13:43 I did.
13:44 And to be honest, it is true that some of the tweets that EPP people made are exaggerated.
13:52 And thank you, Peter.
13:53 I told that I told that internally.
13:55 The worst.
13:56 You're not a climate denier because you're going to ask me.
13:59 But that's still online.
14:00 The S&D group still has online calling me a climate denier.
14:03 And Mohammed knows and he said it here on record.
14:06 That is not true.
14:07 So I think that is also not that is not only exaggerated.
14:11 It's fake news when you call me a climate denier.
14:14 Peter is not the climate denier.
14:16 I know this for a fact.
14:17 We have sat and negotiated the ETS and you personally did a huge effort on that.
14:20 But EPP is the one that started this.
14:23 This is a major.
14:26 The most important question.
14:28 Did we read the law?
14:29 The problem is that there's a big room for interpretation.
14:33 The definition is not precise.
14:35 The reference to the 70 years was in.
14:38 And you know, for example, forest owners tell me 70 years ago we had different forests,
14:45 but now we have a different climate.
14:46 Regrettably, we need a forest also with species that are not originally from Europe, but they
14:54 can cope with the climate.
14:56 And that is one of the problems.
14:58 The biggest problem is that everybody can interpret whatever he likes.
15:02 And we will have problems when we don't have a stable definition.
15:07 And I think that is the biggest weakness.
15:08 We need to be clear what is coming and what is not coming.
15:12 Maybe we can sort that out in the trial.
15:14 But the base was really weak.
15:16 Do you know I could have sorted out all of that if you had negotiated it?
15:20 No, no, no.
15:21 You know, it's a no, it's a no.
15:26 And it's worth reminding...
15:27 We have made all these proposals and the left and the socialists and the Greens said don't
15:32 even talk about these amendments.
15:33 No, that's not true.
15:34 No, no, that's not true.
15:35 You were not in the negotiations.
15:36 It's worth pointing out as well that this is just a step, a hurdle that was jumped.
15:40 Of course, you mentioned trial logs.
15:41 That means negotiations have to start between the member states and of course the European
15:45 Parliament, the co-legislators.
15:46 But I think the concerns as well of farmers is that they are feeling a little bit forced
15:50 into something.
15:51 Because we spoke to the Irish farmer, Pat McCormack, who heads the Irish Creamery Milk
15:55 Suppliers.
15:56 What's your reaction to him?
15:57 Well, the critical word there is voluntary, to go back to it.
16:01 You know, we're not against nature.
16:04 We work with nature on a continuous basis, 24/7.
16:08 And you know, biodiversity, it's great to see it out there on the farmland and in the
16:13 hedgerows.
16:14 So to make that point very, very clear, I suppose the issue is the lack of the word
16:21 voluntary in the script.
16:23 And that's critical because, you know, that's the difference between imposing something
16:26 on somebody and allowing somebody the opportunity to volunteer to enter a scheme.
16:32 So Pat McCormack there, worried I think of that word, the binding word, because of course
16:35 we've plenty of paper on the table already, but it's not being implemented when it comes
16:39 to nature and when it comes to birdlife.
16:40 A reaction to what he had to say there?
16:42 Well, the biggest problem I have, I really sympathise with farmers.
16:47 One of my first jobs when I was 15 years old was at a dairy farm.
16:50 It's a beautiful job, a beautiful job, which is impossible to do on your own because you
16:55 need to go big or you go broke as a farmer.
16:57 The business models of European farmers is failing.
17:01 The ones profiting off the decent hard work of farmers are big multinationals that they
17:06 depend on.
17:07 It's ridiculous that if you look at products like milk or potatoes, that the business case
17:12 is negative for farmers, that we need that.
17:14 They need subsidies to survive.
17:16 And that's something that we really need to fix.
17:19 And then I fully agree that it's not only a burden, you also give a perspective for
17:24 farming.
17:25 That if you go organic and you don't go as big as possible, that you can have a decent
17:30 piece of income for you and your family and you can live balanced with the ecosystem surrounding
17:35 you.
17:36 That's the model I'm fighting for.
17:38 Better income for farmers, but also better balance with the ecosystem.
17:41 And Sylvia, what about you?
17:42 Your message to Pat McCormack and other anxious farmers?
17:44 Well, I think one of the most regrettable things in this EPP's campaign is that they're
17:48 trying to pit us against the farmers.
17:50 Nobody is against the farmers here.
17:52 The farmers' biggest threat is the loss of biodiversity, the depleting soil, which will
17:57 end up in less crops.
18:00 So strong biodiversity is better crops and better livelihood for the farmers.
18:04 And I think Mohammed here spoke well.
18:07 And all of what Mohammed said is that we are supporting by the whole cap system, everything,
18:12 the big agri-business, not the farmers.
18:15 And this, if EPP wants to join forces to find ways to really help the farmers, I'm fully
18:20 up to that because these people do an extremely important job.
18:23 So what about the future of your party, the EPP?
18:25 A little bit divided now?
18:27 I mean, have people still confidence in the leader?
18:29 We have a free mandate here.
18:32 The Renew group, the Liberal group was much more divided.
18:36 I'm not afraid of the future of my party and I'm also not in favour of a cooperation of
18:42 my party with the far right.
18:43 I never talked to the German IFD.
18:46 Of course, I don't cooperate with them.
18:48 We are in the centre, but the problems that people in the centre of the society saw with
18:54 this law made us vote against.
18:58 Such as?
18:59 I'm really curious because I think all concerns are off the table, Peter.
19:04 All the concerns, the agricultural land, the reference to 70 years ago.
19:09 Come on, the non-deterioration.
19:10 Mohamed Chahid, that is all we have time for.
19:14 I'm afraid to indicate that is all we have time for on this topic.
19:17 We will come back to it as the negotiations kick off.
19:20 As you can see there, emotions extremely high over that nature restoration law.
19:27 But just to inform you, so-called trial logs, so negotiations with the 27 EU member states
19:33 are already underway.
19:34 We will keep you posted on how they continue and of course how the final text looks.
19:39 But for now, thank you so much for being with us.
19:41 See you soon here on Euronews.
19:51 Welcome back to Brussels, my love.
19:53 Euronews' weekly show about European affairs.
19:57 I'm Maeve McMahon and as you can see it is summertime here in Brussels and we're taking
20:03 a little holiday.
20:04 In the meantime, we're playing some of our best bits of the season.
20:08 We invite you now to take a look back at a conversation between the Croatian Conservative
20:13 MEP, Ladasav Ilčić.
20:15 He sits down with the social and climate activist, Chloé Mikuláček and the head of the European
20:21 Commission's DG Reform, Mario Nava.
20:24 They're discussing the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Act.
20:27 It would make companies all across the continent accountable for the impact they have on the
20:32 environment.
20:33 And sanctions could even be on the table.
20:35 Take a look.
20:37 The European Parliament has voted to kick-start negotiations on a plan that would call out
20:42 massive companies for their negative social and environmental impacts.
20:46 Known as Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, it could even include sanctions that could
20:50 seriously damage the reputation of these companies.
20:53 From naming and shaming to taking goods off the markets and even fines.
20:57 It looks like this directive could have real teeth.
21:01 Is this a big deal?
21:02 Chloé, do you think it could change the way businesses, outlets do business?
21:05 I think it's massive and I think it's about time that it comes into law because we've
21:10 had so many, so many scandals and so many terrible events such as the Rana Plaza, such
21:15 as oil spills happening elsewhere, which were the responsibility of European companies and
21:19 they were never held accountable.
21:20 So I think it's really great that it's finally on the table.
21:23 I think the position of the Parliament is definitely a great step forward.
21:26 Obviously, there's many loopholes, but that's always the case.
21:28 And I really hope that in the negotiations between the Commission, the Council and the
21:32 Parliament, we're going to have what was put forward, conserved, but also something that's
21:38 going to be strengthened.
21:39 I just want to give a quick example.
21:40 The inclusion of climate, for instance, in this law was great, but it's only going to
21:45 be applicable to the majority of companies by 2028, which is too late for the EU's climate
21:49 commitment.
21:50 How did you vote on that directive?
21:53 Of course against.
21:54 So I used to live in Yugoslavia.
21:58 And during communist time, they also wanted to impose some of their values like equality,
22:05 brotherhood and so.
22:06 And they imposed that to all markets and to all firms and just firms who were in line
22:13 with these values could prosper.
22:15 At the end, Yugoslav economy bankrupt.
22:18 And that is what is going to happen if European Union continuously will go in this direction
22:26 of socialism, of imposing some values to the economy.
22:32 So we have overregulation first.
22:35 Then this approach decreases the importance of consumers.
22:42 For example, I don't want, I think that, for example, stores shouldn't work on Sundays.
22:48 I don't go to shop on Sundays.
22:50 That's another debate.
22:51 Let's just hear from the European Commission.
22:52 Yeah, it is.
22:53 Because it is importance of consumers.
22:54 I know.
22:55 We'll come back to that.
22:56 But I think that politicians could solve every problem and to impose to economy and actually
23:00 they are destroying companies with this regulation.
23:04 I think there are a number of areas where we have the environment in mind.
23:09 I mean, let's mention, for example, the ESG area, the environmental, social and governance.
23:15 Let's mention the area of the green budgeting.
23:17 Let's mention the general principle that we have had in the RRF of the do no significant
23:22 harm.
23:23 I think the environmental, the general environmental tension and leadership of Europe is not under
23:31 discussion.
23:32 What we are discussing here is, however, to be able to keep that in front of difficulties.
23:38 Let me make a very clear example.
23:40 COVID and the war have shown that our supply side is fragile.
23:47 The COVID broke up the supply side and then the war also put the supply side in danger.
23:53 So circular economy can become very useful in order to restore the supply side.
23:58 And I think it's the link between those issues.
24:01 And in fact, we did want to ask certain companies who would be impacted by this, but they did
24:05 not have anyone available.
24:06 But Oxfam were available to speak to us.
24:08 We can listen to them now.
24:10 This piece of legislation is really very important.
24:13 This law is about making business accountable for what's happening in their supply chain.
24:19 What's on the table is a necessary first step to tackle the very serious violations of human
24:26 rights that are happening, where people produce our food, where people make our clothes.
24:31 We think that what was adopted last week is far from perfect.
24:35 Too many companies are left out.
24:37 What's been adopted is wishy-washy on finance.
24:40 So for a number of reasons, we are worried, but it's a good starting point.
24:44 And this process needs to go forward as soon as possible.
24:47 So Chloe?
24:48 Yeah, I mean, the truth is the market doesn't regulate itself.
24:51 We've seen it over and over again.
24:53 We've seen a lot of voluntary measures, a lot of voluntary commitments from companies,
24:57 from banks, et cetera.
24:58 And we're in the situation that we're in, which is a climate crisis, an environmental
25:02 crisis.
25:03 Human rights abuses are still happening, as was said in your interview.
25:07 So I think it's sort of insane that we have politicians that tell us that we need to put
25:10 the economy above human rights, and that it's bad that we actually want to hold companies
25:15 accountable for the human rights abuses and environmental abuses that are happening in
25:19 the supply chain.
25:20 This should be the basis.
25:21 This should have been a regulation that should have been adopted decades ago.
25:24 If you come to one big firm and tell them, you know, you must have this gender equality
25:30 in your board.
25:31 You have to have so many women, so many homosexuals, bisexuals, this or that or that, you know.
25:39 First, what you do, you ignore the criteria of quality, because every employee should
25:46 improve their career just according to their quality, and not just because he's homosexual
25:51 or woman or whatever.
25:53 So this, what they do now with this, is burdening European economy with burdens which other
26:00 – sorry – which burdens which other countries don't have.
26:05 And we cannot be competitive to all others.
26:08 But it's also about improving the conditions.
26:09 If you take a look at garment workers, for example, the conditions they're facing in
26:14 countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, in your country, we were looking at the figures
26:19 and they're being paid like 418 euros, 223 euros below the poverty line.
26:25 That's a threshold of 1.84, and that's where EU can come in.
26:28 I was union representative in my work before for 17 years.
26:32 You don't have to tell me about what is just, but the question is how to achieve that.
26:38 Who will pay the minimum salary?
26:41 Who will pay the equal salary what they want in European immigration government?
26:44 Mario, you're in charge of the recovery funds, the resilient funds, the reforms.
26:47 Who will pay?
26:48 The fact that till now the recovery and resilience fund, whenever, which as you know is made
26:54 by financing on the markets because the European Union issues on the market, until now the
26:58 market responded positively.
27:01 It means that the overall goals that we want to achieve with the recovery and resilience
27:05 funds are appreciated by the market.
27:09 There is no doubt on that.
27:11 And negotiations on that corporate sustainability due diligence act have already commenced with
27:16 the 27 EU member states.
27:18 We'll keep you posted on how they go.
27:20 The hope is that they will be terminated before the European elections take place next June.
27:25 Well, that's all we have for you for this edition.
27:27 Thank you so much for being with us.
27:28 See you soon here on Euronews.
27:31 [Music]
27:38 Welcome back to Brussels, my love.
27:41 I'm Maeve McMahon and you're watching our summer special where we're bringing you some
27:46 of the best bits of the season.
27:48 Now, one story that made us smile was when the French Krusty Baguette made global headlines
27:55 when UNESCO declared it an official item.
27:57 You can take a look now at how our guests reacted to that story.
28:03 One item that made the headlines this week in Europe was this.
28:08 Do you know why?
28:10 I know that Macron tweeted a picture about it and about, I think, the situation in French
28:16 bakeries.
28:17 No.
28:18 Almost.
28:19 Emmanuel Macron did tweet about it.
28:21 I think I know.
28:22 Ahmed?
28:23 Because it was recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage.
28:26 Absolutely, yes.
28:27 This long, crusty loaf that tastes delicious with a bit of butter and jam is not just a
28:31 baguette.
28:32 As of this week, it is now officially recognized as a UNESCO item.
28:35 It's on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
28:38 What do you think of that, Sundus?
28:39 There are even countries where they have festivals to celebrate bread, such as Uzbekistan.
28:46 Take a look at the UNESCO list and see all the other things that managed to get on that
28:49 list.
28:50 There was bell ringing in Spain, beekeeping in Slovenia, modern dance in Germany.
28:55 I mean, is it a little bit funny?
28:57 Iran and Afghanistan, the longest night of the night that they call it the Chilla or
29:02 Yelda night, that was also included similarly in the World Heritage.
29:07 But I think that's good to appreciate our culture, our diversity, our heritages.
29:15 Yeah.
29:16 And, Larry, you mentioned the Emmanuel Macron tweet.
29:19 Well, absolutely, he tweeted a French child holding a baguette.
29:23 It was a tweet that said, "250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives.
29:29 A French way of life.
29:30 We've been fighting for years with bakers and the world of gastronomy for its recognition,
29:35 and now we have gotten there."
29:36 And he wasn't the only one celebrating.
29:38 There was also pictures of the UNESCO delegation, French, obviously, holding up the baguette,
29:43 taking selfies, really celebrating this good news story for France.
29:47 So the French have proclaimed the bread in this story?
29:51 Yes.
29:52 Oh.
29:53 And, Seve, is there any product or dish that you think should be on that list?
29:57 Couscous.
29:58 Definitely.
29:59 If bread made it, couscous should be on there.
30:02 Yes.
30:03 Well, other things that are on that list, Belgian beer culture, pizza from Naples, Indian
30:08 yoga, because it's not just about the items, it's also about the knowledge behind the creation
30:12 of them.
30:13 But I guess another debate we're having today is whether we can afford a baguette even,
30:20 and whether we need to start baking at home because the price has shot up so high.
30:23 I really hope we don't go back to that.
30:25 I think we did quite enough baking during lockdown.
30:27 But the reason that I said the situation in French bakeries is that that was what I got
30:32 from this debate yesterday.
30:34 When I looked at the picture, I immediately saw that on Twitter there was widespread debate
30:38 about the situation in French bakeries, the fact that these bakeries, of course, are having
30:42 a lot of trouble paying for the energy that they need to be baking the bread, that inflation,
30:47 of course, is extremely, extremely difficult for them at the moment.
30:53 And so it's great that the baguette's on the list.
30:56 It's also a very sad time for it to be going on that list.
30:59 I think even if we cook it at home these days, it would be as costly as you buy it from a
31:05 bakery because of the costs, because of the energy.
31:11 But hope we will pass this together and it should be temporary, I believe.
31:18 That's a very optimistic take there from yourself, right, Tindaz?
31:21 I was going to say I understand the political perspective on it, but I think it's beautiful
31:26 that we take the time to celebrate culture, so food, you mentioned dancing as well, different
31:32 aspects of our heritage in Europe and also in the world.
31:37 And of course, we should not forget the difficulties we are living in in the world.
31:41 But perhaps it can be a parenthesis where we remember to have a bit of fun.
31:46 Well, that brings this edition of Brussels My Love to an end.
31:51 And in fact, that's the end of the season.
31:53 We'll be back in September.
31:55 But in the meantime, thank you so much for tuning in and thanks for reaching out to us
31:59 on that email address, brusselsmylove@euronews.com.
32:04 Keep those comments coming in and do have a nice break if you do have one.
32:08 Thank you also to the team.
32:09 And all those behind the scenes here at Euronews who've been helping get this show on air every
32:14 week.
32:15 Stay with us here on Euronews and Euronews.com.
32:16 [Music]
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