What Anja spoke about.

12

Dec

2023

NL Speech

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Environmental consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the need for accountability (debate)

Mr President, ecocide literally means killing our house. The war in Ukraine has caused horrific deaths and enormous human suffering. And he also kills the house, the ecosystems of Ukraine. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam – one of Europe’s largest water reservoirs – has led to massive fish mortality, rotting trees, oil and poison spills, and the destruction of biodiversity. That Ukraine wants t…

21

Nov

2023

NL Speech

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Proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties (debate)

Mr President, bulls pierced with spears and killed horribly; ducks and geese that are compulsively fed, which is literally pushed down their throats for the production of foie gras; animals whose throat is slit without stunning until they bleed to death. These are all horrific cases of animal abuse that should have been banned a long time ago. Unfortunately, these abuses are protected by the Europ…

21

Nov

2023

NL Speech

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Sustainable use of plant protection products (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, bees, butterflies and birds are threatened with extinction. Farmers and their neighbors are much more often affected by diseases such as Parkinson's, ALS, cancer. Poor water quality is making our drinking water more and more expensive. Our soils are in very poor condition and biodiversity is deteriorating worldwide. What is the main cause of all these problems? The huge…

8

Nov

2023

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, the Commission’s proposal to allow glyphosate for another 10 years is a disgrace and it is illegal. It is clearly not in accordance with our own safety criteria of our own laws. It is not in line with science. Already in October 2017, this Parliament asked the Commission to ban glyphosate no later than 15 December 2022. Glyphosate is ruining our health and the health of animals. I…

19

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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European protein strategy (debate)

Mr President, I really only have one question: Where is the vision for a plant-based future? Because plant-based is the future. And I'm not the only one saying that. This is also stated by the IPCC climate panel. This highlights that a plant-based diet substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. It is also much better for humans and animals. Worldwide, half of all food cr…

19

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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European Citizens' Initiative 'Fur Free Europe' (debate)

Mr President, if it is important for Europeans, it is important for Europe. President von der Leyen said this last month. But what are these words worth if the European Commission does not live up to its own promises for new and ambitious animal welfare legislation? What are these words worth if the European Parliament does not even bother to take a position on the fur industry when 1.5 million pe…

16

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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Order of business

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today, as the European Parliament, we can all use our voices to make clear what we think of the fur industry. An industry that is already totally or partially banned in 20 Member States. As far as I am concerned, we are making sure that this is the case throughout Europe as soon as possible. To contain animal diseases, to protect our public health, to create a l…

4

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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The proposed extension of glyphosate in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Parkinson's disease is the fastest growing brain disease in the world. “It is a disease we inflict on ourselves. Parkinson’s disease is a disease of well-being.” A leading Dutch neurologist recently said, referring to Dutch streets where as many as six cases of Parkinson’s were found at the same time. He wants a ban on glyphosate. And so do we. Glyphosate, the world's most widely use…

4

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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Resumption of the sitting

Today is World Animal Day. And it is precisely today that the European Commission is abandoning all animals. Previously promised actions, such as the ban on keeping animals in cages and rules for the slaughter of animals, appear to have been scrapped. On behalf of millions of citizens and 8.4 billion animals in the European livestock industry, I demand that all promised laws for animals are now on…

3

Oct

2023

NL Speech

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Classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (debate)

Mr President, many people have been fighting chemical factories such as Chemours and 3M for years. Factories that produce very harmful toxins that will never disappear from the environment and that pose a very serious threat to our health. But there is hope: We see small steps to contain the danger of these factories. Vorige week besloot de rechter dat Chemours aansprakelijk is voor de milieuschad…

13

Sep

2023

NL Speech

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Reviewing the protection status of wolves and other large carnivores in the EU (topical debate)

Mr President, wolves are beautiful and impressive animals that play an important role in nature. Yet 150 years ago the last wolf was killed in the Netherlands and also elsewhere in Europe the animals were almost everywhere exterminated by hunting and by destroying their habitat. After a century and a half, there are finally some wolves living in the Netherlands again. And again shooting is the fir…

11

May

2023

EN Speech

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Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries - Agreement of the IGC on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (High Seas Treaty) (debate)

Mr President, an unidentified monster was the reason that Jules Verne’s hero Aronnax undertook his journey, twenty thousand leagues under the sea. In his adventure, he discovered beautiful coral reefs and amazing wildlife. If we were to follow Aronnax today, we would not find Captain Nemo and luscious sea life. We would find plastics, forever chemicals, heavy metals, dying coral reefs and further …

11

May

2023

NL Question

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European Citizens' Initiative "Stop Finning – Stop the trade" (debate)

Mr Millán Mon, you say that it is mainly done abroad, that these fins come from Asia, because it has been banned in Europe for so long. Now we know that the Spanish fleet, in particular, Spanish fishing vessels are regularly caught trying to land fins without the sharks being attached to them. In December, for example, two more ships were arrested for landing a total of 13 tons of shark fins. What…

11

May

2023

NL Speech

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European Citizens' Initiative "Stop Finning – Stop the trade" (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, sharks have an indispensable role in the underwater ecosystem. And yet, more than 100 million sharks are killed worldwide every year, especially for their fins. And shark fishermen – including in Europe – are regularly involved in the finning of live sharks, an illegal practice in which the fins of the still living sharks are cut off, after which the animals are thrown …

10

May

2023

NL Speech

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The role of farmers as enablers of the green transition and a resilient agricultural sector (continuation of debate)

Mr President, the common agricultural policy has cost us hundreds of billions of agricultural subsidies. Meanwhile, many millions of farms have disappeared, 85 % of which are small farms. The big companies are getting bigger and the small companies are going to break down. These billions of agricultural subsidies have also caused us a climate, water and biodiversity crisis and cause an enormous am…

8

May

2023

NL Speech

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Order of business

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, more than 1.1 million citizens have signed the citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop finning sharks’ and they are calling in this citizens’ initiative for a ban on the trade in shark fins. And that is badly needed, because 100 million sharks are killed every year, especially for their fins. As a result, 167 shark species are threatened with extinction. At the end …

20

Apr

2023

NL Speech

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IPCC report on Climate Change: a call for urgent additional action (debate)

Mr President, the latest report by the IPCC is more intense than ever. So there should be no doubt that we must now intervene drastically in all areas. This week we voted on the climate package of this Green Deal Commission. That includes congratulations. But the Commission has promised us much more: much more building blocks for the green transition, and is lagging behind. Our food system – accou…

19

Apr

2023

NL Speech

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Keeping people healthy, water drinkable and soil liveable: getting rid of forever pollutants and strengthening EU chemical legislation now (topical debate)

Mr President, our toxic footprint already reaches the highest peaks and the deepest ocean floors. We even leave PFAS on the moon, Mars and Jupiter. This footprint will never go away. I am therefore pleased that we are finally working on a ban on PFAS. This ban must be implemented quickly and must apply to all applications. No exception, because no purpose is worth permanently polluting the planet,…

17

Apr

2023

NL Speech

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Deforestation Regulation (debate)

Mr President, forests are essential for all life on earth, but they are under serious threat and the livestock industry is one of the main causes of deforestation. It is therefore very important that this deforestation law be adopted so that soya and beef that have led to deforestation can no longer be imported. Unfortunately, maize, pork and chicken meat can still be imported, even if forests hav…

17

Apr

2023

NL Speech

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Order of business

Mr President, the Netherlands is one of the smallest countries in the European Union and, at the same time, one of the most livestock-dense countries in Europe: 3.8 million cows, 11.3 million pigs, 98 million chickens, hundreds of thousands of dairy goats, sheep and rabbits. In total, there are 115 million farm animals on that tiny piece of earth. Due to the intensive Dutch livestock industry, it …

16

Mar

2023

NL Speech

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Long term commitment to animal welfare (debate)

Yes, thank you for this question. No, of course not. Bees are also animals. Sheep are animals. If we have one Commissioner for animal welfare, he can take care of all those animals that are under pressure from the current farming system. We would like the current food system to be revised towards more plant-based, more sustainable and better for animal welfare. One Commissioner can solve all these…

16

Mar

2023

NL Speech

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Long term commitment to animal welfare (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, we have Commissioners in Europe for finance, industry, agriculture, the environment, oceans, fisheries, health, but we still do not have a Commissioner who is fully committed to the welfare and rights of animals. That's crazy, actually. We keep billions of animals in Europe, stuffed in stables, in trucks, on ships, in laboratories, in zoos, dolphinariums, circuses, aren…

16

Mar

2023

NL Speech

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European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment" (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I am here with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'm super proud that so many people have taken action to protect bees and farmers. On the other hand, I am angry because this European Parliament does not see the need for a truly healthy and safe food system. Bees are threatened by massive use of agricultural poison, but if pollinators die out, this will have disastrous c…

16

Feb

2023

NL Speech

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Availability of fertilisers in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, today we again see the narrow-minded and terrifying short-term vision of many agricultural spokesmen in this Parliament. What a pity that there is no realization that without a healthy soil we cannot grow food and that fertilizer and too much animal manure are the death blow for that same healthy soil. Does the Commission understand that subsidising fertilisers and comp…

18

Jan

2023

NL Speech

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Small-scale fisheries situation in the EU and future perspectives (debate)

Mr President, small fishing boats cause less environmental damage than the industrial monster boats used by European fishermen to empty the world's seas and oceans. But a lot of small fishing vessels still catch a lot of fish together. Too many fishermen still hunt for too few fish. Overfishing in Europe and the rest of the world, which would stop no later than 2020, continues. Despite this, Bruss…