What Dennis spoke about.

15

Jan

2024

DE Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen. I think it's nice that we agreed with some colleagues here today to give a one-minute speech, even if the reason for this is a very sad one: the death of a Green colleague, who once again made it clear how complicated the situation can be for a member of staff here. It simply cannot be serious for us to put employees in a situation where, two days before th…

15

Jan

2024

DE Speech

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The role of social award criteria in public procurement in strengthening social rights, good working conditions and inclusive labour markets (debate)

Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! If you look at the European Parliament's toolbox, how we can deal with the European Commission in this way and get things rolling, the oral question is certainly not the big hammer, but perhaps more of a small nail or a tearing purpose. But anyone who has ever set himself up for such a tearing purpose knows that it can also have its effect.…

15

Jan

2024

DE Speech

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Revision of the European Labour Authority mandate (debate)

Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, dear Agnes, dear colleagues! With this opinion, we as the European Parliament are expressing our expectations towards the European Commission with regard to the new ELA mandate. And it must be said - as the Commissioner has also pointed out - that the launch of ELA was a good one, despite all the birth difficulties that a new authority always entails. But now it…

8

Nov

2023

DE Speech

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Type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7) (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! For us as the EPP Group, it is clear: We need to prove that "wages and growth up" and "emissions and environmental impact down" go together. Otherwise, no one will follow us internationally in our ambitious goals. And for me it is also clear: We will only achieve environmental protection and climate protection with industry as a partner and not wit…

17

Oct

2023

DE Speech

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International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Actually, it is sad that for some it is necessary that we need international days for this, this and that to sharpen the senses for what is happening right in front of our eyes. If we take the example of homelessness, we do not really need an International Day for Combating Poverty, but homelessness, we almost stumble upon it when we leave the E…

3

Oct

2023

DE Speech

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

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! First of all, I would like to congratulate and thank Mrs Spyraki for her outstanding work. Especially with this technical dossier, tying the different ends together to get a realistic draft is a difficult task. I believe that EPP Amendments 101, 102, 103 offer an opportunity to make the good compromises achieved even better. It is also important to…

14

Sep

2023

DE Speech

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Improving firefighters’ working conditions (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I think the debate could hardly take place at a better time. However, I would like to add at this point: In any case, the debate would have deserved much more attention. Because when we talk about the men and women who are fighting fires and floods in the front row, both during the devastating fires we saw this summer and during the equally deva…

13

Jun

2023

DE Speech

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Quality traineeships in the EU (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I can really say at this point that I am very pleased with the result that has been presented here by the shadow rapporteurs. Let me remind you at this point: When we talked about how we want to continue with the Youth Guarantee, I have always pointed out that for me it is much more important than the debate on how much money we want to put furt…

12

Jun

2023

DE Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to take part in the agreement between a number of colleagues here to finally get the issue of parental leave for MEPs rolling here. I myself am the father of two children, and like everyone else who became a father here during the parliamentary elections, I have not had the opportunity to take parental leave. In order to be able to attend the birth…

31

May

2023

DE Speech

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Strengthening social dialogue (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I can only agree with Dragoș Pîslaru: It is a pity that a debate that is so important for the question ‘How is social Europe moving forward?’ is taking place at such a marginal time. But the most important thing for me is that this debate takes place. The Commissioner has just pointed out that: We, as a Parliament, are really doing everything we ca…

10

May

2023

DE Speech

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Roadmap on a Social Europe: two years after Porto (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! In my view, the Social Forum in Porto is an important location on the way to a more social Europe. I very much hope that we will be able to consolidate this institution of a social forum so that we also ensure that the issue of social Europe remains at the top of the agenda of the top political decision-makers in the European Union. But let's not f…

18

Apr

2023

DE Speech

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Safeguarding labour mobility and social rights of striking lorry drivers from third countries (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I remember very well the heated debates, the heated debates we had here when it came to the introduction of the mobility package. We must not forget: This package even failed in the first vote in this plenary. There was no majority for that. It was really a fight on the edge of a knife that we led. Why did we run it? Why was I a passionate suppo…

15

Mar

2023

DE Speech

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More Europe, more jobs: we are building the competitive economy of tomorrow for the benefit of all (topical debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! More Europe, more jobs. This is a headline that I find quite appealing. But frankly, I think it would be even more appealing if we were to orient the policy we are also making here in this House much, much more strongly towards this objective. Particularly with regard to industrial value creation, it is unfortunately necessary to note: We are falli…

14

Mar

2023

DE Speech

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Adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The latest figures from the last Eurobarometer show once again the drama and the need for this debate. 92% of Europeans are afraid of social decline. 42% say they currently have great difficulty paying their current bills at all, and 45% say they have experienced a significant loss of living standards in the inflation crisis so far. This is, so to …

14

Feb

2023

DE Speech

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CO2 emission standards for cars and vans (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I am already a bit irritated when it is pathetically said that today is a day to celebrate. I am already asking myself whether the 3,800 people who will lose their jobs at Ford in Cologne today are also ready to celebrate in view of what we want to decide here today. This is only the beginning with regard to European industry, because we also have …

19

Jan

2023

DE Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

. – Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I am very grateful for the debate. Firstly, because I have received a lot of support for my work and for the report. But I am also very grateful for the criticism expressed here today, because it also gives me the opportunity to comment again on some things here, which I have heard over and over again for weeks. But the frequency in which the w…

19

Jan

2023

DE Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

. – Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! In recent years, discussions on a possible amendment to the Directive on the establishment of a European Works Council and, more generally, on the work of European Works Councils have often focused on the question of: How do we get to more bodies, to more European works councils? I think this debate is wrong because it is narrow. Therefore, thi…

18

Jan

2023

DE Speech

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Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen! Lobbying – advocacy – is not a bad thing in itself. Companies and associations as well as churches and trade unions do this. This is part of the political work. But, ladies and gentlemen, we must say: At some point, the point is reached where lobbying loses any healthy measure as part of political work, where borders are simply crossed. I…

13

Dec

2022

DE Speech

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A need for a dedicated budget to turn the Child Guarantee into reality - an urgency in times of energy and food crisis (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen! I think that this debate deserves more involvement, because the EU Child Guarantee, as we have it today, has its origins essentially here in this House. We were the driver of this important project. And in view of what you have said, I would also like to make it very clear that I expect the Member States to be more serious in implementing…

13

Sep

2022

DE Speech

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Adequate minimum wages in the European Union (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Tomorrow is a very special day, because tomorrow we will open a new chapter in the history of European social policy. I know not everyone likes it, so you have to live with it. This is always the case when we legislate. This is not a particular problem of this House. I believe the same applies to every national parliament. Everyone can never be …

5

Jul

2022

DE Speech

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EU initiatives to address the rising cost of living, including the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! We do not best address the current crisis by distributing dashing and old-fashioned advice to the ECB. We wanted a politically independent ECB, and now we should let it do its work, and we should focus on what we can. At this point, I would like to refer to the Social Climate Fund, which we have recently launched here in this House. I wonder why th…

5

Jul

2022

DE Speech

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Common European action on care (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! It is, as always, when we discuss reports from the Committee: There is always great lamentation, Europe is exceeding its competences, an attack on national competences. Yes, of course, when it comes to health, when it comes to care, it is primarily a national responsibility. But we, as the European Union, cannot simply say on an issue that is deepl…

7

Jun

2022

DE Speech

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Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Social Climate Fund - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation - Notification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 1))

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, thank you very much to my friend David Casa and to Esther de Lange for what they have submitted to the Social Climate Fund. I believe it is an extremely important contribution to support those who are most affected by change, by transformation, in this difficult phase. I believe that the fight against climate change is perhaps the greatest socio-ec…

16

Feb

2022

DE Speech

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One youth, one Europe (topical debate)

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, Mr Secretary of State, dear Margaritis, dear colleagues! As an EPP Group, we were very happy to support Dragoş Pîslaru's initiative to place this issue prominently in Parliament. And I expressly agree with the Commissioner: This debate, including the European Year of Youth, is of course a good opportunity to take stock and say: What have we achieved? A programme su…

22

Nov

2021

DE Speech

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Introduction of a European social security pass for improving the digital enforcement of social security rights and fair mobility (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The subject we are discussing tonight is not entirely new. Jean-Claude Juncker already spoke about this project in his State of the Union speech in 2017. It is the highest railway that we take a step forward. Because where employment biographies are becoming more and more European, we must also make contributions to how social insurance can keep pa…