What Bernd spoke about.

15 Dec

2021

DE Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 16-17 December 2021 - The EU's response to the global resurgence of Covid-19 and the new emerging Covid variants (debate)

Watch

Mr President, Commissioner! This morning Ursula von der Leyen gave a very Europe-centric speech. I think we should really take off our European glasses and look at the global situation. 7% vaccination rate in Africa is not acceptable, nor is the division between rich and poor ever increasing. The President of Ghana – here yesterday – has now spoken clearly. That is why, on the one hand, Commission…

14 Dec

2021

DE Speech

Implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification scheme (debate)

Watch

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Diamonds have something special, sometimes something mystical. And diamonds have already made it to film fame. I remember James Bond, or the famous movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and I think that reflects exactly what this discussion is about: the two sides of these gems, the diamonds. On the one hand coveted and on the other hand associated wit…

24 Nov

2021

DE Speech

The EU's role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic: how to vaccinate the world (topical debate)

Watch

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The recent coronavirus figures have made it clear that we can really only be safe if everyone is safe. And a 4% vaccination rate in Africa is unacceptable, so we need to do more here. There is a whole bouquet of measures that we must take. I call on the Council and the Member States to release the promised doses for other countries. We have not …

23 Nov

2021

EN Speech

Multilateral negotiations in view of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, 30 November to 3 December 2021 (debate)

Watch

Madam President, ‘No Time to Die’ is the title of the latest famous movie with James Bond, but I guess it’s also describing the situation of the World Trade Organization (WTO). No time to die, because we have a vital interest in a rules-based multilateral trading system – we as Europeans, and I guess the developing world as well – and therefore we have to deliver. This 12th Ministerial Conference …

11 Nov

2021

EN Speech

The outcome of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) (debate)

Watch

Mr President, I would say to the Executive Vice—Presidents that we indeed support the Trade and Technology Council. Let me make three remarks. One, this is a discussion forum, as Executive Vice—President Vestager said, to have an open and frank discussion. It is not a T—TIP reloaded. It’s a totally different child, and this is really important to have in mind and also to make public. Second, it’s …

5 Oct

2021

DE Speech

The future of EU-US relations (debate)

Watch

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. I believe that we have found a common ground with the United States, with President Biden’s government – especially in trade policy. When the President's commercial agent says: “We put labour rights at the heart of trade policy”, as we see it. We want to make sure that trade policy also serves the local people and not a few. In this respect, there …

14 Sep

2021

DE Speech

A new EU-China strategy (debate)

Watch

Madam President, Commissioner! First of all, thank you very much to the rapporteur, Mrs Vautmans, for the good report and for the good cooperation with the Trade Committee, because, of course, trade policy plays a crucial role in relations with China. A Chinese proverb says: ‘It's better to stumble on a new path than to step on the old path.’ And that's exactly what it has to be about. We all know…