Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased that the European Parliament is once again taking a stand to call on the Member States to be consistent in their action against antibiotic resistance. We are talking about a silent pandemic, but the consequences are glaring. More than 35 000 people die each year in the EU from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and this will only increase, exceeding the number of patients dying from cancer. Not to mention the societal costs that will exceed those of the 2008 financial crisis. The central message of this resolution is that it is high time to act upstream. We know that the current misuse of antibiotics for human and animal health is actually only helping to amplify antibiotic resistance, as well as the release of pharmaceuticals and agricultural products into the environment. So let's change our practices and apply the One Health approach to be consistent. I also call on the Member States to make the necessary resources available to put in place the national plans to combat antibiotic resistance.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, first of all, I am happy that we speak about animal welfare, but I would be also happy if we do not always do it in the Thursday afternoon when nobody is there to listen anymore at all. But I will switch to German now. Das Töten von Eintagsküken ist eine inhumane Praxis, die immenses Leid verursacht und gegen die im EU-Recht verankerten Grundgesetze des Tierschutzes verstößt. Ich halte es für inakzeptabel, dass die Industrie bis heute an dieser grausamen Praxis festhält und dass die aktuellen EU-Tierschutznormen das Schreddern und das Vergasen überhaupt noch zulassen. Auch EFSA hat sich hierzu bereits 2019 klar ausgedrückt: Stoppt das Schreddern! Denn es gibt bereits, und sie wurden erwähnt, Technologien zur Geschlechtsbestimmung in ovo, die diese grausame Praxis völlig unnötig machen. Ich möchte der Kommission hier mit dem Blick auf die anstehende Überarbeitung der EU-Tierschutzstandards eine ganz einfache Frage stellen. Es wurde bereits von Ihnen im Oktober 2022 angesprochen: Werden Sie wirklich ein explizites EU-weites Verbot der Tötung von Eintagsküken vorschlagen? Angesichts der überwältigenden Forderungen der europäischen Bürgerinnen und Bürger nach konsequentem Tierschutz darf die Antwort hier nur Ja sein, und das sofort – nicht noch mit langen Transitions- und Übergangsphasen.

Madam President, dear Commissioner – I know the Germans speak English very well – I would like to congratulate the Commission for its efforts to put health on top of its agenda with this strategy and remind the Council that citizens want more action from the EU on health, not less. I could not agree more with the objectives to build stronger global partnerships, to face new common challenges and to make universal health coverage the norm globally. However, I believe some consistency is needed here. We cannot truly advocate access to care for all globally without recognising that IP rights are the main obstacle to foster access to care globally. Let’s not avoid the elephant in the room. Let’s not discuss a TRIPS waiver behind closed doors. Also, we need to concretely demonstrate the importance we give to One Health in Europe so that our partners are interested in joining these efforts. Let’s build a stronger case for global health by being coherent in our efforts.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear Prime Minister – moien, leiwe Xavier – it is always a pleasure to see you in the European Parliament. Historically and still today, Luxembourg is at the heart of the European project, and we must honour our role as one of the three European capitals. In our Union of 27, even a small country like ours has its place in the negotiations and can be a game changer. I am of course proud of the Luxembourg government’s commitment against nuclear power, which we agree is neither green, safe nor renewable. Thank you, therefore, for your support to our Minister of Energy, Mr Claude Turmes, and to the complaint against the taxonomy. So let's talk about finance: As one of the largest financial markets in Europe, we have a special responsibility to implement the green transition and promote social justice also beyond the EU. That is why I would like Luxembourg to play a pioneering role in corporate due diligence. Will Luxembourg finally support the inclusion of the financial sector in this directive? The Directive is precisely an opportunity for Luxembourg to clearly position itself as a leader in truly sustainable finance, respectful of human rights and environmental law.

Mr President, the news on the Uber files broke in the middle of the negotiation on the Platform Workers Directive here in the European Parliament. It was shocking to hear about how Uber broke the law and used aggressive lobbying tactics to delay and block laws on labour and social rights. That’s why it has been particularly concerning to see how many colleagues here in this Parliament have been echoing the voices of Uber. There are also good examples of platform companies who deliver innovative services while ensuring labour rights, but they can’t compete with exploitation. The deal on the Platform Workers Directive agreed with EMPL last December would allow for a level playing field for all the actors. It would also give social rights to 28 million platform workers all over the EU who desperately need it. Don’t be fooled by this multimillion lobbying machine. We need to stand up for workers’ rights and fight against second— or third—class workers’ conditions.

Madam President, Commissioner, in Latin America, the rule of law is under attack, the democratic space is shrinking, journalists and human rights defenders are threatened and corruption is widespread. Extreme poverty makes every day a struggle. In particular in Central America, the security situation is extremely worrying and to combat the gangs, we have seen how state of emergencies have been introduced. These policies have legitimated more militarisation of the public security, which has led to human rights violations such as arbitrary detentions, torture and even deaths in prison. Here, in our exchanges, we should not only focus on sanctions but also on prevention and social rehabilitation. As we work hard to defend democracy, fundamental rights, disinformation, equality and the environment in the EU, we should be coherent and promote the same values towards our partners, building a mutual partnership that is based not only on trade deals, but also on cooperation and development.

Mr President, the current situation is alarming and I understand the anger of the citizens. On the one hand, the increase in respiratory viruses puts European emergency services in an extremely precarious situation and, on the other hand, citizens are facing shortages of medicines, a direct consequence of the laissez-faire policy applied for years to the pharmaceutical industry. The result? Massive relocation of the production of medicines, shortages, patients who do not receive the necessary care and a startling lack of information from the public authorities in order to be able to act. By giving full control to the private sector, public authorities, both national and European, have given way to the systematic commercialisation of public health. The result is the situation we are experiencing today, where the health of citizens is put at risk. I would therefore like the Commission and the Council to express their views on the measures they envisage, first in the short term, to immediately support public health services and obtain essential medicines, but also, in the longer term, to ensure more transparency on the production chains of the medicinal product, so that the public authorities can act upstream of shortages and not just in response. And finally, on the possibility of creating a European public entity responsible for the production of a minimum of essential medicines so as to always have a safety net.

Mr President, Commissioner! Guarantees for children have been established at European level since 2021. This is an important step towards ensuring access to quality health care, education and decent living conditions for children who are also affected by poverty. However, establishing does not mean acting directly, and we must take into account the current crisis situation. While more families are facing the high prices, we have to face a question: How can we give every child the same opportunities if there is not enough money for these goals? For child guarantees, we need guarantees for more investment, and in the right direction. The health and school system in the Member States still reflects social injustices. Private health insurance companies and unbalanced school systems still put children at a disadvantage in difficult situations. How can we talk about guarantees for children without addressing systematic exclusion and the two-three-class society? We need more public money from the EU and the Member States to really give children equal opportunities in the school system and in healthcare.

Mr President, dear all, we have already extended the deadlines for the new rules of the Medical Devices Regulation to apply until May 2024. The European Parliament was clear that we do not wish another postponement that would be in the disinterest of patients. Now, if the regulation poses issues that will affect access to care for patients, perhaps it really requires other changes to the regulation. So that would be my question to the Commission. What does the Commission recommend? I would like to stress that Parliament should be involved early on regarding the discussion. I was happy to hear from the Commissioner, who said it is important that the European Parliament is involved in order to discuss possible changes to this regulation instead of having again to face another urgent procedure to extend the deadline to apply the regulation’s rules, which are important.

Madam President, World Diabetes Day was last Monday and unfortunately it was an opportunity to highlight the growing number of people suffering from this disease. Despite different initiatives at European level, coordination for prevention and access to care remains limited. This needs to change and that is the purpose of this resolution. But even more so, this resolution contains three important changes. The first is the end of discrimination against people with diabetes. No, a person with diabetes should not be excluded from a profession or course at school because of their illness. The second is access to care and innovation. For this, transparency in the prices of medicines as well as in the use of funds for research is key. The third change called for by this resolution is the transition to a healthy environment and diet. Europe has a major role to play in coordinating Member States’ efforts, for example through the Green Deal and the CAP. Once again, I would like to conclude by pointing out that environmental and health issues are extremely interrelated and need to be addressed together.

Madam President, Commissioner! To my colleague Katrin Langensiepen: Our group can be proud of the work you do every day in the fight for more inclusion and accessibility in Europe. An EU Accessibility Centre, that was long overdue, because unfortunately I don't know of any country, not even an EU institution, where there are no more barriers for people with disabilities that make their lives more difficult or even exclude them. Indeed, concrete and radical changes must be made quickly if we are to live up to the promise of a more inclusive EU. And we want to! Good words and good sounding strategies are not enough.

Madam President, I would like to begin by congratulating my colleagues on their work on these two files, which are the essential prerequisite for strengthening European coordination on health. However, I am divided: For me, the Europe of Health should register in a straight line with citizens, for Europe. They are calling for a social Europe. Yet, once again, the Council and the Commission acted to limit Parliament’s call for more transparency and systematic scrutiny of public money spent. Transparency should not be a battle but an agreed process, and I am annoyed by the fact that our Heads of State, after many requests, do not recognise it. Changing and strengthening Europe is above all about building a Europe we trust, and transparency is essential for that.

Madam President, Commissioner, I had also the opportunity to join the mission of the Agricultural Committee to the Polish—Ukrainian border also two weeks ago, and I was impressed by how smoothly things were running. But to be honest, not much was running – almost no grain makes it to the EU borders. But also no one had yet heard of the so-called ‘solidarity lanes’ announced by the Commission; idem for the matchmaking platform supposed to facilitate the export. The cost of transporting the food via new routes and transport modes, in a country under attack, are sky high, and the prices Ukrainian farmers are getting are too low. This complicated issue needs a holistic, strategic approach. If we really want to help save the harvest – which we should focus on right now – the EU needs to think bigger. The solidarity lanes should go from inside Ukraine to their final destination, especially to the countries outside the EU which really depend on these imports.

Thank you for that question. First, that instrument, that taxonomy, does not prohibit nuclear power. Secondly, we all agree that nuclear energy is not green and increases our dependence on uranium imports. I do not think there is uranium in France, so it brings massive imports. It is well known that the construction of nuclear reactors takes many years, so will not meet climate objectives at all. By the time they are operational, the deadlines for meeting climate targets will have passed anyway. And thirdly, you know very well that nuclear waste, for which there is still no solution, needs to be cooled for 80 years. So it is not sustainable or ecological either. Indeed, how do you cool waste if not with cold water, which in addition harms biodiversity?

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we cannot accept the diversion of green investments into unsustainable energies that also benefit Putin’s war. Every euro that flows into the costly construction or endless maintenance of a nuclear reactor will not be invested in renewable energy. Austria and Luxembourg have already announced legal action against this delegated act in case it passes. These governments denounce an inconsistency with several European texts in the taxonomy regulation itself and a clear overstepping of the Commission's powers. The legal arguments are strong and may well succeed. The energy transition is urgent. Why then prolong this debate for years before the Court of Justice if tomorrow we can bring down this delegated act? Colleagues, it is clear that the vote will be tight, and every vote counts. The credibility of our institutions is also at stake. So, support this objection. (The speaker agreed to respond to a blue card intervention)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, At first glance, home office seems to be a practical alternative. On the second, however, the many from-home work during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the mental health of many. These months have shown the importance of social contacts, work-life balance and the right to disconnect. The digital world of work also includes the group of platform workers, whose work is governed by algorithms and remote management. The result: precarious work orders that lead to performance pressures and financial fears, and a sense of permanent surveillance. All of this can lead to depression or mental illness. It is therefore high time for the European Commission to propose a European mental health strategy that meets the many facets of mental health and takes into account the challenges of the digital world of work.

Madam President, this week will vote on key legislation to reduce emissions and to build a just transition. But let’s be frank, with us and with the citizens: all in all, this package will not allow us to reach our climate targets committed under the Paris Agreement. The Social Climate Fund is a glimmer of hope in this package. In the light of war-driven energy prices, it is more important than ever to share the cost and to make this transition fair. I am therefore pleased that, for the first time, we propose clear EU wide definitions of energy and mobility poverty. This fund will give direct financial support to those who need it the most. And what's more, it will allow Member States to make structural investment in public transport and building renovations to effectively lift households out of poverty and build a more green future. But let me add to this fund should be social, not business-oriented. For SMEs, there are other programmes available, so let's invest here directly in the people and not for the companies!

Madam President, the situation of women affected by the war in Ukraine must attract our particular attention. Beyond material support, we need to provide them with psychological support to help them cope with the hardships of war. Many women have had to leave their partners, most of them forced to stay on the territory of Ukraine. They left with their children, their parents and sometimes their grandparents. Others find themselves alone in a country that is not their own. It is essential that we give them strong moral support. So we learn every day that some of them, as well as children, have been victims of sexual violence. These war crimes lead to deep traumas that urgently require psychological and medical care.

Madam President, Commissioner! I would like to mention here the so-called new genetic techniques. For organic farmers, the push for deregulation is particularly worrying: They need to remain 100% GMO-free, and so do customers. What is the future for organic farming if GMOs are allowed to flood the market undetected? This should have been addressed in the report. Another aspect that is particularly close to my heart is animal welfare. I hope for broad support for the amendment, which recognises that organic farming is a leader in animal welfare. Of course, animal welfare can also be improved in many organic farms and during transport. However, in the revision of EU animal welfare legislation planned for 2023, organic standards should serve as a compass. And I know, I know the counter-argument, that's always: That's too expensive! Well, in the last two years, we've all experienced for ourselves how much a bad treatment of animals can actually cost us as a society.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the mental health of many citizens has been and still is under severe strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the war in Ukraine and the ensuing socio-economic crisis. Health systems face high and varied levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Socio-economically disadvantaged young people are particularly at risk. Radical upheaval and rapid social change, including sudden exposure to poverty, abuse of power or existential fears, can trigger psychological distress, especially as these young people often have neither the opportunities nor the means to find support tailored to their needs, and mental health problems are much more common in the poorest people in all countries. In order to address these problems, we need to put in place a European strategy on mental health, which highlights, in particular, the mental health problems faced by children and young adults. It is also urgent that we offer low-threshold psychological support services, services that are accessible and affordable. Access to these services must be easy and unconstrained. There is a need to analyse and remove barriers to access to emergency care and psychological support. In these extremely difficult times, we must propose social and financial measures for young immigrants, those belonging to minority groups and people living in situations of economic insecurity. It is also essential to promote prevention, early diagnosis and direct access to individualised psychosocial support to ensure prompt recovery. Commissioner, it is time to propose a European strategy for mental health. I call on the Commission to also take into account Parliament’s resolution of July 2020 calling for a European Mental Health Action Plan to address the multiple facets of mental health, especially among young people and children.

Mr President, since the closing down of the International Commission against Impunity (CICIG), Guatemala suffers from a dismantling of rule of law and institutional co-optation. We are deeply concerned over the legal action initiated by authorities in Guatemala against independent judges, lawyers and prosecutors, who have been involved in investigating anti—corruption cases. More than 20 of them have already left the country out of fear for their safety. We urge the Guatemalan authorities to put an end to the criminalisation of justice operators, to ensure the independence of the justice system and to guarantee a transparent process when selecting the new Attorney General. We also see that the attacks and the criminalisation of land and environmental defenders are increasing. We Greens defend the rights of the citizens, and not of a corrupted elite who sacrifices people and natural resources for their own profit. I remember Lolita Chavez, our Sakharov Prize finalist in 2017, she warned us that ‘various EU companies are violating rights of the people in Guatemala’. Therefore, we must call on the EU companies to apply strict due diligence to ensure human rights compliance. We should continue the constructive dialogue that we have built with Guatemala and its embassy in Brussels. In this dialogue, the EU has to promote democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

Mr President, Commissioner, it has been more than 20 years since the Transparency Regulation came into force. Two decades later, the practice of ensuring public access to documents is now, admittedly, a priori established, but this regulation must be revised and adapted to today’s reality, where communication takes place through multiple channels, without necessarily leaving a trace. Thus, the European administration should be made responsible for these new media, in order to ensure transparent practices and procedures, a key element of democracy. This Regulation should apply without exception to all bodies of the European Union. A new, much broader definition of a ‘document’ will therefore be needed to adapt to the times. This is a matter of governance and trust, especially when taxpayers’ money is at stake. And this practice must not be neglected in times of crisis, when the Commission signs contracts with pharmaceutical companies where the best interests of citizens must prevail over purely commercial interests.

Madam President, we have here a report, toughly negotiated for the Greens by my colleague, Michèle Rivasi, that puts prevention at the core of this report and echoes the Commission’s Beating Cancer Plan. This part not only addresses tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol and food policies, but also environmental aspects, such as air quality and exposure to cancerogenic substances. We are also pleased that the report acknowledges unaffordability throughout Europe as one of the key obstacles for patient access. On the other hand, we regret that the report fails to address the elephant in the room: the system of patents which creates monopoly markets for companies and enables them to keep prices at a very high level. But please let’s not undermine the efforts of the report. We have the inclusion of ‘no safe level of alcohol consumption’ in the report. However, I see that some colleagues still do not recognise scientific studies or even reformulate studies to align them with industry demands. The WHO clearly states that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, therefore, now stating that only harmful consumption is cancerogenic is misleading. After how many glasses of wine can we talk about harmful consumption? One, two, three? About 1 in every 20 deaths worldwide is the result of an alcohol-related disease. Let’s stick to the science and keep the report as it is. We also clearly need better information about the risk factors for many different cancers and need to stick to health warning levels. I also want to remind everyone that we are calling for the prohibition of alcohol advertising at sports events when those events are mainly attended by minors, as well as the prohibition of alcohol sponsorship of sports. Now, concerning e-cigarettes: the current report calls on the Commission to evaluate which flavours in e-cigarettes are particularly attractive to minors and non-smokers, and to propose to ban these. There are thousands of flavours in e-cigarettes that are trying to make them unduly attractive, and it is overdue that regulatory action has to be taken against them.

Madam President, it has been a great honour for me to chair the first committee here dedicated exclusively to animal welfare. I would like to thank all Members, advisors and experts for their hard work, and I call upon all Members to vote for the most ambitious recommendations possible. Here, time is a crucial concept. How much time will animals have to spend on trucks, on ships, on planes in the future, knowing that every extra hour leads to more suffering? Time is also an important issue when it comes to the date of the revision of the rules because there is no time to waste. It is because of the pressure of concerned citizens that we had this committee, and they want to see a change now, or at least as soon as possible. If the revision is delayed, it will be nearly impossible to complete it before the elections in May 2024, and this will be a big disappointment for all those citizens. It’s the Members of this term who are unequivocally the most qualified to work on this revision, having spent so much time analysing the issues of animal transport. So will the Commission consider this important time issue and advance the date of the proposal to the first half of 2023 so that we can deliver a revision before the end of this mandate? Time is running for millions of animals.

Mr President! Imagine that you live most of your life in a cage. You were probably born in captivity, but you still feel the wilderness inside you. You long to walk freely, swim and sleep in the open air. But that's not what your everyday life looks like. Your daily routine is at the mercy of the people who keep you in captivity. You were raised in fear of punishment. You had to learn what to do to avoid pain. In the evening, in the bright spotlight, you are forced to perform, under the cries, under the laughter of the crowd around you. How can this still happen in 2021? It has nothing cultural, it has nothing educational to haul wildlife across the continent and abuse it for entertainment. This practice should be a thing of the past in all countries.