Speeches

Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission. Finland's business is ours. It was said almost 100 years ago and that solidarity with our neighbouring country is still valid today. Because in Sweden, in Europe and in the world around us, forces are now mobilising to tear apart the cohesion of our countries and undermine our support for Ukraine. We see it in Russia's energy war against Europe. We see this in how Putin is mobilizing to challenge European unity. The message of the Democrats is clear. At a dangerous time, Europe must stand for stability, security and cohesion. It is a safeguard against uncertainty in a changing world order and it requires resilient external borders, a functioning common response to migration and, last but not least, a readiness to support Finland as it strengthens its border – for Finland it is ours.

Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission! This mandate in the EU has been exceptional – pandemic, energy crisis and war in Europe. Nevertheless, the EU is strong. We have faced the crises with action. Over the past two years, we have doubled the share of renewable energy in Europe. It shows what we can achieve when we come together and decide to act. At COP28, we need to show the same momentum. We need to show and push for the rest of the world to follow the EU and triple investment in renewable energy by 2030, double investment in energy efficiency by 2030 and ensure that the Damage and Loss Fund is up and running. It is about justice and respect. Our focus on COP28 must be action to bring emissions down now. Not late, but now. Point.

Madam President, thank you very much. The EU has been severely tested in recent years – the migration crisis, the pandemic, the energy crisis and a war against international law in Ukraine. Children are affected. Children are particularly vulnerable to all crises in our societies. Children's safety, health and schooling are affected. The financial situation of families is affected. Families with children across the EU cannot pay their bills and cannot afford food. One in four children is at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU. One of four children! Growing up in poverty has a negative impact on children's rights, both here and now, but also later in life. The Child Guarantee is therefore an important tool that we must comply with. If Europe fails to ensure the safe upbringing of our children, here and now, it will affect both the children's and our common future.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Dalli! whereas sexual and reproductive health is a prerequisite for women’s health and a right that must be prioritised even in times of crisis and conflict; Due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights has been restricted. These are clinics in Ukraine that are forced to shut down, but also serious restrictions on SRHR in countries where women and girls are fleeing to. Let me be clear: The right to sexual and reproductive health must always be respected. Access to SRHR is about contraception, maternal health, safe childbirth and abortion. It saves lives and it alleviates suffering. There are many important issues linked to the situation in Ukraine, but the situation of women and sexual and reproductive health and rights are just such issues, and I expect both the Commission and the Member States to act accordingly.

Mr President, thank you very much. The Commission! Clean water is a human right, a human right, and at the same time we see how pollution and drought make clean water a luxury for more and more people. This is totally unacceptable. We need to invest properly in water and sewage networks for a future where clean water really becomes a right and not a luxury. Two weeks ago, we voted in this House to increase investment in Europe's water and sanitation. Right-wing parties want a larger share of the costs to be borne by ordinary people, not polluting companies. We do not agree on this. I hope that the Commission and the Council understand the seriousness and explain how they see the risk of increasing the costs of clean water when companies do not take their full responsibility. I want to see a strong producer responsibility so that it is the polluter who pays, not ordinary people.

Mr President, thank you very much. I would like to thank the Commissioner for his answer. It is incredibly important for us in Sweden with the support we have from the Commission when it comes to action, but also that we have laws, rules and tools in place. I would like our Commissioner to make a visit to Sweden. It is a very urgent situation with violence and shootings. I know I can speak for all parents. You have a lump in your stomach every day when you wake up to news that you have shot a teenager, a child, again. So I am looking forward to the conference, but also to these measures being put in place, and that we can start working very quickly directly with Sweden, and of course with those Member States that are in the same situation or a similar situation.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. Thank you for the important work that the Commission is doing in the fight against terror, and now it is more important than ever in Europe. In Sweden, we have a situation where children shoot children, and organised crime puts Sweden in a national emergency. As a Social Democrat, I know that the national welfare of schools and associations is the strongest tool for vaccinating our local communities against violence and gang crime. But I also know that it takes political aggregation, police work and European cooperation, for weapons, drugs, criminals and money to move constantly across borders. So my question is: What does the Commission see that you can do here and now to support Sweden in the very urgent fight that we are waging against gang crime?

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! Going to football, it's party, joy and community. To dress in the colors of your own country is to show pride in your team and where you come from. In my family we have been to many matches and in several of Europe's arenas. And every time Sweden plays, I wear my blue-yellow football shirt. This terrorist attack, this shooting where two Swedish supporters in their blue and yellow shirts have to do their duty with life, is an attack on our open, free and democratic society. It is an attack on Sweden, but it is also an attack on Europe. My thoughts, together with you, today go out to the families of the victims. I would also like to thank you for all the support we have received for Sweden, from the stadium in Brussels, here in the European Parliament and around Europe. We are not alone and we will not be defeated.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. This year, the Swedish tenant movement celebrates 100 years. Side by side with the Swedish labour movement, they led the fight for everyone's right to a good home. And now Sweden and the whole of Europe are once again facing a historically important choice. When the pace of construction drops dramatically, when renovation needs increase and when the cost of living rises. For many, living has gone from being a safe place in their lives to being their biggest concern. And at this point, I would particularly like to warn against the political forces that in this Parliament claim to represent ordinary people, but as when they gain influence in their own country, as in Sweden, they cut support for investments for window replacement, additional insulation and housing construction. Sweden and Europe need more good accommodation at reasonable rents, not more high and conservative air castles.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. Football is the world's largest sport and the world's largest cultural expression. It does not matter where in the world you travel, you will be met by children in football shirts, children with dreams of once playing in a World Cup final. What we saw after the World Cup final now was a professional athlete who at her greatest moment is being abused. This, in turn, has led to more people stepping forward and telling about their experiences. Now it is important that we stand on Jenni's side and on all other football girls' side and make sure that we do everything we can to make a change. For the little girls who today for the first time want to dream and discover the joy of football, so that the joy can lead them to experiences in football in the future. Our girls deserve it.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. We have to say it like it is: If men did not buy sex, there would be no market for sexually exploiting girls and women. The connection is very simple. The bigger the market, the more abuses. And no matter what the buyers tell themselves, it is not possible to pay for consent. You buy an assault, you buy a rape on another person's body. Nor can we deny the link between prostitution, trafficking and organised crime. The sexual exploitation of girls and women is a common European problem, which is why we must also take joint responsibility. It is almost 25 years ago that we adopted a Swedish sex purchase law. It criminalizes the men who buy a woman's body, but not the woman who sells herself. It is historical and the result of a long struggle in Sweden from the women's movement and many social democrats. I know because I was there. I have also been able to follow and see the effects. They're clear. We have changed norms and values, and we have slowed down demand. I have two daughters, and I have two girls like my grandchildren. I think I can speak for all parents when I say that no one wants our daughters or our grandchildren to end up in prostitution. Our Swedish sex purchase law has almost 25 years on its neck. It has become Norwegian, French and Irish. Now it also needs to become a common European project. I want to see a modern sex purchase law in the EU. We need to be able to send a clear message. It should not be possible to buy girls' and women's bodies in the EU's internal market.

Madam President, thank you very much. President of the Commission! Storms, torrential rains, heatwaves in Europe – climate change is affecting us here and now. We have wars in Europe with higher food prices and more expensive electricity bills as a result. Violence and abuse are increasing at a time of turmoil, not least against girls and women. We see a setback for gender equality in the EU. Parents worry about which planet we will hand over to our children and grandchildren. I therefore welcome von der Leyen's announcement here today that we will pursue the Green Deal, despite the right-wing conservative forces in here and despite the governments, like the one we have in Sweden, that are working against the climate transition. But I lacked a clear target for the EU's climate ambitions for 2040. Finally, the message from Ursula von der Leyen on consent in the law on combating men’s violence against women was important. A "no" always means a "no"!

Madam President, thank you very much. Imagine waking up on a normal morning. You get up and turn on the coffee and pour a glass of water. At the same time, you hear on the radio that the water in your area is poisoned. You are told that the water you and your family have been drinking for years has contained carcinogenic poison. In Swedish Kallinge, this became a reality. In their Swedish tap water was the dangerous substance PFAS. No one should have to worry about drinking water from the tap! With the strengthened Groundwater Directive, we are tightening the limit values for hazardous substances such as PFAS, glyphosate and antibiotics. That's good. This brings us one step closer to our vision: a Sweden and a Europe free from hazardous environmental toxins. I think it is important that we continue to work towards a total end to PFAS at EU level. It's about everyone's health.

Thank you, Sara Skyttedal, for the question. We are legislators, therefore we also have the responsibility to negotiate. I want to work for Swedish interests in the Nature Restoration Act by negotiating compromises. The most important success is, of course, that we increase the flexibility of the legislation, so that we can look at the different interests and different needs of the Member States in different regions. National restoration plans are crucial for this legislation. This is also how we protect the viability of agriculture and forestry in all the Member States.

Mr President, thank you very much. The Commission. Like so many Swedes, I have a close and deep relationship with nature. From our high mountains in the north, to the Skåne rapeseed fields in the south. Nature is our most important asset and we will manage it for our children and grandchildren. Strengthening our rivers, soils, meadows and forests is essential for the green transition. That is why it is also a pillar of the EU Green Deal, and why it is so important that we work hard for legislation that both strengthens nature and protects active Swedish agriculture and forestry. Instead, the right-wing conservatives choose to leave the negotiations, leaving their responsibility for the future. It is not time now to do as in Sweden, to hook an arm with the extreme right to stop the green transition. We are legislators. We stand up for compromises, for Swedish nature, for sustainable forestry and for viable agriculture. (The speaker agreed to answer one question, "blue card").

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. Now it is only seven years left until the world's countries reach the UN's global sustainability goals. It was in 2015 that we agreed to create a better world for each other and for future generations. But instead, things are moving in the wrong direction. Emissions continue to rise. Inequality has increased, especially between men and women. We have wars in Europe and democracy is under threat in more and more countries. We need to demand more efforts from the EU to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We must accelerate the pace of the climate transition, take greater responsibility for peace and democracy, and reduce social inequalities and inequalities. For me as a social democrat, it is the same priority at home in Sweden, in the EU and around the world. I will continue my work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I hope you do the same.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commission and Council. Russia’s war against Ukraine is still ongoing, but that does not mean that we should postpone discussions on Ukraine’s reconstruction. On the contrary, we must already shape the work and efforts that will be required on that day. whereas the attack on the Nova Kakhovka dam has resulted in devastating floods forcing people to flee, and the destruction risks having serious – both humanitarian and environmental – consequences; Since the start of the war, we Social Democrats have worked hard to strengthen Ukraine's resilience. We have called for special efforts to protect women and children most affected by the war, including a child protection package. We must continue to support Ukraine in both words and deeds, and we must contribute to reconstruction, where the foundations of a free and sustainable Ukraine, capable of taking concrete steps towards its future EU membership, will be at the top of the agenda.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. One in ten children in the world is working. There are different reasons why children are forced to work, but some of the consequences are the same. Children who work are deprived of their rights and opportunities. They lose the right to their childhood. This year's theme for World Day against Child Labour It's about just this: ending child labour and ensuring social justice for all children. Every child has the right to his or her childhood, and child labour is in direct violation of these principles – and it prevents an equal and fair development of society. The EU’s zero-tolerance approach to child labour is very important, but more can be done to address the causes of child labour. It is about poverty, inequality and access to education. Together, we must fight to create a world where children can grow up in equal societies and where children’s rights are always respected – today and every other day.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. I would like to begin by thanking my colleagues for the good work on the resolution. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical issue for the EU and the world. If we are to succeed in countering it, we must cooperate internationally, and that is why it is so important that we take the fight against antibiotic resistance at European level. We must ensure that the messages of this resolution are also reflected in the revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation. And we need to do even more. A crucial question is how to develop new antibiotics. Looking at my home country – Sweden – I see that it is possible. In Sweden, we have had access to several new medicines earlier than other countries in Europe, for example through the replacement model for certain antibiotics, which is similar to the voucher system proposed by the Commission. I look forward to developing this proposal in the revision of the pharmaceutical legislation. It is time for the EU to get serious.

Mr President, thank you very much. Thank you, Commissioner, Fox. "I didn't want to live anymore," said 13-year-old Moa, who was the victim of cyberbullying. We call it cyberbullying to distinguish between what happens online and what happens in real life. But bullying online is just as real as bullying elsewhere in society. The big difference is that the bullying online, it's there all the time. According to a study of Plan International whereas every second girl is harassed online, and one in five girls has stopped, or decreased, their use of social media after being subjected to violations; That is totally unacceptable! Cyberbullying is not only a threat to the health of our children and young people – it is a serious threat to democracy. Now the EU needs to take action. It's urgent now, we have to act!

Madam President, thank you very much. The Istanbul Convention was established in 2011, but only now will the EU ratify it. Some call it historical. I call it a scandal that we have not progressed any further. How difficult can it be to ratify a convention on protecting women and girls from all forms of violence? We have Member States that are not yet prepared to do so. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia, you should be ashamed, just as you should be doing on the right-wing nationalist bench! To our Danish Member, I would like to say that even Danish-born men beat and rape their women. That is why it is so important that we have the Convention in place and ratified, but also that we have a directive in place, so that we can tell girls and women in Europe that we are taking our responsibility. You should be able to live a life free from violence and abuse.

Mr President, thank you very much. It is so important that we have ambitious legislation on methane emissions in place here in the EU. Methane is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, and as much as a third of global warming is estimated to come from methane emissions. But it also means that measures that reduce methane emissions can then be 80 times more effective. Reducing methane emissions is one of the most effective tools available to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. An effective climate policy is something we really cannot afford to say no to. The compromise proposal we have now negotiated creates the conditions for a just transition, while being ambitious enough to make a real difference to the climate in the years to come – in the energy sector and in agriculture. You remember that at the COP meeting we made an EU pledge to reduce methane emissions, and now is the time to deliver! I therefore call on all my colleagues to honour the negotiations we have had, and to vote in favour of the compromise proposals during the vote tomorrow. We need a fair and effective climate policy that delivers on its promises, for our planet, and for our children and grandchildren.

Mr President, thank you very much. The IPCC says that if we don't rapidly accelerate the pace of the transition, we're heading towards a climate collapse. We politicians need to take responsibility and do what is necessary. After all, in response to the IPCC report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the world’s largest emitters – the US, China and the EU – to take on a greater responsibility, an even greater responsibility. The Commission replied that the EU must continue to tighten our climate targets, and that is a good thing. Fit for 55 This is a historic step in the right direction. But we know it's just the beginning. We already need to look ahead to the EU’s 2040 climate targets, and there is no time to wait. We have a concrete opportunity to act already at COP 28 this autumn, and the resolution ahead of COP 28 that we are going to produce must send a clear signal to the Commission to continue to speed up and come forward with really concrete proposals that can reduce emissions in the near term. I am very much looking forward to this work, and the EU must continue to show leadership in the climate transition and be a strong global actor. It is about the future of our children and grandchildren – and it is urgent now.

Madam President, thank you very much. I want to highlight a crucial perspective on global health that I miss in the strategy. It is about equality. Whether you are born a woman or a man will be crucial to your health. Equality plays a role in life and death. In some countries, women now live on average a decade longer than men, but more men than women die from suicide. At the same time, a third of the world's girls are married before they turn 18. More and more young women are at risk of premature death from unsafe abortions. We also know that the income gap between women and men is widening again. At the current rate, it would take more than 200 years for women to have the same income as men. Both the pandemic and the conservative anti-abortion movement have hit girls' and women's health hard and it is we who must take responsibility to reverse that trend. I think there is a lack of a gender perspective in the EU's health strategy. Both women and men deserve to live good, free and healthy lives. My country, Sweden, has long been a leader for gender equality in the world, and I expect the Swedish Government and the Swedish Presidency to do more to highlight the increasing inequality in discussions in the Council and with the Commission. We can do better.

Madam President, thank you very much. Recently, a documentary called Dark Water was broadcast in Sweden. It is about thousands of people in Kallinge in southern Sweden who discover that for several years they have been drinking water from the tap that contained huge amounts of the toxic perpetual chemical PFAS. The tracks lead across the Atlantic to the global chemical giants. The people in Kallinge are now constantly living with the fear of developing cancer. A woman says: “I will be toxic until I die, but I want to see a change for the sake of my children and grandchildren, if I get any.” No one – nobody – should have to worry about getting cancer from drinking water from the tap. I will fight for a ban on PFAS and demand that the European Commission now also present its proposal for a revised chemicals legislation. The interests of giants must not take precedence over human health. And the people of Kallinge in southern Sweden can't wait.