Speeches

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner Johansson! They still have nightmares, and right now they say they never want to return to Ukraine again. The words come from a mother from Ukraine who fled with her children to Sweden. Ever since the war broke out, Ukrainian children have endured things that no child should have to experience. Already in March, we Social Democrats issued clear demands to protect the children affected by the war. It is extremely positive that Commissioner Johansson takes this issue so seriously. Preventing children from being abducted or subjected to violence or trafficking in human beings is fundamental to the European Union. It is about children's human rights, and that we as adults live up to our obligations. It is about all children – all children have the right to a safe and loving childhood. Thank you, Ylva.

Mr President, thank you very much. Our Commissioner! Already at today's 1.2 degrees global warming, we see heavy floods, heatwaves and droughts. We are on our way to 2.7 degrees Celsius, and it is devastating both for our nature, for vulnerable groups and for a peaceful and safe world. We're in a hurry. We need to raise our targets at COP27. The EU must lead the way, show how solar, wind, water and biogas reduce emissions, costs and Russian dependence. To succeed in this, in order to achieve ambitious and sustainable agreements, women must also take their place at the negotiating table. Women and children are the most affected by the consequences of the climate crisis. It is also women and children who are today the most climate-smart in everyday life. Let COP27 be the turning point where young women's voices and leadership for the climate are taken seriously.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commission, Council! Russia’s ruthless war is affecting Ukraine’s population every day, threatening Europe’s peace and security. As Russia escalates, we Social Democrats believe that the Commission's call for unity and solidarity is crucial and that Commissioner Johansson's guidelines on visas are reasonable. In this security situation, it is critical that the leaks that have been discovered at the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea are now being properly investigated. This likely sabotage has occurred in the Swedish and Danish economic zones and is very serious. It's only a few miles from where I live. Putin's cold-blooded actions in Ukraine and the illegal annexations must be stopped. We, the EU, must continue our strong cooperation. One thing is for sure: Putin will not be victorious.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. The pandemic is not over yet, but in the EU, thanks to vaccines, we have hopefully put the worst behind us. In a European Health Union, we now have new tools to prevent the next mutation of the coronavirus or an unknown virus from becoming a new pandemic. If Member States can share data early on, we can predict the next step, and we can impose local restrictions even before the virus arrives. The whole EU needs protective equipment, intensive care facilities and test labs, and if one Member State has a full test lab, another Member State can help. It is through increased transparency around joint procurement that we can fight disinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Viruses and pandemics know no bounds, and I am really looking forward to better coordination in order to master viruses and pandemics in the future.

Madam President, thank you very much. Madam President-in-Office of the Commission, Crises, climate, pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and now also an energy crisis – crises that require common solutions, political courage and clear leadership. I expect the Commission to live up to all this. Support for and solidarity with Ukraine must continue. This is important because we see women and children suffering every day. We received good news today about the reconstruction of schools in Ukraine. Before winter, rapid solutions are now needed to mitigate the insane electricity bills in our Member States, but that must not mean pausing the climate transition. We need to invest even more in renewables. Last but not least, in this troubled time: The EU must be the guarantor of democracy, equality and equality at a difficult time.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commission, please. The Prime Minister! I am pleased to read that the three Presidencies, France, the Czech Republic and Sweden, will work for greater gender equality. At the same time, I am very concerned that gender issues are not highlighted as a sufficiently clear priority in the Czech Presidency. The threat to gender equality and women's human rights is very serious. The pandemic has led to increased violence against women. Abortion rights are violated not only in the United States but also in our own Union. It is estimated to take three generations – three generations! – before the EU is on an equal footing. I therefore have two questions for the Prime Minister. When is the Czech Republic planning to ratify the Istanbul Convention and how will you push for the EU to do the same? What are your main gender equality priorities this autumn?

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. 2.8 million social economy actors create jobs for millions of people in the EU. This includes, for example, the small country store that supplies the village with groceries or the cooperative kindergarten that takes care of the children. With investments in the social economy, there are great opportunities to create more jobs, stronger welfare and positive economic development. I see it in my country, Sweden. The social economy can also play an important role in a fair recovery from the pandemic, as well as in the green and digital transitions. This is why the Commission's Action Plan for the Social Economy is extremely important. Now is the time to understand the value created by the social economy, increase its visibility and develop a conducive environment for the social economy so that it can truly prosper. The Action Plan with all its proposals will make a positive contribution. While highlighting the possibilities of this, it goes without saying that it should go hand in hand with good working conditions, collective agreements and trade union rights. Women as a group will benefit. They are already a large part of entrepreneurs and leaders in the social economy. Facilitating the social economy will also enable women's economic freedom. It is therefore time to give the social economy and those working in the sector the status and opportunities they deserve. Having said that, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Cañas, for his excellent and constructive work on the report. As the report stands at the moment, it contains so many good things and important recommendations that we in the S&D Group will vote in favour of it.

Madam President, thank you very much. Once again, conservative forces are trying to limit the right of girls and women to control their own bodies. Once again, in another country, people's fundamental rights are being violated. Thousands of women die every year as a result of unsafe abortions. Millions of women are being treated acutely in hospitals. We know that abortion bans do not prevent abortions; It only leads to more unsafe and dangerous abortions. whereas restricting and banning the right to abortion has very serious consequences both for the individual and for society; We socialists will never, ever accept that people's fundamental rights are violated. Not in the US, Poland or anywhere else in the world. I want to control my body. I want my daughters to be able to control their bodies. Never, never anything else.

Mr President, thank you very much. The Commission and the Council! More than a hundred days and the war in Ukraine is still ongoing. The EU is more united than ever and now we must continue to put pressure on Russia. The sixth package of sanctions, with a ban on oil imports, is therefore extremely important. Although not all oil is covered by the halt, it is still an important step to reduce Putin’s ability to finance this illegal and brutal war in Ukraine. Now more than ever, we need to continue working to break our dependence on Russian energy. The next step must be to also close the crane for Russian gas in the pipelines. There is only one way away from high energy prices in our Member States, and that is to become energy self-sufficient together and to accelerate the energy transition. We need to become independent of fossil fuels now. And here I want to highlight bioenergy and biogas, which together with wind and solar energy is an important alternative. We've seen it in Sweden. It is very successful. Biogas is completely renewable. Waste from agriculture and the food industry is taken care of in a cycle and becomes heat in our houses and fuel in our cars. Finally, I also welcome the discussion in the Council and the decisions on food security. The fact that Russia is preventing the export of agricultural products from Ukraine has devastating consequences, mainly in poor countries. Global food security must be a priority for the EU, and we need to do everything we can to be able, in the short and long term, to take responsibility both for the EU and for global leadership.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Johansson, thank you for your strong commitment to women and girls in the war in Ukraine – families waking up to planes and bombs falling, fear of your own family, but also over access to food, lack of medical care, a closed school and a destroyed playground. But Ukraine's women and girls worry about more than that. They fear the Russian soldiers who commit heinous sexual assaults, who rape, who harass. And they are concerned about limited access to contraception, maternal health, safe childbirth and abortion. Women are afraid, afraid that their children will get away and end up in the hands of traffickers or that they themselves are tricked into the wrong car at the border and then forced to sell their bodies. Because it is so, women and children are more vulnerable in violence and war and in conflict, and violence and abuse in conflict is a war crime. These crimes must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. whereas sexual violence in war and conflict, trafficking in human beings and restrictions on sexual and reproductive rights can be prevented, but both political courage and active action are required; It is above all a question of ending men's violence against women. What's wrong with these men? It is about every man's right to decide over his own body, about women and men having the same power to shape society and their own lives. We say that in the solemn speeches, but now it is also a question of making it a reality in their own lives, of a Europe that really stands up and is equal. We Social Democrats will continue to demand protection for women and children affected by the war. And we will continue our work for a gender-equal Europe.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioners! When the theatre in Mariupol was bombed, a little girl was hidden in concrete and dust. She miraculously survived, but she hasn't spoken since. The war in Ukraine is a brutal war against our children. In mid-March, we Social Democrats therefore issued clear demands to protect the children affected by the war. I and we are grateful that today we are dealing with a resolution for the children. No child anywhere should have to experience a war. Every child has the right to a safe childhood. As regards the EU's response to the war in Ukraine, we Social Democrats demand that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which all EU Member States have ratified, be respected and complied with. The best interests of the child – as we have said many times – must be taken into account in all decisions relating to children. I therefore welcome Commissioner Johansson's clear statement that we will ensure that children are properly registered at the borders. We're going to see all the kids. The EU must strengthen efforts to prevent violence, abuse and trafficking in human beings. Priority should be given to children's needs, basic needs for food and clean water, psychosocial support and safe places for play, rest and education. Children don't just have the right to survive. Children also have the right to safety, development, education and play. All children have the same rights and equal value. And now we will do everything we can to ensure the human rights of children and that we actually live up to our obligations.

Madam President, thank you very much. Article 2: ‘All children have the same rights and equal value.’ Article 3: “Children’s best interests shall be taken into account in all decisions concerning children.” The Convention on the Rights of the Child contains human rights for children, and all EU Member States are committed to them. We heard that a Ukrainian child flees Ukraine every second. Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine is also a brutal war against Ukraine’s children. We must always defend children's rights, and of course also in war. Last week, we Social Democrats demanded that the Council and the Commission urgently develop a children's package to protect and help children, both those fleeing Ukraine and those remaining in Ukraine. We are pleased that the Commission has listened, that is a good thing. We now want to emphasise a child rights perspective that must be integrated into all measures. Action is needed – now.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. March 8 is an important day, a day to highlight the successes of women's rights, but it is also a day to highlight all the challenges and injustices that remain. Most of all, however, it is a day when we will raise our ambitions. We will stick to our goals and make sure that we actually act. We know that women's rights are human rights, which should be a matter of course. The EU Gender Action Plan III sets important objectives. If these objectives are to make a real difference, they must be fully implemented and prioritised in all areas of EU action. It requires political leadership, just like in my home country of Sweden, where we have a feminist government that has decided that the way forward is an equal society. We Social Democrats demand that the EU speed up the work on gender equality, both within and outside our Union. If we do not increase the pace, it will take three generations for our daughters to live in an equal Europe. Women and men, girls and boys, should have the same power to shape society and their own lives. It is simply a prerequisite for a sustainable and peaceful world.

Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission! Every human being is unique, but human dignity is equal. All people, regardless of colour, ethnic and cultural affiliation or religion, have the right to be treated with respect. Nevertheless, racism and discrimination on grounds of ethnicity are still prevalent both within and outside the EU. This is totally unacceptable. The EU anti-racism action plan is a good starting point, and it is needed in all policy areas. Culture, education and sport are fundamental to promoting an open and welcoming society for all. I therefore welcome the report and several of the measures highlighted. Promoting a comprehensive approach to the fight against racism and discrimination in these areas is extremely important. It is simply about the equal value of all people.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commission, High Representative! Yes, there is war in Europe. Bombs fall, civilians are murdered, homes become ruins and children cry. Putin's invasion can only be described as cold-blooded. The Russian government is solely responsible for this human suffering. But the EU is more united than ever, targeting the largest and most severe sanctions in its history. Ukraine and President Zelenskyy will feel Europe's collective solidarity and support, and Putin will be met with a united and strong response. The resolution is proof of our collective strength in the Union. We have a Europe that speaks with one voice, and Russia's aggression against Ukraine must stop immediately. We are ready to do whatever it takes. We stand up for Europe's security. My Sweden, which wears the same beautiful colours as Ukraine, we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Schmit! As a social democrat, it goes without saying: No one should have to die from their work. In Europe, 10 people die every hour from cancer caused by dangerous substances and medicines at work. That's a hundred thousand people a year. It is about nurses, who care for cancer patients and who are at risk of getting cancer because of their job. It is about firefighters, who are at risk of being exposed to benzene, which can cause leukemia. It's about someone's parent, sibling or child, who goes to work every day and who works to get food on the table and pay the rent. This is totally unacceptable. Cancer is currently the most common cause of death associated with work. That is why we need to do much more to protect vulnerable workers. Everything else is irresponsible. That is why I am both happy and proud of the agreement we are going to adopt here later today. The new legislation ensures that reprotoxic substances will be subject to the same workplace prevention rules as carcinogens and mutagens. We strengthen the protection of healthcare professionals and nurses with regard to exposure to HMPs. It is a great success. I also look forward to the Commission's upcoming action plan to include another 25 topics in the legislation. With stricter rules, we can save thousands of lives every year. This is important for the health and safety of employees. For me, it goes without saying that Europe should not compete with bad conditions. We will be at the forefront of a safe and secure working environment. I would like to say that our goal is zero and I would like to thank you for good cooperation with the rapporteurs and the other shadows.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Dalli! The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our time and we know that women and girls are being hit harder by the crisis, but at the same time they are showing leadership in the climate transition. Despite this, we do not take advantage of women's and girls' skills, knowledge and commitment when we are about to change. Women are also underrepresented when it comes to climate and the environment. To succeed in the climate transition and contribute to climate justice, gender equality and women’s rights must be taken into account. With the UN Climate Change Commission now being implemented in March, we Social Democrats are demanding that the EU show and take leadership. By integrating the gender perspective, we will be able to accelerate and strengthen a climate transition that is sustainable and fair for all, because climate and gender equality must go hand in hand.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. The pandemic has been a particularly difficult time for children and young people. Many dreams have come back. Many have lost their jobs, others have seen their study or travel opportunities cancelled, and particularly affected are children and young people coming from already vulnerable environments with weaker social safety nets. Our children and young people, that is our future, and our future is largely determined by what we do here and now. More than ever, we need to listen to our young people, but we also need to act. The establishment of the European Year of Youth is therefore very, very positive. It puts pressure on us to work more purposefully towards a Europe for young people, and as part of shaping their own lives and influencing societal development, we must also prioritise living conditions. We in the Socialist Group want to create more jobs with good conditions and decent wages. We want to ensure quality education with fair remuneration for traineeships and apprenticeships. We want to put an end to unpaid practice. Yes, there are things we can do. There are things we should do. And then there are things we have to do to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror. I want young people in our Europe to be able to dream and, above all, to be able to make their dreams come true.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. 1.3 million people die from cancer every year in Europe and far more are diagnosed. Each of us in this room is affected by cancer. The disease does not only affect those who receive a diagnosis. It affects relatives, friends and society at large. The report calls for concrete action at all levels, and that is a good thing. The decisions taken in our Union must be based on science and research. We know that we dramatically improve the chances of surviving cancer through research. It is also critical to attach great importance to prevention, as this report puts it. whereas around 40 % of all cancer cases in the EU could be avoided by preventive measures; We are aware of the risks of tobacco, for example. When developing new tobacco products, it is therefore necessary to apply the precautionary principle in legislation, not least to protect those who are most vulnerable. It's about our young people and the same goes for alcohol. It is therefore good that the report highlights research into the carcinogenicity of alcohol. We need to listen to science and put people's health first. We social democrats demand that equality and equality are key words in the efforts against cancer. Today, on International Childhood Cancer Day, we will show that we are taking responsibility for ensuring that all European citizens can rely on equal, effective and high-quality cancer care. It saves lives.

Madam President, I would like to thank Ms Fitzgerald for her strong position. Fru talman! Förra året antog vi här i parlamentet ett historiskt betänkande om sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter (SRHR). Jag önskar att vi kunde fira segrar och framgångar, men vi kan aldrig ta detta för givet. SRHR handlar inte bara om sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter. Det handlar om demokrati, rättvisa, jämställdhet. SRHR är en förutsättning för att kvinnor och flickor ska kunna bestämma över sig själva och sina kroppar. Varje dag utsätts flickor och kvinnor för våld och sexuella övergrepp. Vi har medlemsstater i vår union där kvinnor förvägras rätten till abort. SRHR stärker vår union om vi vågar gå framåt och säkra dessa rättigheter så att vi kan ge våra invånare möjlighet att vara självständiga människor. Det innebär nämligen en utveckling, både politiskt och ekonomiskt, för vår union. Jag förväntar mig att vårt parlament står upp för varje människas rätt att själv kunna bestämma över sin egen kropp, och att varje medlemsstat tar sitt fulla ansvar för att värna dessa rättigheter. Året är 2022, och varje dag utsätts flickor och kvinnor för våld och sexuella övergrepp, varje dag äventyrar vi små barns liv, barn som ska behöva växa upp med våld och sexuella övergrepp, antingen genom att de själva utsätts eller genom att de blir utsatta för det i sin egen familj, av närstående eller andra som berör barnet. Det är dags att vi står upp för detta. Vi har ett bra betänkande. Se till att vi tar fighten så att dessa rättigheter når alla EU:s invånare nu.

Madam President, Mr President! I welcome the priorities of the French Presidency, but the work in Europe must not stop at fine words. We need to take action now. It's a big responsibility for you, Mr. President. The current pandemic requires continued cooperation and coordination, so that more people are vaccinated. The EU needs to take clear leadership in the green transition, and it is urgent now. Our Green Deal must be gender mainstreamed. One third of women in the EU do not have a job. Girls and women are victims of violence every day, and it is time for a gender-equal Europe now. We can't wait for decades. Finally, I would like to say that I come from Sweden, and that your promise regarding minimum wages, to ensure respect for each country's national model, is important for my Sweden and for our party model.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. At the request of certain groups, we are discussing an inclusive language today. But it is not because one wants to highlight the importance of inclusive language or the work for equality and equality and anti-discrimination, but just the opposite. We social democrats, however, refuse to accept those attacks that are now flourishing without foundation. We stand up for our core values of a Europe that promotes equality and gender equality. Language describes our world, but language can also affect our world. Using a language that is equal and inclusive is about communicating with all citizens of society on equal terms. For us Social Democrats, it goes without saying that all EU institutions must communicate equally and inclusively. It is about taking responsibility, countering stereotypes and prejudices, and ensuring that all residents feel included and respected. It is a matter of course if we are to live up to our fundamental values. We do not accept retrogressive forces that want to violate human rights and limit the right to their own body and oppose democracy, equality and equality. We are proud of the work that is being done. We will continue and take the fight because we express ourselves in the way that represents our values.

Mr President, thank you very much. The global spread of infection continues to be very serious, and the vaccination rate is far from satisfactory. Access to vaccines in parts of the world is unacceptable. In Africa it is 4%. The EU must continue to take strong leadership, characterised by coordinated action. When new variants of the virus appear, we must act. We need to step up efforts to ensure access to vaccines for all, both within the Union and globally. We know that vaccination is crucial to put an end to the pandemic. Therefore, it is important that all citizens are properly informed and take full responsibility. The response to the pandemic must be characterised by solidarity and cooperation. That's the only way we can solve it together. Now we need to be patient, take advantage of our lessons and continue working hard to fight the pandemic.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. The European Year of Youth is a year of opportunities. One aim is to give young people more and better opportunities for the future. However, I would like to highlight the opportunities that it also offers for us in the EU. By promoting dialogue with young people and encouraging them to be active citizens, we are actually creating opportunities in all directions. We need young people's visions, insights, ideas and knowledge in our work, in our Union. It should be obvious that young people have an influence when we make decisions for the future, but just as much for the here and now. It is about young people and their present and future. We must listen to young people and allow them to have a real influence. We need to work with young people so that we include them when it comes to every day that we make decisions. In addition, we need to ensure that gender equality and equality are mainstreamed across all issues related to young people, not least in the green transition. Young people show that they are taking the lead. I therefore have expectations for the European Year and for it to be a year in which we genuinely strengthen young people's influence in the long term. This is an opportunity for Europe.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner Dalli! To be able to live a life free from violence, to have control over one's own body, to have the power to shape society and one's own life, to have one's own job, simply, to be able to have one's human rights – this should be a matter of course for all European citizens, but it is not the reality for all women and girls today. The progress towards a gender-equal Europe is shamefully slow, and we have learned how important progress can never be taken for granted. Europe will not be equal if we do not increase the pace. It requires both political will and decisive action. As a Swedish Social Democrat, I am proud that Sweden has yet another year to top the EU Gender Equality Index. But there is still work to be done in Sweden as well. However, we are the world’s first feminist government, and gender equality is a priority – it is leadership that actually delivers. The EU must put gender equality at the centre and live up to the goals of a Union where everyone can participate and lead in our society on an equal footing, where men's violence against women ceases, where every woman and girl has the right to their own body and where women have their own job to go to. Gender equality is not just a women's issue. It is a matter for everyone – for women and girls, for men and boys. It is about people’s equal value and rights, but it is also about how we build our societies – sustainable societies, healthy societies. And you know what, equality is business. Gender equality leads to growth. We social democrats will continue that struggle every day here in Europe.