Speeches

Mr President, thank you very much. For the 2019 European elections, climate was a major issue for the whole of Europe. Our party went to the polls on an effective climate policy, a policy that requires all member states and sectors to play their part and that encourages market-based solutions and enables innovation and new technologies. In March, we took the first step when we agreed on binding climate targets for all member states. This week we are taking the next big step. With the new emissions trading system, we have agreed on a stricter system that ensures that we are in line with our target of reducing EU emissions by 55% by 2030. This is absolutely necessary to achieve the climate goals. We are also making a reality of the demand, which this Parliament has made for a long time, for the system to be extended to more sectors, not least to shipping. This means that emissions will also be reduced in this sector. It will cost you to let it out. We have now secured that. At the same time, we know that European industry is in a difficult situation with both inflation and the energy crisis. With this agreement, we are making sure that the new requirements are phased in rather than, as the proposal originally stood, doing so as a one-off shock. This gives the industry the opportunity to adapt and adapt its regulatory framework over time. Last but not least, nuclear energy has an obvious role to play in climate action, and I am pleased that we now have an ETS system that also includes this. I would therefore like to thank my EPP colleagues for their hard work on this legislation – legislation that is actually enforceable. Europe is leading the way with a clear political direction. With the help of the market and industry, we will lead the future into the green transition.

Madam President, I would also like to be brief and I would like to request the referral back to the committee for interinstitutional negotiations, according to Rule 59(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

. – Mr President, thank you very much. Thank you to all of you who have contributed to the debate, although this time it was not so hard. I can see that there is a great deal of consensus and broad parliamentary support on how important it is that we work ambitiously and purposefully with our environmental and climate policies. I am also pleased that we are putting the substance of the matter at the centre and making unrealistic proposals. As I started this debate, with this proposal, the European Parliament showed how we can come up with ambitious and realistic proposals to meet our environmental and climate challenges. Environmental and climate challenges are the big issue of our time, and just like the challenges, so are the opportunities. The green transition can contribute to Europe's prosperity, development and competitiveness. Let us seize these opportunities and make it possible as far as possible. Thank you again to the political groups, and thank you to the shadow rapporteurs who have worked and negotiated this proposal. I should also like to thank Pär Holmgren from the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, who paid tribute to me. I'm going to go home and think about whether it was good or bad.

Mr President, thank you very much. At the start of this mandate, this Union took on a major and decisive mission: transforming our societies to become more sustainable. It was a major and important step in making Europe greener, more competitive, but also healthier. It presents both opportunities and challenges. It is a major responsibility of our decision-makers to live up to the environmental and climate goals that we have set. At the same time, these are also opportunities for sustainable development where we combine sustainability with growth and competitiveness. Much has already been done during this mandate, but we need to take further steps, and tomorrow an important and concrete step forward is being taken in this work when it comes to improving our ozone layer. Emissions from ozone-depleting substances have resulted in a worsening ozone layer that has contributed to global warming. Preventing emissions from these substances is key to preventing damage to health and the environment. This is precisely what results from a damaged ozone layer, and therefore something we need to work on in order to meet the Union's climate targets. The current regulatory framework is the main EU instrument to continue efforts to improve and restore the ozone layer. It has also proven to work well and therefore our proposal builds on previous successes with further measures to reduce emissions. This is not only a success for health and the environment, but also for European industry, which is guaranteed a long-term perspective in its work on the new regulatory framework. I am pleased that we in the political groups can support an ambitious and balanced proposal to continue to make our efforts. I would therefore like to thank the shadow rapporteurs for their dedication and work over the past six months, but also the technical team that has worked hard. In this way, we raise our ambitions while creating the right conditions for all parties involved to be able to live up to the new regulatory framework. Together we have been able to agree on some important things. First, the higher ambitions mean that we will have a regulatory framework that focuses on ozone emissions where they are the largest and most serious compared to before. This is important for the work we do, in order for it to have as much effect as possible to improve the ozone layer. Secondly, we have ensured that we do not take drastic measures that risk doing more harm than good. For example, if we are to phase out certain substances, other alternatives should be available and ready to be used. In environmental and climate work, one thing guides: high ambitions combined with realism, and that growth is secured. With the text we have on the table, we are showing Europe once again that a more sustainable economy can be combined with the right conditions for people and industry. I hope that you will all support this proposal, and that we can also enter into negotiations with the Council of Ministers with a clear and strong mandate from the European Parliament.

Mr President, thank you very much. Thank you to those who participated in the debate. I think there has been a fairly broad consensus on how we can actually work together. If we want something, we have also been able to show that we can make it happen. The way forward is not straight forward, as many have testified here in the debate. There are parts that you would like them to be more far-reaching and parts that you would like to see less of. At the same time, this is what we have come up with and been able to compromise on in order to achieve a result. As rapporteur, it has been understood that it may be the case that one ages quite quickly during a negotiation, but we are pleased to have an outcome on which we shall vote tomorrow. However, never use Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine as an excuse to lower ambitions in this house. The day when Putin gets to set the agenda in a democratically elected assembly, well, then we have lost. There is no excuse for lowering our ambitions. Instead, we must increase the opportunities for democratic work in order to reach and be able to reach a consensus that lasts over time. I hope that tomorrow we can adopt this legislative proposal where we have objectives, where we have legislation, in order to achieve the objectives that we have all agreed on together.

– Madam President, thank you. Mr. First Vice-President! Dear colleagues, When we last debated the EU's national climate targets in this House, I said that it is time to take climate policy seriously. This week is exactly what we are doing. By adopting several new climate laws, we in Europe are showing that we can not only set high targets, but that we can also agree on action plans to achieve them. For the first time ever, we have built a strong majority for all EU Member States to have binding targets to actually reduce their emissions. This is something I think we should be proud of. It nurtures and manages the trust that is at the core of responsible policies. The Effort Sharing Regulation is one of the pillars of our joint climate action. With this law, we set binding targets for all EU member states and rules of the game for the majority of all emissions within Europe. Increasing the pace of our work in this area is absolutely necessary not only to achieve our own climate goals, but also our commitments under the Paris Agreement. Few tasks can be as important to us as decision-makers. It is also a major responsibility to design the rules in a way that wins broad support and trust. Therefore, my line has been clear during the work on this proposal: We need a political framework that raises ambitions for the EU as a whole, while respecting the traditions of the Member States and creating the right conditions for the transformation of society as a whole. After more than a year and a half, that is exactly what we have achieved. What we now have on the table is a proposal that is ambitious, future-oriented and feasible. Together, we have agreed on a number of important principles. Firstly, we are increasing the ambition for the whole of Europe in line with the European Climate Law. When my colleague Peter Liese negotiated that law, his main message was that it needed to be based on goals that are actually feasible. Let's just say that line was right. Secondly, we ensure that all EU Member States must contribute to the work. No country can free-ride on the commitments of others. Thirdly, we have ensured that Member States are free to set their targets in a way that suits them best. All countries and all sectors must contribute to climate action – but the role of the EU is to set clear frameworks, not to regulate in detail. Fourthly, we are looking beyond 2030. For me, it has been crucial to link these goals with the major goal of climate neutrality, and we have now mapped out and shown concrete steps to be taken by the Member States. Last but not least, we have introduced stricter compliance requirements. Above all, we want to see greater transparency, while at the same time we demand that those Member States that miss their targets must also explain why they are absconding and how they intend to remedy it in the future. I would like to thank my colleagues from the other political groups for their good cooperation on this dossier: Bas Eickhout, Javi López, Linea Søgaard-Lidell, who opened the negotiations which were then taken over by Nils Torvalds. Margrete Auken, Silvia Sardone and Anna Zalewska and Silvia Modig. I would also like to thank the Czech Presidency, with Ambassador Zajíček and colleagues, for the enormous work he has done and for the successes that we were able to achieve together. Last but not least, I would also like to thank Vice-President Timmermans and the whole team at DG Clima and for their good cooperation. I am convinced that we have come a long way and that we can make this journey together. Now it is up to the Member States to also deliver and show willingness.

Mr President, thank you very much. Madam Commissioner McGuinness! I would like to begin by thanking the negotiating team led by the rapporteur, Mr Hoogeveen, for good cooperation in the preparation of this report. This made it easier for us to agree on the basic principles that long-term investment funds have a role to play and that they need to become more attractive. That meant that we could make a proposal from the Commission that was already good, even better. One of the most important and best principles of almost all legislation is to let the market decide what works and what doesn't. We managed to agree on a text that definitely achieves this. The agreement that we in this House are voting on tomorrow is an important step on the way to making long-term investment in Europe more attractive. And it is undeniable that Europe needs investment, not least in these times. It is therefore very welcome that we have managed to remove several unnecessary restrictions on the type of companies and projects in which ELTIF can invest. Both large and small projects will need capital in the future. Our changes make this possible, not least for the green transition and SMEs. The agreement also shows an understanding of how the modern economy works in practice. Our changes to make it easier for investors in so-called fintech companies show this. This work is something that fills me with hope. When we in the EU actually want to facilitate investment with private capital, we can do so. It is something that we also need to take with us in our other work.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. We are reached every day by reports that all point in the same direction. The climate challenge we face requires ambitious and effective action. On the ground in Egypt, we also received testimonies about how the money destined for education, for example in the Maldives, today must go to climate action. This puts the children's education at risk and we also see that we need to take this seriously. We can also see that it means something when the EU actually shows up with concrete legislation under its arm. We have agreements on how to reduce our emissions, increase our carbon sinks and transform our road transport. This is a clear signal that we are ambitious with our climate goals. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that COP was a mixture of both sweet and salty. Salt, because the truth, which we have to accept, is that the measures we have worked out so far are not enough to keep the 1.5 degree target alive. Shortcomings threaten the core of the Paris Agreement. But also sweet, because we got many testimonies in place that industry, business, is prepared to do the job. It is rare to be happy when you receive criticism, but many of the business representatives meant: “You need to run faster. Politics must run faster, because the information is already in place and we are ready to do the job.”

Mr President, thank you very much. Thank you for the trust. I request, pursuant to Rule 59. 4 of the Rules of Procedure, to refer the matter back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations.

Much of what we have heard today will both be good for future negotiations. I am pleased that a large part of Parliament agrees with the principle that everyone must contribute. European climate policy must be anchored in reality, but it must also be characterised by hopefulness. We must never listen to those who do not want to do anything, but we must also not give in to those who stand at the sidelines and only cry out for higher unattainable goals. The ambition we are voting on tomorrow is just the beginning. 2050 is our deadline to become climate neutral. If we don't admit it, we might as well throw in the towel. However, it is not just a goal, it is something we must do and act on. It will not be easy, far from it, but to return to what I started this debate with, it is also a huge opportunity for lower emissions, for more and better jobs and for international competitiveness. I want to re-use the example I set out at the beginning, namely from my own country, Sweden, where we built prosperity a hundred years ago. For economic growth, we had to rely on the mines and forests for example. It is still important industries that contribute to jobs and growth throughout Sweden, but today with a lower footprint in the climate, and they are actively working to reduce emissions. One of the most important parts is that we recognise that the countries of Europe are different. That is why we have also found it so important to give all countries the opportunity to shape their own emission reduction efforts to a large extent. But I also want to emphasise that it is important that we learn from each other. Tomorrow's vote is a chance to make a historic decision. We can build a strong majority for all EU Member States to have a binding target to actually reduce their emissions.

Mr President, thank you very much. Vice-President and Commissioner Timmermans! Madam Minister! A year ago, we gathered in this House to adopt the European Climate Law. It was a historic step in our joint work to become the first climate-neutral continent. That goal places high demands on us. I would like to remind my colleagues once again that it is also a huge opportunity for transition, for sustainable development and for new green jobs. That is why my group has fought so hard for a transition that protects these very principles. We know that we can only succeed in the transition if we preserve European growth and the confidence of our citizens. This week is historic in its own way. Now is the time to turn our goals into concrete action plans. The objectives of the Climate Law are set for the EU as a whole. This is an important first step. But just as I expect all sectors of the European economy to adapt to the new targets, I also expect all Member States to play their part. Only then can we truly make a difference. The Effort Sharing Regulation is one of the pillars of this work. With this law, we set binding targets for all EU member states and rules of the game for the majority of all emissions within Europe. Increasing the pace of our joint work in this area is essential if we are to achieve our own set goals, but also those of the Paris Agreement. I would therefore like to thank the shadow rapporteurs from the other political groups for the work and commitment they and their officials have put in so that we can stand here today and have a good report on the table. We have had differences of opinion, but we have also had a very good and constructive spirit to work in. What we now have on the table is an ambitious proposal. It is future-oriented and feasible. Together, we have agreed on a number of important principles. Firstly, we are increasing the ambition for the whole of Europe. Equally important, however, is the need for all EU Member States to contribute to this work. No country can go free-riding on someone else's ambitions. At the same time, we ensure that the new targets are actually achieved by closing loopholes in the legislation. Secondly, we are looking beyond 2030. For me, it has been crucial to link these objectives with the major objective of climate neutrality, and we have now set out concrete steps to be taken by the Member States. Thirdly, we have ensured that Member States are free to set their targets in the way that suits them best. All countries and all sectors must contribute to climate action. But the EU's role is to set clear frameworks, not to regulate in detail. We need a political framework that raises the ambition for the whole of the EU, while respecting the traditions and differences of the Member States and creating the right conditions for the whole of society to change. Last but not least, we have introduced stricter requirements for increased transparency, while at the same time requiring Member States that miss their targets to explain why they are absconding and how they intend to address their shortcomings in the future. With this proposal, the European Parliament has an opportunity to take a historic decision. For the first time ever, we can build a strong majority for all EU Member States to have binding targets to actually reduce their emissions. For those who are hesitant about this development, I would like to conclude by making a call. Either you close your eyes to the challenges we face or you expect others to do more and do the work for you. Both are the wrong path. For those who only see the transition as a challenge, I want to show that it is also an opportunity. I see it with my own eyes every day, what happens in my own country, Sweden. In northern Sweden, where fossil-free industries take shape and breathe life into old societies that developed in the wrong direction. We see it in forest communities where centuries-old traditions of sustainable forestry meet new entrepreneurs and develop the bioeconomy. And in my own hometown, Västerås, where the next generation of batteries is developed with cutting-edge expertise from all over the world. Never before has it been clearer that Europe should change, not shut down. I hope that you will all support me in entering into negotiations with the Council of Ministers with a clear mandate. Now is the time to make our ambitions a reality.

Madam President, I should like to thank Commissioner McGuinness for being here. I would like to start by thanking the negotiation team under the leadership of Johan Van Overtveldt for the great cooperation on this file. By early on agreeing on several core principles, we made a good proposal even better. The DLT pilot regime is an important step in the work to make Europe fit for the digital age. European rules must be innovation-friendly, and this agreement is a good example of sound European lawmaking. As we never know what the future will bring, we should allow experimenting to see what potential benefits new technology might have. And I believe DLT could indeed bring several improvements to how financial markets function. But we will, of course, not know if we don’t try. We have managed several successes in this work. First of all, legal certainty for market participants wanting to try new technologies. Also expanding the scope and thresholds will make it more attractive to participants in general. And this is crucial in ensuring the usefulness of this pilot regime. If no one tries, we cannot identify the shortcomings. If we want to use this pilot regime to identify potential changes to the existing rule book, we have to ensure that enough actors participate. I believe it bodes well for future legislation as well, that both in the European Parliament and in trilogues, we so easily agreed on the principle of technology neutrality. Furthermore, by making use of EFMA’s expertise in the annual reports, both market participants and regulators will get a better understanding of the progress of functioning, which I believe will be crucial in the coming years. In many ways, this agreement is not only a good example of a European Union that understands that we have to be open to new things and internationally competitive: it is an example of a European Union that also acts on these facts. That gives me a lot of inspiration for the further work.

–Mrs President, I'm pretty sure everyone in here knows someone who's been battling cancer or is battling cancer. The mystery has not yet been solved as to how we can cure cancer. That is why the European Parliament's Cancer Strategy is in so many ways a victory and an important step on the way to how we in the EU can work to eradicate cancer. The way forward is education, research and purposeful work. If we learn from what we have just been through with COVID-19, it is clear that when Europe decides on something and mobilises, we can achieve more. Even those who consistently oppose EU cooperation should realise this. The fight against cancer does not begin today, it has been going on for a long time, but today we are beginning the next powerful step in our joint work to eradicate cancer.

Mr President, thank you very much. Climate change is a global problem that also requires global solutions. The meeting in Glasgow a few weeks ago is an important reminder that international climate action is what can make a real difference. As a Union, in the EU, we are responsible for one tenth of global emissions. It is therefore quite obvious that, in order to cope with the transition, we simply need to bring the rest of us along. It requires a forward-looking climate diplomacy. We saw at COP26 that several steps were taken that were important and in the right direction for us to implement the Paris Agreement in practice. But while we are seeing a growing consensus on the need to limit global warming, there is no doubt that the measures taken so far are inadequate. We need to do more. We need to make high demands not only on ourselves, but also on other major emitters, especially those who are still opposed to important reforms. This is where Europe must put its foot down. It is neither sustainable nor reasonable that we in Europe should do all the work ourselves, while others try to slow down. There's still a lot to do. An important step would be to work seriously towards a global price for carbon dioxide, which the UN Panel of Experts has also highlighted as a necessary instrument for reducing global emissions. At the same time, different countries have different conditions to change. We therefore need to do more to help others invest in the climate, not least through our aid and development policy. More countries also need to move their foot from the brake to the gas in climate work. I think COP26 proves it – that every country in the world needs to make a little more effort.

Mr President, thank you very much. Just weeks before COP 26, we see news that global fossil fuel production is increasing. This is going in the wrong direction if we are to achieve our climate goals. Right now, we also hear many skeptical and anxious voices when it is forced that entire societies actually need to change. These are voices that are driven by fear. Fear of job losses, fear of poorer prospects and fear of being thrown into uncertainty. I understand that fear. But I also know that setting up doesn't have to mean shutting down. The green transition offers enormous opportunities not only for the climate, but also for jobs and growth. I can see it in my hometown, Västerås, where investing in new battery technology creates hundreds of new jobs. I can see it in the northern part of my home country of Sweden, where the sustainable industries of the future are emerging and creating new opportunities and new labour markets for entire communities. It requires brave people who dare to bet and believe in the future. Courage must replace fear. Hopefulness must replace shame and anxiety. It is when we lead by example that we can truly make a difference. This is when we show that investments in the climate can also be investments in jobs and growth. This is when we can involve other countries in our important work.

Madam President, thank you very much. It's a big document. There are many proposals to consider, but I would like to highlight two issues in this report. It is about how we can get future work that is sustainable and about transforming Europe's food production. Firstly, Europe must open up to innovation in general, but also simplify plant breeding in particular. It is clear that the regulatory framework for GMOs needs to be updated and modernised. If Europe is not to lose research and development to other parts of the world, we need to change our rules to fit the future. It will be crucial for how we can respond to challenges such as climate change and pests. Secondly, there is antibiotic resistance. This is a crucial issue. We've seen what pandemics can do. We've seen how it can affect our communities. We have a good regulatory framework in place, but we must work together to continue to reduce use in a sustainable way. I am absolutely convinced that we can do it, that we are on a viable path, but we must do it together.

Mr President, thank you very much. Two months ago, the European Parliament voted to approve the new European Climate Law. In doing so, we sent a strong signal and an important message, namely that we believe that the climate and the environment are issues where European cooperation can and must make a real difference. The goal of climate neutrality is more important than ever. This can be witnessed not least over the past summer, where we have seen extreme weather and new challenges that we are facing – something that the latest IPCC report also showed and clarified. The new climate policy framework, which we are discussing, gives us an opportunity to do so, and the decisions we make in the future must simply be right. We need to transform the European economy in a way that can combine high ambitions with guaranteed growth. We need a transition that secures jobs, that secures prosperity, with a particular focus on market-based solutions. Otherwise, we will never have the legitimacy and support of our European citizens. It sounds like a lot of people are happy with just having very high ambitions, but that's actually not enough. We need achievable ambitions, high targets where companies and people need to work together and have a consensus, if we are to achieve this together. We must respect the traditions of the Member States and create the right conditions for the whole of society to change. This is the only way to meet the climate challenge.