What Jörgen spoke about.

16

Jun

2026

Speeches EN

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Question Time (Commission) - State of play on the European Commission’s pledge to reduce the reporting burden, in particular for SMEs

Thank you, Commissioner, yes, I think it is really important that we follow through from this House as well. I was the rapporteur for the first omnibus, and there we actually cut more costs than the Commission did. So we did increase in that sense the cost-cutting for businesses. You say that what you are doing now is more than 'one in, two out', so I would like to ask you, what do you aim for? Is it 'one in, three out' or 'one in, five out'? What can we know about the mandate as such, these five years? What is your aim? And finally, could we also have it done and calculated on the total regulatory burden, not only on the administrative burden? Because of course, that is what counts for businesses.

16

Jun

2026

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Question Time (Commission) - State of play on the European Commission’s pledge to reduce the reporting burden, in particular for SMEs

Commissioner, both you and I agree that European businesses should spend their time on their customers, on innovation and on creating jobs – not on paperwork. I would like to ask you a question on the 'one in, two out' principle, because that is just about that: you deduct two euros for every euro that is added with legislation, which is added on the costs of SMEs, not least. This is, of course, from EPP, something that we promised our voters in the election campaign. We have been pushing for that, and happily, we now have a majority in this Chamber because we voted for it together. And that is why I would like to ask you, Commissioner, when the Commission will follow this elected House and work according to the 'one in, two out' principle.

16

Jun

2026

Questions EN

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Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies (debate)

You mentioned open source, and I like open source very much. But I also like closed source or proprietary software. Ultimately, I think it is a business decision that the entrepreneurs – the European entrepreneurs – should take themselves. But why are you pushing so much for incentivising open source? Wouldn't that limit the European businesses to make their choice? And that limitation might actually hamper the competition of European businesses and European prosperity.

15

Jun

2026

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Simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI) (debate)

Madam President, well, since I was mentioned, I thought it was good to respond, and we would like to have more debate, so let me respond. I think due to the fact that AI is developing so fast, then that is the proof that it will be impossible to keep up with the legislation, with a horizontal legislation. And that is why I think it is much better, if we have a problem with discrimination, that we update the law on discrimination. If we have a problem with product safety, then we update product safety law. That is how we can make sure that we regulate it properly without limiting innovation, productivity and all the good stuff that comes with artificial intelligence.

15

Jun

2026

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Simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI) (debate)

Madam President, first of all, I would like to congratulate our colleagues who have been working on this file, not least Arba Kokalari and Axel Voss – I have seen how hard you have been working. This is a good step in the right direction. This is about simplification and, of course, that is why I will vote 'yes' to this. But at the same time, I would like to send a clear message to the Commission. I would like you to restart the work entirely when it comes to the AI Act, because now you have regulated or we have regulated, horizontally, the technology. And I think that is the wrong way to go ahead. It will be much better if we regulate the problems that arise with artificial intelligence, and the porno pictures are one example of that. Discrimination could be another. So instead of regulating the technology, regulate the problems we have. If we do that, we can come back to innovation. We can come back to growth, to creating jobs and more prosperity.

15

Jun

2026

Speeches EN

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EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the deal that was struck almost a year ago is not perfect. Let's be honest about that. But this is the best deal we can get at the moment and we urgently need it – businesses urgently need it. This is not about being pro‑Trump or not. This is about being pro‑European businesses and for more stability in the trade relationship that matters to every worker and every consumer. For more than a year, European companies have asked for one thing: clarity on the transatlantic trade relationship. And with this vote, the EU delivers on its part of the deal. We avoid a trade deal and we give the industry more predictability to invest, to grow and to create jobs. The agreement now has a strong safeguard that holds the United States committed. Approving this file will let us move forward so that we can even deepen the trade relationship with the US. Europe wins when Europe trades, so let's vote yes to this deal.

21

May

2026

Answers EN

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European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop destroying videogames’ (debate)

I think you're absolutely right on this, and the thing is that all publishers are not the same. They have different business models. They work differently. That's why, if we do any regulation, we have to take every different company into play. We have this 'think small' principle in the European Union when we do our legislation. That means that we have to cater for not least the smallest ones, and I'm afraid that if we have too hard regulation on this area then we will not have European publishers there, and that will be at the loss, of course, of the businesses but also of the consumers.

21

May

2026

Answers EN

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European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop destroying videogames’ (debate)

Yes, absolutely. That's, I think, what I said as well. We need to have transparency, so that the consumers know what they buy, and in some cases I think that is not very clear today. But at the same time, it is a growing industry that is important for Europe. I think without the publishers, without the developers, there will be no engagement from the consumers. So, we need to have both in mind and not only one of the of the issues, and that is how we build a strong European gaming industry and a strong community for the users.

21

May

2026

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European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop destroying videogames’ (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, almost 1.3 million people across Europe have signed this initiative, and I think that's a signal we need to take seriously. But taking it seriously also means that we have to ask the right questions. And the right question is not only, how do we protect consumers? And do not take me wrong, because that is one of the important questions. But the right question is also, how do we build a stronger European game industry? Because right now, Europe is competing against giants in the US and in Asia. And if we respond to this initiative with an unworkable solution, we do not help consumers. We help our competitors. Video games are complex creative works built on licensed content, online infrastructure and third-party arrangements. Forcing companies to keep games running indefinitely or hand over the server code might be a solution, but it's not the simple solution in every in every situation. In many cases, it is technically or financially impossible and legally problematic, and it would hit the smaller companies and studios hardest. What we should do instead is three things: better transparency for consumers upfront, fair notice before the games goes offline, and thirdly, a better condition for European developers to grow, compete and keep gamers engaged.

20

May

2026

Speeches SV

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High time to deliver on the Single Market, providing certainty and predictability for EU businesses and quality jobs (continuation of debate)

Madam President, thank you very much. In many sectors of the single market, I'm sorry, I'll start over. In very many sectors, the single market is still just principles on paper, but far from the reality of everyday life. In the services sector, there are still more than 5000 protected professional titles and these are regulated differently in different countries. It should be applied for, it should be reviewed, it should be expected, it should be certified and it should be stamped. In practice, therefore, freedom of movement in the field of services does not apply. The integration of the internal market has reached a plateau. And when the Commission measures the main trade barriers, we see hardly a single trace of progress in recent years. Such an understatement to the Council of Ministers. There is talk of the single market, but in practice Member States continue with gold-plating, over-interpretation and administrative barriers to entry that hinder free enterprise. Even when the Commission tries the most obvious, the no-brainer and the lowest hanging fruits. Yes, to simplify and digitalise the processes of posting of workers. Then several Member States refuse, while others come up with new proposals that make it even more complicated than it already is. Now Member States must get into the game, release prestige, stop talking and deliver on the promises of a single market. We in Parliament, we are ready to simplify seriously. We want to see a Europe, a market. This is good for businesses. This is good for the economy. It brings jobs and prosperity to Europe.

19

May

2026

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Opportunities and challenges presented by a comprehensive artificial intelligence strategy for EU trade (debate)

Mr President, artificial intelligence will play a significant role in international trade, facilitating the exchange of goods and services across borders and playing a huge role in improving the competitiveness of the European Union. It will simplify customs procedures, automate our administration and help companies navigate different regulatory systems faster and at lower costs. This will particularly benefit small and medium‑sized businesses that too often refrain from exporting, because the processes are simply too complex and too expensive. Today, only 600 000 SMEs out of 25 million export beyond EU borders. With the help of AI, their opportunities to export can improve significantly and can unlock major economic gains for the EU. AI can also strengthen logistics, improve monitoring of supply chains, and contribute to smarter regulatory cooperation between countries. That is why this report is so important. It addresses both the opportunities and the challenges that artificial intelligence brings to international trade. But one thing we must be clear about: this report repeatedly highlights AI built on open source in a way that risks favouring one model over others. And here we must be careful. It is not the role of politicians to pick technological winners. Open source has many strengths. Proprietary models also have significant strengths. Both contribute to European innovation, investments and technological development.

18

May

2026

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Negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Europe's success has always depended on its export opportunities. From coal and steel to today's global leadership in agri-food and manufacturing, openness has made Europe prosperous. And it will remain the path to our success. Turning inward could never be the answer. But when major players refuse to play by the rules and when every available instrument has been exhausted, there are cases where action becomes necessary and steel is one of those cases. I am happy that the agreement before us now provides greater flexibility for our downstream industries, because we cannot protect one part of the supply chain while harming another. Europe's competitiveness depends not only on steel producers, but also steel users that rely on affordable and reliable inputs. I regret that we could not find a better solution for Ukraine. I urge the Commission to pursue generous quotas so that Ukraine can continue to trade and maintain economic resilience, in line with our continuing support for Ukraine. Finally, at a time when major economies are turning to industrial policy and protectionism, Europe must remain careful not to undermine the very principles that built our prosperity: competitive advantage, open markets and free trade. These principles lower costs, raise living standards and help deliver the products we need for a green and digital transition.

28

Apr

2026

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Presentation of the Better Regulation and Enforcement Communication (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, businesses around Europe, and not least small and medium-sized businesses, are under a lot of pressure these days. We have tariffs from the west, we have subsidies from the east, we have high energy prices in Europe and we have high regulatory costs and burdens on businesses. And this is, of course, important for the businesses, but this is also important for all the workers in these companies because, without growth, you will not have good paying jobs in Europe. And that is why this has to change. This is also about long-term prosperity for all of us in Europe. And businesses – well, 66 % of businesses – they say that the regulatory burden affects their investments; it is an obstacle for their investments. And therefore, I very much welcome the Commission's efforts. The direction is good, but the speed and the ambition are not satisfactory. We need to do more. It was said that the ambition is unprecedented and that is true. But that is also one of the problems, because this Commission is taking it seriously, but for several Commissions in the past, we have built up this cost for businesses and we have to stop doing that. It's been true in the Commission, but also in the Council. So, we have high costs for businesses in Europe. That is not the situation in other parts of the world. In the Parliament now, we have a majority for the principle of 'one in, two out', meaning that, for each euro you add in cost, for businesses you deduct two. And I call upon the Commission to make sure that you will utilise this principle, because then we will increase competitiveness, we will increase good paying jobs and long-term prosperity for Europeans.

11

Mar

2026

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Multilateral negotiations in view of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, 26 to 29 March 2026 (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, the past year has been historic for global trade. Exactly one year ago, the Trump administration introduced the so‑called reciprocal tariffs, directly challenging the long‑standing rules that underpin the multilateral trading system. For decades, these rules have reduced customs duties between countries and made trade cheaper, creating jobs and growth, and lifting millions of people out of poverty. When the rules of trade are undermined, it is not just an institutional problem in Geneva. It is the European citizens, workers and businesses who feel the consequences first. Uncertainty, disrupted supply chains, rising costs and shrinking market access all follow when the rules‑based system weakens. This is precisely why the upcoming ministerial meeting is so important. We must use this momentum now to push for meaningful reform. This has to include improving the decision‑making, allowing the plurilateral agreements to be more easily integrated into the WTO framework and also making sure that the business community must be closely involved. Finally, making the moratorium of the customs duties permanent, as the Commissioner said, is so important. Reforming it is now not simply about improving procedures. It is about protecting the rules‑based system, and provides predictability and security in the global trade.

9

Mar

2026

Speeches EN

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European Union regulatory fitness and subsidiarity and proportionality – report on Better Law-Making covering 2023 and 2024 (debate)

Madam President, colleagues, thank you to everyone who participated in this debate. And let me do a few reactions on what I heard. First of all, the omnibuses were up. The Commission mentioned that ten omnibuses have been presented so far, reducing the cost for European businesses by EUR 15 billion once they are decided and implemented. And I think that is a very good step. But I also like to say that the goal for the Commission is EUR 37.5 billion. So the Commission really has to keep up the pace in order for us to achieve this goal. And that is why the principle of one in, two out is so important and Parliament has voted for it and has a majority for it. The Omnibus I, which I also happen to be a rapporteur for, was up in the debate and I am really proud of the fact that this is the report in European history that cut costs most for European businesses when it comes to reporting. That is very good. So thank you to the Commission for the proposal and to all the colleagues that worked on this and voted for it. It is a good step in the right direction. Then, to respond to Kira Peter-Hansen, Salvatore De Meo and Billy Kelleher, who all in different ways mentioned the impact assessment. Ms Kira, maybe not, I do not think you mentioned the word, but still that law-making sometimes goes too quickly. And I think it is important that we see our position and our role in this Parliament as well. When it has to do with competitiveness, we have to make sure that there is an impact assessment, that it is agreed by the regulatory scrutiny board, and I think that we in the Parliament should also use our power to do an impact assessment when it comes to competitiveness, not least the SME checks. And that takes me to my final comment. Mario Mantovani mentioned SMEs. And yes, that is true because SMEs are hit the hardest by the regulatory burden. And that is why if we cut the cost for businesses, it will be the best for these small and medium-sized enterprises and they are the backbone of our economy.

9

Mar

2026

Speeches SV

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European Union regulatory fitness and subsidiarity and proportionality – report on Better Law-Making covering 2023 and 2024 (debate)

9

Mar

2026

Questions SV

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European Union regulatory fitness and subsidiarity and proportionality – report on Better Law-Making covering 2023 and 2024 (debate)

9

Mar

2026

Speeches SV

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European Union regulatory fitness and subsidiarity and proportionality – report on Better Law-Making covering 2023 and 2024 (debate)

16

Dec

2025

Speeches SV

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Phasing out Russian natural gas imports and improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies (debate)

13

Nov

2025

Speeches EN

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Certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements (A10-0197/2025 - Jörgen Warborn) vote

Madam President, in accordance with Rule 60(4) of the Rules of Procedure, I propose that this matter will be referred back to the Committee on Legal Affairs for interinstitutional negotiations.

22

Oct

2025

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Certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements (A10-0197/2025 - Jörgen Warborn) (vote)

Madam President, I am speaking on behalf of a united EPP. We made an agreement with S&D and Renew, both on content, but also on the fact that we should have a committee mandate. This committee mandate is important because we need to stick to the timetable – meaning that we go into trilogue already on Friday – so that we can deliver clarity for European businesses. Because, outside this Hemicycle, we have millions of businesses – small businesses, medium-sized ones, farmers, innovative scale-ups, large corporations – and they need clarity in order to deliver both sustainability and competitiveness, growth and good-paying jobs for Europeans. So I urge colleagues, not least in S&D and Renew, to vote yes to the committee mandates.

10

Sep

2025

Questions EN

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Implementation of EU-US trade deal and the prospect of wider EU trade agreements (debate)

Thank you for accepting the blue card. Well, you said that you don't want to initiate a trade war, and let's say, it is difficult times for Europe and the situation is not pleasant for any one of us. But you also say that you would like to use the ACI – the 'trade bazooka'. Isn't that as close as you would come to respond? That will lead to a trade war. And don't you think that that will make it even harder to negotiate a better deal after you initiate the ACI? And still we know that the Member States, they do not have any appetite for this.

10

Sep

2025

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Implementation of EU-US trade deal and the prospect of wider EU trade agreements (debate)

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, we are indeed living in very uncertain times. We have war on our continent and, unfortunately, we still need the US for security reasons. Therefore, I think it would be very irresponsible to also enter into a trade war with the US at this time. This deal is not perfect. I do not particularly like the outcome of this deal, but I think the most responsible thing to do at this moment is to go through with the deal and then continue to negotiate. I know there are groups or MEPs in this Chamber that would like to escalate the situation and then continue to negotiate. I do not think that will have the best outcomes for Europeans. So it is not a perfect deal, but it is the deal that we have on the table, and we have security reasons for adopting the deal. We have to change it a bit, though. Of course we are not voting on the deal as such. We will be voting on the two legislative proposals that the Commissioner mentioned, and we will certainly have to amend it in order to make sure, not least, that it is fully compatible with WTO rules. And I have mentioned several times in this Chamber and to the Commission that I am not certain it does. I am rather quite certain that it does not. But I think, colleagues, that we, in this House, could fix that by amending the legislation. In the meantime, we also, of course, have to continue to negotiate and, not least, ratify the agreements we have on the table. The Mercosur Agreement is really important from us at this point of stage. When we have problems doing business in one part of the world ‑ the US right now ‑ then we have to open business in other parts of the world. Mercosur is one. Mexico is another. Indonesia. India. Thailand. Malaysia. Philippines. Australia. There is a lot of possibilities, and I think possibilities to negotiate are better now than ever. So I urge you, colleagues, please do not create this trade war with Trump. We do not need it. We need security in Europe and we need these deals.

9

Jul

2025

Speeches EN

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EU-US trade negotiations (debate)

Mr President, Madam Minister, Commissioner Šefčovič, first of all, thank you for your tireless work of trying to find a negotiated solution. We certainly need it because we need to de-escalate the situation with the US. It is a very, very important market for the European Union. It creates a lot of jobs, both here in Europe, but also, of course, in the US. Approximately 20 % of our market goes to the United States. And that also means that 80 % of our trade goes elsewhere, creating probably even more jobs. I'd like to speak particularly on the WTO rules and the compatibility with the potential deals on the WTO rules, because the rest of the world – 80 % of the market – relies on the WTO rules. I'm not sure, but I'd like to make sure that the Commission is certified that, if we make a deal with the United States, it doesn't break the any rules in the WTO, because then we might solve one problem, but we create others. I think that is the most important part right now, because the world, when it comes to trade, is not really predictable at the moment. I think that even if we do a deal with the US, it will probably not be predictable for quite some time. Therefore, the world trading system – the multilateral rules-based trading system – is the predictability we have and we, as Europeans, have to defend it. But I also agree, of course, in the meantime, since there is a lot of unpredictability, we also have to diversify. So ratifying the Mercosur agreement, the Mexico agreement, negotiating India and Indonesia is also important. Once again, thank you to the Commission for your hard work. Let us hope that we can find a negotiated solution for the benefit of businesses and citizens across Europe.

6

May

2025

Speeches EN

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A unified EU response to unjustified US trade measures and global trade opportunities for the EU (debate)

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, colleagues, we find ourselves at a historic crossroads, not just in terms of economic policy, but also in the broader context of global geopolitics. Trade tension, of course, is nothing new. But today, in an era of deep globalisation and tightly interlinked supply chains, the consequences are more far-reaching than ever. We have seen this clearly in the past months, when Trump's erratic trade measures triggered volatility across financial markets. The EU's response, especially in the face of the unjustified trade measures from a long-standing ally, will be remembered. Our approach must strike a careful balance, preserving the principle of trust, respect and transatlantic cooperation, while also shielding European citizens and industries from economic harm. I therefore call on the Commission to act decisively within their 90-day retaliatory pause. The current pause from the Trump administration is de facto a 25 % tariff on EU steel, aluminium and automobiles and a 10 % tariff on almost all other goods. The Commission's decision to hold off on immediate retaliation is wise; de-escalation creates a space for dialogue. But let us be clear: inaction cannot become our policy. Within these 90 days, we must prepare a strong and measured and unified response. At the same time, we must do three things to strategically position Europe: strengthen the single market, negotiate and ratify more free trade agreements, not least Mercosur and the one with Mexico, and reassert leadership within WTO, because we need the rules-based international system when there is unpredictability in the world.