Speeches

Mr President, thank you very much. We have war in Europe and it is taking place right now both on the battlefield and on the internet. Russia is waging war against Ukraine and spreading propaganda on social media. Hamas has killed more Jews in one day than we have seen since the Holocaust. Now their terrorist material is being spread to legitimize these murders. Disinformation and hatred perpetuate our democracies. It is especially dangerous in war and conflict. Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) continue to spread terrorist material and anti-Semitism, even though we have the EU's new digital laws, DSA, in place. They must stop giving precedence to polarisation over facts. They need to stop ducking responsibility. Propaganda can be the difference between life and death.

Mr President, Commissioner and colleagues, I am glad that we have a political agreement on the new law on financial services contracts concluded at a distance. With the digital development and with more consumers buying financial products online, we now are taking steps to make consumer protection rules fit for the digital age. How consumers use financial services look very different today than it did 20 years ago. It’s good that the rules are now being modernised and that the withdrawal function that we are introducing in this law for all goods and services is technology neutral. This will make it easier to withdraw when one buys a product online. We are now making it clearer for companies how the rules apply in relation to product-specific legislations. Companies must give information in good time without misleading consumers. We are also harmonising the rules in the EU single market, with a few exceptions where Member States can go further. And most importantly, we are keeping a high level of consumer protection when our consumers are buying financial products online or over the phone. I want to thank all the shadow rapporteurs, I want to thank the Commission and I also want to thank the Swedish Presidency for the negotiations that we had in the spring and for a successful result. I believe that this new law will be a win-win for consumers and businesses across the European Union, and we now have modernised rules without extra burden for companies and we are ensuring that consumers have a high level of protection when they are buying in Europe. So, thank you, everybody.

–Mrs President, Commissioner Breton! When the coronavirus pandemic began, we witnessed the collapse of the EU’s single market. We saw that several countries, such as France, imposed export bans within the EU. For example, it prevented the Swedish company Mölnlycke from sending face masks and protective equipment to hard-hit countries such as Spain and Italy. I was very clear at the time that this was unacceptable and that the Commission would act. That is why I am glad today that the rules are being tightened up. Fast track licensing is now being introduced to make it easier to trade between countries in the EU. Clearer rules and reduced red tape for businesses in the event of a crisis are now being introduced. If we are to help each other, we must be able to send goods and services across borders. The EU's strength lies in our cooperation. The strength of the EU lies in the fact that we are stronger together, not when we impose export bans and strict borders between each other. This law draws lessons from the pandemic and strengthens the EU’s single market. Because that is how we build a stronger, safer and freer Europe.

Madam President, thank you very much. Reducing climate emissions and fighting cancer are just a few examples of how AI is revolutionising the world right now. With the opportunities comes responsibility, and the eyes of the world are on Europe right now. This is why it is so important that the EU’s new and unique AI law works – that it works both to lead digitalisation forward and to provide security for our citizens. I would therefore urge my colleagues to vote in favour of the police being able to use AI technology in real time to stop terrorist acts, to stop the kidnapping of children. We need to protect our citizens, not terrorists. You have to understand that digitalization is already here. We should not let the Chinese communist state set the rules of the game for the development of technology and the future. It is Europe that should be the future and for digitisation.

Mr President, dear colleagues, this is a historic vote. After 10 years, this European Parliament is delivering on safety and freedom of women. This is a vote for all those millions of women who are living in violence, who are living unsafe, in fear. And we are saying now that Europe has zero tolerance against violence against women and that Europe will not be affected by Russian disinformation campaigns or anti-European values. I want to thank my co-rapporteur, Łukasz Kohut, and the Swedish Presidency, who made together the accession of the Istanbul Convention real, because we show in this House and in this Union that when we work together, we can fight the violence against women. We can show that when we unite our forces, Europe becomes better, Europe becomes freer and safer. And that’s what it’s all about.

Madam President, thank you very much. If Europe is to cope with the climate transition, it must be easier to trade climate-smart. But we have a problem, because the EU has no credibility to stop , when we have in this Parliament: It is the Green Party and their group the Greens. Because even though they have high tails when it comes to climate issues, we see how these drive advertising bans on solar panels and electric cars, they try to stop eco-labels, and they want to ban companies from climate offsetting. How can we make it easier for consumers to find organic baby food and environmentally friendly laundry detergents without eco-labels? How are we going to cope with electrification without companies being allowed to advertise solar panels? How should we encourage companies to take climate responsibility if they are not allowed to talk about their sustainability work? I think it should be easy to do the right thing. It must be more profitable for companies to become climate-smart, and it must be easier for consumers to buy sustainably. We need to stop greenwashing, whether it comes from business or from environmental left-wing politicians.

Madam President, dear colleagues, I want to thank you all for a very good and long debate with a lot of emotions. I take note of two things in this debate. Firstly is that we still have those myths that surround the Istanbul Convention that come from an anti—European agenda, from Russian propaganda that wants to destabilise Europe, spread by some parties here in this House. I also note another more important thing: what big support the Istanbul Convention and the fight for the freedom of women have in the European Union and in this House, from the biggest political forces across Europe. I want to thank especially my co—rapporteur, Łukasz Kohut. It’s been a pleasure to work with you. I want to thank the Swedish Presidency that helped us get through the Istanbul Convention in the Council. We would not have made it without them. And also the Commission, which has always been supporting the Istanbul Convention. It’s when we work together, when we unite our forces, that Europe becomes better, Europe becomes freer and safer, and our citizens can have a better and free life. This is something that we should cherish – our cooperation and our unity. So thank you all for this good debate. I hope the Istanbul Convention will make women freer and we will save more lives. This is what it’s all about.

Madam President, it is time for the EU to take an historic decision and take the most important gender equality step in many, many years – it is finally to ratify the Istanbul Convention. Because every day, women in Europe are murdered because of the violence that they suffer from their partner. Every week, more than 50 women are murdered in their own homes. Every third woman and girl in the EU has experienced physical or sexual violence, and 85% of all violent and sexual crimes are never reported to the police. This is 2023, and it is still happening. After almost ten years of pushing from the European Parliament from this House, now the ratification of the Istanbul Convention will finally raise the standard in combating and preventing gender—based violence across Europe. This means that we will be better in coordinating the necessary measures in the EU. We will be better in collecting data on how the situation is in every Member State. We will strengthen the judicial cooperation, share the best practices between countries and the EU will have a new role in monitoring how well the convention is being implemented. This is big. At the same time, in this historic decision, we are sending a clear political message that Europe has zero tolerance on violence against women. It is needed because women’s rights are restricted around the world and the oppression and the violence have increased. I also have another message. I want to send my strongest call to those remaining Member States, those six remaining Member States in the EU, to also individually ratify the Istanbul Convention. It is time for you to stand on the right side of history and to support women’s rights to life free from violence. Because fighting violence against women is about standing up for women’s freedom. It is about defending the fundamental rights and equality in Europe. This is what Europe is about. This is what this House is about, that we are a union of freedom, so let’s defend it all the way.

Mr President, dear colleagues, I think the debate here today shows such great engagement that we have on the fight against women, the fight against violence against women. And this engagement and this fight unite us from the left to the right, because we are still living now in 2023 and still one third of women across Europe have faced violence. Fifty women are killed in their homes every week and over 85% of victims of sexual violence do not report it to the police. I mean, we’ve had enough of this. This is one of the biggest fights for freedom that we have in Europe today. The fight to live a life free from violence. And I think we can expect much more from Europe. The European Parliament is ready. We want the Istanbul Convention to be ratified. Now it’s up to the Member States and the Council, and I’m glad the for engagement from the Commission and Commissioner Dalli. And I’m also glad for the commitment from the Swedish Presidency, because it’s about gender equality. It’s about freedom. Now it’s the moment. So let’s do this.

Madam President, I want to thank my co-rapporteur, Łukasz Kohut, and all our advisers and shadow rapporteurs for this hard work in this historic moment, which is very important to fight violence against women. I will make my speech in Swedish. Varje dag utsätts kvinnor och flickor i Europa för misshandel, sexuella övergrepp, våldtäkter och mord. Så mycket som en tredjedel av alla kvinnor i Europa har utsatts för fysiskt eller sexuellt våld någon gång i sitt liv. Fler än 50 kvinnor mördas i sitt eget hem varje vecka och 85 % av alla vålds- och sexualbrott anmäls aldrig till polisen. Våldsutsatta kvinnor i Europa upplever att det är ingen idé att anmäla. De tas inte på allvar av myndigheter. Rättsväsendet utreder inte och utsatta offer får inte det stöd och skydd som de behöver. Det är 2023 och fortfarande tas inte dessa grova brott på allvar. Hur länge ska detta pågå? Det är vår tids stora frihetsfråga att säkra rätten till ett liv utan våld. Att bekämpa våld mot kvinnor är det viktigaste vi kan göra för kvinnors rätt till grundläggande frihet och för jämställdheten i hela Europa. Vårt viktigaste europeiska verktyg för att bekämpa våld mot kvinnor är just Istanbulkonventionen och som föredragande för Istanbulkonventionen har jag sett och jag vet att vi har rätt verktygslåda för att bekämpa våldet som drabbar miljontals kvinnor. Det enda som nu krävs är den politiska viljan. Europaparlamentet kommer denna vecka att ta ett viktigt beslut. Det viktigaste vi kommer att ta på över fem år i kampen mot våld mot kvinnor. Europaparlamentet står bakom att stärka arbetet för att bekämpa våldet. EU-domstolen har redan gett grönt ljus och det svenska ordförandeskapet i EU har ambitionen att få till en verklig förändring och en ratificering också i rådet. Därför riktar jag mig nu direkt till alla medlemsländer i EU. Det är dags att ni ratificerar Istanbulkonventionen i EU. Det är dags att ni tar kampen mot våld mot kvinnor på allvar. Det är dags att Europa går från ord till handling, för det handlar om de grundläggande rättigheterna i Europa, vilken union vi vill ha. Det här är en frihetsfråga, att säkra rätten till liv utan våld. Så låt oss göra det nu.

Madam President, Roberta Metsola! Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson! Colleagues! I note that the Social Democrats and the Green Party have not really recovered after the election loss in Sweden. If you have destroyed Sweden's electrical system and turned a blind eye to the high crime rate, then there is only scaremongering and smear casting left. Because we have big problems. We have the biggest security threat to Europe with Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is the biggest threat since World War II. We have skyrocketing prices for households and a serious energy and climate crisis. This requires a strong European Union and a united Europe. Colleagues! It was the Conservatives who brought Sweden into the EU. It is the Conservatives who have pushed for Sweden to join NATO. I am convinced that moderate leadership is needed, that pro-European parties are needed right now, and that it is more important than ever. Good luck, Ulf Kristersson! Europe counts on the leadership of Sweden and the government.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Vestager, Swedish Minister for European Affairs Roswall! The EU's Single Market is 30 years old, and we have many reasons to be proud. Free trade within the EU without tariffs and hassle for consumers and businesses has made us one of the largest economies in the world. Openness has brought prosperity and a stronger Europe. At the same time, however, I am concerned. As a result of Putin's illegal war against Ukraine, prices have skyrocketed. The answer to the economic crisis must therefore not be to close our eyes and create new barriers between the countries of the European Union. If we are to celebrate the success of the single market in 30 years' time, Europe must stick together. We need to make it easier to trade in green products. We need to strengthen trade in services, and we need to create a digital market in Europe that can face the climate crisis and global competition. Free trade is not a threat. Free trade is a prerequisite for a freer, greener and safer Europe.

Madam President, one of the greatest rights of freedom is to live a life free from violence. But still every third woman is affected by it. In a world like this, the EU must lead the way to stop violence against women, to stop the oppression. For far too long, violence against women has been neglected in the Member States. This has to change now. I believe that we now have the great opportunity to make a real impact for freedom of women in Europe by criminalising violence against women. As the rapporteur for the Istanbul Convention, I know that we have the right toolbox to implement the Istanbul Convention. Together with a new law on gender-based violence, we will be able to deliver. This is the international gold standard to protect women from violence. So what are we waiting for? The Parliament is ready. Where is the Council? It’s time to deliver for women, for freedom, for the whole security and freedom of Europe.

Madam President, Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and terrible war against Ukraine has seriously worsened the security landscape of Europe and threatened the rules-based order. Russia is, as we speak, bombing Ukrainian citizens and brutally killing civilians, killing children. Russia is also attacking and destroying important parts of Ukrainian cultural heritage: works of art, monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are part of Ukrainian identity and part of our common history. To destroy cultural heritage on purpose is a war crime committed by Putin and Russia. We should help to protect and restore Ukrainian cultural heritage, hold Russia accountable, and help Ukraine to fight the fight against Russia. Every Russian attack against Ukraine is an attack against Europe, an attack against European freedom, an attack against European peace and an attack against European values. We need to do everything we can to support Ukraine and to give financial and military support all the way. Responsibility for this war lies solely with Russia, and our message must be clear: Russia, it’s time to get out of Ukraine.

Madam President, thank you very much. In Europe, there are currently horrific abuses against Ukrainian women and children, with Russian soldiers using rape and murder as weapons of war. In Iran, women are fighting for their right to a life of freedom, in a country where domestic violence against women and marital rape are allowed. In a world like this, Europe must lead the way and show that the fight against oppression, against violence against women, is a fight for freedom, for human rights, for equality. If the EU is to be a credible actor in the field of women's rights, we must also act here at home, because for too long violence against women has been neglected in the Member States. whereas physical and sexual violence affects one in three women in the EU; It's all over now. We now have a chance to really change the freedom issue of our time. By criminalising violence against women, by implementing the Istanbul Convention throughout the EU, we can forcefully suppress violence. Commissioner, it is time to move from words to deeds that we are serious, that women's rights are human rights.

Mr President ! Unlawful threat. Websites that sell dangerous toys and drugs. Social media accounts that are hijacked and shut down without explanation. Russian disinformation attacks. This is what everyday life looks like on the internet today. It's time to stop the digital wild west. The Internet has revolutionized the world and changed our lives with completely new opportunities, but the laws have not really kept up. Today, the vast majority of people shop online on mobile and use social media, but fewer use CDs or fax machines. We are finally updating the EU’s old digital laws – after 20 years. In the negotiations, I have been a strong voice in favour of freedom of expression, clear rules for businesses, security for consumers and that what is illegal offline must also be illegal online. If we are to take advantage of the digital transformation, we need order. I want to see a safe and free internet both now and in the future.

Madam President, thank you very much. Isn't it absurd that in the two thousand we still need to fight for something as obvious as all women's fundamental right to decide over their own bodies? Unfortunately, it has turned out that freedom, human rights and women's rights can never be taken for granted, even today. In the United States, we now see strong forces working actively to stop the right to abortion. And if they succeed, nearly 40 percent of American women will suffer if their nearest abortion clinic is forced to close. In our neighbouring country, Poland, which has already banned abortion, women have died when they have been denied abortion care. The Polish government now wants to go one step further and introduce mass registers of pregnant women. This is crazy. The right to abortion is a freedom issue and is absolutely crucial for all women to be able to design their lives as they wish. This resolution is so important. It is a signal that we in the EU stand for freedom, for human rights, for women's rights, and that we have zero tolerance for those who seek to undermine women's rights. The EU must speak out. We must stand on the side of women and have zero tolerance for those who want to declare women incapacitated and their own choices in life. This is an issue of freedom and Europe must take that fight.

Madam President, thank you very much. The pictures and testimonies of Bucha, Mariupol and other cities in Ukraine have shocked a whole world. The brutality of Russian troops, with executions and rapes of civilians, women and children, is inhumane. Putin, his closest men and the Russian soldiers responsible for this must be tried by the International Criminal Court. They can never, never get away. The millions of Ukrainian women who have now fled to the EU and survived the sexual violence must receive all our help, but they should not have to meet at the EU's external border by traffickers who want to use them for trafficking or by being denied abortion pills in Poland. I have an appeal to all EU countries and to Commissioner Johansson: Now ensure that these criminal networks at the EU's border to exploit Ukrainian women and children for trafficking are identified, brought to justice and stopped from operating at the EU's external border. I also have an appeal to EU countries to offer safe abortion with contraception and obstetric and abortion care to these rape victims from Ukraine. We can never tolerate rape being used as a weapon of war. History is being created now and Europe must have zero tolerance for these types of crimes and give all the support we can to the Ukrainian people and to the women most affected.

Madam President, thank you very much. If Europe is to meet its climate targets, we need to move from a throwaway society to a more circular economy with sustainable growth. Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. It is a huge waste of resources and an environmental villain that the world cannot afford. But there is hope. Today, more and more people, both large companies and smaller startups, are working to develop new sustainable products and services with growth as a driving force, where repair services and rental are becoming an increasingly important part. Using resources more efficiently and getting more value out of what is produced benefits the climate and it benefits entrepreneurship and creates more jobs. But to, like the left and the greens over here, take every chance to want to stop growth and shamea Those who consume will rather stifle and not help the climate. Bans, taxes and new bureaucracy are not the solution, but we must tear down trade barriers and remove tariffs on goods with a low climate footprint and open up the market for services and rentals, remove bureaucracy around the trade in recycled goods and clean up the jungle of labels, so that consumers can trust that what they buy is truly sustainable. So now let's do right-to-repairthe law of success in the climate transition and not a new example of political greenwashing.

Madam President, thank you very much. Disinformation, cyberattacks, hacking, threats to journalists, funding extremist parties, espionage – yes, the list can be long in this low-intensity war that has been waged against Europe for years, not just now. But that's enough now. We must not allow Russia to wage information wars so that Putin can justify his attacks on innocent civilians and children in Ukraine. We must not allow Russia to buy European politicians with board seats so that Europe becomes dependent on Russian gas. We must not allow these dictatorships to influence democratic elections in the West, as they did with Brexit and in the United States. We must not allow China to buy up European ports and other important infrastructure to use it against us. We need to stop Russian gas, isolate the Russian economy and have tough sanctions. But we can also do much more to protect the resilience of Europe as a whole, both militarily and by other means. The fight for freedom, democracy and a bright future for the peoples of Europe is more important than ever. This is the most important battle we will face in our generation. We must no longer allow Russia and China and other dictatorships to exploit our open societies. It is a struggle we have to fight hard every minute – and we have to do it now.

Mr President, today the European Parliament will send a strong signal that we want a digital market and an internet with clear rules for businesses and safety for users. The internet has made our lives so much better. We can all stay in touch with friends and family, access information, shop online and participate in the public debate, and it will continue to revolutionise the world and humanity in ways we cannot even imagine right now. However, our citizens must also feel safe online. Today, we are exposed to illegal content on websites with fraud, disinformation, foreign interference and dangerous products. I’m glad that we – as European lawmakers – have listened to these concerns, and I’m proud that we have been able to unite behind a strong proposal in the Digital Services Act – the DSA. For me, as the negotiator for the largest political force in this House, three things are most important. Firstly, that we are now creating a framework to remove illegal content more quickly. This will put an end to the digital Wild West, where the biggest platforms are setting the rules and criminal content is going viral. Secondly, we want to ensure that the internet remains an open space. The DSA will strengthen the rights for users, increase transparency online and protect freedom of speech. Platforms will no longer censor opinions or block accounts without any explanation, and users will be able to contest these decisions taken by the platforms. Thirdly, we need a unified digital market where entrepreneurs and start-ups can easily compete, without trade barriers or massive bureaucracy. With the DSA, tech companies in the EU will follow one set of rules, not 27 sets of rules. Right now, we are letting the US and China run the show in several areas, and it’s time for Europe to take the lead in the global digital race. So let’s make the DSA a worldwide example for a better digital future with safety, openness and innovation.

Mr President, thank you very much. The pandemic has shown that trade and cooperation are the most important tools for managing crises. This applies not only to the coronavirus crisis, but also to the climate crisis. Everywhere in the EU, researchers, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs are developing new solutions to reduce emissions and contribute to the circular economy. Here we politicians need to get better at giving carrots to boosta the green relaunch of Europe's economy. We need to eliminate tariffs on climate-smart goods. We need to remove trade barriers on sustainable services such as repairs and rentals. We need to remove red tape and ban trade in recycled materials. The fact that we have tariffs on electric cars feels incredibly strange in these times. Our trade policy is also key to achieving a green and sustainable circular economy, and not only by making it more expensive to release, but also by giving more carrots to entrepreneurs.