Speeches

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, tonight we commemorate the victims of the terrible 7-October attacks that took place exactly one year ago. And we express our support to the families and call once again for the immediate release of all hostages. Meanwhile, we look with dismay at the devastation in Gaza and now also in Lebanon. But I also note that Israel has no other choice, given Hamas's obstinate stance, Hezbollah's ongoing rocket rain and Iran's permanent threat. Israel is fighting terrorism and – unlike Hamas – is doing everything in its power to prevent civilian casualties. Many speak of the need for de-escalation, always pointing an accusing finger at Israel. The latter is not appropriate, because the keys to de-escalation are not in Jerusalem, but in the dark tunnels under Gaza. If Hamas releases the hostages today, there could be a ceasefire tomorrow.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the greater extremes we see in the weather present major challenges for agriculture. What is needed? I would like to mention two main points: The first main line is to strengthen resilience by plant breeding, using NGTs for example, by promoting soil life and by making good choices in the building plan and cultivation methods. The second main line is to ensure that farmers can intervene if necessary. Think of plant protection products for disease control, preferably as targeted as possible via precision agriculture and with low-risk products. But we do need those resources. Even in the organic sector, one cannot do without it completely. Just look at the use of copper against phytophthora in a number of countries. One thing is clear in the meantime: Calendar farming does not work. It is foolish that the government prescribes when a crop must be harvested outwardly, knowing that every growing season is different. This also applies to: Give the farmer the opportunity to be an entrepreneur and make his own choices.

Mr President, I do not deny that there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I know, of course, that there are bombings and that the situation in the area is difficult. That is why, in my speech, I also expressed the hope that in the end it will be possible to reach a deal. However, this must be done under two very clear conditions: Hamas must release all hostages and Israel must have clear security guarantees. The picture you paint by saying that no humanitarian aid could enter is completely untrue. There are indeed aid transports going that way. It is often a question of distributing ... (the President interrupted the speaker) ... food produced by Hamas ... (the President interrupted the speaker) ... confiscated.

Mr President, it seems crystal clear to me that we are supposed to protect the State of Israel. In view of the future of the whole region, it is crucial that we relaunch a process of negotiations, including the future of the Palestinian territories. The hard condition is that the terror must first stop. If there is room for negotiations again, I see perspective. However, I think it is a misrepresentation of things to talk about occupied territories all the time. In my opinion, we must speak of disputed areas, because Israel can make claims on the relevant areas historically and also legally.

Mr President, yesterday we talked about the future of the Jewish community in Europe, in the light of rising anti-Semitism. Today we are talking about the future of the Jews in their own country, which is at stake. Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Islamic Jihad want to wipe Israel off the map. So we should not be asking ourselves which side we should be on in this conflict. We must stand firm for the survival of the State of Israel and for Israel's right to self-defense. Hamas has already rejected a ceasefire three times and is clearly not yet thinking of giving up the fight. The organization continues to use civilians as human shields and does not shy away from using hospitals and schools for its terrorist activities. Antony Blinken is doing his utmost to reach a deal and his efforts are commendable. However, the release of all hostages and security guarantees for Israel are, in my view, two hard conditions that must be met. Meanwhile, Europe is offside. This is not surprising given the European attitude. Josep Borrell sent another official delegation to the inauguration of the Iranian president this summer, legitimizing this destabilizing regime. It's got to be different.

Mr President, this week I receive a volunteer who comes to Strasbourg from the Netherlands on a bicycle to draw attention to persecuted Christians, and in particular to Christians in Nigeria. When I hear the stories of persecuted Christians, I always notice how, despite the many trials, they often experience and radiate a lot of inner peace, because they know that God carries them. This does not relieve us of our duty to do everything we can to help them. We must make religious freedom a top priority, strengthen the post of the Special Envoy for the Promotion of Religious Freedom and, in the case of Nigeria, strongly condemn Islamic violence and urge the Nigerian authorities to better protect Christian villages. I hope to welcome many of you to the event on Nigeria on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr President, it is sad that we have to talk again about anti-Semitism, but we cannot ignore it. What can be heard and seen on our streets, squares and universities today is chilling: calls for jihad and expulsion of Jews from their own country, flags of terrorist organizations and swastikas. With a few positive exceptions, the government simply allows this to happen and hardly any action is taken against the mudslide of anti-Semitism that is washing over Europe. We need to make sure that the Jewish community can feel safe again. We must ban anti-Semitic protests and follow the good example of the German judge who used the slogan "From the River to the Sea designated as a criminal offence.

Mr President, we have finally had serious discussions with farmers and stakeholders. This is perhaps the most important added value of this strategic dialogue. Now it is up to the European Commission, when following this advice, to make sure that it actually listens and takes farmers' concerns seriously. The report rightly highlights the strategic importance of our food production. In addition, it makes good recommendations to strengthen the position of young farmers and to offer farmers fair prices. In particular, the regulatory burden should be reduced. Many farmers do indeed want to become more sustainable, but are often driven by unreasonable demands at very high costs. We should not want to regulate everything by means of regulations, but rather offer room for good and sustainable entrepreneurship.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Iran is the great destabilizer of the Middle East. This has been the case for years, and the recent major attack on Israel has confirmed this picture. Their main objective is also clear: Wipe Israel off the map, using terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and dubious alliances with countries such as Russia, Pakistan, China, North Korea, thus making Iran a threat not only to Israel, but actually to the entire international community. The long arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards extends even to Europe. But put the Guard on the European terror list? According to the Council and Mr Borrell, there would be no legal basis for this. Nonsense, of course, this is pure political unwillingness. The Revolutionary Guard should be on the terror list as soon as possible and the sanctions package towards Iran should be expanded. We need to change course, Mr. Borrell. Israel should not be left alone.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, good and healthy basic material is the basis for good cultivation. This requires a well-functioning system that provides guarantees. We have, and it works fine. Look at the result: very high quality starting material. I stress this point because I am very concerned about the proposals that are now on the table. Proposals that threaten to undermine the well-functioning system. In this way, far-reaching exceptions are proposed. For example, the dissemination of basic material via informal networks or users among themselves is not subject to any control. With all the risks that this entails for the spread of plant diseases. Such exceptions also make it very easy for malicious parties to start parallel markets. And then several groups also want to allow uncontrolled imports from neighboring countries such as Belarus or Turkey. I see major phytosanitary risks here, so don't do it. As regards culture and use-value research for fruit and vegetables, Parliament is taking the right step by opting for voluntary action. But with proposals that undermine the current solid system, I cannot possibly agree. Only if we continue to guarantee the high quality and health of the basic material can European agriculture and horticulture continue to excel.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, trafficking in human beings is a multi-faceted monster that we cannot control. What certainly does not help is that many countries have come to regard prostitution as a normal profession, while there is a lot of human trafficking there. The fact that we are now updating the directive on combating trafficking in human beings is a good thing. But more is needed, in particular from the Member States: more people and resources for detection and enforcement, better information exchange between national authorities, but also more exit programmes for prostitutes and addressing prostitution visitors and operators. Exploitation of surrogate mothers will now also be covered by the directive, and that is quite right. However, I still believe that surrogacy should be banned in its entirety. And not only because of the exploitation, but also because it is ethically very debatable to take a child away from the mother after birth.

Mr President, always wanting to have the latest of the latest, that is actually a very good thing for our disposable society. Of course, sometimes new stuff is just needed, but often not at all. For example, I ride a 30-year-old bicycle myself and that's just fine. Isn't there an important key here in preventing huge waste mountains? Namely: Stop throwing everything away and be satisfied with what you have. So life is possible, but then you must have the opportunity to have things that break down affordable and easy to repair. I therefore warmly welcome the deal on the right to repair for electronic products. He can greatly help to repair our phones, irons and so on to get back to normal after the warranty period. Here common sense and care for the environment go hand in hand.

Mr President, what Macron achieved last week in France, he is now trying, through his delegation to the European Parliament, to regulate also in the rest of Europe, namely to make abortion a fundamental right, a human right. I would like to ask all those colleagues who support him in this and who pride themselves on our so-called Western civilization: What is one of the most important characteristics of a civilization? Isn't that protecting the vulnerable and the defenseless? You'll agree with me, won't you? And what is more defenseless and vulnerable than an unborn child in the womb? In the civilized world, therefore, it is not abortion that fits, but care for mother and child. Every human being is unique, a gift of God and therefore worthy of protection. Mrs Vautmans, I do not think a Member of Parliament is worthy of you avoiding the debate on such a fundamental issue in this House – not accepting a blue card. If we can't even talk about this anymore, then we as Europe have sunk very far away.

Mr President, Mr Matić talks, among other things, about women's rights. I would like to ask him a question about children's rights. My question is as follows: Are you aware of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? Are you aware that that convention states that every child has the right to care and that this applies both before and after birth? How do you view this duty of care and how does it relate to your position on abortion?

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely worrying and we must therefore do everything we can to ensure that the aid reaches the people, and I think we all agree on that. But who actually causes the biggest problems here? Is that Israel, as is constantly being claimed, or is that Hamas? Certainly: Israel has a responsibility here. Israel is aware of this and is doing what it can to allow goods through and facilitate help. There is absolutely no deliberate obstruction of aid by Israel. Hamas, on the other hand, hijacks food shipments for its own fighters and leaves the Palestinian civilian population to its own fate. Hamas is a terrorist organization that terrorizes not only Israel, but its own people. Initiatives to get more humanitarian aid to Gaza quickly, such as the sea corridor, certainly deserve our support. But what would certainly help is that Hamas releases the hostages. Today, too, we demand their immediate release! For more than five months, they have been held under appalling conditions in Hamas' dark tunnels. Talk about people who need help! Why isn't the Red Cross doing more to gain access to them? What does the Commission do specifically for them? I'd like a response.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, energy saving, and therefore also the insulation of buildings, deserves all the attention. After all, everything we save on energy does not have to be generated. However, the question is: How do we send this? The package now before us is full of detailed EU rules. That's not sensible. Many national initiatives are already under way. With a detailed European approach, you could just cross it. In the Netherlands, for example, we are looking at where we can best situate charging points for electric cars per district. Brussels dictates on the number of charging points per building as currently proposed do not help. After all, no neighborhood is the same. Moreover, I strongly question the choice of legally binding targets in this regulation. Goals that are also very ambitious and therefore unrealistic. Making our buildings more sustainable requires a different approach, a bottom-up approach and a more realistic timeline.

Mr President, the wolf's protection status must be reduced. Our adopted resolution of 2022 was crystal clear on this. The Commission now supports this request. Now the Council. To ministers who are still struggling and still think they can solve the problems with social dialogues, I would like to say: The time of talking is over. We need to act now. Especially when we realise that there are now more than 20 000 wolves in Europe and that the wolf population can grow by 30% every year. The damage caused by wolves is already very significant in some areas of the European Union: some 65 000 sheep, goats and other farmed animals per year that are horribly torn open. If we do nothing, the situation is in danger of becoming truly unmanageable. So, Council, you're failing us tonight – look, the box is empty – but I'm assuming you're following us online or you're looking back at this debate. Counselor, take your responsibility.

I can certainly explain that. What do I mean by this? I mean that in Gaza and in the Palestinian territories a generation is growing up that is filled with hatred and with Jew-hatred. That's what we need to break through first. It is also clear that as long as Hamas is in charge, there can be no lasting peace. I sincerely hope that a solution can be found when it comes to a deal with Hamas on the release of the hostages, in the form of hopefully a temporary ceasefire, but I really think that in order to achieve a lasting peace in this region, Hamas will really have to disappear from the scene.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the release of the more than 100 hostages in Gaza must be a top priority in the ongoing negotiations. Increasing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza is also of great importance. A temporary fight break can certainly help, but it is up to Hamas to take responsibility, in the interest of the people in Gaza. However, this has been lacking for decades. Let's be realistic: As long as Hamas continues to prioritize the destruction of Israel, there can be no permanent ceasefire. Even if Hamas were defeated, the spirit of Hamas still lives on. This problem must be tackled at the root. The EU also has a responsibility to do so. As long as Europe continues to co-finance Palestinian textbooks full of Jew-hatred and as long as the UN pays bodies where terrorists work, a sustainable solution is unfortunately not in sight. (The speaker agreed to answer a blue card question)

Mr President, while the EPP is trying to take the edge off the Green Deal in the light of the elections, there is now a report by an EPP rapporteur that presents us with a deal whereby entrepreneurs are forced with the hard hand of criminal law to stay within the framework of the Green Deal. There's something contradictory about that. In the Netherlands, farmers are facing administrative fines because they do not have a nature permit, the so-called PAS detectors. With his deal, does colleague Manders now also open the way for criminal prosecution of these farmers? I hope not, but the extension of the definition of environmental crime does not give me complete peace of mind. Surely serious environmental crimes, such as the dumping of drug waste in the forest, should be severely punished, totally agree, but do we not make the scope of this regulation too broad? Incidentally, I regret, Mr President, that with this deal the principle that criminal law is something of the Member States, that we are discarding that principle with this regulation, this directive.

Mr President, Commissioner, the fact that our daily messages have become much more expensive does not stand alone. It is linked to the overall inflation that was partly caused by a failing ECB that has continued to pump money into the economy for far too long. Lesson one is therefore: ECB, stick to your mandate, namely to ensure price stability. Lesson two is: Let's take care of our agriculture and fisheries. To provide consumers with good and affordable food, we need modern competitive businesses. Give space to entrepreneurship and stop the ever-growing jumble of regulations. And lesson three: Let's take a closer look at the distribution of margins in the chain. What about the profit margins at the supermarkets, for example? After all, everything points to the fact that prices have been increased not by the farmers, but by the links further down the chain.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the horrific attacks on Christian villages in Nigeria on Christmas night last year are a new low point in the ongoing violence. Those who say that it is merely a conflict between shepherds and farmers ignore the other causes. They are Muslim extremists who sow death and destruction here. That is the harsh reality and our resolution is clear on that. I call on the Nigerian authorities to arrest and condemn the perpetrators, to step up security measures, to generously compensate the victims and to guarantee freedom of belief. I also call on the Commission and the High Representative to pay more attention to the seriousness of increasing persecution of Christians. Not only in Nigeria, but also elsewhere in the world. The fact that the High Representative did not even bother to condemn the attacks at the end of December is downright shameful in this regard. Victims deserve better.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the dramatic events on 7 October also have an impact on our society. We see a huge polarization. But what worries me the most is the resurgence of anti-Semitism. We have to stop this. Namely: a) By being very clear. You may protest, but as soon as you start shouting that Jews should be expelled from their land, you cross a border. We won't tolerate that. b) By continuing to invest in our young people. As recently entrusted to me by the director of a school in Molenbeek – a school with over 80% Muslim youth: We teach our students to respect dissenters. That's the way it should be. c) By setting a good example. The fact that the European Union is still transferring money to the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA for anti-Semitic teaching materials cannot therefore be explained. Commission, stop it!

Mr President, plant breeders are doing a fantastic job. They know how to use the potential that lies in creation effectively and thus create new variants. Ranging from beautiful lilies to potato varieties that still generate good yields even under very dry conditions. The problem, however, is the long duration of the breeding process, while we need to speed it up, given climate change and disease pressures. With new breeding techniques, the process of breeding can be significantly shortened. And that without introducing alien genes as is the case with GMOs. New breeding techniques therefore offer a welcome addition to classical breeding. However, we must ensure that the patent right does not get a grip on the plant material. It should remain freely available for further breeding. I am pleased that my amendment on this has been accepted and I call on the rapporteur to secure this point in the negotiations.

Mr President, Commissioner, today it is not a green light for the action plan for the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems, but a resolution with a number of fundamental concerns about both the approach and the content. The Commission requires Member States to close all natural areas for bottom-contacting fishing from 2030 onwards, while having no legal basis at all, but only a non-binding communication. Moreover, there is no impact assessment. It is therefore an approach that raises major questions alone. In terms of content: Natural areas are very different. Where soil disturbance can be harmful in one area, it does not have to be so in another area. This is not sufficiently taken into account in the action plan. In addition, we will make ourselves even more dependent on imports. For example, for the Dutch shrimp fishery, which is 80% active in Natura 2000 sites, there would be no future with this plan. The action plan is therefore insufficiently thought out and not proportionate. Fishing deserves better.