What Mohammed spoke about.

16

Dec

2024

NL Speech

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Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2023 (debate)

Mr President, I am so glad that we have an ombudsman in Europe! Especially when we are dealing with governments that push the boundaries of the rule of law, knowingly set people apart and do not take our freedoms and rights for granted. Fortunately, we have the ‘Ombudsman’ institution that protects us and at the same time can hold up a mirror to us. An example of this is migration, where the debat…

27

Nov

2024

NL Speech

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Rise of energy prices and fighting energy poverty (debate)

Mr President, Cooking or firing? For example, I would like to translate the title of the debate into good Dutch. Last year, one in ten Europeans were in favour of that choice. Energy prices today are three times higher than they were three years ago. And unfortunately, energy poverty has become a concept. And it's not just energy prices that are higher. Also the groceries, a house, whether you buy…

26

Nov

2024

NL Speech

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Outcome of COP 29 and challenges for international climate policy (debate)

13

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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The devastating floods in Spain, the urgent need to support the victims, to improve preparedness and to fight the climate crisis (debate)

Madam President, let me first and foremost, from this stand, offer my condolences to the families and the loved ones of those affected by this climate disaster in Valencia. The horrific scenes and the testimonies from victims are deeply unsettling and leave a lasting impression on many people, also in the Netherlands. I wish my Spanish colleagues in this House and those affected by this disaster a…

23

Oct

2024

NL Speech

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The important role of cities and regions in the EU – for a green, social and prosperous local development (debate)

Mr President, in the region and in the city, you often get to know the EU, Europe, for the first time. Usually unnoticed. What does European cooperation do for you? As Johan Cruyff once said: “You won’t see it until you know it.” Budgets, funds and subsidy jars don't tell people that much. What is done with the money, of course. I think of the cycle path between Tilburg and Turnhout, on which many…

21

Oct

2024

NL Answer

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Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens (debate)

It is very difficult to blame a law that has not yet been fully implemented. We can all start a joint project, just as we have done in the past, to strengthen our economy together. That has a price. You have to invest before you can be competitive again. That's what we've done in the past. Consider, for example, how we have entered into competition with Boeing with Airbus. I believe in European jo…

21

Oct

2024

NL Speech

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Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens (debate)

Mr President, Mr Letta is quite clear in his analysis, as was Mr Draghi shortly afterwards. It is really about something, namely how can we strengthen our internal market? How can we strengthen the unity of Europe? How do we ensure that we have strong competition within Europe, but especially with the rest of the world? And this is based on a level playing field, on innovation and on greening? Sim…

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry, potential plant closures and the need to enhance competitiveness and maintain jobs in Europe (debate)

Mr President, our automotive industry is facing a serious challenge. I think that's even an understatement. China is outpacing us in every way. Chinese electric cars are significantly cheaper. And to put it bluntly, they simply have taken the lead in this technology. And this technology, however you look at it, will define the future of the European automotive industry. That's what we should discu…

18

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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The devastating floods in Central and Eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues. First and foremost, my heart goes out to all those affected by the recent floods. I think we have a profound responsibility to enhance the preparedness for such events. And today, unfortunately, we are not talking about the flood of the century, but about the century of floods. Climate adaptation is not a Plan B anymore. It's no longer enough – however crucial – t…

17

Sep

2024

NL Speech

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The future of European competitiveness (debate)

Mr President, Mr Draghi said that investments are needed to pursue our existing ambitions and plans. It is not about new money. I think this is a very interesting message. We should not think that we can do it all on our own and that the Member States can only offer sufficient competition if we do not really work together. Dutch, Belgian and German companies deliver to many companies in Europe, an…

25

Apr

2024

NL Speech

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Framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, five years ago we started with a lot of ambitions, but today we have to realise that we have been overtaken by China and the United States. If we look at the proposal that is before us, we must honestly admit that it is a bit too broad and there is no money. Business chains do not end at the border. The approach taken by the Member States is not going to help us…

24

Apr

2024

NL Speech

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The attack on climate and nature: far right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future (topical debate)

Mr President, the radical right likes to proclaim with some sense of drama that we are on the verge of a radical green revolution. But we're already in the middle of it. Governments and businesses are investing heavily in wind and solar parks and in all kinds of green technologies to help green industry. I was in the Puertollano area last week and you just see the future there. You can see how Spa…

22

Apr

2024

NL Speech

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Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution (debate)

Mr President, I see, I see what you do not see. And they're... microplastics. Invisible, but they're in your day cream, in our water and our food. The smaller the particle, the greater the risk. Now we're talking about microplastics, but we might as well talk about PFAs or pesticides. A toxic cocktail of chemicals that end up on our plate and in nature in all kinds of ways. Separately, they are al…

11

Apr

2024

NL Speech

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Internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen (recast) - Common rules for the internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen (recast) - Union’s electricity market design: Regulation - Union’s electricity market design: Directive (joint debate – Reform of the energy and electricity markets)

You have to choose between heating your home or feeding your children. While even more parents faced this difficult choice last winter, energy companies took off with record profits. They literally left people out in the cold. Energy is a basic need and we do not leave it to the whims of the market. No cold houses, but affordable warmth. This law must take care of that. In this way, we keep contro…

13

Mar

2024

NL Speech

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Type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7) (debate)

Mr President, while we in Europe have spent all our money on small petrol and diesel cars in recent decades, China has focused on the technology of the future. Meanwhile, one Chinese company and one American company sell – separately – more electric cars than all European brands combined. In order to participate in this European, electric future, the European car industry must start leading again …

12

Mar

2024

NL Speech

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EU climate risk assessment, taking urgent action to improve security and resilience in Europe (debate)

Mr President, dear people, these are the risks associated with climate change, and they are not nothing. When I look around, sometimes I don't know where to start. One part here doesn't believe in climate change, another part it all has to be feasible and affordable. And others complain about the multitude of rules. If those parties and politicians are honest, they should also talk about the risks…

11

Mar

2024

NL Speech

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Energy performance of buildings (recast) (debate)

We experienced a massive energy crisis last year. I saw households all around me that couldn't afford their energy bills. Nevertheless, people here are wondering whether this directive is not too ambitious and whether we do not want to go too fast. To that I have only one thing to say: Making homes more sustainable and low energy bills go hand in hand. We could have largely avoided the energy cris…

11

Mar

2024

EN Speech

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Substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (Green Claims Directive) (debate)

Mr President, on behalf of Mr Engerer thanks to all for this very good debate. We’ve heard many good points there. I want to emphasise one small element: this mechanism is voluntary, so I think complaining about administrative burden is not something that you should state, I think, in relation to this legislation. We shouldn’t create misinformation. We are not obliging companies to make those clai…

11

Mar

2024

EN Speech

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Substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (Green Claims Directive) (debate)

Mr President, let me make some opening remarks on behalf of our rapporteur, Cyrus Engerer. On behalf of the rapporteur, I would like to thank everyone in Parliament who has worked hard on this important directive. Passing the Green Claims Directive would be a victory for consumers, the environment and those businesses that truly are striving for sustainability. Consumer protection is crucial for o…

7

Feb

2024

NL Speech

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Empowering farmers and rural communities - a dialogue towards sustainable and fairly rewarded EU agriculture (debate)

Mr President, dear friends, dear colleagues, without agricultural subsidies, many farmers suffer losses. We sometimes say: ‘milk is good for everyone’, but apparently not for farmers. This applies not only to milk, but also to onions, potatoes, leeks, and so on. This is the reality of our farmers. As the farmer toils, supermarkets, brokers, transporters, banks and other suppliers run away with the…

6

Feb

2024

NL Speech

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EU2040 climate target (debate)

Mr President, if you look at how much CO2 we want to reduce between 2020 and 2030 and – even more importantly – what we have already achieved in that period, if you look at the speed between 2020 and 2030, and if you extend that to 2040 – a lot of numbers – then you end up with 90%. Nothing less and nothing more. So let's not pretend that we are radiating a lot more ambition here. Colleagues who s…

18

Jan

2024

NL Speech

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Recent ecological catastrophe involving plastic pellet losses and its impact on micro plastic pollution in the maritime and coastal habitats (debate)

Mr President, it seems invisible, but it is a disaster. A disaster that only really becomes visible when you go through the sand with a sieve. What remains are innumerable small plastic pellets. That may not seem so dangerous, but once microplastics end up in the sea, these grains pose a huge threat to nature, the environment, but also the fish industry. We will not get there with well-intentioned…

17

Jan

2024

NL Speech

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Improving the socio-economic situation of farmers and rural areas, ensuring fair incomes, food security as well as a just transition (debate)

Mr President, transition means change and everyone must contribute to it, including agriculture. Political parties that hang election posters of an angry farmer, including pitchfork, feed fear and normalize violence. "No", I say to farmers who turn road signs in protest, because you must not endanger others. "No", I say to farmers who want to storm a ferry on which a minister and his family are si…

14

Dec

2023

NL Speech

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Outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (COP28) (debate)

Mr President, from sixteen-year-old Benjamin from Brussels to Vanessa Nakate from Uganda. Globally, young people are at the forefront of the fight against climate change. In fact, without them, the climate would never have been so high on the agenda. Last week at the climate summit in Dubai, I spoke a lot with young activists, including the ambitious members of the Young Climate Movement in the Ne…

12

Dec

2023

NL Speech

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Framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials (debate)

Mr President, it is actually very simple: the more green electricity has to take the place of fossil fuels, the more the importance of metals such as lithium, graphite, cobalt and nickel increases. For the production of batteries, but also generators for windmills and cells for solar panels. The energy transition is a material transition and if we as Europe want to achieve that green ambition, we …