What Dorien spoke about.

21

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The outcome of the Western Balkans summit (continuation of debate)

Mr President, the last EU-Western Balkans Summit was a missed opportunity for the EU to show that it is really committed to enlargement. Albania and North Macedonia do not have a date for the opening of negotiations, while Kosovo has still not been granted a visa-free regime. While EU Member States continue to quarrel, countries like China, Russia and Turkey are getting more influence over key cou…

20

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Pushbacks at the EU's external border (debate)

Madam President, let’s be practical: pushbacks are a result of failing immigration policies. There are more people trying to get in than we want to let in. There is a gap between rules and reality. If we prohibit pushbacks, because we want to comply with international law, Member States will look for other options to contain and restrain immigration. This is the situation now in Greece. Greece giv…

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022 - all sections (debate)

Madam President, here we are together debating on the general budget of 2022. The average comment of my dear colleagues is that we need more money for closing gaps, green policies, digital agendas or tourism. Most of these could easily be funded if we didn’t waste so much money on rules and regulations. Yes, dear colleagues, a lot of money is wasted on too many bad regulations created by the EU in…

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The Rule of law crisis in Poland and the primacy of EU law (debate)

Mr President, this rule of law crisis is a sad story. The EU was founded to keep the peace. It now seems that the EU is a source of discontent and tension. A threat to peaceful cooperation. The EU and Poland have the obligation to think about ways how to solve this current crisis. We are not important – the voters are. Instead of blaming each other, we must look into the future and think about all…

5

Oct

2021

NL Speech

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The situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression (debate)

Mr President, the migration problems in Europe are getting out of hand. Lithuania and Poland are facing an influx of asylum seekers, who have been dropped there by Lukashenko. The Netherlands also has a large shortage of affordable housing, but there too an average of 2,500 applicants per week knock at the door. The situation in Greece remains unresolved after so many years. It is our responsibili…

5

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The future of EU-US relations (debate)

Mr President, the US is without any doubt one of the closest allies of the EU, and we don’t want to jeopardise this relationship. France tried to sell submarines to Australia, but it didn’t work out. I feel sorry for the French, but that doesn’t mean that we should all get upset. Australia needs allies to cope with the Chinese. That is understandable and completely acceptable. There is no need for…

15

Sep

2021

NL Speech

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Identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU (continuation of debate)

Mr President, in the EU, an average of seven women are murdered by their partner or ex-partner every day. That is the tip of the iceberg, because under this number are hidden the thousands of women who are regularly beaten by their partner or ex-partner and therefore live in constant fear. It is time for these women to stand up for themselves. In such a situation, women must immediately choose for…

15

Sep

2021

EN Speech

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State of the Union (debate)

Madam President, today the President of the European Commission set out the agenda for the coming year. The agenda is hyper-ambitious. The President speaks of the team EU, but we have never been more divided. Action is reaction. If the Commission tries to force Member States with legal actions, it will only create more opposition. You may not like or trust Orbán or Morawiecki, but the majority of …

14

Sep

2021

NL Speech

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Situation in Afghanistan (debate)

Mr President, Mr Borrell, for years Afghan corruption has been supported in the hope of democratic development. People thought they could solve the lack of democracy with a lot of money, but it degenerated into a kleptocracy. This was an expensive lesson. Democracy is a special plant and it doesn't grow everywhere. Now we face a problem that the EU has partly created itself: a refugee problem simi…

7

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 24-25 June 2021 (debate)

Madam President, after the shock of Brexit five years ago, EU leaders reflected on what went wrong and what to improve. They even spoke of a more loose EU framework in which countries could choose their integration speed. It seems long ago and far away. Ever-closer Union apostles are back, big time, adding to problems through polarised emotional debates. They condone leaders who act pro-EU. But if…

5

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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Financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2020 - Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2019 (debate)

Mr President, the financial crisis more than a decade ago caused a tsunami of regulations – 15% more regulations in the banking sector every year. It wrecked the banking system. The recent crisis, the COVID crisis, led to panic within the EU. Governments feared bankruptcies and recession. In reaction to COVID, the EU decided to introduce a huge stimulus programme, the Next Generation EU. Billions …