Speeches

Madam President, colleagues, in these challenging times, doubling down on the Green Deal is the key factor to save our competitiveness, to create more jobs, to reduce energy prices for our industry and for our families. And let me tell you why. When autocrats like Trump, like Musk, like Putin, are trying to bully Europe into submission, sticking to an agenda of deregulation, of slowing down our energy transition will only play into their hands. What we need is Europe to make massive investments – investments that will make us the global leaders for green steel, for cement, for wind turbines, for heat pumps and all of that made in Europe. I'm pleased that the Clean Industrial Deal does set out the first steps for us to get there. I'm also disappointed – I can't hide it, Commissioner – you didn't even mention the chapter on social and just transition and I think it's quite telling when it comes to the ambition that this Commission is setting there. So this is something we need to rectify – I'm counting on you to do so.

Mr President, it is an absolute illusion that putting the axe in our sustainability laws will solve the structural problems of our industry. Nevertheless, the Commission now wants to cut into what I consider to be essential protection of our nature and the rights of our workers. Why? Because the Commission believes that this will make companies more competitive. That's absolute nonsense. Deregulation does not provide much-needed investment in innovative, green, European-made products and certainly does not create jobs in Europe. Those who simply applaud this cut in legislation are not looking forwards but backwards, at a time when multinationals helped to destroy the environment, workers' rights and human rights with impunity. Just think of Rana Plaza, where thousands of workers lost their lives due to the negligence of the "fast fashion" industry. Let's keep our course. Reducing administrative burdens where possible? Yeah, yeah. But above all, let's stimulate innovation and sustainable investments instead of further elaborating our sustainability laws.

Mr President, dear colleagues, an ambitious climate policy. That is really the very best competitiveness strategy we have in the world. To those colleagues on the right that are the die-hard deregulators, I want to say that that is really the key message that I take away from the presentation of the Competitiveness Compass. Because we cannot allow Europe to miss this great opportunity like we have done in the past – when we built up our solar panel industry, for instance, only to just hand it over to the Chinese. Are we really going to make that same mistake when it comes to wind energy and when it comes to electrical vehicles? No. Because that, my dear colleagues, would be economic suicide and it would put even more European jobs at risk. What we really need are clear goals on sustainable and secure investments in our renewables industry, in our circular economy, in our workers that are the backbone of our industry. And that requires real funding. That really requires large-scale joint European investments, otherwise we won't be able to compete. So let's not fall in that trap of deregulation. Let's seize the opportunity for a fair and just ...

Mr President, colleagues, as we speak blood is being shed in eastern Congo. Rebels and Rwandan troops are terrorising innocent communities. There's mass rapes, there's killings, there's hundreds of thousands of people being displaced from their homes. And what fuels this devastating conflict? The very minerals in our smartphones, in our laptops, in the devices we use every day. How can we as Europeans look away when our hunger for critical raw materials is staining our hands with blood? The EU's recent deal with Rwanda isn't just a political misstep, it's a moral failure. I call for an immediate embargo on all minerals exported from Rwanda, and a suspension of the MoU, sanctions on Rwandan military leadership, and an immediate and unconditional withdrawal from both the M23 rebels and the Rwandan army from the DRC soil. We can't let our pursuit of critical raw materials turn ourselves into accomplices of warfare – we need to stop this war now.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the evidence is clear that the world is drowning in plastics. They're everywhere. They're in our oceans, they're in our bodies, and there are even microplastics in our brains. We're simply making too many of them, while we're actually making the problem worse here in Europe by still investing in major plastic factories like the Ineos factory in Antwerp. All that makes new plastics dirt cheap, and it keeps the fossil economy alive, but it also kills our struggling recycling industry that we really need. I was happy to see the Commission really supporting the coalition to reduce plastic production during the negotiations on the UN Plastics Treaty. However, petrostates like Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia completely sabotaged the deal. That's why, today, I want to ask the Commissioner what he will do in the short term here in Europe to stop the overproduction of plastics. Secondly, let's work on the alternatives. Let's make a treaty of the willing to prevent those petrostates taking all of us hostage and stalling our progress.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, President Trump just took the oath in Washington. One of the first things he will do is step out of the Paris climate agreement. The agreement must be signed by the CO2-limit as much as possible emissions from each country, and especially from the biggest polluters. Trump's irresponsible behavior has enormous consequences for our environment, for our health and for our planet. That is why Europe needs to lead by example right now, by staying on track for our 2030 climate goals and by setting an ambitious target for 2040. I therefore call on the Commission to put forward European levers as soon as possible to ensure that global climate ambitions are maintained. 2024 was the warmest year ever. We must therefore prepare for the consequences of this warming, with a legislative initiative on climate adaptation. We need to show leadership at the next climate summit in Brazil.

Mr President, three years ago a school under construction in Antwerp collapsed and the consequences were terrible. Five dead, nine seriously injured among the workers. It was a dark day for the Belgian construction industry. And those workers came from all over Europe and subcontracted, always by other companies. The victims who could recount it spoke about undeclared work, about unsafe working conditions, about bogus self-employment, about exploitation. And we know the causes. Because these companies always work with other subcontractors, who do not take it so closely with our social protection and always circumvent the rules. Social dumping is a disgrace, ladies and gentlemen, and at the same time it creates unfair competition for the companies that do follow the rules. That is why, dear Commission, I once again ask for clear legislation that limits the chains of subcontracting and makes companies truly liable for the entire chain. Let us finally put an end to modern slavery in the heart of Europe.

Mr President, dear colleagues, let me say this very loud and clear – the Green Deal, that's our best strategy to regain competitiveness in the world. And that's not merely just our point of view. That's what all innovative companies and the trade unions tell me every day. That's what the Commission says – thank you, Miss Ribera. That's what all the impact assessments of the Green Deal policies say. Time and time again, ladies and gentlemen, we have seen that the benefits far exceed the costs. So I have to ask those sceptics of the Green Deal, do you truly want to jeopardise hundreds of thousands of jobs and investments and economic security? Do you really want the Chinese to take over our car industry and cleantech? I believe the answer should be a resounding 'no'. So forget about the status quo of the fossil-fuel industry. Instead of pulling the brakes, we should double down on investments in the green economy and make the workers the true winners of this transition.

Mr President, one in ten Europeans cannot heat their homes this winter. And it is the people who live in cold and draughty homes who are the most victims of those high energy prices. Europe urgently needs to step up the fight against energy poverty. And we need to do that by helping people renovate their homes and by switching to renewable energy, because the cheapest energy is the energy you don't use. We have to make sure that people get better thanks to European policies. The Social Climate Fund must support people financially to renovate their homes. But the amount is not enough and must be at least doubled. District by district we have to help people with a collective approach to renovating those houses, so that the energy bill decreases and people can have a warm home. I will continue to fight for a Europe that delivers for people, so that everyone benefits from the energy transition.

Mr President, when factories in old and polluting industries close, the workers are the first victims. In the past, this was downright chaotic. Workers were ignored and communities were destroyed, as was the case with the coal mines in Belgium. But now it has to be different so that employees become the winners of the transition. There are many new jobs in our market. For example, installers of charging stations or maintenance technicians of wind turbines. Give those employees security through good wages and good working conditions. This is possible, because today's factories are begging for workers with the right skills. But we see that employees are not sufficiently prepared for the work of tomorrow. This puts pressure on our prosperity. That is why I am putting on the table a directive for a fair transition. Enshrine the right to training during working hours and bring employers and workers together to manage that transition.

Madam President, dear colleagues, last month in this Parliament, we debated about the thousands of European workers at risk of losing their jobs in the car manufacturing industry. Today we're talking about the job cuts hitting the steel workers, for instance, in the Czech Republic, in Poland, in Hungary, all over Europe. So that's why we ask for a clean industrial deal that really unleashes an investment agenda in green technologies of the future; an act that solves the bottlenecks for affordable renewable energy; an act that creates demand for green products made in Europe; an act that ensures a level playing field for our European manufacturers; and all of this while ensuring social conditions for every euro of subsidies that will be spent. Because colleagues, workers need always be at the heart of our transition.

Mr President, our market is flooded with cheap junk from Chinese webshops, such as Temu, such as Shein, such as AliExpress. There are millions of packages: T-shirts for two euros, a football for half a euro. These are not durable and anything but safe. As a mother of a toddler, that scares me. After all, a sample shows that eighteen of the nineteen toys on Temu are downright unsafe. These Chinese webshops make a profit at the expense of the health of our children. In the meantime, our European companies that do follow the rules can no longer compete against dumped prices and unfair competition. It's time to protect consumers and our businesses from the cheap junk that Chinese web shops keep dumping on our market. Durability and good working conditions: It has to become the standard. And that is possible, with better and more targeted controls, with a stricter approach to infringements and with a tightening of the current rules. Dear Commission, work on that.

Mr President, colleagues, I am addressing you at a time when thousands of European workers are at risk of losing their jobs, and let me tell you, workers should not be the victims of the poor management decisions that some of our European car producers made, nor should the taxpayers or should the citizens. But here we are. And that's actually exactly what's happening right now in Europe – because for years they have fought tooth and nail to slow down the shift to electrical vehicles – to maximise on profits, to keep out competition, to keep Europe addicted to fossil fuels. Well, finally, it's time for a different approach. First, we urgently need to support the workers with social safety nets, with training programmes. Secondly, we need to prevent this failure from happening again by guaranteeing workers' participation and obliging companies to set up transition plans. And that's actually why we really need a just transition directive as soon as possible in the EU. Thirdly, it's not too late. We can still catch up with the Chinese on EVs, but we need to get serious. We need to double down on electrification, and that also means making EVs affordable through social leasing, that means corporate fleet targets, that means big investments as well in charging infrastructure. And fourthly, colleagues, let's stay strong on those tariffs on unfairly subsidised Chinese EVs. But that protection only makes sense if we keep our targets for cars on CO2 – because that's actually the best industrial policy we have for our car manufacturers. It's the only guarantee we have for the car manufacturing industry in the EU to survive. So, colleagues, let's stay the course and let's ensure that workers in the car industry still have a future in Europe.

Madam President, I would like to raise a point of order. Tomorrow we are going to have the debate on the current problems in the automotive industry, including the plant closures, and the need to enhance our competitiveness and, of course, maintain jobs in Europe. So we, as the Greens/EFA Group, have requested to add the following words to the title: 'and the tariffs on Chinese EVs'. I think it's clear to everyone that those tariffs and our response to China actually constitute a key component in alleviating the current dire situation of the automotive sector by creating a level playing field. But while you have declared this request inadmissible, I would strongly disagree. I think it's last week only that the Council gave the green light to the Commission to actually activate the anti-subsidy import duties on the EVs originating from China. It's an event that actually took place after the CoP meeting, and I would say it's very actual and recent developments. So I would urge you to reconsider adding the tariffs to the title.

(Start of speech off mic) ... victims and indeed help them. But we need to look at the long term as well. For me, sometimes dams can be the solution, but we also need to look at those natural solutions because that is actually the way to do it more cost‑efficiently and it's a win-win both for the climate and for adaptation. So I don't know the specific case of Poland and the dam there, but I think we need to look at those long‑term solutions and we need to make sure that nature protection, the climate and, indeed, adaptation goes together.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, houses are flooded, the power goes out and our roads turn into wild rivers. Will this extreme weather due to global warming become the new normal for our citizens? We must never accept the increasing number of deaths and displaced persons. The economic damage is also in the billions. After the deadly floods we have seen in Belgium, it is now Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania's turn. The hard truth is that Europe is not sufficiently prepared for this. The extreme rains, the heat and the drought will only increase. Fortunately, we can do something about it. Nature restoration is one of the best solutions to protect us against extreme weather. Unfortunately, however, there are still colleagues in this House who are not prepared to opt for the most logical and inexpensive solution. How do they explain this to the people who now literally have the water on their lips? Strong climate targets, an update of the current European Climate Law and a binding climate adaptation framework are urgently needed. Unfortunately, the people who are in misery today have little to do with that. Our hearts go out to all those victims. The European Union must therefore make every effort to support the affected Member States and citizens, both in the evacuation and assistance and in the reconstruction.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, these days there is a very strong focus on competitiveness. And that is important, because it is about our prosperity and about our jobs. But at the same time, let me warn you: You don't build a competitive economy in a social cemetery. In the La Hulpe Declaration, Europe promises social progress to all its citizens and that is urgently needed, because one in five Europeans lives in poverty today and struggles to pay the bills. However, everyone has the right to have a decent income to live on, to eat from, to pay for your home, to raise your children. This week our social agenda has been hit hard. The new fiscal rules risk being cut. In our education, in our care, in our childcare. Saving blindly is only going to make it harder for people who are already struggling to make ends meet today. So let me be very clear: Without enforceable laws, without sufficient resources, our beautiful social statement risks only being on paper. So, let us continue to fight together for a truly social Europe.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow the consumer will have an incredible victory, because we are finally introducing the right to repair. This is a breakthrough, because it makes the recovery of our smartphones, our washing machines, affordable for everyone. And with that, we are also putting an end to the monopoly of large multinationals such as Samsung, as iPhone. Because they are now forcing us to keep buying new devices when the old ones go. And that is completely absurd, because it unnecessarily costs people and that is of course also a disaster for our waste mountain. But now we reverse that perverse logic. We require the manufacturers to offer those repairs within a reasonable time and at a reasonable price. And you also get an extra year's warranty if you have your device repaired. In short, we are going to save bins of money, we are going to reduce our waste mountain, we are going to reduce our climate emissions. So I say: Live the right to repair.

Madam President, dear colleagues, for one out of five Europeans, life has become a series of painful choices. As the cost of living pushes people to the edge. They have to be careful using public transport due to the high ticket prices. They have to choose the cheapest food, or they cancel their health insurance for themselves or for their children. Going on holidays, going to a concert, that’s really out of the question, so it’s all about managing everything the cheapest way possible or even going without. And it’s youngsters, it’s women, it’s people with disabilities that run the highest risk of getting trapped in poverty and social exclusion. But the good news is, dear colleagues, we can change that. Poverty is a political choice, it’s not a natural state, and soon we will welcome the Social Summit in La Hulpe. I’ll be there, of course, to take this as an opportunity to embark on the Union’s social ambition, because if we’re serious in the fight against poverty, we need a directive on adequate minimum income, just like the Parliament has demanded. And Commission, of course, we also look forward to your legislative proposals in the next term on the right to disconnect, on mental health at work, on the right for workers for education and training. And we are also eager to find out how you will tackle the housing crisis throughout Europe. People in poverty are counting on us, dear colleagues, we cannot let them down.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ‘Never again Rana Plaza’, as it was 11 years ago. In the collapse of that textile factory, more than a thousand textile workers lost their lives. And now there is finally a law ready that will ensure that companies can no longer look away from this kind of abuse. But, as we have already heard today, some Member States have doubts, want to undress and even block the directive. That is an absolute disgrace. And that while there are many companies themselves asking for this directive. People want guarantees that what hangs in our store shelves is made with respect for people and the environment. But what is on the table today needs to be even better in the future. Because it cannot be that the financial sector just springs from the dance. We really need stricter rules for risk sectors, such as textiles, and we need to make sure that the entire production chain is covered by that directive. Dear Member States, jump over your shadow. Ensure a strong due diligence directive. Because every day without that directive is a day with poor protection for our employees.

Colleagues, one in ten people in our Europe still suffers from cold weather in winter. An energy renovation is the solution for them, but for 40% of Flemings it is unaffordable today, even with the existing premiums. However, it is just for them that those renovations are so important, because every centimeter of insulation immediately means a lower energy bill. We want to ensure that energy renovations become affordable for everyone, so that people can live warm and comfortable. The people who need it the most should also receive the most support. With this renovation directive, we offer a large-scale investment framework for healthy and warm homes. Neighborhood by district, we will renovate the most energy-consuming houses first. Because a renovation obligation, such as that introduced in Flanders, does not work. Obliging people to do something without providing them with the appropriate support: That's just a renovation fairy tale. What do we want? Renovation advances tailored to each family; extra support for those who really need it; and of course protection procedures for tenants, so that they too see their bills fall. In this way, every Fleming can live in an energy-efficient home by 2050. The energy bill then goes down, because the cheapest energy is still the energy that we do not use. The ecological choice must become the cheapest and the most logical choice for everyone. This is a fair climate policy that leaves no one behind.

Mr President, colleagues, workers with high concentrations of lead in the blood are at risk of miscarriages or premature births. The standard for lead in our bodies has not been revised for far too long. That is why we are now lowering that permitted standard by no less than four times. Due to the increasing production of, for example, electric cars and batteries, more workers will be exposed to lead. I therefore do not understand how the Member States can delay the introduction of this new standard by five years. Because you don't put a pause button on the health of our employees. Moreover, that new standard for women is still too high and that could pose a risk to potential pregnancies. Just as we are short of hands in the climate transition, we are going to exclude women from the green industry. I therefore continue to fight for better and stricter protection for both men and women. Now, in this parliamentary term, we have significantly increased protection against an entire zipper of dangerous substances. But in many factories, those workers are naturally exposed to several hazardous substances at the same time. Today, there is no protection against this combined exposure. That is what the Commission is finally going to do. We're also finally tackling the hormone disruptors. This has been a demand of our trade unions for a long time. I continue to fight for a safe workplace for all our employees in Europe.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are stepping up our climate goals. This is good news for our health, for our environment and for our planet. Because we only come with a fair climate policy that supports vulnerable families. Europe must therefore invest more resources in isolating our homes and fully opt for affordable green energy from us. We must now invest in making our economy and agriculture more sustainable, because it is five to twelve. Farmers today see their crops failing due to floods and extreme drought. We must now do what science demands and not push the pause button, like the climate-treasurers. We stand for a fair and ambitious climate policy that takes everyone along. Because tackling the climate crisis is tackling inequality.

. – Mr President, Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen, today Belgium has the opportunity to contribute to the agenda of the future Commission. I call on you, Mr De Croo, to be ambitious about this. It is a good thing that you are focusing on the green transition of our industry and you yourself have already said that more European resources are needed for this. I agree with that, because we have to avoid going back at all costs to that cold austerity logic of the past. I hope that we can count on Belgium for this, because that is crucial for the social face of Europe that we put high on the agenda with our presidency. Resources for childcare and care should be increased rather than decreased. And it's time we finally anchor those social investments in Europe. Finally, of course, we expect Belgium to put forward an ambitious climate policy that everyone takes with them. The advisory board shall indicate a rate of at least 90 % to 95 % reduction by 2040. This is absolutely achievable, especially now that even Poland is backing it. For to protect our planet, Prime Minister, is to protect our health and the future of our children and our grandchildren.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we Europeans are hard workers, but after a long day at work, no one really wants to sit next to his boss. However, that is the reality for many people today. Whatsapps and other chats ensure an unrelenting message flow between colleagues and with bosses. That is why, three years ago, Parliament called for a law on the right to disconnect for workers. Today, women still take on the majority of household chores, and they should not be faced with the choice between paying attention to their boss or paying attention to their child. Take a look at our teachers and students: These days, they're all at Smartschool all the time. In this way, distances disappear and our teachers no longer have any peace. Anyone who hasn't noticed: Our labour market is changing rapidly. Digitalization and teleworking increase the risk of burnout. And we really can't miss those good workers in a tight labour market. Every employer will agree. Clear rules about when we are available also increase productivity and that is of course also extremely important for employers. Digitalisation can help us all, but it must be tailored to people and not the other way around. Legal prevention and protection are therefore much needed. Unfortunately, the European social dialogue has stalled and that is why we are now looking to the Commission to take an initiative as soon as possible. Look at the sectoral agreement of the public services where that social dialogue was successful. But above all: come forward with a law on the right to disconnect this legislature. Because prevention is better — and yes, even cheaper — than cure.