Speeches

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we have the opportunity to protect the people who are really struggling – namely the people with the lowest incomes – from high energy prices and inflation. There are millions of working people in Europe who are unable to pay their bills today because of wages that are too low. Let us massively support the directive on higher minimum wages as a signal to the Member States. Work on this now and don't wait two years, because this is the time to show our social ambition from Europe to the people who are struggling and don't know which invoice to pay first. Today, the average annual energy bill exceeds the monthly minimum wage in many Member States. 25 million workers can now receive higher wages. A minimum wage must be a living wage, and we must continue to fight for it together.

Mr President, as a young mother, I am concerned about the safety of our children. Unfortunately, this concern is justified today. Nowhere in Europe are there as many children per caregiver as in Flanders. The workload is also unsustainable for the caregivers themselves. We invest too little in childcare and that leads to unsafe situations. However, quality and warm care, that is really where Europe can make a difference. With this report, Parliament wants to call on the Commission and the Member States to invest in more safe and quality childcare. We also need to pay attention to our elders. That is why we ask you to move away from the large healthcare institutions and to focus on neighborhood-oriented and small-scale care. After the scandals in the private care of the elderly and the tragedies caused by the coronavirus, there is also an urgent need for more public investment. We also need to better support and frame informal carers. Those who care for others deserve more than a round of applause. For me, good care means more hands in the workplace, better wages, a lower workload and more time for the people who really need care. Safe and warm care for our children, for the elderly, for everyone who needs it, that is what we want to achieve with this report.

Mr President, the EU must not be a market for products made through modern slavery. We must take responsibility and ban products that can be linked to forced labour. I would therefore ask you to work on this as soon as possible. After all, we know that such a ban is not only possible, but also works. We can see this in the countries that preceded us, such as the US and Canada, where tens of millions of euros in compensation have already been paid to victims. The European Parliament, with the Greens as the driving force, strongly advocates stopping trade at the border and ensuring that victims and NGOs can file complaints, so that authorities can detain products on that basis and, when forced labour ceases to exist, only release them once it has been established that the victims have received compensation. This way we can really make a fist against the Uyghur forced camps in China. Europe must create a powerful trade tool to ensure that products made with forced labour are no longer on the shelves of European shops.

Madam President, colleagues. Commissioner Timmermans, we’ve always said the Green Deal should also be a social deal and we have now a unique opportunity to actually make that happen. We have to support the most vulnerable in the climate transition and at the same time make the biggest polluters pay. Now we managed to protect families from a new carbon price and we will invest EUR 44.5 billion EU funding into supporting them in social climate measures. That means, for instance, insulation of social housing, that means more and better investments in affordable public transport. Now let’s make absolutely sure that we focus on lifting those vulnerable households out of energy and mobility poverty – not only SMEs as the EPP is proposing. We already have enough funds to support those SMEs and at the same time there’s nothing to support the poorest families. How is that even possible when people right now can’t even afford to heat their own homes? Finally, we need to make those biggest polluters pay, and that means getting rid of the free allowances as soon as possible. I’m actually quite amazed that the EPP wants to delay the phase-out of those free allowances even beyond 2030, especially with CBAM kicking in. Colleagues, let’s vote this down. Otherwise we can simply forget the people’s support for the climate transition, because social and environmental justice cannot be separated.

Madam President, , Commission President, we’ve condemned the horrible and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military forces many times before, and the European Union was highly united in its response. Severe actions were implemented, and just last plenary, this Parliament demanded an embargo on all Russian fossil fuels, including gas. However, these sanctions will not only harm the Russian economy, they will also affect the lives of European citizens, with a direct impact on their homes, their jobs and their wallets. This could lead to more social inequality, a rise in unemployment and an increase in energy poverty. We need to protect our citizens, specifically those at risk of falling into poverty – people who are afraid of not being able to heat their homes next winter. We need a strong social response to their fears. The EU has the choice to leave no one behind, to mitigate the rise in energy costs, to ensure decent and affordable housing for all. The EU has the choice to protect workers on the labour market against unemployment. The EU has the choice to ensure that climate transition is a fair transition where industry pays its fair share. We need minimum wages, minimum income protection for all and a European unemployment scheme. Colleagues, we have the possibility to protect our citizens against the hardships of war, and now is the time to act.

Mr President, Commissioner, many people tell me that their aircraft are becoming less and less durable. That seems to be a gut feeling, but no, it's true. On average, devices break down 20% faster than they did 20 years ago. That is a direct attack on the environment and on people's wallets, because they always have to buy new ones. It is therefore not surprising that eight out of ten Europeans want producers to make their products easier to repair. We in the European Parliament have understood this very well. This resolution calls for the user Putting it at the centre. It does not deserve a non-committal right, but an enforceable right to repair, and it must be given access to the correct information. In this way, we make repair affordable, we create a lot of new, locally anchored jobs and our products really last longer.

Mr President, we see that Covax is failing hopelessly. The promised surplus vaccines will not be delivered or will be delivered too late. These are often doses that we want to get rid of ourselves, because they are close to the expiry date or offer too little protection. Charity, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, does not offer a structural solution. The promised cooperation with Africa and the pharmaceutical industry is also a smokescreen. In practice, this will not allow Africa to scale up production itself, as there is no real technology transfer. It's just a relocation, driven by the pharmaceutical industry and paid for by Europe. We urgently need affordable vaccines for everyone. The Commission's short-sightedness has only paved the way for the delta variant, which now affects even vaccinated people. And then we are only talking about Europe, where most have already been double-vaccinated and where we have booster injections, while less than 10% of the African population has gained access to the vaccine. This inequality is a symptom of a deeply flawed policy. I therefore call on the Commission to: Support the removal of patents now. Show our leadership and put people's lives above the profits of the pharmaceutical industry.

Mr President, it is time for the WTO to take action on health and climate. To achieve this, we need to get multilateralism back on track. With the new Director-General, a trail of innovation has started, but she needs the help of the European Union to get solutions on the table. Unfortunately, the Commission remains the main obstacle in the negotiations on a suspension of the TRIPS Agreement, a position in which the European Union is increasingly isolated, while this is the moment of last chance. Colleagues, the world is watching and that is why the European Parliament must demand more ambition. I ask the Commission to support the suspension of the TRIPS Agreement in order to protect human lives rather than the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. We also need a green agenda for global trade. It is high time that the Commission puts the announced climate proposals for trade on the table. We also need action on harmful subsidies and biodiversity protection. We want policy space around circular economy and technology transfers. We need to define what environmentally friendly products actually are in order to put an end to greenwashing. Colleagues, global problems need global solutions. That is why I call for multilateralism to be paramount and for the rules of the game to be respected in order to achieve just outcomes. It is now up to Europe to show leadership. Show the world that we prefer health over pharma profits. Show that we are going to tackle the climate crisis and overfishing. And above all: Put proposals on the table that can actually deliver on those promises.

The demand for critical raw materials is increasing. But how do we get those larger quantities? Let me be very clear: Mining in protected natural areas is not possible. We cannot replace or restore these rare areas. They are crucial to preserve the little we have left of European biodiversity. There is also no public support for it and that risks weakening support for our Green Deal. Colleagues who claim that we have to balance economic interests and biodiversity are misguided. They want to open the gate to large-scale mining in vulnerable nature reserves. However, the solution for more long-term strategic independence is repair, recycling and ecodesign. So, ladies and gentlemen, let me be clear: Vote tomorrow against mining in our natural areas and for a circular economy.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to the Glasgow Climate Conference with a very painful observation. With the current climate plans, the temperature rises by no less than 2.7 degrees and that is very far from the 1.5 degrees we promised in Paris. Are we serious about that? What do we say to the people who were victims of the floods this summer in Belgium and Germany, for example? But it's not too late. We must and can do better than the climate plans that are on the table today. Climate marches across Europe once again brought thousands of people to the streets to ask for more ambition. Admittedly, Europe cannot do this alone. We must significantly increase climate support for developing countries, and the US and other major powers must also participate. But Europe must have the ambition to inspire them, so that they too will finally take their responsibility.

Mr President, asbestos is not a problem of the past, but of the future. In Flanders, for example, nine out of ten homes contain asbestos. Chances are that this is also the case in your home. Throughout Europe, millions of tons of asbestos are in our homes, in our schools, in our social housing. The renovation wave is the chance to remove all asbestos and make the whole of Europe asbestos-free. Financial support is needed, because who can just cough up 6 000 euros to remove an asbestos pipeline? The workers who remove asbestos must now be better protected, because 80 000 people still die of cancer every year from exposure to asbestos at work. Commissioner, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past. Europe must now protect everyone from asbestos.

Mr President, after the failure of a genuine reform of our agricultural policy, the Farm to Fork Strategy is finally good news for farmers and for nature. After all, the current model is a disaster for our climate, for biodiversity and for small farmers. With this strategy, we will expand organic farming to 25% by 2030 and also give farmers a higher income. We are halving pesticide use by 2030 and we are launching an export ban on harmful pesticides. We make healthy and sustainable food tax-free and we finally stop putting animals in cages. Colleagues, do not be fooled by the agro-industry lobby. This is the chance to give farmers a fair income with respect for the environment and nature. So let's seize that opportunity together.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, in the long term it is clear: the best protection against increases in energy prices is more – because cheaper – renewable energy. But that's not enough. Four out of five Europeans today are concerned about rising energy bills, and they want to see solutions now. We must therefore support people who are struggling to make ends meet with a cheaper social rate for energy. We also need to help save energy. The European Social Climate Fund can be a fantastic tool for this. But then polluting companies finally have to pay for their emissions. Let's use those billions to bring everyone on board of the climate transition.

Mr President, I am glad that there is a European approach to future health crises, because that is necessary. Pandemics have no boundaries. It is a good thing that we are going to invest in essential medical equipment, for example. However, HERA is not moving in the right direction and will not be a fully-fledged independent public interest agency. After the complete lack of transparency with the vaccine contracts, after ignoring Parliament's demand for more solidarity with the rest of the world on vaccines, this is not what citizens are asking for. Parliament does not want another briefing during a contact group. We want effective policy control. Therefore, make HERA a fully-fledged agency with scrutiny by Parliament rather than an agency that can channel public money to the pharmaceutical industry without accountability.

Mr President, Lukashenko has committed a coup in Belarus. Violent repression by his regime continues: political prisoners, raids on peaceful protesters, a media crackdown. These fundamental attacks on democracy must stop now. So let’s hit them where it hurts. Let’s cut off the flow of EU money to the regime with strong sanctions in crucial sectors and against companies that support the illegitimate government. Winter is coming and refugees, the victims of Lukashenko’s power play, risk freezing to death. The EU and the Member States must protect them. The EU cannot look away while democracy is crumbling at our borders. Now is the time to show leadership. Now is the time to support the democratic forces and jointly to take responsibility on our side of the border.

Mr President, this is the moment of truth. There is a climate package before us today that we should have had ten years ago. You can count on the Greens to make it a success together. The ingredients are already there: We have a climate law, a big pot of money to invest and this package of climate legislation. This is certainly the merit of the Commission, but especially of the hundreds of thousands of young people who have taken to the streets for this. I think we need those young people again, Commissioner Timmermans. Do we really want to wait until 2032 to introduce a fully-fledged kerosene tax and until 2035 to phase out fossil-fuelled cars? Do we want multinationals to pollute the climate for free until 2035? The socially weak should not be presented with the bill while companies, large multinationals, can continue to pollute for free. Not with us, Commissioner.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, a bicycle courier is on his way to your home with a pizza, but he has an accident and no insurance. An Uber driver is immediately fired because he was not online for a while and is not entitled to a benefit. Platform workers today hardly have any protection, because they are supposedly self-employed. But colleagues, nothing is less true. However, all workers in the European Union have the right to equal labour rights and to protection of safety and health at work. At least in theory. Our couriers and meal delivery staff are not self-employed. They work for large multinationals. This unequal treatment cannot be justified. I call on the Commission to support Parliament's position and finally to work towards equal protection. Updating the rules on OSH protection is a unique opportunity to do so. Colleagues, it is about 24 million people who sometimes go through the wind for their jobs and who deserve protection today. Taking a taxi or ordering a pizza should be possible in Europe without guilt, but with a correct status for the platform employees. Let's finally work on that together.

Mr President, while Bangladesh has sent in its action plan, the European Parliament has until now received zero information on the contents of the final roadmap on labour rights. That is unacceptable. The Bangladesh Accord – the voluntary programme that made factories safer after the Rana Plaza disaster – is expiring. Without clear commitments, we risk ending up with nothing, exposing workers yet again to unacceptable working conditions. We need guarantees on safe workplaces, on inspections, on free unions, on child labour eradication. These measures cannot wait until 2025. Because let’s not forget: the Rana Plaza collapse, with thousands of people inside, was completely preventable. Factories should be bound by clear rules respecting labour rights, verified by inspections. But European companies also need to take responsibility. During the COVID crisis, big European clothing brands cancelled and underpaid for their orders, pushing people into poverty. I think that no single piece of clothing should be allowed in our shops that is made without respect for labour rights and environmental standards. Fair fashion has to become the standard instead of the exception.