Speeches

Mr President! Today is a day where we can be proud of ourselves, because today we are finally voting through the European Disability Agreement. With the card, we are taking an important step towards a significantly more inclusive society, making it easier for EU citizens to document their disability across national borders. The new common map will pave the way for increased accessibility and equal opportunities in EU Member States. I am particularly pleased that in my legislative work I was able to do my part to ensure that the card now becomes a reality - also for those third-country nationals who are now given the opportunity to make use of it. Together, let us use the map as a springboard to continue to promote dignity and respect for all Europeans. Thank you for the word.

Mr President! Misinformation in huge amounts and overly violent videos on the screens in the children's room. You know what I'm talking about, because it affects us all. We are facing a huge problem. We see one terrible story after another, where very young children have seen people being killed and older people being scammed or false information being spread by Russian trolls. We have a responsibility to do something about it. In this mandate, we have tried to regulate the tech giants, but clearly that has not been enough. Therefore, we need to go harder to the companies that manage social media. We have a responsibility to ensure that social media is a good place to be, and we have a responsibility to ensure that neither misinformation nor fraud gets any level of flight. We have started the work in this mandate and in the next mandate we have to finish it.

Mr. President! China is investing in critical European infrastructure. They provide state aid to their companies, giving them an undue advantage in the European market. They violate human rights on a daily basis, and yet we are deeply dependent on them. For example, in relation to the green transition, but also in many other areas. We can't let that stand any longer. The EU must be stronger in its own right. We have to face the fact that we can no longer rely on China. Fortunately, we are in the process of detaching ourselves from China in the critical areas, and that is important. But even though China is a systemic rival and a competitor, we cannot ignore the fact that China is also a trading partner. And China is a state with which we need to maintain continuous contact. There is no point in cutting off all communication. So let's put on the critical but realistic glasses. We can talk to someone even if we don't agree. That is the essence of democracy. We should stick to that. To say that there are some with whom we by definition do not talk is simply not the right way to go.

Madam President! In the EU, we have always been at the forefront when it comes to climate, environment and health policy. Today we have a chance to make policies that affect all three areas. Today, we can make policies that save lives. Research shows that current air quality requirements are not good enough. Air pollution is the invisible killer that sneaks in from the streets and into millions of homes. Although we can't see or smell it, it poisons us, gives us cancer, COPD and many other diseases. We have to do better. We need to take more steps. We must lower the limit values and raise our ambitions. Today we are going to vote for a European solution to a problem that goes all the way into our homes, into the living rooms, into my future son's nursery. It's a problem you can't escape from. Because the air is everywhere. Let us save lives today, ladies and gentlemen. Vote for cleaner air in Europe.