What Wouter spoke about.

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NL Written Statement

United response to recent Russian violations of the EU Member States’ airspace and critical infrastructure (debate)

Mrs von der Leyen, Dear colleagues, Russia is testing and provoking. It wants to see how far it can go to put our unity to the test and at the same time divert attention from Ukraine. We can't let that break us up. We need to keep a cool head and react decisively with one common European response. And to that end, you came up with concrete initiatives within the Defence Readiness Roadmap. The disc…

9

Jul

2026

NL Answer

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Feasibility of a 28th tax regime and its potential to support EU competitiveness (debate)

Yes, I totally agree with your analysis, but that's no reason at all not for a 28e regime to go. That's one more reason to say: Let us be more ambitious in economic terms, in order to harmonise what needs to be harmonised. If we can provide Europe with one great service for our economic growth – and that means for our prosperity, for our socio-economic market model – it is economic harmonisation.…

9

Jul

2026

NL Speech

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Feasibility of a 28th tax regime and its potential to support EU competitiveness (debate)

Mr President, today, innovative companies are colliding with 27 national systems, 27 registers, 27 legal thresholds. Who wants to grow? As a result, the European Union is losing a great deal of time, capital and potential. Europe has talent. We have talent, we have knowledge, we have drive. But scaling up is far too difficult. Mr Andriukaitis has referred to the Biotech Regulation and I fully agre…

8

Jul

2026

NL Speech

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Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda: EU solidarity and preparedness in global health (debate)

Mr President, unfortunately, since 2019 we know more than ever that viruses know no boundaries. Although the risks for Europe are currently very low, we see that the humanitarian tragedy in Congo and Uganda is not yet fully covered. Fortunately, we can count on strong intervention by the World Health Organisation, the European Union and its Member States, with local support for health care and inv…

17

Jun

2026

NL Answer

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Preparation of the European Council (joint debate)

17

Jun

2026

NL Speech

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Preparation of the European Council (joint debate)

Mr President, protecting our citizens must be the absolute priority, as almost everyone agrees. Over the past five years, our defence budgets in Europe have doubled from 200 billion to 400 billion. It's gigantic. That's the good news. The bad news is: In fact, we are nowhere with a European pillar within NATO and we are almost nowhere with the implementation of Article 42(7) of the Treaty. We have…

16

Jun

2026

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Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies (debate)

20

May

2026

NL Speech

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Reviewing the ETS system to support European competitiveness (topical debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, those who say today that the ETS needs to be overhauled – as here on the right – absolutely do not understand why we need to decarbonise. But those who say that we should continue with the ETS without listening to industry – like some on the left – do not understand how heavy that transition is for a number of sectors. Yes, we need to decarbonize. …

20

May

2026

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High time to deliver on the Single Market, providing certainty and predictability for EU businesses and quality jobs (continuation of debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I was thirteen years old when the Single European Act of 1987 laid the foundations for the completion of the internal market. I grew up with the ambitious objectives of the Single Market: Objective 1992, ode to Jacques Delors. And yes, many steps have been taken since then. But in fact, the European single market is more like Schrödinger's cat. The…

18

May

2026

NL Speech

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Negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, the CEO of a major steel producer in Europe gave an interview in the newspaper ‘De Tijd’ in March last year. He then said that we still have one year, one year to save the steel industry in Europe. At the beginning of this year, another interview was published by the same CEO, who in the meantime sounded a bit more optimistic. I quote: “Europe has woken up. …

29

Apr

2026

NL Speech

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Situation in Lebanon: implementation of the ceasefire, support peace efforts and humanitarian access (debate)

29

Apr

2026

NL Speech

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EU strategy in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, its implications on energy prices and the availability of fertilizers (joint debate)

28

Apr

2026

NL Speech

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Ensuring accountability and justice in response to Russia’s continued attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, on Saturday, I was at the Pope’s audience with a number of colleagues in the Vatican. I was sitting there in the Sala Clementina, and on the wall, on the ceiling, two words were written: ‘justitia’ and ‘clementia’. This is where Ukraine's future lies: justitia and clementia. But in that order, first justitiaFirst, justice. In Bucha, 500 innocent civilians were killed. Bucha reminded …

25

Mar

2026

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Energy security, independence and supply in the geopolitical context - ensuring market stability and affordable energy for industry and citizens (debate)

Mr President, the situation we are facing is serious. It is not for nothing that the International Energy Agency speaks of the mother of all energy crises. This crisis will cut deeper and last longer, partly because crucial energy ‑ infrastructure has been destroyed in the Middle East. Europe must play its part, but the real levers are still with the Member States. Therefore, I believe that…

11

Mar

2026

NL Speech

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EUCO and situation in the Middle East (joint debate)

11

Feb

2026

NL Speech

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Urgent actions to revive EU competitiveness, deepen the EU Single Market and reduce the cost of living - from the Draghi report to reality (debate)

Mr President, tomorrow there will be a retreat in Alden Biesen, a beautiful castle with a rich history. That is in my province, Limburg, also with a beautiful history, a beautiful industrial history, a history of the rise of the mines and the closure of the mines, the rise of Ford Genk, the automotive sector and the closure of the automotive sector. We have been hit a few times in the region, but …

10

Feb

2026

NL Speech

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Violence in the Great Lakes Region, particularly in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (debate)

10

Feb

2026

NL Speech

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European response to the attacks on the Ukrainian energy system causing a humanitarian crisis (debate)

10

Feb

2026

NL Speech

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Building a stronger European defence in light of an increasingly volatile international environment (debate)

22

Jan

2026

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Drones and new systems of warfare – the EU’s need to adapt to be fit for today’s security challenges (debate)

Mr President, drones and anti-drone technology are no longer music for the future, but a strategic necessity for our security and our economy. But as with other innovations and other innovative sectors, we often encounter the same barriers. Too little access to finance, too many rules, too little room to grow. Europe must not slow down innovation through fragmented regulation or administrative bur…

21

Jan

2026

NL Speech

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Case of Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, current affairs today are dominated by all kinds of geopolitical tensions, confusing speeches in Davos, the situation around Greenland, war in Ukraine, the horror in Gaza, eastern Congo, Sudan ... They are all high on the agenda. But unfortunately, there are also dormant conflicts or repressive regimes in the world where less attention is paid. Yes…

21

Jan

2026

NL Speech

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European Council meeting (joint debate)

Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the European Council, Madam High Representative, narcissistic leaders are not afraid of individual countries playing against each other. We've seen enough of that by now. But they fear unanimous blocks that dare to use their weight. One year of Trump is all about economic coercion and political intimidation. Anyone who thinks this will happen by itself is mi…

20

Jan

2026

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CFSP and CSDP (Article 36 TEU) (joint debate)

Mr President, High Representative, in the first twenty days of the new year, countless red lines have already been reached and borders have been crossed. Alliances are falling apart before our eyes and conflicts are spreading everywhere, showing how the world is turning into a mess, and unfortunately not in the right direction. Europe can no longer be under any illusions about this. Naivety is not…

17

Dec

2025

NL Answer

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Mr Gozi, I think that when it comes to making Europe stronger, it is about two important things. That is to strengthen and increase the competitiveness of our industry. We need to move forward, not back. Or we lose our industry. If 1 million jobs in Europe have been lost in the last four years, if 1 million jobs have been lost in competitiveness, that is more than a wake-up call. And then, when it…

17

Dec

2025

EN Speech

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Mr President, the summit in Berlin brought progress for peace in Ukraine. Let's hope; Let's cross our fingers. Under Friedrich Merz's leadership, Europe has once again fought in the peace process. That in itself is a good thing. But there is also an uncomfortable question: Why did this not happen under the leadership of the President of the European Commission? The answer is painfully clear: becau…