What Andrea spoke about.

17

Jun

2026

DE Answer

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Electrification Action Plan (debate)

Dear Mrs Wiesner, thank you very much for the question you have already addressed in your speech. Yes, we have a unified electricity bidding zone in Germany, and yes, we are working to better connect these zones of generation and use of energy with electricity infrastructure expansion. But if you have read the ACER report closely, the effect, the price effect, of different power bidding zones is s…

17

Jun

2026

DE Speech

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Electrification Action Plan (debate)

25

Mar

2026

DE Speech

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

Dear Mr President, dear Commissioner! Energy security is not an abstract concept. You can feel it when electricity, heating and grids suddenly fail in Berlin. And you can feel it when prices at petrol stations rise dramatically as a result of the Iran shock. And our companies feel it every day when they ask themselves whether there is reliable and affordable energy in Europe. And t…

10

Mar

2026

DE Speech

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Cutting red tape to enable a competitive and clean transition – the urgent need to shorten and simplify permitting (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, Europe is discussing billions in investments in grids, hydrogen and renewable energy. But the real bottleneck is quite banal: sometimes a fence lizard, sometimes a stone crab and a lot of bureaucracy. Europe is building too slowly. Today, an electricity grid project takes up to ten years – and more than half of it is for permits alone. R…

10

Mar

2026

DE Answer

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Presentation of the Energy Package (debate)

(Start of contribution when microphone is switched off) … in the CDU and in the EPP, across the borders of European and national policies, to ensure that both the issue of renewable energies and classical security and capacity markets are designed in a reasonable framework. That is why it is now time to make an energy policy in Germany that also balances the costs of grid expansion, the costs of t…

10

Mar

2026

DE Speech

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Presentation of the Energy Package (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner! For many people in Europe, energy policy starts with the energy bill at the end of the month and with the question ‘Can I still heat my home?’ ‘Can my business still bear the electricity costs and can I afford the next winter?’ Around 42 million Europeans still cannot heat their home sufficiently in winter. For these people, energy policy is not an abstract debate. It i…

9

Mar

2026

DE Speech

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

First of all, the EPP is also a party that does not only European politics, but also national politics. The whole issue of childcare, of structural challenges, is to a large extent also located in the Member States. And we are putting a very, very big focus on municipal childcare, on the all-day school, on the development of childcare structures in order to relieve children and women – and men – t…

9

Mar

2026

DE Answer

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

(Start of speech when microphone is switched off) …, and not only for me, but also for my EPP ‑ group, that we clearly stand for equality between men and women and the closing of the wage gap, and quickly – but not through bureaucracy.…

9

Mar

2026

DE Answer

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

Thank you for the question, Mrs Demirel. First of all, I have made it very clear what I mean by tackling structural disadvantages, and that is the issue of fighting for more education, fighting for more entrepreneurship, fighting for more care places – the structural issues that we have. Let me also be very clear on the subject of the Pay Transparency Directive. Transparency helps to create transp…

9

Mar

2026

DE Speech

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, This week we celebrated International Women's Day, and it reminds us that equality has always been linked to economic independence. In doing so, Europe has produced wonderful role models. In my native Baden-‑Württemberg, Bertha Benz wrote history of technology with the first long-distance journey in automotive history. She has …

11

Feb

2026

DE Answer

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Addressing subcontracting chains and the role of intermediaries in order to protect workers’ rights (debate)

11

Feb

2026

DE Speech

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Addressing subcontracting chains and the role of intermediaries in order to protect workers’ rights (debate)

16

Dec

2025

DE Speech

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Grids package and tackling raising energy prices through robust infrastructure (debate)

16

Dec

2025

DE Speech

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Phasing out Russian natural gas imports and improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies (debate)

22

Oct

2025

DE Speech

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Ending all energy imports from Russia to the EU and closing loopholes through third countries (debate)

Mr President, dear Mrs Gedin! We are not in a fantasy world here, but unlike you, we are writing history here. Just as in Europe peace was once forged out of coal and steel, so today we forge our energy security and our freedom out of wind, sun and reason. The end of Russian energy imports is more than energy policy. It is a bloodletting for a war economy that breathes longer with every kilowatt h…

18

Jun

2025

DE Speech

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Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner Zaharieva, Mrs Stürgkh, Anna, ladies and gentlemen! Europe's electricity grids are the backbone of our strategic energy future. Recent projections show: Global electricity demand will almost double by 2040. Without stable, high-performance networks, however, any electrification strategy remains an empty promise. What we see, however, is that regional demand and infras…

7

May

2025

DE Speech

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The role of gas storage for securing gas supplies ahead of the winter season (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Today, in the context of gas storage, we are debating important issues – issues that concern not only the reality of life of our European citizens, but also the competitiveness of our industry. On the issue of the extension of the EU gas storage regulation, we decide on energy security and the reduction of gas prices in Europe. In 2022, the adoptio…

12

Mar

2025

DE Speech

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Accelerating the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner Jørgensen! Russia's war against Ukraine has shown us very painfully that Europe's energy dependence on autocratic regimes was a strategic mistake. And the European Union has responded – and successfully has done so – and will continue to do so; Thank you very much for that too. But let me make one thing clear: The crucial question is not only the phase-out Russian fossil…

11

Mar

2025

DE Speech

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Clean Industrial Deal (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner Séjourné! We live in a time of profound geopolitical upheaval, and the post-war order, which has brought us stability and security for so long, but also prosperity, is also a thing of the past. In a world full of uncertainty, one thing is clear: Europe must be united in security and peace, but also in economic strength, because without a strong economy, Europe cannot …

20

Jan

2025

DE Speech

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Powering Europe’s future - advancing the fusion industry for energy independence and innovation (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner Micallef! We in this House represent the people of the European Union, and they want and demand a stronger role for the EU in energy policy. People expect European solutions for their energy poverty, for rising energy prices, for Europe's energy independence and for climate-neutral energy. And energy must not become a social issue, so we are called now. And we Europea…

27

Nov

2024

DE Speech

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Rise of energy prices and fighting energy poverty (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner Simson! First of all, I would like to thank you very much for your work for the citizens of Europe over the last five years – thank you very much! With all the successes we can celebrate, one thing remains very clear: Energy prices in Europe have long since passed a critical point, and Europe is characterised by energy poverty. Massive imbalances are weighing on our c…

26

Nov

2024

DE Speech

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Outcome of COP 29 and challenges for international climate policy (debate)

24

Oct

2024

DE Speech

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Closing the EU skills gap: supporting people in the digital and green transitions to ensure inclusive growth and competitiveness in line with the Draghi report (debate)

Dear Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen! Last night I sat down with many young people from the textile industry, who are the bearers of hope in this industry. But I also sat down with many entrepreneurs who want to put this industry in the hands of the next generation with confidence. The discussion revolved around the question: “How can we, young and old, stand together in Europe to shape Europe’…

8

Oct

2024

DE Speech

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Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! We are facing a historic moment that could decide the future of peace and stability in Europe. In a few days, the people of Moldova will vote in a referendum on whether Moldova wants to become part of the European Union. In recent years, the people of Moldova have stood up for freedom, democracy and the rule of law in a way that impresses us all. B…

17

Sep

2024

DE Speech

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State of the Energy union (debate)

Dear Mr President, Dear Commissioner, thank you very much for the work you have done over the last five years and also for the report on the Energy Union. But let's be honest today and look at the next five years. Europe is facing huge energy challenges. Energy prices in Europe are far too high, and that is why Europe needs to act now and complete the European internal energy market. Let's be hone…