Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner and colleagues, it's really extreme to see the smokescreen the far right are trying to throw over today's debate with their 'whataboutism'. Really funny and extreme. But this is actually a serious matter – it's a serious matter for the citizens of Hungary, for the civil society researchers, journalists and the LGBTQI community. Therefore it is also urgent, dear Commissioner, that we see concrete action from the Commission. It's a nice speech that you gave today. We have heard a lot of good speeches, but we need to see concrete action. We need to see it urgently. People in Hungary are demanding it, and the civil society cannot hold up unless we are there for them. I hope also I will see you and your colleagues together with the rest of us on 28 June for Budapest Pride to actually show that you mean all the good words you are saying.

Mr President, thank you to the co-rapporteurs, and thank you to good colleagues who have been working on collaborating on this report, which sends a very clear message – that Europe should not settle for less, we need to be bold. What we are discussing here today is not about figures, it is about people. It is about the future that we want for our children, for our communities and for our planet. In this report, we urge the Commission to ensure that the green transition does not stall, but accelerates. That we invest not only in clean energy and climate resilience, but also in people, in green jobs, in education, in fair opportunities across regions because no one should be left behind. Fairness and sustainability cannot succeed without strength. We need an economy that is competitive, innovative and forward looking. And a strong economy is not in opposition to climate and social justice – they are interlinked. So yes, we call for a larger and more focused EU budget, one that reflects the real needs of people, regions and businesses, and a budget that protects what matters: our environment, our health and our future. Above all, we call for a budget that brings citizens on board, that keeps civil society involved, upholds our values, and shows that the EU is not just an institution, but an actual promise.

Madam President, it's actually easy to feel embarrassed when you listen to the far right today. All your hate and your lies is embarrassment to this House. I'm sorry, we're standing here today discussing fundamental rights in EU. It's in the Treaty. We are all here because we want to be here. All the countries part of EU is here because they want to be here. And your answer is lies and is hate. I want to say to all the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trans people, intersex people of Hungary, we stand with you. We stand with you today. We did yesterday. We do again tomorrow. And we do, of course, on 28 June. We will not step down because of hate and lies from the far right. And we will not stand down just because of Orbán's bigotry. It's time now to act. And it's also time for the Commission and the Council to act. We have had enough talk. We need action, and you know what to do.

Madam President, how can we ensure that 'circular economy' is more than just words in the headlines in the EU's new industrial policy? That is more or less the question I asked you at your hearing in October, Commissioner. Here we are now with the Clean Industry Pact proposal, which, I admit, contains the word 36 times. circular or circularity. But where are the concrete policies and financing to build a secondary raw material market? How can we ease transport and recycling materials across EU borders? Nothing concrete. And looking at one of the industries in dire need of transition, the textile industry, what are we missing to actually scale up fibre-to-fibre recycling? You might answer that this will come as part of the circular economy act, but we will have to wait 21 months for that, so no real action will be taken to boost the circular economy with this industrial policy. My fear is that this is more than a mismatch in timing. This is actually a real strategic mistake.

Madam President, the time is now for the EU to step up and show global leadership. We have been in this situation before. Last time that man took office in the US, his first act was to undermine global cooperation in the field of climate change. And today it's the same. It's all about 'drill, baby, drill', instead of actual actions. We hear from the far right today that there's no money for green transition. And that in a year where we've seen droughts, floods, fires. Wake up! This is reality. The time is now for us to step up, together with everybody who is willing to do the same. It's no time for backtracking, and it should go without saying that when the US said they are out, we are more than in. We need to step up our support for climate action also in vulnerable and poor countries. This is about climate justice and it's our responsibility.

Madam President, the other day, I read from world famous artist Marina Abramović on her social media that the students of Serbia are the heroes of today, and they are. They are – and the protests are indeed something that should call us to stand up and stand next to them, because what is the protest about? It's about fighting corruption, it's fighting for transparency, for accountability and for democracy. So let's step up both in the Commission, in this House and also in the Council, step up and be on the side of the future, be on the side of the heroes, because the heroes are in the streets right now in Serbia and they are fighting for European values.

We live in a challenging time where political dialogue and debate are at risk of being silenced. Civil society organisations and NGOs are crucial contributors to our common know‑how, our cohesion and our lawmaking. Without civil society, public policy will end up being dominated solely by the interests of multinational corporations. Let me give you one example: PFAS. If we only listened to industry that has money and even receives EU funds as well, and some even have politicians on their payroll, nobody would be aware of the destructive consequences PFAS have on us, our health and our nature. No, it's only because of independent researchers, independent journalists and a vibrant civil society that we know this. Despite all this, we see that the right has been fighting civil society organisations and NGOs for years, and is now openly trying to silence critical voices of regulations and beyond. So I have here a very clear message to those on the right side in this House who still believe in democracy: this is not about green NGOs, this is about democracy. If we only allow NGOs that do not criticise us to receive funds, that would be an insult to democracy and to political participation. Any healthy democracy must enable a level playing field where the voices of businesses, civil society and citizens are being heard.

Mr President, I was both surprised and really concerned when I saw the topic line of today's debate. Good impact assessments on the Green Deal were already carefully done and reviewed. So what new assessment could we draw today that regulatory action to tackle environmental degradation and growing greenhouse-gas emissions is even more pressing today than it was yesterday? These policies are precisely what we need to build a more competitive and resource-efficient European economy. So the main conclusion of this debate today is that the far right here in the Parliament are prepared to do European self-sabotage. The only thing we will achieve by questioning the Green Deal today is to weaken the regulatory certainty that is precisely what businesses actually need. So all in all it's plainly irresponsible, politically. This is about our future. It's about our planet, and it is about our competitiveness.

Madam President, I would like to raise a point of order under Rule 10(4) in the Rules of Procedure, which clearly states that Members shall not resort to offensive language. More specifically, it concerns a debate we had last time we met here in Strasbourg on recent legislation targeting LGBTQI people, where certain Members of this House from the extreme right used both foul and defamatory language. I will always defend the right of my opponent to disagree with me, but expect at the same time everybody in this House to do so respectfully and without the need to defame others in words or actions. As an LGBTQI person myself, I'm used to hate speech, I'm used to brushing it off and moving on. But this debate stayed with me and I find it sad, worrying and unacceptable, in a debate concerning often young and vulnerable LGBTQI people and the protection of rule of law and a discrimination-free Union, that people in this House have used the language they did. So I do hope, Madam President, that you will look into the matter and take action. (Applause)

Mr President, yes, plastic is everywhere, as we've heard many speakers before me saying. I mean, it's in the supermarket, our homes, look in your bags – it's everywhere. We even wear it. And then sometimes we feel good because we see it's recycled, but much too often it's downcycled and therefore it ends up again in landfills and in the oceans. What is so important with this treaty and with the negotiations from the EU side is that we follow the High Ambition Coalition and actually put a high reduction target on production of new plastic. Because we can talk about recycling, but if we continue with the use we have right now, we are in a deep mess. And yes, we should be willing to find compromise with people, but we shouldn't be compromised in this question. I mean, we owe it to the coming generations, to nature, the animals and the oceans to actually stand firm on this and also to be a first mover, not only wait for the others.

Madam President, I don't know if I'm more sad or angry about this debate today. Yes, perhaps indeed it's 'sad'. Sad to see that we are actually discussing rights, fundamental rights. I mean, I'm soon turning 50 – I know you can't see it, but I am! – and in my lifetime I didn't think I would live to see rights be turned back in Europe as we see right now. Fundamental rights for people to live as who they are. That's what we are seeing right now in Bulgaria, in Hungary, in Italy, and that's what we have to be aware of here in the Union. We must insist on full implementation of European judgement from the Court all over Europe. We have to really monitor and be after the Member States who are not following these rules. We also have to look into what this is about. You talk about families, you talk about kids, but as the former speaker said, if there is no education in schools about what people are, how people live, that is what actually turns against these kids. That's why we see the well-being of LGBTQI kids so low. That is why we see higher rates of suicide among LGBTQI people. So this is about protecting people living in Europe, millions of people, and not just discriminating as we see from over there.

Mr President, this year we have witnessed devastating floods in Central Europe, wildfires in Greece and most recently, human catastrophe in Spain – all driven by climate change. Climate change is no longer a distant future scenario. It is here. It's tangible, it's costly, and it's dangerous. Climate change has entered a new and more critical phase, but the way we talk about it remains the same. And the poor outcome of this year's COP29 is clear proof of that. The Global North bears an historical responsibility for the crisis we are facing. This was acknowledged in Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. And yet, the Global North has shown itself to be unwilling and unprepared to honour its commitments by failing to provide necessary funding. We are creating policies that are totally disconnected from reality. Instead, we must make reality the foundation of our political decisions. I am sorry, we actually decided on 1.5 and we already breached this.

Mr President, today, I want to emphasise the fundamental principle of fair trial. Japan is demanding the extradition of environmental activist Paul Watson following his arrest in Greenland. The same Japan which has repeatedly ignored international laws on whaling. Now, the focus must be on Watson’s legal rights. I am deeply concerned that Denmark may extradite Paul Watson on too weak of a basis. Do you think that Watson will receive a fair trial in Japan, when their motives for silencing him are so evident? I don’t think so. Of course, we must ensure that our support reflects international law, but we must also protect those who fight for endangered animals and our environment. If we don’t stand up for the whales, and for the legal rights of environmental activists, who will?

Mr President! It's a bit funny with the title of today's debate, which is about extreme weather, as that's just what the new normal weather is. Therefore, the discussion should not be about what we do in the short term, but how we actually act. Action that actually works also in the future. It is about making climate adaptation that is nature-based. It is about how we can transform an overly industrialised animal-based agriculture into a much more plant-based one. And then it is about how it is that we adapt all our programmes, our budgets in the European Union to this reality. Why is it that, unfortunately, we see that no proper money has been set aside for nature-based solutions? And why is it that the CAP has not properly addressed the new reality in which we live?