What Volker spoke about.

9

Jul

2026

DE Answer

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Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy and follow-up (debate)

Thank you, Mr Colleague, for the question. Of course, there are a variety of problems that bring fishermen to the brink of ruin; I didn't deny that either. But it is quite clear that seals and cormorants also belong to the problem area. I come directly from Schleswig-Holstein, I live on the Baltic Sea, and the fishermen there give up because the cormorants really eat away the fish. It is a fact; T…

9

Jul

2026

DE Speech

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Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy and follow-up (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The fishermen in the Baltic Sea do everything that politics demands of them: Fishing quotas have been reduced, herring and cod have been spared, but stocks have not recovered. What is the EU's response? Decommissioning premiums – this year for the last time. Compensation for seal fretting expires at the end of 2027. And after that? Nothing more! Th…

9

Jul

2026

DE Speech

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Joint communication on humanitarian aid (JOIN(2026)0025) (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The less real influence the EU has worldwide, the more it stages itself as a great moral power. Nothing against aid in acute emergencies and the protection of humanitarian personnel, but your resolution wants to turn humanitarian policy into a permanent, multi-billion dollar instrument with its own implementation architecture and sprawling politica…

7

Jul

2026

DE Answer

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Urgent measures to strengthen the competitiveness and safeguard quality jobs in the EU’s automotive sector (debate)

Thank you for the question. You allow me to reply in German again. Of course, the market also produces a market for electric cars; That's not a question at all. We also never rejected the idea that there should be electric cars, but we have always said that there must be both or more forms of propulsion. Because electric cars are suitable for many purposes – as the Commissioner said, for taxis, fo…

7

Jul

2026

DE Speech

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Urgent measures to strengthen the competitiveness and safeguard quality jobs in the EU’s automotive sector (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The Commission is concerned about the competitiveness of our car industry and the safeguarding of jobs. Seriously? Who put this great industry on the wall? Why are our companies in the deepest crisis in their history? Why are tens of thousands of workers being laid off? This is also the result of your policy. They have presumed to intervene in a…

18

Jun

2026

DE Speech

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Circularity requirements for vehicle design and management of end-of-life vehicles (debate)

17

Jun

2026

DE Speech

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The resilience of the European transport sector and the need to ensure the supply of essential goods amid ongoing geopolitical instability (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The transport sector, like the economy as a whole, suffers from the Commission's failed energy policy. As the EU continues to strangulate the economy and is ineffective in terms of foreign policy, we need to watch global competitors overtake us in all areas. The transport sector plays a central role not only for trade and industry, but increasingly…

17

Jun

2026

DE Speech

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Electrification Action Plan (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The Electrification Action Plan is another example of a planned economy. Forcing electricity to reach 32% of the final consumer by 2030 is a utopian goal that completely misses reality. The Green Deal has failed at all levels and is jeopardising the competitiveness of our economy. Renewables can make a contribution, but they are unsafe and not d…

21

May

2026

DE Speech

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Periodic roadworthiness tests and technical roadside inspection (Roadworthiness package) (A10-0139/2026 - Jens Gieseke) (vote)

Mr President! Dear colleagues! The Roadworthiness Directive is not suitable in this form. It only increases the cost of technical tests, makes them more expensive for our companies and is more impractical. Although proven testing facilities and systems exist in many Member States, the EU is committed to regulating something that does not require further regulation. In addition, studies show that m…

21

May

2026

DE Speech

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Need for an adaptation of the EU legal framework on sustainable biofuels (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The so-called climate policy of the EU forces the European airlines to decarbonise and thus to a planned economy. The quotas of ReFuelEU Aviation and the simultaneous end of the free ETS-Certificates are a disaster with announcement, because the market for alternative fuels for airlines in the EU is practically non-existent. Imports of e-fuels from…

19

May

2026

DE Speech

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Presentation of the Fertilisers Action Plan (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Our food sovereignty is more important than ever. We need to increase our domestic production. But how will this work if fertilisers become unaffordable due to uniquely high energy costs worldwide, cost drivers such as CBAM, and unrealistic environmental regulations? This puts our farms at the limit of their livelihood, and many farmers have to …

18

May

2026

DE Speech

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The multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea and ways forward (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! This report wants more protection for the Baltic Sea, but it risks further accelerating the decline of fishing in the Baltic Sea. Europe already imports most of the seafood consumed here. And what does the report propose? More restrictions, more uncertainty, more pressure on our fishermen – this means less European fish on the plates and more imports from third …

20

Jan

2026

DE Speech

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Air passenger rights (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! It is not often that we praise the EU, but air passenger rights are among the positive exceptions. It is good that customers can rely on airlines to claim adequate compensation in the event of delays. It is good that Parliament has opposed the Commission's and the Council's attempts to soften this rule. It is good that exemptions from liability …

16

Dec

2025

DE Speech

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Presentation of the automotive package (debate)

16

Dec

2025

DE Speech

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Presentation of the European Affordable Housing Plan (continuation of debate)

27

Nov

2025

DE Speech

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Outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference - Belém (COP30) (debate)

27

Nov

2025

DE Speech

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Development of an industry for sustainable aviation and maritime fuel in Europe (debate)

26

Nov

2025

EN Speech

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Fishing opportunities 2026: ensuring the sustainability of fish populations, marine ecosystems and coastal communities

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, when we talk about fishing opportunities, we must first of all focus on the sustainability of our coastal communities. Because it is thousands of small scale fishers who carry a disproportionate burden of European policy today. Over the past 20 years, the European fleet has shrunk by almost one third in capacity, yet Europe imports 70 % of the seafood it cons…

26

Nov

2025

DE Speech

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The situation of Christian communities and religious minorities in Nigeria and the Middle East, and Europe’s responsibility to protect them and guarantee freedom of conscience (topical debate)

25

Nov

2025

DE Speech

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Communication on the Democracy Shield (debate)

Mr President! What is a Democracy Shield? What values do you want to protect? If you really wanted to protect our values, first of all you should protect our external borders, because uncontrolled mass immigration puts our citizens, our institutions and our cohesion most at risk. They talk about journalists at risk, but remain silent about the journalists killed in the Gaza Strip. They have the be…

13

Nov

2025

DE Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025 (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! It sounds too good to be true. The Council speaks of simplification, of relief for small and medium-sized enterprises, of competitiveness. The message seems clear: Market economy before planned economy. But is that really so? Behind all these fine words, on closer inspection, there is still the plan to transform the economies in line with the green transition…

23

Oct

2025

DE Speech

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Audiovisual Media Services Directive obligations in the transatlantic dialogue (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! The Media Directive aims to protect European producers. That's good, because many companies have a hard time standing up to U.S. competition. It is therefore correct that films should not be treated like steel or cars in the customs dispute with America. But it is wrong to see U.S. program providers only as a threat. After all, it has long been Amazon, Netfli…

21

Oct

2025

DE Speech

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Criminal intimidation against investigative journalists in the EU: the attempted attack on Sigfrido Ranucci (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! What happened recently in Rome is reminiscent of the darkest times of mafia terror in Italy. Sigfrido Ranucci must fear for life and limb because he is involved in the machinations of the powerful and the mafia in his investigative magazine Report uncovered. He is one of the thousands of media people who are under threat worldwide. They are arrested, abused or e…

20

Oct

2025

DE Speech

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The decision to impose a fine on Google: defending press and media freedom in the EU (debate)

Mr President! The European Commission wants to force Google to pay a fine of almost 3 billion euros. The allegation reads as follows: Self-preferentiality in online advertising. And indeed, the tech giant is gaining clear advantages at the expense of publishers. Therefore, an American court will soon decide whether Google needs to outsource its advertising subsidiary or change its rules. The Commi…

8

Oct

2025

DE Speech

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Promoting EU digital rules: protecting European sovereignty (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen. The core of the EU is the common market. But what does this Commission do? She builds one hurdle at a time. It would be nice if we also had a Silicon Valley. But instead of complaining that few US companies dominate the tech market and platforms, the EU's role would be to foster the entrepreneurial spirit that made this dominance possible in the first place. …