Speeches

Dear Madam President, Tackling climate change is an urgent challenge. Efficient environmental measures are essential, but farmers and foresters may be the victims of one of the proposals before us, as the newly defined large-scale reduction in agricultural emissions would require measures such as limiting the use of fertilisers or reducing livestock and changing the way the population consumes food. Dear Commissioner Timmermans, Our common goal is to transform the EU into a community with a modern and competitive economy and an environmentally conscious society, but not in this way. Our farmers and foresters deserve more and are once again facing significant challenges. Instead of distributing burdens irresponsibly, we expect achievable goals.

Madam President, I'm sorry. In practice, the proposal before us means that, in 13 years' time, it will not be possible to place new petrol and diesel cars on the EU market. This is a very short time in the knowledge that there is currently neither adequate charging infrastructure nor solvent demand to start a new carbon-free era. If a significant proportion of citizens with lower incomes are unable to buy a new car, the average age of vehicles will continue to increase. Old, low-quality cars will flood the roads. It must also be said that there is room for further development of internal combustion engines, as advanced synthetic fuels can make a difference in this area. Therefore, the Commission still has a task to do and I hope that it will take the necessary steps as soon as possible, because without alternative options, the realisation of this proposal remains only a vision.

Mr. President, please. The single market is one of the most important achievements of the European Union. This has led to a number of important measures to make life easier for European citizens, such as a common charger or the abolition of roaming charges. Still, I feel like there's no reason to celebrate without a cloud. The coronavirus, the war and the resulting economic crisis have shown that much work remains to be done. It would be important for the European Union to focus on measures that serve the interests of citizens and the development of the economy, rather than on useless ideological debates that call into question the powers of the Member States. It is time to start an era of increasing European competitiveness. Due to global challenges and increased economic competition with the United States, targeted measures are needed. We need to reduce administrative burdens, support small and medium-sized enterprises and make better use of the potential of the single market.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I am delighted that this topic has been put on the agenda, of which I have been the initiator, as I consider this issue to be an extremely important and topical issue. We are aware that airlines have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. However, this should not be a reason to leave the current situation speechless. It is time for the EU institutions to finally address the permanent chaos at airports and in air transport, to the detriment of passengers in particular. Airlines seem to be taking advantage of the shortcomings in the implementation of the rules, so it is essential that the Commission acts to protect citizens. It is important that EU rules not only remain empty promises, but are actually enforced. If that is not possible, we must make better laws. There is a need for swift, effective action at EU level, focusing on the interests of consumers.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The COP27 climate summit is a complete failure. It is sad that no real commitments were made at this year's summit, and it is also of great concern that very few have renewed their commitments compared to last year. What happened instead? In addition to the unfinished financial assistance to developing countries, Commissioner Timmermans was only trying to promote the Commission's flawed climate ideology. It must be said that the chief negotiator of our EU climate policy is essentially preventing an effective fight for climate protection. The EU alone cannot prevent negative flows, only by working together with our partners outside Europe to find solutions to climate protection issues. Instead of reckless sanctions that make climate policy impossible, we need real and effective climate protection at global level.

Dear Madam President, You must be madam. Today, hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by diabetes and insulin resistance. I'm one of them. This has become the disease of our time. In the last two years, the epidemic has further complicated the situation of people living with the disease and significantly reduced the possibilities for prevention. That is why I have already asked the European Commission to draw up an action plan for the prevention and management of diabetes, but unfortunately so far I have received a negative response. However, the good news is that there are countries, including my home country, Hungary, where the government pays special attention to the treatment of problems affecting people with diabetes, in which those affected receive help in several areas. I continue to believe that there is an urgent need for a directive to stop this deteriorating trend. I am confident that the Commission's position will change in the near future and that we will succeed in tackling diabetes together and effectively.

Dear Mr President, As a result of the war, countries around the world are embarking on the COP27 climate conference with moderate targets. The reason for this restraint is the energy crisis and misguided sanctions. All of this has and will continue to raise energy prices, both at European and global level. I believe that this climate summit could give us a chance to take stock and rethink the impact of the measures. If everything goes back to normal, the EU economy will collapse. Dear fellow Members, In a situation like this, we can't be irresponsible. Well-thought-out and enforceable commitments are needed, because exaggerated proposals for action and the early target dates in the EP resolution are already jeopardising our competitiveness. We must not allow our citizens and businesses to become fully vulnerable to high prices because of erroneous EU decisions. Let's work together for a green environment, but only with people and not against people.

Thank you for the floor, Madam President. Today we are at the end of a legislative process of more than ten years. The drive to unify chargers has finally come to an end. I welcome the fact that the proposal will, on the one hand, significantly reduce the amount of electronic waste, which is an important step towards an environmentally conscious Europe, and, on the other hand, make life easier for consumers. I believe that the most important task in our work in the European Parliament is to create future-oriented, consumer-friendly legislation that directly helps citizens with sustainability considerations in mind. I wish EU legislation would always be so effective, people-centred! Instead of endless ideological debates, we need more proposals that are as forward-looking as we are now, making the daily lives of the people of Europe easier. Let's keep going down this road.

Mr. President, please. Deforestation and forest degradation are happening at an alarming rate in the world. Increased trade in agricultural products will also require more and more land. The current extension of the scope of the legislation proposed by Parliament is justified for a number of products, but its introduction for certain products would create an excessive bureaucratic burden and a competitive disadvantage. Several EU Member States can set a good example in the field of forest protection, including my home country, Hungary, where only logging after which replanting can be carried out is conceivable. One of the largest afforestation and afforestation programmes in Europe is currently underway: In two years, we have supported the planting of 44,000 hectares of new forest. On the basis of these patterns, too, it should be made clear to our global partners that all EU efforts to mitigate climate change without curbing deforestation are insufficient. Let's walk together on the green road, let's work together for a greener environment!

Thank you very much to both of my fellow Members for your question. I think that, for two reasons, it is very, very important that we reject this objection tomorrow and save the delegated act on the taxonomy. One is that many experts, including those of the European Commission, have already stated that it is unattainable for the European Union to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 without nuclear energy and natural gas. The other argument, which is very, very important: it is also quite clear, and we have also heard a lot of expert comments on this, that in the short-, medium- and long-term, and in those Member States where there are measures to reduce public utility bills, we can only achieve their sustainability with these two sources of energy in my view.

Dear Mr President, Dear Commissioner, Today we are discussing a crucial proposal. The stakes are not low: We provide affordable and sustainable energy for our citizens, or we put at risk the results achieved so far, thereby freeing the population from falling utility prices and unpredictable energy prices. Although many in the room do not dare to say it, the fact remains the fact. Nuclear and natural gas-based investments are necessary to achieve climate neutrality and keep utility costs low. These energy sources are environmentally friendly technologies that can be used to generate large amounts of low-cost, zero-emission electricity, ensuring the sustainability of Member States’ public utility reduction measures. I urge my fellow Members to consider carefully their vote tomorrow. At the current juncture, the most important thing is to maintain security and affordability of energy supply in a long-term and sustainable manner. (The speaker is willing to respond to two blue card interventions)

Dear Mr President, The social impact of very large platforms is felt by all of us, as they influence our habits and decisions on a daily basis. The proposal regulating digital services and markets is therefore crucial as it aims to create a transparent, safe online space. It is important that technology companies can no longer arbitrarily set the rules of the game and that our citizens will not be completely at the mercy of them. As social media is an increased threat to minors, it is easier for our children to become victims of harassment, violence or intimidation in the digital space. That is why I welcome the fact that the proposal stands up for the protection of minors, as very large technological platforms will no longer be able to publish personalised advertisements for our children. I hope that in the future the principle that what is illegal offline is also illegal online will be applied effectively.

Dear Madam President, The fight against climate change and the green transition are crucial for the future of Europe and the world. It is therefore essential that we make responsible and effective decisions. But this climate package is just the opposite. A set of irresponsible proposals that go against common sense and would cause a significant increase in energy prices for citizens across the EU. The adoption of the climate tax would have a particularly negative impact on European families and businesses, including Hungarians, and would jeopardise the results and sustainability of Hungary's public utility tax cuts. We can see that due to the irresponsible climate and energy policy in Brussels, energy prices are already skyrocketing and inflation has also broken loose. We must not put citizens in an even more difficult position. The costs of the green transition should not be borne by them, but by the big polluters. Instead of unrealistic leftist ideas that hinder economic growth, we need real environmental and citizen-friendly climate protection measures.

Dear Madam President, Consumers generate billions of electrical waste by throwing away hundreds of thousands of electronic products every day instead of having them repaired. In addition to the fast obsolescence period, this is mainly due to the fact that the cost of repair is overburdening the customers' wallets. I therefore welcome the European Parliament's resolution, which is in the interests of people, businesses and the environment. I believe that, in the interests of sustainability, consumers should be encouraged to reuse and repair products, and manufacturers should be encouraged not to deliberately shorten the lifespan of electronics. Ezt csakis úgy érhetjük el, ha a gyártók időtálló eszközöket hoznak forgalomba, a vásárlókat pedig megfelelően tájékoztatják a termék várható élettartamáról és annak javíthatóságáról. It is time to give preference to durable and environmentally friendly devices.

Dear Madam President, Energy prices have started to rise steadily, exacerbated by the war against Ukraine. The prices of energy carriers have risen to a new record level, so we need a real solution and effective action. However, there is no alternative overnight. There is also a need for strategic calm regarding our energy policy. I think it is a good idea that the European Commission, with its latest proposal, has started to stand up for citizens and after a long time has finally started to support official pricing, thus acknowledging the Hungarian utility bill reduction programme. Dear fellow Members, Reducing energy prices can only be the solution. It should be stressed that prices in Hungarian households have not increased despite the crisis. In the past, of course, there were counter-examples, as in the past, the Hungarian left also adjusted the overhead costs to market prices, thus the energy prices went up, and my compatriots faced very high burdens. We don't want any more of this. Let's go ahead. Protect families from high energy prices. That's the job now.

Dear Madam President, While the situation in Ukraine overshadows all important issues, climate change and environmental protection are just as pressing as before. Making Europe the world's first climate-neutral continent is a major success, but also a challenge and an opportunity. However, a new approach is needed in a war situation. We must lead the way by also ensuring that the green transition is fair to all members of society. Residential energy consumption has increased significantly. I therefore welcome the fact that the irrational target dates for phasing out aid have been removed from the proposal, making the EU's latest environmental programme more citizen-friendly and budget-friendly. We must continue to insist that the costs of the green transition are not borne by citizens or families. Protecting the environment and preserving jobs are both important in the current challenging context.

Mr. President, please. The title of the report on the elimination of non-tariff and non-tax barriers in the single market seems at first sight harmless, since its original purpose is to promote a more efficient functioning of the internal market. It is unfortunate, however, that the left-wing MEPs tried to smuggle into this report a passage specifically attacking Hungary in connection with the Child Protection Act. It is sad that many people do not care about the healthy physical and mental development of children, and their only goal is to spread gender ideology without limits. I believe that we can only succeed if we deal with the real problems in the European Parliament and work to ensure that the single market functions smoothly. This is the only way to make the European Union truly competitive on the global stage.

Dear Mr President, The economic weight and social impact of tech giants can be felt by all of us, as social media influences our lives, consumption habits and decisions on a daily basis. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges of our time is whether we will be able to step out of the digital bubble and dominate technology or let technology take over our lives. It is time to put an end to very large platforms setting the rules of the game and allowing the spread of illegal content, such as content related to terrorism. I believe that this can only be achieved by guaranteeing the democratic core values of transparency and accountability also in the digital space. We cannot allow our citizens to be victims of censorship.

Madam President, I'm sorry. If the European Commission's internal communication guidelines were not withdrawn, more people today would look at me with a slanted eye for this address. I think it is quite astounding and astounding that this should be the subject of a plenary debate in the European Parliament in the 21st century. I believe that this time the Commission has not only embarked on a harmful but also a terribly dangerous journey. The proposal has shocked many. By banning the word Christmas, they declared war on our culture and traditions and tried to discredit our Christian identity. We Hungarians have already experienced what a pine feast is like, we remember well the Christmases of the communist dictatorship. If we deny our Christian roots, there is no future for the European Union, no future for Europe. We will not allow our history and Christian traditions to be erased. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Madam President, I'm sorry. Europe’s digital economy is concentrated in the hands of only a few large online platforms. Unfortunately, these platforms, called gatekeepers, take advantage of their dominant position, which forces European small and medium-sized enterprises to adapt to the conditions that hinder their development. I believe that this landmark regulation on digital markets will strengthen innovation and increase the competitiveness of SMEs. I also welcome the fact that the European Parliament is standing up for the protection of children by prohibiting platforms from displaying personalised advertising. We can see that social media is the number one threat to minors. It is easier for our children to become victims of harassment, violence or intimidation online. We cannot allow online content to be shaped by the profits of tech giants.

Dear Mr President, Dear Commissioner, The countries of the world set out with great ambitions for the COP26 climate conference, which ended with a fragile agreement. Perhaps the most important result is that there is finally a consensus that we must not only talk about climate change, but also act! We can see that only by acting together, together, it is possible to accelerate climate protection processes. However, it should be borne in mind that, despite the fact that the EU accounts for 9% of global emissions, it is the Commission that is now proposing the most drastic step to the EU Member States: He wants to tax car and homeowners under the guise of climate protection. This disproportion threatens our competitiveness. We cannot allow our citizens to become completely vulnerable to high prices on the altar of climate protection, while our global partners do much less to protect our environment.

Dear Mr President, dear Commissioner, I consider it important for the EU and the US to establish regular cooperation, and I therefore welcome the fact that the EU-US Trade and Technology Council's priorities included overcoming the chip shortages affecting the two regions. One of the unforeseen consequences of the coronavirus outbreak is the global shortage of semiconductors, the impact of which will be felt mostly by the automotive industry. The shortage of raw materials needed to produce the chip will significantly increase the cost of car manufacturing, which is projected to cause serious harm to industry in the coming years. As a result, car prices could rise dramatically. And the collateral losers of the crisis will be the buyers. Their wallets will be the most heavily loaded. I hope that the European Commission will act as soon as possible and develop its new action plan taking into account the interests of consumers.

Dear Mr President, Two years ago, Commissioner Timmermans was tasked with achieving the EU’s climate goals in a fair and balanced way. The reality, however, looks completely different. In the run-up to the Glasgow climate summit, we can see that there is a public utility and energy crisis in Europe today, and the EU's responsibility in this is clear. Dear fellow Members, In many Member States, people in Europe have become fully vulnerable to energy suppliers, as have businesses. And now the European Commission wants to tax car and homeowners, disguising the rise in utility prices as climate protection. I call on the Commission to stop putting climate policy at the expense of citizens and to live up to its obligation to keep our businesses competitive in the green transition. In the shadow of the climate summit, in the face of the EU's green ambitions, no one should be left on the sidelines.

Dear Madam President, Last year, the European Commission presented the Farm to Fork Strategy as one of the key actions of the European Green Deal without an impact assessment. Dear Commissioner, In this regard, I have only one question: When will we stop destroying European food production, our farmers and the countryside with spectacular and unfeasible plans? This strategy would put such a heavy burden on agricultural operators that many would cease their activities, food prices would skyrocket, while products entering the EU market would not even comply with the current rules. I would like to draw attention to the study which the Commission has so far concealed, but which has been published in recent days, and which already sheds light on the negative effects of the strategy. Dear fellow Members, It's time to see clearly.

Madam President, I'm sorry. In recent years, energy prices have reached a historically high level, with the result that the EU population is facing extraordinary increases in energy prices. While the Commission has only looked, Member States have taken the path of action. Tax cuts have been implemented in several countries, and there is a Member State where consumer energy price increases have not materialised at all. This Member State is my home country, Hungary, where a consistent policy of reducing overheads remains the best tool to keep consumer prices at a low level. Commissioner, misguided EU policies have created a scarce supply in the energy market. In addition, the European Commission's sometimes over-ambitious climate package has added to the gravity of the situation. Now is the time to act! Ensure that people and businesses have access to affordable energy at EU level. Without it, EU energy policy is doomed to complete failure.