What Kathleen spoke about.

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NL Written Statement

EU-India future trade and investment cooperation (short presentation)

India is an important strategic partner of the European Union. Not only politically and economically, but also in terms of trade, a good relationship with India is crucial to diversify our supply chains and increase our strategic autonomy. China's strong position in the region and the war in Ukraine only make building strong trade relations more important. That is why, with a report adopted today …

8 Jul

2026

NL Speech

The EU’s role in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the accountability of Israel under international law (topical debate)

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17 Jun

2026

NL Answer

Preparation of the European Council (joint debate)

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Thank you, Mr Smit, for that very important question. We at the S&D are not only proud of the Green Deal, we also see it as a real deal for competitiveness, which mainly has to ensure that we get rid of our over-reliance on critical raw materials and fossil fuels. It has no future for our industry to stick to fossil fuels. Above all, we must ensure that we develop our own sovereignty agenda. One o…

17 Jun

2026

NL Speech

Preparation of the European Council (joint debate)

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Mr President, I am a little surprised by the central message from the European People's Party today. It's not the first time: By approving the agreement with the United States yesterday, we are now going to make a nice team with the United States to develop a strategy towards China. I think that's a very stupid idea. I think that we should start from our own strength when we make a strategy around…

16 Jun

2026

EN Speech

An EU future for the Western Balkans (joint debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, I have good news. The end of the speech of my dear colleague from the EPP is the beginning of my speech: the Western Balkan countries belong within the European Union, and Montenegro is on its way to lead the way. And yes, Commissioner, we are open for a lot of creative ideas that help us to move closer to that common goal that is a larger, stronger, more secure and mor…

15 Jun

2026

EN Speech

EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, good that you're here. Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House and launched his trade war, the European Union has been playing defence – tariff after tariff, and threat after threat. The Commission did not have a plan, it repeatedly failed to build credible leverage. The result, as we know, was a bad, unbalanced Turnberry deal. That's why the S&D…

29 Apr

2026

NL Speech

Topical debate requested by a political group (PfE) (Rule 169) - Commission interference in democratic process and elections (topical debate)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we have long known that the far right has a hard time with democracy. That proves this somewhat ironic debate today, because if anyone tried to influence the democratic process of justice in Hungary, you were, with the full support and weight of Trump, Vance, Vučić and Putin. And it is not only so in Hungary, but also in Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Serbia …

29 Apr

2026

EN Speech

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

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Madam President, dear colleagues, Trump and Netanyahu have not only plunged us in into a devastating conflict in the Middle East, they are also dragging the rest of the world into chaos. And, as always, ordinary people, whether it's in Europe, in the rest of the world, in the region, are paying a very high price. And Europe is standing by and watching it happen. The reason is a very inconvenient t…

26 Mar

2026

EN Speech

EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, our group has made it crystal clear from the start: Turnberry is a bad deal and it will not be simply rubber stamped by us. It does not bring stability, it does not protect us from tariffs, threats and coercion. Do I have to remind us that, this year alone – and we are only in March – the US threatened to invade Greenland, coerced Spain, breached – once…

11 Feb

2026

NL Speech

State violence in Minneapolis and the rule of law in the United States (topical debate)

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Mr President, c'est partout le bruit des bottesAnd, sadly, on the streets of our oldest ally, the United States. Unfortunately, what ICE is doing in the United States today has nothing to do with security or migration policy. If you have to use a five-year-old child, pick them from school and use them as bait, it has nothing to do with patriotism. That's not tough, that's actually just disgusting.…

21 Jan

2026

NL Speech

European Council meeting (joint debate)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we are under attack. Our security, our prosperity, our integrity and even the survival of our Union are at stake today. But enough is enough. I think many have already said it here: it must be done with appeasing Trump, agreeing with him or settle for a bad trade deal – yes, dear EPP members, a bad deal. We do not let our industry, our workers, our sovereignty a…

19 Jan

2026

EN Speech

Motion of censure on the Commission (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, enough is enough. We cannot allow Trump to threaten our safety, our security, our prosperity, and our sovereignty. This is the moment for us in the Parliament to draw a line and we know what to do, we already said it. It's not all nice to hear, but we want to put the EU-US deal in the freezer, we want to activate the anti-coercion instrument, we want to b…

17 Dec

2025

EN Speech

The deepening democratic crisis in Georgia (debate)

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Mr President, it's been mentioned, the Sakharov Prize of yesterday is a very powerful reminder that the situation in Georgia is getting worse, not better. Opposition parties, civil society, independent media, pro‑democracy activists, all are paying the price for standing up for democratic values. 13 years of prison – that is what opposition leader Gakharia is facing. The use of politically motivat…

26 Nov

2025

NL Speech

EU position on the proposed plan and EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine (debate)

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25 Nov

2025

EN Speech

Effective use of the EU trade and industrial policy to tackle China’s export restrictions (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, China's dominance in rare earth elements combined with unjustified export control is disruptive for both the green and the digital transitions, and for our European industry. The recent temporary pause might be reassuring, but it is not enough, because many other key control measures continue to stay in place. It also makes one thing crystal clear: China and the US both a…

21 Oct

2025

NL Speech

Polarisation and increased repression in Serbia, one year after the Novi Sad tragedy (debate)

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Mr President, it has already been said: Next week it will be exactly one year since the terrible tragedy in Novi Sad, in which 16 people lost their lives. Since then, the courageous student protests for transparency, against corruption and for justice for the victims have become a true national movement for democracy – the largest in Serbia’s history. In the meantime, the Council and the Commissio…

7 Oct

2025

NL Speech

The EU’s role in supporting the recent peace efforts for Gaza and a two-state solution (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Council, for exactly two years, we are witnessing the horror that is taking place in Palestine and in Israel and an intolerable human toll on the extremism of Hamas and the Israeli government. Indeed, we are talking again today and that should give us hope, but at the same time we must be realistic. Peace is still a long way off, let alone the creation of a Palestinian …

10 Sep

2025

NL Speech

China’s unjustified decision to impose duties on imports of pork products from the EU and the need to support European farmers and workers (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, what I had just forgotten to say: If you allow the rules of international law to be set aside and give in to blackmail, as with Trump, then you get copycat behavior. This is what is happening with China. One brute inspires the other. China mercilessly pursues the Trump method, imposes illegal tariffs and copies economic coercion. Of course, this has nothing to do with f…

10 Sep

2025

EN Answer

Implementation of EU-US trade deal and the prospect of wider EU trade agreements (debate)

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Well, fortunately, I am not part of the Member States. Well, I am part of a Member State, but not from the Council. And I understand your question. We said from the start, in many debates we had in the INTA Committee that we wanted to activate the Anti-Coercion Instrument. It doesn't mean that you have to use it, but then you stand ready to take much broader countermeasures than only on tariffs. Y…

10 Sep

2025

EN Speech

Implementation of EU-US trade deal and the prospect of wider EU trade agreements (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, can I start by saying that nobody – I guess nobody – is asking for an escalation in the trade war, especially not the S&D. But that doesn't matter that this is a good deal or that the response of Europe is sufficient. And yes, I do talk to industries and workers in the industry as well; they feel the impact of these tariffs every single day. From the very beginning, we, a…

9 Sep

2025

NL Speech

Wave of violence and continuous use of force against protesters in Serbia (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, you sometimes wonder how deep a regime can sink. On the one hand, Putin and Xi Jinping make great adornment – for the sake of clarity, leaders of pronounced autocratic regimes – while on the other hand they suppress peaceful, peaceful protests at home from students, but also from the population, against the decline of democracy and against corruption. Let me thank Commi…

9 Sep

2025

NL Speech

Gaza at breaking point: EU action to combat famine, the urgent need to release hostages and move towards a two-state solution (debate)

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Mr President, I must honestly say that I do feel vicarious shame about this intervention by the European People's Party. I wish Hilde every success with the negotiations; It won't be easy. It is high time that we put down a resolution in this House! The Commission is hiding behind the Council and the Council behind the Commission and behind unanimity. But those who cannot hide from the genocide ar…

9 Jul

2025

NL Speech

Arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, for more than a year now Joseph Figueira Martin has been imprisoned in the Central African Republic, kidnapped by the Wagner Group, detained, tortured, threatened with death. And he's still there. He faces a life sentence based on false accusations, without trial, without justice. Colleagues, this is more than a personal tragedy. It is an attack on a European ci…

9 Jul

2025

EN Speech

EU-US trade negotiations (debate)

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Mr President, dear Minister, dear Commissioner, we are facing a moment of truth in our trade relations with the US. Yes, we've shown patience and we have engaged, negotiated in good faith, as you mentioned. But here we are: deadline day, no deal, no relief, with Trump now even threatening 50 % tariffs on copper and a staggering 200 % on pharmaceuticals. Colleagues, that is not a relationship. That…

9 Jul

2025

EN Speech

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 26 June 2025 (debate)

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Madam President, you know, Ms Montserrat, we have a sort of joke in the S&D Group. Every time you take the floor in the plenary, you will wait one minute, two minutes before you say the name Pedro Sánchez. But let me come to the Council. Dear Presidents of the Commission, of the Council and of the Parliament, when there is a storm outside, people look for shelter, a place where they can be safe an…