Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, how can you ask for help if your voice cannot be heard? How can you be helped if you are not allowed to receive medical help from a man, but women are not allowed to work? There are no more options for many women in Afghanistan. The earthquake, which caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, revealed that women's protection had been crumbling for a long time. So yes, we have to stand up for the affected areas, but that does not solve the problems of women’s rights, which lie beneath the rubble. The EU must speak out more strongly against the ban on women continuing to learn, the ban on women going to a park, the ban on women working, also working as humanitarian workers. That has to disappear. It is good that the European Union has funds for humanitarian aid, but we must make sure that it reaches women as much as men.

Madam President, dear Prime Minister, dear colleagues, the cooperation between Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium is special. For decades, the Benelux have seen economic, political, cultural and social cooperation and integration at our border regions and between our countries. And that cooperation ensures that these three founding Member States have a strong say in the European Union. Also thanks to this Prime Minister. I would also like to thank this Prime Minister for something else: 'My body, my choice' – the right for women to make our own decisions on bodily integrity and bodily autonomy. As a Christian Democrat leading a centre‑right coalition, you support embedding abortion into the Constitution. Christian Democrats and conservatives in this Parliament can learn from the Luxembourgish Prime Minister, and so can the Government of the Netherlands, where abortion is still officially a criminal act. Abortion should be decriminalised. Access to safe abortion should be acknowledged as a right in my country and in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. Thank you, Prime Minister. My body, my choice.

Mr President, Commissioner, in Rwanda it is safe on the streets, but it is not safe to speak out. There are leading sporting events, there is economic progress and security, but these are a stark contrast to the political situation in Rwanda. Victoire Ingabire is one of the many political opponents of the regime who is stuck for her political opinion. And now for the second time. After her first arrest, she received an amnesty after eight years. But now she is stuck again and her children are also here to plead for her, because they cannot have contact with her either. It is a trend of oppression and of threat to political opponents that we see in Rwanda. And that is why we also ask the European Union and the Member States to ensure that Victoire, and also the nine other leaders of her party, are released and that they can have a fair trial in freedom, that politicians can express themselves, can participate in elections and that everyone, journalists and civil society, has freedom of expression in Rwanda.

Mr President, Commissioner, cohesion policy is an essential part of the European Union and ensures that all regions can continue to develop economically and socially, and that everyone benefits from that very important European single market. Cohesion policy plays an important role in developing jobs – job creation – and social inclusion. Cohesion policy must be able to continue to do so in the future. To this end, we must also commit ourselves in the future to a separate European Social Fund, with its own budget, in the next multiannual financial framework of the European Union. The next European Social Fund should be more than just a wash-up; it should be a fund that people can use, whether it is to develop skills for the next job, or to socially participate in the European Union and in society. Because with an anti-social Europe, we are lost.

Mr President, Commissioner, I would also like to thank all colleagues for their valuable contribution during this important debate and also during the negotiations and the process towards it. We have seen time and time again that the ESF+ is indispensable for developing the European Union in the way we want it to be. A European Union where physical safety and social security go hand in hand. We cannot give in to one of the two, because without social resilience, our society is lost. Tomorrow we will vote on the outcome of the negotiations of the ESF+ revision. But for me, this marks the beginning of the next challenge. Ensure that the future Multiannual Financial Framework and thus the next European Social Fund is one for all. That people can be retrained with ESF+ money. That we ensure that people who do not automatically come along in society get a boost. That we fight child poverty. That we fight homelessness and that we see that the mantra of competitiveness should not lead to free money for large companies. We demand a ring-fenced budget for the ESF+ with goals that we can take seriously. I want to get to work on this, because a strong Europe is a social Europe.

Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Executive Vice‑President, dear Roxana, today we are discussing the already much discussed European Social Fund Plus. The ESF+ is the core fund for the European social agenda and is so important in achieving skills development, social inclusion and in ending, for example, child poverty. Just before the summer, the Commission proposed a revision of the ESF+ to address today's strategic challenges. What we see happening everywhere, when it comes to the Commission agenda, is what we also saw here. The revision paved the way to add the so-called competitiveness agenda by increasing the possibilities for large companies to receive funds, especially in the defence sector. This should happen in an urgent matter, something we still oppose. As the S&D, we stand for a Europe that defends its external safety and, at the same time, ensures that we leave no one behind within our European common ground. The ESF+ does exactly that, making Europe more social, as we promised our voters. Together with the colleagues, during the negotiations with the Council and with the Commission, we achieved great successes in this matter. We ensured that the money that will be allocated for the defence industry will be for skills development in dual-use, and ensuring that people possess the right skills to have a place in our society. We also ensure that smaller beneficiaries should have a priority in access to the funding, ensuring that our civil society can still access the funding. I want to thank not only the shadow rapporteurs, but also the Council for ensuring this good achievement. On the rule of law. As the Commissioner already mentioned, we ensure that all funding that could possibly be reprogrammed to the new programmes will be checked by the rule of law mechanism, the Common Provisions Regulation and the horizontal enabling conditions. We have it in black and white from the whole College of Commissioners that they will do so, and we will hold them accountable. For this, the Executive Vice-Presidents Mînzatu and Fitto take the responsibility. Let me make one thing clear: when the rule of law is not respected, we cannot accept showing any flexibility. So far, we have managed to safeguard the main mission of the ESF+, supporting people and children in the most vulnerable situations, and supporting smaller beneficiaries in civil society. What we want for the future of the ESF+ is clear. It must be said that what we have seen for now is worrying. The ESF+ should be a separate, independent fund with a dedicated budget. The aim of the fund should always be to help people – to help people find a place in the labour market and to to promote social inclusion. It should be a fund that has a clear objective and that ensures that no one is left behind, that has earmarked funding for specific objectives, like the Child Guarantee, like the Youth Guarantee, for the most deprived and, of course, to support the much‑needed skills development. I am ready to fight for the ESF to be of meaning for the coming period in the future of Europe, because we cannot have a European Union without a strong social foundation. The social foundation is also the security that we have in Europe.

Mr President, at least six women have been murdered in the Netherlands this summer because they are women. Six women are killed every day in Europe because they are women. One-third live under physical or sexual violence. That's more than 50 million women in Europe. Living with fear is the reality for girls and women in Europe, for millions. And that has to stop. Not by teaching girls and women to defend themselves with pepper spray or with keys between the knuckles, but by teaching men to stop bullying, raping and killing women. Feminicide – femicide – is not an isolated phenomenon. It is part of a culture of sexism and intimidation, and that has been ignored for too long. That is why European countries must do everything in their power to speed up legislation and policies for the safety of girls and women in Europe. All girls and women in Europe have the right to safety – at home, at school, at work and on the street.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, last week in southern Europe the code was red because of the warm weather. But for more than a hundred countries, living in flaming debt, it's been code red for a long time. We were in hot Seville for the International Conference on Financing for Development. Without understanding the position of the European Parliament, because the right wing here in Parliament first weakened the report and then voted down. And then applauded, when in reality millions of people die because less aid goes to developing countries, more than 700 million people live in extreme poverty and that number has been increasing for decades. One hundred countries pay more in debt and interest than they have available in their budgets for social policy, health and infrastructure combined. The system is broken. By 2025, there will be a record number of more than 3,000 billionaires worldwide. This system produces more billionaires every time, while people also die of starvation. This system is morally corrupt and that is why it is so painful that this Parliament has not taken a position and that the European Commission has also placed an asterisk on the paragraphs on international debt relief and the reform of the international financial system. The next step is now to proceed with the implementation of the final document of the Conference on Financing for Development and to repair the broken international system. Because we still have a chance to fix it, and we shouldn't let that chance go.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, last week in southern Europe the code was red because of the warm weather. But for more than a hundred countries, living in flaming debt, it's been code red for a long time. We were in hot Seville for the International Conference on Financing for Development. Without understanding the position of the European Parliament, because the right wing here in Parliament first weakened the report and then voted down. And then applauded, when in reality millions of people die because less aid goes to developing countries, more than 700 million people live in extreme poverty and that number has been increasing for decades. One hundred countries pay more in debt and interest than they have available in their budgets for social policy, health and infrastructure combined. The system is broken. By 2025, there will be a record number of more than 3,000 billionaires worldwide. This system produces more billionaires every time, while people also die of starvation. This system is morally corrupt and that is why it is so painful that this Parliament has not taken a position and that the European Commission has also placed an asterisk on the paragraphs on international debt relief and the reform of the international financial system. The next step is now to proceed with the implementation of the final document of the Conference on Financing for Development and to repair the broken international system. Because we still have a chance to fix it, and we shouldn't let that chance go.

Mr President, I met her last month in Congo, a 15-year-old girl. At home, a gang member raped her so brutally that she had to be helped and stitched in the hospital. She wanted to return home as soon as possible to go back to school. Mathematics is what she likes best. But she doesn't dare go home anymore. She asks me if I have children. Yeah, I have two kids. She doesn't want any more children, because she doesn't trust men. She doesn't know if she can ever trust them again. Sexual violence is a sign of life. Yet this peace agreement makes no mention of justice and restitution for victims in the conflict. The existence of a peace agreement is an important step, but it does not address the causes of the conflict: the economic inequality, illegal mining and also the responsibility of M23. More humanitarian aid is needed, especially for victims of sexual violence. The international community must also focus on the causes of the conflict and prosecute and bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes.

Mr President, I met her last month in Congo, a 15-year-old girl. At home, a gang member raped her so brutally that she had to be helped and stitched in the hospital. She wanted to return home as soon as possible to go back to school. Mathematics is what she likes best. But she doesn't dare go home anymore. She asks me if I have children. Yeah, I have two kids. She doesn't want any more children, because she doesn't trust men. She doesn't know if she can ever trust them again. Sexual violence is a sign of life. Yet this peace agreement makes no mention of justice and restitution for victims in the conflict. The existence of a peace agreement is an important step, but it does not address the causes of the conflict: the economic inequality, illegal mining and also the responsibility of M23. More humanitarian aid is needed, especially for victims of sexual violence. The international community must also focus on the causes of the conflict and prosecute and bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes.

Mr President, Commissioner, South Sudan is a fertile country, rich in mineral resources. And yet it is one of the poorest countries in the world. For many decades, and certainly since independence, South Sudan has been plagued by war and conflict. Civilian villages are being bombed. Girls and women are raped. Sexual violence is used as a weapon and political opponents are locked up without trial. More than 2 million people have been displaced and more than 9 million South Sudanese are dependent on humanitarian aid. Yet even medical posts are under attack, including recently a Doctors Without Borders clinic. Foreign powers and corrupt leaders benefit from this unstable situation, as it gives them easy access to South Sudan's mineral resources. The European Union must indeed secure humanitarian aid and access to it. It must support women's organisations on the ground, step up diplomatic pressure on leaders and work to revive the 2018 peace agreement. South Sudanese do not deserve silence. They deserve solidarity and justice.

Mr President, Commissioner, Tundu Lissu may face the death penalty in Tanzania. And what is his crime? Opposition to the Tanzanian government. There are charges hanging over his head for spreading false information and treason. Betrayal is punishable by death in Tanzania. In October 2025, there will be elections in a country where opposition leaders are now being rolled up in a wave of arbitrary arrests. The EU and Tanzania are partners, partners in development, trade and sustainability. That is why a transparent and inclusive dialogue is needed, for the freedom of expression, the freedom of our fellow politicians and of human rights defenders, journalists and civil society organisations. The EU must speak out more strongly against the death penalty in our partner countries, including in Tanzania. Human rights, democracy and freedom of expression are not non-committal concepts. We call on the Commission and the Member States to follow the case of Tundu Lissu and to ensure that he is given a fair trial and that he is released.

Mr President, in this debate I would have liked to talk about the agreements that we, as shadows also during the negotiations, for example following the reports on the working conditions and contracts of cleaners in the European agencies, agreed on gender equality in staff policy and its implementation or training against cross-border behaviour. But I am going to use my speaking time to speak, precisely in this debate on transparency and the orderly use of European taxpayers’ money – one of our European values – about another essential European value, namely the strength of civil society organisations. The Commission finances and subsidises businesses and civil society organisations in Member States, of all kinds: Left, right, conservative, progressive. Together they form the fabric of our society. That is precisely why it is so bad that Members of this House are trying to undermine it with half-truths and outright lies. For example, it is claimed that the Commission only finances NGOs on condition that they lobby Parliament. Of course, it turned out not to be true. This is an example of how something straight is spoken crookedly. But for the populists in this Parliament – even in the EPP – it does not matter if something is true, as long as it sounds good. This undermines the fabric of our society and undermines our important European values. In these uncertain times, let us strengthen and not undermine Europe in all its diversity.

Mr President, Europe and social policy are not often linked, despite the fact that many of the rights we take for granted came from European policy. These include family leave, the maximum number of working hours and the minimum number of vacation days, pay transparency, anti-discrimination laws and the right to strike. We've already achieved a lot, but we're not there yet. Standstill is backwards. The right is on a collision course in terms of social policy and wants to reverse what we have achieved. We can't let this happen. I continue to fight for the protection of workers and migrant workers by working for fewer temporary employment opportunities and fewer opportunities for subcontracting, which lead to shadowy constructions and exploitation.

Mr President, colleagues, High Representative, the need in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains high. There are still a huge number of casualties in the conflict, many civilian casualties, including religious communities. As in many countries in the region, the Congolese population is mainly the victim of the struggle for rich soil. Everyone wants to benefit from the minerals and raw materials. Groups such as M23 and other rebels use brutal force. Sexual violence is used as a weapon in warfare to tear communities apart. The EU should provide more humanitarian assistance and in particular to the victims, women and children, of sexual violence. Belgium has not remained silent and is now experiencing the repercussions of Rwanda. We as Member States must continue to speak out and we must also support the countries that do so. Finally, we also need to look at ourselves, High Representative, because we need to rethink our relationship with Rwanda when it comes to dealing with those critical minerals. Because those minerals and the money they yield are used to finance and facilitate this conflict.

Madam President, I wanted to make a point of order. Well, actually, I wanted to make probably my colleague's point of order, because I think it's totally outrageous if we disagree and if we disagree, we disagree heavily – that's okay. But we should not accuse each other of antisemitism in this room.

Mr President, on our European roads, 3 million people drive in a cabin to carry freight around day and night. Truckers do their job with love. It is also a wonderful profession, but also a profession with risks, where cowboy companies flout rules at the expense of truck drivers. I was in Venlo on Friday, where four brave drivers from Central Asia protested against inhumane working conditions. Their Lithuanian employers hardly pay and take out identity papers. They are forced to commit fraud, to lie to the police about their driving and rest times. There are even gangs sent to intimidate them. This is modern slavery and it takes place here, in Europe and in the Netherlands. I call for the enforcement of European regulations to be stepped up with a European labour inspectorate that has teeth to put an end to the endless chains of subcontracting, whereby no one takes responsibility and exploitation continues. Mr President, it is time to act!

Mr President, the rich history of Sudan and the rich soil of Sudan are a stark contrast to the situation of the Sudanese themselves. There is also something to get in Sudan, such as gold. Also for our phones, for our jewelry, for our devices. Countries, for example in the Middle East, but also in the European Union, benefit from the raw materials from Sudan and thus continue to facilitate and finance the conflict. The Sudanese community is the victim of this. Millions fled, torn from their homes, tens of thousands murdered. Women and children are being sexually abused with the aim of disrupting communities. Rape as a weapon of war. It is the fourth time in six months that we are drawing attention to Sudan and debating the situation in the country, now with a resolution. The Commission and the Member States must provide more humanitarian aid now that USAID has disappeared. Directly finance women's organisations in particular, hold countries responsible for sustaining the conflict, get a grip on the origin of our raw materials, especially gold entering our market and impose sanctions on those responsible for these terrible human rights violations.

Mr President, Commissioner, industry in the European Union is in dire straits. Factories are closing, and this is reported daily in the news. A recent example is the closure of the Audi factory in Brussels two weeks ago, which we visited. There we spoke to employees who had good ideas about the future of the factory. But often they are not listened to. Millions of jobs are under pressure in Europe, creating enormous uncertainty for the workers concerned. We need to think about the industry of the future, but we can only do that with professionals. For this transition, we need professionals. We need to think about what they need. We have to let them decide on changes within companies. We need to retrain and immediately offer new work. In addition, it is important to protect our employees and industry from cheap imports and unfair competition. We need guarantees for stable jobs, fair wages and safe working conditions. The transition to the industry of the future must do justice to the people who work in it. Above all, let's make sure that no one is left behind.

Mr President, Commissioner, they isolate our houses, they build our windmills, they take care of our people, they repair our trains and build our roads. They help us in our stores. People with practical skills are indispensable. They are essential professions and yet we often do not value them. A secondary vocational education student receives a bouquet of flowers or a book voucher during an – unpaid – traineeship. Of course, you can't pay the rent. An internship fee is also necessary for MBO students. MBO students often cannot go to a student pub and cannot use student insurance. Incredible! No wonder many of them drop out. There is also no room for MBO students in the European institutions. Their knowledge and skills are of great value, but they cannot do an internship here, and that really has to be different. MBO students shape the Europe of the future. They nurture and build the Europe of the future, and let us give these students the recognition and opportunities they deserve.

Mr President, Commissioner, we are celebrating International Women's Day this year, as we see the deterioration of women's rights and gender equality. Young men find violence against women more often than older generations. More women have died unnecessarily in the EU because of restrictions on abortion opportunities. Women still earn 13% less than men for the same job. Also, one in ten men is fine if a man occasionally beats his wife or girlfriend. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and remains the most progressive and comprehensive global agenda for gender equality. And many of the rights from that statement are now on the chopping block. This year I felt the urgency at the Dam, at the demonstration at the Feminist March, together with twenty thousand others, because after decades we are deteriorating again. The Commission's roadmap should put us back on the path of gender equality, for girls and for women worldwide and in Europe. Women's rights are human rights.

Mr President, every night more than 900 people in the European Union do not have a roof over their heads: They sleep on the street or in shelters. 15% of young people are unemployed. Too many women end up in poverty, often after a divorce. As many as one in four children in the European Union grow up in poverty. Child poverty is not decreasing, but increasing. Te veel mensen komen niet mee en hebben geen perspectief. Social exclusion has terrible consequences and can lead to social isolation or worse. We need to tackle this issue together, at European level. Tomorrow we will vote on the future of the European Social Fund, which has existed since the Treaty of Rome. It is one of the oldest programmes in the European Union and a fund that we can be proud of, because it stands up for people in vulnerable circumstances. It is intended for everyone in Europe: for people with a basic job in Groningen, for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, for women who are victims of violence and for migrant workers who sometimes find it difficult to get along with our society. Let us also not forget that social policy contributes to social cohesion and thus to security. This is the time to make our priorities clear as a Parliament. At a time when we are mainly talking about how companies can become even more competitive, we say: Don't forget about people in vulnerable situations. That is why we propose that at least 25% of the fund should go towards social inclusion, so that everyone can participate in society. The Fund should play a role in tackling homelessness and youth unemployment and special attention should be paid to refugees, regardless of their status. The fund should focus on combating child poverty. Now that the Commission is cutting through many social and progressive laws under the guise of simplification, it is also extremely important that the European Social Fund remains an independent fund, which is not merged with other funds that pursue other goals. If not, the focus and priorities will fade if there is a large fund of funds for the next financial framework. Our message is clear: keep the European Social Fund out of these plans and ensure that the money is spent on the right goals. This is to ensure that children do not grow up in poverty. That is why we make it very clear that at least EUR 20 billion must be made available to combat child poverty through the Child Guarantee. The EPP Group is now trying to remove this from the report through amendments. This is incomprehensible, especially as so many children grow up in poverty and poverty and inequality only increase. This is also dangerous. Security in Europe can only be achieved if we achieve social inclusion and provide perspective for children. We owe it to the current and future children to link an amount to these ambitions. Not just words, but actions as well. Butter with the fish, so that we can guarantee that the money will also be available for this and to make it clear that we take our priorities seriously in this area. So tomorrow we have to vote for the ESF, including the child guarantee and the necessary financial resources. I count on the support of everyone.

Madam President, together with 60 Members of the European Parliament, I wrote a letter to you, Commissioner Lahbib, your colleague Commissioner Síkela and the Polish presidency. The decision of the administration of Trump to freeze billions of development assistance does not only have an impact on vulnerable populations and on aid workers worldwide. It also directly threatens the values that we hold at core here in Europe. But the reform of USAID does not take place in isolation. It is a trend, a global trend to cut development assistance, and also in the EU and in the Member States we see this. A country like the Netherlands is cutting billions of dollars on ODA, and thereby we create fertile ground for authoritarian and destabilising powers. Therefore, Commissioner, I ask you again to address these issues at the highest level to make an inventory of the present and potential global impact of the full package of the announced cuts, and share that with this Parliament. Urge Member States to follow through on their commitments, such as the 0.7 GDP for ODA and present concrete steps on how to do this, And finally, increase efforts to bridge the global financing gap on development assistance and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, a month ago Goma fell. We have already talked about this: More than 3,000 people were killed in the city. Five hundred thousand people are on the run, five hundred thousand people on top of the seven million people who are already on the run in Goma. Sexual violence is used as a weapon in warfare. All this because M23, supported by the Rwandan government, has invaded Goma. We know that M23 also finances its actions with minerals that they illegally obtain from Kivu, from the region around Goma. We also know that the European Union is investing in Rwanda. More than 900 million from the Global Gateway to get critical minerals, including from that region. We ask the Commission to speak out against M23, to advocate for a humanitarian corridor, for more humanitarian aid from the European Union and improved care for victims of sexual violence. We also ask that we reflect on our own role, the role of the European Union. That means suspending the deal on critical raw materials, the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda, and no more military support for countries that finance and feed this conflict.