What Reinhard spoke about.

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The new security law in Hong Kong and the cases of Andy Li and Joseph John

Mr President, I find it fitting that my last debate in this Parliament does concern human rights, China policy and European relations with an increasingly oppressive and aggressive China under the totalitarian dictatorship of Xi Jinping. What happens in the Indo-Pacific, even though it’s far away, concerns us Europeans centrally. That’s why this Parliament has made an outspoken, realistic and unit…

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response (debate)

Mr President, I consider the word ‘insane’, to describe this debate, as unparliamentary. Maybe you would want to make a remark.

24

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response (debate)

Mr President, High Representative / Vice-President, colleagues, Iran denies Israel’s legitimacy in existing; the inverse is not the case. Whoever just describes recent developments as another act in the perennial cycle of action and reaction and ignores that fundamental reality is not a voice of reason, but a voice of confusion. Unprecedented, Iran’s action is not just because it hasn’t happened b…

10

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Chinese police activity in Europe (debate)

Mr President, Vice-President, Council, colleagues, I want to thank you, Commissioner, for your clear words. This debate about Chinese police activity in Europe is characterised by elements that we have seen in so many of our China-related debates over the last years. China is evermore more audacious and aggressive in pushing its totalitarian policies not only internally but also across their borde…

29

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Composition of committees and delegations

Mr President, colleagues, I rise today to highlight the fate of Oleg Orlov, a human rights activist in Russia who was sentenced on 27 February this year to 2 years and 6 months in a penal colony. Mr Orlov – who is 70 years old – already was a human rights activist in Soviet times. In 1988, he joined Memorial. He served as a member of the Human Rights Centre Board. In 2004 and 2006, he also served …

28

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 (A9-0389/2023 - David McAllister) (vote)

Madam President, colleagues, in line with Rule 180 of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to move the following oral amendment to introduce a new paragraph after Paragraph 57. Here is how it reads: ‘Is strongly concerned about a public statement from President Vučić in February 2024 explicitly endorsing possible military measures from the PRC against Taiwan in contradiction to the EU’s policy sup…

28

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Strengthening European Defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape - Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2023 (joint debate - European security and defence)

Mr President, President von der Leyen, Minister, colleagues, it’s good to have this debate. It’s good to have brought unity in this House. But looking at the crisis which we are confronted with, regarding European security, what is it worth to agree on a CFSP report if we don’t have the national leaders that we would need to turn plans into action? I applaud your speech, President von der Leyen, b…

27

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Unitary supplementary protection certificate for plant protection products - Unitary supplementary certificate for medicinal products - Supplementary protection certificate for plant protection products (recast) - Supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products (recast) - Standard essential patents (joint debate - Patents)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, indeed, it is important to create a new regulation in order to overcome the lack of transparency and to stop the long legal battles that we’ve seen in the past. However, the two co-rapporteurs have presented their proposals as if they were just simple, clear, evident and balanced. I’m not convinced, and INTA has not been convinced. Within industry, within Co…

8

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Multilateral negotiations in view of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, 26-29 February 2024 (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, the perpetually repeated news about the imminent death of the WTO has been vastly exaggerated. And that is good, because we need the WTO. Commissioner Johansson, you have pointed out the priorities that are at the centre of our agenda, and I agree, we agree. We need dispute settlement. We need to avoid digital trade tariffs. We need mainstreaming of developm…

6

Feb

2024

EN Question

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State of play of the implementation of the Global Gateway and its governance two years after its launch (debate)

Mr Urban Crespo, you said that Global Gateway amounts to green colonialism. Could you substantiate that accusation by pointing out which of the projects that the Commissioner presented amount to green colonialism?…

6

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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State of play of the implementation of the Global Gateway and its governance two years after its launch (debate)

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, colleagues, I’m glad we have this debate, because we need the full energy and the creativity and the common efforts also of this House to promote the Global Gateway’s agenda. The Global Gateway was announced in 2021. In 2022, it was bogged down because of internal contradictions within the Brussels bureaucracy. In 2023, the Global Gateway made substantial progress…

6

Feb

2024

EN Question

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The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

You advocated a whole lot of anti-Americanism, I didn’t expect anything else. But are you not ashamed that you speak on this topic without mentioning, with a single word, the responsibility of the Russian dictator Putin for this war? Aren’t you ashamed?…

6

Feb

2024

EN Question

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Conclusions of the European Council meetings, in particular the special European Council meeting of 1 February 2024 (debate)

Colleague, as you just expressed your strong support for helping Ukraine to help us defend the European security architecture and our freedom, would you support the Estonian proposal that every EU Member State should dedicate 0.25 % of their GDP to military support for Ukraine?…

5

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, dear colleagues, this Parliament has supported the Commission’s connectivity policy with broad majorities. This Parliament has been in favour of the Global Gateway Initiative. Fortunately, groups have agreed to have this debate this week, but this Parliament is not just a supporter, this Parliament can also help shape the agenda. We have a contribution to make. We want more clarit…

13

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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The abduction of Tibetan children and forced assimilation practices through Chinese boarding schools in Tibet

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, we’re discussing here a Chinese policy that is of the making of the Communist Party, Emperor Xi Jinping himself. It’s a policy directed against 1 million Tibetan children and against the whole Tibetan nations. A diligently planned policy organised with the utmost brutally bureaucratic efficiency, a comprehensive and unrelenting push for the forced assimil…

13

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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EU-Japan relations (A9-0373/2023 - Reinhard Bütikofer) (vote)

Madam President, colleagues, it’s been at least 10 years since we have not looked at the wider relationship between the EU and Japan, even though Japan obviously is one of our best and most important likeminded partners globally. The economic relations have thrived, but as regards other dimensions, including security, research and development, global high-quality infrastructure development, the du…

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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EU-China relations (debate)

Mr President, Vice-President / High Representative, colleagues, the recent EU China summit demonstrated that we’re far from out of the woods in our relations with Beijing, and we won’t be anytime soon. Of course, we can hope that at some point in the future, China may again try to become a responsible stakeholder, but presently, let’s not fool ourselves. China is a dictatorial and totalitarian reg…

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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EU-US relations (debate)

Mr President, HR/VP, colleagues, the bottom line of our relationship with the United States can be captured in one sentence: ‘we should be partners in leadership and responsibility’, as you have quoted from the text. DC has often asked us to shoulder more responsibility, and that’s justified. But they do not always listen when we ask for more partnership in leadership. However, the United States i…

12

Dec

2023

EN Question

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Environmental consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the need for accountability (debate)

Thank you for taking my question. There are actors that aid and abet Russia’s war of aggression. What is your opinion on the question of whether we should also make those countries that aid and abet Russia’s war of aggression responsible and also try to make them pay the cost?…

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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European Economic Security Strategy (debate)

Mr President, I wanted to propose that we buy a ‘Wallace and Daly’ record and play it at the end of every debate.

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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European Economic Security Strategy (debate)

Mr President, Vice-President, colleagues, without an effective economic security strategy, ten years down the line European industry will not have a seat at the table but be on the menu. That’s why I’m grateful to President von der Leyen and also executive Vice-President Dombrovskis for taking the lead in this conversation. And I do agree with what you said, Mr Borrell, that we look to need to loo…

12

Dec

2023

EN Question

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Need to release all hostages, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and prospect of the two-state solution (debate)

Mrs Villanueva Ruiz, in the English translation that I followed, you said that Gaza is being turned into an extermination area by Israel. Can you please explain that sentence?

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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Need to release all hostages, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and prospect of the two-state solution (debate)

Mr President, HR/VP, colleagues, I will try to follow your advice, Josep Borrell, and talk without emotions. There’s a lot that I would criticise or do criticise about the way in which the Netanyahu government conducts this self-defence against Hamas, but I think it is not right to put so much of the blame just one-sidedly on Israel. You said, and I quote you, ‘Israel refuses a political solution’…

12

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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EU-Taiwan trade and investment relations (debate)

Mr President, Executive Vice-President, colleagues, first of all, I want to thank colleague Iuliu Winkler for his work. I also want to state that I’m proud that this Parliament, over the last almost five years, has done quite a lot to consequently work on enhancing the relationship between the EU and Taiwan. The debate today is another step in that direction, and I think that is very important. I …

12

Dec

2023

EN Question

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Framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials (debate)

Colleague, you have explained how much Polish coal stands at the centre of our future. My question is: for how long do you think should we stick to the coal approach that you are advocating? 10 years? 20 years? 50 years?…