Debate contributions by Auke ZIJLSTRA

Mr President, Brussels has strangled the automotive sector with the introduction of an ideological ban on the internal combustion engine from 2035. However, the transition to electric vehicles is disappointing, without permanent subsidies, and is not successful at all in export markets. For example, Germany, the largest producer, has yet to replace 60% of its production in a very weak market, in which the so-called early adopters already have an electric vehicle. The new proposals again have no knowledge of the depreciation period of investments and the time taken by innovations. The EU only thinks in terms of coercion and subsidies, neither of which helps. The protracted, and now self-induced, economic decline is already underway. Entrepreneurs and investors, both in these and other sectors, know that there are more hurdles than opportunities in the EU. This will not change with the current climate ideology for the time being.

Mr President, Moldova wants to join the Union quickly. And that is not easy, because there are serious problems. The economy, the rule of law, human rights violations, including against women and minorities, the state of prisons, the quality of governance and the fact that a significant proportion of the labour force has already left for the EU. However, the discussion was not about these issues, but constantly about Ukraine, with Moldova even being referred to as the front line. They can't be happy about that either. Significant financial support is already linked to the accession process, but further assistance is needed: $2 billion in loans and grants. The European Commission has not made a risk assessment against the rules. The wishes of the Committee on Budgetary Control, including an independent Court of Auditors and transparency of spending, were rejected. It is a lot of money, more than 10% of GDP, so can a country process it at all? I voted against. Not only because of the lack of an ex ante analysis, the lack of control during the process and afterwards and the lack of an overview of who ultimately gets the money, but because I believe that you cannot buy progress in the accession process. You underestimate the human factor when you think of subsidies to fight corruption or to make the prison system more humane or to make the 45% of Moldovans also enthusiastic about the Union. Soon all measures will have been implemented on paper, but practically nothing has changed, except that the country is a member. Societies can grow to a higher level, but that is not faster if you outsource it to the European Union. Not even for $2 billion.

Mr President, the European Commission – the entire EU – is squatting on the remains of dilapidated foundations. What once started as free trade is now an inextricable tangle of regulations. These regulations kill every form of innovation and free enterprise, as we learn from Mario Draghi's report. The conclusion must therefore be that we must get rid of all those oppressive regulations. Unfortunately, Mr. Draghi, who made the right diagnosis, now prescribes the wrong drugs: even more debt, regulation and interference with free enterprise. A reporter called me last week and asked me: “What do you hope will be in the report?” My answer was that it is a European report and that, with the years of wisdom, I have no hope, only fear. Rightly so, because this report is a good example of this.