Speeches

Honourable President, Honourable Commissioner! Let's be honest: European social policy, many people turn off and think: This has nothing to do with me, it does not affect me, most of it is decided at the national level anyway. Here, European directives show that European policy saves lives, hundreds of thousands of lives – in case of doubt, your colleagues, your friends, your relatives. And that's why it's important that we deliver the message together: We have already achieved a lot here, but we have to go much further, because there are still many people who make their work sick, who die by going to work every day and doing their job. And that is why we want to ensure that even more substances that are carcinogenic, that are genetically modified, are absorbed and that we ensure here: Our goal is that we have zero dead people who die through their work, because work must not make them sick, work must not kill. And that is why we need to be much more ambitious here. In this sense: Support the policy, put pressure on it!

Madam President, dear Mrs O'Reilly! I really want to thank you for your tireless commitment, for full transparency. They want to open the window wide so that citizens can really see how decisions are made. Some people just want to open a gap so that you can take a look. But we see how seriously you take your work, and I think that's important. I listened to your presentation. In fact: 2020 was a very special year, and we had to act quickly. And yet it is important that transparency is respected and that you also have clear communication, because without this we will not achieve democratic resilience. And the currency for that is really trust. That is why I would like to thank you once again for really putting your finger in the wound and insisting that the contracts with the pharmaceutical companies really create clarity here, otherwise only conspiracy myths will be supported and, I think, fake news will be promoted. We can't let that happen. Therefore: The future is made of courage. You've had enough of that. With a small office, but still a big order. And there you have our full support as S&D faction.

Mr President, Commissioner, Secretary of State! I would like to start with a quote from a 16-year-old, which she made during a recording with us at the Bavarian Youth Ring; She said: “I can't go out and have my own experiences. All I have left is to read books about the lives of young people.” I think adolescence is really a phase of life that is irretrievable, experiences that can only be made at this stage, and that's why the frustration of youth grows, and many feel put around the best time. That is why it is important that we actually make a solid catch-up programme for these young people here, not just symbolic gestures – a bit more Youth Guarantee here and a bit actually other programmes there. And that actually means that we have to make investments for it, that we really give this youth a perspective for the future. In order to really establish credibility – and it all starts with a first step – I also recommend saying that we put a stop to unpaid traineeships and that we give young people genuinely paid perspectives as an entry point into the profession.

Madam President, Mr President, Europe will be social or it will not be. Es ist kein Zufall, dass dieses geflügelte Wort in französischer Sprache nach Europa gekommen ist. Es gehört quasi zur DNA jeder französischen Präsidentschaft, das soziale Europa voranzubringen. Und ich stimme Ihnen absolut zu, dass die Ungleichheit das Friedensversprechen wirklich gefährdet. Und neue Studien wie von Oxfam zeigen wirklich deutlich, dass COVID-19 ein Brandbeschleuniger für Ungleichheit ist. Umso wichtiger ist dieses Leuchtturmprojekt für faire Mindestlöhne, die wirklich dazu beitragen, die Taschen der Menschen, die arbeiten, wieder angemessen zu füllen, und auch dafür zu sorgen, dass wir eine gute und starke Tarifpolitik haben. Deshalb kann es sich weder die französische Ratspräsidentschaft noch können wir als Parlament es uns leisten, dass diese Verhandlungen scheitern. Und bezüglich Ihres Bonmots von Schuman, mit dem Sie noch einmal auf die kreativen Bemühungen abgestellt haben, würde ich Sie sehr bitten, was die Verordnung 883 anbelangt – die soziale Sicherheit –, Ihr kreatives Bemühen yesterday einzubringen.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner! I am pleased to be speaking here in this House today on a topic that is very, very close to my heart, and I believe most of those in this room. And I am also pleased, dear Nicolas, that you are part of our debate today, because that is an important signal from the Commission. We all know that we are really living in times of quite a change. And we see that in many areas of work, digitalization is progressing, that automation is replacing work steps and jobs, that the role of artificial intelligence is increasing, including in the allocation or evaluation of work. The list could be greatly expanded here. At the same time, we have agreed on a Green Deal, with which the Paris Agreement really sets us great goals. And with this, just as with digitalization, enormous transformations are associated. And it is also the case that in certain regions and also in certain sectors they trigger worries and fears, because we know that millions of people are affected by these transformations. We have also talked a lot about democracy in recent months, especially in the context of the Future Conference – how important it is for us to involve and involve people in truly shaping solutions and shaping their own future. And, of course, this also applies to the world of work. And that is why it is as important as in the report that we give workers a voice, that we involve them in decisions, and that is part of the DNA of the social market economy and therefore also of the DNA of social Europe. And there are good examples in Europe that both sides, capital and labour, benefit from companies being better off if they engage employees early and appropriately. For example, last week I had the opportunity to speak to Unilever's European works council. The company recently signed a European framework agreement with the Euro Works Council on the future of work. And noteworthy are two things I want to highlight here: One thing is that this agreement underlines once again that the pursuit of pure profit, regardless of the employees, creates companies that are not sustainable. And what this agreement does further is that it really provides for concrete upskilling plans for employees, with reskilling, with upskilling, with individual entitlement to counselling, where we have digital disruptions, where new technologies are used. And this gives employees security in change and the opportunity to participate in the change. And that's why it's worth looking at – as many studies show – that companies are more sustainable and better off through crises when they involve workers. They also train more. Even in the case of women's employment, it can be seen that there is more equal pay for equal or equivalent work than in other companies. And that is why it is important that we strengthen this voice, and that is where the report starts. That is why, in the face of these really massive challenges, we call on the Commission to adopt a horizontal approach and to present a European framework directive for participation, for the participation rights of workers, but also to revise the Euro Works Council Directive and for participation in the framework of the European Company. We need minimum standards in all areas that cannot be undermined, whether you are restructuring the company, changing its corporate form or moving its headquarters to another country. We want to enable workers to play an active role in shaping these transitions and not just be the object of these changes. We also want to make companies more sustainable. I therefore ask for broad support for this report, in order to send a really strong signal to the Commission to put forward proposals here during this legislative period. I would also like to wholeheartedly thank the shadow rapporteurs for their constructive work. We have negotiated really hard on the matter, but we have reached compromises on everything, and it is therefore good that the Committee has also really supported this report by a large majority. And I believe that the millions of workers we have here in Europe are waiting for a signal that we are saying: Yes, we will become workers' rights, we will strengthen participation. And so together we will get through this change, this transformation well and make sure that in the end no one is really left behind and that this is not just a hollow phrase, but that we create the tools and the procedures for it, and where they are, we strengthen and improve them. In this sense, I thank you very much.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. We've heard it before: We talk about something for far too long, but it is not done concretely. This is our problem here: We've been talking about it since 2014, and no one will deny that we live in the digital age and have completely different options now. Only in the world of social security coordination has this not been the case at all. We've been following this for years. We have long been able to access data technically in real time. We would not have to have cumbersome procedures. This would also help some Gordian knots, which we have at the moment in certain negotiations. But there is not enough courage to really move forward here and not always to come up with new technical matters, new proposals, but to really act together. That's why I listened carefully to 2023 to ensure that we can move forward and succeed. I like to hear the message, but I lack faith, I must say at this point. That's why we need to keep pushing.

Madam President, Commissioner! I am pleased to be standing here as a shadow rapporteur and to note that, as the European Parliament, we have very clear ideas that we want to strengthen political parties and foundations in Europe, that this is important in order to really create a European public sphere, that European political parties can also play a greater role, including in the Member States, and that they can be visible – and not only on a point-by-point basis when a European election is once again due. That is why it is also important for us to be able to contribute accordingly. Commissioner Jourová said: It is also particularly important for us that the European parties and foundations respect the values we have as a European Union and also carry them forward in their work. Therefore, it cannot be the case that European parties or foundations receiving European funds could, for example, organise events or campaigns that undermine and undermine these values and do not respect them. We need mechanisms for this. It is also important for us to limit the amount of donations in order to reduce opportunities for influence and really ensure independence. I can say for my political group that we don't accept donations at all to ensure that. But limiting it to a total of 3,000 euros is an important step. I would like to thank the two co-rapporteurs. Mr Wieland said: We did not agree on all points. But that's normal. But we agree on the broad lines of strengthening European political parties and foundations and making them more present. And I also thank my shadow rapporteurs for the good work and cooperation.

Madam President, indeed, I’m speaking on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. We contributed to this resolution and I would really like to reiterate the need for allocation of proper financial means for the Committee on Constitutional Affairs’ to be able to respond to its priorities in the next budget. I would like to reiterate that communication with citizens is essential here. The roll out of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the existing participatory instruments like the European Citizens’ Initiative, the Citizens Equality Rights and Values Programme all play a crucial role in strengthening European citizenship and democracy, as we heard this morning. And last but not least, activities aimed at raising awareness and countering disinformation. I am also very much looking forward to seeing the continuation of the implementation of two pilot projects; one of them, in particular, namely Building Europe with Local Entities, which is very important with a view to implementing pilot projects and the Temporary Citizens Assembly.

– Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner! Thank you to the rapporteur! The report really contains everything we need for reconstruction and, in fact, for more resilience in the economy and in society! This is more important than ever in the pandemic, as many have already said. We have a compass. Our compass is the pillar of social rights, which must be applied more strongly here. That's why it's right to say here: We are leaving the path of austerity. We focus on the well-being of citizens. The well-being of citizens can only be achieved through good work, which must be at the centre of attention. And good work, ladies and gentlemen, only goes with a strong role for the social partners, with more people covered by collective agreements that guarantee good wages and good work. That is why it is important that the well-being of the people not only remains such a word, but that we really make sure that there is a corresponding progress pact that ensures that, instead of a technocratic semester. That's why the message is right: New departure here, and no role backwards.

Dear President, Commissioner! I was wondering today: How many times this year has the Commission actually quoted the number of Eurobarometers that nine out of ten European women say that European, social Europe and the capacity to act are very important to them? And I was wondering today: Where was social Europe in the State of the Union speech? I barely discovered it. That is why I am pleased with what has been said on our questions, Commissioner, dear Nicolas. However, it is also important to say here in plain language that I have really had great doubts today as to whether the Commission's top floors have really understood what kind of crisis this pandemic has caused, how it affects millions of people, and that at the same time it is a crisis that strikes everywhere, but affects people very differently. I liked the fact that the Union managed to prevent really large mass unemployment, through the SURE programme, because it reacted quickly and courageously. This was super important, so that we do not have the same unemployment fates as in the financial crisis. An evaluation of SURE is a first step. But my question is: Will the Commission keep its promise that it will really launch a European unemployment reinsurance scheme and that this will not be lost along the way? The second point: I was pleased that the directive on European minimum income was mentioned. Poverty and inequality have grown in this crisis. But here too the question: When can we expect that there will really be a proposal for this? Because this would also give people a perspective and strengthen the confidence that we are not just talking here, but that the European Union is acting. Therefore, my question on the 2022 work programme: What do we find in these questions?

Madam President, Commissioner! I believe that this debate clearly shows that we cannot allow slave-like new forms of work to be created, but that they are, so to speak, in a hip guise. But it is nothing more than a relapse into pre-modern times, in principle before industrialization. And we have labour rights and co-determination, we have won the generations before us, and they are protected by law. But what do we find? In my constituency in Berlin – I want to give an example – drivers from the Gorillas delivery service are fighting to set up a works council. The reality is that these platforms are often centres of competence, how to undermine and simply not apply co-determination, how to deal with labour rights, how to deal with occupational safety. You have hired people for a limited time, and if you want to set up a works council, then the contract expires, it simply does not continue to be employed. This report, dear Nicolas Schmit, is a great opportunity for the Commission to come forward with a directive. And I wanted to say to Mr Reil, who is no longer here: Such a study, you have to finish reading it. Because at Bertelsmann you can find good suggestions on what you can change.

Madam President, Madam Vice-President! We will vote this week on my report amending the Rules of Procedure. This is a bit like the road traffic regulations: It sets very clear rules for how we work and creates a high level of legal certainty. Due to the pandemic, we have already recently decided to amend the Rules of Procedure so that we can continue to function. This had to be done quickly, we had to put forward intensively, and therefore some questions from pre-pandemic times have remained. We have now taken up these and have therefore predetermined mainly technical changes. So we update sources, we introduce new procedures that were already planned, but not yet defined. We delete rules that have become obsolete, we extend the term of office of interparliamentary delegations, and we provide clarity on when decisions and recommendations of coordinators in committee are deemed adopted. Well, I said yes: Mostly technical changes. One question is very political, and it is also important for this Parliament. This is Article 213. It is about the formation of committee bureaux and, in particular, about greater diversity, because without it democracy remains incomplete. So far, this rule states that it is sufficient if a committee does not consist exclusively of male or exclusively female members. Say: A single member is enough, and then the requirements are met. We want to go one step further here. And that is why we propose that the chair and the first vice-chair of a committee should not be of the same sex. In addition, the remaining Executive Board and, in the future, the entire Executive Board will be staffed on a parity basis. This will apply from the next legislature. You all know: The role of the first Vice-Chair is a very special one, and that is why it really makes sense to link this. We usually make our decisions in this working group by consensus. Unfortunately, it was not possible with this rule, and I really tried. Nevertheless, a majority of the political groups support this innovation. I still hope that all the political groups, including the largest in this House, will be able to support my report. What we are saying here is not revolutionary. It's what we've been expecting from listed companies for years. And it is therefore also a question of credibility that we are leading the way here ourselves. Recent experiences such as the Future Conference – Ms Šuica knows this – confirm it: Since the EPP had made a firm plea for a parity occupation and even made its decision for the overall list dependent on it. Colleagues! Then please let us apply this principle of gender parity to all our work and not just à la carte if it fits. Finally, a remark: Even with an abstention, one cannot evade responsibility. For or against gender equality, that's the question. I therefore ask your support for this amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, which then also meets the requirements of the 21st century. It is a small step for you, but a big step for parity and a big step for Parliament. Give yourself a jerk.