Speeches

At the last plenary session, we voted on a resolution calling for a European adequate minimum income. In 2021, 95 million Europeans were at risk of poverty, of which 18 million were children. The European Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, has the ambition to reduce the number of people in poverty by at least 15 million by 2030. To this end, we have already taken many initiatives in recent years, such as wage transparency, adequate minimum wages, the Child Guarantee, the Social Climate Fund, the European Platform on Combating Homelessness and the ongoing file on improving the social protection of platform workers. Due to the energy crisis and high inflation, the cost of living in terms of energy, housing, food... is on the rise. People can barely survive. More and more families are in trouble. That is why it is time to put all sails together and provide a minimum income for the most vulnerable. This, of course, is not a universal European minimum income. The differences between Member States are too great for this. All European countries already have some sort of minimum income, but it is too low to be effective. We need to move towards the European at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Poverty has no place in our society. Europe will be social, or it will not be.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your views. It is clear that a large majority of this House agrees with the urgency of ratifying this treaty. It is indeed a milestone in eradicating violence and harassment in the workplace, but let me also be very clear: Although ratification of this treaty is a major step forward for millions of women in the European Union, it is clearly not an end point. Our struggle will only be fought if everyone, including the most vulnerable groups, can benefit from a safe working environment free of violence and intimidation. I therefore hope that we can count on everyone in this hemisphere, on your support, on the support of your political groups, for the adoption of the recommendation at the vote later today.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, colleagues, first of all, I would like to thank my colleague and co-rapporteur Kira Marie Peter-Hansen for the good cooperation in recent weeks and all the people who have contributed to this. Last week was International Women's Day. A reason to reflect on the achievements during this legislature: the directive on pay transparency, the directive for more women on company boards, and also on violence against women, major steps have been taken by the EU. Last year, for example, the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention to combat violence against women and domestic violence was finally ratified, and last month the trilogue agreement on the European directive on gender-based violence was adopted. The Directive provides for more than 50 measures in the area of violence against women. Protecting, preventing and prosecuting gender-based violence. I hope that today we can extend this list to include the Convention on Violence and Harassment. The International Labour Organisation adopted this convention more than four years ago and more than four years later we can finally take a step further at European level. This Convention provides a comprehensive instrument to combat all forms of violence and harassment against all workers and also helps trainees, students, volunteers, jobseekers, applicants and people whose contracts have been terminated. This is not too early, as one in two women in the EU has experienced some form of sexual harassment at least once since the age of 15. And in 32% of cases of sexual harassment, the perpetrator was someone from the woman’s work environment – a colleague, boss or client. These are hallucinatory figures, which will only increase if we do not intervene. Because a world full of rapid technological and organizational change creates an additional risk of violence and harassment in the workplace. In recent years, I have worked here in Parliament for a safe and healthy working environment. But that also includes a working environment that is free from violence and intimidation. Following the ratification process, it is up to Member States to transpose national legislation and to adopt an integrated and inclusive approach to prevent and remedy violence and harassment in the workplace. We need to involve all actors in the world of work and three priorities are crucial: the role of trade unions in prevention and awareness-raising policies, increased attention to the most vulnerable who are more likely to be victims of violence at work, such as persons with disabilities, migrants and people from the LGBTIQ community, and also increased attention to the sectors with the greatest challenges, such as the domestic sector or the informal economy, and – thirdly – data collection. Measuring is knowing. Data is crucial for future policy decisions. In the meantime, seven EU countries have already ratified the Convention. There was already an overwhelming majority in the EMPL and FEMM committees in favour of this report. I therefore call on you to support our recommendation so that we can finally work towards a work environment free of violence and intimidation.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, 70 years ago, Abbé Pierre already called for homelessness to be tackled. Yet more and more people and families are facing homelessness. In the last survey of housing exclusion of Feantsa and the Abbé Pierre foundation, the number of homeless people is estimated at almost 900 000. This is a doubling compared to ten years ago. However, the right to decent housing and adequate services for the homeless is one of the priorities of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Moreover, in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, we have set a clear objective: By 2030, we want to lift 15 million people out of poverty, including 5 million children. With the Lisbon Declaration, we made a commitment in 2021 to end homelessness by 2030. The European Platform on Combating Homelessness established for this purpose has already proven its added value in several Member States. This shows that with a long-term, consistent and efficient policy we can really reverse the trend. It is therefore very important that the platform can continue to function sustainably and that the necessary budget is also provided, along with, of course, an ambitious work programme. We need to step up the fight against homelessness and poverty and deliver on our promises. Only in this way can we ensure that the further roll-out of our social pillar is guaranteed in the coming years and decades. Let us tackle poverty and homelessness together to ensure that no one is left behind in our European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the fifth revision of the Carcinogens Directive is extremely important for the health of 100,000 workers who are regularly exposed to lead and the 4.2 million workers who come into contact with diisocyanates in Europe. I am pleased that tomorrow we can vote in favour of a balanced agreement in which the health of workers is the highest priority, but which at the same time gives the opportunity to our own European lead and battery sector to help meet the climate objectives. We go to a lead value that is up to five times lower than the dated limit value of 1982. For diisocyanates we set a limit value for the first time. We have also found a solution for employees who have historically high lead values in their blood. The agreement also provides for better training and awareness-raising on the health effects for workers, in particular women. In addition, the Carcinogens Directive will be further extended to include, inter alia, endocrine disruptors. In addition, there will be initiatives to better protect firefighters from exposure to carcinogens. The agreement also focuses on additional measures against the so-called cocktail effect. I therefore ask you to vote for the trilogue agreement tomorrow and for the Member States to transpose the directive as soon as possible so that 4.3 million workers can benefit from a safer workplace. Finally – this was actually the last file on health and safety at work of this parliamentary term – I would like to thank the Commissioner and colleagues, especially across party borders, for their very good cooperation. I think there are few files when it comes to the protection of workers in the workplace where there is such a consensus across party boundaries, where we have been able to work shoulder to shoulder, often with the same people, with the same rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs. It is therefore very nice to be able to conclude these files in a positive way. And of course also with our colleague – unfortunately – Véronique Trillet-Lenoir in mind. I would also like to thank the rapporteur, our colleague Nikolaj Villumsen, for the very good cooperation and, of course, all the colleagues who are here from the different political groups.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, labour mobility is ubiquitous: 10 million EU citizens work in another Member State and the same number of non-EU citizens work in the EU. This offers opportunities, but it should not be a deterrent to abuse and social dumping. Therefore, the European Labour Authority (ELA) was established to facilitate well-functioning labour markets, to support social security systems and to ensure fair competition in the internal market. For example, in 2022, ELA facilitated 37 inspections covering 2700 workers in different sectors, such as transport, construction, distribution, agriculture and meat industry. A total of 1762 infringements were identified, but ELA’s activities are limited by the voluntary nature of cooperation and the participation of Member States. We therefore call for a thorough review and extension of the ELA mandate so that the Authority itself can investigate alleged infringements and organise inspections. That is why we are also calling for more national labour and social security inspections and an increase in the resources for ELA itself. We call for more involvement of the social partners and for more cooperation between Member States and, as many colleagues have already mentioned, to extend the application to non-EU nationals. The extension of the ELA mandate should lead to a more social Europe that guarantees workers' rights and effectively tackles social fraud, abuse and dumping.

Mr President, Commissioner, Council representatives, colleagues, decent housing for all, it seems obvious, but unfortunately the reality shows something else. 15 million families in the EU spend more than 40% of their income on housing. 34 million families are living in difficult conditions and 8 million families are at risk of housing shortage. The most recent report by Feantsa and the Abbé Pierre Foundation estimates the number of homeless people at almost 900 000. This is a doubling compared to ten years ago. In 2021, we made a commitment to end homelessness by 2030. Time is ticking. The European Platform on Combating Homelessness was set up to this end and is bearing fruit. Eight Member States have drawn up a national action plan and 15 others are in full preparation. With the Avilés Declaration in September, Member States reaffirmed the role of the European Platform as an important catalyst. We must therefore ensure that the future functioning of the platform is guaranteed beyond the current work programme. Concrete projects such as Housing First offer unique opportunities to help homeless people, often with very complex needs, overcome a roof. But also a strong social housing policy in the Member States, with sufficient investment in social housing, can really make the difference towards stable housing for every European family. Access to decent housing is not only one of the basic principles of our European social pillar, but also an essential pillar of the European Child Guarantee. Let us work on this together, the Union together with the Member States.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, three years after the European Parliament itself took the initiative, the European Commission and the European Council are also convinced of stricter asbestos legislation. Every year, 88 000 Europeans still die from the effects of asbestos. As part of the Green Deal, we are facing immense waves of renovation and large amounts of asbestos will be released. If this invisible killer is not safely removed, the number of asbestos-related diseases and deaths will again increase dramatically. The agreement we have reached is an immense step forward for the health of our workers. Within six years at the latest, the exposure value of asbestos will be 50 times lower than the current limit. We provide additional protective measures, such as contamination procedures to avoid secondary exposure, we provide additional training and awareness-raising, and European funding is made available to Member States to enable a successful transition. In addition, in the interests of the safety of the fire brigade and emergency services, all information relating to the presence of asbestos in buildings should be accessible. It is a strong agreement thanks to a very good cooperation within Parliament – you have already referred to it, Commissioner – between the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs. Together we are stronger. Unfortunately, we have not fully reached the finish line and we have had to say goodbye to our highly valued Renew colleague Véronique Trillet-Lenoir. This was her report, her file. Véronique, you were a top colleague. Colleagues, I conclude. Let's put an end once and for all to the dark legacy of asbestos and support this agreement across the Chamber tomorrow, as a tribute to Véronique.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, poverty and social exclusion still affect 95 million Europeans today, including almost 20 million children. The cost of living is skyrocketing. Energy costs remain high. Renting a house or even just doing groceries has become almost priceless for many families. More and more people are finding it difficult to make ends meet. More and more people are turning to food banks. This leads to an exponential increase in demand, while supply decreases. In addition, prices have increased by around 30 %. The financial support for the FEAD from the ESF+ and the additional resources from the REACT-EU programme are much needed to more or less maintain food aid levels. But all the flashing lights are on red, dark red. A continued commitment to the most vulnerable is our moral duty, both from the European Union and from the Member States. So more is needed. Those who have the ambition to lift 15 million people out of poverty by 2030 will have to do more than just provide direct crisis relief. Structural measures continue to be required, and the next legislature will need to revise and strengthen the social pillar. We can no longer step on the ground in the fight against poverty. As far as I am concerned, Member States that attach great importance to subsidiarity may have a little more policy testosterone in the social field.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is high time that we offered our fire brigade the best possible protection, before, during and after the interventions. 52% of annual work-related deaths are currently attributed to work-related cancer. Research shows that firefighters are indeed up to 300% more likely to have cancer than ordinary workers. We have already taken many important steps. I am thinking of our cancer report, asbestos report and the successive revisions of the Carcinogens Exposure Directive. We have always focused on extra protective measures for the fire brigade, because the profession is becoming increasingly complex. They come into contact with more and more chemicals whose harmfulness we don't even know yet. So the work is not finished. And that is why the fire brigade and emergency services must be given access to a register of hazardous materials present in buildings. In the event of major disasters in border areas, there should be good coordination for the traceability of chemicals between Member States, and better hygiene measures and decontamination after intervention should be promoted through awareness-raising and training to avoid secondary exposure. Firefighters are taking care of our safety. It is our duty to ensure their safety.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, exactly two years ago, the action plan for the roll-out of the Social Pillar was presented. So it's time to take stock and see where we stand with our expensive promises. We have already taken many steps: the Directive on adequate minimum wages, the Pay Transparency Directive – which aims to ensure that work pays and address the pay gap –, better protection against hazardous substances in the workplace, the Child Guarantee, the Social Climate Fund, the European Platform on Combating Homelessness and the ongoing file of platform workers. But due to the energy crisis and high inflation, the cost of living is now on the rise. People can barely survive. More and more families are in trouble. At the current pace, we will not reach the target of reducing the number of people in poverty by 15 million by 2030. There are no crises to turn the clock back a few decades. On the contrary. On the eve of Rerum Novarum, it is high time to make every effort to ensure that everyone can join, including the most vulnerable, in line with the principles of the European Social Charter and the Social Pillar. Europe will be social or it will not be.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, as a former coordinator for the EPP in the BECA committee, I have always focused on public health. Ensuring a healthy environment, free from exposure to harmful chemicals, is essential. We clearly fall short in this area. In the meantime, we no longer get many of these harmful substances from our environment, and even from the human body. Science is crystal clear: Exposure to harmful chemicals is at the origin of certain cancers, fertility problems, lowered IQ and elevated cholesterol. Everyone knows PFAS, of course, but it is of course about much more than just this group of substances. For the most part, we don't even know how harmful they are to public health, let alone the longer-term cumulative effect and cocktail effects. This is no longer possible. First, let's look at the substances that are already on the market. With a family approach based on scientific evidence and faster processes, it should be possible to intervene earlier when it appears that public health is at risk. Non-essential use should be immediately changed. But the best way to avoid exposure to harmful and carcinogenic non-degradable chemicals is to ensure that they simply cannot enter the market, with a reverse burden of proof. Substances should only be placed on the market if it is established that they do not pose a threat to public health. That is why we need to put public health firmly at the centre. The Pandemic of the silent killers We have to deal with it now.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, colleagues, poverty and social exclusion still affect 91 million Europeans, including 18 million children. The coronavirus crisis and the war in Ukraine have only exacerbated conditions. Due to rising prices, people in poverty can hardly survive. With the European Child Guarantee, every child should have access to essential basic services: care, education, housing, health care and healthy food. Only in this way can we break the cycle of generational poverty. However, there are still Member States that have not submitted a national action plan, and this is incomprehensible. However, ESF+ provides financial resources to support those actions. And yes, it is important to closely monitor the implementation of this in order to have a clear view of the use of the resources. But exceptional circumstances call for exceptional measures, and if additional financial resources are needed, Commissioner, we must foresee them. For those who do not commit to children in poverty lose an entire generation. We have set ourselves targets to lift 5 million children out of poverty by 2030. We have to live up to this.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, for almost a decade, the European Commission’s proposal for a directive has been blocked by the Member States. Unfortunately, in those ten years of negotiations, we have seen little progress in Europe in the presence of women on boards. That is precisely why this directive is so important. From 1 July 2026, the composition of the boards of directors will have to be more balanced. Yes, in an ideal world, quotas may be superfluous, but we see that they are needed and we see that they work. In Belgium, for example, there has been a clear improvement since the introduction of the 2012 federal quota law. In 2020, for the first time, more than a third of the total number of board members were women. Ten years ago it was less than 10%. In 2022, boards should no longer be synonymous with closed men's clubs. We need women at every table where important decisions are made. Only in this way will we move towards a more balanced union, towards a more balanced society.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, 10 October was mental health day and this issue cannot be sufficiently highlighted. The cost of mental health problems is estimated to exceed 4% of GDP in all EU Member States. The cost of work-related depression is estimated at €620 billion per year. Other research has shown that the number of children and young people with mental health problems has doubled since the pandemic. That is why we must get rid of the taboo that still rests on mental health. I am therefore pleased that President von der Leyen in her State of the Union announced a mental health initiative for 2023. After addressing the economic consequences of the pandemic, including the SURE mechanism for temporary unemployment and the successful roll-out of the vaccination campaign for the physical protection of the health of our citizens, it is now high time to also address the mental health consequences of, inter alia, the pandemic with the same drive.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today is the International Day against Poverty. However, people in poverty deserve our attention not only today, but all days of the year. Poverty still affects 91 million people – including 18 million children – in Europe. The cost of living in terms of energy, housing and food is on the rise. People can hardly survive and the purchasing power crisis affects not only the lower incomes but also the low middle incomes. All this is absolutely unacceptable. We have committed ourselves to lifting 15 million people out of poverty by 2030. We must and will realize this. This is precisely why the roll-out of the Social Pillar Action Plan is so essential. That is precisely why it is good that important dossiers such as the directive on European minimum wages have been brought to a successful conclusion. That is precisely why we must firmly support future files – on a Social Climate Fund, on platform workers, on pay transparency. And that is precisely why we must continue the fight against homelessness and for affordable housing. It should not be limited to words and good intentions. We need an integrated and structural anti-poverty strategy that addresses the causes of poverty and makes the EU more resilient to future crises. We owe it to our Europeans. Poverty has no place in our society. As you said in a webinar: ‘Poverty belongs in a museum.’ Europe will be, or will not be, social.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, after two years, we are finally giving the green light to European minimum wages today. I would therefore like to congratulate the rapporteurs: You're a good tandem and, as far as I'm concerned, you can solve a lot of files together. At last, because according to Eurostat figures, more than 20 million European workers are at risk of poverty. Unfortunately, the impact of the pandemic, inflation and high energy prices will only increase the number of working poor in the coming years. Finally, because research shows that countries with a strong tradition of collective bargaining have higher minimum wages and less wage inequality. Moreover, in Member States where minimum wages are low, poverty is highest. That is why this agreement is so important for many millions of Europeans and why the directive aims to strengthen the involvement of social partners in all Member States. I would like to conclude with the words of the President of the Commission in her 2020 State of the Union address: “Everyone should have access to minimum wages, because minimum wages work and it is time for work to pay.” Colleagues, I call on you to support this file.

Mr President, the ‘social economy’ action plan is particularly important for the 14 million workers who work in it. In recent years we have seen a rapid growth of the sector, with an increasing importance of social entrepreneurship in our society. The action plan was needed to ensure that the sector could continue to grow sustainably and socially in the future. I would like to highlight three important elements: First, a revision of the existing State aid rules. The current rules too often put a brake on the functioning of social enterprises. In order to be able to grow tailor-made companies, this relaxation of the regulations is therefore much needed. Secondly, we must continue to focus on socially responsible public procurement. These public procurements represent 14% of European GDP and can therefore be an important tool for achieving the social objective of the European Social Pillar. Thirdly, an unambiguous European definition makes it easier for genuine social enterprises to differentiate themselves, both in public procurement and in access to European funds. This action plan should give a social boost to our labour market, so that people who are often not included in the regular labour market can participate in our society in a meaningful and full way.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is an open door when I say that we will vote on a historic package of measures this week. To continue the path towards a climate-neutral continent, we need to be ambitious and social. A more comprehensive emissions trading system, a carbon tax at our European external border and climate-neutral vehicles. And in Belgium, we are sharpening our ambition for the latter even further. But, ladies and gentlemen, we must also reflect on reality at the same time. Many families find it difficult to provide their homes with sufficient energy. Exorbitant increases in energy prices, the consequences of the war in Ukraine and higher post-corona prices are hitting low incomes and low middle incomes the hardest. The climate transition must be for everyone, not just those who can afford it. After all, not everyone has the financial space to renovate a home, or to invest in an electric car. This is why the Social Climate Fund is so important. Because colleagues, the climate transition will be social or will not be.

Let me begin with a quote from Hillary Clinton: “Women are always the first victims of war. They lose their husbands, their fathers, their sons in battle.” And I would add: They often lose their dignity. And the Women's Council says it correctly. Armed conflicts have long ceased to be a matter of armies fighting far from the civilian population. Women and children account for as much as 70% of civilian casualties. This isn't a coincidence. Rape and other sexual barbarism are systematically used as a weapon of war. Millions of Ukrainian women and children have also fled to Europe. Both inside and outside the conflict zone, they are in particular at risk of falling into the hands of rogue individuals and organisations. To protect their human dignity, we need to move much faster with, among other things, an action plan to prevent and combat crimes, more specialised healthcare and trauma care for women and girls who are being abused, a coordinated approach for unaccompanied minors, and special attention to the courageous women in the Ukrainian army who have to survive in captivity today. We demand strict monitoring of compliance with international conventions on the law of war. And it was our Parliament President Roberta Metsola who was the first leader to visit Ukraine. Perhaps it is time – and I conclude – that we get the UN resolution 1325 off the ground, so that more women are involved in peace negotiations. They often appear to be game changers in horrific wars.

Mr President, a sustainable environmental policy focuses on a pollution-free environment and always takes human health into account. However, we are not that far yet. We still have a tough marathon ahead of us. Nevertheless, we can save ourselves a lot of headwinds by preventing toxic substances from being given a second life through the recycling process. After all, it cannot be the intention to re-expose people to harmful and often toxic chemicals. We want and need to protect both employees and consumers to the maximum. Stronger rules are needed to limit and prevent exposure, especially as we increasingly focus on recycling in the context of the circular economy. The circular economy must also be toxic-free. The limits that we are tightening today are a first step in the right direction in this regard. However, this can and should be done faster. The regulation of harmful substances should no longer be addressed per substance but per group. Non-essential uses of substances proven to be harmful should be irrevocably eliminated. Public health must always and resolutely indicate the direction of our regulations in these files. In this case, this direction is stricter.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are voting on our report for a new strategic framework on health and safety at work for more than 170 million workers in Europe. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the rapporteur, Mr Vind, and the shadow rapporteurs for yet another very good cooperation. They are always the same rapporteurs on these issues and it is very pleasant to work with you – shoulder to shoulder, across party lines. This strategic framework not only builds on the existing ones, but also addresses new trends in the labour market, such as mental well-being, teleworking and platform work. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, more than 40% of workers started teleworking. In addition to many benefits, this has also led to an increase in psychosocial and ergonomic complaints. Since corona, there has also been an increase in mental health problems among employees, such as burnout or depression. That is why we are calling in our report for a directive on mental health at work. In 2022, no one should be allowed to die in the workplace simply because they are doing their job. By 2022, no one should be allowed to die in the workplace due to exposure to asbestos or carcinogens, nor due to a lack of safety provisions at work. And yet 200 000 Europeans still die each year from occupational diseases, half of them from occupational cancers. In recent years, we have taken many steps forward in tackling the most dangerous carcinogens and in the asbestos report. But in order to actually achieve our ambitious goal, we will have to step up our efforts. That is why our report also calls for higher risk prevention, ambitious safety standards, better European coordination of safety rules and additional labour inspections. I therefore call on you, ladies and gentlemen, to support this report en masse.

Mr President, it is a historic week for the fight against cancer in Europe: yesterday we adopted Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and today we are voting on the fourth revision of the Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work. Almost a year and a half after the European Commission's proposal for a directive, the European Parliament can present a fantastic result. This review is a real milestone in the fight against cancer due to occupational exposure to hazardous substances. The Directive already included occupational exposure limit values for 30 carcinogens and mutagens and is now being extended to include substances harmful to reproduction and HMPs. This is what the European Parliament has been working towards since the first revision of the directive. However, our work is not finished with this. Eighty thousand workers still die each year in the European Union from cancer as a result of occupational exposure to the above-mentioned substances. This should be stopped in 2022. The fourth revision of the Directive should therefore be followed up by the Commission as soon as possible with an action plan to address the following 25 substances on the list of dangerous carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances. To achieve this, both the recommendations of the report of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer, which we voted on yesterday, and those of the report on the protection of workers from asbestos, which was voted on in October 2021, need to be transposed into legislation. Only in this way can we ensure that employees no longer die of cancer because they simply do their job. I am therefore counting on massive support for this report.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear rapporteur, dear Véronique, after a year and a half of hard work, listening to experts and a working visit to the World Health Organisation, we have sharpened our knowledge with progressive insight. The result is a comprehensive cancer plan. The momentum is now. Every year, 2.7 million Europeans are diagnosed with cancer. Here is a partner of a patient who has already had cancer four times. It puts you on an emotional rollercoaster, from the first bad news smack over autopilot in the treatments to a future perspective, at most from control to control. Our goal was clear: a 360-degree approach that focuses on all stages of the disease and puts the patient at the centre. Our proposals go beyond those of the Commission, and that is good, that is Parliament's job. We ask specific attention for adolescents and young adults. They must be recognized as a separate group. We call for a European right to be forgotten, better protection of our workers in the workplace, the joint purchase of medicines. Each patient should receive the best possible treatment. It can't be that your chances of survival depend on where you were born or on your income. Finally, as the President has already said, it cannot be more symbolic today. Today is World Child Cancer Day. Above all, let them be the yardstick of what we will vote tonight.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I am a Christian Democrat and, even more so, I am an ideological heir to the Christian workers’ movement, and I am proud of that. It is encyclicals such as Rerum Novarum that give me the courage to regularly go against the flow, and sometimes even give my group leader some grey hair. That is also why I am asking for the floor here, because it would be a historical mistake to leave the defence of Christianity to the extreme right alone. I support the Commission's intention to make this Union more inclusive, so that everyone is valued and recognised, regardless of religion or belief. And the criticism of the internal guide was partly justified, it is good that it was withdrawn, but it also shows leadership that one dares to do so. After all, the road to inclusion does not run through mandatory language, but through binding language, where there is room for differences, where everyone can be themselves, including Christians. This is exactly what our founding fathers With our European project in mind: connected in diversity. We are for religious freedom. Let us not keep the holidays of the religious communities silent, but let people honor their traditions and let us look ahead. I conclude, President, with what makes our society truly more inclusive, because too many people are still excluded or structurally discriminated against. We will continue to work on this together. Above all, let us promote the peace, tolerance and solidarity that Christmas represents.