Speeches

Madam President! Millions of Ukrainians have fled Putin's brutal war crimes. Some are internally displaced, some have fled across the border into the EU. We need to make sure they're all helped. From food to medicine, from school to roof over your head. We cannot leave this task to the neighbouring countries alone. Let us join forces through a solidarity-based distribution of refugees in the European Union. Not only Ukrainians are suffering under Putin's regime. The brave Russian men and women who take to the streets for peace, the conscientious objectors and deserters who refuse to wage Putin's brutal war, they need our help and they must be able to find security in the EU. People fleeing war and repression deserve protection, whether they are from Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan or Syria.

Mr. President! Commissioners! Colleagues! No one should get cancer from going to work, but unfortunately it happens all too often. Every year, around 100,000 people lose their lives due to work-related cancer in the EU. Others lose the opportunity to have children because they are exposed to hazardous chemicals in their workplace. It shouldn't be like that. That is why we on the left and the European trade union movement have been pushing for action for a long time, and now something is happening. I am both happy and proud of the result we have negotiated home. This will lead to better protection for cleaners, industrial workers and nurses. Overall, it is estimated that more than one million employees in the EU will be better protected if the proposal is adopted today. For workers in industry, this means better protection against carcinogens. For healthcare professionals, this will mean better protection against harmful medical products. For many female employees, this will mean better protection against chemicals that harm fertility and the ability to have children. I would like to thank you for your cooperation with the other negotiators. It has been tough negotiations, but we have managed to achieve a big and important victory. A victory for hundreds of thousands of workers in the EU. So, dear colleagues, thank you for your cooperation. Let us vote in favour of the proposal.

Madam President, are violations of human rights and breaches of the rule of law acceptable? Certainly not. Are human rights violations and breaches of the rule of law by EU Member States acceptable? Of course not. That is why the EU should have taken action years ago when the violations in Hungary and Poland started. Dear Commissioner, you have hesitated before. I now see that you are hesitating again. Let me be clear: either the Commission acts now or the European Parliament will force you to do so. You have had more than a year to act since the establishment of the rule of law mechanism. Since then, things have only turned for the worse for the people of Hungary and Poland. They deserve action.

Madam President! The people of Ukraine deserve peace and freedom. The current Russian aggression, the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of Eastern Ukraine are completely unacceptable. Putin exploits EU countries' dependence on Russian gas. If we want to be able to say no to Putin, then it is crucial that we strengthen the green transition and make ourselves independent from fossil fuels. It can only be too slow. Paradoxically, with Nord Stream 2, the EU is increasing its dependence on Russian gas, in parallel with the military build-up. It could end horribly wrong. We owe it to the Ukrainian people to do everything possible to avoid war. Let us strengthen diplomatic efforts. Let's stop the headless armament. And Mr Borrell, let's put Putin and the oligarchs at the door and stop Nord Stream 2 once and for all!

Mr President! Less than necessary, but better than nothing. This is how the conclusions of COP26 in Glasgow can be summarised. The world's countries confirmed the one-and-a-half-degree target and promised climate plans in 2027. But what we need is to close the gap between the planned and the necessary reductions. The world's countries recognized for the first time ever the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels. But what we need is to phase them out completely. Climate summits are indeed the arena of small steps, and small steps were taken. But what the climate, scientists and youth need is tiger leaps. At the climate summit after the climate summit, world leaders have spoken and spoken, but very little has happened. That's not good enough! We have a responsibility. We have a global responsibility to act on the climate crisis. It is no longer enough to adopt an agreement that is better than nothing. It's time for climate action.

Madam President, right now there is an urgent humanitarian crisis at the EU border to Belarus. People are dying in the freezing cold. Even families with small children are being met with brutal force. Refugees are being denied their basic human rights. Is this the Europe we want? Do we want to compete with Lukashenko in a race to the bottom on human rights? No, we won’t. We need to evacuate the people trapped at the border. We need to stand up for the right to seek asylum, and we need to deal with dictators like Lukashenko through targeted sanctions and political pressure, not by forcing children to sleep in the deadly cold. We need a European response based on solidarity and human rights.

Mr President! Right now we are experiencing a race to the bottom around the European workplaces. Foreign colleagues are cynically exploited, discriminated against and underpaid by greedy employers who want to squeeze wages and working conditions for all of us. That is totally unacceptable. Social dumping must and must be combated. Let us use the new digital possibilities to make it easier for the WEA and the trade union movement to enforce compliance with applicable legislation and labour rights. Let us target the employers who are cheating and create a fair movement where no foreign colleagues are exploited. Let us ensure the rights of all migrant workers in the EU through a digital ID card. It will stop the race to the bottom. This will put an effective end to social dumping.

Madam President! It was historic when the UN Human Rights Council last week recognised the right to a healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental right for all people. The decision of the United Nations must, of course, have consequences in the European Union. We should follow the decision. Around us, the climate and biodiversity are rapidly collapsing. For the people of the Maldives, it becomes a question of whether they are the future has land to live on. For the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, it becomes a question of whether they continue to have a livelihood. There is no doubt that human rights and environmental protection are inextricably linked. In Denmark, a right to a healthy environment could mean that everyone has a fundamental right not to have their drinking water polluted. The right to a healthy environment should be a human right for all.

Mr President! Thank you very much for your support for ambitious action against asbestos. I know that there are many construction workers, firefighters and asbestos workers who have followed today's debate. I am sure they welcome the broad support here in the European Parliament. We need action against asbestos. We owe it to Dan Henriksen. We owe it to all construction workers in Europe. We owe it if our words on a socially fair green transition are to become a reality. I would like to express my special thanks to the shadow rapporteurs for the excellent cooperation we have had across the political groups in this process. We have come together for an ambitious and broad compromise and I would like to thank you with all my heart for the really, really good spirit of cooperation we have had. It's been a huge pleasure. I would like to thank the rapporteurs from the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy and from the Internal Market Committee for the good input they have provided. And I would like to acknowledge, Commissioner, the promises of action made by the Commission here today. I am sure that I am speaking not only on my own behalf, but also on behalf of my shadow rapporteurs from the other groups, and hopefully on behalf of a huge majority in the European Parliament tomorrow, when we say that we are going to keep your promises and hopefully soon we will have a report with clear-cut proposals on how to get a European strategy for the removal of all asbestos in Europe. Suggestions on what it should look like and how concrete legislation should be designed. All parts of that report are essential if we are to protect Europe's construction workers and its citizens from the deadly asbestos. So, dear Commission, we are going to follow up on action. We expect you to listen to our high ambitions. We expect you to deliver, and we look forward to a very good cooperation on the implementation.

Madam President! Asbestos is dangerous. Asbestos kills people. If in doubt, ask Dan Henriksen. Dan is 45 years old. He is the father of two daughters. He's a plumber. Twenty years ago, during his apprenticeship, he was exposed to asbestos. In recent years he has been mortally ill. He doesn't know if he lives long enough to see his youngest daughter graduate from primary school or to see her eldest daughter party with her friends when she graduates from high school. A single exposure to asbestos has put Dan Henriksen and his family in this terrible situation, and unfortunately he is far from the only victim of the deadly asbestos. In 2019 alone, more than 90 000 citizens in the EU died from asbestos-related diseases. Many people mistakenly believe that the problem of asbestos is a thing of the past after the total ban in the EU in 2005. But the asbestos threat is not gone. The number of victims is increasing. 80% of buildings in the EU were built before the total ban. Therefore, the number of asbestos victims will increase even further if we do not act. We are at a crossroads right now. In front of us is the green renovation wave of millions of buildings in Europe. It is absolutely essential to ensure the necessary climate action. It will create jobs and it will mean savings on electricity bills. But it risks costing the construction workers who carry it out their lives. We can choose to continue as before. Tens of thousands will lose their lives in the coming years. Or we can choose to make a green and socially just transition, where those who carry out the climate renovations do not lose their lives. We must make sure that climate action and better labour protection go hand in hand. That is what I propose in my report. That is what you, ladies and gentlemen, are going to vote on. We need an update of the current limit values for asbestos. The latest research shows that even the slightest exposure to asbestos can be fatal. Therefore, the limit value must be lowered. We need mandatory screenings for asbestos before renovation so that construction workers do not inadvertently enter a death sentence. We need registration of all buildings with asbestos, so construction workers, firefighters and residents are warned. We need a ban on encapsulation so that we do not leave a death trap for future generations, and we need thorough and mandatory training for all construction workers in the handling of asbestos. The vote here in the European Parliament will have consequences for life and death around Europe. Human life should not be a question between the right and the left. It should be able to bring us all together. An ambitious European strategy for the removal of all asbestos in Europe has been presented. Together, let's take a historic step to ensure that parents like Dan don't have to fear if they're going to experience their children's last day of school. Let us do our part to ensure that Europe's construction workers attend their children's and their grandchildren's birthdays and weddings. Let us take a decisive step towards a socially just green transition where no one has to die from going to work.

Mr President! Right now, refugees are dying on the EU-Belarus border. People desperately fleeing war and oppression are met with maiming barbed wire and push-backs. It is not only inhumane, it is a blatant violation of the right to seek asylum. While the Social-Democratic government in Spain has stopped the use of razor wire on the border with Morocco, the Social-Democratic government in Denmark gladly sends the very same kind of deadly barbed wire to Lithuania. It's disgraceful. We will not solve the refugee situation by breaking international conventions. We don't stop people fleeing by mutilating them. We must meet people fleeing with humanity and with solidarity in the distribution of refugees coming to Europe.

Mr President, President Ursula von der Leyen talks about the need for a socially just transition. But what is the reality? Tens of thousands of construction workers risk losing their lives in the green transition if protections against the deadly asbestos do not go hand in hand with the renovation wave of millions of buildings in Europe. I thought the Commission was committed to a vision of zero work—related deaths. But yesterday, I, as a rapporteur on the asbestos file, received this letter from the Commission warning against the lowering of the limit value, even though we all know this will save lives. We do not need sweet words on a socially just transition – we need action!

Madam President! Beatings of women on the open street. Violence against journalists. Political opponents disappearing into the hands of the Taliban. These are the pictures we see from Afghanistan. The Taliban's dark mullah regime has descended over the country. The war in Afghanistan has not only cost thousands of billions, but also caused death, destruction and scars to the souls of soldiers, their families and, not least, the civilian Afghan population. Democracy is not built with bombs. The war in Afghanistan has failed. The EU's response should not be militarisation, but a strengthened commitment to peace and international law. Right now, the courageous Afghan women, journalists and human rights defenders urgently need our solidarity. Afghan refugees must not be met with barbed wire and walls, but with protection and a solidarity distribution of the refugees coming to Europe.

Madam President! No right to unemployment benefits, no right to a pension, no protection in the event of an accident. This is the reality for millions of European employees working on digital platforms. That is the reality of Wolt's bids. That is the reality for the drivers at Nemlig.com. While owners have made billions and billions during the Corona crisis, messengers, drivers and cleaners have worked hard under miserable conditions. Too many employers hide behind the digital veil of platforms. They deny their employees fundamental rights. They even deprive them of the right to join a trade union when they falsely claim that their employees are self-employed. Therefore, my message to the employers behind the digital veil in Nemlig.com and in Wolt today is clear: Stop using bogus self-employment, give your employees the rights they deserve. Respect the right to professional organization!

Mr President, the forced closure of is unacceptable. Media freedom, freedom of speech, as well as freedom of assembly and organising, are fundamental human rights, rights that the people of Hong Kong are being denied. Today our message from the European Parliament is clear. We stand in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong in their fight for democracy and freedom. We stand in solidarity with the political prisoners and the democratic opposition. We call on the EU leaders to act. The European Union should impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations. Carrie Lam and those responsible for the oppression and breach of international law in Hong Kong and mainland China must face the consequences.

Madam President, I say to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, when the European Council criticises Russia for lack of respect of human rights it mentions Alexei Navalny, and we all agree that this is important. When the European Council criticises Belarus for lack of respect of human rights it mentions Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and we all agree that this is important. But when the European Council, in its conclusion, criticises Turkey for the lack of respect of human rights, it does not mention Selahattin Demirtaş, even though there is a clear judgment from the European Court of Human Rights demanding his immediate release. Instead, the European Council have decided to move towards an expansion of the customs union with Turkey. Dear President Charles Michel, why not mention Demirtaş, as you mentioned Navalny and Tikhanovskaya? I do not understand. Are you afraid of President Erdoğan? (Applause)