Debate contributions by Bert-Jan RUISSEN

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the persecution of Jimmy Lai, whose only crime is his commitment to freedom of the press, symbolises the drastic curtailment of freedom in Hong Kong, which has been under increasing pressure since the national security law entered into force there: legislation that paralyses civil society, silences opposition members and erodes fundamental freedoms. It is time for Europe to make it clear that the ongoing repression has consequences. I therefore call for targeted sanctions against the Hong Kong Supreme Leader and all officials responsible for these human rights violations. In addition, the European Union must critically review Hong Kong's special trade status as long as the rule of law and fundamental freedoms are not restored. Freedom is not a privilege, but a right. And that right deserves protection, even in Hong Kong.

Like you, I see the need and the desirability of a trade agreement with India. At the same time, we also know that there are concerns about human rights in India. I am thinking, for example, of the position of religious minorities and Christians and the fact that there are anti-conversion laws in India. My question to you is: Do you agree with me that we should use this agreement to also demand firm guarantees from India, for example that the country will better protect Christians?

Mr President, kidnapped by heavily armed groups. Untraceable. It'll just be your kid. This is not an incident, but the daily reality in Nigeria. The attack on the Christian St Mary school symbolizes the structural violence that plagues northern and central Nigeria. Christian schools and communities are repeatedly targeted by kidnappings and attacks by armed groups. That some of the children have been released is good news, but there are still a lot of questions. Why have no arrests been made yet and why have the affected communities been informed so late? Mr President, let us put maximum pressure on the Nigerian authorities to stop the violence. And I ask the Commissioner: Do you see opportunities, for example, for diplomatic sanctions against negligent drivers? And let us face the fact that we are dealing with terrorist Islamic violence against Christians. And finally, after 13 months, let us appoint that EU envoy for religious freedom. Commission, what are you waiting for?

Mr President, I would like to begin by warmly endorsing the words of condolence with which the President opened the sitting yesterday. For the suffering inflicted on the Jewish community in Sydney cannot be described with a pen. Meanwhile, we must realize that this is not a purely Australian problem, because radical Islam, which does not shy away from violence, is also here in Europe. Because here in Europe too, Jew-hatred is rampant. That is why we too will have to move, because our policy against anti-Semitism is full of words, but where are the actions? And if something is already being done, it is mainly symptom control. Strong action is needed to address root causes. Let's start by banning the Muslim Brotherhood and expelling hate preachers. Let us also be very clear about asylum policy. If you do not recognize Israel as a state, you will not enter Europe. We also need to be clear about universities. Are your campuses breeding grounds for anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism? Then we turn off the European money tap. Because the time of papping and keeping wet is over. You have to act hard before it's too late. The Jewish community must be able to count on us.

I wanted to ask a question to Mr Gómez López. You are talking about women's rights, and of course I fully understand that. But what I'm genuinely curious about is how you look at the unborn life. The baby in the mother's womb. Doesn't that have rights? Do you think of that as a clump of cells? Is that a human being? I sincerely look forward to seeing how you look at this, also in the light of what the European Charter says, namely that everyone has the right to protection. How do you view unborn life?

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, if we want to preserve agriculture in Europe, the regulatory burden on farmers will have to be drastically reduced. The simplification package we are voting on this week is a step in the right direction. This will increase the scope for Member States to adapt or suspend rules in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Member States may also grant compensation for the conditionality requirements in peat meadow areas, or GAEC 2. I call on the Member States to make use of this possibility without delay. However, to actually alleviate the regulatory burden on all farmyards, this package is not enough. More is needed. In order to really reduce the regulatory burden, it is necessary to revise the many outdated European directives, such as the Nitrates Directive, the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive. I therefore call on the Commission to work swiftly on this and to come forward with proposals for amendments quickly.

Mr President, the people of Myanmar are suffering so much and you hear and read very little about it. It's sad! The military junta has a real reign of terror against its own population. Known are of course the stories about the Rohingya, who sought a safe haven in surrounding countries and now reside in the overcrowded camps under often very degrading conditions. Less well known is that among those 2 million Rohingya in the camp at Cox's Bazar are about 2,500 Christians. Life is extra hard for them. They have to deal with subordination, humiliation, destruction of property, rapes and even murder. Radical Muslim groups thwart church services and commit destruction. Even the UN does not take their complaints seriously. This injustice should not be ignored. That is why I call on the Commission to pay attention to this forgotten group of Christians in all its diplomatic efforts.

Mr President, I must tell you that I am very disappointed with the input of both the Council and the European Commission, because they have not at all addressed the exploitation of motherhood, in particular surrogacy, when that is indeed on the agenda today. Look at the exploitation of vulnerable women, which often involves surrogacy. A lively trade has developed in babies. And that's not okay, of course. Children are not a commodity. But I also look at the fact that with surrogacy, the biological mother often becomes completely out of the picture, immediately after birth. And that while a child is in principle really best off when it grows up with its own biological father and mother. So here very clear ethical boundaries are being crossed. All the more reason to move towards a global ban on surrogacy. I challenge the Council and the Commission to take a clear position on this. I have the impression that the Minister has not listened to me, but her officials are certainly willing to brief her.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this time too, the European Court of Auditors flawlessly puts its finger on a number of sore spots: the huge indebtedness (EUR 900 billion by 2027), rising interest payments (EUR 30 billion per year), but also the still too high error rate and the very poor supervision of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Often it is not even known who the final beneficiaries are and does not even take into account the actual costs incurred, but only vague milestones and targets. My call today is: let us stop taking out new loans, let us considerably tighten up financial supervision and let us also establish with each other that the performance-based approach in its current form under the RRF cannot serve as a model for the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). This approach will have to be thoroughly overhauled. The taxpayer deserves better.