Debate contributions by Ton DIEPEVEEN

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, European agriculture is stuck. The Green Deal has shut down the sector. And what farmers need is not more ideology, but room for food security, earning capacity and freedom to farm. The idea of one large agricultural fund with more centralisation is not a solution. What is needed is to reduce the overregulation that blocks innovation and stifles entrepreneurship. Innovation, that is the key, also within agriculture. Whether it concerns renure, precision agriculture and NGTs or techniques that have yet to be developed, we have to give space. We shouldn't brake. I count on the Commission to swiftly adapt existing legislation so that innovation becomes possible, today and tomorrow. What farmers need is not a political labyrinth, but a clear and workable regulatory framework. Only if we implement these changes will we strengthen their competitiveness, because without a clear future perspective there will be no new generation of farmers. I wish you luck, Commissioner.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, after years of imposing rule by rule – one stricter than the other – after years of pressure on the agricultural sector with green objectives, often pushed by green lobby groups, the European Commission is finally talking about simplification. The common agricultural policy has been completely derailed and is now far from the reality of our farmers. It is high time to return to the core, to farmers who produce food and do not produce papers. Fewer rules, less interference from Brussels is what our farmers really need. Investing in technological progress and smart innovations, that's where the real sustainability comes in. But it's all taking way too long. Innovation in agriculture and fisheries is stalled in procedures, rules, permits. As a result, new techniques remain on the shelf for too long. This must and can be different. Brussels should not be on the brakes, but rather press the accelerator to give our farmers and fishermen quick access to innovation. Only then will our agriculture and fisheries sector remain competitive. Only then will we be future-proof. And only then can we talk about trade agreements in which our farmers have a level playing field.

Mr President, the agreement between the EU and Mercosur offers opportunities, but it also entails risks. Our farmers are squeezed and faced with strict rules, while cheap imports from South America enter without any problems. As far as food safety is concerned, the Commission's report shows that Brazil uses banned growth hormones. Nevertheless, the Commission continues to claim that everything is under control. This poses a danger to consumers and is a stab in the back of our farmers. What do we get in return for this? In the Netherlands, a paltry 0.03% economic growth, while our livestock farmers are thrown in front of the bus. To top it all off, Brussels is also pumping EUR 1.8 billion of taxpayers' money into Mercosur, part of which goes to farmers in Brazil, while our own farmers are left out in the cold. There is no level playing field, no fair trade, but even more bureaucracy and imports from countries that do not respect our rules. This is madness. Delete this agreement. Screw back the Green Deal so that our farmers can finally escape this swamp of climate madness.

Mr Smit, I look forward to your proposal. I have already put forward a number of solutions, but we are always ready for constructive consultation. I would therefore like to respond to your invitation and I am very curious about your proposals. I will also explain our vision on that occasion. However, if you have listened carefully, it is more than clear.

Mr President, Commissioner Bruner, the latest UN report on human trafficking paints a sad picture. Human smuggling continues to increase and is driven by global criminal organisations. Illegal migrants lured to Europe by Europe's open borders policy and our hospitable welfare states are easy prey for these types of criminals. These criminals are ruthless and are the direct cause that these illegal migrants end up in drug trafficking, organised crime or prostitution or become victims of labour exploitation. We must crack down on these criminal networks by closing Europe's external borders. If illegal migrants no longer have a chance to enter Europe, we will undermine the entire business model of smugglers. In addition, we must also tackle the smugglers of human beings vigorously by cooperating intensively not only at national level, but also, above all, at international level.

Mr President, juvenile delinquency is a major and serious problem. In 2023, more than 16,000 minors between the ages of 12 and 18 were registered as suspects of crime in the Netherlands. Between the ages of 18 and 23, there were more than twenty-three thousand. Minors are therefore increasingly used by internationally operating gangs to carry out their criminal activities. What helps these gangs in this respect is the free movement of people within the EU. For example, minors are used by them to remove drugs from containers in the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, and in other ports within the EU. But more serious crimes, including attacks with explosives such as Cobra fireworks, are also increasingly carried out by minors. It is very important that we as a society make it clear that crime is not tolerated, regardless of age. Young people who commit crimes should be held accountable for their actions. This means that we must take stricter measures against juvenile offenders and their parents, with whom the educational responsibility lies. In any case, the juvenile justice system needs to be strengthened, with the Member States joining forces.

Mr President, I have noticed that Mrs von der Leyen has not been able to look to the right in recent months, but I promise you that I will also look to the left today. International drug crime is a growing problem and, according to Europol, more than EUR 31 billion of illicit drugs are trafficked in the EU every year. More than 70% of the cocaine entering Europe passes through the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam. Last year alone, 60 tons of cocaine were seized in the Netherlands. In Rotterdam, the largest single drug seizure ever took place: Eight tons of cocaine with a street value of 600 million euros, hidden in a container. According to Europol, 821 dangerous organised crime networks are active in the EU. The street value of cocaine is increasing year after year. Crime pays off and that is the core of the problem. We need to crack down on drug offenders and their networks. We need to work better with the police in the source countries in South America and arrest suspects more quickly, as well as seize their goods more quickly. Because drug crime is also a direct consequence of the EU's open borders policy.