Jeroen LENAERS

Policy topics Jeroen LENAERS is active on

What Jeroen LENAERS has said (32)

• 2026-06-17 “(10:24:41 – 10:26:19): Yes. Thank you. Eratje Garcia Perez has unfortunately left us, but her speech reminded me a little bit about this story of this driver on the motorway who listens to the radio and hears a warning about another car dangerously driving in the wrong direction. And this driver looks around and says, 1? I see loads of them. And this is a story of the socialists today. Spain was the only country that voted against the return regulations. 3 socialist leaders were in favor of it. More than 20 of your own colleagues supported it. So maybe it's time to consider also that they might not be the crazy ones here. And thank you also to the socialists for invoking the pope and Christianity. You should do it more often is what I recommend to you, but do it less selectively perhaps. Invoking the pope when it's, politically suits you while ignoring him on everything else is not faith. It's hypocrisy. President, 3 small points on the, summit this week. 1st, on Ukraine. It's crucially important that we support Ukraine. But also here, we see that it's a small number of member states that are doing most of the supporting, while others like Spain, again, contribute little to nothing. This is unacceptable and cannot continue. 2nd, on defense, there is still a gap between our strategic ambition and our operational delivery, and that gap must be closed. And 3rd, on drugs. We need action against 3rd countries that harbor drug traffickers. Criminals like Bolajos in The Netherlands should not be able to escape justice simply by finding protection abroad in a country like Sierra Leone. We need to prepare to use all our leverage. Thank you.”
  Asylum & border control
• 2026-06-17 “(10:28:41 – 10:29:28): My point was that we should not use and invoke the pope, selectively as the socialists here did today while ignoring while ignoring all the lessons he does, but selectively quoting him in certain issues. And I I fully agree with the pope. We have a duty to take care of all people regardless of where they come from, regardless of their faith or their position. But with charity, and this is also important, with charity also in my faith, with charity also comes responsibility. Responsibility to have an organized systems where we mainly take care of those who really need it. Thank you very much. At the same time, to those who come.”
  Asylum & border control
• 2026-06-17 “(10:27:17 – 10:27:54): Thank you for the question. But then I would really recommend also you for to read the return regulation that you vote on this afternoon, but that's exactly what it is, to return people to places where there is safety, where there is dignity upon agreements with countries. And I know that for you politically, this is difficult because you rather have not returned anybody from the European Union to their countries of origin or anybody else. But for us, it's a matter of also taking responsibility to make sure that in Europe, we can take care of those people who actually are in need of international protection.”
  Asylum & border control
• 2025-08-25 “E-003284/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission It is for the Member States to designate renewable acceleration areas for one or more types of renewable energy sources in accordance with applicable EU law, in particular the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) 1 or Regulation (EU) 2022/2577 2 . EU law does not exclude that an area is reassessed after a few years and is declared as an acceleration area for wind energy, provided that the conditions under Article 15c(1) of RED or Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2577, or those relating to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 3 as applicable, are met. The Reichswald forest is partly located in the Natura 2000 site ‘Reichswald’ (DE4202-302), so that for this part of the site the restrictions for establishing acceleration areas according to Article 15c(1)(a)(ii) of RED apply. According to Article 16a of RED, renewable energy projects located in renewable acceleration areas are exempted from assessments under the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIAD) 4 , provided that the conditions of Article 15c(1) of RED are met. The same applies to areas designated under Regulation (EU) 2022/2577. This exemption does not apply to projects that are likely to have significant effects on the environment in another Member State or where a Member State likely to be significantly affected so requests, as provided for in Article 7 of the EIAD. The process laid down by Article 7 of the EIAD is triggered either if a Member State is aware that a project is likely to have significant effects on the environment in another Member State or where a Member State likely to be significantly affected so requests. 1 Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast), OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, pp. 82–209. 2 Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2577 of 22 December 2022 laying down a framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, OJ L 335, 29.12.2022, pp. 36–44. 3 Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30–37. 4 Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p. 1–21, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014, OJ L 124, 25.4.2014, p. 1–18.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU · EU policy on permitting for renewable energy projects
• 2024-07-26 “E-0001438/2024 Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission Since August 2024, the Commission has been in close contact with Hungary regarding the extension of the ‘National Card’ scheme to citizens of Russia and Belarus. It reminded Hungary of the need to uphold enhanced standards of scrutiny and vigilance with regard to the entry of Russian nationals into the Schengen area. This also includes checking whether an individual poses a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any Member State. Furthermore, the Commission has issued guidelines on the issuance of visa and controls of Russian citizens at the external borders 1 , which emphasise intensive individual scrutiny in assessing the potential heightened risk posed by the entry of Russian nationals. During the exchanges that took place in September 2024, Hungary stressed their commitment to ensuring the security of the Schengen area. On 15 October 2024, Hungary sent additional replies, which the Commission will now assess in view of continuing its dialogue with the Hungarian authorities. The Commission remains of the firm opinion, as explained by the Commissioner for Home Affairs at the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 4 September 2024, that providing any beneficial treatment to nationals of two hostile states at a time when security risks are high is not appropriate and the Commission strongly urges Hungary to revise its policy. 1 C(2022) 6596 final.”
  Asylum & border control · Legal migration
• “We saw it yesterday when the Commission presented the new return regulation, a missing piece in the puzzle to really manage migration in the EU. And after this, Parliament had been discussing the previous proposal for over six years. The Commission shows that it can deliver in 100 days. And that brings me to my final point. The European Commission or its president does not have the same executive powers as, for instance, a US president. So next to discussing the first 100 days of the European Commission, we should ask ourselves the same question. And I am specifically asking this also to our platform colleagues of Sad and renewal. Have we truly understood the monumental global changes, and are we ready to deliver with the same speed and ambition? What can this Parliament achieve in the next 100 days? Can we swiftly conclude the omnibus package? Can we agree on the return regulation? Can we finalise the work on the European Defence Industrial Strategy? The European Commission has delivered in these first 100 days. She has heard the message that voters delivered in the polling station and has understood that we live in unprecedented times that need unprecedented measures. This parliament, the Council, appreciates the efforts.”
  Asylum & border control
• “Competitiveness must be at the core of everything we do because without strong economies, we cannot finance our social model or green transition or our defence. And we welcome the council's strong language on simplification, its commitment to drastically reduce administrative burdens for our companies and SMEs, and to make simplicity by design the new rule of law making. This Parliament will have the opportunity today to mirror that commitment in the vote on the omnibus. The EPP has proposed several amendments to achieve just that, and we call on all colleagues to support them. If 27 heads of state and governments from different political colours can do it, so should we. Finally, on migration, we need to finally take back control of migration in Europe. The pact will be implemented next year, but the first report under the pact by the European Commission already shows that progress is possible when member states cooperate. We are seeing faster border procedure, more effective returns and a decrease in arrivals. But more needs to be done. We need a strong and ambitious return regulation. We need more cooperation with third countries. And the EPP is ready to lead the work in Parliament on this. Colleagues, our citizens are not asking for big words or political drama. They are asking for results. They want to see safe borders, fair rules for businesses and support for those who are defending our freedom. That is the task before us and that is what the EPP will continue to deliver on. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “There is an increase of 1,000%, over 1,000% in the last year alone. And with this legislation, we criminalize AI generated child sexual abuse material in the same way that we would do with real child sexual abuse material. Because these models have to train on real material and from AI generated child sexual abuse material, it's only a very small step to abusing children in real life. And it needs to stop. Just like we need to stop other technological developments when it comes to abusing children, like live streaming. When people in Europe are sitting behind their laptops or their screens, while children, miles and miles and miles, thousands of miles away from here, are being abused in front of a camera because those people here in Europe pay for it. We need to adapt our legislative framework to be able to fight those people. And a third important element is the statute of limitations. One very specific thing about victims of child sexual abuse that very often they are only ready. Much later in life, to come forward and to file charges against the perpetrators. And I would like to thank the very brave men and women I met from the brave movement and their testimonies on how it is for victims of child sexual abuse to become a victim, to realise that you are a victim and to have the courage to file charges against your abuser. And many times, like I said, it takes a long time. And in many member states we see that by the time victims are ready to file these charges, the justice system says, I'm sorry, but the deadline has run out and there cannot be a deadline for justice when it comes to child sexual abuse.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Commissioners. Dear President Christodoulides, thank you for being here today and for setting the right tone for the months ahead. Yes, the world feels more unstable, more fragmented, and more unpredictable than before. But this is not a moment for despair. It is a moment for confidence. If we stand together as Europeans, we can emerge stronger. And that means investing where it truly matters in our security and our economic resilience, in our competitiveness and in managing migration. Too often we hear voices here of the extremes in this House, offering the same destructive answer to tear down our common umbrella in the middle of a global storm and then complain about getting wet. That is not leadership. When the storm grows stronger, Europe does not throw away its umbrella. We build a bigger and stronger and more resilient one together. Cyprus speaks of an autonomous union and the EPP fully agrees. This is a historic moment and an existential test, and Europe must rise to the occasion. But autonomy does not mean isolation. And the second half of your slogan, open to the world is just as vital. Global trade is under pressure. Europe must diversify through ambitious trade agreements with partners like Mercosur, India and beyond. You cannot complain about Europe's competitiveness while closing every door to the outside world. This presidency presidency understands that strength and openness go hand in hand. And that is exactly what we need in Europe right now. Thank you very much.”
  Free trade agreements (FTAs)
• “Thank you very much, Mr. President. Dear Commissioner, hang yourself. Slit your wrists. Everyone hates you. These are just some of the horrific messages that Nicole Coco Fox endured until it became too much and she tragically took her own life. And there are no words to describe tragedies like that. But Koko's story is not an isolated case. All over Europe, children are victims of cyber bullying, often with terrible consequences. And the sad thing is that in many member states, it is not even a crime. Imagine how Koko's mother felt when the police informed her that they could do nothing against the bullies that were responsible for her daughter's suicide. I cannot imagine it, and I can only hope that I will never have to. Online bullying is just as devastating as abuse that happens on the street, and it must be treated with the same seriousness. It must be criminalised across the EU because all our children deserve to be better protected. And in the negotiations on the Child Sexual Abuse Directive, we already agree with the Council to criminalise this extortion of children and an EU wide definition of cyber bullying will be key to also criminalise other forms of online harassment. So this action plan is a good starting point, but when it's about our children, we can never raise the bar high enough, especially as we are living in the age of AI and deepfakes. Technology like new apps, must be illegal across the EU because they serve no legitimate purpose and only facilitate child abuse and extortion. So let us stand up to this together. Let us stand up to bullying together and do everything we can to protect our children. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “We need less ideology and more common sense, and this will also be our focus during your presidency. And finally, on migration, the EPP has long called for a fair, firm and effective system. We must tackle illegal migration, protect our external borders, combat trafficking networks, and ensure that those in genuine need are supported while returning those who are not. And Prime Minister, your priorities are closely aligned with those from the European Commission. We need less moral posturing and more real solutions. And on this issue, you will find in the EPP a partner you can work with and rely on, and we rely on you as well to engage and convince your colleagues also in this European Parliament, also those from your own political family, because, as you might have noticed, that part of the chamber forgot to applaud that specific section of your speech. President, we stand ready to work with the Danish presidency to make Europe stronger, safer and more competitive. Thank you.”
  Asylum & border control
• “Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. Imagine for a moment that someone is reading every message you've ever sent. Somebody is watching every video you've ever watched, listening into your private conversations with your children, your doctor, your partner. And this isn't fiction. It's happening. Also today, also in Europe, spyware like Pegasus doesn't just intercept data, it invades our dignity. And yes, there can be, of course, exceptional circumstances where it can be used by authorities to fight terrorism, to fight serious organised crime. But what we've learned in this Parliament, after speaking to over 200 people. Numerous fact finding missions and several elaborate studies is that also in the EU, it is abused by certain member states to spy on opposition colleagues, to spy on journalists, and to spy on activists. And it requires a strong response because this is not only about national security, it is also about protecting the rule of law and the EU and the European Commission. It has a role. It has competences when it comes to protecting the rule of law. Even better, we have a responsibility to do so. And we also know what to do because our recommendations were very clear.”
  Surveillance equipment & spyware
• “Yes, thank you, Madam President. Thank you, president von der Leyen, for setting out your clear vision today and also for reminding us that also in this House, Sometimes we are so busy with debating the small prints that the world is writing a new chapter without us, and Europe simply cannot afford this. At a time of war on our continent of increased global competition. We need to respond with unity and with responsibility. And yes, only the pro-European democratic forces in this House can achieve this together. But for all the. But for all, for all the attacks from the socialists and liberals and the Greens today on this issue, we are still waiting for a real commitment on delivering on this agenda. And for us, this is the autumn of truth. Truth. Do you choose a competitive Europe? Cutting red tape and driving innovation? Or do you choose a Europe drowning in bureaucracy and trade war, putting at risk the livelihoods of millions of people? Do you choose a Europe? Well, I was interrupted, Madam President. Do you choose a Europe that properly manages migration, protects our border? Or do you keep dragging your feet on the proposals that have already been put on the table by this commission, the EPP?”
  EU political integration
• “Thank you, Madam President. Dear Commissioner, dear Minister. Yesterday marked the 100th day since the von der Leyen Commission took office, and the president of the Commission said it herself last Sunday, the 1st of December, 2024. Now feels like a lifetime ago. Of course, we knew that the world was not going to remain the same. That change was coming, but the scope, the speed and intensity of global developments have really been unprecedented and in unprecedented times. Europe needs leadership and strong leadership. I can say after these first 100 days is what we get from this Commission leadership on making Europe competitive again, with the Draghi report as foundation, this Commission has put competitiveness at the heart of its mission, not by making incremental changes here and there, but by presenting real game changers like the Competitiveness Compass and the clean industrial deal. And we are looking forward to working on these concrete proposals, because it is clear that we can no longer afford business as usual. That was the message of the voters in the election, and it is the message that has been clearly heard by the Commission for the first time since I can remember. We do not only have beautiful words about the need to reduce bureaucracy and red tape, we actually have the first concrete proposals on the table to slash the disproportionate bureaucratic burden for our SMEs and industries.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “It has already touched on European soil. And when Europe's security is at stake, Europe must act together. At this time, Cyprus did not invoke article 42, paragraph seven. But imagine if a member state does. Solidarity cannot be improvised in the middle of a crisis. If a member state is attacked, Europe needs to know how it responds. We have the nuclear umbrella that France provides and that strengthens our European deterrence. But we must also build common capabilities drones, cyber brigade, missile shield and ultimately a true European Defence Union. But strength also does not come only from capabilities. Security also means speaking with one voice. Europe was not consulted on Ukraine's peace talks. We were not there on Venezuela and not on Iran. Why? Because a Europe with 27 different voices is not taken seriously. When Prime Minister Sanchez weakens NATO or when Viktor Orban breaks our common line on Ukraine, we show Washington and Beijing a simple message When Europe is divided, Europe can be ignored, and the next European Council must begin building real European security, starting with the 90 billion we promised for Ukraine's defence. Europe's security cannot become a tool in someone's domestic election campaign. Viktor Orban is failing Hungarian citizens on health care, on education, on the economy. And now he's trying to distract from those failures with a disinformation campaign that undermines Europe's unity and our security.”
  EU competences on defence
• “And this is what also in this legislation is one of the key innovations we will make sure that victims of child sexual abuse will get justice and can get justice, and we will support them on that way. Many other measures when it comes to the clear definition of consent, when it comes to a child centred approach on investigations and victim support, when it comes to more cooperation between different authorities and a renewed focus on prevention. This is an ambitious file. I know this, but can you ever be ambitious enough when it comes to protecting our children? I think the need is there. I have already mentioned the data from back in 2010. There were about 1 million reports of child sexual abuse online in 2023. We were talking about 36 million. In 13 years, we went from 1 million to 36 million. This is only the crimes that are being reported. The need for action is there and I thank the commission for the proposal. I think it was a very good start. I thank all the colleagues for making this proposal even more ambitious, leading to this unanimous vote from left to right in the Libe committee to show this ambition. And what I would like to ask is also for the member States in the Council to step up, to match our ambition, to make sure that together we can protect children. Protecting children is not a choice. It is perhaps our deepest and most profound responsibility. And let us live up to that responsibility together. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Thank you very much, Madam President. Many colleagues indeed were critical of the level of representation of the Commission. Indeed, as the Commissioner has said, it is standard practice that the Commission responsible for the relations with the Parliament comes here to present the work programme. But more importantly, of all the members who complained, with the notable exception of Mr. Gerbrandy and Miss Newman. All of them have left without waiting on the answers of the commission. So I would also say to those colleagues, respect goes both ways.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Thank you, Madam President, dear Commission. President, dear Deputy Minister. Iran's crisis did not begin on the 28th of February. It began much earlier when this cruel and oppressive regime chose to wage war on its own people. When young protesters were shot in the streets where women demanding freedom were beaten. So, yes, we stand with the Iranian people. For years, the international community hoped that diplomacy would do the trick and Europe tried diplomacy. We signed the nuclear deal. Yet the regime continued building missile capabilities for reaching Athens, Bucharest and Sofia. We imposed sanctions with Iran, continued sponsoring terrorism, destabilizing the Middle East. The nuclear threat remains, and Iran delivers the weapons that Russia uses to attack Ukraine. So let's be honest, and I repeat this the world is better off without this regime, and for the first time in decades, there might be a real possibility for change. But it's also risky. Military intervention without clear objectives or an exit strategy has the danger of instability. Humanitarian suffering and regional escalation. And it's of paramount importance that this conflict does not turn into a full blown regional war. And we call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians and to fully respect international law. But this crisis also tells us something about Europe. Iranian drones reached Cyprus. That means this conflict, as the deputy minister said, is no longer distant.”
  EU-Iran relations
• “Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Dear madam President, dear colleagues, the October European Council reminded us of how much is at stake in Europe at the moment. The security of our borders, the competitiveness of our economy and the trust of our citizens. We cannot afford hesitation, but we must act with ambition, decisiveness and responsibility. And in that sense, we welcome the Council conclusions, although it is also very clear that more needs to be done on Ukraine. We welcome the Council's firm commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes. This is not only about solidarity, it is about our security, our credibility and the defence of international law. And it is deeply regrettable that only 26 members or member states could endorse that commitment. With regards to the Russian frozen assets, we understand the sensitivity that we count on the member states to find solutions swiftly on those assets and to make sure that we can use them for Ukraine's reconstruction. A clear signal must be sent to those who destroy, must pay for the damage they caused and very much connected to this. On defense, the urgency could not be greater. In recent weeks, we have seen drones, unidentified balloons violating EU member states airspaces a deliberate testing of Europe's resolve. These are not isolated incidents, but these are warnings, and these are warnings that we should take very seriously. We we must work across the board to accelerate our work on Europe's defence readiness 2030. We cannot wait for 2030 for capabilities that we need today.”
  Russia-Ukraine conflict (10th term)
• “It's a promising start to what president von der Leyen has called the unprecedented simplification to unleash opportunities, innovation and growth. And you can count on our support. We have also seen this leadership on keeping Europe secure and taking responsibility for our neighbourhood. The unwavering support for Ukraine has rightfully intensified in these past months, and Rearm Europe is a historic step on the way to a Europe that will finally be able to defend itself, allowing us to take our future into our own hands again. After years of beautiful words on European defence, investment and cooperation, we now have concrete actions and concrete, ambitious proposals on the table. And you know, we disagree on the procedure used, but on the substance, you have our full support and we welcome the ambition shown. And this ambition now needs to be translated into concrete, immediate and tangible European action and European projects. Leadership, ambition and concrete action are perhaps the best words to characterize these first 100 days. We saw it this morning on the 101st day with a strong but proportional response to the unjustified US tariffs.”
  EU competences on defence
• “Thank you, Madam President. Dear Commissioner. A motion of censure is one of the strongest tools of democratic scrutiny this Parliament has. It exists to hold the executive to account when it is truly necessary not to serve as a campaign prop in national political theatre. Yet that is exactly what we are witnessing today. And 110 members of the far right signed this motion. But looking in this room, apparently it was not important enough to actually change some dinner plans and to be at the debate. This motion is not about accountability. It is about headlines. And we are in the midst of a global storm. This is not the moment for political sabotage. Too often, the extremes in this House try to block common European solutions, ensure problems remain unsolved, and then weaponize those issues for political gain. That is not opposition. It is a strategy of self-destruction, and it is certainly not leadership when the geopolitical storm grows stronger. Europe does not throw away its common umbrella. We make it bigger, stronger, more resilient one together. Under president von der Leyen, this commission has shown leadership. Reducing regulatory burden for businesses bringing migration back under control and standing firmly with Ukraine, not by slogans but with action on all these issues migration, economic recovery, security.”
  Von der Leyen
• “The far right has only fear to offer, but never solutions. Where are the self-declared friends of Mr. Trump today? Where is Orban now? A US president openly threatens sovereign nations. Where are Mrs. and Mr. Wilders now? American blackmail puts at risk the livelihoods and jobs of Dutch and German workers. They are silent because they don't fight for European citizens, workers or farmers. They fight for the agenda of Trump and Putin. After last weekend, it must be clear Europe must diversify its trading partners. And that is what this commission is doing. Saving European jobs. And that is exactly what the authors of this motion tried to sabotage. They oppose trade agreements like Mercosur and then complain about job losses in Europe. It's hypocrisy. And Europe doesn't need theatrics. We need leadership. Let us not turn this parliament into a parody. Reject this motion, defend real scrutiny, and show Europeans that when it truly matters, we choose leadership over spectacle. Thank you.”
  Free trade agreements (FTAs)
• “Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Madam president. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, the EPP welcomes the Commission's 2026 work programme as an important blueprint for a stronger, more independent and more united European Union and the emphasis on unity, speed, ambition must guide us in addressing today's challenges. For us, the key priorities remain Europe's competitiveness, security and migration. Although I admit that on migration the proposals are on the table and it is up to us in this House to finally deliver. On the other two, though, we expect the Commission to be more courageous, determined and ambitious than ever. Competitiveness must come first. And let me point out three points one our companies, especially our SMEs, need breathing space in order to innovate and grow. Simplification. Reducing bureaucracy is crucial and must go hand in hand with investments and a positive competitiveness agenda. We need to unleash the full potential of the single market. And the Draghi plus sounds very welcoming. We like steps like the 28th regime, GDPR simplification, the savings and investment Union next to supporting our industrial sectors, bringing down energy costs and strengthening the position of our farmers. Secondly, we must learn from the past. Much of this mandate has been spent in improving or correcting already existing legislation. This is necessary. But when it comes to new legislation, we must get it right from the start. And we also must not be afraid to withdraw existing proposals or legislation. Third point new legislation must be carefully considered, simplifying with one hand, while piling on new rules with the other makes no sense. And we will also scrutinise the 2026 programme through this lens.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Dear Commissioner Sefcovic, today is an important moment because with the presentation of this work programme, we see the first confirmation of what this commission will deliver on. And I had to think briefly about last year's elections, the highest turnout in over 30 years. Europeans went to vote because it mattered, and they voted to make sure their concerns were heard. On the economy and cost of living, on security, on migration. And we must now deliver, as you already said, Commissioner, we cannot afford five more years of business as usual. People must be able to recognise that their vote matters and that change is possible now. Five years ago, in this room, the commission presented the Green Deal as Europe's man on the moon moment, and there is an implicit promise of reciprocity in there. We need to reduce our emissions and grow our businesses. We need to protect our planet and our economies. Frank Sinatra sang it once about love and marriage. You can't have one without the other. And this also follows from the Draghi report. We talk about innovation, but we continue to add regulatory burden that is costly and self-defeating. We have and I quote, reached the point where without action we will have to either compromise our welfare, our environment or our freedom. And the EPP is not willing to compromise on any of these. So we call for action. Stick to our goals, but be pragmatic on the how. And that includes critically reviewing and possibly changing what we have done in the past. I do not understand this obsession with the European Parliament is the only Parliament in the world that can only ever work on new proposals and never on changing, pausing or repealing existing legislation.”
  Climate efforts
• “Set up effective democratic and judicial oversight mechanism, as well as provide citizens with access to legal remedies, regulate the trade in and the use of spyware based on the conditions that we have formulated together here, make sure that the invocation of national security is indeed always subject to independent review and oversight and several more recommendations. They're all there. What we need is action. And this is where I am a little bit disappointed. Disappointed in the European Commission two years ago, the Commission, in its response to our investigation, said that they were exploring the possibility of a non-legislative initiative. Now, this does not sound very ambitious in itself, but still you manage to overpromise and under-deliver. Sadly, I have to conclude that the previous commission did not do its job in this regard. So I am really counting on you also, executive Vice-President Yakunin, to make a difference here. I welcome your clear condemnation today and I agree with you that further work is needed. So let us get to action, let us do this further work and let us protect all of our citizens from abuse. Thank you.”
  Surveillance equipment & spyware
• “Thank you, Madam President. Last month we sat in this chamber and we listened to Jackie Fox as she shared the story of a daughter, Coco, and how online bullies ultimately and tragically pushed her to suicide. A very powerful speech, and we rightfully gave her a standing ovation. Last week, I met another mother whose son took his own life after intimate messages of him were circulated online. Her grief is unimaginable, but what haunts her still today is this no one can tell her with certainty that those images of her son are no longer circulating somewhere on the web today. And what if there would have been a simple button for her son to push to delete these images permanently? Perhaps Glen would still be alive today. And this is the reality behind our legislative gaps. We rightfully celebrate here in this Parliament when we are successful in getting new defining apps banned. But what good does it do if we fail to stop the harm they produce. If we cannot even detect the material they produce, we cannot protect victims by tying the hands of those who could prevent abuse from spreading. Yes, the creators of such content are responsible. Those who share it are responsible. Those who are joined are responsible. But we must also be honest if we fail to equip our systems to stop it. If we hesitate to close known legislative gaps, we. To carry a share of that responsibility, we need proportionate voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material so that platforms and authorities can act before harm and abuse multiplies. We owe victims and their families more than standing ovations. We owe them action. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Yes. Thank you, Mr. Vistisen. First of all, a small correction. This legislation does not create a new centre. The centre is already there through the regulation, which is still under negotiation. But regardless of that, the centre is there to make research, to help victims, to have reporting. What power does this centre have in your mind that would interfere with the Member states, uh, own responsibility to protect children? Because simply there is none.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Yes. Thank you very much. Europe is facing a rapidly escalating child sexual abuse crisis. Reports of online grooming are soaring. And we're seeing an explosion of AI generated child sexual abuse material. And behind every image, every video, every report is a real victim, a real child being abused. And for years, voluntary detection and reporting by providers has helped identifying abuse material and support investigations that protect victims and stops ongoing abuse. And we should use all available instruments to take down all of these types of abuse material. And it's certainly not the time to switch off these tools, because that would simply mean more abuse material circulating online, fewer reports, fewer Interventions and in the end, more children left in abusive situations. Because, yes, we are very clear about this. Privacy is fundamental. It protects our freedoms. It protects our daily lives in the digital world. But privacy can never become a shield behind which child abusers can hide. Of course, all safeguards must remain in place end to end encryption, clear prohibition of general monitoring. But weakening the current system would not protect privacy. It would protect abuse, and that would send the worst possible signal, namely that Europe. In Europe, the privacy of abusers weighs more than the safety of our children, and we choose the opposite signal. We must protect the children, not the perpetrators. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Thank you, Madam President. Dear Commissioner, dear colleagues. You know, it's I know it's customary to always thank the shadows and the colleagues for the great work we've done together. But I would like to say this time I really mean it from the bottom of my heart. I think we had an excellent cooperation from left to right, leading to a unanimous adoption of this report in the Libe committee, which is a huge, huge step in further protecting our children in Europe, which is so, so important. Personally, a couple of years ago, I met a father, a father whose child, a little girl, was abused. And in the investigation they discovered that the abuser had made use of a so-called pedo manual, an instruction book, a guide book on how to win the trust of children, how to abuse and exploit them, and how to get away with it. Hundreds of pages of sickening, horrific, disgusting content. And the worst of it was that this book, as such, was not even banned in any country of the European Union. This father started a fight. He managed to get it banned in the Netherlands, in Germany and Belgium. And today, in this Parliament, we take a huge step of getting this type of books banned throughout the whole of Europe. I would like to thank Marcel and his Stichting for his fight. He is with us here today in the plenary room, so thank you very much and we will keep joining your fight. But this is not the only thing that we do with this legislation. One of the things that is, I think most concerning of us all is the huge increase of the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to generating child sexual abuse material, based on the statistics of Mac.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you very much, Madam President. Commissioner. Dear presidency, apps that undress or sexualize images are not innovation. Their exploitation abuse overwhelmingly directed against women and children and they should never be legal. And the testimonies of victims are heartbreaking. Take the case of Olivia, abused as a child and rescued years ago. Yet in 2024, new images of her appeared photo realistic AI creations trained on her original abuse material. For victims like Olivia, the abuse does not end when the crime ends and Olivia is not an isolated case. This year alone, the Internet Watch Foundation identified almost 3500 AI videos like that with child sexual abuse, compared with just 13 the year before. Each number represents a child whose suffering is being reproduced and normalized, and it's a small but inadequate step for platforms like grok to restrict sexualized images of real people while still allowing fabricated abuse. Ai generated abuse is never harmless. It normalizes violence and increases real world risks, and this parliament has already called for stronger child online safety. Now we need action. An EU wide ban on aid generated AI generated child sexual abuse material, and the systems that produce IT platforms must put responsibility before profit. Safety must be built in by design, because taking material down after the abuse has taken place is simply not enough. Europe must lead. We cannot allow technology or those who profit from it to decide if and how our children are protected. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “There is nothing bad about doing that. Legislators in all democracies do it. What would be bad is to stand on the sidelines doing nothing while family businesses go bankrupt, suffocated by bureaucracy to see factory doors close under the pressure of high energy prices. To see complete industries leave European territory, helping neither the planet nor our economies, we need to reduce red tape and help SMEs, businesses and industries grow in Europe. We now need a man on the moon moment for European competitiveness and in this sense we welcome this work programme. It presents a clear choice to tackle Europe's challenges head on. The clean industrial deal, the omnibuses, the Affordable Energy Plan, the vision for agriculture, the Return Regulation, the White Paper on Defence and so many other initiatives and all the ingredients to succeed are there and it shows the much needed decisiveness that so many key initiatives are to be presented in the first 100 days of this commission, and much will depend on the substance of these proposals. And we call on the Commission to show ambition. Now is not the time for incremental changes, for Changes for amending a few dots and commas here and there. We need a real game changer. The world is not waiting for Europe. We need to send a signal to our voters, to our businesses, to investors, to our partners, that we are ready to do the necessary. That we can and will succeed. That is our message to the world, and we must send it with strength and vigour. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Enough is enough. And, dear colleagues, strength also means economic strength in a world in turmoil, only a competitive Europe can secure our prosperity. That is what the EPP campaigned on and that is what we are delivering. We are simplifying rules, cutting red tape, strengthening trade partnerships and deepening the single market. And this has already saved European companies billions of euros. But the work is not finished. We must go further and we must go faster. And the consequences of the war in Iran are already visible in our member states. Energy prices are rising again, putting pressure on households and businesses across the European Union. And if geopolitical tensions drive up energy costs for European unions, for Europeans, the European Council cannot stay silent. We expect clear discussions and concrete action. Our citizens expect leadership. They will not accept politics that merely describe the chaos. They want us to fix it. As De Gasperi once said, politics is about making things happen, whether in good weather or bad. And today we are facing difficult weather. And when some in European politics choose procedural nitpicking and institutional turf wars, we choose leadership. Not hesitation, not excuses. Leadership to build a Europe that protects its people and protects our prosperity. Let us deliver. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU