Tilly Metz
Member of the European Parliament · ALE · LU
“Câte milioane de locuri de muncă am pierde și cât la bugetul Uniunii Europene s-ar pierde prin neutilizarea sectorului zootehnic? 4-0037-0000 Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE), blue-card answer. – First of all, with pleasure, I will send you the recent figures on vegetarianism and people that eat meat.”
“And to the conservatives: why attack animal welfare NGOs when 84 % of the EU's citizens say animal welfare standards are insufficient? Let us instead support the farmers transitioning to sustainable systems and diversified proteins for their future, for Europe's independence, our health and the animals.”
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear Christophe, look at me: yes, I'm a vegetarian, and I have been for many years – and yet, I am a healthy woman. And in this report on the future of livestock in Europe, conservatives teamed up with far-right politicians to bash vegetarianism and veganism, claiming it would not be healthy.”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, what we are hearing from many colleagues this evening is the result of a sustained and aggressive lobbying.”
“Meanwhile, those facing environmental and economic consequences – our cities, wastewater operators, healthcare providers and civil society – are demanding a swift implementation of this directive and these are the voices that we really must listen to. 1-0266-0000”
“Mr President, we must be serious about gender equality. It is a fundamental principle of the European Union, and I want to believe it is a principle we all share. Being serious about gender equality also means being serious about the health of half of the population.”
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“Câte milioane de locuri de muncă am pierde și cât la bugetul Uniunii Europene s-ar pierde prin neutilizarea sectorului zootehnic? 4-0037-0000 Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE), blue-card answer. – First of all, with pleasure, I will send you the recent figures on vegetarianism and people that eat meat. And I'm persuaded – and it's not only me – that in order to survive as farmers we need to go into diversification. Also regarding protein production: that is the future and that is the only one that is sustainable. Do you have the figures for how many farmers today have to give up under the pressure of an economic system because they were much too specialised on livestock farming, for example, and also on the consequences, the costs that are there, of intensive livestock farming? The future is a transition, an ecological transition ...”
“And to the conservatives: why attack animal welfare NGOs when 84 % of the EU's citizens say animal welfare standards are insufficient? Let us instead support the farmers transitioning to sustainable systems and diversified proteins for their future, for Europe's independence, our health and the animals. (The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 4-0036-0000 Maria Grapini (S&D), întrebare adresată conform procedurii „cartonașului albastru”. – Stimată colegă, am ascultat cu atenție ce ați spus. Aș vrea să vă pun câteva întrebări concrete. Știți o statistică, cât din populația Uniunii Europene și de pe glob consumă carne și câți sunt vegetarieni? Asta este o întrebare. A doua întrebare: ce credeți că am face noi în Uniunea Europeană, dacă zonele montane, pășunile nu ar fi utilizate?”
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear Christophe, look at me: yes, I'm a vegetarian, and I have been for many years – and yet, I am a healthy woman. And in this report on the future of livestock in Europe, conservatives teamed up with far-right politicians to bash vegetarianism and veganism, claiming it would not be healthy. Intensive livestock farming harms the environment, driving pollution and climate change. Processed and red meat increases cancer risk. Is this healthy for us? If we want to prevent diseases among humans and among animals, ensure food security and truly invest in the future of Europe, we must shift away from intensive livestock farming to extensive, animal welfare-friendly systems and yes, also to less animal product-heavy diets.”
“Meanwhile, those facing environmental and economic consequences – our cities, wastewater operators, healthcare providers and civil society – are demanding a swift implementation of this directive and these are the voices that we really must listen to. 1-0266-0000”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, what we are hearing from many colleagues this evening is the result of a sustained and aggressive lobbying. It's deeply shameful that a measure designed to deliver clean water and safeguard public health is being deliberately distorted, simply to protect profit margins from companies that continue to generate billions each year. Industry demanded a reassessment of the foreseen cost of the policy. The reassessment was carried out and it confirmed that the Commission's analysis was sound. But industry has chosen to ignore it and push for further delay. Even more concerning is that colleagues here in the House – EPP and ECR – are now repeating these false claims. This is a political choice from their part to side with industry over public interest.”
“Heute setzen wir ein klares Zeichen: Mit den neuen Regeln für eine klare Rechtsgrundlage für grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit und Sanktionen werden wir Landwirtinnen und Landwirte besser schützen, wenn unfaire Praktiken grenzüberschreitend auftreten, und strengere nationale Regeln werden EU-weit respektiert. Fairness für Bäuerinnen und Bauern ist kein Detail am Rande; sie ist unverzichtbar für eine nachhaltige, gerechte Agrarpolitik in Europa. 4-0112-0000”
“Frau Präsidentin! Ein großer Teil der Lebensmittel, die wir in Luxemburg konsumieren, stammt aus anderen europäischen Ländern, doch entlang dieser Lieferketten kommt es immer noch zu unfairen Handelspraktiken. Unfaire Handelspraktiken sind immer inakzeptabel, aber besonders in einem Markt, der nachhaltige und regionale Produktion ohnehin schon benachteiligt. Die Marktmacht einiger großer Händler erlaubt verspätete Zahlungen und einseitige Vertragsänderungen. Das untergräbt nicht nur die wirtschaftliche Stabilität unserer Höfe, sondern das Vertrauen in die gesamte Lebensmittelkette.”
“Mr President, we must be serious about gender equality. It is a fundamental principle of the European Union, and I want to believe it is a principle we all share. Being serious about gender equality also means being serious about the health of half of the population. Universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, access to safe abortion without discrimination and without exceptions is key. Yet today's healthcare and medicine are not delivering for women. Lesbian and trans women face discrimination in care. Refugee women struggle to access even basic services. Health research excluded pregnant women. This means delayed diagnosis, worse health and preventable deaths. Our European and global commitments must include all women in all their diversity. Only then can we ensure social justice for all. 4-0035-0000”
“Making Europe strong means less poverty and more inclusion. Making Europe strong means also showing that Europe truly cares. 4-0079-0000”
“Madam President, Commissioner, only social Europe is a strong Europe. Europe's strength and competitive advantage lie in strong social policies. It's about quality employment. It's about social protection. It's about health. Today, we cannot lose what we have achieved over decades. There is a growing attempt from the right and far right to dismantle social protection and social progress, often because they compare Europe to the US, often because they listen only to big corporations. But we must not change our course, and we have to renew our Action Plan. Because all is not rosy. We still struggle with poverty, with housing and with inclusion of people with disabilities. We need to ensure equal and timely access to healthcare for all. Today, we cannot lose progress. We must do better.”
“Let's fight for a Europe where accessibility is universal, where schools really include, where workplaces open opportunities, where decision-making bodies include persons with disabilities at every stage, and where violence and discrimination are met with zero tolerance. 3-0374-0000”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, what does it say of our society when 1 in 4 Europeans lives with a disability, yet millions still face discrimination – when fundamental rights like independent living, voting, equal access to healthcare or simply moving freely are still not guaranteed? They are our family members, they are our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours, or just us. Yet, too often they remain excluded from the society they help to build. But in 2025, we have no excuses left. We know what needs to be done. We have the UN convention and we must finally implement it fully: the right to personal assistance, the right to self-determination, the right to family and social life, the right to accessible information and political participation, and mobility and social rights that apply immediately and everywhere in Europe.”
“En tant que Premier ministre, vous êtes responsable non seulement de ce que vous faites, mais aussi de ce que vous décidez de ne pas faire. 2-0085-0000”
“Pour cela, nous avons besoin de dirigeants courageux, humains et dotés de sagesse, qui défendent un modèle européen basé sur la solidarité et la bienveillance. L'actualité en France nous le rappelle: on ne gouverne pas un pays comme on gère une entreprise privée. Cela ne fonctionne pas. Faire preuve de véritable leadership, ce n'est pas être au service des actionnaires, des banques ou des lobbies; c'est écouter les gens. Voilà ce qui fait un bon dirigeant au Luxembourg et en Europe. Oui à la simplification, mais non à la dérégulation qui nuit au citoyen et à la planète. Ma question est donc simple: comment allez-vous renforcer l'État et les services publics pour mieux protéger les plus vulnérables, les travailleurs et le climat? Vous venez du secteur privé et vous savez que l'inaction en la matière coûte bien plus cher.”
“Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Premier ministre, Monsieur le Commissaire, c'est un plaisir de vous accueillir ici au Parlement européen. Aujourd'hui, il a beaucoup été question de compétitivité et de simplification administrative pour les entreprises. Oui, parlons de compétitivité, mais dans le cadre d'une transition socialement juste et écologiquement responsable. C'est essentiel pour le bien-être des citoyens et fondamental pour les générations futures. Prenons le logement: pour faire baisser les factures d'énergie, il faut des logements bien isolés pour toutes et tous, pas uniquement pour les plus aisés. Sans justice sociale, sans équité et, j'insiste, sans empathie, nos sociétés s'effondrent.”
“You might say, 'yeah, but now the heat is over.' But it will come back again next year and it will cause suffering, it will cause closing of schools, it will slow down our economy and it will affect people's health. But we can do something: we can act. If we have the courage to act, we must do it. Climate change denial costs lives. Protecting and investing in nature is the only solution. 4-0071-0000”
“Mr President, Commissioner, heatwaves are caused by climate change. They disturb our lives, our sleep, they are dangerous and often deadly. Among floods, droughts and fires, it is heatwaves that are the most dangerous. I am thinking of many people here: of children, of elderly people, of people with chronic diseases, of people living in overheated apartments. They cannot escape from the heatwaves. Heatwaves do not heat equally, but policies must protect equally. When the wealthy buy air conditioning and pay high energy bills, the most vulnerable suffer and end up in hospitals. Health policies and climate policies go hand in hand.”
“We face a gender‑health gap that is killing trust, delaying treatment, and violating the rights of women. The pain of women has been underestimated, pathologised and ignored simply because it is felt by women. There is not enough attention for endometriosis. Not enough research funding goes to women's health research in general. For far too long, research has concentrated on male bodies. We must change that. It is changing already, but not fast enough. We call for investment in research both on diagnosis and treatment, but also on awareness raising about women's health. 4-0187-0000”
“Mr President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, today I'm here to speak for millions of women across Europe. Women who have been ignored, misdiagnosed and dismissed for far too long. They are called hypochondriacs, pill poppers, hysterics or attention seekers simply because they are in pain. Real, chronic, paralysing pain. Women with endometriosis are told, that's just the way you are. They are told pain is part of being a woman. They are told to keep on going because suffering has been normalised as feminine, but endometriosis is not an issue to endure. It is a disease, a disease that affects one out of ten women in the EU, a disease that can take up to a decade to diagnose, a disease that has destroyed organs, careers, relationships and lives.”
“It is about opening up more respectful possibilities and supporting personal assistance, inclusive education and family‑based care. We need an EU plan that supports rights and gives hope. Let's be brave enough to build communities, not institutions. 1-0158-0000”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, across the EU, children, persons with disabilities and persons with mental health problems are still in large‑scale institutions, isolated from family, community and their rights. Because in institutions, it is often not possible to respect the simple right to decide how to spend your day, where to live or even how to decorate your room. This is not what human dignity looks like. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the EU has ratified, affirms the right to live independently and be included in society. Yet, EU funds are still being used to renovate or build new institutions. Instead of dismantling harmful systems, we are making it stronger. Let me be clear: deinstitutionalisation is not about closing doors.”
“Klimawandel, der Verlust und die Verschlechterung der Lebensräume, massive Auswirkungen von Pestiziden auf die Umwelt, auf unsere Gesundheit – das sind alles Phänomene, die mit konservativen Politiken und Handlungsunwilligkeit nicht angegangen werden können. Wir brauchen einen zukunftsgerichteten EU‑Pakt für Bestäuber, eine gemeinsame Agrarpolitik, die für Landwirtinnen und Landwirte und die Umwelt funktioniert, und klare Vorschriften zur Pestizidreduzierung. 4-0152-0000”
“Frau Präsidentin! Der Schutz von Bienen und anderen Bestäubern muss eine Priorität für die EU sein. 78 % der heimischen Pflanzenarten und 84 % der Nutzpflanzen sind entweder teilweise oder vollständig auf Insekten zur Bestäubung angewiesen, aber wenn wir so weitermachen wie bisher, fördern wir den dramatischen Rückgang von bestäubenden Wildinsekten massiv. Die öffentliche Meinung ist eindeutig. Mit der erfolgreichen Europäischen Bürgerinitiative Save bees and farmers fordern Bürgerinnen und Bürger eine bienenfreundliche Landwirtschaft, frei von giftigen Pestiziden, nicht nur der Bienen wegen, sondern wegen der Zukunft von Landwirtinnen und Landwirten, die auf ein funktionierendes Ökosystem angewiesen sind.”
“Instead of nature-based solutions – they are already proven to work – improving water availability, buffering climate shocks and strengthening resilience for our food systems, our health and our economies. We must act now. Let's protect the water we have and prevent further damage. 2-0429-0000”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, the state of Europe's water is a wake-up call for urgent action because, yes, water is life, water is health, water is food. Without water, there is no economy, no stability, no future. Let's not be naïve. Our current approach has led us to a point where one in three people globally lack access to clean drinking water, and nearly 40 % of the EU faces permanent water scarcity. Our water is being poisoned by chemicals, pesticides, microplastics, PFAS. It's becoming unusable, it's making us ill. It's time to take a different path, to make more space for nature and restoration, because nature cannot be tricked. More concrete, more pipes, more artificial solutions will not protect us from the impacts of climate change, from droughts and floods.”
“Le secteur a cependant deux inconvénients: son empreinte carbone et les coûts énergétiques. Le développement des énergies renouvelables pour l’électrification est donc essentiel si l’on veut réduire les coûts énergétiques et rendre la sidérurgie durable tout en préservant des centaines de milliers d’emplois. Alors oui, il faut agir. Il faut une politique cohérente à tous les niveaux pour atteindre les objectifs climatiques et pour la compétitivité du secteur. 3-0040-0000”
“Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Commissaire, l’histoire du Luxembourg est marquée par l’industrie sidérurgique et métallurgique, et depuis 1997 la production de l’acier brut est à 100 % électrique. C’est à elle que le pays doit sa prospérité, et elle a fortement influencé l’économie, la société et le paysage luxembourgeois. Avec le siège mondial d’ArcelorMittal au Luxembourg, ce secteur reste un élément central du pays et pour l’Europe. En effet, ce secteur est crucial pour la stabilité économique, la sécurité et l’indépendance stratégique de l’Europe, et il est également essentiel pour le développement des énergies renouvelables, pour la construction d’infrastructures durables ainsi que pour la production de véhicules électriques et de technologies liées à la défense.”
“Um den Agrarsektor zukunftsfähig zu machen, braucht es jetzt einen grundlegenden Wandel: weg von pauschalen Flächenprämien hin zu einer Landwirtschaft, die Landwirte fair entlohnt, die Umwelt schützt und Tierwohl berücksichtigt. Herr Kommissar, wir Grünen stehen Ihnen hierfür konstruktiv zur Seite. 4-0034-0000”
“Herr Präsident! Guten Morgen, Herr Kommissar! Die Vision für die Zukunft der Landwirtschaft ist ein vielversprechender Ansatz. Sie weist jedoch einige Widersprüche auf: Wie kann man von gesunden Böden, sauberer Luft, reinem Wasser und Artenschutz sprechen, ohne eine Reduktion der intensiven Tierhaltung, ohne einen schrittweisen Verzicht auf toxische Pestizide und ohne klare Anreize für mehr biologischen Landbau? Angekündigt wird auch – endlich – die Überarbeitung der aktuellen Tierschutzgesetzgebung – das ist wichtig und richtig. Aber wo bleibt das entscheidende Bekenntnis zur Reduzierung tierischer Produkte und zur Förderung stärker pflanzenbasierter Ernährungsweisen?”
“Madam President, I am speaking on behalf of millions that don't have a voice and about three remaining legislative files that are ready to be tabled and were foreseen for the end of 2023, but because of the pressure of the lobbyists, they are retained. I am speaking about legislation improving animal welfare for millions of animals. It is about slaughtering, it is about clear labelling on animal welfare, and it is about 'End the Cage Age', where a successful ECI was asking for that. The Eurobarometer is also very clear: nine out of ten citizens demand stronger protection for animals. So: keep your promises Commission. This is also a question about the credibility of the EU institutions. 3-0097-0000”
“Pour remédier à la pénurie de personnel soignant, nous avons besoin de plus de coopération, plutôt que de concurrence. Nous devons rendre les carrières du secteur de la santé plus attractives en améliorant les salaires, mais surtout les conditions de travail et le soutien à la santé mentale. Investir dans les infrastructures publiques et dans le personnel soignant est une question de sécurité sanitaire et de qualité des soins pour les patients ainsi qu'un élément clé du pilier social de l'Union européenne. 2-0202-0000”
“Monsieur le Président, il y a des défis qui sont mieux résolus au niveau européen. Il y a même des défis qui ne peuvent être résolus qu'au niveau européen. Le manque de personnel soignant est un problème très réel dans toute l'Union européenne, sans exception. Tous les pays y sont confrontés, riches et pauvres. En fait, le Luxembourg est le pays le plus riche et celui qui a le plus grand problème de médecins dans toute l'Union européenne. Mais l'enjeu central n'est pas celui d'un pays en particulier. C'est un enjeu crucial pour les citoyens, pour les patients. Nous commençons tous à avoir le sentiment que l'Union européenne et les États membres ne sont plus en mesure de prendre soin de nous. Ainsi, le sentiment de sécurité s'estompe.”