My Goals
For a Europe that serves the people.
A Europe That serves its citizens
I want to advocate for a fair single market that serves people and tames corporate power. Digital markets need to be regulated, tech companies need to be controlled, and clear rules for financial market players need to be created and enforced. I want to declare war on tax avoidance and money laundering. This is what I am striving for together with our European politicians in the Bundestag, the working group on Europe of the SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament, and the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe.
To achieve these goals, I work in the committees for the internal market and consumer protection, for economic and monetary affairs, and in the legal affairs committee. I will briefly introduce these in the following.
My Committees in the European Parliament
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)
The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) deals with economic policy, monetary policy, tax and competition policy, free movement of capital and the regulation of banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, pension funds – in short, the European financial market. These are all issues that are particularly important to us Social Democrats. After all, they relate to what we see as the fundamental goal of a socially just distribution of wealth.
ECON deals, for example, with issues such as recovery from the Corona crisis, combating tax evasion and transparency for hedge funds. We Social Democrats have been calling for years for far-reaching regulation of the European financial market. This is not just about the common eurozone, but about the future of the European Union as a project in itself.
Specifically, I am currently dealing with the Corporate Due Diligence Directive, for which I have been appointed rapporteur for the opinion due in ECON. The aim of the directive is to improve the protection of human rights and the environment in value chains of European companies and to create a level playing field in the EU internal market. They must be liable for human rights violations, child labor and forced labor, and also for environmental protection. I pay particular attention to the fact that financial institutions are declared a high-risk area.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
The internal market for goods and services, in which we can move freely, is the heart of the European Union. That’s why I’m delighted to be involved in shaping it in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO). Here I deal with a wide range of rules that regulate the economy, and protect us consumers. Whether it’s cross-border service provision, the right to repair broken equipment, or a charger for all small electronic devices, IMCO has its fingers in the pie.
In a very tangible way, I am working to ensure that the advantages of the digital economy benefit society as a whole – both in Europe and worldwide. Here, with the Digital Markets Act, I have already been able to lay down democratic rules for the Internet, which should continue to be fair in the 21st century and not be dependent on the interests of large digital companies. The interests of consumers must also be at the center when we regulate artificial intelligence. This should not result in another Wild West, but rather in clear and comprehensible rules that set global standards.
A functioning single market is the backbone of the European Union. What counts for me is that social policy, ecology and the economy are linked. If this succeeds in Brussels and Strasbourg, Europe’s citizens will continue to rally behind the European project.
Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI)
In the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (JURI), important decisions are made for the citizens of Europe. We MEPs deal there with regulations of civil, commercial and company law as well as with the role of the European Parliament as a plaintiff before the Court of Justice of the European Union to protect the rights of the Parliament. These questions seem very abstract at first, but law as a means of shaping socio-political values and ideas touches the everyday lives of all Europeans.
For example, in my committee work I deal with the question of which law applies in situations where so-called claims are transferred; for example, a mortgage loan by a bank based in Germany in favor of a bank in the UK. Such decisions affect us consumers very significantly. It is important for social democrats like me to ensure that the underlying standards are designed accordingly and that the weaker parties in the legal relationship are protected.
Another competence that is very close to my heart concerns the role of the European Parliament as an appellant before the Court of Justice of the European Union. This power strengthens the role of Parliament and thus democracy as a whole. In concrete terms, it means that the European Parliament can bring an action – for example, to declare a legal act null and void. This could have applied, for example, to the controversial taxonomy regulation, which had both substantive and formal errors. However, it already failed in the plenary session of the Parliament.
In my political work, I am grateful for anyone who can provide me with impetus along the way. Because first and foremost, as a member of the European Parliament, I am a representative for my home country. So do not be afraid to participate and get in touch with me.