Sophia in 't Veld (ALDE). – Mr President, I think some of the interventions in this debate demonstrate very clearly how necessary this debate is and how much more we need to invest in the European Union as a community of values. I just heard my PPE colleagues say: well, why didn’t you compromise a little bit more? Because we do not compromise on human rights. We do not compromise on certain basic principles, like equality, and when you say everything’s fine in the European Union, no violence against women – ask women how many women encounter violence and harassment in their daily life.

It also shows how we need to protect LGBTI rights. Recently in my country we found out that over 200 Christian ministers have signed up to the so—called Nashville declaration, which is profoundly homophobic and transphobic. I’d be really interested to know who else in this House is aware of the declaration and has signed up to it. So I will wholeheartedly support this report, including recital 7 and paragraph 23 which is about the fundamental right of women to decide on their very own bodies. There is no right more basic than that.