Speeches

Madam President, I should like to welcome the Commissioner back to the European Parliament. The war in Ukraine, the military invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, shows exactly why Europe needs a strong economy. We will be able to face much easier the economic consequences of this war if our economy is strong, if our economy is competitive. This is valid during this crisis and this will also be valid during the next crisis, which for sure will occur. We do not know when the next crisis will occur, what its origins will be, but for sure, the next crisis will occur. And this is why our economies have to be strong. We will be hit harder if our economies are weaker and the best instrument that we have at European level to ensure the strength of our economies is the European Semester. The European Semester is now becoming more important also because of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the new funds which we are putting at the disposal of Member States. And we have ensured that the country-specific recommendations and the European Semester play a big role in this context. This is why our call towards the Commission is to make sure that Member States are implementing the reforms that they have committed to, and some reforms are more important. Firstly, the structural reforms are very important. Secondly, the fiscal consolidation. And thirdly, the growth-enhancing measures, because we are launching Next Generation EU. We have indebted ourselves, and in order to be able to repay back this debt, our economies have to be stronger because debt always has to be paid back in good times and in bad times. The RRF has also made the European Semester more enforceable. We call on the Commission, we expect the Commission to work together with us, to work together with Member States, to enforce the European Semester now and for the future. We can also imagine a closer link between the European Semester and other financial instruments of the Union.

Madam President, I would like to thank the Commissioner very much for all the initiatives which she undertook in recent weeks, including the visit to my home country, to Romania, to the border, and all of the support that she and the European Commission are providing to Ukrainian people in need, but also to local authorities, to volunteers, to NGOs, to governments who are trying to help Ukrainian people in need. Dear colleagues, now we need to make the European Union visible. People in our home countries, people in host communities need to see that the European Union stands by their side and helps. I am particularly grateful that we are having this debate today, especially on the situation of refugees, because, yes, the war in Ukraine has many implications, but people come first. We need to talk about refugees. We need to find solutions for them. It is women and children who are waiting for hours in the cold, in bad weather conditions, to enter the European Union, to exit Ukraine safely. We need to provide all we can in terms of support immediately. We need to understand that this is the beginning, it is not the end. We need to put in place good infrastructure, good structures which can care for the people for months if needed. Then, very important, we need to start preparing schooling for children. We know from the previous migration and refugee crisis that it takes months to organise teachers, books and proper conditions for children to learn in schools. This is essential. Only an educated child has a chance to find a job and to reduce the risk of radicalisation in the end. Likewise, we have to address the food implications in Ukraine, but also in neighbouring countries, and we also have to make sure that wounded Ukrainian citizens receive proper protection, including in EU Member States if needed. Treatment in EU Member States for wounded Ukrainian citizens is humanitarian aid. We should provide that.

Madam President, the European Union will be spending in the next years more money than ever, from the budget of the European Union and from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. And the Recovery and Resilience Facility, together with the cohesion policy, are the most important investment policies that the European Union has, benefiting the net recipient countries, but in fact benefiting also the single market of the European Union, the economies in all of our Member States. We have decided the policy for the next 7 years with future—oriented objectives, objectives which will make our economies stronger, more competitive, more innovative. This is why we should, Commissioner, make sure that we are able to implement the policy without any further delay. My first call to the Commission is to make sure that you’re working with Member States to recover the delays. Yes, we had delays also in the adoption of the legal basis, but now the delays are in the adoption of the operational programmes of the partnership agreements. We have to work with governments. They concentrated and they did well on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, but we have to push them now as well because there have to be synergies between the two, because there needs to be coherence, convergence, coordination, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility will be more successful if implemented hand in hand with cohesion policy. First thing. Second thing. The fact that there is a delay now we should also use to make sure that we allocate money where countries need it, also as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Exactly as we reacted when COVID occurred, we should see where we can introduce more flexibility, where we can eventually amend the co—financing rate so that Member States can use the money on the ground where it is needed, including to alleviate the consequences of increased energy prices and help the most vulnerable people affected by the increase of energy prices.

Mr President, dear colleagues, now is the time for actions and clear words, so I will say four things very clearly. We can only live in safety and security within the borders of the 27 Member States of the Union if we are surrounded by countries which are safe and stable in our neighbourhood. This is why defending Ukraine means defending the European Union. We have to provide all the support that we can to Ukraine, including financial support, and here we, the European Parliament, have a big role to play. We say very clearly, we are ready to spend EU money to support Ukraine and to rebuild Ukraine. We are ready to spend EU money for defence. We are ready to spend more for democracy in Ukraine and everywhere else where needed as well. Secondly, when people in Ukraine say they want to join the European Union, our answer is yes, you are welcome. Ukraine belongs to Europe. Ukraine belongs to the European Union. This today we say with a very large majority of pro—European Members of the European Parliament. We know there is still a lot to do until membership, and many difficulties to overcome, but what more proof do we need than what the people of Ukraine are doing these days that the people of Ukraine can overcome all difficulties in view of it becoming a member of the European Union one day. We start work on this as soon as possible. Thirdly, the Republic of Moldova, a country of less than three million people and a neighbouring country of the European Union, has welcomed more than 70 000 refugees onto their territory in the past five days. They have provided food, they have provided shelter, they have provided support. They acted in the European spirit on the basis of European values because they are led by a pro-European president and a pro-European government. This is why I say that everything that we offer to Ukraine, we have to offer to the Republic of Moldova right now in terms of EU cooperation. In terms of perspective for membership, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are equally important for the security of Europe. The last thing is that the invasion of Ukraine and the assault upon Kyiv would not have been possible without Belarus. This is why all political measures that we apply upon Russia, we should apply in the same manner upon Belarus.

Madam President, the European Parliament welcomes today’s decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union. We welcome it with the very large majority, with the majority of pro-European groups who believe in the rule of law. European funds are money from the people of Europe for the people of Europe. This is money that has to be protected; it is money from the people, for the people. It is not money for politicians or governments attacking the rule of law. This legislation, confirmed today by the Court, is good for the people. It protects the money of the people, and citizens have to know that any politician who questions this legislation, or who questions the rule of law conditionality, intends to break the rule of law, and thus to harm their own people. In the coming years, the European Union will be spending more money than ever. We need to make sure that money reaches the people who need that money, the people for whom it was intended, and this piece of legislation is very helpful in this respect. Today’s Court ruling in favour of the rule of law gives no time for celebration. This is the time to start work. We say from here very clearly to the European Commission: apply this legislation and apply it now. Be the guardian of the Treaties, as you have to be. The European Commission has to apply the rule of law mechanism without any delay. This is our clear expectation. A law is a law and it has to be applied, so we expect the European Commission to trigger this mechanism without any further delay, and at the same time, we expect the Council to fulfil its duties and not to delay the procedure and the adoption of any decisions. The mechanism shall, of course, apply immediately, irrespective of political colours of any governments or of the political situation in Member States. Whenever money is in danger, it has to be recovered immediately and the flow of more money that risks being misused has to be stopped. No political event whatsoever should be any excuse for a delay. The European Parliament will not tolerate any unjustified delays. We expect the Commission to put forward the cases that it had enough time to prepare.

Madam President, let us be clear what military aggression by Russia against Ukraine means. It means the instant international isolation of the Russian Federation. It means political isolation. It means economic isolation for the Russian Federation, and we all know that isolation brings poverty. It means poverty for the people of Russia. For 20 years, the rule of Mr Putin has led the people of Russia down. Today, the average salary in Russia is smaller than the average salary in any of the 27 Member States of the Union. Today, life expectancy in Russia is shorter than life expectancy in any of the 27 Member States of the Union, and the media in Russia are much less free than the media in the European Union. People in Russia today are living in worse conditions than the people of the European Union: this is the truth. It needs to be told. And an aggression will mean an immediate worsening of the living conditions in Russia. People will be poorer very soon. We do not want this to happen, but this is what will inevitably happen if Russia invades Ukraine. We also need to find ways to talk to the citizens of Russia. We need a plan, and this belongs in the Strategic Compass of the European Union to tell the people of Russia why democracy, freedom of the press, rule of law are good for them, and why peace is the first condition for prosperity. And for us, dear colleagues, defending Ukraine means defending ourselves. We can only live in safety inside the borders of the European Union if we are surrounded by safe neighbours. We can only be safe within the borders of the EU if Ukraine is safe. Defending Ukraine means defending Europe and defending the European Union.

Madam President, Commissioners, Minister, welcome to the European Parliament. Almost exactly one year ago in December 2020, we managed to agree between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the largest package of economic support ever created by the European Union: the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Much was achieved in this one year, since, with 22 plans already approved by the Commission and the Council, and with the countries having received their pre-financing, we are now moving from the assessment to the implementation phase. The scope is clear – recovery and resilience. We have to use the funds to help people, enterprises and regions affected by the virus in the process of recovery, but resilience is also important. We have to use the money to strengthen our public systems, healthcare, education, the economy, the public systems and the private sector, so that if ever in the future such a crisis hits us, we will not be hit in the same way. We are going to spend more money than ever. This is why control is important. The European Public Prosecutor, the European Court of Auditors and the European Anti-Fraud Office need to have a strong role. We made sure that there are clear rules at European level, but that there is also flexibility. Countries can use the money where they need it, but one thing cannot be negotiated, and that is values and that is the rule of law. If money flows, European values should be respected. Furthermore, the money should also be used to reform; it should not be seen only as a source of investment. Investments and reforms go hand in hand. I expect the Commission to observe the implementation of all the country-specific recommendations, and some are very important. Fiscal sustainability is essential. It is very important because we could only create this Recovery and Resilience Facility now because our Member States are still credible enough in the eyes of the financial markets so that the guarantee that we gave to the Commission enabled the Commission to access funds. We need to ensure fiscal sustainability again in the future. We, as Parliament, are going to monitor the work of the Commission and the implementation of this plan.

Mr President, President von der Leyen, Minister, people in the European Union are concerned. People are watching and are feeling the increase in energy prices. People are seeing the pressure on the external border of the European Union to Belarus. They are following the developments in Ukraine. And they see the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant. In this situation, we as the European Union, need to clearly tell people that the European Union helps, the European Union has solutions and the European Union offers solutions to the problems that the people are facing. The European Union has always helped during crises in recent years. During the economic crisis, no country in difficulty 10 years ago was left alone. When Brexit occurred, we were united and we protected the rights of every single EU citizen in the United Kingdom. And during the COVID-19 crisis, many forms of support occurred, vaccines is just one of them. With the vaccine, it is like with the safety belt in a car: for sure, you are better protected with the vaccine than without it. The European Union has always helped. It helps now, and it will also help in the future. The actions which we are undertaking now, for example, in the field of energy, will make sure that people are better protected. The reform of the EU gas market rules will prevent such developments in the future. Joint procurement and joint gas reserves will allow us to use gas when it is needed and where it is needed. In the transition from coal to renewable green sources of energy, we need to recognise that for some countries, gas is the only solution. I call on the Commission, when it will put forward its proposals on taxonomy, to recognise that gas based on new and modern technologies, of course. And as today – just to conclude – the Eastern Partnership summit takes place, we also need to say that helping countries in the Eastern Partnership means helping ourselves. We can only live in safety within the borders of the EU if we are surrounded by countries which also are safe and secure.

Mr President, the budget is one of the most important tools that we have to serve the citizens. At local level, at regional level, at national and at European level, the budget is the expression of our political priorities. With the budget of the European Union, we basically tell the people in which direction we intend to take the European Union next year, in the year 2022. With this budget, we are going to strengthen the Union to better cope with the pandemic. We are going to invest in health. We are going to make the European Union more innovative by investing in research and innovation. We are going to do more for young people. We have strengthened the Erasmus programme because we know that international exchange improves your chances to find a better job not only abroad, but also upon your return, at home. We are also strengthening small and medium—sized enterprises. We are making the European Union ready for the future. We also have available the money to pay the bills, and we are strengthening the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Court of Auditors, because the Union will spend more money than ever in the next years and we need to tackle fraud, irregularities and corruption wherever it occurs. Congratulations to the rapporteurs, thank you and well done!

Madam President, I would like to welcome President von der Leyen and the Minister back to the European Parliament. This is an important European Council because we see more and more negative impacts of the crisis generated by increased energy prices. People are affected by it. People see their purchasing power reduced and they expect concrete solutions. We had the first debate here in the Parliament two weeks ago and the European Commission presented their toolbox with many very good ideas last week. I totally support the fact that there should be an investigation into unfair competition practices, and also the approach that we should mitigate the effects on vulnerable consumers, and also the approach that there should be EU coordinated action. But, Minister, this week, the European Council should allow the Commission to do more. Firstly, on joint procurement – exploring the benefits of joint procurement is not enough. We need that joint procurement. We need it now. If we purchase together, we are much stronger. The Council should give the Commission the possibility to move ahead with this sooner. With the Parliament, if this is put on the table, we shall of course support it immediately. On energy storage, we also need more concrete proposals, not only for batteries and hydrogen, but also for gas, because that was one of the main sources of the crisis. I completely welcome the approach of the Commission on the financing in seeing the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) as a source of funding to support vulnerable consumers. In the end, let us explore together if we can do during this crisis what we did during corona, to use the EU budget to reimburse some of the expenses which Member States had by increasing the co—financing rate and by making eligible some expenses which Member States might have to help people in this crisis.

Mr President, for the people of Poland, the European Union means they can choose freely where they live, where they work and where they study, anywhere in the European Union. For the people of Poland, Europe means more investment and better and more stable jobs at home. It means a better quality of food. It means better roads, more highways, quicker trains, more modern buses, better schools and more modern hospitals. This is what Europe brings to the people of Poland. It also means stronger institutions and it means the rule of law. Let me be very clear: strong institutions are in the interest of the people, weak institutions only serve a few. Respecting the rules serves the people and breaking the rules, attacking the rules, only serves politicians. By attacking the European Union, Prime Minister Morawiecki, you are attacking Poland’s chances to develop, you are attacking Poland’s future, and you are attacking Poland’s home. By attacking the European Union, the Prime Minister of Poland makes Poland weaker, more isolated and poorer, and this is against the interests of the Polish people. In the next years, Poland will receive more support from the European Union than ever, more than EUR 110 billion. This is money from the people of Europe for the people of Poland. We want this support to get to the people of Poland who are in need. This is why rules exist, so that politicians cannot misuse the money. These rules are the same for all countries. They should be applied. We hope the Government of Poland will not be an obstacle in our desire to help.

Mr President, I welcome the Commissioner to Parliament; welcome to this debate. We are here because we need transparency on all the expenditures coming from the Recovery and Resilience Facility: EUR 672.5 billion. This is the biggest package of economic recovery ever created by the European Union. We need to make sure that money reaches the intended beneficiaries. We need to make sure that money reaches people in need and reaches enterprises in need, reaches regions in need, and that all the rules are respected. Commissioner, you may very well remember that during our negotiations for the Recovery and Resilience Facility, one of the primary concerns of this Parliament was respect for the rule of law. We said money can only flow because this is taxpayers’ money, because the Commission went to the markets to borrow the money. We are all putting ourselves, our taxpayers, in debt for it. Money can only flow if rules, if the rule of law, if European values, are respected, and Parliament was united on this with a very large majority. This is why we need to know more about the plans that have not yet been adopted. You have mentioned Hungary, Poland and Sweden. We see that the Polish Government is threatening the Commission to start blocking files which should be agreed in a consent procedure. This while they further attack the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. This in itself is an attack upon our democratic institutions, our way of work, and to us it means that it has to be clarified. Democratic scrutiny is a condition, and the European Parliament, the representatives of the people, have to be informed in detail about where we stand because the people in all Member States – including in the countries where we know there are problems, but you have to provide us with more details – the people in all countries expect money from the Recovery and Resilience Facility to fund the improvement of education, the improvement of public administration, the modernisation of the healthcare system, tackling pollution, reducing electricity bills, improving air quality infrastructure and so on. So we need to make sure that the money is well spent, that no corrupt entity has access to these funds. Commissioner, we expect more from you during the debate today and also in the upcoming days and weeks.

Madam President, one thing is clear: the release of the Pandora Papers last week has exposed a number of tools and problems that we need to urgently address. Firstly, it exposed how easy it still is for individuals and entities to hide money beyond the reach of tax authorities and investigations. Second, it also showed us that the EU tax havens blacklist put in place after the Panama Papers of 2017 is not sufficient. People can still hide money and there are still jurisdictions that are missing from that list – jurisdictions that are not blacklisted, and we also saw in recent ministerial meetings that that list was not enlarged. The third important element is that all money that goes into tax havens in a way which is not legal is missing from our public budgets. It is money that we miss for investments in infrastructure, in health, in education. Needless to say that it is unacceptable that EU politicians, Prime Ministers, and I know there are elections in the Czech Republic, like the Czech Prime Ministers, are hiding money from EU taxpayers while they are still sitting at the table, where decisions are being made for the whole budget for the European Union. This is why Commissioner, I expect the Commission to put forward further measures to combat tax evasion as soon as possible.

Madam President, I should like to welcome the minister to the European Parliament. One thing is certain and sure, the current crisis is preoccupying. It is affecting citizens. It is affecting European enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, which were already affected by the pandemic and by the economic consequences of the pandemic. It is our duty to help citizens and enterprises overcome this crisis of increased energy prices. What do we have to do? Firstly, we have to identify if there was any market manipulation in Europe in recent weeks and months by state or non-state actors. We have to make sure that no state or non-state actor – be it the Russian Federation, Gazprom or anyone else – manipulates and influences European energy prices. If this occurs, then we have to take measures. Then sanctions are obviously unavoidable against such entities, be private companies or not. Secondly, we have to understand what is the cause of the increased ETS price, which doubled in September in comparison to the beginning of the year. What is the cause of the volatility? What is the cause of the increased price of ETS? We have to understand the market. We have to react. This is the first set of measures that we have to take. Secondly, we have to take direct action at European level in the following direction. We have to make sure that different Member States do not take measures which affect other Member States. When any Member State of the Union decides to support people or enterprises in one country this should not be done at the expense of the consumers in any other country. We have to present, Commissioner, a toolbox from European level of measures which Member States should take, such that no actions in one Member State affect actions in another Member State. Thirdly, we need concrete actions from European level. There is one idea on the table which I support, and this is common gas storage facilities and joint procurement schemes for gas. These should be deployed quickly, and I believe that if such a proposal would be on the table from the Commission we here in the European Parliament can support it, and then of course improve our energy security, reduce our energy dependence. And the third set of measures is the financial measures from the European level. Yes to the transition to the green economy, but we have to make sure that we help and support those affected. People and enterprises, particularly those in a vulnerable situation, should not be left alone to shoulder this burden. What do I mean in concrete terms here? The Social Climate Fund, as it was designed, is not sufficient. We have to increase the Social Climate Fund because what we have now, the GTS, the Social Climate Fund will not be enough. One last idea, Commissioner: the Commission is late with the own resources proposal. When you put it forward, please take into account the risks for vulnerable consumers and allow from own resources a buffer with which we should help vulnerable consumers and enterprises through the budget of the European Union.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the first priority of the institutions of the European Union is to defend EU values, and top of the list of European values are freedom of the media and rule of law. The fact that we are discussing today the situation regarding the rule of law and freedom of the press in Poland is a clear signal that there is a problem in Poland, and it is a clear signal that the European Parliament wants to help. We are on the side of the people of Poland. Checks and balances of the democracy in Poland were affected. They have to be restored. This is our first clear message. The attack on the functioning of the Constitutional Tribunal and on the Supreme Court, and now more recently on independent media, are against EU values. This has to stop. The same is valid when it comes to the relation between politicians and institutions. Institutions are here to serve the people, not politicians. The media as well. The media has to inform people, not please politicians. The media has to report the truth, not what pleases politicians. This needs to be valid in every single Member State of the Union, and the same in Poland. We as Parliament want to help the people of Poland, so do all institutions. There are many EU benefits for the people of Poland in the near future. We hope the Polish Government will not be an obstacle in the desire of Europe to help the people of Poland.

Mr President, I would like to welcome President von der Leyen back to the European Parliament. Over the course of the last year, we have made far—reaching decisions together. Together we have overcome the most difficult part of the pandemic. Together we have made the decisions to help those people affected by the pandemic and to make sure that the European Union will be stronger in the future. Exactly one year ago, we had the will to act together, but we did not have the tools. We did not have a vaccine, we did not have an EU vaccination plan in place, we did not have a budget for the European Union for the next years, and we did not have a recovery plan in place. Due to our common action over the course of the last year, all of these elements are in place and now we have these tools in place. Now we have to make sure that, particularly in helping the people and the economy recover, money from the European level is well spent. President von der Leyen, I have two calls to make. Firstly, we have to think when and how we pay back the amounts from Next Generation EU, and we have to make sure that we pay these back without affecting the budget of the European Union in the future, and without needing to tell farmers, students or researchers that we have less money for them. The common answer which we – Council, Commission and Parliament – have agreed is to go for own resources of the European Union to provide stability for the financing of the European Union in the future. This is why, President von der Leyen, I kindly ask the Commission to make a proposal, as we have discussed, on a digital levy on the carbon border adjustment tax and on the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) soon, over the course of the next weeks. Secondly, we also have to progress with greening and digital. We cannot afford to put the transition towards the green economy on small and medium—sized enterprises and also on people affected by higher bills for electricity, specifically, the most vulnerable citizens. Particularly in this global context of increased energy prices, I call upon the Commission – I ask us all together – to make sure that we use all the instruments which we have at our disposal and create new instruments, if needed, to help the vulnerable citizens on this transition to the green economy. As during the pandemic, we have to be on the side of the people.

Mr President, I would like to welcome back President von der Leyen and President Michel to the European Parliament. Presidents, you both spoke about the protection of European values and about the rule of law. This is very important and it is very good. Let me be very clear. Hate and exclusion have no place in the European Union. Europe means integration. It means diversity. It means protecting all citizens, including all types of minority. At the moment, we tolerate hate and exclusion in the European Union. We can all fall victims. This is exactly why we all together have to protect our European Union. And we as European institutions have a special responsibility because whenever people speak up for the values of the free world, they do that with the flag of the European Union in their hands. They tell us very clearly, ‘we expect you as European institutions to defend European values’. This my first point. Secondly, on the rule of law, the European Union means that people can travel freely, they can choose where they work, where they live and where they study in the European Union. And this is exactly why we have to make sure that the law applies in every corner of the European Union and that people who respect the law are protected in every corner of the European Union and those who breach the law are sanctioned. This is exactly why the European Union has a special responsibility in protecting the rule of law in every corner of the Union as well as protecting the EU budget. During the coming years, the European Union will spend more money than ever. The more we spend, the more we need to make sure that money really reaches its intended beneficiaries. The more we spend, the bigger our duty to be transparent also is. Transparency is sometimes difficult to achieve, but it is the right thing. This is why we also, as the European Parliament, want to make sure that whenever money is being spent, it’s being spent for the good of the people. People expect to see concrete results. For the Recovery and Resilience Facility, President Michel, President von der Leyen, you mentioned that we provided for a strong goal for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), for the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF), and we also ask for the transparency of all final beneficiaries. The European Commission has to insist to Member States that this happens.

Madam President, I would like to welcome Prime Minister Janša back to the European Parliament. The people of Slovenia have achieved so much in the last 30 years. Slovenia joined the European Union, Slovenia was the first member of the new EU Member States to become a member of the euro area, and today Slovenia is a member of the Schengen area. The people of Slovenia enjoy all of the benefits of the European Union. They can choose where they work and where they travel – freely all over the European Union – and the young people of Slovenia can study everywhere in the European Union. More than 25 000 young Slovenians so far, through Erasmus scholarships, have discovered Europe and studied in other Member States of the European Union. Today, Slovenia is at the heart of all decisions made at European level. Colleagues from Slovenia here in the European Parliament, together with us, are making decisions for the whole European Union and also for the best of Slovenia. In the last months, we have also made decisions together on vaccines which have helped us to overcome the pandemic. Together we have implemented the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which will help modernise electricity and the railways and help tourism in Slovenia. It will help digitise the Slovenian economy, renovate buildings and have many other concrete benefits. On this note, there is a lot for us to do together in the next months. Good luck to Slovenia for the Presidency in the spirit of EU values.

Mr President, may I welcome President Hoyer back to the European Parliament. Without any doubt the European Investment Bank (EIB) played a crucial role in helping us overcome the pandemic in Europe and reduce the impacts of the pandemic on people, businesses and regions; in particular, the support given to help small and medium—sized enterprises cope with liquidity shortages was very welcome on the ground. I believe that the EIB can play an even greater role in the medium and longer term now that all of the pieces of legislation are in place when it comes to strengthening our economy. When we negotiated the Recovery and Resilience Facility we allowed Member States to allocate up to 4% of their national envelopes into national compartments of InvestEU. Unfortunately, not many Member States have made use of this prerogative so far because they lack technical assistance. Please provide national and local levels with the best technical assistance as needed. And my last point, transparency: we are going to spend more money than ever in the next few years at European level, and the more we spend, the more we need to make sure that money reaches the beneficiaries that it is intended for. Please, also as a bank, help us in this endeavour and allocate enough resources for fraud prevention and detection. (Applause)