Speeches

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this text unfortunately contains certain flaws. Some Member States today – notably Belgium – have the unfortunate idea – fortunately not yet implemented – of introducing a per-kilometre tax on private vehicles, which would obviously have important consequences for the employment of people living in rural areas. The text will not prevent such bad ideas. Second element: the revenue assigned through this additional burden is not automatically and necessarily directed towards investment in new infrastructure, multimodality and relief for certain regions. There is no obligation to do so in what is presented and proposed in this text. Various amendments are trying to improve the situation. I hope, of course, that these amendments will be supported, in particular in order to provide these solutions in terms of the allocation of revenue and to give this impetus to multimodal transport, particularly rail transport, and also to relieve certain regions, quite simply, through the reality they are experiencing today. These are the reasons why, at this stage – we will obviously see in the light of the progress of the debates – it is not possible to support, in any case for me, this text as it exists. I hope that various amendments will pass to improve it in the sense I have just indicated.

Madam President, Mr President, do you sincerely believe that your three promises of democracy, progress and peace can be fulfilled if Europe does not become an opportunity for all? 137 million Europeans live in rural areas. Believe me, it is not enough for them to cross the street to find a job or to access a hospital. They have to travel long distances every day, tirelessly, and at a price, moreover, that never stops exploding. A significant proportion of these Europeans have turned away from democracy by abstaining or, worse, by supporting extremes. These citizens from forgotten territories do not see Europe as an opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of their families. They often see Europe as an opportunity for others, those who do business, are hyper-connected or have done Erasmus. Not a line, Mr President, not a word to tell them that your presidency's top priority will be to offer them 5G, new technologies, or to invest heavily in public transport tomorrow. Not a word for farmers either. Every European citizen must be respected, regardless of their skin colour, beliefs, origins or geographical location. The real economic, social and democratic promise is that Europe is an opportunity for all and for them too.

Madam President, one of the objectives of the European summit will be to have a strategic debate on the common commercial policy. I hope that this will also be an opportunity to have a democratic dimension. How do you want our farmers, for example, to continue to accept that products imported into Europe do not meet the same health, environmental or social standards on our territory? This is a democratic issue. The same applies to climate policy: How can we achieve climate objectives without having the same requirements in relation to these imported products? Our trade treaties, therefore, need to be reviewed in the light of these different elements. As far as trade policy is concerned, I also hope that energy policy will be included. Some colleagues have intervened to emphasise this point, and I agree with them in particular on this energy independence, which must be as strong as possible at European level. We must, of course, develop renewable energies, but also have a strong nuclear policy and autonomy at European level in order to avoid structurally what we know at the moment and also to avoid being in the hands, in particular, of Russia.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, who can believe that we could succeed in the climate challenge without a strong agreement with the United States? Who can believe that we could face an invasive China without a powerful connection to the Americans? Who can believe – as I heard this morning – that China or Russia would have values closer to ours than our American friends – values of democracy and freedom? However, who can believe that we will be respected by the United States until we have a strong defence and security strategy and have our own destiny and future in our hands? Yes, the US has flaws – sometimes an ally can take a step; as we have seen in the submarines file – but we also have a few: sometimes a lack of solidarity, a lack of unity. It is up to us to address this through this European strategy, including defence and security.

Mr President, Commissioner, Rapporteur, first of all thank you for your open-mindedness during the discussions and debate; we used to work together, in particular on the roadworthiness report and the whole package that accompanied it. 20 000 people, 20 000 families that are affected in Europe every year, this is a little more than a city like mine, it obviously affects us all deeply. There is a great disparity in road safety at European level. If we take a closer look at the figures, we can see that there has certainly been a drop in recent years, but that it is not the same everywhere, on the one hand, and above all that there is a ratio of one to four times as many accidents between the best country, Sweden, and those that are less good in terms of road safety. Four times as many accidents, four times as many victims. That is why, beyond the obvious – reducing speed, reducing the use of drugs and alcohol while driving, being extremely strict and repressive in this area, but also educational, of course, and this is largely reflected in the report – I think that we need to move forward in sharing best practices and putting in place in all Member States – that is the ambition that the Commission must have – the best practices that have been proven in different Member States. It is in this spirit of collaboration that the EU, together with the Commission, can effectively provide solutions in terms of road safety. This will be done with the various elements that I have indicated, but also with new elements, I am thinking in particular of the power of vehicles – and we will find an alliance between safety and the environment – because it also represents a danger for all users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. We must therefore act upstream on the production of vehicles that prevent this type of accident. Finally, and this will be my conclusion, we must all together have the capacity to strengthen, everywhere in Europe, in all our territories and particularly in rural territories, road safety for young people and for all our inhabitants.

Madam President, without you, without the Commission, no Member State could have vaccinated so many of its citizens. Without you, without the Commission, no Member State could have supported its workers, but also its businesses, with such intensity, such strength and urgency. Without you, today there would be no substantial recovery plan in the different Member States. Without you, climate ambition would not have been raised – and it was more than necessary. So, through our joint action – and you indicated this morning – we must make every young European a top priority in the coming weeks and months. Finally, give a future to every young person, wherever they are, in the most remote village, in the most economically and socially deserted neighbourhood. This is our ambition. It is also here, and through it, that we will together sow the seeds of the European values that unite us. This makes our European dignity and also makes sense in relation to the policy we are conducting, which you are conducting. I am sure that in the coming weeks and months, these concrete actions will make it possible to give each young person a training, a job; and also, of course, a future for every family. Then let us leave the ministry of the word to the grumpy spirits. Continue to act with responsibility, solidarity, courage and, perhaps most importantly, enthusiasm.

Mr President, Commissioner, first of all I would like to thank our Italian, Austrian and French friends who have intervened urgently in our region, in Wallonia and also in Germany, to come and help the victims. I hear this morning all the debates we can have on global warming. I have no doubt that there can indeed be a link between what we have experienced in Wallonia or Germany and global warming. However, today the tens of thousands of families affected are waiting for a strong and united response from Europe, in order to rebuild their region in the future, simply build their houses, provide transport solutions, especially in terms of rivers and rivers, but first of all, simply to meet basic needs. We can also start yet another debate on global warming, but the urgency is elsewhere. From the moment when the President of the Commission, Commissioner, undertook on the spot to intervene, to release funds and budgetary means so that European solidarity would be at the rendezvous, we must, you must release the means as soon as possible to give not only hope, but, very concretely, assistance to the victims, whether in Wallonia or in Germany. It would be quite devastating democratically if such a commitment were not followed by concrete facts from the Commission to support these victims and to show that Europe is at the rendezvous of solidarity. It is in times of emergency. It must also be the case in these crucial moments of reconstruction for each and every one of us.

Mr President, Madam President, European values are not negotiable. All those, governments or citizens, who push them must have an answer other than just a reproaching finger. Anyone who, in a way, puts a finger on these values must be punished. This is the case today. In any case, you use all the mechanisms at your disposal to sanction these behaviours and all those who shake up what is the foundation of the European Union as such. The real question is: Are these mechanisms sufficient? Are they fast and effective enough to be truly effective and binding on the ground? Let me turn to another subject that you raised at the Council, which I think is urgent at European level. It also affects the freedoms, the various personal freedoms. This is the debate on compulsory vaccination that has taken place in Italy, which is now taking place in France and is now popping up all over Europe. I wanted to know, firstly, whether you addressed this issue at the European Council and, secondly, whether you intend to take it seriously to prevent us from being in cacophony again, with decisions that would be taken by different Member States on the vaccination obligation for carers or for others, and to have a common position on this matter. I think that, among the freedoms and values we defend, everyone’s freedom stops somewhere or the freedom of the other starts. We must all be aware that it is collectively that we will be able to fight and fight effectively against COVID and that life is made, it is true, of freedom and rights, but also of duties.