Speeches

Madam President, almost a year ago, to the day, during the State of the Union address, the European Commission presented its new Single Market Emergency Instrument. Drawing lessons from the Covid pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, this new tool aims to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services, even in times of crisis. Citizens rightly did not understand the lack of coordination between Member States and the shortages we experienced during the pandemic. As we know, our single market is our best asset in crisis management, the joint purchase of vaccines is an example – we welcome Commissioner Breton here. We therefore need to better structure emergency responses, which cannot be guaranteed either by improvisation or by national measures taken individually. Now, in times of crisis, we ensure rapid supply for critical goods and services. We are putting in place a mechanism that allows Member States to call for solidarity in case of shortages. As a last resort, if the situation so requires, we allow priority and binding ordering from economic operators. To respond to current and future crises, let us equip ourselves with the necessary means for the coordination, solidarity and coherence of the European response. The protection of our single market is at stake.

Mr President, tomorrow we will vote for a text that will effectively combat the over-indebtedness of thousands of European citizens and adapt our rules to the digitalisation of society. Today, we consume in one click, and we can also take out credit in a few clicks. This is good for making life easier for consumers, SMEs and the rise of e-commerce. But borrowing money is not without risk, and the dangers have increased with the new types of credit that, until now, did not offer adequate consumer protection. I want to talk here about credits "buy now, pay later", credits of less than 200 € and credits subscribed on participatory platforms. From now on, any creditor will have to ensure that the consumer is able to repay this credit and that he is well informed upstream of all risks. The new rules also include measures to combat the delusional rates of certain consumer credits. On this day of tribute to my colleague Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, the true architect of the cancer plan, I would like to highlight our common struggle to introduce the ‘right to be forgotten’ into European legislation. We have included an obligation for all Member States to introduce this ‘right to be forgotten’ period. This is a first step that will have to be followed in other areas, such as mortgages. I want to say this to all cancer victims in Europe: the double penalty is over.

Mr President, President Hoyer, ladies and gentlemen, in this annual report we welcome the work of the EIB and its President, Mr Hoyer, who have been at the forefront of the transitions facing our society and economy. The EIB has responded effectively to the pandemic. It has stepped up its efforts to support the green, digital transition, and has genuinely engaged in the war in Ukraine. We must continue and intensify its ambitions. The EIB is the real financial arm of the European Union to support all these policy objectives. This includes the necessary support for the European defence industry, as the war hits the EU again, but also support for innovation, our SMEs, industry and digitalisation. We need to do even more to mobilise private investment in the green transition. But the EIB is also concrete Europe. And the EIB's action in our territories and regions makes European funding very accessible. The EIB is relaunching sustainable investment projects in the heart of the regions through urban renewal, education, the development of soft mobility and clean public transport. As a regional elected representative, I witnessed this with the EIB loan of 80 million in Normandy for the renovation of 20 colleges in Seine-Maritime. Europe invests, Europe acts through the EIB.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Mr rapporteur, ladies and gentlemen, the annual exercise of the report on competition policy allows us to welcome all the work of the European Commission, and even more so in recent months, during which competition has been at the heart of the response to the pandemic, to the energy crisis. It is also an opportunity to recall the role of our competition rules in the twin green and digital transitions and the resilience of our single market, because, yes, competition policy – as you recalled, Madam Vice-President – is one of the means to achieve the ambitious objectives that we have democratically set for ourselves. But we can only achieve our strategic autonomy by articulating all our European policies and our toolbox. With the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, we have finally said stop to unfair competition from third countries and we now need to deliver concrete results on these priorities for our citizens and businesses – the end of combustion-engined cars will be a real test. Our new rules must protect us from unfair competition from low-cost Chinese electric cars, largely subsidized by China, which would flood the European market. Within our single market, how can we ensure fair competition between our European companies if we do not accelerate on the sovereignty fund, which would compensate for possible disparities in State aid? Our European response to the US Inflation Reduction Act must be accompanied by this financial component. In terms of digital sovereignty, digital market regulation bridges the boundaries of our competition law to adapt it to current challenges. Now is the time for the concrete implementation of this act. We also need to rethink the fair remuneration of networks. Care must be taken to ensure that a handful of companies cannot monopolise exponential data traffic without effectively contributing to the infrastructures they use.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, with this action plan, Europe is certainly showing that it has a head start in protecting our marine ecosystems, but if we want to achieve our objectives, it is being prepared, accompanied and discussed. As I pointed out in the report on co-management of fisheries, it is dialogue with all stakeholders that will enable us to obtain solutions that are effective, tailor-made and accepted by all. I support this action plan, but I regret that the European Commission is considering the end of bottom fishing in all marine protected areas, without any consultation and without taking into account the specificities of the areas concerned. Yes, I'm worried about our artisanal fishermen. In Normandy, in my region, which is characterised by small-scale fishing, the Commission's radical proposal would create a great vacuum. For example, in the English Channel, it would make 80% of small boats disappear. Improving our practices is necessary because protecting the environment means ensuring the sustainability of fishing activity. But it is by individualising the measures that they will be truly effective and fit for purpose. Let us be careful not to impose uniform prohibitions that point the finger at an entire profession, and condemn small-scale and coastal fishing. What matters to us is the state of the seabed. So let’s continue to invest, notably through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the EMFAF in our regions, in more selective, less damaging fishing techniques. Let us accompany the transition of the sector, let us accompany the fishermen, because they are the ones who try to feed us. They are the ones who contribute to food sovereignty when we import more than 70% of fisheries products today.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, these new proposals for economic governance rules were necessary and urgent. The world has changed. In the aftermath of Covid, in the face of the energy crisis, in the face of the responses we need to provide to inflation, the current rules are no longer fit for purpose. We need to invest massively to achieve our common goals related to the green and digital transitions, and our strategic autonomy. European sovereignty necessarily depends on economic sovereignty. We need these common rules to ensure our monetary union and the sustainability of our finances. We owe it to our future generations. To do this, let us be realistic about the current situation and learn from the past. The best jams are not always made in the old jars. Uniform rules on debt reduction or deficit have shown their ineffectiveness. Let us beware of the return of the simple concept of austerity as the only compass for financing public finances. Let's be realistic, pragmatic and forward-looking, investments and reforms will be key to supporting our growth and the resilience of our economy.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, thank you, Commissioner, for being present for this important exchange, which is coming at the right time given the situation, since from Silicon Valley Bank to Silvergate Bank to Signature Bank, there is a new wave of tech bank failures in the United States. So, will this wave happen in Europe and how will it impact our banks and European tech companies? Nobody really knows that today. One thing is certain, and as you recalled, the emergency mechanisms and rules put in place after the 2008 financial crisis are strong dikes to ensure the resilience of our European banks. In Europe, we regularly test our banks’ resilience to various risks, including inflation. The announcements made in recent days by several European economic ministers reassure us about our strong system in Europe. But let’s face it, the bankruptcy of these US banks concerns the digital industry, a fast-moving sector that knows no borders. So let's stay vigilant. Vigilants to protect the competitiveness of small tech companies. Vigilants to avoid any systemic risk in Europe that would affect banks, European citizens. It is about responsibility, financial stability as well and the confidence of our market, the resilience of this European market. It is up to the European Banking Authority, as you reminded us, in conjunction with the national authorities, to ensure that this is the case. The European Parliament, for its part, representing more than 450 million European citizens, must continue to protect them.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow, in this Chamber, we, the Members of the European Parliament, will vote on the 2023 European Semester. This annual cycle coordinates economic policies between Member States and assesses their compatibility with our European priorities. So far, it has been misunderstood by our European citizens because it is too complex. It needs to be simplified, but not only. For democracy, national parliaments and the European Parliament must have a say. This report is part of a pivotal moment, the revision of the economic governance rules that aim to monitor and reduce Member States’ debt and government deficits. In the current context of runaway inflation, we are not entitled to error. These rules, which need to be revised in the coming months, need to be simplified, pragmatic, ambitious to address today’s challenges of strategic autonomy and the green and digital transition, in a context of major uncertainty.

Mr President, Commissioner, finally, put to the test by our trading partners, we are mobilising the necessary means to strengthen the competitiveness of our industry! First, then, let us urgently respond to the situation, with State aid, to facilitate investment and industrial projects for decarbonisation in Europe. Second, let us provide sustainable means to invest, sustainably and together, in strategic priorities for Europe. Today, the urgency is the green transition, but digital, defence, health, agri-food are all challenges ahead of us. So let's use and simplify all existing tools to strengthen and protect our businesses and households, in particular. Let us activate our new instrument to combat foreign subsidies in order to put an end to unfair competition in our internal market. Let us rethink public procurement to ensure our European sovereignty, and – the nerve of war – let us ensure a capital market to incentivise savers, our savers, to invest in the real economy and in our European industries, which are doing the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Madam President, Commissioner, REPowerEU: behind this new acronym is the end of Europe's energy dependence. This is another historic milestone: we adopt and adapt the recovery funds to respond to the current crisis. The European Union is finally showing pragmatism, responsiveness and solidarity to give Member States the tools to overcome this winter. The war in Europe is forcing us to step up our efforts to reduce our dependence on Russian fuels, but not at any price. The end of this dependency must be for the benefit of the green transition and meet the objectives we have set ourselves to make our continent more sustainable. We owe it to the next generations. Through the inclusion of REPowerEU chapters in national recovery and resilience plans, we are empowering national governments with additional investments to improve energy efficiency, develop renewable energy and tackle energy poverty. We are putting in place the conditions for no family or company to run out of energy on European soil, for this winter and beyond.

Madam President, dear Executive Vice-President Vestager, ladies and gentlemen, the law on the reduction of inflation makes it absolutely clear: the WTO is at a standstill; our trading partners focus on their economies. We need a European awakening. Successive crises have shown us our dependence on drugs, materials or gas. In this context, our partners are investing heavily to protect their economy and jobs. We have recalled this several times in this Chamber: we need to reindustrialise, digitise and decarbonise our economy in order to regain our European sovereignty and put an end to our dependencies. This must not remain a wishful thinking. Our European citizens and our European businesses are no less valuable than others. With the Digital Markets Act – the DMA – and the Foreign Subsidies Act, we laid the groundwork for the end of this naive Europe. It is time to empower ourselves to achieve the goals we have democratically set for ourselves. Colleagues, in the face of the current context and the responses of some of our foreign partners, we too must protect our economy, our jobs and our households. Far from curling up on ourselves, let’s give the European Union back its place on the stage of the great powers! Europe, a market of 460 million citizens that reacted in a united and timely manner to the COVID-19 crisis and the invasion of Ukraine, is not an adjustment variable. This is my wish for Christmas: Let us act together as a matter of urgency. Merry Christmas!

On the individual approach for each Member State, which seems more realistic to us: to what degree of personalisation, individualisation? Because, at the same time, it is necessary to ensure consistency between these different national economic programmes in order to avoid – as you have said – fragmentation of the internal market.

Happy birthday, Commissioner Gentiloni, Commissioners, at this stage the European Commission's guidelines are going in the right direction. We must both ensure fiscal stability and allow the necessary flexibility to invest in the European Union’s objectives that can no longer wait: green and digital transitions and strategic autonomy. It is therefore a question of moving away from a purely accounting logic to a truly political pact capable of adapting to the reality of the crises and challenges faced by the Member States. The single annual debt reduction target therefore no longer corresponded to the reality of the facts. Fiscal stability will therefore be achieved with the consent of the Member States, their peoples and in line with the objectives we have set ourselves. The individualised approach for each Member State, which will have to indicate how it intends to take into account its deficit and public debt, will also be very important. My question is: how can we at the same time rethink and ensure, in practice, our indicators for monitoring our policies in order to take greater account of the climate, social and autonomy dimensions?

Mr President, Commissioner, after the vote on the regulation on cryptocurrencies and the one to facilitate the development of blockchain, it is one more step towards Europe’s digital sovereignty that we are taking today. With this new regulation on the digital operational resilience of the financial sector, we are finalising the digital finance package, and it was time to ensure the cyber resilience of our financial ecosystem. This new framework for digital finance will both protect European investors and prepare companies in the financial sector against cyberattacks. It is Europe's capacity for innovation and strategic autonomy that are at stake here. Cyberattacks can undermine our democracy and they also affect our financial system, yet at the heart of our societies. By strengthening the cyber resilience of banks, we allow them to no longer be dependent on IT providers. While we voted on the Digital Markets Act to limit anti-competitive behaviour by digital giants, we are now reducing banks' dependence on these big tech companies.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, one year after the presentation of the Digital Markets Act, we voted in the same Chamber in December 2021 on the position of the European Parliament. Six months later, under the French Presidency of the European Union, I am delighted that we have reached this trilogue agreement. This is doubly historic. First, because we are setting rules in the online space for the first time. This economic regulation of the digital giants will impose a clear list of prohibitions and obligations on them even before any infringement, on pain of heavy penalties. Economic models will have to change, so will behaviors. Secondly, because we did it in just 18 months. This is proof of the urgency of equipping us with this new legislative arsenal. This urgency requires us to have the necessary means to apply these new rules and deliver the promised effects to our businesses and our citizens. Europe is setting an ambitious model, which will be followed by other international jurisdictions. In the age of the Internet without borders, regulation will be global or will not be. Europe has recognised the need to ensure fair international online competition. We must now give ourselves the concrete means, and as soon as possible.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Mr rapporteur, ladies and gentlemen, after a global pandemic and in the midst of a war on our continent, I would like to recall something important, which seems to escape some populists who would like a Europe à la carte, precisely. Our competition policy does protect us and our businesses and our citizens. During the COVID-19 crisis, the exceptional measures put in place have saved thousands of jobs and financially supported our businesses. With the war and the energy crisis, the new temporary State aid framework is once again providing massive support to counter rising energy prices. Our competition policy is also the way to ensure a level playing field in our single market. Tomorrow, the GAFA will no longer be able to impose their own rules, deciding who enters the market or not. Tomorrow, companies infused with public subsidies by certain third countries will no longer be able to compete unfairly with our European companies, nor will they be able to buy back our industrial flagships with impunity. Our competition policy will be a key tool to support all transitions and it is in this context that we must be able to benefit even more from the European standards that serve as a model for the whole world.

Madam President, Commissioner Sinkevičius, today I want to tell you about Jerome, Sophie and Estelle, three Norman citizens who are tremendously involved in the fishing industry, three European citizens directly concerned by the report we are voting on. Jérôme is a fisherman's craftsman. In the face of all the storms - the pandemic, rising energy prices, a missing license - he continues to fish. Sophie is an offshore shipowner. Despite an uncertain future, a missing license, it continues to modernize its fleet. Estelle's a mareyeuse. Shaken by supply disruptions, she continues to invest in her establishment. Jerome, Sophie and Estelle are well aware that our British neighbours do not make neighborhoods and do not respect the agreements. But they also remember that the European Commission promised to help them on 24 December 2020. Commissioner, today, as for the last 465 days, I solemnly say to you: Don't forget Jerome, don't forget Sophie, don't forget Estelle. They are the future of our fishing in the English Channel. They are the future of our food sovereignty. Thank you for them.

Madam President, Executive Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, eleven years have elapsed between the complaint of Google’s competitors and the decision of the General Court of the European Union upholding the fine imposed for abuse of a dominant position. Twelve months is barely the time it took us to finalise one of the biggest regulations of the coming decades: that of the digital giants. With the Digital Markets Act, the DMA, we will finally meet the limits of our competition law, which is too slow and unsuited to digital challenges. We have become dependent, overly dependent on these platforms and their sprawling networks, dependent on their terms of use, dependent on their willingness to allow access to markets or not, dependent on their rules of the game. It is now over. We will empower the European Commission to prevent rather than cure with a clear list of obligations and prohibitions. We set the rules, right from the start, without having to fight against armies of lawyers for years. So no, the innovation capacity of our continent is not just five companies. No, data is not the monopoly of a handful of private companies. They're ours. Yes, our startups may have other objectives than being acquired by five US companies. Faced with these ogres of data, let’s already organise our resources, rethink how we use data and continue to set an example for other jurisdictions around the world. Let's stay digital pioneers.

Mr President, dear Vice-President Vestager, ladies and gentlemen, achieving the 2030 climate targets and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 must not remain wishful thinking, but must be a reality. For this, we will need all the tools at our disposal. Competition policy is an integral part of this, as we have seen during the management of the pandemic. Similarly, the revision of the Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines will contribute to the post-COVID green recovery of our economy and society. It is essential to stop fossil fuel subsidies and support all carbon-neutral solutions. The areas of the green transition need to be extended to our daily lives. All new forms of mobility must be supported – for example, carpooling and all new uses around the bike. The action of European public authorities is crucial for our citizens and for our businesses. It requires broad mobilization and requires flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness.