Speeches

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, 4 March was the International Day against Obesity. It is currently estimated that 60% of the European population is overweight or obese. Today, one in four European children lives overweight. However, we must say it clearly: Obesity is not an individual fault, nor a lack of will. It is a complex pathology, often linked to eating disorders that hide a deep inner discomfort. This is accompanied by urban food systems that push us towards the consumption of ultra-processed foods and sedentary lifestyles. And it is not, among other things, not even a coincidence that the most fragile groups suffer from it, because obesity, unfortunately, follows social and economic inequalities. Therefore, it is not enough to talk about diets. We must bring true food and emotional education to schools, because only by addressing the deep roots of this distress can we ensure a healthier and more inclusive future for all.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are discussing the supply of critical medicines in the European Union. We can no longer afford a Europe that discovers its fragility only when medicines are lacking. The pandemic, geopolitical crises have taught us how risky it is to depend on the outside for essential goods such as medicines; Today, up to 80% of active ingredients come from third countries and this makes us vulnerable. With this act, on the other hand, the Union chooses to invest in European production, to create common strategic stocks and, above all, to prevent shortages instead of chasing the emergency. And this, in our opinion, can also happen without circumventing environmental legislation. We support this regulation in so far as it states that access to medicines is a right and must be guaranteed to all, even when it is not convenient for the market. Let us think, for example, of orphan drugs for the treatment of rare diseases that are not considered economically viable by the market, but, therefore, they need public aid, because here we are not only talking about industrial policy, but about the right to health and European solidarity. If, therefore, we succeed in strengthening strategic health autonomy while maintaining environmental legislation, we can say that we have done a good job for European citizens.

(IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Google has relapsed and is systematically eroding not only the visibility but also the revenues of European media. Small local TVs, provincial newspapers but also national ones, suffer from its ruthless competition. And it is now clear to everyone that when a single platform controls the entire online advertising chain, it is no longer innovation: It is a monopoly. And when a monopoly decides what news people can read, democracy pays the highest price. Ensuring the economic sustainability of European media is therefore a duty, as well as ensuring fair conditions of access to the advertising market, also because there is a new threat on the horizon: the artificial intelligence of platforms that steals the content of sites and reduces the visibility of the work of serious and prepared journalists. And, in this regard, allow me to express my solidarity with Sigfrido Ranucci, symbol of a free, courageous, uncomfortable journalism for power: the attack that has taken place demonstrates the fragility of our democracy. We therefore expect the European Commission to be more rigorous in defending fair competition between businesses and freedom of the press.

(IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today I bring to the Chamber the story of Anna, who, after giving birth to her second child, was trapped in the web of a long postpartum depression. And then there is Giuseppe, 15, who no longer wants to go to school because his classmates bully him and label him as too effeminate. There is Antonella, who at work is mocked for her physical appearance and suffers from panic attacks. These names are imaginary, but their stories are real and are the stories of millions of Italian and European citizens. Mental health has for too long been underestimated and ignored by health systems, contributing to a veritable boom in mental disorders in contemporary society. World Mental Health Day is not only a day of commemoration, but it is an opportunity to turn the page and prevent too many cases of suicide, today the second cause of death among young people, as was reiterated even before me. The European Union is credible if it believes and invests in its young people and if it is close to the people who suffer. We're with them.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are not just discussing a disease, we are discussing what it means to live in an ageing Europe which, too often, leaves the most vulnerable alone. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are not just statistics: They are faces, they are stories, they are a mother who no longer recognizes her daughter, a father who gets lost in the neighborhood where he lived all his life, a companion who suddenly no longer remembers the name of the person he loves. And behind every diagnosis there are whole families fighting this silent battle every day. These families, as we all know, are mainly women: They are mothers, they are daughters, they are sisters who become caregiver without protection and without recognition, and who very often are forced to leave their jobs and live in isolation. It is to all of them that today goes my solidarity, my closeness and my thanks. The Helsinki Manifesto, written by Alzheimer Europe, says it clearly: Dementia is a matter of rights, social fairness, dignity. In too many countries, people are diagnosed late, or not at all. in too many places care services do not exist, they have unsustainable costs, and too often many caregiver They have no economic or social support. This is not the Europe we want, this is inequality and that is why we are calling for a strong European strategy for dementia. What do you need? Surely we need investment in public services and health care, timely and accessible diagnosis everywhere, quality care, support for caregiver – I repeat. Let's not forget a fundamental point: Alzheimer's affects those with fewer resources harder and therefore it is a disease that amplifies inequalities. Responding to this challenge does not only mean talking about health, it means talking about social justice. President, ladies and gentlemen, a society that forgets those who lose their memory betrays itself. If we want Europe and the European Union to be truly a community, we must prove it here and today, we must protect the most fragile, supporting those who assist them, investing in research but also in services and rights.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the proposal for a regulation we are examining today is, in our view, a serious departure from the original mission of cohesion policy. A policy, we remember, born to reduce territorial gaps and support communities and citizens in difficulty now risks becoming an ATM for military spending and for the defense industry, because this is what will happen by including defense among the new investment priorities. And we cannot accept that funds for schools, hospitals, sustainable transport, jobs, support for small and medium-sized enterprises be diverted to armaments. First of all, this would be a betrayal of the historical values on which the European Union is founded, and then it would be catastrophic for our regions, the most fragile regions that we represent here today. And I want to say it clearly: We will never be on the side of those who deprive our territories of essential resources, because it means depriving these territories of something essential, in fact, and it means condemning them to remain behind once again. Look, we also care about the defence and security of our citizens, but we believe that they are not built with more weapons, but with more cooperation, more social justice and more economic resilience. That is why we will continue to work to ensure that Europe remains a peace project and does not become a war yard.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, climate crises make the fire seasons increasingly long, intense and devastating, and we must be ready. In Italy, over 60 000 hectares of land went up in smoke last year. And we cannot forget that behind these numbers there are human lives: in Ostuni, my city, Mario Rotiglio, an Arif operator, a friend, a year ago lost his life, crushed by a branch while trying to put out a fire. We can't leave them alone. More resources, more prevention and more European cooperation are needed. We need to support the volunteers and all the workers who risk their lives every summer to protect us. Yet, in 2026, the budget of the European Civil Protection Mechanism will be reduced, but if we cut just as fires increase, who are we really protecting? Europe must change its pace, it must strengthen the civil protection mechanism, it must invest where the risk is high, it must recognise the value of those who defend our territories.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, climate crises make the fire seasons increasingly long, intense and devastating, and we must be ready. In Italy, over 60 000 hectares of land went up in smoke last year. And we cannot forget that behind these numbers there are human lives: in Ostuni, my city, Mario Rotiglio, an Arif operator, a friend, a year ago lost his life, crushed by a branch while trying to put out a fire. We can't leave them alone. More resources, more prevention and more European cooperation are needed. We need to support the volunteers and all the workers who risk their lives every summer to protect us. Yet, in 2026, the budget of the European Civil Protection Mechanism will be reduced, but if we cut just as fires increase, who are we really protecting? Europe must change its pace, it must strengthen the civil protection mechanism, it must invest where the risk is high, it must recognise the value of those who defend our territories.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, bees are not only valuable pollinators but also sentinels of environmental health. When they disappear, the entire ecosystem sounds a cry of alarm. Today that cry is very loud. In November 2023, this Parliament welcomed the new European Pact for Pollinators and today we need to follow up on that commitment. The main threats of pollinators are well known: intensive agriculture, the use of pesticides, the loss of habitats, as well as measures to combat them are also known. All we need is the political courage to apply them consistently and quickly. We need to encourage bee-friendly farming practices, strengthen the protection of beekeepers in the CAP, limit the use of pesticides, safeguard wild pollinators, strengthen the LIFE programme, which already finances effective instruments to protect habitats and biodiversity. There are also urban experiences to be valued, for example the UrBees project, born in Turin, shows that bees can help us monitor the environment and build more aware communities. Protecting pollinators means protecting the balance between nature, agriculture and public health. It is a responsibility that concerns us all. Today we have the tools and the duty to act.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, bees are not only valuable pollinators but also sentinels of environmental health. When they disappear, the entire ecosystem sounds a cry of alarm. Today that cry is very loud. In November 2023, this Parliament welcomed the new European Pact for Pollinators and today we need to follow up on that commitment. The main threats of pollinators are well known: intensive agriculture, the use of pesticides, the loss of habitats, as well as measures to combat them are also known. All we need is the political courage to apply them consistently and quickly. We need to encourage bee-friendly farming practices, strengthen the protection of beekeepers in the CAP, limit the use of pesticides, safeguard wild pollinators, strengthen the LIFE programme, which already finances effective instruments to protect habitats and biodiversity. There are also urban experiences to be valued, for example the UrBees project, born in Turin, shows that bees can help us monitor the environment and build more aware communities. Protecting pollinators means protecting the balance between nature, agriculture and public health. It is a responsibility that concerns us all. Today we have the tools and the duty to act.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner Fitto, first of all allow me to thank my colleague, Mr rapporteur Nesci, for the work done, and all the shadow rapporteurs with whom it was really a pleasure to work. Today we are discussing a measure that touches our communities, our territories. Rural areas are not peripheries to be assisted, they are an essential part of Europe. Yet they have been systematically ignored for too long. Strengthening them is not a symbolic gesture. It is a question of democratic justice, it means guaranteeing rights, services, opportunities to those who have chosen to stay and live there. And we have to thank these people and help them. With our amendments, we have included crucial issues in the text, which are very dear to us. The fight against the water crisis and desertification, which is bringing our farmers and ranchers to their knees, also threatening food security. We all have before our eyes the images of the dried-up reservoirs, for example in Puglia or Sicily. The right to receive quality care in their territory, with the strengthening of the system of primary care physicians and the creation of the figure of the community nurse. The recovery of disused properties in areas at risk of depopulation to perhaps create spaces of co-housing and co-working, and perhaps be able to attract workers who, in fact, work remotely. Protection of minority languages as a European cultural heritage. In Salento, for example, in many communities griko is spoken, as well as in Calabria, as you know, Arbëreshë is spoken. It is an important cultural heritage that we risk losing if we do not protect and value it. Or the creation of a European Fund for Rural Youth Entrepreneurship and aid to young people to ensure their housing autonomy, instead of being forced to live with their parents. Here, these are the priorities for European citizens, not to increase investment in weapons, while our internal areas continue to lose services, people and prospects. It is a political choice. We're on the other side. I still believe in a policy that serves the citizens and I will continue to fight for it.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner Fitto, first of all allow me to thank my colleague, Mr rapporteur Nesci, for the work done, and all the shadow rapporteurs with whom it was really a pleasure to work. Today we are discussing a measure that touches our communities, our territories. Rural areas are not peripheries to be assisted, they are an essential part of Europe. Yet they have been systematically ignored for too long. Strengthening them is not a symbolic gesture. It is a question of democratic justice, it means guaranteeing rights, services, opportunities to those who have chosen to stay and live there. And we have to thank these people and help them. With our amendments, we have included crucial issues in the text, which are very dear to us. The fight against the water crisis and desertification, which is bringing our farmers and ranchers to their knees, also threatening food security. We all have before our eyes the images of the dried-up reservoirs, for example in Puglia or Sicily. The right to receive quality care in their territory, with the strengthening of the system of primary care physicians and the creation of the figure of the community nurse. The recovery of disused properties in areas at risk of depopulation to perhaps create spaces of co-housing and co-working, and perhaps be able to attract workers who, in fact, work remotely. Protection of minority languages as a European cultural heritage. In Salento, for example, in many communities griko is spoken, as well as in Calabria, as you know, Arbëreshë is spoken. It is an important cultural heritage that we risk losing if we do not protect and value it. Or the creation of a European Fund for Rural Youth Entrepreneurship and aid to young people to ensure their housing autonomy, instead of being forced to live with their parents. Here, these are the priorities for European citizens, not to increase investment in weapons, while our internal areas continue to lose services, people and prospects. It is a political choice. We're on the other side. I still believe in a policy that serves the citizens and I will continue to fight for it.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, imagine you have to leave your city, your family, your country not for a trip, but to take care of yourself: Not by choice, but by necessity. This is the daily reality of thousands of European citizens. We are talking about health mobility, but the truth is that too often it is forced mobility. In Italy, particularly in the Mezzogiorno, many patients are forced to flee to the north or abroad to find adequate treatment; But this is not freedom of choice, it is a failure of the system. Directive 2011/24/EU had to guarantee the right to care anywhere in Europe, without economic and bureaucratic obstacles, but today that directive, unfortunately, risks working only for those who can pay. Those who have the resources, in fact, can anticipate thousands of euros, wait months for a refund and travel to access better care; Those who can't, stay behind. This is how a two-speed healthcare is born, where the right to health becomes a privilege for a few, and we cannot afford it. And that's not all, there's another phenomenon: Too many citizens, out of necessity or with the idea of being able to save money, rely on private clinics abroad, in third countries, without guarantees on safety protocols, without transparency on costs, without clear information on the quality of care. I can mention the case of dental care: every year, in Italy, 200 000 people go abroad for dental therapy, attracted by treatments up to half the cost, with offers of stays and tourist packages. Here, serious information campaigns on the therapeutic and economic risks of this health tourism should be taken into account. Many Europeans, in fact, return initially satisfied for having solved their problems, perhaps apparently at half price, until, after three to six months, in 50% of cases recurrences occur, with even serious infections, and the need for new treatments, perhaps more complex and more expensive. Health cannot be left to the free law of the market, it cannot become a leap into the dark. We need change, we need fairer rules, quick and accessible refunds. Above all, we need real investments in national public health, efficient hospitals, valued doctors, guaranteed care everywhere and for everyone. Only in this way will we stop the flight of patients, and only in this way will the right to health be truly universal. The European Union has a choice ahead of it: It can be a market area or a community of rights. We choose the second.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are talking about the steel industry, the metallurgical industry, we are talking about steel and we cannot talk about Taranto. Taranto has been defined by the United Nations as a "zone of human sacrifice". It is not an exaggeration, it is the daily reality of an entire city, devastated by decades of industrial pollution: we are talking about children who are already born sick, about childhood cancers on the rise; We are talking about workers condemned by a system that has betrayed them. A health disaster that Europe can no longer ignore. We strongly support green decarbonisation, based on green hydrogen and clean innovation. We also address the Commission with a clear question: Why has an infringement procedure been opened against Italy since 2013 and no action has yet been taken? The European treaties guarantee the right to health, yet it seems that sometimes for Brussels industrial productivity is worth more than the lives of citizens. Among other things, the Court of Justice of the European Union has been clear: Ilva must close if it continues to pollute. And so we ask to respect the sentence: immediately close the hot area, invest in remediation and closure. No more promises...

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, our days are now marked by the news coming from the United States, which is tearing apart years of work carried out to enable cooperation between peoples with a view to a future based on solidarity, the preservation of resources and mutual respect. Well, the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization are choices that put millions of lives at risk. It is clear that in the face of the challenges posed by the climate crisis and the health crisis, as we have seen and seen during the pandemic, the response must include more solidarity and certainly not less solidarity. Here, instead, in Trump's politics selfishness prevails, political selfishness prevails over the collective interest. Faced with this dangerous scenario, however, there is, in my opinion, an opportunity for the European Union: affirm, respond firmly, strengthening their environmental commitments, supporting the World Health Organization and filling the gaps left by those who withdraw from their responsibilities, as Trump is doing. It is time to show that Europe is a credible leader, capable of defending the planet, global health and human rights.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, it is not necessary to look at the Sahara to understand desertification: The deserts are now behind the house. More and more often, surreal and at the same time dramatic images show transformed landscapes, rivers reduced to paths and lakes completely dried up. 40% of southern Italy's soil is already at risk, as are many Mediterranean countries. In this way, we are transforming millennial landscapes. And this is not only the result of climate change, but also of unsustainable agricultural practices, which have depleted our soil. Here, our approach must change, focusing on the quality of production and the regeneration of the soil. Degradation is not inevitable, fortunately: We can reverse course. However, incentives are needed for agricultural models based on soil quality and regeneration. Policy must stop funding outdated practices and instead support innovation. Colleagues, desertification, in fact, is not only a technical challenge, but it is also a question of justice towards our territories and above all towards future generations. My warning is that it is not COP17 that saves European soil, but our concrete commitment today.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are debating a fundamental right that is becoming increasingly precarious: the right to drinking water. Let me give you some local examples. In Basilicata 140 000 citizens now live with water rationing that exceeds 30 consecutive hours. The region's response? Use the water of the river Basento, which arrives brown and unhealthy in the faucets of families. Added to this is the historical contamination of Lake Pertusillo by oil extraction multinationals. Or another example, in Sicily, where we are witnessing the alternation of water crises and climate catastrophes that cannot be faced with existing infrastructure. Yet the current Italian government invests billions in the Strait Bridge, ignoring dilapidated and inadequate water infrastructure. Well, Europe cannot close its eyes: We need a strategic plan to protect our water resources and ensure clean drinking water for all.

Madam President, Mr Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, the RESTORE package is certainly a step forward in Europe's ability to respond promptly to natural disasters. With this proposal, the affected regions will have immediately available resources to deal with the devastating consequences of unfortunately increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters; So we can say that the European Parliament and the Commission have done a very good job. However, we must not lose sight of the essence of cohesion policy – a long-term investment for balanced, sustainable and inclusive development. Systematically entrusting cohesion with the task of responding to emergencies risks undermining its strategic mission. I therefore call on the Commission and the Council to consider a substantial increase in the European Solidarity Fund in the next multiannual budget. We cannot continue to respond to emergencies with temporary solutions: RESTORE is certainly needed today – we all agree – but tomorrow we will need a structural commitment to protect our territories and communities.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, every year in Europe around 700 000 people lose their lives to tobacco use, and for tens of thousands of them the cause is exposure to second-hand smoke: We are talking in most cases about children, the elderly, who do not choose to smoke, but are still exposed to the smoke of others. All of us here have a duty to protect our citizens and, if we think that many types of cancer can be completely prevented, avoided, due to simple changes in our lifestyles, our responsibility becomes even greater. That is why we want Member States to ensure, through internal rules, smoke-free environments, even outdoors, where social distancing cannot be maintained: we are talking about outdoor areas, schools, bars, restaurants, workplaces, as well as in parks and on beaches. Only in this way will we take a crucial step towards Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which, if achieved, will not only save lives, but will offer a healthier future to all European citizens.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, we are all here in the European Parliament because we firmly believe in the founding values of the European Union. But it is important to say that the beating heart of the European project is not found inside these buildings, but in the territories to which each of us belongs. I am talking about the regions and the city and today I am speaking to you not only as a Member of the European Parliament but as a member of the municipal council of my city, Ostuni. And I tell you with certainty that the environmental, social and economic challenges that are talked about so much here, rightly, are addressed first and foremost by the municipalities, which are at the forefront of the fight against social exclusion, in the implementation of measures related to the green, industrial, digital transition, in the fight against climate change. What can Europe do? It must support regions and cities, involving them in all decision-making stages, especially in cohesion policies, and improve their access to funding. I conclude by taking advantage of this space to thank all the local administrators for the great work they do every day.