David SASSOLI, EP President, makes an opening statement at the Webinar Bocconi-Repubblica #GenerazioneEU 2021, in the European Parliament in Brussels. Virginia Stagni, Bocconi former student and business development manager al Financial Times, and Sofia Bonicalza, athlete and environmental activist, interview: David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament Maurizio Molinari, Diector of the Repubblica Mario Monti, President of the Bocconi University

Brussels

conference

statement

future of the European Union (T)

EU - Italy (T)

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

Webinar Bocconi-Repubblica #GenerazioneEU 2021: opening statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Title: Webinar Bocconi-Repubblica #GenerazioneEU 2021: opening statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Images from David SASSOLI, EP President, at the Webinar Bocconi-Repubblica #GenerazioneEU 2021 (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, We have understood that when Europe has competences, it can respond effectively. The Next Generation, the recovery plans, the interventions that were made very quickly on the rules of State aid, rather than the suspension of the Stability Pact. 

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, The vaccination plans, if not negotiations regarding contracts with the companies of the vaccine, showed that there was a substitute work in that case and everything needed to be organised all over again. 15 months tell us a lot of things. We do not put this experience in a drawer and try to understand where to improve our operation and where it is necessary to change even deeply. For example, some mechanisms of European functioning, in our opinion, should be reviewed very radically. A Europe that decides unanimously is a Europe that wants to block decisions, not to take responsibility.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Let's say that these 15 months have made us think a lot about how to invest in young people. Just last week, the European Parliament almost doubled the funds for Erasmus following a negotiation between Parliament and the German Presidency. Research funds and mobility funds. I believe that, of course, all this will encourage a youth policy without which Europe would feel blurred. Of course we need to do more, now there are plans for recovery. For example, something that is not said, but which is one of the lessons of the crisis of these 15 months, and that in reality the EU is not just the institutions of Brussels. The EU is also the national parliaments, it is also the regions, we have seen how important they are, for example how important they were in the response to the pandemic. National institutions and European institutions.