Opening meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EP in Brussels. MEPs and their national counterparts from EU countries, candidate member states and observer countries speak about the economic, budgetary and social challenges in recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. Extracts of the opening statements by David Sassoli, EP President, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Portuguese Assembleia da República, António Guterres, Secretary General of United Nations, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, EC President, Christine Lagarde, ECB President.

European Semester Conference - Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU: extracts of the opening meeting

Title: European Semester Conference - Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU: extracts of the opening meeting

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Through its economic and social consequences, the pandemic has led to the exacerbation of inequalities and thus threatens the cohesion of our European societies.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, The Next Generation Youth package focuses precisely on the necessary investments. Those useful to transform our production process in order to address environmental challenges, climate change cannot be dissociated from social justice.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Eduardo FERRO RODRIGUES, President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, In April, we saw the initial measures being taken and then in the summer, with the proposals for the MFF ( multiannual framework for 2001 2027) and the proposals for the next generation EU. Now these measures will be decisive in our ability to respond to recover and reform our economies. However, political agreements are not sufficient in themselves. We're still awaiting the ratification of the council's own resources decision by many national parliaments. Without that, we don't have access to the financial markets.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, With next generation EU, we can shape a better economy for Europe. Of course, our most urgent task is to help healthy businesses pull through the crisis and create new jobs. But as we do so, we should also aim at making Europe greener, more digital andmore inclusive.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Eduardo FERRO RODRIGUES, President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, We hope that the Oporto Social Summit will draw qualitative and quantitative conclusions on the implementation so that we can conclude the European pillar of social rights colleagues.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Ant&#243;nio GUTERRES, UN Secretary General, We have an opportunity to be ambitious. We have an obligation to recover better. We must embrace a sustainable and inclusive. We invest in our systems and social protection, build resilient infrastructure, support education, green jobs, and, of course, reduce debt pressure.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Ant&oacute;nio GUTERRES, UN Secretary General, The European Union's Recovery and Resilience Facility holds great potential, representing the largest stimulus package in the EU's history, putting the European Green Deal at the heart of this effort is not only the right thing to do, but the smart investment in the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kristalina GEORGIEVA, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, The next generation EU initiative is a remarkable achievement in joint mobilisation of funds. Bravo. A coordinated green infrastructure investment push, is really a must. It could boost GDP over a 15 year period by about zero point seven percent each year, creating millions of new jobs. Carbon pricing can help repair fiscal balances, channel private investments into green sectors, deliver substantial emission reductions, increased access to high speed Internet in rural and underserved areas would raise productivity. Education spending, investing in human capital, job training programmes would build the skills needed for the economy of the future.

SOUNDBITE (French), Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council, On the importance that has been given to this concept of own resources, which is an irreversible reform for the future of the European project, since it is a question of investing together after borrowing together and sharing priorities. You understood that we are all gathered around two pillars that must be the engines for this post-Covid revival. These two pillars are of course our climate ambition, but also our digital ambition in the coming weeks. National parliaments and national governments will send their national recovery and resilience plans to the European Union. It can be important to succeed these investment actions together, to ensure that every national and European euro is properly invested to have a beneficial effect for the recovery, the transformation of our model and for bringing social cohesion.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, With next generation EU, we can shape a better economy for Europe. Of course, our most urgent task is to help healthy businesses pull through the crisis and create new jobs. But as we do so, we should also aim at making Europe greener, more digital and more inclusive.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, In the coming months, every country will have to come up with the best projects and reforms to make the most out of next generation EU. We encourage national parliaments to contribute to this process. The resources will come from Europe, but the ideas must come from every country.

SOUNDBITE (English), Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank, While people are drawing hope from the start of vaccination campaigns, the first challenge shielding, calls for us to continue to bridge the gap until widespread immunity is achieved. So vaccination, vaccination, vaccination across Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank, The ECB will continue to support all sectors of the economy by preserving favourable financing over the pandemic period.

SOUNDBITE (English), Christine LAGARDE, President of the European Central Bank, So let's turn to the transforming of the economy because that challenge will arise as the economy gradually reopens and it will be quite a different one. Won't be about returning to the pre pandemic status quo. It will be about bringing the economy rapidly back to potential while, using the thrust of the recovery to transform our economies. Digital and green technologies present massive possibilities for more vibrant, inclusive and sustainable growth.

European Semester Conference - Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU: extracts of the opening meeting

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European Semester Conference - Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU: extracts of the opening meeting

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Related media

European Parliamentary Week