During the plenary session (13-16 September 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ursula VON DER LEYEN delivers the State of the European Union (SOTEU 2021) to the MEPs. Statement by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP group leader. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.,

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

state of the Union

state of the European Union 2021 (T)

State of the European Union 2021 debate: Statement by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP group leader

SOUNDBITE (Original), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), -

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Vice President Metsola, President Von der Leyen, Minister Logar, dear colleagues, the ladies and gentlemen, debating the State of the Union means today to first focus on what the pandemic has brought. Not everything went well and smoothly, but in all, Europe has managed the crisis well. No other continent has developed a vaccine in a better quality. No other continent has a higher vaccination rate. No other continent has shown more solidarity and willingness to help each other and no other continent has provided other parts of the world with more vaccines than we have.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), All Europe is proud of our every day is heroes, the doctors and nurses, researchers and many others, and we thank them for their contribution. The crisis began in China. In Europe, we found the solutions. We can be proud about what Europeans achieved in the past. Dear colleagues, we look now what is in front of us, then there are two main issues. We are emerging stronger from the crisis, but this crisis has caused and left deep social and economic wounds. Many people fear for their existence, for their jobs. Only if we jobs, create then we can secure our prosperity and we can care about the weakest in our society and we will defend the European way of life.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Alongside the green deal, we are thinking as EPP that now is all the time for a Job deal. And then in addition to this, after Afghanistan, we really need now a common foreign and defense policy. Joe Biden is clear the U.S. is no longer a world policeman, but where is Europe? Russia and China are just waiting to fill the vacuum and that would be fatal for the future. We would wake up in a world in which we and also our children will not want to live. That's based on these two points I want to make very concrete proposals for what do we have to do now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Firstly, the rapid development of a vaccine was only possible because the authorities worked quickly during the approval process. But this speed is what we also need now in other fields of the research sector and in the investments for the climate protection. With an immediate action plan for cutting bureaucracies in the European Union, we should work together with all stakeholders to identify 300 EU regulations that we will abolish or simplify in the next 12 months.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Ssecondly, for the production of an electric car, dear friends, only half the number of employees is needed. Many industrial jobs in the European Union are under threat. New jobs are urgently needed in today's European Union. International trade was and is a job machine. Why not now to pick up this debate with our American friends, let us negotiate an EU US trade emergency program on the mobility sector, on mechanical engineering in the digital economy as soon as possible, as a first step for a more broader comprehensive trade agreement. And only this will be the way to strengthen the Western economy, key industrial sectors and together we can protect ourselves against China.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), The European Union and the US together represent 50 percent of the global economy. Together, we can start the growth machine that benefits the whole world. Thirdly, dear friends, the pandemic has shown us how important the health sector is. The coming decade will bring a wave of innovation in medicine. We can beat cancer. I want Europe to create 10 million new jobs in the next four years is an immediate innovation offensive in this field. At the beginning of the digitalization 20 years ago, we as Europeans always let the innovation on Internet and jobs were created in the US and in China. Today neither the Chinese nor the Americans are ahead with the covid vaccines. But we are. So let us use our know-How right now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Fourthly, defense. We and I fully welcome the initiatives from Ursula Von der Leyen today and also the decision of the defense counsel in Ljubjana. But what are we waiting for? The Lisbon Treaty gives us all options, if we want to create a reaction force, so let's do it and let's do it now. And fifthly, dear friends, global responsibility. Every day, 15000 people, sorry, 15000 childre, die of hunger worldwide every day. The everyday horror and we hardly speak about it. The weakest suffer most from the covid crisis. That is why we must reallocate and free up funds to your friends like we did in Afghanistan now. To invest, we need to stop the silent and daily mass death on this war. And finally, dear friends, without law and security, the rest means nothing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), That is why we stand for a robust application of the rule of law mechanism inside of the European Union. But that is not enough. Cross-border tax fraud, money laundering and criminal organizations mafia make its way through our societies and the terrorist threat is still high in Europe. Why don't we finally transform Europol not into a real European FBI? And the European Commission should present in the next 12 months a legislative package to strengthen security in the European Union. Ursula Von der Leyen was clear, that we can lead the world with the green deal. I want to put on the table that we have to have the same ambitions now for new jobs where our international responsibility and for security. Let's do it. Thank you.