During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (08-10 July 2020), joint debate on the European Council meetings of 19 June and of 17-18 July 2020. Closing statement by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery

Brussels

plenary session

ŠEFČOVIČ, Maroš (SK, EC)

joint debate

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

economic situation in Europe (T)

European Council meeting 19 June 2020 (T)

special meeting of the European Council 17-21 July 2020 (T)

Joint debate - European Council meetings of 19 June and of 17-18 July 2020: Closing statement by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/5988045/I192599Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Original), Mairead MCGUINNESS, EP Vice-President, giving the floor to Maro&scaron; &Scaron;EFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Thank very much to all the honourable members for taking the floor. And I was quite extensive with my introductory marks on how I can be much more brief

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, I just would like to react to the four most frequently issues which being highlighted by honourable members. The first, the sense of urgency mentioned by Mr Muresan, by Mr. Lamberts, my Mr. Anderson, who was making reference to site side-to-side, but also to Mr. Tajani, who was highlighting how important is to send a strong signal now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, And I think that this should be the absolute priority for our leaders. I think we cannot wait any longer. We need to get that deal at the next European Council because so that would be the best signal, the best response we can provide that first to our citizens.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, It would be the best response to the crisis. It would help us to secure the jobs. And I think it would be very important sign to our global partners, financial markets and the representative that even of the industry that Europe is back, that we are overcoming the crisis, we are introducing new policies and will be emerging from the crisis stronger than when we entered it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Second very important group of remarks was referred to the social aspects, to the thrust of the policies to make sure that we would underpin the green and digital transformations together with resilience, and that there been some question marks, whole these would be organized.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, So I just want to reassure all honourable members that the recovery plans would be drafted by the member states themselves.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Of course we want to make sure that the issues, the accumulated problems will be been being building up in all member states a year by year would be tackled that gradually we will be removing that, and by then we will be really achieving the resilience. We should be stronger in our member states and for the whole European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Of course, the commission will be the Crows iteration process with our member states and we are ready to inform the European Parliament, as we always do under the consultations, under the structured dialogue, under the hearings.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, If it comes to the European Semester process and of course the European Parliament will have a strong oversight or expand choice, as we do right now when we are reviewing of the expenditures on the annual basis.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, This was also, I would say, the the the thrust of the remarks of Madam, Mr. People have also by Madame Holmeier to make sure that this process is transparent so that all of the European Parliament is properly maintained,.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, As Madame Merkel has suggested. I think right now we have the first meeting of our leaders and presidents under Article 3.2 and as I said in my introductory remarks, we are ready to make a proposal for institutional declaration,.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Which will really put it in the very clear framework, how we see our close cooperation among the institutions on the important parts of the implementation of the of the next generation EU and the MFF. In the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, And the last point, too, which was raised by Madam Virkunnen, who was our last speaker, but also Mr. Benifei, Madam Hayer and Mr Cormann about their own resources.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, And of course, indeed, this is very important questions because we have to propose new ways how we are going to pay for that money, which will be raised on financial markets and finance our resilience and recovery instrument.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, We are considering, as it was highlighted, emission trading system, also carbon adjustment mechanism, but also their own resource based on operation of enterprise in the European single market and the digital tax.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, And we continue to work on our on our plastic tax and some other ideas which are coming along in this process of deliberations and the discussions. What we want to propose to you is that we are ready to work on the roadmap,.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, How we want to assess when we want to propose and how we want to debate this potential new resources, because we know that it is important for this parliament, but it is also very important for for the national parliaments,.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Because, as you know, if we want to increase the ceilings of our all of our resources and financing, we need to get the support of all EU member states, national parliaments.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, So to conclude, I really would like to thank you for your support for the sense of urgency, for readiness to cooperate in this very dynamic way which would be needed for the next semester. And I am very much looking forward to our debate and once again be assured that the role of the European Parliament will be properly maintained. Thank you very much,