Nine months before the next European Parliament elections on 6 - 9 June, President Ursula von der Leyen outlines her Commission’s priorities from now until the end of its mandate. She focuses on a stronger and more resilient European Union, on the EU’s continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s aggression, on energy security and EU energy independence, the EU’s twin green and digital transitions, and on protecting core EU values. Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), Chair of the ID Group, gives his statement during the State of the European Union 2023 in Strasbourg. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

ZANNI, Marco (ID, IT)

state of the European Union 2023 (T)

State of the European Union 2023: Statement by Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), Chair of the ID Group

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/72027052/1694098932001_I244627Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, I give the floor now to the president of the ID group, Mark Zanni, for two and a half minutes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), Thank you. President. President von der Leyen. I wasn't expecting fireworks from your speech. It was more of an election campaign for you re standing as President. But even so, I find it rather disheartening to note that the weapons which you talk about as a response to the crisis that the citizens of Europe are living through. What you have at your disposal was rather disappointing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), Point by point. The Green Deal. We have a historic opportunity today to be more pragmatic and less utopian. With Timmermans departure, you have an opportunity to get that transition back on the right track. Starting with the basics. Climate change is an area where the problem isn't the EU. The problem isn't European farmers. The problem isn't European businesses. The problem isn't European owners of premises. What we need to do is look at who will be the winners of the transition. The environment. Citizens. Will it be China?

SOUNDBITE (English), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), We need to keep a very close eye on that. You said that it is the Commission's intention to act in relation to this problem with research into combating subsidies in 2023. Does the Commission really need to launch an investigation into that matter? It seems completely clear that China is engaging in unfair competition. My son is not yet five can see that we need the Commission to do its own job to protect our businesses, to impose duties on those who do not respect the rules.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), The second proposal, which you announced an inquiry into the impact of bureaucracy. I believe you're intending to nominate a kind of special envoy who will be acting as a go between between you and SME's. I don't think we need a new envoy. Everyone in this room, the elected members, envoys representing people. We don't need more inquiries into fine words. We actually need less red tape. Businesses are crying out for fewer laws, better implemented, and more freedom. But that appears not to be the European Commission's priority.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), Final point immigration. We've heard all sorts of plans and initiatives. But it doesn't appear that the EU really wants to get to grips with that problem. The weight of migratory flows, which is unsustainable, will be borne by a few countries. The EU's line on this is not clear. It is not clear who has a right to enter or not enter. Those who do not have a right to enter should not enter. Illegal immigration should be considered a crime. And if we don't reduce the number of arrivals, then we cannot resolve the problem of redistribution. I hope that over the next few months there will be a change of direction and will be giving more space to what citizens are calling out for rather than.