During a debate of the plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs discuss with Council and Commission on the national recovery plans submitted by member states. Statements by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal, Council of the European Union, Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), Rapporteur, Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), Luis GARICANO (Renew, ES) and Damian BOESELAGER (Greens/EFA, DE).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

GARCÍA PÉREZ, Iratxe (S&D, ES)

MUREŞAN, Siegfried (EPP, RO)

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

GARICANO, Luis (Renew, ES)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

BOESELAGER, Damian (Greens/EFA, DE)

Coronavirus outbreak (T)

Recovery plan for Europe (T)

ZACARIAS, Ana Paula (PT)

recovery and resilience facility (T)

National recovery and resilience plans: extracts from the debate

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/5090557/I207298Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Title: National recovery and resilience plans: extracts from the debate

Outside of the European Parliament, Strasbourg

SOUNDBITE (English), Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal, Council of the European Union, When we look back, Covid-19 pandemic's started more than a year ago. European institutions have together taken unprecedented swift and strong action. First with emergency tools, then with tools designed to boost the recovery and to build a fairer, greener, more sustainable and resilient future. This is where the RRF comes in.

SOUNDBITE (French), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Next generation EU will give our union the power to invest hundreds of billions in a common recovery. And this is something that we have the utmost need of. And it will also allow us to invest in our common priorities with next generation EU. We're going to transform our continent for decades to come. We digitising our economies, we're going to forge plan is worth 750 billion euros. It's the biggest recovery plan that has been implemented in Europe since the Marshall Plan. It's the recovery that Europe needs now and for its future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MURE&#350;AN (EPP, RO), Rapporteur, One thing is clear: the more money we spend, the more we need to make sure that money really reaches the people for which it is intended that we managed to modernise hospitals, to digitise schools, to support people, enterprises and regions affected by the pandemic. The more we spend, the more control we need, the more democratically is the right thing to do. People deserve to know how people's money is being spent.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MURE&#350;AN (EPP, RO), Rapporteur, We expect a balance between investments and reforms ,and reforms should also start now. We spoke a lot about investments, about the amounts of the money spent, but reforms are equally important. Reforming means strengthening the European Union. And we count on the European Commission to really be an advocate for reform processes at national level.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), There is also a big risk, and that is delay, because delay could flame the ashes of populism if part of the population feels it's being abandoned in the recovery. The future of the youngest Europeans will be decided in how the digital and energy revolutions actually turn out, how they change our productive model. We shouldn't forget that the pandemic has most affected the most vulnerable, destroying jobs, making queues at food banks longer and particularly affecting women. It's therefore vital that all of the national plans incorporate gender indicators as agreed in Porto as well as the social targets. You shouldn't doubt that the European Parliament will ensure its voice is heard when it comes to economic governance of the recovery plan to guarantee as much transparency as possible.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Luis GARICANO (Renew, ES), Green and digital investments should be transformative. They are not subsidies for consumerism of goods. We must invest in the future, not in industry. Because otherwise we will be a continent full of Teslas, but still battling the same problems. Now, Article 26 of the regulation president obliges you to take the opinion of this parliament into account. In the resolution we passed today, we asked for transparency, reform and investments in people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Damian BOESELAGER (Greens/EFA, DE), Mrs President, do not give in to these reluctant governments. Do not approve plans that don't fully comply with the law. Tell President Macron that you should address French as asked. Tell Chancellor Merkel, that you cannot use EU funds to get rid of a hybrid cars. Tell Prime Minister Draghi that he needs to fight greenwashing and tell all governments across the EU to enforce the do not significant harm principle. You have the full backing of this House to ensure that money is not wasted on national pet projects. But used to fuel a green and a real transition with a lasting impact. You said Long live Europe. I would say long live a better and reformed Europe.