During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (14-18 December 2020), David SASSOLI, EP President, makes his opening remarks from Strasbourg on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Resumption of session and order of business: opening remark by David SASSOLI, EP President on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement

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SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, Thank you. We now need to continue his fight, we need to fight for a Europe that is up to the expectations of our citizens. That is the commitment of the parliament. Last Saturday, five years ago, the Paris Accords were signed.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, As of 2015, the European Union and many countries, parliaments and cities have declared an environmental disaster. And have asked for urgent action to to take place at the global level, young people first and foremost ask for that.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, So since then, we've been looking at a more sustainable model of development with environmental and social justice at its heart. The green deal is our new strategy, our new strategy for growh and this will mark the coming decades.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, We want Europe to become the first carbon neutral continent in the world in 2050. We want to be at the top of the class here. Our emissions reduction goals reflect our ambitions when it comes to the European law on climate, the European Parliament considers a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gases appropriate by the year 2030.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, We think that's key to achieve our goals. European nations via the Paris agreements took on a role at the forefront of the green transition. And it's our responsibility as a parliament to ensure that the European Union continues to be a pioneer in the fight against climate change.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, The European Parliament will be working to ensure a fair and green transition. Politics and policies, however, need resources.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, We have important votes ahead of us, and I'm particularly pleased that during this session the parliament will be voting on the multiannual financial framework and we'll also be voting on our own resources, as well as a regulation on the rule of law.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, Subsequent to the council unblocking these files, these funds and these instruments are necessary, very necessary for our citizens and also for our businesses. The parliament has been a key player on these right from the start, because we wanted to achieve the best possible agreement.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, And this debate isn't only about money, it's about the lives of Europeans. And that's why I will remain vigilant during the implementation phase.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, To conclude. I'd like to recall. But we're about to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement. This was important at the time because it stopped the war.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, But in addition, it's now time to look past this agreement and towards the future, 25 years later, the scars of war are still present.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, And it's only by genuine and sincere reconciliation that the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and their political leaders will be able to build an inclusive and prosperous society that's turned towards Europe, which offers a future to their young generations.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, This is an important plenary session. This will go down in the history books, and we certainly don't want the consequences of this year, this historic year to stop our ambitions and projects in their tracks. We want to continue to take important decisions which will be important to ensure that the European Union can respond to the requirements of our citizens. Thank you.

Event date	14/12/2020
Reference:	I200448V
Format:	16:9 format
Copyright:	© European Union
copyrightYear:	2020

Resumption of session and order of business: opening remark by David SASSOLI, EP President on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement

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