David SASSOLI, EP President, holds a press conference following the presentation by Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, of the revised Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and Recovery Plan proposals during an extraordinary plenary session in the European Parliament in Brussels. Journalists ask their questions online via Skype. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, on the meeting with the incoming German presidency, the European semester and the recovery fund

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SOUNDBITE (Original), Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Spokesperson and Director-General for Communication of the EP, Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for being present. I can see some journalists that are trying to get connected. I can see two on the screen. You know what to do to ask questions. This has been a highly political day in parliament with the conference of Presidents with the plenary session. But obviously the President will be commenting on everything that's happened here today

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Yes. Thank you. And good afternoon, everybody. This is a particularly important day for the European Parliament, but also for the European Union because it's as though it were the D-Day of the 21st century, a Europe that rediscovered solidarity.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And which is plumping for a common policy, for the rebirth of the economy of our countries. Full support for our citizens and for work and looking forward to future years. The commission's proposal is very much appreciated.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, It is a major effort in terms of resources allocated to it to try and ensure that we leave this emergency with more capacity than we had before and looking to the future.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, What we will be leaving for future generations. We are particularly pleased that looking back over these difficult weeks, difficult months, the we have kept the European Parliament open and the European Parliament's voice has had an effect on the choices made by the European Commission.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, This means that citizens' voices have been heard, society's voices and in particular, the more vulnerable citizens who expect tangible responses.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And we very much appreciate that the commission has taken on board the observations we've made the Recovery plan, the multiannual financial framework could be the appropriate instruments in terms of building capacity and also providing a political vision.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, We therefore would thank President Von der Leyen and the team of commissioners for having listened to parliament's voice over these extremely difficult months.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, obviously, the proposal will be looked at in detail. Next Tuesday in the contact group, we ll have an in-depth look at that proposal. We're seeing the start of a period of reflection, but heart, we cannot go back on this proposal.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, That's obvious. And we're very proud of the fact that we have managed to achieve what we have. We are not going to be moving backwards.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And if I may say to those that are sceptical, to all of those that were diffident about the union's Initiatives, that over the 11 months period, I would say. Eleven weeks excuse me, the President correct themselves.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Over the last 11 weeks, we have seen a lot of movement, stability, pact, state AIDS, 50 billion allocated through the W.H.O. Healthline, the EIB.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And now we have the recovery plan and the MFF, which obviously will provide new impetus to activities at European Union level.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, as you know, there are various periods ahead of us that we have to go through council and the government's, I'm sure, will present parliament with the right proposal. We're aware of the fact that there are some objections.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, We have appreciated the fact that in the last few hours and days. We've seen countries who did object and who are currently concentrating probably on analyzing the proposal and its Political scope.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And we think that that's very important. It's an important proposal for our companies, for our citizens. And now there's an appeal that we would like to make to the national authorities of the member states, to the national parliaments that over the next few weeks, everyone should concentrate on working quickly on this, efficiently on this.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, So that the mechanisms that need to be assessed by the national parliaments, too, can be given the green light as soon as possible.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, I think that at this point in time, all of us should see ourselves as being a part of the same machine because the European Union is not made up just of the institutions in Brussels.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, No, it's the national parliaments, the national authorities and governments of the 27 member states who have to work together and come out of this emergency together.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And it's only together that we will be successful in doing so.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Spokesperson and Director-General for Communication of the EP, Thank you very much, President. Questions ?

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, on the meeting with the incoming German presidency, the European semester and the recovery fund

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