During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (14-18 December 2020), David SASSOLI, EP President, makes his opening remarks from Strasbourg where he expresses his solidarity, friendship and cooperation with the city of Strarbourg during the coronavirus pandemic. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

fight against terrorism (T)

EU - France (T)

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

keynote speech

single seat of the EP (T)

Resumption of session and order of business: opening remark by David SASSOLI, EP President on the solidarity with the city of Strasbourg

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/18858546/I199981Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, There's a bit of emotion here today, we're back in Strasbourg after several months due to a pandemic.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, That has closed many of our countries, stopped the European Union, stopped much of the world, but here I am today with you, where our institution is based to open the December plenary session.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, And I'd also like to say to the city of Strasbourg and the French authorities that we want to show solidarity, friendship and cooperation with you.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, From all our members, all our political groups, we'd like to send out a greeting to the citizens of the city of Strasbourg.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, It's also emotional for us to recall the attack two years ago, the 11th of December 2018 which struck the city of Strasbourg where we're based. My thoughts are with you to the victims, to their families and with their families and with their friends, Strasbourg and its region have suffered deeply as a result of covid-19, it's a virus that has killed many of our citizens.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, We conclude this year with almost 500000 dead. We're aware of the difficulties in human terms, but also social and economic difficulties that the city is facing.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, The parliament wants to stand with you. And we were pleased that we were able to get involved in certain solidarity based initiatives to try and help the difficulties that the citizens of this city were facing.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, We provided a solidarity kitchen, we provided a covid-19 screening centre, a testing centre, because we've always believed that it is the task of institutions to set a good example of our common desire is to be able to once again hold our plenary sessions in this building, the parliament acted in a determined manner and took the necessary steps to be able to continue its work under the difficult circumstances that have been produced by recent months.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, I think we can be proud of the fact that covid-19 didn't stop the institutions doing their work, it didn't manage to stop the European Parliament, and so it didn't manage to stop European democracy. The parliament can be proud. That it is. Carried out its prerogatives and kept European democracy open.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, As you know, after my opening remarks, the session will continue in Brussels so that we can continue to protect public health, but we will soon be back in Strasbourg. This is our home. It's in the treaties, but it's also in the history of the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, As you're aware the covid-19 pandemic is having serious economic and social consequences for our citizens and for our businesses, but we will emerge from this crisis stronger and more united. I believe that firmly and I also firmly believe that the challenges that we will have to face in the future will be able to count on a more resilient European Union, a European Union that is more able to face the challenges that the future brings.

SOUNDBITE (English), David SASSOLI, EP President, And I think that the measures that we've taken during recent months will be able to help future generations. To be more resistant, to be better able to face the challenges that a globalised world will throw at us. It's time for a genuinely European view of the world, and I think our citizens, our public opinions are becoming aware that a more effective and more stronger Europe provides a guarantee for them. No one alone would be able.