MEPs mark the creation of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, with a ceremony in the hemicycle in Strasbourg. Statement by Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

European Parliament

ceremony

70th anniversary of the European Parliament (T)

BORNE, Élisabeth

Ceremony of the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament: statement by Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister

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SOUNDBITE (French), &Eacute;lisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Madam President of the European Parliament. Madame President of the European Commission. Prime ministers. Ladies and gentlemen, speakers of the national parliaments. Ladies and gentlemen, the Commissioners. Honourable Members, Ladies and gentlemen. For 70 years now, France has had the honour and the pride to host here in Strasbourg the centre of democratic life of our Union, the European Parliament. 70 years, an institution that was born in the aftermath of the war and in the early hours of Europe desired to ensure peace.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, I had a very. Quick intuition of a need for dialogue and political construction, an institution that has been marked by its men and women, its women and its men. Robert Schumann amongst the Founding Fathers. Same envoy. The first woman president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, this great European who left us in the early 2022. And it is you, all of you, the elected representatives of the European citizens that bear its voice and its aspirations.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, 70 years. This is therefore an occasion to go back over our history. A path characterised characterised by essential conquests. First the members of the Parliament were appointed by the national parliament and then there was universal suffrage and direct elections in that were decided in 1976 and the first elections were held in 1979.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Since that very time, for 40 years now, you have become not just European representatives, but representatives of the European citizens. You represent them directly. Then there was a conquest of broader remit since the very beginning. The Parliament had a role of supervision and then little by little has continued to increase its powers with every revision of the treaty, with further scrutiny and all the way up through the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, that consecrated codecision as ordinary legislative procedure.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, All of this is a boon, of course, to the European Parliament. But also to Europe as a whole, because each time the European Parliament increases its powers Europe gains in democracy. Now, this democracy is a democracy that we will never fail to defend at a time when some will assault Ukraine, at a time when authoritarian regimes would like democracy to be considered weak, we must be proud of our democracy, proud of our values, because we shouldn't forget that where authoritarian regimes in which some would invade Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, We understand very well that by invading Ukraine, Russia is attacking democracy and human rights, the very foundation of what we gather here to defend. And since the very beginning, the European Parliament has defended equality, freedom and solidarity, and it brings a scathing rebuttal, rebuttal to those and these destructive attempts.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, The heart of democracy beats here in Strasbourg and has for 70 years. So this is an anniversary that I think is also an opportunity for us to look to towards the future. In the immediate future, we will have legislative files to address that are that are of great importance, first and foremost, fit for 55 as well as for the reform of the Schengen area that is so invaluable to our citizens, as well as conquering our sovereignty, our energy, digital, technological and strategic sovereignty by implementing the Versailles agenda.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Now, this is not an exhaustive list. It does show, however, that you are at the very heart of all of the challenges of our time, and the upcoming months will be very packed indeed. You can count on France. We will favour agreements and work for a stronger Europe with heightened solidarity and more sovereignty under the authority of the President of the Republic. You can count on us to work for that.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Then we will have the European Parliament elections. This is a democratic exercise that we carry out every five years and give structure to our union. Allow me to express a wish then, that this will be an opportunity for us to have true debates where we can make sure that we have a Europe that is put to the service of our citizens.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Honourable members, I should finish where I began. Strasbourg. Strasbourg is a symbol. It wears the marks of history. And at this time where nationalism is on the rise and tries to rewrite the past. At this time, when war has returned to the European continent, we must continue to recall precisely where Europe has come from, what it has suffered, what we have achieved, and what we will continue to achieve.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, In fact, it is the embodiment of the reconciliation of the European people. Our city of Strasbourg. And it shows the strength of the Union and the strength of peace. Each month, Europe, Europe's actors all gather in Strasbourg, and in doing so, they pay a great tribute to our history and the very idea of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, Of course, there are practical questions and my government is fully engaged to finding responses to them. But that must not turn us away from what is essential. At its core, Strasbourg is the very idea of Europe, this idea of Europe that has been built over the course of time in different areas of Europe, it is a Europe that has its past, but it also has its common future.

SOUNDBITE (French), Élisabeth BORNE, French Prime Minister, This Europe, this Europe that is a symbol of its people and its territories and its the best remedy against any type of Europe that would be technocratic or disconnected. Now, through you with all of the European citizens, because of this anniversary affects us all and it's an important one, I wanted to be here with you. The vitality of the European Parliament is the vitality of Europe itself. Hence my desire to be here with you. Thank you.