On the eve of one of the most important for the European Institutions : the state of the Union debate, the EP DG COMM organised a debate intitled "Together for a better Europe".

LIVE Together for a better Europe DGComm special programme ahead of SOTEU. Statements by EP Political groups leaders

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), chair, The State of the Union speech gives us every year a chance to consider where we are and to then discuss about the next steps of the Future of Europe. And today Europe is, the general atmosphere is about concerns, even about fears amongst people, about Covid, about the job impact, about what does it mean for my pension, for the social impact on Europe? And our answer is stability, jobs, jobs, jobs, first of all. And as a headline credibility, let's simply do now our job. Let's not do party political games. Let's simply deliver.

Europe has to be credible. And that means for us, if we go on out to the markets and borrow money, that means on the other side we have to tell the people the truth: we have to finance this. And that means to have our own resources on European level. And I see a big chance with this because the big winner of the Covid crisis economically are the big tech giants in the Internet and not the job owner of our industry. It's the big Internet companies. And we have to find a way to tax them. To ask them: "Ok, you profited from the Covid crisis, now you have to share some of your profits with the society". These are the demands we have in our societies

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), chair, We are at a crucial moment for the future of Europe, which is why this year the debate on the state of the Union is of particular importance. The European Union needs a new impetus to emerge from the crisis caused by the Covid and to ensure a better future. No one could imagine a year ago that this global crisis of the Covid was going to shake our health, our economy and our way of life. The European Parliament was able to react in time and marked the step for coordinated action by the Commission and the Council, but there are many outstanding decisions that we must take as soon as possible. It is time to review our priorities and agree on a very concrete action plan. Many citizens are suffering, losing their jobs and facing the future with fear and uncertainty.

They need immediate answers, and we have an obligation to give answers without losing sight of the horizon. We can't fail those who need it most this time. We cannot repeat the same mistakes of 2008. At the beginning of the parliamentary term, my political group stressed the need to undertake the transition to a more sustainable economy, with both people's well-being and a digital transition as a priority. The crisis now forces us to accelerate the pace of this transformation that Europe needs even more than before the pandemic, among other things, to prevent the digital divide, the gender divide or geographical differences from further increasing inequalities. That is why the first State of the Union address of the President Von Der Leyen must be framed in the context of the strategic outlook presented last week by Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. It is essential to maintain the vision across the Europe we want and at the same time to act with decisive action.

There's no more minute to lose. We need a budget for the Union for the next seven years, and there is not a minute to lose in determining what new Union own resources should be to finance the recovery plan. I believe that unity in the European Parliament is being crucial to making progress. This debate is an opportunity to demonstrate the fundamental role of this House in defending citizens' interests.

SOUNDBITE (French), Dacian CIOLO&#350; (RE, RO), chair, This speech is much awaited since it is the first time Ursula Von der Leyen presents in front of the Parliament a review after one year in office. A year ago, the Commission made very clear commitments to the future of the European Union. We are now waiting to see more concrete commitments. But first of all, given this crisis, we need to project a Europe that protects. Therefore the Commission must very clearly present what measures it intends to take in the future, not only for economic recovery, but also to continue to protect the health of citizens. Secondly, the objective is to implement the economic recovery plan as soon as possible, together, with the fiscal outlook. And here we are waiting for the Commission to commit itself alongside Parliament to negotiate with the Council on the budgetary perspectives and the recovery plan as soon as possible.

This stimulus plan and its budgetary outlook must give a very clear direction to our commitments on the environment. We are waiting for all legislative acts to implement the Green Deal, but also for commitments on digital technology. The European economy, but also European society, needs clarity on the European commitment not only to create the single market, a true digital single market, but also all the legislative acts that allow us to invest in introducing digital into the economy and our society. We are also waiting for all the legislative commitments that would allow us to start investing in the economy, so that Europe begins to build its economic sovereignty and manages to protect itself from the risks of crises such as the one we are going through today. I expect the President of the Commission to make a very clear commitment to the rule of law. It is essential that we approach, once for all, Europe of economy and investments, and the Europe of values. The economic recovery plan with the budgetary outlook. This is the time to set up a rule of law mechanism that allows us to ensure that the money we invest really finances European values.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Marco ZANNI (ID, IT), We expect a deep reflection from the President of the Commission Von der Leyen on the state of extreme institutional and political difficulty that the European Union is facing today. Beyond, of course, the crisis caused by Covid19 on the continent, the institution of the European Union was already in difficulty with the economy struggling to grow with ever wider inequalities within the Member States and with an approach and an economic system that didn't work. Instead of creating convergence and wealth, they are creating widespread divergence and poverty within the European Union. We expect a profound criticism and a change of gears that will not go towards the creation of the United States, a destructive utopia to the approval of 27 different states, but that goes towards the recognition that today the only area of democracy on which European cooperation can be founded in common sense is the Member State, is the nation-state.

If we do not start from developing the concept of subsidiarity, that is to understand what we can do together better and what must be left to national competences, it will be difficult to find a prosperous future for the European Union. We expect a deep criticism and a fundamental change of step to save our populations. In order to save the European Union from an imminent disaster, unfortunately, the macroeconomic data shows us, we wonder whether this Commission, if these European institutions, if this majority in Parliament will be capable after past disasters to give this gear change.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), co-Chair, What I expect from Ursula Von der Leyen is first of all ambition. Yes, it is true, Europe faces very important social, environmental, health, democratic and even geopolitical challenges. But Europe is also a rich continent, rich of its humanity, rich economically, rich of its citizens. If there is one continent capable of meeting these challenges, it is the European Union. I expect ambition. Ambition against the background of the recovery plan, it was adopted by the Council in July. We must do our job and perhaps remedy some of the shortcomings of the plan, as adopted by the Heads of State and Government in July. But we need a recovery plan that shows, to the eyes of all European citizens, the solidarity of all Europeans in order to face the challenges of the economic crisis following the COVID.

But this recovery plan must also be fully aligned with this famous European Green Deal. The European Green Deal is a great ambition to make the European Union the leader of the ecological and solidarity transition. But we're going to have to give substance to this speech.  Up to now, we have very nice ambitions on paper. We are going to have to transcribe all this into legislative acts which oblige us to achieve results. I am obviously awaiting the President of the Commission on the climate objectives, not at 2050, but at 2030. The IPCC is telling us that we have ten years to address climate change. It is now that we really have to make the structuring decisions. I expect a lot of ambition on this side too.

Also on the tax issue. I think Europeans are above their heads to see the biggest theoretical taxpayers, whether they are individuals or companies, finally evade tax and not pay their fair share. We are facing an unprecedented economic and social crisis. Everyone will have to contribute, especially those who have benefited the most from the years of neoliberal globalisation. And here, we absolutely need the European Union intervention. And there are ways in the European texts to circumvent the unanimity rule in tax matters. Here too, I expect the Commission's ambition.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (GUE/NGL, FR), In order to make its speech on the state of the European Union, the European Commission must be clear about the real state of this European Union, which is facing an economic and social crisis at the same time. Where democracy is in danger because some of the European Union do not respect the rule of law. Cohesion is in danger with the victory of some stingy states which imposes austerity control on other Member States. Social justice is also in danger with companies that take advantage of the crisis to get rich, receive state aid and at the same time lay off workers. The Planet is in danger with fires that multiply all over the world and in Europe the disappearance of half the butterflies.

Finally, our values are in danger: we are leaving thousands of families at the gates of the European Union in the camp of Moria. Then, we have to face the reality and be clear about these challenges in order to provide answers in the upcoming months and years. In order to do so, the European Commission must first recognise these contradictions and learn from them. That is to set an ambitious green course of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by - at least - 65% by 2030. That it should also be consistent with industrial relocation and that it should stop negotiations from free trade agreements with the whole world. Let it use the recovery plan for a real social and ecological bifurcation by making aid conditional on the recovery plan. Finally, it must also turn its back on the liberal dogmas and the European Semester, which have for too long made the law on European soil.

In matters of values and morals it must stop standing idle in the face of the authoritarian deviations of certain Member States and show humanity with a reception plan for the asylum seekers who cross the Mediterranean at risk of their lives. This is how the European Commission can face today's challenges by radically turning its back on what has been its policy in recent months and years.