David SASSOLI, President of the European Parliament, gives a press conference after his participation ahead of the European Council meeting on 24-25 June 2021, in Brussels. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Brussels

statement

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

press conference

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

new pact on asylum and migration (T)

European Council meeting 24-25 June 2021 (T)

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, on the European Council meeting 24-25 June 2021

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Good afternoon everyone. Now, as usual, I opened the European Council giving a few messages which are important for the parliament. When it comes to the work being done by the Council, in particular, the pandemic and the analytical and evaluation work being done by all member states to ensure that the digital certificate is effective.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, It's been approved in record time by the parliament as well and it will come in as the 1st of July. And it will make it possible to ensure that the various or the many health provisions in all different countries will be harmonised and that we can ensure more efficient, effective mobility, and also that we can in the summer support some, such as when she had been especially hard hit during the last 15 months with Covid.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, I'm not just thinking of tourism, but also the transport mobility sectors. When it comes to supplies for our companies, for example, it's very important that the transport sector is up and running, so the more the certificates use, the more we have common standards, the better our defence and protection will be in terms of protecting Schengen, which is a key pillar of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, I said to the Council that currently the Parliament is involved in a number of activities which can enable us to bolster a common health policy. We won't be able to get out of the Covid crisis without a common health policy. And it would be a betrayal of our citizens if we were not to have that.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, The latest Eurobarometer data have shown very, very clearly what the priority is for all European citizens, namely, they want the EU to be able to ensure that people are protected, that their safety for them and security. So a common health policy is key if we want to get out of the Covid crisis. The Parliament's working towards that.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, And we will be adopting a negotiating mandate for strengthening the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, using the instruments we have at our disposal and other instruments as well. Bit by bit, we can establish competencies and mechanisms which are necessary if we want to have a common health policy.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, I also spoke about the other items on the Council agenda. We've said many times that when we build the European project, we need to look at redistribution mechanisms and promoting equality. We don't want growth without safeguards and protections of the most vulnerable swathes of our population.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, So we need to reduce inequalities. That's something which was stressed and which everyone committed to at the Porto conference. And I said that the member states have to stick to their promises in the area. And the social pillar is our ID card, if you like. We need to strengthen it and we need to ensure that it can really help hundreds of thousands of people who at the moment are encountering difficulties.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, I said to the Council that the Parliament is really very much involved and we've said this over the last few days, a number of occasions, and in ensuring that we have a common policy for tackling migration issues. Now, the external dimension of this is very important, but the internal dimension is important, too.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Obviously, we need to have common rules when it comes to tackling a problem which is not just going to disappear at the end of the summer, as many people seem to think, it is an issue which will be there in the medium and long term in future years. And Europe's really lagging behind in that area.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, I stress the fact that the Parliament doesn't want to just have a situation where the Parliament is working on measures contained in the pact on migration and asylum. Now, of course, we are ready to negotiate, as we have on many economic and financial instruments. It's obviously a sensitive issue.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, We understand that, but is not acceptable to be working on that, and I'm saying this from a moral viewpoint, it's not acceptable for migration and asylum issues to be tied in with electoral issues and sensitivities and individual member states. We are always being reminded, I think.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, You know, this isn't the right time because people always say it's going to have an impact on such and such an election in a member state, for how many years have we been here in this? I don't think it's morally justifiable. And I think the Council needs to be take practical actions. And should call for solidarity from the other institutions in dealing with this challenge, migration, which is an issue now for our generation and will be an issue for future generations, too.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, I also stressed to the Council that we want to tackle our challenges and we need to ensure that the rule of law is respected. I said that some initiatives taken, for example, by Hungary over recent days have triggered in all European institutions and in many member states concerns and criticism.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, And. Mr Orban spoke as well, he said there were no violations of laws in his country, but I said that we'd seen there's been criticism from all institutions following Hungary's actions over recent days and that he should consider the criticisms which have been levelled at his government.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, I think in the new phase, which is beginning now after the visit of the US president, the lobbying work we've seen and commitments which have been undertaken, I think after all of that, we can now think that we are in a stronger position when it comes to developing dialogue with certain countries, which we think are trying to stoke tension and friction.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Now, all initiatives aimed at ensuring dialogue with Russia are welcome provided is within the framework of EU action because it is important that we speak with one single voice. We don't want that to be leaks, individual things being done. It's important that the EU has a common policy. We want to reduce conflict and tension using diplomacy. Thank you very much.