During the plenary session (11-14 February 2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the Future of Europe with Giuseppe CONTE, Italian Prime Minister. This is the seventeenth in a series of future of Europe debates between EU heads of state or government and MEPs.Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE), Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) and Giuseppe CONTE, Italian Prime Minister.

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

FITTO, Raffaele (ECR, IT)

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

future of the European Union (T)

EU - Italy (T)

BULLMANN, Udo (S&D, DE)

CONTE, Giuseppe (IT)

Future of Europe: extracts from the debate with Giuseppe CONTE, Italian Prime Minister

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), We, as EPP believe, that we need investments in today's European Union. And we see the Italian government who can't agree on building up an already approved project between France and Italy. We, as EPP believe in a stable currency, which is a fundament for a strong economy to build up trust, and your government discussed for a few weeks in the start of your government whether you should still be the member of the Eurozone or not. We believe that only where there is a will for reforms you can win the economic future for your country.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), We fully respect that you are elected, your government is elected. You have a democratic mandate from your citizens. But probably it is easier to become an anti-elite movement, to win elections as an anti-elite movement, then to stay afterwards in government as an anti-elite movement. Some of you, probably, arrive in the meanwhile, as the new elites in Italy. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Udo BULLMANN (S&amp;D, DE), In this situation I am deeply saddened by the senseless escalation between France and Italy. What is this? What is this? And for what use is this? In conflicts - and you know it, you know it - in conflicts like this there are no gains. Nobody has a chance to win. This is a perfect lose for your country and for Europe. 

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT), First of all, on migration. We agree, Prime Minister, but when it comes to the global compact, we have a snapshot there of a total uncertainty provided by the indecision of your government. You attended the UN general assembly, you underline your agreement in Marrakesh and then you refused to sign. Venezuela has called for the important role to be played by Europe. You talked about the need to speak with the single voice. Let me remind you, that in the meeting of the European Foreign Ministers, thanks to the dissenting position, the only dissenting voice that of Italy, Europe was unable to speak with the clear and single voice on this issue.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), It began with misgovernance of Silvio Berlusconi. That is the reality. And this misgovernance has even deteriorated under your government. That is a problem. Under Salvini and under Di Maio - those are the real leaders of this government. And its a government that sometimes behaves in an anti-European way. It's a government that is openly despiteful against other member states, who are the members of the European family.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), If migration is a problem for Italy, you rather need to think about the nearly two million young Italians who chose either freely, either under constrains to leave their homeland during the last 15 years. Do you really think that the confused and contradictory policies of your government are going to incite them to come back home? And keep their brothers and sisters in Italy? We think, on the contrary, it's making Italy the driving force for ecological transition, which shows solidarity and democracy that you will give your country a future, matching its history, matching its place within the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giuseppe CONTE, Italian Prime Minister, It is true that Italy have often saved Europe's honour and virtue in the past but some have expected that to go on in the future. It can't go on that way. Any state which finds itself in the situation, Italy is in, reaches the point of saturation, when the integration mechanism no longer function. We no longer have the tools to allow us to integrate these migrants. And the impact of this is enormous. In many countries, not only Italy, it is often difficult to identify the origin of migrants which makes it impossible for us to do other than to call on the bilateral agreements. So, objectively, we can't do anything but to repatriate them.