Roberta METSOLA, EP President, gives her doorstep statement ahead of the European Council (13-14 December 2023) on the European Council meeting agenda regarding on the enlargement of Ukraine, the MMF revision 2021-2027 and migration pact. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check agaisnt delivery.

Brussels

statement

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

European Council (T2)

meeting of the European Council

president's agenda

European Council meeting 14-15 December 2023 (T)

European Council meeting (14/12): doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, This is a historic summit that we're just about to start. So for us, very clear positions. First of all, we have seen unprecedented unity during the pandemic and then, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We have seen this over the last few hours of the day that we have finally reached an agreement on the electricity market reform. If that could show us something, that deals are always possible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, So on enlargement, very clear. This is a win-win situation. Ukraine should be given the moral, political, financial support that it deserves and we all need for our own security. Same with Moldova, same with Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. And we also would like and I say this in every European Council, a decision on Schengen for Romania and Bulgaria. I can't believe that we are here December 23rd and we are still talking about accession for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens to the Schengen area.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I will also discuss the MFF funds are finite. We need to be realistic and therefore I understand the gap is not very big and I hope that we can really find a solution. Unity is key. Everybody has different positions. Of course, everybody would need a little bit of something more for something else. But this is why we are around the table in order to find those common ground that we can deliver with this last summit of the year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We also need to talk about our competitiveness. We don't talk enough. We will need to see clear conclusions on the Middle East. We also need to discuss migration. So, my final appeal will also be for the last push. Over the next few days on the migration pact, still a lot of way to go, but at the end of the day, I think that we are closer than we have been in a decade to breaking a deadlock. We cannot go to the European elections in June without an agreement on migration. And I'm, let's say, cautiously optimistic that we will manage by the end of the Spanish presidency. That has worked very hard on this. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I would like to think 99%, at least over 90 for sure. There is a question on the border protection issue. We are also needing, as always, to have the balance where the Parliament will seek for an agreement on solidarity, where asylum is a key part, where external border protection. We're seeing new issues with the instrumentalization of migrants, as we saw earlier in the Baltic countries through Belarus and with Poland, now with Finland. So, this is a new element where the Parliament and the Council are coming closer together. I am convinced, and I'm hoping that we can wrap up as much as possible this weekend and on Monday on all the remaining pacts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Well, on this. So, we have five open legislative files. There is a thread amongst all of them and they all depend on each other. So, if you talk about the asylum and migration regulation, it is about movement and the possibility of making sure that the rules apply to every country. If you are talking about crises, what do we mean by a sudden influx at the border? If you are talking about instrumentalization of migrants, where does that go? Where do we exercisable to protect a border protection procedure?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, These are all issues that are crucial for us to have that balance that is fair with those who are in need of protection, that is firm with those who are not, that our returns policy needs to be stronger, more effective, and also that is very harsh on the smugglers and traffickers that seek to prey on the most vulnerable, mostly women and children on this planet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The position of the Parliament is clear. Rule of law for us is crucial. What we would want to see today is a united position, an unanimous position on sending the strongest of political signals to Ukraine, that is fighting our war for Ukraine to be able to take on that next step. We are not talking about immediate membership, but we are talking about the next step as the Ukrainians very much deserve. All positions are needed to come closer together. Parliament's position on the rule of law does not change. We are looking forward for an agreement today. Thank you very much.