Roberta METSOLA, EP President participates to the European Council meeting on the 23rd March 2023, in Brussels. Extracts from her arrival, and from the press conference after the meeting with the EU Heads of State.

Brussels

statement

press conference

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

president's agenda

European Council meeting 23-24 March 2023 (T)

European Council meeting (23/03): arrival and extracts from the press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Title: European Council meeting (23/03): arrival and extracts from the press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Interior view of the Justus Lipsius building, seat of the European Council

Arrival of Roberta METSOLA, EP President, at the European Council

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The main message that I have conveyed on behalf of the European Parliament is that we need to continue to support Ukraine to defend itself. We need to continue to show solidarity and avoid any sign of fatigue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, In this regards the ammunition deal reached by Member States earlier this week represents a landmark moment for the European Union, and I specifically thank the High Representative Borrell for his efforts on this. Europe will always stand for peace, for a real peace with accountability and justice. But for there to be a peace, there needs to be a Ukraine, a free Ukraine. And for there to be a European Union, there must be a free Ukraine. And the price of liberty can never be too high.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Our European economies are all competitive, but our task is to keep them competitive in order to boost our economic output, create jobs and invest in the green and digital transitions. We need to lead on this globally, but we also need to lead on this at home and in order to get for us to get there, we need people to buy into the idea that going green will pay off for them, their businesses and their families. And that's why we must make the business case and provide the right incentives for people to come on board.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Next week we will vote on the Migration and Asylum and Migration regulation file, the qualifications file and screening. If you think about the package, there are many different individual legislative proposals, some which are in the security part of the pact and some which are in the asylum part of the pact. What we wanted, and this is a consistent position of the Parliament, is that when we are going to deliver on a legislative package on migration, then it is one that has to be fair with who asks for protection, which is firm with those who are not eligible, and which is stronger with traffickers and violators of human rights, who prey on the most vulnerable people on our planet.