Epitalia –
Chancellor Scholz underlined that Europe has a global responsibility that goes beyond its borders, “because the well-being of Europe cannot be separated from the well-being of the rest of the world”. The world of the 21st century, he stated, “will be multipolar, it already is”. Chancellor Scholz identified three lessons for the EU: “First, the future of Europe is in our hands. Secondly, the more united Europe is, the easier it will be to secure a good future. Thirdly, not less, but more openness and more cooperation are the order of the day”.
To secure Europe’s place in tomorrow’s world, the EU must change, said the Chancellor. “We need a geopolitical EU, an enlarged and reformed EU and an EU open to the future”.
On Russia’s war against Ukraine, the chancellor said the EU must pave the way for the reconstruction of Ukraine. A prosperous, democratic and European Ukraine is the clearest rejection of Putin’s imperial, revisionist and illegal policy.
In a multipolar world, the countries of the global South are important partners, continued Chancellor Scholz. Europe must defend food security, fight against poverty and deliver on its promises of action on international climate and environmental protection.
As regards the enlargement of the EU, the chancellor affirmed that “an honest enlargement policy carries out its promises, in the first place towards the states of the Western Balkans”. In addition, he announced that he would insist on extending qualified majority decision-making to more foreign and tax policy decisions.
On the subject of migration and asylum, he declared that “We are united by the goal of improving the management and regulation of irregular migration, without betraying our values”. In many parts of Europe there is a need for workers from third countries, he continued, and if Europe links regular migration with the demand that countries of origin and transit take back even those who have no right to remain in Europe, “all parties will benefit”.
The reactions of MEPs.
In response to Chancellor Scholz’s EU reform proposals, MEPs asked European leaders for the courage to take the EU into the future and called on the chancellor to press for a Convention before the 2024 European elections. Several MEPs called for to continue supporting Ukraine in the war of Russian aggression until a just peace is secured, while others criticized Germany for providing belated support to Ukraine and the EU for providing more funds to the weapons.
Several MEPs stressed the importance of countering the economic impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on European citizens, and some called for new legislation to ensure social justice, as well as a reform of the EU electricity market to guarantee prices it’s here. Finally, some MEPs underlined the importance of Europe’s green and digital transitions and called for more investment in these sectors, so that Europe can be a leader in technological advances.
This is the tenth in a series of plenary debates entitled “This is Europe”. Previous meetings saw Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel attend on 19 April 2023, followed by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, former Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Prime Minister Croatian Andrej Plenković, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob.
