Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - October
Date: TUESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2021
Speaker: Charles Michel
Language: FR

Ladies and gentlemen, our last European Council meeting was a very intensive one, where we tackled many of the current pressing challenges. First, we addressed the current spike in energy prices and its impact on families and businesses. In particular, it affects vulnerable citizens and SMEs that are striving to recover from the pandemic.  The European Council welcomed the toolbox presented by the Commission on short-term relief measures. Member States and the Commission are invited to make the best use possible of this toolbox. We also invited the Commission to study the functioning of the gas and electricity market and the EU ETS market with the help of the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators and the European Securities and Markets Authority. Both agencies have in the meantime given preliminary analysis ahead of the European Council in December. In any case, this price hike shows that we need an energy market that contributes to affordable prices, that is resilient and provides for stability and security of supply, and supports the transition to climate neutrality. In this regard, we are also looking forward to the Commission’s upcoming proposals on the strengthening of the gas market.  We also invited the European Investment Bank to speed up investment in energy transition. One point was made clear by many leaders. The current price problem is not a reason to relax our climate ambitions. On the contrary, it shows how much this transition is urgent, existential and necessary. The European Council will come back to this important issue in December. On COVID-19 we see cases rising, so we must remain extremely vigilant. Our internal coordination is once again needed and crucial in order to ensure that measures are as current as possible. Vaccination campaigns are moving in the right direction, but we must make a final push by overcoming vaccine hesitancy and tackling disinformation. We must remain committed to international solidarity, because the only way to ensure our safety is to ensure that everyone else in the world is safe through the global rollout of vaccines.  Ladies and gentlemen, we had also a strategic debate on trade, and the European Council agrees that trade is a powerful instrument that brings increased job creation and growth. We must use trade to support our prosperity and to promote our social and environmental priorities, as well as our fundamental values. I know this is a concern your assembly shares, and together we must clarify our goals and set clear priorities. We want to build a level playing field. We want greater reciprocity. We want to protect our planet and promote our values, and we need to improve the process. That means greater transparency from mandate to ratification, and this would help ensure public and parliamentary support. I think our Brexit negotiations for instance, could serve as an inspiring model. Nous avons eu aussi l’occasion d’aborder la question de la révolution numérique et nos ambitions sur le sujet, parce que nous sommes convaincus que cela peut être un moteur pour amener de la prospérité, de l’innovation, des emplois et de la capacité concurrentielle. Dans ce contexte, nous avons noté l’importance de progresser, dans le cadre du travail législatif, spécialement sur les lois relatives aux services numériques ou encore la loi relative au marché numérique. Et nous nous réjouissons que le Conseil soit maintenant prêt à démarrer et à s’engager dans une négociation avec le Parlement sur ce sujet. Nous voulons dire aussi le soutien au travail gigantesque qui est mené par la Commission dans ce cadre et notamment en lien avec l’important sujet des semi-conducteurs. Par ailleurs, nous avons noté à quel point il était important d’être mobilisé pour renforcer nos capacités lorsque l’on fait face à des menaces liées à la cybersécurité. Nous pensons que l’on doit consolider notre capacité de réponse européenne, par exemple en développant des capacités de gestion des crises et des incidents. Nous avons aussi considéré que la connectivité numérique est un sujet qui doit nous mobiliser en portant les valeurs qui nous rassemblent – les valeurs de confiance, les valeurs de transparence et les valeurs de reddition de comptes –, des valeurs que nous partageons avec d’autres pays en dehors de l’Union européenne et pour lesquelles nous pensons qu’il faut intensifier les dialogues pour porter ensemble, le plus possible, des normes similaires sur cet important sujet. Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, as you know, we also had a debate on the rule of law. It was the occasion to identify the exact difficulties and better understand different points of view. Our debate took place in a respectful atmosphere. The rule of law, including the independence of the judiciary, is fundamental, and on the existing disputes legal and institutional instruments have already been activated and others could still be triggered. But leaders also agreed that the political dialogue needs to continue in order to find common solutions. Dialogue and respect are also necessary, and we know that sometimes rhetoric can make things more difficult. I hope our debate within the European Council facilitated our common understanding and was a step, I hope a positive step, that should help, that would help lead to solutions.  We also had a wide-ranging discussion on migration. This is always a difficult issue, but it is imperative to tackle this important challenge. We are determined to fully control our external borders, to prevent illegal migration, to prevent the loss of life, to prevent the exploitation of migrants by smugglers, and we will not accept the distress of human beings, of migrants, to be used for political purposes. We condemn such hybrid attacks at the EU borders, and we had also the opportunity to discuss the implementation and follow up of the conclusions of our June meeting.  The aim is to strengthen the external dimension of migration, and this includes intensifying mutually beneficial partnerships and cooperation with third countries. The Commission has prepared action plans for key countries, and now it’s important to implement them as soon as possible.  We also discussed the internal dimension. The migration package has been on the table for many months, and we know there are different positions. This remains very sensitive, but we felt a renewed sense that work on this must be taken forward.  Now, dear colleagues, a few words on the situation at the Belarus border. I visited Poland on 10 November and I expressed the Union’s full solidarity with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. This is not only an attack on their borders, this is a hybrid attack on our common European borders and we condemn this attack. We will not allow the Belarus regime to intimidate us and to undermine our values and our unity. Since our European Council meetings, events have continued to unfold. So what have we done to address this crisis, which is also a humanitarian crisis?  First, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted an expanded legal basis for sanctions to include additional sectors. One example: the majority of the fleet of Belavia are aircraft leased from EU companies. This will be halted when the decision is taken, which is imminent. Second point, we’ve also taken concrete action to stop airlines from carrying migrants to Minsk. My own diplomatic team had positive talks, for example, with the Dutch authorities, but also with other countries such as the Emirates or Uzbekistan or others. And as a result of our joint efforts together with the Commission, Turkish Airlines has decided to stop allowing Belavia to effectively funnel migrants to Minsk. They’ve also stopped issuing one way tickets to Minsk from Istanbul to the key nationalities concerned.  Other companies have taken similar decisions and Commission Vice—President Schinas has travelled to a number of countries in the region: Iraq, Emirates, Turkey and Lebanon. He has successfully obtained their cooperation and I commend his work.  I met also, during my visit in Poland, with Prime Minister Morawiecki to assess the situation, to discuss how Poland and the EU can best cooperate, and we also managed to get in touch with the other EU leaders in the region. The German Chancellor has also called Mr Putin and Lukashenko twice to help address the humanitarian crisis. The Belarus authorities have since adopted a few measures that seem to be more positive, but it’s too early to assess whether this will mark a real change in their position. That’s why we must remain cautious.  Yet some of the most vulnerable migrants have been accommodated in a warehouse, and Belarus has cooperated with Iraq, allowing them to organise a repatriation flight of 700 Iraqis. We welcome the cooperation with the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR. We call on Belarus to provide both organizations with full access to provide humanitarian assistance and to help organise voluntary returns to countries of origin.  My assessment is twofold.  Mon analyse de la situation est double. D’une part, notre unité et les actions conjointes, en équipe, ont abouti à des résultats. Nous avons plus ou moins stoppé les arrivées de migrants en Biélorussie. Les flux ont été considérablement réduits. Nous n’avons pas été déstabilisés par cette attaque, mais nous devons continuer à être vigilants et à agir. D’autre part, mon second point concerne la situation humanitaire. Nous ne pouvons pas baisser les yeux face à cette situation humanitaire et nous devons être déterminés à travailler afin que l’assistance puisse être attribuée spécifiquement à celles et ceux qui sont sur le terrain et qui souffrent de cette situation. Voilà, chers collègues, en quelques mots, le résumé de ce Conseil européen. Nous avons aussi eu l’occasion, bien sûr, d’aborder quelques thèmes en lien avec les préparations en matière de relations extérieures, notamment la COP 26, qui s’est achevée il y a quelque temps maintenant, mais également les prochains sommets que nous mènerons, notamment dans le cadre du partenariat oriental, mais également avec l’ASEAN. Je me tiens à votre disposition pour réagir à vos commentaires et à vos questions.