Debate: Presentation of the programme of activities of the Swedish Presidency
Date: TUESDAY, 17 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

First and foremost, support for Ukraine. We will be working together on continuous financial support and, as you are probably informed, first disbursement of EUR 3 billion to our Ukrainian friends was just made this morning. I’m sure that the Swedish Presidency, in close cooperation with the Commission and the European Parliament, will explore all other possibilities how to assist the brave Ukrainians to defend their country: from military aid, through support for Ukrainian strategic infrastructure, down to reconstruction and preparation for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. Second, a huge challenge, which was rightly highlighted by many honourable Members, is competitiveness. We very much appreciate the fact that the Swedish Presidency put this so high on the agenda for this semester. Competitive Europe means economically and politically strong Europe. Strong Europe, which is able to play its role as a global actor, to help others, to defend the weaker, but also to guarantee the strong social policies Europe is so known for. In our visit to Kiruna, we heard from companies like Northvolt, who became a multi—billion high—tech battery company in just a few years. We have heard from the companies who know how to do green mining, carbon—free steel, how they can focus creatively on the critical raw materials we need so much in Europe and how to push us to the next level in the electromobility. Your companies, Mr Prime Minister, are proving that you can be globally competitive and at the same time highly sustainable. And I think as Mr Azmani has underscored, now we need to make sure that we spread these examples across Europe, that we will be working with all of you to make sure that we will push over the finishing line with the Chips Act, and as we start to work on the Critical Raw Materials Act, that we will be putting down the rules on responsible mining, that we will be working on pushing energy prices down and energy security in Europe up, because this is exactly what we need to help our businesses, our households, and to consolidate our single market. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen just presented her ideas to develop and work on the Net—Zero Industry Act, where we want to look into the possibilities, how to make the decision—making if it comes to the IPSE, the important projects from the common European interest faster, where we would also be having also more experienced assessment of the state aid. And we are going to do all that to improve the competitiveness of European companies, but also to counter relocation risks of these companies which are now in a difficult situation. To get to there, we are also preparing to work on the European Sovereignty Fund, and we are doing all this to send a very clear message to the European industry. We are going to fight for you to stay and prosper in Europe. Mr Prime Minister, if I look at the number of the trilogues your presidency will be facing, I think that we can already now describe your presidency as a very important negotiation presidency. And I just would like to highlight that we will be working very closely with you to make sure that you will have the utmost success in achieving the conclusions of these negotiations, because it would allow us to push all these legislative proposals, especially in the field of the green deal, over the finishing line and make Europe more dynamic and more competitive. If you allow me, Madam President, to continue and conclude on a very important point for which Sweden is traditionally known and is a strong supporter, I am talking about the free trade. There are very high ambitions in this regard. We need to make most of the trade agreements, for example, we have with Canada, but also with the UK, with which we are trying hard to sort our differences. But we are also working very hard to conclude agreements with Mexico, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and would like to work closely with the Swedish Presidency to achieve progress with India and Indonesia. And we also believe that we need to restart a conversation about Mercosur agreement. And we will do all that together with making sure that we would find proper answers to reduce the negative side effects of Inflation Reduction Act and to face unfair competition, which is very often coming from Chinese massive subsidies. Madam President, one of the issues which was highlighted by many speakers was the issue of migration. Here we in the European Commission are convinced that with the political will and the hard work we can finalise migration and asylum pact. We need it now, but for sure, we will need it in the future. So, Madam President, honourable Members, dear Prime Minister and the colleagues from the Swedish Presidency, I think it is quite clear that you are taking the helm of the European Union at a very special, crucial time, and I am sure that thanks to our close cooperation, thanks to traditional Swedish efficiency, innovative approach, can—do spirit and your ambitious agenda, your presidency will be a success, not only for you, but for the whole of Europe.