Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of - December  – MFF, Rule of Law Conditionality and Own Resources – Council regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years  to  – Proposal for an Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources – Regulation on the protection of the Union’s budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States
Date: WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2020
Speaker: Ursula von der Leyen
Language: EN

Indeed, the regulation will apply from 1 January 2021 onwards. No breach will go uncovered, no case will be lost. We will start the monitoring immediately and we will use all the additional instruments too, to defend the rule of law.  Monika Hohlmeier has said it, and very rightly so: we need to digitalise. We have additional instruments now on top of the other ones. This is against corruption, against fraud, to find out and to dismantle the end beneficiary. This is important, that’s where the music plays. Those who breach the rule of law will be held accountable. You can count on me and I know that I can count on you. In sum, allow me to thank you for this very rich debate at the end of this momentous year for Europe. It brings back to me so many memories of the debates we have had this year. I remember coming to this House in the early months of the coronavirus crisis. We all know the picture often looked bleak. The numbers of infections were rising constantly. There was a feeling of control being lost, division between Member States. We remember, in the spring, the doubts about the European Union.  Well today we should take a moment to reflect on how far we have come. Of course we still have work to do, of course we still have challenges and yes, we do have to focus on every detail to make sure that we get it right.  Whether it’s on the economy, the recovery, climate health, vaccination, Brexit – all these topics are there. But we should also pause very briefly and look at the big picture, look at how far we have travelled together.  Thanks to our collective work, Europe is moving forward faster than it has in decades. I want to pay tribute to this House for its ambition, for its dedication – you could feel it today, all day long again – and its real European leadership. This year we have shown that Europe is not only united in diversity, but it is united in adversity too. It is always easier to tear things down, but instead we chose to build something new and stronger. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, Europe stepped up with a massive recovery plan worth EUR 1.8 trillion, Next Generation EU, the European Green Deal with ambitious goals and building our digital decade. This is history in the making, and it is still a big moment here, with a vote that is history in the making. 2020 will be a year to forget certainly, for so many, and for so many reasons, but it will also be a year to remember for the European Union – the year we came together and moved forward together. The beginning of Next Generation EU, the beginning of Europe raising capital on the market to reform and invest together, the beginning of shaping our European future after the pandemic. Having said that, with pride and with confidence I say long live Europe!  (