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: Manfred Weber
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

We all know it’s not about figures, it’s about content. What does this proposal now mean? EUR 1.8 trillion means first of all — solidarity. Europe is in a deep recession, in a health crisis, and with this approach, we show that together we can overcome this. Nowhere else in the world are 27 countries combining their strengths and their forces to overcome the crisis. Even the rich countries understood that they can recover only if we do it together.  EUR 1.8 trillion means a clear commitment to the young generation. No second lost generation. This money creates a future; this creates new products, new services, and new markets. Jobs jobs jobs. EUR 1.8 trillion means protecting our environment, creating a digital Europe. We are the front-runner in implementing the Paris Agreement. Yes, but now we are providing the necessary means, the necessary money.  Yes we lost the first wave of the digital revolution, but we are committed to winning the second one, about industrial data. EUR 1.8 trillion means certainty for the final beneficiaries of the EU money in the MFF, the mayors in rural areas, the farmers that can count on us in a globalised world, the researchers — yes go for innovation — we now have the money for you and for the students in Erasmus. Please look how beautiful Europe is. EUR 1.8 trillion means more money for a strong Europe, on a European level. The big deficit of the outcome in July and the Council conclusions on the MFF was that this was dominated by national egoism and we added again the European added value, and it was about Erasmus, when it was about research, when it was about Frontex, and about the health money. In the middle of the corona crisis the Council had cut the expenditures in the fight for a health union dramatically and we, as Parliament, we healed this. EUR 1.8 trillion means for us also, fairness towards the young generation, because if you borrow money, you have to tell people the truth about how to pay it back, and that’s why the decision on own resources is so fundamental — to be honest.  This EUR 1.8 trillion is then finally also linked to an historic achievement. To link for the first time money to the basic principles we believe in: the rule of law mechanism. It was a red line for us in the European Parliament, that we will not allow the trilogue outcome to be changed and this red line is now respected. For me and for my group, this is a game changer. In the last 20, 30 years we saw the process of strengthening the rule of law in the European Union, especially with the enlargement process and then we saw a process of weakening the rule of law in today’s European Union. This mechanism is now again a strong base for defending this rule of law. The last days gave us proof that the Plan B, to link the money to the rule of law, really works, because the COVID 25 consideration was then a powerful tool to create a readiness to find a conclusion on the Council side. We now need an independent Commission that is ready to use the new tool from the first day on and I thank Ursula, the Commission President, for the clear commitment in this regard. This mechanism is not against the country. This mechanism is in favour of Europe. I also want to underline that with this new mechanism, we now have a fact-based and an independent assessment. Not let me say a party political one. In the future, the European Parliament will no longer play a role in this process and it’s up to the Commission, and then finally up to the courts to decide on these things. I think that is important. If we want to have credibility for the process we need a fact-based assessment and independent activity from the Commission. So, Madam Commission President, if you use the new tool independently, I think that is the best service you can do to defend the European way of life in tomorrow’s world.  This agreement is a compromise and Charles Michel was referring to this. It’s not about winners and losers in today’s European Union. I am happy that we have the agreement now on the table, but I also respect other considerations, other views on the subject on the table and they have to be accepted. ‘Europe’ is that we all can live with an outcome. Again the message is that the red lines from the European Parliament were respected, but all countries are on board and that is good. I finally want to thank, first of all, Ursula von der Leyen, for the innovative idea of the Next Generation EU fund based on the Lisbon Treaty, for the Plan B consideration — EU commitment to defend the rule of law. I want to thank the German Presidency especially Angela Merkel, in my group colleagues called her the mother of compromises, I think that is a great title for her, I thank her for this. I thank our NEGO team, all colleagues who contributed to this big outcome, to this great success. The European Parliament showed that we are the parliament of the citizens. We defend their interests, that they can count on their parliament and the European People’s Party may tomorrow support all related dossiers.  Let’s now start to implement it.