Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor is invited to participate to the "This is Europe" debate inside the chamber. This is the tenth “This is Europe” plenary debate, following Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on 19 April 2023, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on 14 March 2023, and debates in 2022 with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob. Extracts from the debate. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Germany (T)

SCHOLZ, Olaf (DE)

This is Europe Debate (T)

"This is Europe" debate with Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor: extracts from the debate

Arrival of Olaf SCHOLZ in the hemicycle (7 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Europe Day reminds us of what is possible when we come together of the responsibility that we need to have to keep moving forward. The Schuman Declaration. Our European Union took bravery. Change takes courage.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, European progress was made possible thanks to daring solutions, and more daring solutions will be needed moving forward. I know we can count on Germany for just that. Your state Chancellor is a member state which shows unwavering commitment to the betterment of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, We need a geopolitical EU, an enlarged and reformed EU. And last but not least, an EU that is open to the future. I see the European Parliament as a driving force for all of those and also an ally.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, We need closer links between our efforts at Defence and the establishment of an integrate shared European defence economy, the European Peace Facility, joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, closer cooperation between our countries on air defence, our strategic compass, and close cooperation between NATO and the EU.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, We have said to the citizens of the West Balkan states, Ukraine, Moldova, and potentially also Georgia. You belong to us. We are this. We want you to become part of the European Union. And this isn't just about altruism. This is about credibility and good economic sense. And it's also about securing peace in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, I expressly welcome the fact that the European Parliament is working on proposals for institutional reforms, even on proposals that don't spare the Parliament itself. And I will continue to call on the Council to discuss these ideas. Now, many things or some things are obvious more council decisions through qualified majorities, for example, in foreign policy and on taxation.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, I would say to sceptics, it's not unanimity. It's not 100% agreement on all decisions that creates democratic legitimacy. Quite the opposite.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, Ukrainians are paying with their lives for this delusion on the part of the powerful neighbour. 2200 kilometres north east from here in Moscow, Putin is parading his soldiers, tanks and artillery. Let's not be intimidated.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor, That's why the comment the message of the 9th of May is not what's coming from Moscow today. The message is ours, and it is that the past will not triumph over the future. The future, our future is the European Union.