The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, chaired by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, meets in Brussels. Ursula von der LEYEN, EC President is invited to prepare the State of the European Union debate. The COP consists of the President of the European Parliament and the political group chairs. Every September, the President of the European Commission comes to the European Parliament to discuss with MEPs what the Commission has done over the past year, what it intends to do in the coming year and its vision for the future in the State of the European Union debate. Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-Chair of The Left, gives a statement on his group's political priorities ahead of the Conference of Presidents (CoP), in preparation of the State of the European Union debate. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Brussels

statement

AUBRY, Manon (The Left, FR)

president's agenda

Delivery EE2024 (T)

state of the European Union 2023 (T)

Meeting of the EP Conference of Presidents with the participation of Ursula von der LEYEN, EC President - Preparation of the State of the EU debate: statement by Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-Chair of The Left

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), The Left Co-Chair First of all, these are not just my expectations and the expectations of all European peoples who are currently living in a double crisis. First of all, a social crisis, we have a third of Europeans who no longer have the means to feed themselves or to keep warm as winter approaches. And this is a priority that the European Commission must take seriously, rather than bringing back through back doors the budgetary austerity rules that have been suspended and are likely to come back into force at the beginning of next year.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), The Left Co-Chair The second challenge is obviously the climate issue. We are coming out of a summer of climate chaos and here too, I am wondering. The priority of the European Commission seems to be to sign new free trade agreements and in this context we, The Left, what we are going to promote in the European Parliament is to take full account of the reality of people who struggle on a daily basis. And to demand real taxation on dividends, on super profits in all sectors of companies that have become wealthy. Because if prices are rising in Europe, it is primarily because of increased profits. And these taxes should make it possible to finance a major plan to combat poverty at European level. Which is why we will also defend another framework of budgetary rules and we will also defend the Green Deal, which seems to be endangered at European level. And that starts with a bit of consistency. And therefore do not sign new free trade agreements.