During the plenary session (13-16 September 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ursula VON DER LEYEN delivers the State of the European Union (SOTEU 2021) to the MEPs. Statement by Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA,BE), Greens/EFA group co-leader. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

state of the Union

state of the European Union 2021 (T)

State of the European Union 2021 debate: Statement by Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA,BE), Greens/EFA group co-leader

Title: State of the European Union 2021 debate: Statement by Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA,BE)

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - Madam President, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the summer we've just been through is meant that the European Union has to face up to its responsibilities on two major areas. First of all, environmental reconversion. We've seen that on the other side of the planet, there are ecological disasters. And that reminds us that is is urgent. With the most recent IPCC report confirms this and the worst fears are confirmed, we shouldn't be waiting until 2050 to deal with climate upheaval. We should be doing it today, here and now.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - We shouldn't foist these problems on future generations. We have to do something now. It's incumbent on us to do that. And we have to use our economic and political power as well as economic power to do that. Let's accelerate the implementation of this. Let's make sure that the ends that we want to achieve and the means to achieve them be applied better. The Olympic motto faster, higher, stronger should be something to help us achieve helping the climate. We've seen the Common Agricultural Policy proposal is deaf and blind to the social climate and biodiversity issues. So that's exactly what we should not be doing. Do the right thing. Let us vote this cap down.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - When it comes to the fit for fifty five legislative package for carbon neutrality. We have to accelerate things. We have to raise the bar of ambition. Why wait till 2030 to yes. 2032 to tax kerosene kerosene. And why not have an objective of cutting a reliance on nonrenewable energies. But we can see that fossil fuels are receiving millions and millions of public subsidy every year. And the Parliament wanted this to be stopped immediately. That whereas the commission is taking half measures and wants to graduate and progressive exit from that. But you have the cards in your hand, Madam President. It's a scandal. The whole credibility of a green deal is at stake.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - Let's not forget, the environmental transition is not just showing solidarity. It's a question of making sure that if it costs more to produce sustainably and fairly, then let's help out with the tax systems. It's up to the Commission and the European Union to get out of this social and tax competition, which is info to actually give ourselves the means to achieve this transformation. And that's true when it comes to taxing multinationals or even the IMF says that we should be taxing capital.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - And what about those who are still reluctant to take action to help the climate because they are worried about jobs and the economy? Well, there are two things we can look at that. Either we're going to fail and there'll be no more economy because we won't be able to live on this planet as human beings or we achieve this. And then the European Union has to be at the forefront of the transition because that's where the heart of our competitiveness will lie in the future. Otherwise, we will be reduced to having to buy up solutions that will help us from the rest of the world. After having lost the leadership in the digital domain, the European Union cannot fail on the Green Revolution.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - Let's move on to the second major area of importance, and that is making European Union a geopolitical actor commensurate with its capacities, its ambitions, following humiliations in Moscow, Ankara and hardly less subtle in Beijing. We've now seen the most recent attack from Washington. The Afghanistan disaster, provoked by unilateral withdrawal from by the Americans, has shown once again that we are impotent as Europeans. As you, Madam President, my thoughts go first and foremost to he Afghans who have suffered war for two generations and are still now under the iron rule of fundamental Islamism.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - Our thoughts also go to all our citizens on the ground, whether they be uniformed or not, who've paid with their lives or their health, because there's been a lack of strategic vision from their leaders. This disaster at least, should give us an opportunity to leap forward because the European Union could become a major European and major world actor. But we have to give ourselves the resources to do that. And that means sharing sovereignty. It's only through uniting our vision and our powers that we as Europeans would be able to have influence beyond our borders as individuals who our states, even the biggest among them, will remain dorce among the giant powers, both when it comes to politics and on the military side of things.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - Now, giving ourselves the resources means that we need to bolster our economic priorities, reinforce our autonomy. As a union, we need to realize that we're linked to our supply. As our trade interests, not to mention our energy interests and Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are only too well aware of that. Now, giving us ourselves the resources is also to bolster our statute as a standard setting power when it comes to the digital area. For example, we want to make sure that surveillance systems are helping us and not subjugating us. Giving ourselves the resources means that we need to invest both inside our borders and outside our borders as well, because we shouldn't allow our partners to feel abandoned by the European Union and we have to make advances against any strategic rivals.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - We have to understand how can we defend human rights, democracy and the rule of law if we cannot have them respected within our own Union? How can we get commitments that are up to scratch from the rest of the world on the climate? If we don't meet our historic responsibilities. Then finally giving ourselves the resources about choosing dignity for for the human race. Of course, the European Union is not alone in being responsible for those 85 million people forcibly displaced around the world. But there is a question of responsibility when it comes to climate change, when it comes to exploiting resources, when it comes to maintaining oppressive regimes in power around the world and armed conflict.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), - So I was scandalized. Just a week before Kabul fell, six member states, including mine, had the decency to insist on expelling people to Afghanistan. And I'm still scandalized today, Madam President, that. The only concern of the 27 member states seems to be avoiding that any Afghan asylum asylum seekers come to our European territory. So let's not trample underfoot our fundamental values or pander to autocrats like Erdogan. We will never be respected as a geopolitical actor if we do that. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, at the time of Brexit, we recalled again and again that the British government could not have its cake and eat it. It's high time to us as Europeans to apply that common sense to ourselves as well, to be a leader of ecological and energy transition show solidarity. Respected actor in the world is something within reach. As long as we roll up our sleeves and give ourselves the resources we need. Thank you.