The Europe Speech is a traditional event in which the presidents of the EU institutions and bodies give their views on the situation and future of Europe. It will be held in a place of European destiny, in Berlin, where a new chapter in the process of European integration was opened with the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, gives a statement during the Die Europa Rede / State of Europe in Berlin. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Germany (T)

Berlin

president's agenda

Address at the Die Europa Rede / State of Europe: Speech by Roberta METSOLA EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you very much Professor Dr. Lamberts. Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much to the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for having me. It is truly great to see young people taking initiatives to bring European cooperation and innovation forward.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'And I want to start by congratulating all the contestants in the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Makerthon. From the ideas of establishing a cross-border European network of cooperatives, to creating a single EU legal form for start-ups and for connecting people of all social backgrounds via the EU Budget programme to an Erasmus like exchange programme for European soldiers.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Sharing your ideas matters. And I wanted to start with this because Europe is about ideas. It is about finding the political courage to turn those ideas into reality. That is the essence of Europe. That is what has driven us forward for the last decades. And that is the spirit that we need to recapture now, that sense of hope and possibility.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We need new ideas. We need more people to think about how we can change things, how we can fix things, how we can reform. How we can bring the European Union closer to the people we represent, how we can make Europe less about bureaucracy and more about change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Dear friends, the story of Europe is about overcoming the odds, and there is no better place, or date, to remind people about that than in Berlin on the 9th of November. I was a child when the Berlin Wall came down just a few metres away from here. On this day, 34 years ago.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, My generation may not have grasped the enormity of that moment immediately, but I remember clearly the sense of unbridled joy of millions of Europeans finally free to choose their destiny. I remember the raw emotion of my parents watching on our little television. That sense of victory, of overcoming impossible odds. The future suddenly was limitless. Berlin did that for the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, That was the tangible expression of what Europe meant to people around the world. It was the personification of hope, and we embraced its liberating ripple effects. It ran across the whole European continent, reverberating across the world. But perhaps we grew too comfortable, too convinced that our way was here to stay forever. We allowed new generations to take Europe for granted, to take freedom for granted.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'We thought the benefits of liberal democracies were so self-evident that we stopped telling our children to fight for them. And that has led to a younger audience in Europe who have more information than ever at your fingertips. But a lot of you are more sceptical. More young people are lonelier than ever before because they do not remember the battles of the past. Now we need our politics. It's our responsibility to reach out beyond our comfort zone.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We need to reach people who do not believe as fervently as we did, that is our responsibility to explain, to listen, to argue, to counter the narrative of extremists and populists or malign actors for whom the very existence of Europe is a threat. Now, we cannot take our projects for granted. Not anymore. We must stand up for Europe and we must make Europe more relevant to people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Ours is a European Union that must strike the right balance between embracing change and protecting citizens. Our responsibilities to ensure all our people's physical, economic and environmental security, to ensure social well-being and equality of opportunity. Now, that does not mean making everyone the same, but it means giving everyone the same chance to fulfil their potential.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, That is my hope and I can safely say that I am so proud to share this stage with Philipp Lahm. He is someone who knows something about leading victory, about belief, about beating the odds. Philipp, thank you for understanding. I hope you will forgive me just as I already asked you, half my team wants me to promise a return with your autograph.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Ladies and gentlemen, I want to talk about Europe, about Europe's role in an increasingly dangerous and unstable world of the importance of Europe for Germany, and of Germany for Europe, of the importance of Europe's voice in the world, in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Moldova and the Balkans, and across the globe in defending liberty and supporting democracy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I have come to share my deep conviction that we can build a strong Europe together because we can be a superpower of rights, a leader in future proofing our economies and in setting global standards. A forward looking Europe that can set out how we remain competitive, how we embrace change, how we can ensure prosperity and dignity for our people and beyond our borders.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, A Europe that puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to generating real, sustainable economic growth. A Europe that understands that if we go too far, too fast, we will lose people and lose the narrative to the populists who can churn out the easiest false answers to the hardest of political questions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, That is why in our green and digital transitions, we must ensure that our policies remain human centric, that we are able to create the right safety nets for industry, for businesses and for families, that we are able to incentivise change in a manner that leaves no one behind. A Europe that succeeds in moving away from Russian energy dependency and is able to create an energy union that ensures our security, our economy, our prosperity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'A Europe that steps up to meet today's challenges and that gives itself the means to plan with foresight for tomorrow. The world is facing challenges on multiple fronts. My 15 year-old son told me yesterday, It seems like the world is on fire and he's not wrong. But if I can misuse a quote by Winston Churchill: "Europe was never built to be neutral between the fire and the fire brigade". We must step up to our global responsibilities or we should not be surprised if others with a very different outlook and a very different value set fill the vacuum.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, In 1956, Konrad Adenauer said, "Unless we act, events that Europeans will be unable to influence will overtake us". And he then added that Europe would lose influence unless, and I quote, "we defend it and adjust ourselves to new conditions". And the current geopolitical context, we would do well to reflect on his words.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The situation in Gaza following the horrific terrorist attacks on October 7th in Israel cast a dark shadow over the entire region and indeed the world. How we handle it will determine the future of the region and the future of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Nothing can excuse or justify rape, abductions, torture, mutilations and the murder of entire communities children, women, men and young people. These horrific acts were committed by a terrorist organisation. We must be clear that Hamas does not represent the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. They hinder them and they must be stopped.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Hostages that they took must be released and we will keep doing what we can to bring them back home. Hamas cannot be allowed to operate with impunity, but how they are stopped? Israel's response matters to all of us and we must be able to do that within assuring the safety and lives of civilians, of children, of journalists. And without targeting civilian infrastructure. We must ensure that international and humanitarian law is always our guiding principle and is respected.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Now, the situation is horrific. It is a humanitarian catastrophe, which is why we have called for a humanitarian pause, for de-escalation and for more aid to reach those so desperately in need. That is why we have quadrupled Europe's aid to €100 million.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And in this fog of war, it's difficult to do this and to say this. It is also necessary to talk about peace, about the day after, about what we can do to ensure lasting stability in the region, about the post Hamas scenario in Gaza and how we can empower a peaceful, legitimate Palestinian leadership.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Europe is ready to commit to the region. In the long term, we can help rebuild and help bring about stability. Europe has learned to overcome the insurmountable. And we can use our experience here again to give a real future to people. We support a fair and just solution based on the coexistence of two states. We will keep pushing this forward.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I said this in Israel when I went to see the sites of the attacks. I said it to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and I said this to representatives of countries in the region. It is the way that Israel is able to thrive in safety and security and how we can give a real perspective to the Palestinian people. The solution must be political. It can only be political.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Meanwhile, of course, while all of this is happening, what the Kremlin wants is for the situation in the Middle East to distract us from what is still playing out in our eastern neighbourhood. Ladies and gentlemen, our support for Ukraine will not waver in any way. And I'm asked about this a lot. Like, do you think you see fatigue? Do you feel it's due experienced in the Parliament and institutitional present to the people you meet? My answer? There is no alternative. Our support for Ukraine is about peace, a real and just peace based on the freedom and integrity of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is about Europe's security as much as it is about Ukraine. It is about our open economy and our rule of law withstanding attacks. It is about defending that European way of life that millions of Europeans rejoiced when the Berlin Wall came down 34 years ago.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Dear friends. There is much that we can be proud of in our innovation and our unity and successes to date. To spark a post-pandemic economic recovery the European Union came up with the unprecedented next generation EU fund. We helped to shield our households and small and medium sized enterprises further with our social climate fund.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We have complemented all this effort with a revised Renewable Energy Directive. In parallel we have adapted our Common Agricultural policy to new climate targets. This is not to speak of our determination in getting a Digital Market Act and Digital Services Act adopted while preparing groundbreaking legislation on artificial intelligence. And in doing this, we ensure that innovation can thrive while also ensuring proper regulation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Now, I just said this very quickly. I have colleagues here. This is no mean feat. This does not happen overnight. But we need to ensure that this is true. Regulation does not evolve into unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape. We must turn our successes into a narrative that brings the enthusiasm we have seen about Europe. And that means also being honest about where we have not managed, at least not yet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Migration is one area where we have seen too little progress in the last ten years. It is perhaps the most emotive issue that we have to deal with and certainly the most exploited by politicians seeking an easy target. Germany is one of the main destinations for migration to Europe. It carries a disproportionate responsibility too. No member State should have to face this alone, whether it is Germany or a frontline member state in the Mediterranean.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And that is why Europe have to get it right. In the European Parliament we are working on a legal framework that is fair with those who are in need of protection, that is firm with those who are not eligible for asylum and hard which traffickers who exploit the most vulnerable. And I explained this because I want to never forget, no matter how many speeches I give, no matter how many days pass since I was elected on my first day, that behind all these figures, there are human lives and ultimately a hope for a better life. And after decades of efforts, we are finally ready to break the deadlock. And I am cautiously optimistic that we can do it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We also need to talk more about global trade or rather talk less and act more. We need to ensure our industry is able to compete and, access the critical materials that we need. And all of this while we are also readying the ground for enlargement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, History has shown us that an enlarged European Union that is based on clear objectives continues to serve as an investment in peace, security and prosperity on the European continent. It is a process with an outcome that benefits all sides involved. That is why the European Parliament called for Ukraine and Moldova to receive EU candidate status last year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, This gives these nations a clear European perspective and serves as a powerful impetus for advancing reforms. The same is true for Albania and the Western Balkans. We must prepare and we must reform. While all that I have said is going on, we must be able to realise that what works for a Union of 27 will not work for a union of 30, of 33 or 35. And when that happens, we cannot be found wanting.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Because in all these countries, the promise of Europe is what drives people. Governments rise and fall on the basis of us delivering on our promises, and we cannot allow people to become disillusioned with our way if we want our way to survive. It's not easy, but it's necessary. And ultimately easy is not a criteria for action.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Dear friends, delivering on our priorities is what will strengthen the political centre in Europe. It is what will give people hope in our projects. It is what will give Europe credibility in the world. If we fail to do that, we run the risk of seeing our people seek refuge in the easy cynicism of political extremes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Europeans want answers on inflation, on migration, on security. People are worried that the world is changing. Their world is changing. They are worried about a climate emergency, about the digital transition affecting job prospects, businesses and our economies. Young people in many countries are facing an uncertain future, but we cannot ignore that too many people are feeling left out and frustrated by our processes. And that is why with the European Parliament elections, the second most important event next year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Fast approaching, our biggest task is to reignite in our people a sense of collective purpose and belief in the European Union's reformed debt. And let me reiterate, it is the political centre that is best placed to cut through the noise and to stay focussed on meeting the challenges of our time. Now, centre politics is not easy. I read an excellent article explaining it. It requires balancing and mitigating competing advantages and risks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It's not black and white. It is very often boringly grey. It does not represent a single position. But, we favour compromise not because we are weak, but because a stable society and the rule of law require that the vast majority of people must be willing to agree on common solutions while ensuring that arguments are properly considered and risks mitigated.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Chancellor Merkel once said, "a good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution". Compromise is not about dirty words. Compromise, indeed, is not a dirty word. It is how we make change. It is how we beat the extremists. And on this terrible anniversary, Novemberpogrome, we need to remember where extremism leads and the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe that we are witnessing today is a warning sign for all of us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Children do not feel safe wearing a star of David. Synagogues are targeted. Our Jewish community in Europe must feel safe. That is our duty, our responsibility. And we must ensure that the Europe we create is truly the Europe we need that allows all of us to live and worship as we like.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, That is why I want Europeans to come out in force to contribute and to vote. Because in seven months, today, on Sunday, the 9th of June 2024, Germany's voice will matter at the next European Parliament election. It matters that we sustain and take part in our democratic without taking them for granted. It matters because this election will determine the direction of Europe for the next five years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The future of Europe will be defined by our ability to remain sovereign, by our ability to defend democracy at home and abroad, and by our ability to keep people at the heart of all decisions. And for that, we must keep listening. So, I have spoken a lot. I really want to listen to you. Thank you very much.

 to integrate the people who love the European Union, because I know a lot of people who want to help the European Union, but if they apply for some kind of grants, they don't know the European language, they don't go to museums, language. And sometimes I have a lot of friends