The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, stated this Wednesday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that “we must build a smarter, stronger, and safer Europe”, to respond to those who feel that “the system isn't working for them”.
At a briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Roberta Metsola was introduced by the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Javi López, of the S&D Group. Despite the fact that the President of the European Parliament is from the European People's Party, she emphasized that has become “one of the strongest voices in the major current European debates”.
López commented that she “has brought modernity and freshness to the institution”, and highlighted her “courage and commitment” in being one of the first leaders to visit Kyiv after the outbreak of the war.
In his speech, Metsola asserted that “people still believe in Europe, believe in what it represents”, because they have seen how Europe “transforms lives, how it defends freedoms, how it creates opportunities and offers protection”.
The problem, she warned, is that at the same time, many citizens feel that the promise of Europe is becoming unattainable”, due to the remoteness of institutions or the difficulties in making ends meet.
Metsola also noted that many young people cannot find work or doubt that they will ever be able to afford a home. Furthermore, many businesses “are burdened by bureaucracy and rising costs”.
And when people feel that the system is not working for them, “they begin to lose faith, and that's when disillusionment sets in”. Therefore, she considered that “we must build a smarter, stronger, and more secure Europe”. In her opinion, a smarter Europe means understanding that “our freedoms and social safety nets depend on our economic competitiveness”.
Stronger means that Member States are aware that "alone we are small, but together we are a force to be reckoned with", and will be key to leading artificial intelligence, developing new medicines, space exploration, and climate innovation.
Similarly, it means "finally completing our Savings and Investment Union: it is an open goal", something that, she noted, "Europe cannot afford to miss this time”.
Also stated that it means deepening the Single Market. On this point, she recalled that when Enrico Letta presented his report to Parliament and said that "the reality is that we have 27 single markets in the European Union", "he was largely right”.
Metsola warned of the temptation of protectionism, "isolating ourselves instead of looking outward." Strength, she noted, also implies confidence in the global arena. "Europe has always unreservedly defended open, fair, and rules-based trade, and that remains our compass", she emphasised.
Finally, when speaking about a more secure European Union, she framed it within the framework of the European rearmament program, motivated by Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, and the new postulates of the US administration following the arrival of Donald Trump.
