For ECR Group Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini, the European Council meeting of 15–16 October shows that Europe is beginning to move away from ideological policies of the past that weakened competitiveness, increased economic pressure and ignored growing concerns over migration. Speaking in the European Parliament debate with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, Procaccini said the change of direction is welcome, but Europe must go further and avoid repeating past mistakes linked to the ideological excesses of the Green Deal, overly permissive migration policies, the erosion of subsidiarity and a weakening of European identity. Those who raised these concerns in the past were often attacked for doing so. Procaccini said that, fortunately, this has now largely changed.
Procaccini said:
“For too long, we have undermined the competitiveness of our businesses. We have encouraged industrial relocation and ended up importing the very same products that we stopped producing in Europe.
“We exported jobs and imported CO2 emissions – a masterpiece of economic and environmental self-harm.
“At last, the need to address the distortions of the ETS is being recognised. It is a first step. But obviously it is not enough.
“And it is doing so above all thanks to the determination of Giorgia Meloni, if I may say so.”
Procaccini also pointed to the changing debate on migration, arguing that positions once dismissed as incompatible with European values are increasingly being recognised as necessary. He said:
“Something has objectively changed on immigration as well. After years in which those calling for the defence of our borders were accused of violating European values, almost everyone now acknowledges the need for new instruments.
“Unfortunately, the violence in Milan, Paris and Brussels tells us that we are paying today for the mistakes of yesterday. Integration does not mean giving up our own cultural, religious and moral heritage. It means sharing it. Sadly, we cannot turn back time, but at least we can avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.”
For the ECR Group Co-Chair, the same change of direction is needed in the next EU budget, with strong protection for agriculture and Europe’s regions, greater respect for subsidiarity and a stronger role for Member States.
Procaccini concluded:
“On the next European budget, conservatives have a clear position, both in Parliament and in the Council: defend agriculture, defend our regions and defend the principle of subsidiarity, which respects and strengthens the role of nations.
“This is the change conservatives want to bring to Europe: A Europe that does not confuse ideology with ecology, bureaucracy with solidarity, or illegal immigration with freedom of movement. A Europe that returns to producing instead of importing, protecting instead of prohibiting, and competing instead of regulating.
“Because Europe’s strength is not measured by the power of its institutions, but by the prosperity of its peoples.”
——-
Procaccini’s speech reads in full:
Thank you, President. President von der Leyen, President Costa,
It was a long and difficult European Council. We know that some governments are still trapped in the ideological spell of the Green Deal or of “open doors” to immigration. But we also know that more and more are beginning to wake up. Europe is starting to correct its own mistakes.
And it is doing so above all thanks to the determination of Giorgia Meloni, if I may say so.
For too long, we have undermined the competitiveness of our businesses. We have encouraged industrial relocation and ended up importing the very same products that we stopped producing in Europe. We exported jobs and imported CO2 emissions. A masterpiece of economic and environmental self-harm. At last, the need to address the distortions of the ETS is being recognised. It is a first step. But obviously it is not enough.
Something has objectively changed on immigration as well. After years in which those calling for the defence of our borders were accused of violating European values, almost everyone now acknowledges the need for new instruments.
Unfortunately, the violence in Milan, Paris and Brussels tells us that we are paying today for the mistakes of yesterday. Integration does not mean giving up our own cultural, religious and moral heritage. It means sharing it. Sadly, we cannot turn back time, but at least we can avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.
On the next European budget, conservatives have a clear position, both in Parliament and in the Council: defend agriculture, defend our regions and defend the principle of subsidiarity, which respects and strengthens the role of nations.
This is the change conservatives want to bring to Europe: A Europe that does not confuse ideology with ecology, bureaucracy with solidarity, or illegal immigration with freedom of movement. A Europe that returns to producing instead of importing, protecting instead of prohibiting, and competing instead of regulating. Because Europe’s strength is not measured by the power of its institutions, but by the prosperity of its peoples.
