The European Commission’s Work Programme for 2027 shows signs of a long-overdue shift towards priorities that the European Conservatives and Reformists have been calling for for years: competitiveness, energy independence, security, simplification and stronger protection for European industry, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini said during today’s debate with Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. For Procaccini, the change in language is welcome, but it will only matter if it is followed by a genuine change in policy.

Procaccini said:

“Competitiveness, energy independence, security, simplification, the defence of our industries, these are exactly the words that we conservatives have been repeating for years.

“Yet when we used them, we were accused of being anti-European, sovereigntist or enemies of the environment. Today, those very same words have become priorities of the European Commission. Welcome to reality. Better late than never, one might say.”

However, Procaccini warned that the real change of direction and political culture is still missing, and that declarations of intent are not enough if the Commission continues to defend policies that raise costs for families and businesses.

Procaccini said:

“But there is a problem. Changing the words is easy. Changing the policies is much harder. You cannot invoke competitiveness or promise affordable energy while at the same time defending the ETS system and even extending it to private transport and housing.

“You cannot announce a revolution in simplification and then continue producing regulations, directives, obligations and bans.

“It is not enough to stop accelerating towards the precipice. You also have to change direction.”

Procaccini nevertheless acknowledged encouraging signs in areas such as the review of environmental legislation, technological neutrality, stronger external borders, returns policy and efforts to address depopulation.

He concluded:

“Europe does not need a Green Deal under a different name. It needs a different policy. It does not need new European taxes, but lower costs for families and businesses. It does not need more centralism, but more freedom.

“We want a strong Europe. But Europe’s strength is not measured by the number and power of its regulations. It is measured by the prosperity of its citizens, the security of its borders and the freedom of its nations.”

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The full speech of Mr Procaccini reads:

Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues.

I have to admit that, reading the Commission Work Programme for 2027, I felt a certain degree of satisfaction: Competitiveness, energy independence, security, simplification, the defence of our industries, these are exactly the words that we conservatives have been repeating for years.

Yet when we used them, we were accused of being anti-European, sovereigntist or enemies of the environment. Today, those very same words have become priorities of the European Commission. Welcome to reality. Better late than never, one might say.

But there is a problem. Changing the words is easy. Changing the policies is much harder. You cannot invoke competitiveness or promise affordable energy while at the same time defending the ETS system and even extending it to private transport and housing. You cannot announce a revolution in simplification and then continue producing regulations, directives, obligations and bans.

Mr Šefčovič, it is not enough to stop accelerating towards the precipice. You also have to change direction.

And yet I also want to acknowledge some encouraging signs: the review of certain environmental directives, greater attention to technological neutrality, stronger external borders and more effective returns.

Even the recognition of the right of people to remain in their own communities, protecting local populations from depopulation. These are all battles that we conservatives have been fighting for a long time.

And if the Commission is now beginning to recognise the arguments behind them, we can only welcome that. But we will be very demanding when it comes to judging the results. Because Europe does not need a Green Deal under a different name. It needs a different policy.

It does not need new European taxes, but lower costs for families and businesses.

It does not need more centralism, but more freedom.

We want a strong Europe. But Europe’s strength is not measured by the number and power of its regulations. It is measured by the prosperity of its citizens, the security of its borders and the freedom of its nations.