During a plenary debate on the outcome of the June European Council, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini welcomed European leaders' growing recognition of the European Conservatives and Reformists' long-standing priorities on migration.

He called for the same realism to guide Europe’s industrial and economic policies.

He stressed that this new approach must now be reflected in the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework, with adequate financial support for border protection, returns, partnerships with third countries, and other measures that strengthen the external dimension of migration policy.

“There was a time when the Conservatives’ positions on protecting our borders and on industrial realism were ridiculed or dismissed as provocations. The conclusions of the latest European Council show that this time is over. Today, the European Union is beginning to move along the path that we have been pointing towards for years,” Procaccini said.

Turning to competitiveness, Procaccini argued that Europe now needs the same spirit of realism in its industrial policy. With the Commission due to present its revision of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) next week, he warned against further measures that would accelerate Europe’s industrial decline.

“We will not accept blind rules that fail to see Europe’s deindustrialisation and that hand over our economic future to environmental fanaticism and the Chinese regime. We will defend the principle of technological neutrality and the competitiveness of our industrial base,” he said.

“Our economic health determines our ability to invest in internal security and external defence, in scientific research, in healthcare and education, and in the conservation of nature. Paradoxically, that seems to matter less and less to self-styled environmentalists. Well, we European Conservatives care about protecting the land of our forefathers and protecting the lives of the people who live on it. That is why we are here,” he concluded.

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Procaccini’s full speech reads:

Thank you, President.

There was a time when the Conservatives’ positions on protecting our borders and on industrial realism were ridiculed or dismissed as provocations. The conclusions of the latest European Council show that this time is over. Today, the European Union is beginning to move along the path that we have been pointing towards for years.

This is true first and foremost when it comes to managing migration flows. Unfortunately, we cannot erase the mistakes of the past, when the Left imposed the disastrous policy of open borders for anyone. But we are conscious that we have changed the paradigm for the future. The Union is finally looking at the external dimension, at the firm management of migration flows, and at the swift return of those who are not entitled to international protection. In this way, we will strike at the business model of human traffickers, save more migrants’ lives than ever before, and work to guarantee people the right not to emigrate. It is common sense that is prevailing, and it must now be matched by adequate financial support in the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

The same realism is needed when it comes to strategic competitiveness. Next week, the Commission will present its revision of the ETS, and we Conservatives will examine its proposals very carefully. We will not accept blind rules that fail to see Europe’s deindustrialisation and that hand over our economic future to environmental fanaticism and the Chinese regime. We will defend the principle of technological neutrality and the competitiveness of our industrial base.

Our economic health determines our ability to invest in internal security and external defence, in scientific research, in healthcare and education, and in the conservation of nature. Paradoxically, that seems to matter less and less to self-styled environmentalists. Well, we European Conservatives care about protecting the land of our forefathers and protecting the lives of the people who live on it. That is why we are here.