Addressing the European Parliament, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini highlighted the European Union’s overdue recognition of the need for decisive action on illegal immigration.

Speaking in the debate on the conclusion of the last Council meeting in December, Mr Procaccini called on the European Union to finally abandon ineffective approaches of the past and adopt bold, pragmatic measures to secure its external borders and tackle the root causes of migration through strong bilateral agreements with migrants’ countries of origin. “European governments are finally recognising the urgency of taking concrete measures to combat illegal immigration,” said Procaccini.

Procaccini also criticised past ideologies that have hindered effective policies on migration.

“How much time have we wasted adhering to the so-called ‘no borders’ ideology that has heavily influenced this Parliament? How many lives have been lost because of the immigrationist doctrine? And how many European cities have been sacrificed in its name?” he questioned.

“The most effective response, as is now clear to everyone, let’s say almost everyone, is to tackle the phenomenon outside Europe’s borders. In fact, we need bilateral agreements with the migrants’ countries of origin, which must be helped in the fight against human trafficking.” he concluded.

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Mr Procaccini’s speech reads in full:

Thank you President, President von der Leyen, President Costa, the European Council addressed several decisive issues.

I would like to focus my speech on one in particular. European governments are finally recognising the urgency of taking concrete measures to combat illegal immigration.

The most effective response, it is now clear to everyone, let’s say almost everyone, is to tackle the phenomenon outside Europe’s borders. In fact, we need bilateral agreements with the migrants’ countries of origin, which must be helped in the fight against human trafficking.

Without sterile and snobbish attitudes on the part of the European institutions towards those who govern those third states.

Only in this way will it be possible to offer a fair and limited quota of men and women the chance to contribute to the development of our nations, with a job to do, documents in order and a safe way to come to Europe. How much time have we wasted behind the so-called ‘no borders’ ideology that has heavily influenced this Parliament? How many lives have been lost because of the immigrationist doctrine? And how many European cities have been sacrificed in its name?

Finally, the EU is starting to align itself more and more with the idea of stopping departures, while at the same time working to create legal immigration opportunities according to the different needs of member states.

This is the pragmatic and common-sense approach of the government led by Giorgia Meloni. Whose numbers and consensus are there for all to see. But it is also the geopolitical destiny that Europe must give itself, instead of whining about the newfound ability of the United States of America to shake off the naive torpor of recent years. Being present in Africa and Asia with its own policy, its productive and commercial enterprises, its innovations is the mission that the European Union must give itself in order to give meaning to its existence.

Rather than consuming itself in miles of regulations that Europeans frankly feel neither the need nor the urgency for.