In today's plenary debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 20 March, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini acknowledged that Europe is beginning to shift its approach on key issues but stressed that more decisive action is needed in migration and competitiveness policies.

“The European Council has finally recognised in its conclusions the need for a revolution in European political actions,” he stated.

“The heads of government are showing that they have understood the reason why they were elected: to simplify the lives of citizens, not to make it impossible for them, and to protect the lives of citizens, not to endanger them.”

Mr Procaccini welcomed the shift in migration policy, emphasising that it must be “based on the fight against human traffickers and on the transfer of European migration governance outside European borders.”

At the same time, he warned against the excessive regulatory burdens imposed by the European Green Deal, arguing that they have hindered industrial growth and competitiveness, leaving Europe struggling to revive its industrial strength.

However, the recently announced Omnibus package is a step in the right direction toward deregulation.

“In the coming weeks, we will be called upon to make an urgent and profound legislative effort to remove the duties we have imposed on ourselves with the Green Deal. Hypocrisy aside, the so-called Omnibus package serves exactly this purpose.”

He concluded with a forceful appeal to the EPP Group, urging them not to let political calculations or pressure from the left determine their choices any longer: “I turn to the Group of the European People’s Party: don’t be afraid to make the right choices. Even if they are shared with the groups to your right. Now we have to save Europe.

“I was in the last legislature, how many times did the blackmail of the socialists to vote with the extreme left and the greens guide the legislative path indicated by Frans Timmermans?”

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Mr Procaccini’s speech reads in full:

Thank you, President, President Von der Leyen, President Costa. The European Council has finally recognised in its conclusions the need for a revolution in European political actions. The heads of government are showing that they have understood the reason why they were elected: to simplify the lives of citizens, not to make it impossible for them, and to protect the lives of citizens, not to endanger them.

This U-turn is particularly evident on two issues. The first is immigration, which must be based on the fight against human traffickers and on the transfer of European migration governance outside European borders. This means not only faster repatriations, but also holistic cooperation agreements with the countries of origin and transit of migrants, in order to stop illegal departures and remove the causes of migration.

The other major issue is the revival of industrial competitiveness. I represent a political group that has always been committed to defending the free market: because it rewards the talent of entrepreneurs, the quality of their products, and consequently the freedom and well-being of people.

President Reagan rightly said he was against tariffs because ‘protectionist legislation destroys prosperity’. That said, those who today cry out against the threat of tariffs from the Trump administration are the same people who dragged our continent’s economy into a socialist swamp on the grounds that Planet Earth had to be defended from the human beings living in Europe.

In the coming weeks, we will be called upon to make an urgent and profound legislative effort to remove the duties we have imposed on ourselves with the Green Deal. Hypocrisy aside, the so-called Omnibus package serves exactly this purpose. So I turn to the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats): don’t be afraid to make the right choices. Even if they are shared with the groups to your right. I was in the last legislature, how many times did the blackmail of the socialists to vote with the extreme left and the greens guide the legislative path indicated by Frans Timmermans?

Now we have to save Europe. As the producers belonging to the Business Europe association wrote to us: ‘time is of the essence’. We must act quickly, and we must do it right.

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