Thank you very much, President Metsola. Minister, honorable Members.

Europe is in a fight A fight for a continent that is whole and at peace. For a free and independent Europe.

A fight for our values and our democracies.

A fight for our liberty and our ability to determine our destiny for ourselves. Make no mistake.

This is a fight for our future.

I thought long and hard about whether to start the State of the Union address. With such a stark appraisal.

After all, as Europeans are not used to or comfortable with talking in such terms,

because our Union is fundamentally a peace project.

But the truth is That the world of today is unforgiving.

We cannot varnish over the difficulties that Europeans feel every day.

They can feel the ground shift beneath them.

They can feel things getting harder, just as they are working harder.

They can feel the impact of the global crisis. Of the higher cost of living.

They feel the speed of change affecting their lives and their careers.

They worry about the endless spiral of events they see on the news,

from the devastating scenes in Gaza to the relentless Russian barrage on Ukraine.

We simply cannot wait for this storm to pass.

This summer showed us that there is simply no room or no time.

For nostalgia Battle lines for a new world order based on power. Are being drawn right now. So yes, Europe must fight. For its place in the world.

In which many major powers are either ambivalent or openly hostile to Europe.

A world of imperial ambitions and imperial wars.

A world in which dependencies are ruthlessly weaponized. It is for all these reasons. That a new Europe must emerge.

Honourable Members This must be Europe's independence moment.

I believe this is our Union's mission.

To be able to take care of our own defense and security.

To take control over the technologies and energies that will fuel our own economies.

To decide what kind of society and democracy we want to live in.

To be open to the world and choose partnerships with allies, old and new.

Ultimately, it is about having the freedom.

The power To determine our own destiny.

And we know we can do it.

Because together we have shown what is possible when we have the same ambition. Unity and urgency.

I must say I've lost count of the number of times that I was told that Europe could not do this and could not do that in the pandemic,

on the recovery plan, on defense, on supporting Ukraine, on energy security, and the list goes on.

Every time, Europe stood united and made it.

We need to do the same now, so honorable Members.

The central question for us today is a simple one.

Does Europe have the stomach to fight?

Do we have the unity and the sense of urgency?

The political will And the political skill to compromise.

Or do we just want to fight between ourselves? Be paralyzed by our divisions.

That is what all of us have to answer every Member State,

every Member of this House, every Commissioner, all of us.

In my eyes, the choice is very clear.

My pitch today is a pitch for unity. Unity between Member States. Unity between European institutions.

Unity between the pro-European democratic forces of this House.

I'm here, and the entire college is here, ready to make this happen with you.

Ready to strengthen the pro-European democratic majority,

because it is the only one that can deliver for Europe.

Honourable Members Freedom and independence are what the people of Ukraine are fighting for every day. People like Sasha and his grandmother.

Sasha was only 11 years old when the Prussiani attacked.

He and his mother sought refuge in a basement in their town in Mariupol.

One morning they went out to get some food. That's when all hell broke loose.

A rain of Russian bombs on a civilian neighborhood.

All became dark and Sasha felt his face burning.

He had shrapnel just below his eyes.

In a matter of days, Russian soldiers stormed the city.

They took Sasha and his mum to what the Prussiani called a filtration camp. Then Sasha was taken away.

They told him he didn't need his mum.

He would go to Russia and have another Russian mother, a Russian passport, a Russian name. They sent him to occupy Donetsk. But Sasha did not give up.

On a stop on the way, he asked to borrow a stranger's phone. And he called his grandma.

Mr Who was living in free Ukraine. Baba, just take me home. She didn't hesitate a second.

Her friends told her she was crazy to go, but Ludmila moved mountains to get to him,

and with the help of the Ukrainian government, she traveled to Poland,

to Lithuania, to Latvia, Russia, and finally into occupied Ukraine. She got Sasha back.

And through the same long journey brought him to safety. But their hearts are still broken.

Every single day they keep fighting to find Sasha's mom, stuck somewhere by Russia's brutal war.

I would like to thank Sasha and Ludmila for allowing me to share their story.

I'm honored that they are here with us today, and honorable Members,

please join me in paying tribute to Sasha,

to Ludmila and to Ukraine's relentless fight for freedom. Just stand up, stand up. Stand up.

Sadly Such a's story is far from unique.

There are tens of thousands more Ukrainian children whose fate is unknown,

trapped, threatened, forced to deny their identities.

We must do everything in our power to support Ukraine's children, and that is why I can announce that, together with Ukraine and other partners,

I will host a summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children,

every abducted child must be returned.

Honourable Members, this war needs to end with a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Because Ukraine's freedom is Europe's freedom.

The images in Alaska were not easy to digest.

But just a few days later,

European leaders came to Washington to support President Zelensky in secure commitments.

Real progress has been made since then.

Just last week, 26 countries in the coalition of the willing said they were ready to

be part of a reassurance force in Ukraine

or participate financially in the context of a ceasefire.

We will continue to support all diplomatic efforts to end this war.

But we have all seen what Russia means by diplomacy. Putin refuses to meet President Zelensky.

Last week,

Russia launched the largest number of drones and ballistic missiles in a single attack.

Yesterday, there was a missile attack on a village in Donetsk,

targeting people waiting to pick up their pensions. More than 20 were killed.

Just today, we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of

Poland and Europe's airspace by more than 10 Russian Shahid drones.

Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland. Putin's message is clear. Our response must be clear too.

We need more pressure on Russia to come to the negotiation table, we need more sanctions.

We are now working on the 19th package in coordination with partners.

We're particularly looking at phasing out Russian fossil fuels faster.

We're looking at the shadow fleet and at third countries.

At the same time, we need more support for Ukraine.

No one has contributed as much as Europe.

Close to 170 billion of military and financial aid so far, and more will be needed.

It should not only be European taxpayers who bear the brunt of this,

this is Russia's war, and it is Russia that should pay.

This is why we need to work urgently on

a new solution to finance Ukraine's war response and effort.

On the basis of the immobilized Russian assets.

With the cash With the cash balances associated to these Russian assets,

we can provide Ukraine with a reparations loan.

The assets themselves will not be touched, and the risk will have to be carried collectively.

Ukraine will only pay back the loan once Russia pays for the reparations.

The money will help Ukrainians already today.

But also be crucial in the mid and long term for Ukraine's safety, for example,

funding the strong Ukrainian armed forces as the first line of security guarantees.

So we will propose a new program. We call it qualitative military edge.

It will support investment in the capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces, take drones, for example.

Before the war Ukraine had no drones. Today Ukraine's use of drones.

It is Ukraine's use of drones that is accounting for over 2/3 of Russian equipment losses.

It is a reminder of the power of human ingenuity in our open societies.

But we also know that Russia is catching up fast, supported by the Iranian Shahid drones.

It is seizing the advantage of industrial mass production.

Saturday, in one single night, Russia sent 800 drones to Ukraine in one single night.

So ingenuity helped to open the door for Ukraine's defense, but raw industrial might,

on the other side may threaten to sweep it closed.

So we can use our industrial strength to support Ukraine to counter this drone warfare. We can help transform Ukrainian ingenuity.

Into battlefield advantage and into joint industrialization.

This is why I can also announce that Europe will frontload €6

billion from the air alone and enter into a drone alliance with Ukraine. Ukraine has the ingenuity. What it needs now is scale.

Together we can provide it so that Ukraine keeps its edge and Europe strengthens its own. Honourable Members.

Putin's war economy will not stop even if the war does.

That means Europe must be ready to take responsibility for its own security.

Of course, NATO will always be essential.

But only a strong and credible European defense posture.

Will be able to guarantee our security.

We have made historic progress in recent years to build our European defense union.

Earlier this year, we launched Readiness 2030.

Which could unlock up to €800 billion of defense investment. This includes the SAFE program.

That is now ready to provide €150 billion for joint procurement. 19 member states have already applied.

The program is already at full capacity. That's good news.

We are also working to find a way. To grant a bonus.

To those who support Ukraine or buy Ukrainian equipment. This is emergency financial assistance. Responding to an urgent need.

Last week I saw this for myself when I visited. Frontline Member States.

They know best the threat that Russia poses. And there is no doubt.

Europe's eastern flank keeps all of Europe safe from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

This is why we must invest in supporting it through an eastern flank watch.

This means giving Europe independent strategic capabilities.

We must invest in real time space surveillance so that no movement of forces goes unseen.

We must heed the call of our Baltic friends and build a drone wall. This is not an abstract ambition.

It is the bedrock of credible defense.

A European capability developed together, deployed together and sustained together. That can respond in real time.

One that leaves no ambiguity as to our intentions,

Europe will defend every inch of its territory, ladies and gentlemen.

In every country I visited, I heard the same message. There is no time to waste.

At the next European Council, we will therefore present a clear roadmap for getting new common defense projects off the ground,

for setting clear goals for 2030.

And for creating a European defense semester. Because 2030 is tomorrow.

And it's today that Europe must get ready.

When we talk about independence, we're talking about choosing our destiny.

That is what Ukraine is fighting for.

And that is what all Europeans deserve. Because Europe is an idea.

The idea of freedom and mutual strength.

This was the idea that drove the post-1989 generation when East and West came together.

It is as powerful now as it was then.

This is why We're bringing future Member States closer to our Union,

investing, supporting reforms, integrating into the single market.

We must keep up to speed on this merits based process, because only a united,

I would even say a reunited Europe can be an independent Europe.

A larger and stronger Union is a security guarantee for all of us.

Because for Ukraine, for Moldova and for the Western Balkans, their futures in our Union,

let's make the next reunification of Europe happen together.

Honourable Members, What is happening in Gaza?

Has shaken the conscience of the world. People killed while begging for food. Mothers holding lifeless babies. These images are simply catastrophic.

So I want to start with a very clear message.

Man made famine can never be a weapon of war,

for the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity, this must stop.

This is also part of a more systematic shift in the last month that is simply unacceptable.

We have seen the financial suffocation of the Palestinian Authority.

The plans for a settlement project in the so-called E1 era, which would easily cut off the occupied West Bank from East Jerusalem,

the actions and statements by the most extremist ministers of the Israeli Government, which incite violence.

All of this points to a clear attempt to undermine the two-state solution.

To undermine the vision of a viable Palestinian state,

and we must not let this happen.

Honourable Member, it truly pains me to say these words, and I know that for many citizens,

Europe's inability to agree on a common way forward is equally painful.

They are asking how much worse things must get before there is unity in response.

I understand Because what is happening in Gaza is unacceptable.

Because Europe must lead the way, just as it has done before.

Our financial support and humanitarian aid far outweigh that of any other partner.

Our commitment to a viable Palestinian authority is keeping the two-state solution alive,

and we must urge others to urgently step up both in the region and beyond.

But of course, Europe needs to do more.

Many Many Member States have moved ahead on their own.

On our side, we proposed to suspend parts of our Horizon funding,

but this is stuck without a majority. We must overcome this.

We cannot afford to be paralyzed,

and this is why I will propose a package of measures to carve out a way forward.

First, The Commission will do all that it can do on its own.

We will put our bilateral support to Israel on hold.

We will stop all payments in these areas without

affecting our work with Israeli civil society or Yad Vashem.

Second, we will make 2 further proposals to the Council.

We will propose sanctions on the extremist ministers and on violent settlers.

We will also propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade related matters.

I am aware it will be difficult to find majorities,

and I know that any action will be too much for one. And too little for others.

But we must all take our own responsibility Parliament,

Council, Commission.

My 3rd point We will set up a Palestine donor group next month,

including a dedicated instrument for Gaza reconstruction.

This This will be an international effort with regional partners.

It will build on the momentum of the New York Conference organized by France and Saudi Arabia. Honourable Members.

I am a long standing friend of the people of Israel.

I know how much the atrocious attacks on October

by Hamas terrorists shook the nation to its core.

The hostages have now been held captive by Hamas

terrorists for more than 700 days since 7 October.

That is 700 days of pain and suffering.

There can never be any place for Hamas, neither now nor in the future,

because they are terrorists who want to destroy Israel.

They are also inflicting terror on their own people, keeping their future hostage.

Europe's goal has always been the same real security for Israel and a safe,

present and future for all Palestinians.

That means that hostages must be released, that there should be unrestrained access to all humanitarian aid,

and that there must be an immediate ceasefire.

But in the longer term, the only realistic peace plan is based on two states living side by

side in peace and security with a secure Israel,

a viable Palestinian Authority, and the scourge of Hamas removed.

That is what Europe has always stood for,

and it is time to come together and help make this happen.

Honourable Members The transition is now hard. I want to speak about competitiveness.

I know But this is a State of the Union

and competitiveness is a central piece of our European Union.

Europe's independence will depend on its ability to compete. In today's turbulent times.

We have everything it takes to thrive here in Europe,

from our single market to our social market economy.

But we know the economic and geopolitical headwinds are strong, and I just talked about it.

We have seen how dependency can be used against us.

This is why we will massively invest in digital and clean tech.

With more to come in our future competitiveness fund and a doubled horizon, our research and innovation program.

We are tackling the key bottlenecks identified by the Draghi report,

that's from energy to capital, from investment to simplification.

We have held strategic dialogues with key industries. Cars, chemicals, steel, pharmaceuticals, defense, agriculture.

In each sector The message is the same.

To protect jobs, we need to make business in Europe easier.

A digital euro, for example, will make it easier for companies and consumers alike.

The omnibuses we have put on the table so far will make a real difference less paperwork,

less overlaps, less complex rules.

Our proposal will cut €8 billion per year.

8 billion cut of bureaucratic costs for European companies.

Further omnibuses are on their way, for example, on military mobility or on the digital.

For innovative companies, we are preparing the so-called 28 regime.

Speeding up the work on the savings and Investment Union.

Because we have many high potential startups in key technologies like quantum, AI and biotech, but as they grow,

the limited availability of risk capital forces them to turn to foreign investors,

and this is wealth and jobs going elsewhere. It jeopardizes our tax sovereignty.

This is why The Commission will partner with private

investors on a multi-billion euro scale up Europe Fund.

It will help make major investments in young, fast growing companies in critical tech areas,

because we want the best of Europe to choose Europe.

Honourable Members, our greatest asset is the single market,

but we all know it remains unfinished.

The IMF estimates that the internal barriers within the single market are equivalent. To a 45% tariff on goods. Even a 100% tariff on services.

Just think of what we are missing out on.

As underscored by the letter report, the single market remains incomplete,

mostly in three domains finance, energy, and telecommunications.

So we need clear political deadlines, and this is why I will present a single market roadmap to 2028 on capital,

on services, on energy, on telecoms.

On the 28th regime and the fifth freedom for knowledge and innovation because we all know the old saying,

Only what gets measured gets done.

Honourable Members This will also support our investment

in the technologies that will fuel our economy clean. And digital Take artificial intelligence.

A European AI is essential for our future independence.

It will help power our industry and our societies, be it healthcare or be it defense, you name it.

So we will focus on the first key building blocks.

That's from the Cloud and AI Development Act to the quantum sandbox.

We are massively investing in the European AI giga factories, because these giga factories support our innovative startups so that these startups can train,

develop and deploy their models, their next generation AI models in these giga factories.

When we called on the private sector to join forces with us, the response was overwhelming.

Later today, I will meet CEOs from some of the largest European tech companies.

They will hand over their European AI and tech declaration,

and this is their commitment to invest in Europe's sovereignty,

and I'm absolutely grateful for that.

This is the way it should go in the European Union.

We must also take the same approach on clean tech, from steel to batteries.

Europe's clean tech sector must stay in Europe,

and we have to take urgent action. With a clean industrial deal.

We have identified the main hurdles that slow down these sectors,

so now we need to speed up with the implementation.

Because investors, of course, want to know that if they invest,

there will be a demand for clean European products on the other hand.

This is why lead markets must be at the heart of our action to

spark a virtuous cycle where both supply and demand go up and prices go down.

On the supply side, we will launch a battery booster package.

This will put €1.8 billion up for equity to boost production in Europe.

You know that batteries are key enablers of other clean tech, especially electric vehicles,

so this goes to the heart of our economic independence.

On the demand side,

We must urgently drive demand for European industrial leadership in clean tech.

This is why we will introduce a Made in Europe criteria in public procurement.

When we invest in global gateway, for example, we set strong incentives for partners to buy European.

I'm convinced the future of clean tech will continue to be made in Europe, but for that,

we also need to make sure that our industry has the materials here in Europe.

The only answer here is creating a truly circular economy.

So we must move fast on the circular Economy Act.

And move ahead in those sectors that are ready.

Finally, we need to keep the speed.

The Commission will propose an industrial accelerator act

for the key strategic sectors and technologies in sum.

When it comes to digital and clean tech, we have to be faster, smarter, and we have to be more European.

Honourable Members Already today,

Low carbon sources account for over 70% of our electricity.

We are global leaders in clean tech patents,

better than the United States, racing with China.

When it comes to venture capital for clean tech, we are catching up with the United States and way ahead of China.

We're firmly on track to achieve our 2030 targets to cut emissions by at least 55%.

This is the power of the European Green Deal,

and we must stay the course on our climate and environmental goals. This is a must, honorable Members. And the science is very clear.

The economic and security case is equally compelling.

In fact, This transformation is central to our push for independence.

Because it reduces our energy dependency, because circular production limits our strategic dependencies,

and because it creates front runner industries that can export the solutions to others.

When I speak to the global South,

from Africa to India to the Central Asia, they are looking for solutions.

These are rapidly evolving markets,

and the jury is still out for who will dominate these markets of the future.

We are the ones who can meet the growing demand for solutions, but it's not a given.

This is why the Commission proposed the 2040 targets, 10 years after the Paris Agreement.

I know that many people are concerned about the scale of what is needed and what is ahead.

That is why the transition must support people, it must strengthen industry.

This also means massive boosting of public and private investment, creating lead markets for circular and clean products,

that delivers jobs and that delivers investment in Europe,

ensuring a just transition for all, for example, with the Social Climate fund.

And securing the global level playing field, notably by promoting carbon pricing. Europe must protect its industries.

They are doing the right thing to decarbonise,

and they should be rewarded and incentivized.

We otherwise risk relying again on imports to Europe, imports for the steel that our car makers need,

or imports for the fertilizers that our farmers need.

That means we would be at the mercy of price,

volume and quality that others are willing and able to provide. Take steel and other metals.

Global overcapacity is squeezing margins and leaving little incentives to pay a clean premium.

This makes it harder for Europe's steel industry to invest in decarbonisation.

That is why the Commission will propose a new

long term trade instrument to succeed the expiring steel safeguards. Europe will always remain open. We like competition.

But we will always protect our industry from unfair competition.

Honourable Members, when we talk about competitiveness, we talk about jobs.

We're talking about people and their livelihood.

The bottom line is that workers must be empowered if we are to have a competitive economy.

That is why we will propose a Quality Jobs Act.

To ensure that modern employment keeps pace with the modern economy.

This is important because we know how hard times have been for so many families,

how costs have rocketed up, how people are making sacrifices to make ends meet.

This is a matter of basic social justice.

This is why we urgently need an ambitious European anti poverty strategy.

We will lay out our plan to help eradicate poverty by 2050,

backed by a strong child guarantee to shield our children from poverty.

And we will also put forward a series

of packages on affordability and the cost of living.

Allow me to give you 4 telling examples. The first is energy.

When the energy costs rise, it is not just a number on the bill.

It is every single part of people's lives that is affected.

At the height of the energy crisis in the last years, Europe acted.

Thanks to that common effort, we quickly managed to stabilize prices and secure supply.

We are now on the path to energy independence.

But energy bills are still a real source of anxiety for millions of Europeans.

Costs are still structurally too high for industry. We know what drove prices up.

That was dependency on Russian fossil fuels,

so it's time to get rid of dirty Russian fossil fuels completely.

And we know what brings prices down. That is clean, homegrown energy.

We need to generate more homegrown renewables with nuclear as a baseload,

but we also need to urgently modernize and invest in our infrastructure and our interconnectors.

This is why we will propose a new grids package.

To strengthen our grid infrastructure and speed up permitting.

To go with that, I'm presenting today a new initiative called Energy Highways.

We have identified 8 critical bottlenecks in our energy infrastructure

that goes from the Øresund Strait to the Sicilian Canal.

We will now work to remove these bottlenecks one by one.

We will bring governments and utilities together to address all outstanding issues.

Because Europeans need affordable energy right now.

Honourable Members, A home It's not just 4 walls and the roof.

It is safety It is warmth, it's a place for family and friends.

It is belonging But for too many Europeans today.

Home has become a source of anxiety. It can mean debt.

Uncertainty The numbers tell the painful truth.

House prices are up by more than 20% since 2015. Building permits down. By over 20% in five years.

This is more than a housing crisis. This is a social crisis. It tears Europe's social fabric.

It weakens our cohesion and it also threatens our competitiveness.

Nurses, teachers and firemen cannot afford to live where they serve.

Students drop out because they cannot pay the rent. Young people delay starting families.

This is why still this year, after receiving your input,

we will present the first ever European affordable housing plan.

To make housing more affordable, more sustainable and of better quality. It will be a European effort.

Anchored in local realities, we need a radical overhaul of the way we tackle this issue.

We need to revise our state aid rules to enable housing support measures.

We need to make it much easier to build new houses and student residences.

We will also propose a legal initiative on short term rentals to tackle the remaining issues.

So we need all of society, all lawmakers, all stakeholders to come together, and in this spirit,

we will convene the first European Housing Summit to

ensure it is at the top of our agenda. Honourable Member, housing is a dignity.

It is about fairness It is about Europe's future.

8 years ago, the European Pillar of Social Rights made housing a social right in Europe,

so it's time to turn this promise now into reality.

The 3rd example I would like to highlight is cars.

Cars are the pillar of our economy and industry. They are our European pride. Millions of jobs depend on it.

Earlier this year we gave the sector more flexibility to reach their 2025 targets. This is working.

With respect for technology neutrality, we are now preparing the 2035 review.

Millions of Europeans want to buy affordable European cars.

So we should invest in small, affordable cars.

Both for the European market, but also to meet the surge that we see in the global demand.

This is why we will propose to work with industry.

On a new small affordable car initiative.

I believe Europe should have its own eCAR.

E for environmental Clean, efficient and lightweight. E for economical, affordable for people.

E for European, built here in Europe with European supply chains,

because we cannot let China and others conquer this market.

No matter what, we all know the future will be electric, and Europe will be a part of it.

The future of cars and the cars of the future must be made here in Europe.

Honourable Member, the final example I want to highlight. Is linked to food.

In Europe, we have access to high quality food.

That our outstanding farmers and fishers produce at affordable prices.

They are also the custodians of our lands and oceans, our biodiversity. The key to our food security.

But they are facing headwinds from high input costs to red tape or unfair competition.

We are acting on all those fronts.

We have simplified the CAP, less paperwork, more trust, we have ring fenced income support in the next MFF,

and made sure that funding can be topped up by national regional envelopes.

But our farmers need fair competition and a level playing field. This is essential.

This is why we have robust safeguards in our trade deal with Mercosur,

backed up by funding if compensation is needed.

We also need to strengthen the position of farmers in the food chain.

For too long, their hard work has not paid off as it should.

Farmers have a right to a fair price for their food and a fair profit for their families.

We will therefore review the implementation of our unfair trading practices,

legislation, and take action wherever it is needed. I can announce today.

That we will boost our promotion budget to launch a new Bu European food campaign,

because we can proudly say that our European food is the best in the world.

Honourable Members When we talk about competitiveness and independence.

We must talk about our relations with the United States. I've heard many things. About the deal agreed in summer.

I understand the initial reactions, so allow me to be as clear as I can.

Our trading relationship with the United States is our most important.

We export over €500 billion worth of goods every year.

Millions of jobs depend on it, and as President of the Commission,

I will never gamble with people's jobs and livelihoods.

This is why we did a deal to keep market access for our industries.

We ensure that Europe got the best possible deal out there.

We have put our companies at a relative advantage.

Because some of our direct competitors face much higher tariffs from the US.

Yes, their baseline might be lower, but when you account for the exceptions that we secured

and the additional rates which others have on top,

we have the best agreement without any doubt.

But I want also to be crystal clear on one point. Whether an environmental or digital regulation.

We set our own standards, we set our own regulation, Europe will always decide for itself.

Honourable Members, I do not believe in tariffs.

Tariffs are taxes, but the deal provides crucial stability in our

relations with the United States at a time of grave global insecurity.

Think of the repercussions of a full fledged trade war with the United States. Picture the chaos. And then put that image.

Next to the one from China just last week.

China flanked by the leaders from Russia and North Korea.

Putin gloating about how Russia China relations are at an unprecedented height.

None of this is a great surprise. But it reflects the changing landscape.

It creates two imperatives for Europe's independence push on its place in the world.

The first is that we need to double down on diversification and on partnerships.

80% of our trade is with countries other than the United States.

So we need to capitalize now on these new opportunities.

At a time global trading, the global trading system is crumbling, we're securing the global rules through bilateral agreements,

like Mexico, like Mercosur,

or finalizing negotiations on a historic deal with India by the end of the year.

We will also build a coalition of like minded countries to reform the global trading system,

like with the CPTPP countries.

Because trade allows us to strengthen our supply chains, open our markets,

reduce dependencies, ultimately, it is about enhancing our economic security.

The world wants to choose Europe, and we need to do business with the world.

My second imperative is for Europe to step up where others have stepped away.

Take research Science has no passport, no gender,

no ethnicity and no political color.

It is one of the most valuable global goods.

This is why the Commission announced the Choose Europe package of

EUR €500 million to attract and retain the best scientists and researchers.

Europe must also take the lead on global health. We are on the brink.

If not even at the start of another global health crisis.

And as a medical doctor by training,

I'm appalled by the disinformation that threatens global progress on everything from measles to polio.

This is why today I can announce that the European Union will head a new global health resilience initiative,

because the world is looking to Europe and Europe is ready to lead. Honourable Members.

Europe's independence is about protecting our freedoms.

This is very important because these freedoms,

this shouting side of the House should listen very carefully. Listen very carefully.

Can you, can you please stop, listen very carefully about the freedoms, the freedom to decide, the freedom to speak out,

to move around the whole continent, the freedom to vote, the freedom to vote,

to love, to pray, to live in a union of equality.

Our democracy and the rule of law are the guarantors of those freedoms.

This is why we have done so much to strengthen our tools and step up enforcement.

We built a new rule of law cycle that

ensures that problems are detected early and solved through engagement.

We need an integrated annual cycle of the rule of law.

A common rhythm, clear milestones, and contributions from all institutions.

Our focus must be to close the existing loopholes.

We have strengthened the link between funds and the respect for the rule of law,

and with the next long term budget, we will go even further.

Respecting the rule of law is a must for European funds now and in the future.

Honourable Members, the rise in this information manipulation and disinformation,

as we hear, is dividing our societies.

It is not only eroding trust in the truth, but also in democracy itself.

This is why we urgently need the European Democracy Shield.

We need more capacity to monitor and detect information manipulation and disinformation.

So we will set up a new European Centre for democratic resilience.

This will bring together the expertise and capacity of Member States and neighboring countries.

You obviously are fearing this new center.

OK, I understand that shouting has become a little bit of a tradition.

Can you listen, please, to this discussion, and then you have the time to speak.

In some communities across Europe, traditional media are struggling.

In many rural areas, the days of going out for local paper is a nostalgic memory.

This has created many news deserts where disinformation thrives, and this is so dangerous for our democracy, because informed citizens who can trust what they read and

hear are essential to keep those in power accountable, and when independent media is dismantled or neutralized,

Our ability to monitor corruption and preserve democracy is severely weakened.

This is why the first step, listen carefully, this is why the first step in an autocrat's playbook is always to capture independent media, because this enables backsliding and corruption to happen in the dark,

so we need to do more to protect our media and our independent press,

and this is why we will launch a new media resilience program.

This media resilience program will support independent journalism and media literacy,

but we also need to invest to address some of the root causes of this threat.

This is why, in the next budget,

we have proposed to significantly boost funding for media.

We also need to enable private equity.

We will therefore use our tools to support independent and local media.

A free press is the backbone of any democracy,

and we will support Europe's press to remain free, despite your shouting. Yeah Honourable Members, another important point. OK, Ms. Schneider, Schneider, please.

We have been very fair and understanding, but this is your last warning, shouting again and you leave the Chamber.

Let's have a look at social media.

It has many, many benefits for connecting people.

But I would like to raise one very specific topic.

This is the effects of giving our children unfettered access to social media. As a mother of 7. And a grandmother of 4.

I feel the anxiety of parents who are doing their best to keep their children safe. These parents worry.

That when their children pick up a phone,

They could be exposed to the wide ranging dangers simply with a squall.

Online bullying Adult content Promoting self harm.

And algorithms that prey on children's vulnerabilities with the explicit purpose of creating addictions.

Too often, mums and dads feel powerless and helpless.

That they are drowning against the tsunami of big tech flooding their family homes.

I strongly believe that parents, not algorithms, should be raising our children. Their voice must be heard.

This is why today I'm here to tell you that I'm listening. Just as in my days.

We as a society taught our children.

That they could not smoke, drink or watch adult content until a certain age.

I believe it is time we consider doing the same for social media.

Our friends in Australia are pioneering a social media restriction.

I'm watching the implementation of the policy closely.

To see what next steps we can take here in Europe.

I will commission a panel of experts.

To advise me by the end of this year on the best approach for Europe. We will approach this carefully. Listen to everyone.

In all of this work,

We will be guided by the need to empower parents.

And to build a safer Europe for our children,

because when it comes to kids' safety online.

Europe believes in parents and not in profits. Honourable members.

Our most important task is to protect our democracy, but to do so we must also show that democracy offers solutions to people's legitimate concerns,

and nowhere is that more evident in the context of migration.

That is why we have proposed to treble funding for migration and border management in

the next budget so that we can manage migration effectively and protect our external borders. But more is clearly needed.

The people of Europe have shown that they are willing to help those fleeing war and persecution.

But there is a growing sense of frustration stemming from their impression that our rules are being ignored.

That is why we need to step up our efforts.

We need a system that is humane.

But we must not be naive about it.

We must be serious about returning rejected asylum seekers to their home countries.

We cannot have a situation where only 20% of those who are not allowed to stay. Actually leave Europe.

We therefore need to agree quickly on the common European system for returns.

We have no more time to lose.

And we must also ensure that we fully implement the pact

on migration and asylum as soon as it enters into force. The pact is strict but fair.

And it will only work if everyone plays their part.

Member states from the north, the south, east and west.

Of course, we will always fulfill our international obligations.

We've done it in the past, we're doing it today, and we'll do it in the future.

But we in Europe must be the ones to decide who comes to us and in what circumstances,

not the people smugglers and traffickers.

The smugglers and traffickers are making millions and millions with their cynical, false, and fatal promises.

That is why we must break their business model.

It is true that the numbers are falling,

but Too many people are still trying to cross the border illegally and dying. On the way.

We must work together with social media platforms.

To put an end to the online organization and advertising of smuggling operations, we must work more closely with airlines, especially on problematic routes such as those to Belarus,

and it is only by going after the money that we will be able to track down the criminal networks and cut off their sources of funding,

and we need a new system of sanctions specifically targeted at people smugglers and traffickers.

To freeze their assets, to restrict their ability to move around, to cut off their profits.

People smuggling is a horrible criminal business and no smuggler.

Or trafficker should be allowed to get away with it in Europe.

Honourable Member, the point I want to make is simple.

If it matters to Europeans, it matters to Europe.

This is our enduring duty to deliver.

This summer,

we all saw the pictures of Europe's forests and villages on fire.

More than a million hectares were burned.

An era around 1/3 of the size of Belgium.

The scale of the damage is enormous.

We know it is not a one off.

Climate change is making each summer hotter, harsher and more dangerous.

This is why we have to radically step up our

efforts into climate resilience and adaptations and nature based solutions.

But we must also give ourselves the tools to respond.

This is why we will propose to create a new European firefighting hub based in Cyprus,

which could also support our regional neighbors.

We know the difference our civil protection mechanism can make.

Just over the summer, 760 brave Europeans were sent to all corners of Europe. Literally running towards the flames.

I would like to conclude my speech with a tribute to them. The firefighters, the pilots. The crews, everyone stepped up.

I would like to tell you the story of a group of 20 Greek Rangers.

They are specialists in taming the fiercest of forest fires.

When the fires erupted in the Asturia region, Spain called Europe for help. Greece answered the call.

The flames were so vast, the smoke could be seen from space.

For 5 days,

these 20 Greek rangers stood shoulder to shoulder with their Spanish colleagues.

As the flames swept closer to the village of Gestoso, they fought day and night to contain the inferno,

and in the end, together, they tamed the fire and the village was saved.

Honourable Members,

it is such an honor to welcome one of these heroes today.

The leader of the Greek team, Lieutenant Nicolaos Paisios, Lieutenant Nikolaos,

your courage is an inspiration to all of us.

Honourable members, This is Europe as one community.

This is the Europe that I love and that you love, we all love.

This is the Europe that we must protect at all costs, and we must do that together.

I want to work with this House and with all pro European democratic forces to deliver for Europe.

I'm working on legislative packages to empower this pro European majority. And I'm so delighted, Roberta.

That we have managed to renew the framework agreement between the Commission and the Parliament,

this will only strengthen our cooperation.

It will be an enabler for us to work on the real reforms that are needed.

Because I support the right of initiative of the European Parliament.

I believe that we need to move.

I believe that we need to move to qualified majorities in some areas, for example, in foreign policy.

It is time It is time to break free from the shackles of unanimity.

The point is that we need to make sure That our Union is faster and can deliver.

Because this is how we can win the fight together to deliver Europe's independence moments.

Let's remember that we have always had to fight for our freedoms,

for the generation that fought hard and hand in hand across our continent.

To the underground press that kept the flame of freedom

alive across Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

Or the Forrest brothers in the Baltics, who resisted Soviet oppression. At every turn. This struggle, this fight.

It is deeply ingrained in who we are as Europeans.

80 years ago, our continent was hell on earth.

40 years ago, our continent was divided by a wall. But on each occasion.

Europeans decided to fight for a better future.

To make itself whole and to make the whole strong.

That is what I will strive for every single day with you,

honorable Members, long live Europe.

Thank you so much.