The EU needs to send a strong signal of European sovereignty
EU Summit/Plenary debate
Ahead of today’s (Wednesday, 17 June) plenary debate before this week's EU Summit, Terry Reintke MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, calls for a strong signal of European independence:
“The summit must send out a clear and strong signal of European sovereignty. The EU cannot leave the role of chief negotiator to an erratic US President, be it in Iran or in Ukraine. The EU must hold on to the leverage of sanctions and prevent a disaster for the people of Iran.
“In Donald Trump’s war against Iran and Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine, dependency on gas and oil has become a weapon of war. Fossil fuels pose an acute security risk and drive up energy costs. The EU does possess a powerful blueprint for independence and sovereignty, it is called the Green Deal. Europe must fully commit to renewable energy for its own security, global competitiveness and in the race against China, inflation and climate change. We expect the European Council to provide decisive leadership on resolving the EU’s trade deficit and shielding our industries from China by immediately adopting short-term safeguard measures.
“We need the Emissions Trading System as a key market instrument and a driver of competitiveness and planning certainty. Free CO2 allowances are nothing more than subsidies for the oil and gas industry and block investment in green technologies.
“The EU cannot afford to be stingy when it comes to investing in climate protection, jobs and competitiveness. The EU budget cannot rely solely on the goodwill of EU governments. Generating its own revenue is the obvious step towards making the EU budget independent and crisis-proof.”
