The Recovery and Resilience Facility is not only a way to address the effects of Covid crisis, but a great leap forward towards a closer and deeper Union.
It complements the action of the European Central Bank, and partially overcomes the lack of a common European fiscal capacity for the time-being.
However, we would be wrong to consider this facility as the final destination of our journey. This is just the beginning. Full Recovery will require time, energy, commitment, and a great sense of responsibility.
In order to succeed, new forms of dialogue and interactions, solidarity and mutual understanding are required.
Now more than ever, it is clear that having solely a national perspective for economic and budgetary measures is not only pretentious, but also inefficient and short-sighted. A truly European approach is the only way to foster territorial cohesion, to fight social inequalities and to support policies dedicated to the next generation of Europeans.
As Parliament, over the next years, we will be vigilant to ensure that the Commission carries out the tasks assigned in an appropriate way and that the Facility reaches its objectives, especially in terms of digital and environmental transformation, social impact, and next generation policies that we have envisaged for the Union.
It will not be easy. There will be bumps along the road, and divisive forces will always be around the corner. And we’ve already had a sample in this morning’s debate. Therefore I talk to my colleagues now.
We have created a powerful instrument for unity and solidarity. Now it’s our responsibility to make sure that what was conceived to unite us will not end up dividing us.