European Parliament President David Sassoli today opened the December plenary session from the Hemicycle in Strasbourg. He used his opening speech to remember the victims of the December 2018 terrorist attack and pay tribute to former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. The rest of the session will take place in Brussels in full compliance with the measures in force to protect public health.

In his opening speech, President Sassoli said:

“I am here today at the headquarters of our institution to open the December plenary session with a message of solidarity to the citizens of Strasbourg and to the French authorities.

“I remember with great sadness the terrorist attack of 11 December 2018. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and their friends.

“Strasbourg and the surrounding region have suffered greatly from COVID, which has killed so many of our citizens and changed our lives. We are also aware of the social and economic difficulties the city is facing. Parliament is on your side. It is our shared desire to hold our plenary sessions again in this hemicycle as soon as possible.”

The President continued with a tribute to former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing:

“We have lost a friend and a passionate European. He wrote that for him it was "a source of intense satisfaction to contribute to the construction of Europe". His contribution is still part of our reality today - a European Parliament elected by universal suffrage, the creation of the European Monetary System that gave birth to the Euro, the establishment of regular "European Councils", such as the one that took place last week.

“His European outlook made him work tirelessly for a more democratic Europe, a closer and stronger Europe and led him to lead the Convention charged with developing a European Constitution. We will gather in this hemicycle, here in Strasbourg, on 2 February, his birthday, to honour him in a ceremony attended by President Macron and other heads of state and government.”

The President finished by reflecting on the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Accord and the upcoming vote on the next long-term EU budget:

“Since 2015, the EU and many countries, parliaments and cities have declared a climate and environmental emergency. Citizens, and especially our young people, are calling for urgent global action. Since then we have imagined a more sustainable development model with environmental and social justice at the centre. The Green Deal is our new growth strategy. We want Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

“It is our responsibility, as Parliament, to ensure that the EU continues to be a pioneer in the fight against climate change. Parliament will work to ensure a green transition.

“Politics requires means. I am particularly happy that Parliament will vote on the MFF and own resources, as well as on the rule of law regulation after the Council agreed on this issue last week. This money and these new tools are badly needed by our citizens and businesses.”

The full speech can be found here